Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/31/2017

Forbidden literature (The use of the Word) - Rene Magritte
Forbidden Literature, The Use of the Word, Rene Magritte, 1936

Daily Thoughts 05/31/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I am looking at the Book Expo 2017 Galley and Signing Guide.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/WebVault/galleyguides/LJ_BEA2017_GalleyGuide.pdf

I am also looking at the librarian section of Book Expo.
http://www.bookexpoamerica.com/Show-Info/Librarians-and-Educators/ 

In addition, I have looked through the Exhibitor List.
http://www.bookexpoamerica.com/Events/Conference-Program/Wednesday-Sessions/#search=lo%3D0%26rpp%3D12

I registered for the show when I got there.  I went to the remainders area and looked for a few minutes.

The event that I went to today was the Book Expo Adult Editors talk from 1:45 p.m. to 3:00 p.m..  There were two galleys which I chose from the talk, Stay With Me a Novel by Ayobami Adebayo who is a Nigerian author and The Woman In the Window by A.J. Finn which is noire.  I also picked up a copy of Buzz Books 2017 Fall/Winter which is a compilation of excerpts of highly anticipated books that will be at the show.

Adult Editors Book Buzz Panel
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bea/article/73830-bookexpo-2017-adult-editors-buzz-panel-thrills-booksellers.html

I had a chance to pick up Book Expo 2017 Show Guide and Floor Plan.  In addition, I picked up the Publishers Weekly guide to Book Expo.

I wanted to go to the Book Expo 2017 The Future of Publishing is New session, but it was at the same time as the Adult Editors Book Buzz Panel.
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bea/article/73828-bookexpo-2017-the-future-of-publishing-is-now.html

I spent some time in the VIP lounge.  I have put together a list of all the booths I plan to visit.  I also am going to a few networking events and a discussion of what I use Book Expo America for.

I spent a little time working on publicity for an event when I got home.  I also spent a little time working on evaluations for finished grants.



Web Bits


Maya Angelou Poet Activist and Singular Storyteller Dies at 86

Publishing's Bright Future Future (Really!)

Late Fees No Longer Exist at Salt Lake City Libraries

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/30/2017

DeCamp Joseph June Sunlight 1902.jpg
Joseph De Camp, June Sunlight, 1902

Daily Thoughts 05/30/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I finished reading We Have No Idea A Guide to the Unknown Universe by Jorge Cham and Daniel Whiteson.  This book is about what we don't know in physics and cosmology.  It tells you about what are the edges of science.  It covers ideas like dark matter, how big the universe is, are we alone?, and other quandries.  The books reminds us how little we know and how much further we have to go with science.  There is a lot which is unexplained and potentially unexplainable.

I read some more of The Laws of Wealth.  There are a lot of tips on how to manage emotion around money.

Web Bits


Nomadic Bookseller Travels All Over France With His Tiny Library on Wheels

With Crime There Rising, Denver's Central Library Seeks Ways to Serve Patrons Safely


Monday, May 29, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/29/2017

Mia - Francis Gruber
Mia, Frances Gruber, 1933

Daily Thoughts 05/29/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of We Have No Idea.  I am reading about if there is a "theory of everything" in physics.  Right now, there are two major competing theories, string theory and quantum loop gravity.

I read a little bit more of Seasteading.  I am reading about ocean based fish farming.  One of the early arguments about seasteading is that it is increasingly cheaper to live on a cruise ship than on land.  Some people are even giving up their land based lifestyle to travel or work on the seas.  This is a recent article from the New York Post on this.  Why These Couples are Leaving New York City to Live on Cruise Ships.  http://nypost.com/2017/05/27/why-these-couples-would-rather-live-on-cruise-ships-than-on-land/

Web Bits

Why Did the Nazis Steal So Many Books?
http://www.salon.com/2017/05/28/why-did-the-nazis-steal-so-many-books/


Light Filled Library Doubles as Home Like Environment In Shanghai

PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBIT COMMEMORATING THE 1980 GWANGJU DEMOCRATIC UPRISING IN SOUTH KOREA

Turning Public Transportation Into Mobile Libraries


Sunday, May 28, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/28/2017

File:Langston Hughes by Winold Reiss cph.3c11612.jpg
Langston Hughes by Winold Reiss, half-length portrait, seated, facing right, with right hand under chin.1927

Daily Thoughts 05/28/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of Seasteading this morning.  I am reading about algae and seawood farming which can provide food, biofuel feedstocks, and animal feed.

I checked the purchase alerts this evening.

Web Bits


New York Libraries Turn the Page on Public Control

Read Dozens of Historical Architecture Books for Free Online Thanks to a New Library Exhibition

How Public Libraries Help Build Healthy Communities
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2017/03/30/how-public-libraries-help-build-healthy-communities/?utm_content=buffer85188&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Saturday, May 27, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/27/2017

Jean Renoir Writing, c.1899 - Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Jean Renoir Writing, Pierre Auguste-Renoir, 1899

Daily Thoughts 05/27/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read a little bit of Seasteading How Floating Nations Will Restore The Environment, Enrich the Poor, Cure the Sick, and Liberate Humanity from Politicians by Joe Quirk with Patri Friedman last night on the train home.  The train got stuck for an hour.  This is a techno utopian book with touches of Silicon Valley Libertarian idealism.  It is entertaining and more than a little wacky.  It is a science fiction trope described as a modern possibility.  It reminds me of the book, A Floating City by Jules Verne published in 1871.

I also read some more of We Have No Idea.  I am read a chapter on extra dimensions as well as the possibility of faster than light.  I like this book because there is a lot of humor in it.  One of the authors Jorge Cham is the writer of the web comic, Piled Higher and Deeper.  There are numerous science puns and small cartoons throughout the book.

I checked the gift books and the displays this morning.  I am looking at the book, The Laws of Success Psychology and the Secret of Investing Success by Dr. Daniel Crosby.  This is a book of behavioral economics written for lay people.

I am going to Book Expo America this week. 

I am looking at the book, Seeds on Ice Svalbard and the Global Seed Vault by Cary Fowler, Photography by Mari Tefre, Introduction by Sir Peter Crane.  I find the pictures and idea of a repository for seeds rather interesting.  It is not something which I plan on taking out.  I just like to look at the pictures.


Book Expo Librarians Lounge Schedule


Back in the Big Apple | BEA Preview 2017


Book Expo 2017: Welcome to the Library


 


Web Bits


Please Preserve Funding for IMLS, NEA, NEH, and PBS


Detroit: From Bankruptcy to Books

Friday, May 26, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/26/2017


Fact and Fiction, cover, "Leslie's illustrated weekly newspaper" (1917), Norman Rockwell

Daily Thoughts 05/26/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I also am looking over some of the computer policies.

I read Building the New American Economy Smart, Fair, and Sustainable by Jeffrey D. Sachs Foreword by Bernie Sanders.  This is a left leaning approach to fixing the economy based on the ideas of sustainable development.  It is a quick and easy to read.  The book is 128 pages long.

I checked the displays and the gift books this morning.

I also spent some time doing administrative work: looking up policies, putting together an organizational chart for my department, and checking some things from my email.

I also put in two orders of books this morning.

I spent some time looking at the New York Times Bestsller list and the Publishers Weekly Bestseller list.

I also figured out how much we spent on e-books so far this year.

I am looking at the book, Homo Deus A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari.

Web Bits

Record Number of Senators Sign LSTA Letter
https://ala.informz.net/informzdataservice/onlineversion/ind/bWFpbGluZ2luc3RhbmNlaWQ9NjYyMTQ1MyZzdWJzY3JpYmVyaWQ9MTAwNzQwMTk5NQ==


Amazon Sets Up Shop In The Heart of the Publishing Industry

Libraries and Summer Food Programs: An Intellectual Freedom Argument

Seashore Library                           


Thursday, May 25, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/25/2017

File:Juan Gris, 1910-1927 - Carafe et livre - Google Art Project.jpg
Juan Gris, Carafe and Book, 1920

Daily Thoughts 05/25/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of The Stress Proof Brain.  I am reading about how exercise, diet, and sleep affect stress.

I checked the gift book and the displays.  I also spent some time checking the biographies this morning.

Web Bits


Amazons First Bookstore In New York City Sucks the Joy Out of Buying Books

Book Expo To Welcome Publishers, The Public

Henry David Thoreau Commemorated on a Forever Stamp Today

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/24/2017

Book of Life - Nicholas Roerich
Book of Life, Nicholas Roerich, 1939

Daily Thoughts 05/24/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of We Have No Idea on the way to work.  I am reading about entropy.  I also read a bit more of The Stress Proof Brain.

I checked the displays and the gift books this morning.

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

There is a beginning HTML and CSS class in the lab today.

I spent an hour in the children's room which was a little bit different.

I checked out the book, Unf*ck Your Habitat You're Better Than Your Mess by Rachel Hoffman today.

Web Bits


Federal Budget Compromise Keeps and Boosts IMLS Funding

NEH Chair Resigns as Trump Renews Bid to Eliminate Arts and Library Funding

Trump Administration's Budget Using Wrong Math When It Comes to Libraries

Administration FY 2018 Budget Includes $23 Million to Start Wind Down of IMLS Operations

                                                                            

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/23/2017

Portrait of a Lady with a book - Fyodor Bronnikov
Portrait of a Lady With a Book, Fyodor Bronnicov, 1888

Daily Thoughts 05/23/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of The Stress Proof Brain on the way to work.  I am reading about overcoming guilt and perfectionism as well as self compassion.

I checked the gift books and the displays this morning.

I also worked on ordering for a bit.  I am ordering some professional books for librarians.

The Crochet Group meets from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. today.

I spent a little time working on programs today.  I have to do some more planning on how the Local Author Fair will work.

There was a Fundamentals of Computers Class and a Beginning Microsoft Word class in the computer lab.

I read some more of We Have No Idea.  I am reading about how space is bendable, stretchable, can ripple, and expand.

Web Bits


Libraries Are The Future of Manufacturing in the United States

Is Mass Market Dying-- or Just Evolving -- Again?

Public Library Commissions Projection Mapped Artwork For Special Series


Monday, May 22, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/22/2017

Dante exile.jpg
Dante Exile, Domenic Peterlini, 1860

Daily Thoughts 05/22/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of The Stress Proof Brain.  I am reading about the difference between controllable stressors and stressors which you have no control of.

I called Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D)  in support of the IMLS today.


Web Bits


Stapleton Library in Staten Island


Sunday, May 21, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/21/2017

The Story Hour - Lilla Cabot Perry
Lila Cabot Perry, The Story Hour, 1921

Daily Thoughts 05/21/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of The Stress Proof Brain on the way home last night.  Melanie Greenberg, PhD includes numerous meditative exercises in this book including grounding exercises to bring people back into the moment and exercises to observe your own emotions.

I spent some time looking at Ebooks Today with 3M and Overdrive.

I also checked the purchase alerts.

Web Bits


10 Ways Reading More Makes You An Excellent Employee

Community Vision Library Design 2017

Build Relationships to Advance Advocacy


Saturday, May 20, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/20/2017

Index
Affiche américaine pour la Revue "The Chap-Book".Marx, Roger, 1859-1913 (Author of introduction, etc.)  Bradley, Will (1868-1962) (Artist)

Daily Thoughts 05/20/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I checked the gift books and the displays this morning.

There is an Acrylic Painting Class today from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

I spent some time checking my budget for books.  I also worked on some orders for new books.  In addition, I spent some time working on an e-book order.

I did a little work getting ready information for an immigration program.

Friday, May 19, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/19/2017


Gerrit Van Vucht, Still Life With Books, Between 1658 and 1697

Daily Thoughts 05/19/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I checked the displays and the gift books today.  We have gotten in a lot of new books lately.

I also put in some orders for books.

I spent some time discussing staffing.

I also printed a few flyers.

I discussed a program on immigration.

I also checked on the computer lab.

I am looking at the pictures in Mad Enchantment Claude Monet and The Paintings of the Water Lilies by Ross King.  It is a very pretty book.

On the way home, I read some of The Stress Proof Brain Master Your Emotional Response to Stress Using Mindfulness and Neuroplasticity by Melanie Greenberg, PhD. I spent some time identifying stressors in my life.  There is a section on meditation practices focused on mindfulness.

Web Bits

The Librarian of Congress Weighs In On Why Card Catalogs Matter

The Library of Books and Bombs





Thursday, May 18, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/18/2017


Still Life With Books, Henri Matisse, 1890
Daily Thoughts 05/18/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I rested on the way to work.

I checked the displays and the gift books.

We are working on a grant for a teen computer space.

I spent some time working on programming this morning.

The Growing and Aging Program is tonight from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

There is a Beginning Microsoft Excel class in the computer lab tonight from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Web Bits 


Graphic Design on a Shoestring

Major Companies Expand Effort to Support Federal Library Funding

Businesses Unite to Fight for Library Funding


Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/17/2017


Books and Cards, Reisai, Japanese 18th-19th Century

Daily Thoughts 05/17/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

On the way home from work, I read some more of We Have No Idea.  I am reading about particle physics and the periodic table of the elements.

I checked the displays and the gift books this morning.

I am reading a copy of Library Journal and the latest Ingram Advance right now.

I spent some time checking biography books and 600s.

There was a makeup session for the Senior Memoir Writing Class this morning.

I spent some time discussing a possible local authors day in August with Peter Sherrill who publishes local authors.

The book, Seasteading How Floating Nations  Will Restore the Environment, Enrich the Poor, Cure the Sick, and Liberate Humanity from Politicians by Joe Quirk with Patri Friedman came in for me to read.  It is pure pie in the sky mixed with bluesky thinking.

There is a Wordpress class from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Computer Lab tonight.

Web Bits


Libraries Are Dropping Overdue Fines But Can They Afford To?

House Votes to Limit Powers of First Black Librarian of Congress
http://www.blackpressusa.com/house-votes-to-limit-powers-of-first-black-librarian-of-congress/

Libraries Are For Everyone 

Queens Library, A Welcoming Place With Open Doors

Queens Library Libraries AreFor Everyone Campaign

Libraries Are For Everyone Artwork


Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/16/2017

Hotel Lobby - Edward Hopper
Hotel Lobby, Edward Hopper, 1943

Daily Thoughts 05/16/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I rested on the way to work.

I checked the gift books and the displays.

I arranged for Better World Books to pick up the leftovers items from the book sale.

The Crochet Group is today from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

I have a copy of the Ingram Advance to read and a copy of the New York Times Book Review to read.

There is also a Fundamentals of Computers Class from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and a Beginning Microsoft Word class from 6:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.

I spent a little time looking at a grant from Best Buy.

Web Bits


British Artist Visits 16 Lost Libraries Along the Silk Road

Monday, May 15, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/15/2017


Daily Thoughts 05/15/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read a little bit more of We Have No Idea this morning. I also finished reading Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life by Karen Armstrong as an e-book.

Web Bits


NYC Libraries Plagued by Leaky Roofs, Poor Electrical Systems, Report Says
http://www.amny.com/news/nyc-libraries-plagued-by-leaky-roofs-poor-electrical-systems-report-says-1.13634992

Reorganizing the Executive Branch
https://www.whitehouse.gov/reorganizing-the-executive-branch#page
I put in my two cents about keeping the IMLS Institute of Museum and Library Services.


Sunday, May 14, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/14/2017

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner - Davoser Cafe - 1928.jpg
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Davoser Cafe, 1928

Daily Thoughts 05/14/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some of We Have No Idea A Guide to the Unknown Universe by George Cham and Daniel White.  I am reading about dark energy and dark matter which make up 95% of the universe.  Very little is known about either dark energy or dark matter.

I also started reading Twelve Steps to A Compassionate Life by Karen Armstrong.  This is an interfaith book which draws from taoism, buddhism, judaism, christianity, and islam to discuss compassion and how to be more compassionate.  I am reading it online in my browser in Overdrive.

I spent a little time thinking about doing an Author Fair at the library.


Web Bits

Forest of the Future Library
http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/forest-of-the-future-library


Corona Del Mar 'fibrary'-- Firehouse Library Combo-- Could be Revived

Getting Your Beets and Books at the Library
This is a program which the Mount Vernon Public Library is participating In.

Messages of Inclusion
https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2017/05/01/libraries-respond-messages-of-inclusion/


Argentina's Page Turner: How a Canadian Author Became the Leader of a Library Revolution
https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/argentina-alberto-manguel-national-library/article34966600/

Where Anti-Tax Fervor Will Mean All Services Will Cease
Some people just don't way to pay taxes which is the base for public libraries.  

Saturday, May 13, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/13/2017

NEWSPAPER - Cassandre
Newspaper (1934), Cassandre

Daily Thoughts 05/13/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of Utopia for Realists this morning.  I am reading about how opening borders would increase wealth.  I also read about how machines will inceasingly replace peoples jobs.

I watched the movie Snowden today on dvd.  I find some of the story to not be believable.  I also watched the film, The Arrival last night which I thought was fantastic.  There were pieces of it that were very subtle and well thought out.

This afternoon, I finished reading Utopia for Realists How We Can Build The Ideal World by Rutger Bregman.  It is a challenge to the left to create a new platform for change focused on on poverty elimination, a guaranteed basic income, a shortened work week with solutions to the race against the machine, and a utopian belief in open borders.  The book had a lot of ideas written into a coherent political platform for change.  It was a mix of realism and impractical political idealism which will interest many people.  Rutger Bregman is Dutch so his viewpoint is different than the American left..  He is a proponent for basic income in Europe.

Web Bits


Corporate Champions Urge Senators to Support FY 18 Library Funding

Friday, May 12, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/12/2017

Reading of Love, He being by - Robert Bateman
Reading of Love, He Being By, Robert Bateman 1874

Daily Thoughts 05/12/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

Last night, I read some of Utopia for Realists.  The author tackles subjects like a guaranteed basic income and poverty relief.  He makes the argument that it is cheaper to provide counseling and housing than leave people homeless on the streets for the police, social workers, and courts to deal with.

On the train to work, I read some more of Utopia for Realists.  I am reading about how GDP (Gross Domestic Product) can include many detrimental aspects of an economy.

I checked the gift books and the displays this morning.

Today is the Book and Bake Sale for the Friends of the Mount Vernon Public Library.  I had a brownie and some coffee.  I also bought the book, Space Flight Satellites, Space Ships, Space Stations, and Space Travel Explained by Dr. Carsbie C. Adams.  The book is from 1958.  There are pictures of V-2 Rockets, missiles, and early proposed moon rockets.

Right now, I am in the computer lab.

I spent some time training a new person on the reference desk.

I also spent a little time working on a grant for teen computers.


Web Bits


A Better Way to Get Kids In The Library Stop Fining Them

Bookseller Suing California Over 'Autograph Law'

The Amazing Story of Kentucky's Horseback Librarians
http://archiveproject.com/the-horseback-librarians-of-eastern-kentucky-10-photos

                                                                             

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/11/2017

Bouquet of Dahlias and White Book - Henri Matisse
Bouquet of Dahlias and White Book, Henri Matisse, 1923

Daily Thoughts 05/11/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of Deviate.  I am reading about how meditation and self reflective practices allow us to stop acting automatically for a little while.  This allows us to re-evaluate or rethink our past and create new opportunities in the future.  On the train to work, I finished reading Deviate The Science of Seeing Differently by Beau Lotto.  I am going to look through it again, because I liked many of the ideas.  I think Beau Lotto had some ideas that were different in this book.  It is the kind of book where you have to go through it three of four times to get some of the points.

I also started reading Utopia for Realists How We Can Build the Ideal World by Rutger Bregman.  Rutger Bregman discusses the medieval European utopia of "Cockaigne" where food, wine, and necessities are readily available to everyone and then compares it to our time.  He is setting the tone for the book.

I checked the displays and the gift books this morning.  I also checked out the book, We Have No Idea A Guide to the Unknown Universe by Jorge Cham and Daniel Whiteson.

I looked through a copy of the latest Times Literary Supplement.

The Growing and Aging Program is tonight from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Fiction Room.  The program went well.

I spent some time working on scheduling today.

I also put in some orders for books.

I did the final piece for the Mount Vernon Arts Initiative grant.




Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/10/2017


Daily Thoughts 05/10/2017


I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.


On the way to work, I read some more of Deviate.  I am reading about how the best way to change the future is to reinterpret how you experienced the past.  The author also describes how to ask questions which challenge your assumptions.


There was a Senior Memoir Class this morning from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Fiction Room.  We are having Reverend Leslie L. Booker read from her poetry book, Psalms for the 21st Century tonight from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.


I checked the gift books and the displays.  I also read through a copy of Booklist and the latest New York Review of Books.


I checked out the book, Utopia for Realists How We Can Build The Ideal World by Rutger Bregman.

I am looking at the book, How To Create Your Own Gig Posters Band T-Shirts Album Covers and Stickers.  Screenprinting, Photocopy Art, Mixed-Media Collage, and Other Guerrilla Poster Styles by Ruthann Godollei.  It has a radical print shop feeling to it.  They have some interesting pictures.  I like the examples of people using car tires to make prints as well as stamping with found objects.


I also printed a few more flyers.



Web Bits

Does Meeting Authors Make Us Better Librarians
http://knowledgequest.aasl.org/meeting-authors-make-us-better-librarians/

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/09/2017

Theatrical Rehearsal in the House of an Ancient Rome Poet - Gustave Boulanger
Theatrical Rehearsal in the House of Ancient Roman Poet, Gustave Boulanger, 1855

Daily Thoughts 05/09/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of Deviate on the way home. The book draws on the latest neuroscience.  I am reading about how the brain does not reflect reality.  Our senses create a world which is useful to us, but cannot fully view the whole world.  For example, dogs have better hearing and birds can see electromagnetic radiation.  Also, we create stories about how the world works.  These stories are useful and consistent, but have very little to do with being truthful.  Beau Lotto, the author demonstrates this with a variety of optical illusions and philosophical games throughout the book.  In other words, we create delusions that help us handle everyday life.  Beau Lotto also describes how we view the world internally can be as real as the outside world.  This is why visualization in sports and other activities can be so useful.

I checked the gift books and the displays this morning.

We had the crochet group today from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m..  A lot of new material is coming in for the new books area.

I spent some time working on programming today.

I got my free VIP Pass to Book Expo America.  I am very much looking forward to it.  A colleague is going to Book Con which is the consumer convention which follows Book Expo America.  http://www.thebookcon.com/

Web Bits

How People Fit Libraries Into Their Lives
http://www.pewinternet.org/2017/03/30/how-people-fit-libraries-into-their-lives/

Monday, May 8, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/08/2017

Freedom, I write your name - Fernand Leger
Freedom, I Write Your Name, Fernand Leger, 1953

Daily Thoughts 05/08/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I checked the gift books and the displays this morning.

I also did a little work on ordering.

I looked over some of the 600s today.

I also looked up a few graphic novel people for a program in September.  In addition, I checked some vendors for the Adult Summer Reading program.  I have more programming things to work on.

Web Bits


Harvard Library Fines No More


Sunday, May 7, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/07/2017

Francis Luis Mora - Subway riders in NYC.jpg
F. Luis Mora, Subway Riders In New York City, 1913

Daily Thoughts 05/07/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I have been reading more of Deviate.  I am reading about how the brain is like a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it becomes.  A stimulating environment improves brain function.

Web Bits


Obama Pioneers A New Approach to the Presidential Library

Carla Hayden's Big Plan for Kids at the Library of Congress


Saturday, May 6, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/06/2017

Papyrus or Paper Reed Growing in the Ciane, Sicily - Marianne North
Papyrus or Paper Reed Growing in the Ciane, Sicily, Marianne North, 1870

Daily Thoughts 05/06/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I also looked at the Brooklyn Public Library New Arrivals section and Queens Library New Arrivals section.

I read some more of Deviate this morning.  I am reading about how people can interpret the same color in different ways.  Quite often people do not see exactly the same thing when they look at an object.

Web Bits


Librarians In the 21st Century It Is Becoming Impossible to Remain Neutral

Why Aren't More Big Donors Giving to Public Libraries?


Friday, May 5, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/05/2017

The Reader, Grace Cossington, 1916
Daily Thoughts 05/05/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I checked the gift books and the displays.

I put in an order for large print books.  I am working on an order for books on professional development for librarians.

I spent some time discussing the computer classes.

I also printed up some flyers.

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

Two books came in for me to read, All Systems Red The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells and Deviate The Science of Seeing Differently by Beau Lotto.

I have been looking at professional books for librarianship as well.

On the way home, I read All Systems Red The Murderbot Diaries.  This was a story with some challenging ideas.  The main character is a security android who has subverted its program so it can watch entertainment videos and ignore some of the commands given to it.  There is a theme in the story of what it means to be free and be able to make choices.  The book is short, 149 pages and holds your attention.  I finished it on the way home.  It feels like a complete story.

I also started reading Deviate which is about how we perceive the world and how understanding that perception in terms of neuroscience can give us opportunities to innovate and change.

Web Bits


Mount Vernon Public Library Budget passed-- new trustee to be sworn

Back In the Big Apple BEA Preview 2017

Libraries are Fining Children Who Can't Afford to Be Without Books


Thursday, May 4, 2017

Daily Thoughts 05/04/2017

Still Life with Spherical Mirror - M.C. Escher
Still Life With Spherical Mirror, M.C. Escher, 1934

Daily Thoughts 05/04/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I checked the displays and the gift books.  I also put together some orders of books.  I am planning on placing an order for large print books next.  I will be looking at Random House Large Print and the McNaughton plan for books.

I also spent some time looking over the 800s and the 600s.

The film Home was shown today for Emotional Wellness Week.  It is an excellent independent film that show issues of mental illness in a down to earth manner.  http://www.homethefilm.com/

We also had the Growing and Aging program today from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m..  It was mostly seniors who attended.  I was too young to answer a few of the questions.  One of the patrons brought some carrot cake.  This was a conversation supported by funding from Humanities New York.

I finished reading The Card Catalog, Books, Cards, Literary Treasures, The Library of Congress Foreword by Carla Hayden. This is a beautiful books.  It very much appeals to the old fashioned sense of antiquarian books.  The book contains many illustrations of classic book covers and title pages next to a catalog card fot the item from the Library of Congress. You get to see The Wizard of Oz,  The Fire Next Time, The Elements of Euclid, The Scarlett Letter A Romance, and many other classics throughout this book.  The book successfully describes the transition from catalog cards to computer punch cards and the early MARC records.  I enjoyed it.


Web Bits


Library Associations Turn Activists for April Marches
                                                                                                            

Books or Bombs: A Battle for the Soul of America