Daily Thoughts 02/29/2016

Paul Cezanne, Young Man With a Skull, 1898

Daily Thoughts 02/29/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook today.

I finished reading Native Son by Richard Wright on the way to work today.

There is a panel on the book Native Son tonight at the Mount Vernon Public Library.
http://mountvernon.dailyvoice.com/events/mount-vernon-library-panel-will-examine-native-son/638931/

I read a copy of the New York Times Book Review.

I checked the gift books and the displays. I also put out copies of the March Bookpage which I read today.
I spent some time working on displays for Women's History Month which is march.

The event was itneresting tonight.  It opened with a short film, The Black American Experience, Richard Wright followed by a discussion of the book, Native Son.  The Youth Shelter was here as well as numerous members of the community.


Web Bits

The TV Novel Complex
http://flavorwire.com/563136/the-tv-novel-complex

Daily Thoughts 02/28/2016

Richard Wright by Gordon Parks, 1943, Farm Security Administration, Office of War Information Photography Collection, Public Domain.

Daily Thoughts 02/28/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I am almost done reading Native Son by Richard Wright.  The discussion should be interesting tomorrow at 6:00 p.m..  There is a short half hour movie on the book.  The story is quite dark at points and hard to read, but revelatory in its content.  It says a lot about race relations between black people and white people which is still true in many ways.

I read some more of Postcapitalism.  I am reading a very left oriented overview of labor history.  There are some interesting comments on Taylorism, Henry Ford, and how traditional unions are often used as a counterforce against fascism.  The final part is a bit on how networked individuals who use social media, cell phones, and computing are changing the organization of the workforce.

Web Bits

Library Services Designed to Help Aduts Complete Education

http://www.thecouriertimes.com/news/article_f95f31e7-1643-589e-9238-68e5793e6dd0.html

There's A Village in Wales that is Basically One Big Library
http://www.buzzfeed.com/chelseypippin/hay-on-wye?utm_term=.gq3R5ZN0rJ#.dcNbJV7wxv

Daily Thoughts 02/27/2016

Louis Fancher, 1907, Scribners Magazine

Daily Thoughts 02/27/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

There is a National Poetry Month flyer in the March/April 2016 American Libraries magazine.

I read some of Native Son by Richard Wright, printed by Harper Perennial.  The particular edition I am reading is a restored text which includes some extra material that was not included in the first printing.  There is also an essay, "How Bigger Was Born," and a Chronology of Richard Wright's life.

I also read some more of Postcapitalism.  I am reading about the idea of the concierge economy where everyone has to provide services to be employed; dogwalking, fitness training, yoga instructors, and other such jobs would expand to mainly help people with money.  This would require mass commercialization of every day human activities.  In some ways this is very much becoming a reality especially in places like San Francisco and New York.  There is an Uber for Everything Now
http://www.wsj.com/articles/theres-an-uber-for-everything-now-1430845789

Web Bits

B&N Confirms New Prototype Store Will Open  This Year

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/69486-b-n-planning-an-amazon-style-store.html

Secret Memo Details U.S.'s Broad Strategy to Crack Phones

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-19/secret-memo-details-u-s-s-broader-strategy-to-crack-phones

The Library That Put Readers In Cages
http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-library-that-put-readers-in-cages?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=atlas-page

Daily Thoughts 02/26/2016

Vanitas: A skull, a violin, an upturned tazza, books, tarot cards, a fob watch, a clay pipe, a taper, and a pouch of tobacco on a pewter plate, on a wooden table draped with a rug, Attributed to Sebastien Bonnecroy


Daily Thoughts 02/26/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook today.







I read some more of Postcapitalism.  Paul Mason cites Jeremy Rifkin's book, The Zero Margin Cost Society: The Internet of Things, The Collaborative Commons, and The Eclipse of Capitalism.





I checked the gift books and the displays.  I also printed a few flyers.  We are going to look at a new system for scheduling programs today.






We had a session on Plymouth Rocket Event Keeper which is a system to manage programming and events.  It includes some features like the ability to create online signup sheets. http://www.eventkeeper.com






I spent a little time generating a report in Reports Station.






I am scheduling a tablet for weeding.  There is a tablet for Mobile Circulation for Sirsi Dynix at the Westchester Library System.








I also looked through a copy of Baker and Taylor Forecast, the New York Times Book Review, and the Baker and Taylor Navigator.


I checked out the book, Native Son by Richard Wright.  There is going to be a panel discussion of the book at the Mount Vernon Public Library on Monday, February 29, 2016 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. featuring Brian G. Johnson, Esquire, Shawna Marie Aarons-Cooke, LCSW, and Trustee Darren M. Morton, Ed.D..







Web Bits

Facebooks AI is Learning by Reading Loads of Childrens Books

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2078821-facebooks-ai-is-learning-by-reading-loads-of-childrens-books/?utm_source=Publishers+Weekly&utm_campaign=cd8daedf6f-UA-15906914-1&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0bb2959cbb-cd8daedf6f-

Digital Skills are not the Same as Digital Literacy

http://techsoupforlibraries.org/blog/digital-skills-are-not-the-same-as-digital-literacy

Daily Thoughts 02/25/2016

The Pensive Reader, Mary Cassatt, 1894

Daily Thoughts 02/25/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of Postcapitalism.  I am reading about how capitalism adjusts to changes in technology.  The author describes 2008 when the United States economy almost collapsed as a point where new information technology took a major role in the economy.   He describes this as part of a cyclical change in how capitalism works. 

I checked the gift books and the displays this morning.  I also spent some time discussing a refund procedure for the copy machine.  I am also working on policies for the public computers as well as staff training.

This afternoon, the book club discussed On Her Own Ground: The Life and Time of Madam C.J. Walker by A'leila Bundles.   We are going to read Life In Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copland in March.  March is Women's History Month.

Tonight, we have the Adult Board Games Night from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

There is also an African American Genealogy class focusing on family trees run by a colleague tonight at 6:00 p.m.

In the computer lab, there is a Beginning Microsoft Excel class from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m..

I played a few board games tonight including checkers and Scrabble.

I also discussed purchasing some tablets with colleagues.  We are looking at the Samsung Galaxy.  I am hoping we can get some book apps.

On the way home, I read a little bit more of Postcapitalism.  Paul Mason cites Peter Drucker's concept of the "Universally Educated Person" as a precursor for changes in society.  I find Paul Mason's idea of the networked individual who spends a lot of time on their cell phone or internet not a particularly convincing model for a "Universally Educated Person" who can take complex ideas and turn them into workable products.  I think the style Paul Mason is writing in is at least partially directed at the young educated upwardly mobile hip liberal crowd.

Web Bits

LIbraries Embrace Green Technologies

http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2016/02/libraries-embrace-green-technologies/

Four Generations of Library Card Holders

http://www.theridgefieldpress.com/59279/four-generations-of-library-card-holders/#axzz41BYzPJvg

Library of Congress Puts Rosa Parks Archive Online

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/02/25/library-of-congress-puts-rosa-parks-archive-online/?_r=0

Daily Thoughts 02/24/2016

Vanitas Still Life Peter Claesz, 1660

Daily Thoughts 02/24/2016

I finished reading Stoned Jewelry, Obsession, and How Desire Shapes the World by Aja Raden today.  I am reading about watches.  There is the story of the invention of the wristwatch and how it became a valued item.  The book is very interesting.  I enjoyed reading it.

I checked the displays and the gift books in the morning.  We had two representatives from Bibliotheca, the company that bought out 3M visit us today.  They were discussing the cloud library system as well as self checkout systems.

I also talked to Ingram today.

I also spent some time discussing weeding and programming.  In addition, I went over some customer service issues with my staff.

Tonight there is an Intermediate Microsoft Access class in the computer lab from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

I started reading Postcapitalism A Guide to Our Future by Paul Mason.  The central tenet of this book is that there is a conflict between the information economy and the market economy.  There are three obvious things the authors points out; information technology reduces the need for work, information goods are infinitely replicable and are disruptive to the marketplace, and there are new forms of collaboration like Wikipedia which create new ways to generate value.  I already don't like parts of Paul Mason's arguments.  He uses the term neoliberalism which I find to be a morass of inconsistency.

Web Bits

How the Humble Index Card Foresaw the Internet
http://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/a19379/a-short-history-of-the-index-card/

President Obama Announces His Intent to Nominate Carla D. Hayden as Librarian of Congress
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/02/24/president-obama-announces-his-intent-nominate-carla-d-hayden-librarian

Now Available A Library of Opportunity
https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2016/02/23/now-available-library-opportunity

Daily Thoughts 02/23/2016

Count Girolami Nerli, Robert Louis Stevenson, 1850-1894, Essayist, Poet, and novelist.

Daily Thoughts 02/23/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook page this morning.

On the way to work, I read some more of Stoned.  I am reading about the Romanovs and the Russian Faberge eggs.

I checked the displays and the gift books.

I also worked a little bit on Bookletters with CD Audiobooks.

I checked out two books, Postcapitalism A Guide to Our Future by Paul Mason.   This should be interesting because it discusses issues like near zero margin goods like digital media where it costs very little to produce and can be infinitely replicated.  The other book which I checked out is Black Box Thinking Why Most People Never Learn From Their Mistakes-- But Some Do by Matthew Syed.

I spent some time selecting books to be moved to the main floor from the mezzanine.

I also discussed furniture with administration and talked with one of the people who report to me.  It is administrative activity.

I spent some time looking at the New York Review of Books and the Times Literary Supplemtnt.  I have a copy of the New York Times Book Review and the Baker and Taylor Forecast which I need to look through.

I read a bit more of Stoned on the way home.  I am reading about Kokichi Mikimoto the father of the modern Japanese cultured pearl industry.

Web Bits


$183 Million Reasons You Should Keep Track of the U.S. Budget Process
http://www.districtdispatch.org/2016/02/183-million-reasons-you-should-keep-track-of-the-u-s-budget-process/

Bridging A Digital Divide That Keeps Schoolchildren Behind

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/23/technology/fcc-internet-access-school.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0

What Happens When Libraries Are Asked To Help the Homeless Find Shelter

https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/01/27/what-happens-when-libraries-are-asked-to-help-the-homeless-find-shelter/

The Unruly Pleasures of the Mid Manhattan Library

http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-unruly-pleasures-of-the-mid-manhattan-library

Daily Thoughts 02/22/2016

Interior with Figures, Gwen John, 1898-1899

Daily Thoughts 02/22/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

On the way to work, I read some more of Stoned.  There were two things that I read about which were interesting.  The first was cursed diamonds like the Hope Diamond and the French Blue, the most historically valuable of the French royal jewels.  The second was the story of pearls, especially pearls in the Elizabethan court.  It was fabulous.

I checked the displays and the gift books.  I spent some time selecting books to bring up from the mezzanine.  I also spent a little bit of time working on weeding.

I discussed scheduling with a colleague today.

There is a board meeting tonight at 6:30 p.m..  It should be interesting.  The Fundamentals of Computers Class and the Beginning Microsoft Word class are tonight.

Web Bits

New Hampshire Bill Would Explicitly Allow Libraries to Run TOR Exit Nodes

https://boingboing.net/2016/02/20/nh-bill-would-explicitly-allow.html?utm_content=buffer920d2&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Geting Rejected in the Library World.  What Now?

http://acrlog.org/2016/02/15/getting-rejected-in-the-library-world-what-now/

Library Revises Public Display Policy After Controversy

http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/local/library-revises-public-display-policy-after-controversy/article_94732366-d8ef-11e5-bb59-f728d38c3256.html

5 Amazing Digital Collections for Cultural Historians from the New York Public Library

http://historynewsnetwork.org/article/161831

Daily Thoughts 02/21/2016

The Reader, Abraham Tobias Joel, 1935 WPA Works Project Administration

Daily Thoughts 02/21/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

Last night I read some more of Stoned.  I am reading about Marie Antoinette and a rather scandalous tale about a diamond necklace.

I also read some of Film Programming for Public Libraries.  I am reading about doing film clubs and film advisory for patrons.

I watched another episode of The Librarians last night.

Web Bits

Barrow's Beating Heart: A Library At the Top of the World

http://www.adn.com/article/20160221/barrows-beating-heart-library-top-world

Postscript: Harper Lee, 1926-2016

http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/postscript-harper-lee-1926-2016

When Harper Lee, of 'Mockingbird', Corresponded with Opus the Penguin's Creator

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/22/books/harper-lee-and-berkeley-breathed.html

Daily Thoughts 02/20/2016

Antonio de Pereda y Salgado, The Knights Dream, January 1, 1650

Daily Thoughts 02/20/2016

I checked library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I am reading Stoned.  Aja Rajen is writing about the Duro which was the first bond.  European bankers would bet that ships would return from the New World to Spain laden with emeralds and other treasures.  In return for shares in the treasure, they would print notes with a seal on them worth a fixed amount with interest.

I started reading Film Programming for Public Libraries by Kati Irons.  I am reading about ratings.  Kati Irons suggests http://www.commonsensemedia.org and Kids in Mind http://www.kids-in-mind.com as places that rate children's movies.

I watched a short webinar on Webjunction called Winning Library Grants.
ALA Frontline Fundraising Toolkit
http://www.ala.org/advocacy/sites/ala.org.advocacy/files/content/advleg/advocacyuniversity/frontline_fundraising_toolkit/fft.pdf

I read the latest New York Times Bestseller List and the Publishers Weekly Bestseller list.

Web Bits

Using GIS to Assess Public Libraries

http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2016/01/using-gis-to-assess-public-libraries/

Elena Ferrante 'Anonymity Lets Me Concentrate Exclusively on Writing'

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/feb/19/elena-ferrante-anonymity-lets-me-concentrate-exclusively-on-writing

Station North Tool Library offers DIY resources, skills, and a sense of community

http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/home-garden/bs-re-tool-library-20160219-story.html

Daily Thoughts 02/19/2016

Carafe and Book, Juan Gris, 1920

Daily Thoughts 02/19/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I have been reading some more of Better Living Through Criticism.  I am enjoying it.  I rather like the idea that there between criticizing for what is popular versus what has quality content.  This is not a dichotomy to me because I have to order both the best quality and the most popular items when I can.  In fact, the ideal book or item is both popular and high quality.  It won an award is on the bestseller list and is being talked about on the evening news.  People like it for both content and quality.

I also read some more of Stoned.  I am reading about Isabella, the Spanish Queen and how she first sold her jewels to pay for her wars with Granada and other holy wars.  There is also information on the story of the conquistadors, El Dorado, and the Valley of Manta where the Inca worshipped emeralds.

I had a chance to go out for a nice meal at the local Greek restaurant.  I also hung some of my pictures.  This was satisfying.  It gave me a chance to get a break from librarian things for a bit.

I watched another episode on Hoopla Digital of The Librarians called And The Horns of Dilemma about a maze under a corporate building with a minotaur.  It was entertaining.  There are two full length librarian movies starring Noah Wyle, The Librarian Curse of the Judas Spear and The Librarian Return to King Solomon's Mines on Hoopla.

I enjoyed reading Better Living Through Criticism How To Think About Art, Pleasure, Beauty, and Truth by A.O. Scott.  It helped me understand the art of being a critic.  It also reminded me how far I am from being a professional critic.  My use of criticism is not based on art or good writing, it is based on functional decisions on what I should buy for people.  This is definitely not the subject of this book.  Although, I do write book reviews sometimes, I do not write them from the perspective of art which is what this book spends a lot of time discussing.

I almost dread the idea of thinking about myself as being a critic.  It is the same kind of dread which I feel when someone says that you are definitely a poet or even a writer.  I do not make my living from writing, criticism, or poetry.  I make my living from selection which is a bit of a different kind of beast.  Selection of course is related to writing and criticism.  If you read enough, it is very likely to understand better the reading process, you will begin writing.  Then, to understand your own writing, you will start criticizing your writing and other peoples writing.  I think it is a natural process which occurs from constant reading.

I have been called an unpoet before, maybe I am uncritic or even an unwriter. Not that this makes sense.  The book Better Living Through Criticism makes you think a lot about how and why you judge things.  It is well worth reading.  Writers, librarians, poets, and others who are deeply involved with the written word should find this book both useful and thoughtful.

Web Bits

Last Man Standing: How to Kill Public Libraries
http://quartz.syr.edu/blog/?p=6307

The Library War Service ALA's Book Campaigns in World War I
http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2016/02/18/ala-history-library-war-service/

Punctuation In Novels

https://medium.com/@neuroecology/punctuation-in-novels-8f316d542ec4#.asuywc61z

David Byrne's Lending Library

https://www.brainpickings.org/2015/09/01/david-byrne-lending-library/

Neil Gaiman Gives His Fans Writing Advice Through Tumblr
http://www.adweek.com/galleycat/neil-gaiman-gives-his-fans-writing-advice-through-tumblr/116481?utm_medium=newsletter&utm_source=galleycat&utm_campaign=dailynewsletter20160219

Italian Author Umberto Eco Dies Aged 84
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/feb/20/italian-author-umberto-eco-dies-aged-84

Inflatable Space

After Nearly Going Pop, Google's Project Loon Heads Into Carrier Testing This Year

http://recode.net/2016/02/15/project-loon-rural-internet-effort-going-into-carrier-testing-this-year/

Artificial Intelligence

First Click: Can Robots Learn to Behave By Reading Our Books

http://www.theverge.com/2016/2/16/11014492/first-click-can-robots-learn-to-behave-by-reading-our-books

Daily Thoughts 02/18/2016

Maxim Gorky Reading in The Penates His Drama Children of the Sun by Ilya Repin, 1905 

Daily Thoughts 02/18/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.  I also looked at the website.

I read some more of Better Living Through Criticism.  I am reading about why critics cannot be neutral in their presentation.  The thing they are reviewing must be good or bad.

I read some more of Stoned as well. I am reading about Emeralds.  The deep green color and rarity make emeralds precious.  I learned that the first emerald mine was in 330 BC.  Jewels help create empires and wealth.

I watched two episodes of the television show, The Librarians Filing Evil Under History on Hoopla.  It was silly fun.  I like that the main library disappears and the heroes are now in an annex.

Web Bits

Facebook is Ready to Publish Instant Articles from Every Publisher Around the World

http://recode.net/2016/02/17/facebook-is-ready-to-publish-instant-articles-from-every-publisher-around-the-world/

DPL Spins Patrons Right Round One Cool Thing

http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2016/02/opinion/one-cool-thing/dpl-spins-patrons-right-round-one-cool-thing/

The New York Public Library Hopes You'll Make Video Games

http://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-new-york-public-library-has-free-public-domain-documents-for-game-devs?utm_source=mbtwitter

This Tiny Glass Disk Can Story 360 TB of Data for 13.8 Billion Years

http://www.sciencealert.com/this-new-5d-data-storage-disc-can-store-360tb-of-data-for-14-billion-years

Daily Thoughts 02/17/2016

An Early Taste for Literature, Charles Conder 1888

Daily Thoughts 02/17/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I am going to the board meeting this evening at the Mount Vernon Public Library.

I read a little bit more of Better Living Through Criticism. I am reading about artistic views of criticism from people like Percy Shelley, Susan Sontag, and John Keats.  A.O. Scott, the author is a Chief Film Critic for the New York Times.

The board meeting was rescheduled tonight to Monday, February 22, 2016.

I checked out the book, Stoned Jewelry, Obsession, and How Desire Shapes the World by Aja Rajen.  This book has some very interesting qualities.  At its core it is about value and how we perceive value in monetary terms.  The book starts with the famed story about the beads that were used to purchase Manhattan.  Aja Rajen describes them as venetian glass something which the natives would have never seen before.

Right now, I am reading about how DeBeers created the market for diamond engagement rings.  It is a story of advertising, public relations, artificial scarcity, and manufactured demand.


I had a chance to check out a few other books; Film Programming for Public Libraries by Kati Irons and Failure Why Science Is So Successful by Stuart Firestein.

Web Bits

Three Ways Publishers and Public Libraries Can Work Better Together

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/69404-three-ways-publishers-and-libraries-can-work-better-together.html

The Future of Our Public Libraries Is At Stake We Must Act Now-- UK

http://cilip.org.uk/blog/future-our-public-libraries-stake-we-must-act-now

Pitching In To Save a Library-- United States

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2016/02/pitching-in-to-save-a-library/462858/

Column: I Invite You to Celebrate Library Lovers Month

http://www.alligator.org/opinion/columns/article_87b9258e-d52b-11e5-8ad2-8feba730f534.html

Library Lovers Unite: Join the Friends of the Library

http://www.highlandstoday.com/hi/news/library-lovers-unite-join-the-friends-of-the-library-20160217/

Weighing the Future of Yonkers Public Library

http://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/yonkers/2016/02/16/yonkers-library-future/80303570/

One Man, One Obsession, 100 Typewriters
http://www.cincinnatimagazine.com/features/richard-polt-typewriters/

Daily Thoughts 02/16/2016

Daily Thoughts 02/16/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I also read two graphic novels on Hoopla, Judge Dredd issues 5 and 6 both published by IDW.  There is now a 10 limit idea for using Hoopla at the Mount Vernon Public Library.

I also read some more of Better Living Through Criticism.  The author is describing the Louvre museum and criticising contemporary culture.  I rather like that he describes book lists as never ending.  Consumer culture has a habit of adding continuously to the canon of what is good to read.  All the dead white male authors will not go away, instead we will have dead authors from every single background, Chinese, African American, Hispanic in our canon of what is good literature.  There will be more books in the canon of literature than anyone can read in multiple lifetimes.  This is good in my opinion because it increases the choice of what is great literature.

Web Bits

Award Winning Graphic Novelist Encourages Kids to Read Outside Comfort Zones

http://neatoday.org/2016/02/11/gene-yang-encourages-kids-to-read-outside-comfort-zones/

Adversary or Ally?  The Trouble With Fines and Fees
http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2016/02/opinion/editorial/adversary-or-ally-the-trouble-with-fines-and-fees-editorial/

L.A.'s Library of Open Data Sparks Better Government

http://www.governing.com/topics/transportation-infrastructure/gov-los-angeles-streetwize-geohub.html

I find open data to be a very interesting subject.  It seems to be good for citizen complaints like fixing potholes, streetlights that are broken, and getting better garbage pickup at the local level.

Daily Thoughts 02/15/2016

Library Lamp, Lotus Pagoda Design, Louis Comfort Tiffany, 1905

Daily Thoughts 02/15/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

Last night, I finished reading The Rising by Ian Tregellis.  It has a very solid ending.  I rather liked the war scenes with mechanical men attacking a giant tower.   The French use epoxy, acid, steam harpoons, and electric canons to try and fend off the advancing mechanicals.  I am looking forward to the third book in the series of the Alchemy Wars.

I have a Google Alert for Mount Vernon Public Library.  There are two other libraries that come up, Mount Vernon Public Library in Skagit, Washington and The Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County.

I read some more of Better Living Through Criticism by A.O. Scott.  I am reading about self - criticism.

I watched a webinar called Get Out to Get Them In : Marketing Outside Your Library on Webjunction.  It mentioned a few interesting ideas.


Web Bits

Hacking the Library-Publisher Partnership at MIT

https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/higher-ed-beta/hacking-library-publisher-partnership-mit

The Library Card from the Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/03/the-library-card/426888


Artificial Intelligence

Scientists Warn That Robots and Artificial Intelligence Could Eliminate Work
http://fortune.com/2016/02/15/robots-artificial-intelligence-work/?xid=soc_socialflow_facebook_FORTUNE

Elon Musk

Elon Musk Tempted to Build an Electric Jet
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/elon-musk-tempted-build-electric-jet-1542145
This is wonderfully uncertain.  The rumor is intellectually delicious.

Daily Thoughts 02/14/2016

Sheet music cover for the 1917 musical Have a Heart., Book and Music By Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, Music by Jerome Kern


Daily Thoughts 02/14/2016

Happy Valentines Day.  It is a good day for books and chocolate.

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook.

I read some of The Rising by Ian Tregellis.  This is an exciting story with plenty of action.  It takes the viewpoint of several different characters.  The story is about a war between the French and the Dutch in an alternate fantasy history.  The Dutch have mastered the production of mechanical men or clackers who they control with alchemical geas.  Part of this story is about enslaving intelligent machines.  The French have mastered chemistry and use it in their endless war against the Dutch who have conquered most of the world.  The conflict plays out in both a moral and action oriented way.  It is quite enjoyable to read.

I also read some more of Better Living Through Criticism.  I am reading about individual aesthetics.  Aesthetics recently became of interest to me because of the concept of transcendent or absolute beauty.  I like the philosophical tone of the chapter I am reading.  There is a bit on Immanuel Kant's aesthetics.

I checked the purchase alerts tonight.

Web Bits

Local Bookstores Add Mystery to Reading with Blind Date With a Book
http://www.boston.com/news/2016/02/13/local-bookstores-add-mystery-reading-with-blind-date-with-book/KFWk5c5UhqO0CZZwTVZ8hJ/story.html

Daily Thoughts 02/13/2016

Young Woman With a Book, Edouard Manet, 1875

Daily Thoughts 02/13/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of Better Living through Criticism.  A.O. Scott is describing the relationship between criticism and art.

I also started reading The Rising by Ian Tregellis.  It is fantasy.

I checked the Publishers Weekly Bestseller List and the New York Times Bestseller List.

I spent a little time looking at webjunction.

I am looking at the Certified Public Library Administrator Certificate
http://www.ala.org/onlinelearning/management/classes/cpla


Web Bits

Fleeting Wonders: A Farewell to Vellum

http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/fleeting-wonders-a-farewell-to-vellum?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=atlas-page

Heartbroken? Here's A Reading List to Wallow in this Valentine's Day

https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/02/12/heartbroken-heres-a-reading-list-to-wallow-in-this-valentines-day/?postshare=1301455358809101&tid=ss_fb-bottom

What Went Wrong at St. Mark's Bookshop
http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/what-went-wrong-at-st-marks-bookshop?mbid=social_facebook

Daily Thoughts 02/12/2016

Landscape With Posters, Pablo Picasso, 1912

Daily Thoughts 02/12/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

Yesterday, I read some more of The Heart Led Leader.  Some of the stories are interesting.  For example there is a description of how you have to really love all of your team members if you plan on climbing Everest because everyone absolutely relies on each other.  Some of the terms that keep on coming up in this book are servant leader, 18 inch journey (the journey from your head to your heart), humility, love, and forgiveness.

Today is February 12, 2016 which is Abraham Lincoln's Birthday.  I am off from work today.  Sunday, February 14, 2016 is Valentine's Day.  I enjoyed the concert by Sylvia Mim last night.  The jazz was very well done.  It is President's Day on February 15, 2016.  I have the next week off from work.

I finished The Heart Led Leader.  It reads like a self help book for management.  It has a very sweet tone to it.  I felt the tone of the book did not match with regular management activities.  It seemed to be a solid reminder to treat your employees right.

I started reading Better Living Through Criticism How to Think About Art, Pleasure, Beauty, and Truth by A.O. Scott.  This book is about how to think about being a professional critic.  I already disagree with at least one thing he wrote.  I am not fond of the Pixar animated movie, Ratatouille.

I rejoined Comic Book Legal Defense http://www.cbldf.org
It is becoming much more international in scope.  There have been challenges in India, Egypt, Iran, and other places.

I was unable to attend the Knight News Challenge Webinar on Thursday.  I attended it today.  I am working on summarizing it.

Knight News Challenge on Libraries-- There is a link to the webinar here.

http://www.webjunction.org/events/webjunction/2016-knight-news-challenge-on-libraries.html

Libraries in the Exponential Age

http://www.libraryvision.org/libraries_in_the_exponential_age

This article was recommended reading for people interested in innovation in libraries.

2015-- 22 Projects Win Knight News Challenge for Libraries

http://www.knightfoundation.org/blogs/knightblog/2015/1/30/22-projects-win-knight-news-challenge-libraries/

Last Years Winners.

Web Bits

25 Modern Libraries from Around the World
http://ebookfriendly.com/modern-libraries/

The Research Pirates of the Dark Web

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/02/the-research-pirates-of-the-dark-web/461829/

15 Reasons You Need to Get a Library Card Now

http://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/Free-Services-From-Library-25766579?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=d&utm_source=savvysugar

Help Us Match Bywater's Donation Challenge

https://votelibraries.nationbuilder.com/bywatermatching2016

I gave a little bit.

Daily Thoughts 02/11/2016

Eugune De Blaas, The Love Letter, 1902

Daily Thoughts 02/11/2016

On the way to work, I read some of The Heart Led Leader.  This is a storytelling book for managers.  It tells a story of success about a particular heartfelt principle in each chapter.  At the end of the chapter is a brief statement of the principle.  The author, Tommy Spaulding is a consultant.  This book promotes his management style.

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook today.

I am proctoring an exam today for a college student.

There is a jazz concert tonight in the community room from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. featuring Sylvia Mims.  http://www.sylviamims.com   She has a new cd out called Where Lovers Live.

I checked the gift books and the displays.  I am looking at a book called The Rising by Ian Tregellis.  It is the second book in the fantasy series, The Alchemy Wars.

I picked out some books to bring up from the mezzanine to the main floor today.

Web Bits

An Accomplished Writers Takes a 'Masterclass' from a Gargantuan Selling Writer

http://observer.com/2015/08/an-accomplished-writer-takes-a-master-class-from-a-gargantuan-selling-writer/

Constant Campagin Budgets & Funding

http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2016/02/budgets-funding/constant-campaign-budgets-funding/

Hoopla Announces Deal With Ingram

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content-and-e-books/article/69359-hoopla-announces-deal-with-ingram.html

For Many Library Visitors, I'm the Only Person They've Talked to All Day, Anonymous

http://www.theguardian.com/public-leaders-network/2016/feb/06/library-visitors-austerity-job-applications-loneliness

The Magnificent New York Public Library for the Performing Arts

http://www.newyorker.com/culture/sarah-larson/the-magnificent-new-york-public-library-for-the-performing-arts

Westchester Library System Elects New Board Members

http://itbusinessnet.com/article/Westchester-Library-System-Elects-New-Board-Members-4287361

Daily Thoughts 02/10/2016

Henrik Ibsen, Cabinet Card, 188901890

Daily Thoughts 02/10/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I finished reading Twelve Steps to A Compassionate Life by Karen Armstrong.   A lot of the content is focused on how to treat people compassionately from a religious viewpoint.  It argues that violence is not the way to be enlightened or considerate.  I thought the book was worth reading.

I checked the displays and the gift books.  I bought some heart candy for a Valentines Jazz concert tomorrow night from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

I did a little bit of weeding and also selected some books to move upstairs from the mezzanine.

I suggested some places to look for grants with a colleague.

We have an Intermediate HTML and CSS Coding class tonight from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

I have the Baker and Taylor Forecast and Ingram Advance to read.

I checked out the books, The Heart Led Leader by Tommy Spaulding which is about leading from the heart and Edward Gorey His Book Cover Art & Design, Edited by Steven Heller.

I enjoyed looking at Edward Gorey's book cover illustrations.  Also, the commentary on his artistic tastes was satisfying.  He liked George Harriman the illustrator for Krazy Kat and abhorred Picasso.  The illustrations have a wonderfully dark and eccentric quality to them.  He worked for Anchor books for a bit. There is an index at the back of the book which lists the book titles which Edward Gorey illustrated the covers for.


Web Bits

Knight News Challenge Webinar is on February 11, 2016 from 3-4 p.m.

http://www.webjunction.org/events/webjunction/2016-knight-news-challenge-on-libraries.html

Library Campaigners Descend on Parliament to Defend Public Funding

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/feb/09/library-campaigners-descend-on-parliament-to-defend-public-funding

 

Daily Thoughts 02/09/2016

Charles Dickens by Frith, 1859, Cabinet Portrait

Daily Thoughts 02/09/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

On the way to work, I read some more of Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life.  I am reading about self compassion.

I did a little troubleshooting today.

I checked the gift books and the displays this morning.

We met with Brodart to discuss their ordering process.  It was interesting seeing how their system work.

I spent some time arranging for books to be moved to the main floor from the mezzanine.

I also spent some time working on a "dusty book list."

I have a market meeting today at 4:15 p.m.



Web Bits

America's Libraries: Old Institutions Becoming New Again

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2016/02/old-libraries-becoming-new/460494/

Letter From Flint Public Library about Lead in Water Crisis to PUBLIB

http://hrlibs.blogspot.com/2016/01/letter-from-flint-public-library-on.html

Google Opens an Online Store for Books 'That Can't Be Printed'
http://www.theverge.com/2016/2/9/10936248/google-editions-at-play-digital-books

Daily Thoughts 02/08/2016

]
Atmoo, Thoth, & the goddess of letters [Seshat], writing the name of Remeses on the fruit of the persea. Memnonium, Thebes. 1837

Daily Thoughts 02/08/2016

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

I read some more of Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life.  I am reading about the place of compassion in different religions including Christianity, Judaism, Taoism, Buddhism, and Islam.

I checked the gift books and the displays this morning.

I spent some time this afternoon with Directors Station generating lists of books.

I read a copy of the Times Literary Supplement and the latest copy of the New York Times Book Review.

I am spending more time telling people what to do recently.  I am also doing things like making sure the chairs are the right kind for the computer lab and that people follow schedules.

I am looking at a catalog of promotional itemes for National Library Week on April 10-16, 2016.  We have a marketing meeting tomorrow.

Daily Thoughts 02/07/2016

Interior With A Girl Reading, Henri Matisse, 1905

Daily Thoughts 02/07/2016

I checked the Twitter and Facebook for the library.

I read some of Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life.  Karen Armstrong describes the commonality of The Golden Rule across many different religions and philosophies. Her perspective comes from the history of religion.

Web Bits

St. Mark's Bookshop Receives 'Execution Notice' Down to Final Hours

http://bedfordandbowery.com/2016/02/st-marks-bookshop-receives-execution-notice-down-to-final-hours/

'Master of the River': A 71-Year Old Librarians's 15 Years of Water Commutes
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/master-of-the-river-a-71-year-old-librarians-15-years-of-water-commutes/2016/02/06/b42ad072-bec9-11e5-9443-7074c3645405_story.html

Daily Thoughts 02/06/2016

Joseph Decamp, June Sunlight, 1902 
 
Daily Thoughts 02/06/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebok this morning.

I read some more of the book, On Her Own Ground.  I am reading about Madam C.J. Walker's funeral.  I am almost finished reading the book.

I checked the flyers and the gift books.  I printed up some more flyers today.

I also worked on ordering new books as well as a few more sports books.

I checked out the book, Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life by Karen Armstrong.

Library of Congress -- Comics Collection
http://www.loc.gov/rr/news/coll/049.html?loclr=fbloc

Web Bits

Car Crashes Into Greenburgh Library

http://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/greenburgh/2016/02/05/car-crash-greenburgh-library/79885460/

Daily Thoughts 02/05/2016

A Guide to the Works of Art In New York City, American Book Poster, 1895-1911

Daily Thoughts 02/05/2016

This morning, I finished reading The Most Good You Can Do How Effective Altruism Is Changing Ideas About Living Ethically by Peter Singer.  I found parts of the book to be off base.  Peter Singer argues that saving lives is more important than museums or education for example.  I am not sure that saving a life is more important than improving a life.  He also makes some arguments about the possibility of human extinction with artificial intelligence and an asteroid hitting earth that are a bit far fetched.

The central tenet of how to choose which charities to donate to, earn more to give more, and pick out charities which are most effective is an excellent reason to read this book about charity.  The other parts, I find questionable.

I have also been reading more from On Her Own Ground.  The section on the period around World War I is enlightening.  Madame C.J. Walker is a member of the NAACP, the NACW and other civil rights organizations.  There is material on lynching, Pan Africanism, African American soldiers in World War I, missionary work in Africa from a Baptist perspective and other social issues.

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I checked the gift books and the displays this morning.

There is a stamp unveiling today. Some of the Mount Vernon Public Library Board of Trustees are here and the mayor, a few police officers, and people from the post office.  They are unveiling a black heritage stamp of Richard Allen.  Later, I found out the Amani Charter School and Eliot Engel were here as well. The room was standing room only.

I printed up a few flyers.

We had a meeting today to discuss programs.  We discussed some different ideas for several months ahead.  I had looked at the Programming Librarian calendar before the meeting.

I also spent some time discussing procedures and training for the staff for the public computers.

I wrote the January monthly report and compiled the monthly statistics.

On the way home, I read some more of Drawing Blood by Molly Crabapple.  I picked up this book because Molly Crabapple worked at Shakespeare and Company in Paris, the famous bohemian bookstore. http://lithub.com/molly-crabapple-my-life-in-a-parisian-bookstore/  I thought this would be a very literary biography.  It is much more,  In fact it is a little too much.  It is like picking up a Jane Austen novel and getting Anais Nin.

As the biography progresses, Molly Crabapple becomes more and more on the edge.  It has turned into something akin to erotica in some parts.  For example, Molly Crabapple first starts modeling in the nude for artists, then she begins doing cheesecake photography, then it goes a little further.

Not what I expected, not something which I expected to write about in this blog.  Then she starts describing the reasons she is doing this.  She can't afford her art supplies.  It even describes how she changes her name to Molly Crabapple so she would have a stage name just like Lady Gaga has a stage name.  Everything in this book pushes boundaries. It is worth reading, but I will hold off on reviewing it.



Web Bits

Mount Vernon Library Director Responds to Editorial Page
http://www.mvinquirer.com/mt-vernon-library-director-responds-to-editorial-page.html

92 Percent of Students Prefer Paper Books Over Ebooks: Survey

http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/92-percent-students-prefer-paper-books-over-e-books-survey-n511371