Daily Thoughts 10/15/2015

Me Travel, NARA National Archives and Records Administration, 1940, Public Domain.

Daily Thoughts 10/15/2015

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

On the way to work, I read some more of The Master Algorithm.  This book shows a process of how people use algorithms to help people in business.  First, the company starts with people keeping track of things, then people introduce databases and other record keeping methods, then people introduce algorithms to track what people are doing and what people want.  A good example of an algorithm is the book recommendation engine from Google or the movie recommendation algorithm from Netflix.

I checked the gift books and the displays.  I also read two copies of the New York Times Book Review and the Times Literary supplement.  I placed the book, Good Profit How Creating Value for Others Built One of the World's Most Successful Companies by Charles B. Koch on hold.  It should give some insight into how the Koch brothers work.

Two books came in for me to read, Part of Our Lives A People's History of the American Public Library by Wayne A. Wiegand and the Waste Free Kitchen Handbook by Dana Gunders.

I did a redesign for a four per sheet bookmark with a list of African American mystery writers that will be sent to our designer.  I also worked on a booklet for award winning fiction books.  It should be interesting.

There was a Microsoft Powerpoint 2013 class tonight.

On the way home, I finished reading The Master Algorithm How the Quest for the Ultimate Learning Machine Will Remake the World by Pedro Domingos.  I did not understand most of what the author was writing about, but it did not matter that much to me because the concepts were fascinating.  It gave me some idea of what might be happening in the near future.  Everyone will have their own personal digital assistant that can quickly learn what you are looking for and connect you with your interests.  It is both fascinating and a bit overwhelming.

I also started reading Part of Our Lives.  This book is about libraries from the perspective of people that use them, not necessarily librarians or administrators.  It is a kind of people's history of libraries.


Web Bits

Wikipedia Entry for Librarian

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Librarian

Please edit this.  

New Research Highlights Expanded Role of Libraries
http://goodereader.com/blog/digital-library-news/new-research-highlights-expanded-roles-of-libraries

Why the Printed Book Will Last Another 500 Years

http://lithub.com/why-the-printed-book-will-last-another-500-years/

Book Trailer Unleashed for Stan Lee's Graphic Memoir

http://www.adweek.com/galleycat/book-trailer-unleashed-for-stan-lees-graphic-memoir/111133

Custom Made Coloring Murals
http://www.fancyfeatures.com/custom-canvas/

Artificial Intelligence

In Japan, Drones Guide Robot Trucks at Construction Sites

http://www.popsci.com/in-japan-drones-guide-robot-trucks-at-construction-sites?src=SOC&dom=fb