Daily Thoughts 09/30/2015

Daily Thoughts 09/30/2015

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook today.

I also spent some time checking the displays and the gift books.  I am finalizing the design of the brochure for Latino films.  I picked out some more films to display in the display cases.  I also picked out a few horror books and graphic novels in preparation for a display for Halloween.

I checked out the film Bless Me Ultima to watch.  We are showing it on October 13 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the community room.

I read through several copies of Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Library Journal, and the latest copy of the October Baker and Taylor Forecast.  I placed a hold on Part of Our Lives:  A People's History of the American Public Library by Wayne A. Wiegand.   I also placed a hold on Windfall: The Booming Business of Global Warming by McKenzie Funk.  It is about how people make money off of disaster.

I spent some time discussing programming and scheduling with colleagues.

I helped

Web Bits

Publishers Tracking Trends in Educational Space

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/67926-publishers-tracking-trends-in-the-educational-space.html

Libraries and The Abiding Love for Printed Books

http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/libraries-and-the-abiding-love-for-printed-books/

From India

Patrons Split On How Fast Libraries Should Move Into the Digital Age

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20150926/business/150929354/

Daily Thoughts 09/29/2015

Daily Thoughts 09/29/2015


I checked the Twitter and Facebook for the library this morning.


I checked the displays and the flyers this morning.  I also spent a little more work on the Latino Americans 500 Years of History grant.  The program is on Latino Migration to the United States.  It is led by Professor Leandro Benmergui, Director of Casa Purchase.  It is from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m..

Mount Vernon Public Library is one of 203 Organizations that received the Latino Americans 500 Years of History Grant from the National Endowment to the Humanities and the American Library Association. https://apply.ala.org/latinoamericans/about/grant-recipients

I placed an order for new books.

I also read the latest Times Literary Supplement and a copy of the Norton Mental Health Book Catalog.



Web Bits

Behind New York's Library Network by Shannon Mattern

http://motherboard.vice.com/read/behind-new-yorks-library-network

Public Invited To Meet Ossining Library Director

http://ossining.dailyvoice.com/events/public-invited-to-meet-ossining-library-director/589977/

 

Daily Thoughts 09/28/2015

 Still Life With Fruit and Vegetables, Thomas Hart Benton, 1914

Daily Thoughts 09/28/2015

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook today.

I read some of Raising Caine by Charles E. Gannon this weekend.  I bought it at the local Barnes and Noble at the mall which is closing at the end of the year.  It has been at the mall for twenty years.  However, the economics have changed.  It makes more money to have a different kind of store in that location.

I like the premise of the story.  There are two branches of humanity one which was taken by aliens to fight on different worlds and the people on earth.  There are also a variety of different aliens who try and keep contact minimal between different species.  The book is military science fiction with a mix of diplomacy and spy craft.

I also read some more of Misbehaving the Making of Behavioral Economics.  I read about the concept of loss aversion or why people hold onto money and stocks without selling them even if they are doing poorly with their investments.

I checked my email today and did a little bit more work on the Latino Americans 500 Years of History Grant.  The brochure should be ready soon.

Web Bits

Vonnegut Memorial Library Locking Up University Libraries Dean for Banned Books Week

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2015/09/27/Vonnegut-Memorial-Library-locking-up-university-libraries-dean-for-Banned-Books-Week/4181439912224/

Banned Books Week is this week.  We have a display of banned books.

People Love Public Libraries, But They Aren't Using Them

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/people-love-libraries-arent-using-data-shows/

Daily Thoughts 09/25/2015

Karin Reading, Carl Larsson, 1904

Daily Thoughts 09/25/2015

I checked the Twitter and Facebook for the library this morning.

We had a management meeting this morning where we discussed the new website.  We also looked at Scannx which is a book scanner.  We may be getting this to scan some of the material for the local history room including photographs, pamphlets, and other materials.  The software is cloud based.  It was interesting looking at the technology.  In addition to scanning it can email and fax documents. http://www.scannx.com

Later in the afternoon, we looked at WestlawNext which is a legal database.  The main advantage that it has over Lexis is that it contains McKinney's New York Annotated.  We asked some questions about Keycite and some other legal resources.  We are looking at possibly getting it for coverage of New York and Federal laws. http://legalsolutions.thomsonreuters.com/law-products/westlaw-legal-research/

I printed up some more flyers for the Latino Americans 500 Years of History programs.  I also sent out a few more flyers via email.  I am hoping we have a good turnout on Tuesday.  Leandro Benmergui will be discussing Latino Migration to the United States on Tuesday night from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. using clips from the documentary Latino Americans 500 Years of History.  He is the Director of Casa Purchase at SUNY Purchase and is a professor of Latin American Studies and History.

I have several copies of Publishers Weekly to read.

I also checked the displays and the gift books.

Web Bits

Young Readers Favor Print Over E-books

http://www.adweek.com/galleycat/will-ebooks-eliminate-print-books/110340

How Physicists Quantum Teleported Information Over 62 Miles.
http://www.popsci.com/how-physicists-set-new-world-record-for-quantum-teleportation?src=SOC&dom=fb

Daily Thoughts 09/24/2015

Библиотека Аничкова дворца. Картина 1869 года.

Daily Thoughts 09/24/2015

I read some more of Misbehaving the Making of Behavioral Economics.  I am reading about fairness as a concept in financial transactions.  There is quite a bit about what people consider fair.


We discussed the book, The Innocents Abroad today by Mark Twain.  The book club liked it because Mark Twain was critical about everyone and did not seem to spare anyone in his travel writing.  The next book which we are reading is I Am Malala : The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai.  We will be discussing this on October 22, 2015 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.


I spent some more time contacting people about the Latino Americans 500 Years of History Grant Program.  Last night, Sherrie Baver showed Episode 4, The New Latinos of the dvd.  We also discussed Latino immigration and culture in New York.  The episode was mainly about Latino immigration from the Caribbean focusing on Dominican and Puerto Rican immigration to New York and Cuban immigration to Miami.


I checked the Twitter and Facebook for the library this afternoon.  I also checked the gift books and the displays.


The latest Bookpage has come in for me to read.  I also have a copy of the New York Review of Books to read this afternoon.


Web Bits

The Plot Twist: :E-Book Sales Slip and Print is Far From Dead

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/23/business/media/the-plot-twist-e-book-sales-slip-and-print-is-far-from-dead.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur&_r=0

Adult Coloring Explosion

http://www.webjunction.org/news/webjunction/adult-coloring-explosion.html

Our  Libraries are in Trouble, Karin Slaughter Wants to Save Them

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hilal-isler/our-libraries-are-in-trou_b_8184360.html?utm_hp_ref=books&ir=Books

Daily Thoughts 09/23/2015

Daily Thoughts 09/23/2015

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I checked the gifts and the new books.

I spent some time calling people about the Hispanic Americans 500 Years of History grant.  I also sent some organizations the flyer for the four events which we have planned.  Tonight, we are showing Episode 4, The New Latinos.  Sherrie Baver is introducing the documentary, showing it, and giving a question and answer period afterward.

I also looked at a few more film titles for the brochure that is being worked on.

Web Bits

Why Read Books Considered Obscene

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/27/books/review/why-read-books-considered-obscene.html?_r=2

Happy Birthday to Us All-- Judge Rules Tune Is Public Domain

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/09/22/442694777/happy-birthday-to-us-all-judge-rules-tune-is-public-domain

Daily Thoughts 09/22/2015

Reading, Pablo Picasso, 1921

Daily Thoughts 09/22/2015

I read a little bit more of Misbehaving The Making of Behavioral Economics on the way to work.  I am reading about the concept of sunk costs and loss aversion which explains why people are so afraid of losing money.

I checked the Twitter and Facebook for the library this morning.

We had an early staff meeting this morning.  I got up early and got to work early.  It was about hiring people, e-rate for broadband access, and other issues.

I checked the gift books and the displays.  I also spent some time preparing orders for next week.  I read the latest New York Times Book Review and a copy of the Times Literary Supplement.

I spent some time preparing for the first event of the Latino Americans 500 Years of History.  Dr. Sherri Baver is discussing Episode 4 -- The New Latinos in the community room at the Mount Vernon Public Library from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

My colleague is helping with the Crochet Class from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Fundamentals of Computers class and the Beginning Microsoft Word class are tonight.

The book, The Unincorporated Future by Dani Kollin and Eytan Kollin came in for me to read.  I also am planning on watching The Dance of Reality which is Alexander Jodorowsky's new film.


Web Bits

Banned Book Week Gets a Digital Makeover

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/68118-banned-books-week-gets-a-digital-makeover.html

A Cross Country Mission to Track Down Carnegie Libraries

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sam-weller/carnegie-libraries-road-trip_b_8160776.html

 

Daily Thoughts 09/21/2015

Claude Monet Reading, Pierre Auguste Renoir, 1872
 
Daily Thoughts 09/21/2015

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I also placed an order for new books.

On the train to work, I read some more of Misbehaving The Making of Behavioral Economics by Richard H. Thaler.  It was interesting that there was a comment that the poorer you are, the more likely you are to act like the traditional view of economics where you have to make either or decisions.   I also liked a description where the author posits that the obective of a company may not be to make money, but instead to grow to the maximum size possible.

I checked the gift books and the displays.  I also put out some new flyers for the different programs for the Latina Americans 500 Years of History grant.

I spent some time working on a brochure for Latin American films and Latino films.   A colleague suggested some changes for the cover of the brochure.  I also spent some time posting information to Facebook, our email list and other places about the different events.

I had to talk with two people who reported to me about the results of civil service tests for clerical workers at the Mount Vernon Public Library.   Many people did not pass the test who worked here.

There is an early morning meeting for staff tomorrow.  Also, there is a voter registration event going on tomorrow.  I have to make sure it happens.

Web Bits

How Charlotte Mecklenberg Library Convinced 13,000 People To Come Back

http://www.charlotteagenda.com/16412/how-charlotte-mecklenburg-library-convinced-13000-people-to-come-back/

Do E-books Earn More Money at Lower Prices

http://observer.com/2015/09/do-e-books-earn-more-money-at-lower-prices/

 

Daily Thoughts 09/20/2015

Claude Monet (The Reader), Pierre Auguste Renoir, 1873-1874

Daily Thoughts 09/20/2015

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I spent some time working on a list of films for the Latino Americans 500 Years of History Grant.

Last night, I read some more of Mark Twain's The Innocents Abroad.  It was written during the last century so it reveals how different it was to live in the 19th century as it is to now.  Our life is luxurious and comfortable compared to then.

I finished reading The Innocents Abroad tonight.  The stories ends with a summary of the trip.  Mark Twain is reporting the trip to his home newspaper as he travels.  I actually found parts of the book very hard to read.  Mark Twain has a strong dislike for the people in the holy land and his writing can be a bit offensive.

Web Bits

Man Booker Prize National Book Award Finalists Revealed

http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/16/living/man-booker-prize-fiction-national-book-award-2015/index.html

New Pew Report, Libraries at the Crossroads

http://www.pewinternet.org/files/2015/09/2015-09-15_libraries_FINAL.pdf

Daily Thoughts 09/19/2015

"Second Hand Booksellers, Spring", by T. F. Šimon . Color soft ground etching and aquatint, Published 1912 by Georges Petit, Paris in an edition of 200. Actual size: 9-3/8 x 9-3/4 inches.

Daily Thoughts 09/19/2015

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook today.

I also read some more of The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain.  He has a lot of opinons about the different places he visits in the holy land.  A lot of it is about how terribly hot it is, how barren the landscape is, how hard it is to ride all day long, and that camels are mean animals.

I also spent some time working on a brochure for Latino and Latin American films at the Mount Vernon Public Library.  I also posted a few listings for an event.

I checked the latest bestsellers from Publishers Weekly and the New York Times Book Review.

Web Bits

Library's Tor Relay Which Had Been Pulled After Feds Noticed Now Restored

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/09/small-town-library-restores-tor-relay-which-had-gone-dark-for-weeks/

Archival Mindfulness Coloring Book

http://files.archivists.org/pubs/SAAColoringBook2015.pdf

Be Kind to Books Club Poster Series

http://www.loc.gov/preservation/resources/educational/BKBCposters/index.html

The New York Public Library Will Post 453,000 Historic Maps Online

http://mentalfloss.com/article/68332/new-york-public-library-will-post-435000-historic-maps-online?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral

Big Tech Has Become Way too Powerful

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/09/20/opinion/is-big-tech-too-powerful-ask-google.html?_r=0

Daily Thoughts 09/16/2015

Daily Thoughts 09/16/2015

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook.

I also checked the displays and the gift books.  I am working on the Latino Americans 500 Years of History Display.    I also am doing some administrative work with the grant.

I spent some time talking to two new library aides about how to handle Microsoft Word at the public computers.

I also spent some time preparing for other programs with a colleague.  We are looking at a Vietnam film about Latino Americans.

Web Bits

Pew Survey Traditional Library Visits Dip; Mobile Access Surges

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/68049-pew-survey-traditional-library-visits-dip-mobile-access-surges.html

Dislike Button Coming to Facebook

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-34264624?ocid=socialflow_facebook

Daily Thoughts 09/15/2015

Writing Box With Design of Autumn Grasses Under the Sun and Moon, Igarashi Doho, 17th Century Japan

Daily Thoughts 09/15/2015

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of  The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain.  I enjoyed his description of sneaking in to see the Parthenon in Greece because the island was under quarantine.  The early parts of the book on Italy are quite interesting because Italy was still going through unification.  The Kingdom of Italy was not formed until 1871.  The book is written in 1869.  This gives a very different feeling to the book than how we might read about more modern Italy.  Each of the places Mark Twain visits like Naples, Florence, and Rome are quite distinctive.

I spent some time working on the Latino Americans 500 Years of History Grant.  I also checked the gift books and the displays.

Today is the first day of National Hispanic Heritage Month which runs from September 15 to October 15.

The Crochet Class is today from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

There is a computer class tonight for Fundamentals of Computers and Microsoft Word.

On the way home, I read some more of The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain.  Mark Twain is traveling in the Holy Land through Palestine.  We get a sense of likes, dislikes and prejudices from Mark Twain that are a reflection of the time.

Web Bits

These Public Libraries are for Snowshoes and Ukuleles

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/15/us/these-public-libraries-are-for-snowshoes-and-ukuleles.html?_r=0

How Friends of the Phoenix Public Library Finds New Ways to Sell Old Books

http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/arts/how-friends-of-the-phoenix-public-library-finds-new-ways-to-sell-old-books-7639962

YA Titles Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month

http://www.yalsa.ala.org/thehub/2015/09/15/ya-titles-celebrate-national-hispanic-heritage-month/