Saturday, March 31, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/31/2018

Memories - William Merritt Chase
Memories, William Merritt Chase, 1910

Daily Thoughts 03/31/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of The Common Good.  I am reading about civic virtues and how easy it is to break them.

I also read some more of Enlightenment Now.  I am reading about the environment and climate change.  Steven Pinker is making arguments that as people have more they become more aware about the environment.  He is arguing for more investment in a carbon tax, afforestation, and investment in fourth generation nuclear power plants.

The YMCA is across the street from the library.


Developers Seek to Buy Mount Vernon YMCA for South Side Arts District

I spent a little time working on the grant for the 2018 Mount Vernon Arts Initiative.

I started the process of applying for the Great American Read on PBS.
https://apply.ala.org/GreatAmericanRead/guidelines

Web Bits

Residents Lobby Around New Rochelle Library

Library of Congress Celebrates 80th Anniversary of Superman
                                          

Friday, March 30, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/30/2018

TakehisaYumeji-1919-Woman Reading a Book on a Sofa.png
TakehisaYumeji-1919-Woman Reading a Book on a Sofa

Daily Thoughts 03/30/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I made some fliers were in order.

I  read some of The Common Good by Robert B. Reich which is about a philosophy of governance focused on creating politic outcomes from government.

I spent some time looking at different public library computer labs on the internet.  It was interesting.  There were three unique styles I saw, the maker space where libraries made different things which had a sewing machine and 3D printer, the digital media space with Adobe Creative Cloud, Garageband, Audible and other creative software, and the conversion space where people could scan old photographs, convert vhs tapes to dvd, and move their old files to newer formats.  The conversion space was not as common.

Web Bits


Decades Later, Albums Returned to the Annawan Library

Finding Facts at the Library

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/29/2018

File:Karel Ooms - The prohibited reading.jpg
Karel Ooms, The Prohibited Reading, 1876

Daily Thoughts 03/29/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I did a presentation last night on my input to the strategic plan last night.  We are definitely going to get a preservation assessment for the collection.  We are also going to work more on inventorying the collection as well.

I rested on the way to work.

I checked the gift books and the displays this morning.

I spent some time checking the music CDs for missing items.  I also spent some time going over the oversize books.

I also generated some shelf lists in Bluecloud Analytics for people to check for missing items.

I am working on a grant for Arts Westchester.  I also have another mini-grant for gardening which I am working  and am looking at a reading program.

I ordered the Recorded Books Online Value Collection today.

Web Bits



Next Chapter: BPL Invests Millions in Modern Makeover of Central Library

NLB Mobile App (National Library Board of Singapore)
                                                                                                                                                                           

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/28/2018

Édouard Manet - La Mère de Manet dans le Jardin de Bellevue.jpg
Édouard Manet - La Mère de Manet dans le Jardin de Bellevue 1879

Daily Thoughts 03/28/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of Enlightenment Now.  I am reading about how people are living longer, healthier lives with more access to food and wealth.

I checked the displays and the gift books.  I spent some time using the weeding tablet to check for items that were missing and remove the records for them.

I also spent some time working on the oversize books.

I prepared a laptop for my presentation tonight.

I read the latest New York Times Book Review.

I spent a little time working on the calendar.

Web Bits


Why So Many Public Libraries Are Giving Out Seeds
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/public-seed-library

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/27/2018


Woman Reading Under a Mosquito Net, 1720, Fuhiken Tokikaze

Daily Thoughts 03/27/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

On the way to work, I finished reading Alternate Routes The Ghosts of the Freeway Are Rising by Tim Powers.  I enjoyed the story.  It had a touch of the weird or strange tale to it.  There were plenty of ghosts and appropriately strange apparatuses that went with them.  There were of course car chases and plenty of driving as well.

We finished the flier for Ozobots today.

The weeding tablet is charging in the charging cabinet right now.  We had a discussion about weeding, but did not do a lot of weeding today.

I printed out a copy of the strategic plan which I have to discuss tomorrow.

I also contacted New York Humanities which confirmed that the books were being sent to us for the reading series on Audre Lorde.

We met to discuss the Mount Vernon Local Authors Fair in October 2018.

I put in an order for new books.

I spent some time talking to Josie LaRiccia about doing a grant for Arts Westchester.

It has been a busy day.

I checked out the book, The Hacking of the American Mind by Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL

Web Bits


Early Book Cover Designs

North Dakota Tries to Establish Theodore Roosevelt Library

Monday, March 26, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/26/2018


Young Ladies Reading A Manuscript, Conrad Kiesel (1846-1921), Unknown Date

Daily Thoughts 03/26/2018

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

I also reread the Strategic Plan for Mount Vernon Public Library 2017-2020 last night.

The new Awareness to Funding 2018 document came out today.
https://www.oclc.org/research/awareness-to-funding-2018.html

I read some more of Enlightenment Now.  I am reading about how there is less violence in the world and it is a safer place to be.  Steven Pinker is addressing the tendency of news and reporters to seek out negativity.

I am reading Alternate Routes The Ghosts of the Freeway Are Rising by Tim Powers.  It is a modern fantasy novel with ghosts, intrigue, and government agents.

Become a Mount Vernon Public Library Trustee.
http://mountvernonpubliclibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/become-a-trustee-2018.pdf


Web Bits


The New York Times is launching an audiobook bestseller list.

School librarians fear a 'quiet crisis' is endangering their place in education.

In Brooklyn, Modernizing A Library for Downloads and Robots

Sunday, March 25, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/25/2018





Books of Flowers and a Writing Brush

Ryūryūkyo Shinsai (Japanese, active ca. 1799–1823)

Daily Thoughts 03/25/2018

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

I also watched Bladerunner 2049 which was a quite interesting film.  I did not think it was as good as the first one.  However, it filled in some of the gaps from the story.

I also finished reading Kill The Farm Boy by Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne.  I liked the surprise ending.  I also liked that some of the characters died because of their own idiocy.  The humor was very mild and the story held your attention.  There was just enough that was different and fractured to make the story entertaining.

I read some more of Enlightenment Now at the laundromat.

I checked the purchase alerts tonight.

Web Bits


Startup, Library Work On New App

How Digital Lending Service Hoopla Brings Libraries Into the Internet Era


Saturday, March 24, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/24/2018


Portrait of a Scholar, Imitator of Guercino (Giovanni Francesco Barbieri) (Italian, Cento 1591–1666 Bologna)

Daily Thoughts 03/24/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some of Kill the Farmboy.  It is a fractured fantasy where all the characters are somewhat ridiculous.  I especially like the talking goat.  There are lots of puns and jokes.

I started reading Enlightenment Now.  It is a very large, philosophical book which will take a very long time to read.

I have been watching How To Make Stress Work For You which is part of the Great Courses series on Hoopla.  Each episode is half an hour.

Web Bits



Librarian of Congress: Don't Let Reading Become A Chore

UC Berkeley Libraries Retain Global, Political Focus Since Founding

Spending Bill Includes Big Increases for Libraries



Friday, March 23, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/23/2018


Bookshelves, Study for "Edmond Duranty", Edgar Degas, 1879

Daily Thoughts 03/23/2018

I checked the Twitter and Facebook for the library.

I finished reading The One Percent Solution How Corporations Are Remaking America One State at a Time by Gordon Lafer.  I found some bias in this book. I think this is more about what right wing and extremely conservative corporations are doing.  If you want to understand an agenda which the Koch Brothers have or conservative business lobbyists are working on this is a good book to read.

Gordon Lafer successfully describes how Citizens United lawsuit where corporations are viewed as people has created an environment destructive to the middle class focused on eliminating unions, reducing benefits, eliminating healthcare, replacing public schools with charter schools, eliminating the minimum wage, and creating an environment with minimal regulation and minimal government.
There is a little bit in this book on how libraries are affected by this agenda.  The Koch Brothers have run campaigns against funding libraries.

The book has a very liberal viewpoint.  Gordon Lafer is a professor of labor education.  The book has charts throughout, extensive notes, and an index.

I read some more of Fair Shot.  The author is making the case for a Guaranteed Basic Income of $500 per month for people who earn less than $50,000 a year.

On the way to work, I finished reading Fair Shot Rethinking Inequality And How We Earn by Chris Hughes.  I found it to be an idealistic and optimistic book which had a positive message.  I was not convinced on the argument that we should embrace a Guaranteed Basic Income.  I also thought the idea of a negative income tax was tried and not found to have as much impact as people expected.  The book has a very personable style.  It is a very quick read.  There is a bibliography and notes at the end of the book, but no index.  This is meant to be a positive argument and is not particularly academic in style.

I checked the displays and the gift books this morning.

I checked the oversize books and spent some time checking for items that were missing from the shelves with the weeding tablet.

I also checked the New York Times Bestseller list and the Publishers Weekly Bestseller list.

I spent a little time testing out Reference USA database today.

I got a box of Advanced Reading Copies from Library Journal today.   I am looking at the ARC for Kill the Farm Boy Once. A pun. A time by Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne and Alternate Routes by Tim Powers.

The April 2018 Book Page came in today.  I also have a copy of Library Journal to read.

Web Bits


The Disappearance of Books Threatens to Erode Fine Arts Library

Bike Check-Out: Coming Soon to a Library Near You

Library Expands Services to Accomodate Homeless, Mentally Ill


The Librarian At the Nexus of the Harlem Renaissance
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/harlem-renaissance-librarian-regina-anderson




Thursday, March 22, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/22/2018

File:African and Middle Eastern Reading Room (Area Studies). Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, D.C. LCCN2007687189.tif
African and Middle Eastern Reading Room (Area Studies). Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, D.C., 2007, Carol M. Highsmith, Designated as Public Domain

Daily Thoughts 03/22/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of Fair Shot Rethinking Inequality and How We Earn on the subway to work this morning.  I am reading about the concept of the winner take all economy when it comes to digital technology.

I checked the displays and the gift books this morning.

I also checked some of the oversize books and used the weeding tablet to remove some items that were not found.

The book, Enlightenment Now The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress by Steven Pinker came in for me to read.

We had a presenter tonight from Westchester Community College.  Professor Christolyn Williams did a presentation on Nevertheless She Persisted for Women's History Month from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the community room.  It was quite interesting.  Professor Williams is a historian of Latin America and the Caribbean.

There was also a Beginning Microsoft Powerpoint class in the comptuer lab from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.


Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/21/2018

Thomas Rowlandson - Bookseller and Author - Google Art Project.jpg
Thomas Rowlandson, Bookseller and Author, 1784

Daily Thoughts 03/21/2018

The library is closed due to inclement weather.  I spent time calling employees to not come in.

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook in the morning.

I also spent some time working on scheduling.

I read some more of The One Percent Solution.  I am reading about charter schools and vouchers and they are supported by the wealthy and corporations.

I read a little more of Fair Shot Rethinking Inequality And How We Earn by Chris Hughes Co-Founder of Facebook.  The book opens with some biographical background of Chris Hughes and a little bit about the early start of Facebook,

I looked at Fat Brain Toys because they have a lot of coding and programming toys for children.  There is also a discount of 10% for libraries.
https://www.fatbraintoyco.com/about_us.cfm

Think Fun also has some interesting inexpensive coding games.
https://www.thinkfun.com/?s=coding

Web Bits

I rather like the libraries in video games blog.


Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/20/2018

File:Juan de Echevarría - Vase with Bananas, Lemons and Books - Google Art Project.jpg
Vase With Bananas Lemons and Books, Juan De Echevarria, 1917

Daily Thoughts 03/20/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I finished reading Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear by Dr. Frank Luntz.  I enjoyed reading about words that have significance to Americans.  The book has a very upbeat tone to it.  It is very future oriented.  I don't agree with a lot of its content.  Dr.  Frank Luntz is a pollster and consultant for Republican candidates.  There is a lot about how to choose the right words and why specific words are better than others in political terms.

I checked the displays and the gift books.   I also used the weeding tablet to check for items that are not in the system.  I spent some time looking over the oversize cookbook section.

I put in some orders for new books.

I worked a little bit on a mini-grant from the Westchester Library System.

I am looking at the Great American Read Grant.
https://apply.ala.org/greatamericanread/guidelines

Web Bits


Library Hosts 12 Hour Knitathon

Renovation Creating A New Home for Yale Library's Digital Humanities Lab

Monday, March 19, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/19/2018

File:Yoshitoshi Sogi.jpg
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, Sogi, October 1892. From the Thirty-six Ghosts series. 9.25" x 14.25". The print depicts Sogi, priest and poet, writing a couplet for a ghost

Daily Thoughts 03/19/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

On the way to work, I read some more of The One Percent Solution.  I am reading about Right To Work laws which allow people to not have to pay for union membership.

I also read some more of Words That Work.  I am reading about myths about the average American as well as what the average American cares about.

I checked the displays and the gift books this morning.  I also checked some of the oversize books.

I placed two orders for new books.

I spoke to the Cornell Master Gardeners program today about a grant.

I read through a copy of Booklist and the New York Times Book Review this afternoon.  I also worked on some orders for books.

Right now, I am in the computer lab.

There is a beginning Microsoft Word class and a Fundamentals of Computers Class this evening in the computer lab.

They are presenting some people for the directors position tonight.

Web Bits

Internet Access Is Quietly Changing Seatttle's Tent Cities
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/homeless/internet-access-is-quietly-changing-seattles-tent-cities/

Sunday, March 18, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/18/2018

Hand Study with Bible - Albrecht Durer
Hand Study with Bible, Albrecht Durer, 1506

Daily Thoughts 03/18/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read a little bit more of The One Percent Solution.  Gordon Lafer is describing how some conservative are increasingly adopting a minimal government philosophy where even if there is money for schools, roads, fire departments, and libraries, it should not be spent.  The government should be of minimal size, have minimal resources, and be as small as possible

I also read a bit more of Words That Work.  Dr. Frank Luntz is describing an idealized average American based on polling and focus groups.  The words used in political campaigns are matched to the average American to get their votes.  It is not the average American that is being sought out.  It is also the average consumer, and the average community.

Web Bits



How Celebrity Book Clubs Are Changing the Literary World for Good

Libraries the Antidote to Craziness

Saturday, March 17, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/17/2018

File:'Man Reading' by John Singer Sargent, Reading Public Museum.jpg
Man Reading by John Singer Sargent, 1856-1925

Daily Thoughts 03/17/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of The One Percent Solution.  I am reading about how some corporate lobbies are targeting public sector unions and public sector pensions to reduce competitiveness between the public and private sectors.

I checked some of the oversize books this morning.  I also used the weeding tablet to mark items missing that I could not find on the shelf.  I am hoping that they will get another weeding tablet.

Web Bits


Long Awaited FDLP Modernization Act Would Strengthen Public Access to Government Information


Friday, March 16, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/16/2018


Large Boston Public Garden Sketchbooks: A Woman Reading in the Park, Maurice Brazil Prendergast, 1858-1924


Daily Thoughts 03/16/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of The One Percent Solution on the way to work. I am reading about how corporate lobbying has changed its focus recently to state level politics.

I checked the displays and the gift books this morning.

We have been steadily eliminating the items we cannot find on the shelf list with the weeding tablet.

I checked some of the oversize books.

I created a nonfiction booklist for Bookletters.

We met and discussed programming for the next month.  We did some scheduling for it as well.  We also met and decided to set the dates for the Ozobot program in April.

I read the latest copy of the New York Review of Books.

I updated a new fiction list for Bookletters for the website.

I read a little bit more of Words That Work on the way home from work.  I am reading about how Dr. Frank Luntz wrote the Contract with America which helped create a Republican majority.

Web Bits


The Loss of Britain's  Libraries Could Be a Huge Blow to the Economy

Inside the Comics Collection of the  World's Largest Medical Library

Art Dealer Donates James Joyce Trove to Morgan Library

Thursday, March 15, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/15/2018



The Blue Flower by Henry Van Dyke, 1902


Daily Thoughts 03/15/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

Last night, I started reading The One Percent Solution How Corporations Are Remaking America One State at a Time by Gordon Lafer.  This book is about how corporations have become much more influential because of the Citizens United case where they have been determined to be people.  Corporations have the right to spend near unlimited amounts on political campaigns.  Another side effects is that it has created groups of corporations with political agendas like eliminating the minimum wage, keeping medical spending down, limiting corporate contributions to social security, and similar actions.

I checked the displays and the gift books this morning.

I spent some time discussing the weeding tablet.

I spent some time checking oversize books.

There is a Beginning Microsoft Powerpoint class from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

I had to check on a few invoices for databases and robotics.

I updated a list of new DVDs and new audiobooks for the website using Bookletters.

On the way home, I read some more of Words That Work.  Dr. Frank Luntz is describing how to make unappealing concepts acceptable to the average listener.  He is describing how to use language that makes high pay for executives acceptable, attacks unions, and makes conservative ideology appealing.  He describes ways to oppose change and other difficult communication situations.  Most of this is in the language of conservatism which can be hard to read.  Some people might call his suggestions spin and double speak.



Web Bits

Who Should Lead ALA
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/76319-who-should-lead-ala.html


Interviews With Marketing Masters Jeannie Allen Wins Supprt Via Long Range Planning

Historical Supreme Court Cases Now Online

Temporary Shipping Container Turned Library To Open in NoMa

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/14/2018


Ink Tablet with Thousand Year Fungus Motif, Workshop of Cheng Junfang

Daily Thoughts 03/14/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of Words That Work on the way to the library.

I checked the gifts and the displays this morning.

The book, Fair Shot Rethinking Inequality and How We Earn by Chris Hughes came in for me to read.

I spent some time thinking about marketing for databases and robots.

I am looking over some of the oversize books.

I read through several copies of Publishers Weekly.

They are continuing to check the dvd section for items that are missing.

We are restarting our literacy program.  There are two people who are doing literacy tutoring tonight in the study rooms.  We have also started teaching an English Conversation class on Saturdays.

Tonight we have a Google Docs class from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the computer lab.

I read some more of Words That Work on the way home.  Dr. Frank Luntz describes how some CEOs become the symbol for the their company like Jack Welch or Henry Ford.


Web Bits 

Yonkers Public Library Launches 1000 Books Before Kindergarten
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Library-Launches-1000-Books-Before-Kindergarten-in-Yonkers.html?soid=1122790743163&aid=v0UTI4rwGSk

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/13/2018

File:The Courtesan Hanazome of the Ogiya reading a letter and grinding ink (5759528570).jpg
The Courtesan Hanazome of the Ogiya reading a letter and grinding ink, Circa 1810-1815, Kikukawa Eizan


Daily Thoughts 03/13/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read a little more of Treating People Well on the way to work.

I checked the gift books and the displays this morning.

We had training on the weeding tablet this morning from the Westchester Library System.  We are checking for items that are missing.

I worked on some orders for new books this afternoon.  I also read through the New York Times Book Review and the Times Literary Supplement.  I checked the March Ingram Advance for new books.

The Codrone kit came in this afternoon.  It will be used as part of the Lets Build Robots Program.

I changed the Collection Management sheet on the reference desk where we record patron requests.  I also looked through the recent patron requests.

Shooting An Elephant and Other Essays by George Orwell came in for me to read.

There is a Fundamentals of Computers Class and a Beginning Microsoft Word class tonight.

On the way home, I finished reading Treating People Well The Extraordinary Power of Civility at Work and In Life by Lea Berman who was the social secretary for George Bush, Jr.  and Jeremy Bernard who was the social secretary for Barack Obama in the white house.  This book is about a combination of proper manners, etiquette, and success.  It is about parties and events at the white house and what goes on in preparation.

There are many pointers on how to be successful and work with other people under stress.  The Book alternates between the viewpoint of Lea Berman and Jeremy Bernard.  There are color photographs in the center of the book.  There are also notes at the end.  This is a proper book that is quite patriotic and mannerly.

I also read the essay Politics and the English Language by George Orwell.  It was refreshing in the sense that it described how to write clearly and avoid confusing language and jargon.  It provides an excellent counterpoint to much of the news happening today.


Web Bits


Nearly One in Five Americans Now Listen to Audiobooks




Monday, March 12, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/12/2018

Moreelse Clio - muse of history.jpg
Moreelse Clio, Muse of History, 1634

Daily Thoughts 03/12/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

Last night I watched the video, Be Prepared on Kanopy which is a video on library security.

I summarized the meeting about the next Mount Vernon Local Author fair this morning.

I read some more of Treating People Well today.  I am reading about how it is important to be calm and have loyal employees.

Web Bits

Library Sign System Update Brooklyn Public Library
https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/lpc/downloads/pdf/presentation-materials/20170425/Brooklyn-Public%20Library.pdf

Sunday, March 11, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/11/2018

The North-West Passage, by John Everett Millais.jpg
The North-West Passage, John Everett Millais, 1873, Oil on Canvas.

Daily Thoughts 03/11/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

Yesterday, I watched some films from Video Library Network on Kanopy; Leading The Change Breaking New Ground which is about innovation in libraries and Do Libraries Have A Future? which is about changed perception of what libraries are.  There is a move away from collections and books to community oriented activities and partnerships.

I also watched the PBS show, Cool Spaces, The Design of the James B. Hunt Library, South Mountain Community Library, and Seattle Central Library.  This show was about the building of modern iconic libraries.  The point of view was mainly from architecture.  One of the things I learned is that in the Seattle Public Library, it was designed for social interactions, then books and information.  Large portions of libraries are not about books and information;  they are about meeting spaces, computer labs, community spaces, auditoriums, and administrative space.  About 1/3 of Seattle Public Library is about books and information.  It is about having a shared space for the community to interact with knowledge and culture.

Also, the South Mountain Community Library which combines a public library and a community college library views the library as a space to share ideas and bring people together around information.

The James B. Hunt Library which is a college library was even more interesting.  Most of their books are stored in bins which are retrievable by a bookbot.  The library also lends a variety of electronic devices; tablets, laptop, circuit boards, and other things.  They have massive computer labs with wall screens, quiet reading rooms, and color coded spaces.

This gave a different perspective on the overall purpose of libraries.

I spent a little time compiling some shelf lists from Blue Cloud Analytics.  I also changed my report for the board on March 20, 2018 into a Powerpoint document instead of a Microsoft Word document.

I also have been thinking a little bit about Lexis.

I read some more of Words That Work by Dr. Frank Luntz.  There is a suggestion that people should read the essay, "Politics and the English Language" by George Orwell.  I placed a hold on the book, Shooting An Elephant and Other Essays which contains the Orwell essay.  I have always liked Orwell's writing.

Web Bits


Libraries: Building Community Resilience In Colorado

An All-New Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) Goes Live

Lost, Stolen, or Censored?

Saturday, March 10, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/10/2018

Edouard Vuillard - Lucy Hessel Reading (Lucy Hessel lisant) - Google Art Project.jpg
Edouard Vuillard, Lucy Hessel Reading, 1912

Daily Thoughts 03/10/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I watched the video RFID in Libraries on Kanopy.  It was an overview of how RFID works.

I read some more of Words That Work.  This book describes how to choose the right words.  There is a focus on simplicity and clarity.

I also read some more of Treating People Well.  I am reading about listening skills.

I spent more a little time looking at A to Z Databases.  Reference USA and A to Z databases are very similar.

We are having training for the Mobile Circ Kit on Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday.  It should be interesting.

I spent a few minutes looking at Google Cardboard.  It is something to think about.

Web Bits

Learn How to Seal Criminal Convictions at the Mount Vernon Public Library
http://mountvernon.dailyvoice.com/lifestyle/learn-how-to-seal-criminal-convictions-at-mount-vernon-public-library/734036/

Friday, March 9, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/09/2018

Maurice Leloir In der Bibliothek 1890.jpg
Maurice Leloir, In der Bibliothek, 1890


Daily Thoughts 03/09/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I checked the displays and the gift books this morning.

On the way to work, I read some more of Words That Work.  This book is about the practical use of language to convince people that things work a certain way.  It uses techniques like listening, simple language, clarity, and brevity to deliver your message.

I worked on creating a list of reasons to update our laptops.

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

I checked out the book, The One Percent Solution How Corporations Are Remaking America One State at a Time by Gordon Lafer.

Web Bits


5 Simple Ways to Make Sure Your Library Stays Around Forever

Freedom of Information Day: Liberty and Open Access to All

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/08/2018


File:Maching Reading Robot Auto-Text to Knowledge.jpg
Machine Reading Robot, Auto-Text to Knowledge, DARPA, 30 August 2010

Daily Thoughts 03/08/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

On the way to work, I read some more of Treating People Well.  I am reading about the importance of consistency.  There is a reminder that one needs to practice for 10,000 to master many fields.

I checked the displays and the gift books this morning.

I also checked the oversize books.  They are shifting in the stacks to even out the shelves.  We are planning on working with the weeding tablets soon.  We are going to look for items that are missing or lost for an extended period of time and remove them from the catalog.

I spent some time looking through Library Journal, the latest New York Times Book Review, and the New York Review of Books.  I am starting to work on my order for new books next week.

I have been reading the Strategic Plan for the Mount Vernon Public Library.  I am writing a report describing how my work fits in with the strategic plan.  I have to present on this for the March 20, 2018 board meeting.  I added some pictures.

The Ozobots classroom kit came in today for the Lets Build Robots program.  A colleague is looking over the Ozobots right now.

I worked a little bit on programming today.

There is a Microsoft Powerpoint 2013 class tonight from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the computer lab tonight.

Web Bits


Inwood library redevelopment will create 175 affordable apartments

Atlantic City library teams with barbers to promote literacy

Provenance Through Book Plates or Book Labels

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/07/2018

Vanitas Still-life - Pieter Claesz
Vanitas Still-Life, Peter Claesz, 1628

Daily Thoughts 03/07/2018

I checked the libraries Twitter and Facebook this morning.


I watched two short videos on Kanopy, And Access for All: ADA and Your Library, and Going Green.

I read some more of Treating People Well.  This is a career book.  It is also a book about what it is like to work in the white house.  Both Lea Berman and Jeremy Bernard were social secretaries in the White House.

I also started reading Words that Work by Dr. Frank Lutz.

I started our trial of A to Z Databases which is a business database.

Web Bits


Comics, Education and Advocacy

Law Library Provides Access to Legal Research for Developing Countries
                                                                  

Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/06/2018

Poster for a December Issue of the Inland Printer Magazine - J. C. Leyendecker
Poster for December Issue of Inland Printer Magazine, 1900

Daily Thoughts 03/06/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of Dawn of the New Everything.  I am reading about Jaron Lanier's tenure as the CEO of  VPL Research.

I also started reading Treating People Well The Extraordinary Power of Civility At Work And In Life by Lea Berman and Jeremy Bernard.

I checked the displays and the gift books.

We have started working on the oversize books.

I am meeting with Peter Sherrill to discuss the Mount Vernon Public Library Author Fair in October 2018.

We discussed marketing, raising funds, and how we might do the Mount Vernon Public Library Local Author fair differently this year.  I think we will need to do more promotion and preparation.

I finished writing my monthly report for March 2018.

I checked out Words That Work It's Not What You Say It's What People Hear by Dr. Frank Lutz.

On the way home, I finished reading Dawn of the New Everything Encounters With Reality and Virtual Reality by Jaron Lanier.  I did not understand portions of the book, but they were still enjoyable to read.  A good example of this was when Jaron Lanier describes phenotropic computing.  There is an amazing quality to the writer where he can describe things that do not exist yet in the real world.  For example, Jaron Lanier described virtual reality before it was in the lab. 

The references to writers like Marvin Minsky and William Gibson were interesting.  There were many citations of books and magazines to read in this book.  At one point, Jaron Lanier was an editor for Wired magazine. 

The commentary on culture and technology focused on both the future and current issues are very agreeable to me.  I think his view that technology should help people and that machines are completely the work of people is wonderful.

I even had a comment while I was reading the book on the train to work by a commuter.  They had enjoyed hearing Jaron Lanier speak at University of Washington.  I have watched his speaking in Google and the World Brain and found it compelling.

The structure of the book reads a little like a tech magazine.  There are lots of little sections with expository statements backed by footnotes.  There is an index, appendix, and illustration credits.  The footnotes are in the text.  The footnotes list quite a few books that are computer science oriented.

Web Bits


New Rochelle Library Open To Area Residents for Heat, Recharging

LJ Study: Electronic Resources  Continue Steady Gains

Monday, March 5, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/05/2018

Reading Woman - Lovis Corinth
Lovis Corinth, Reading Woman, 1888

Daily Thoughts 03/05/2018

I checked the Twitter and Facebook for the library.

On the way to work, I finished reading How Organizations Develop Activists Civic Associations and Leadership in the 21st Century by Hahrie Han.  The most important thing I learned in this book is that it is still about building relationships and training leaders whether or not it is online or in person.  People still have to mobilize, train people, and convince them to take the lead.

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

I placed some orders for new books.

I checked on the shifting of the 900s.  We finished shifting in the 900s.  Now we are working on the oversize books.

I have to work on the monthly report for March 2018.

There is a Fundamentals of Computers class and a Beginning Microsoft Word class in the computer lab.  We also have the Intergeneral Games Night tonight from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Web Bits



It's The Library Users Without Gloves I Worry About

Behind the Scenes at the Library Gallery


Sunday, March 4, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/04/2018

The Student - Francisco Oller
The Student, Francisco Oller, 1874


Daily Thoughts 03/04/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of Dawn of the New Everything last night.  I am reading about haptics, the sense of touch in a computing environment.  Jaron Lanier did pioneering work with the ability to feel objects in a virtual environment.

I watched a video called Library Merchandising on Kanopy which is a streaming video service.  It was publised by Library Video Network.

I read some more of How Organizations Develop Activists at the laundromat.  I am reading about reading about the distinguishing characters which make for a successful highly engaged organized when it comes to activism.

I checked the purchase alerts today for items on hold.

I placed a hold on the book, Words That Work:  It's Not What You Say It's What People Hear by Frank Luntz

I am looking at the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Website.
https://1000booksbeforekindergarten.org/

Web Bits


Editorial:  A Novel  Idea, Encouraging Use of San Diego's Library System

Bookstore In Nampa Library Helps Fund Library Programs

Saturday, March 3, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/03/2018

Newspaper with Coffee Mill - Juan Gris
Newspaper With Coffee, Juan Gris, 1915

Daily Thoughts 03/03/2018

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

On the way to work, I read some more of Dawn of the New Everything.  Jaron Lanier is describing working as a computer programmer in silicon valley.  It is the beginning of video games.

I checked the displays and the gift books this morning.

I spent some time shifting the 900s today.

I worked a little bit on preparing the June, July, and August calendar for programming.

Web Bits


Through All the Technology, Reading Remains Libraries’ Focus

Friday, March 2, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/02/2018


Morning News, Ellen Day Hale, 1905

Daily Thoughts 03/02/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of How Organizations Develop Activists on the way to work.  I am reading about transactional activities like gathering lots of names for a vote versus transformational activities like convincing people that an organization supports a worthy cause.

I checked the gift books and the displays this morning.

I also worked on the 900s for shifting.

I contacted Roboshop about the Ozobots.

I spent some time looking at information on collection assessments.

On the way home, I read some more of Dawn of the New Everything.  I find parts of it to be incredibly funny.  I like how Jaron Lanier describes California and New York.


Web Bits


Five Libraries Around the World That Are Open Despite the Odds

The Last Thing Americans Need Are Fewer Library Hours

How Brooklyn Public Library Wants to Redesign Fashion Education

Thursday, March 1, 2018

Daily Thoughts 03/01/2018


The Poetry Cottage, Lin Shu, 1914

Daily Thoughts 03/01/2018

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of How Organizations Develop Activists on the way to work.  I am reading about how outside pressures often force organizations to build leadership or mobilize.

I also read a little bit more of The Dawn of the New Everything.  I am reading about the history of early computer graphics.

I checked the displays and the gift books.

I spent some time working on shifting the 900s with a colleague.

I also am putting together my order for new books this week. I looked through the March copy of Bookpage today.

I spent some time looking over some items that were listed as not being in the system.

I am learning about Overdrive Advantage Plus which is a new version of Overdrive.

I talked to the Women's Enterprise Development Center about doing a Social Entrepreneurship class at the Mount Vernon Public Library in July.  We are also looking at the Cornell Extension Center Master Gardener Program for a gardening program in June at the library.

Last night, I spent a little time reading through the NYLA New York Library Law Handbook.
https://www.nyla.org/images/nyla/files/Public_Library_Law.pdf

There is a Beginning Internet Class in the Computer Lab tonight from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

I checked out the book, Treating People Well, The Extraordinary Power of Civility At Work And In Life by Lea Berman and Jeremy Bernard.



Web Bits


An Unquiet Realization About Libraries