Daily Thoughts 4/17/2011 (bookstore visit, Getting more

Engraving of a Huguenot bookstore in Amsterdam, 1715

Daily Thoughts 4/17/2011

I went to Barnes and Nobles today and looked at the science fiction and comic books.  A few books that caught my eye were American Vampire by Stephen King and Scott Snyder which is a graphic novel and Spade and Archer The Prequel to Dashiell Hammett's Maltese Falcon by Joe Gores.  They were showing Neil Gaiman's American Gods which is being optioned for television as well as George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones which is currently a television series.  I am looking forward to the release of the final book in the series soon.  T

here were a few things which my library system didn't have which I want to read, Fables: Cinderella and Fables: Rose Red which are both graphic novels and two science fiction paperbacks, Embeded by Dan Abnett and Alien in the Family by Gini Koch.  The other book which I am looking forward to my library system getting is The Crippled God by Steven Erikson.

I have been reading some more of Getting More. The author is writing about how to use standards and written agreements to get what you want.  He is talking about how not to be accusatory and at the same time getting people to follow up on agreements.

This evening, I finished reading Getting More.  It is very much an incremental process which the Stuart Diamond is describing.  It is about finding out what people want and then exchanging things of unequal value.

Daily Thoughts 4/15/2011 (Getting More, Ebooks)

Portrait of Ferdinand III, Archduke of Austria and Grand Duke of Tuscany sitting in his library,
Joseph Dorffmeiste, 1797

Daily Thoughts 4/15/2011

I am thinking about different website management tools from Google, Google Webmaster Tools, Google Site Search Engine, and Google Sitemapper.  I think these could improve the quality of the library website along with some remapping of the website.

Today, I checked the Twitter account, checked the displays, and checked the surveys.  Things are in order.  I am going to be on vacation next week, so I will probably write a number of book reviews.

I am attending the May 13, 2011 Westchester Library Assocation conference.  Seth Godin is the keynote speaker.  It is something which I am definitely interested in hearing.  http://www.westchesterlibraryassociation.org/brochure.pdf  The title for the conference is Fearless Librarians: Inventing the Future.

On the way home, I read a little bit more of Getting More.  The author is writing about how to negotiate salaries, promotions, and getting hired.  He tells you that a lot of it is about building relationships and finding out about who works in a company.  He also tells you that it is about finding out what people want before you go into an interview with specific goals.
Web Bits

The Merger of Telecoms and Utilities: Is It the Future?
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/the-merger-of-telecom-and-utility-services-is-it-the-future/
I thought this was interesting because it is a way to deal with smart grid technologies and controlling electricity and phone services.  If we had a smart utility company, it would probably be better for a library because we could negotiate a package covering all the different serviees, electricity, wireless internet, fiber optic internet, and telephones.

Ebook Sales Tripled in the Last Year
http://www.publishers.org/press/30/%20

Daily Thoughts 4/14/2011 (Poetry, Getting More)

Sibyl reading a book Print showing the Cumaean Sibyl, full-length, seated, facing right, reading a book by the light of a torch held by a child.  Date Created/Published: [between 1500 and 1530]

Daily Thoughts 4/14/2011

Today has been fairly quiet.  I read some more of Getting More on the train to work.  The author is focusing on building incremental steps to get you want.  He is describing how to systematically come up with goals, find things which people value, and get solutions to common problems.

I also had a chance to update the Twitter account, check the book sale, and enter a few more surveys.  Things are moving steadily along.

Our library book sale is coming up on June 9 and June 10, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

We had a late program tonight for the Writers Networking Event.  It ran from 6:30-8:00 p.m.  There were more people than we originally expected. It was enjoyable to sit and listen.  Right now, I am mainly facilitating the event so it happens; getting the snacks, making the coffee, making sure the room is set up, making sure everything is put away, giving a brief introduction, making sure people are comfortable.  James Fair is moderating.  I am thinking we may have to have a more moderated structure with specific time limits, a bell, and more formal rules.

I read some more of Getting More on the train home.  The author is writing about trust and cultural differences. He points out that in many countries where the legal systems are not strong people are much more careful about who they are willing to do business with.

Web Bits

The State of America's Libraries
http://ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/mediapresscenter/americaslibraries2011/index.cfm

Daily Thoughts 4/12/2011 (Getting More, Social Media)

For greater knowledge on more subjects use your library more often.  Poster showing a mortarboard and a pair of glasses superimposed over a globe, promoting use of libraries. Date Created/Published: Chicago : Illinois WPA Art Project, [between 1936 and 1941]

Daily Thoughts 4/12/2011

This morning, I read a little more of Getting More on the train to work.  Today has been a steady day.  I checked some items for discard, updated the Twitter account, and checked the displays.  I also put in my program schedule for May and June.

Our new BWI (Book Wholesalers Inc.)  representative came by for a visit and I gave a tour of the library and explained our ordering process.  They are supposed to have a list of grants available to libraries on their website.  They also said they were visiting Queens Library and would provide us some information on their gifts program.

Hopefully, tomorrow we should have the image gallery from the Local History Room ready.  The slideshow looks quite nice.

I updated the current events display and checked on the gifts.  Things are caught up right now for me.

On the way home, I read some more of Getting More How to Negotiate to Achieve Your Goals in the Real World.  There was one comment that I especially liked. The author cites Dr. Seuss Green Eggs and Ham as an excellent book on persistence, possibly the best one written.  The book also describes how to focus on goals and people, not facts and statistics.  A lot of decisions are not rational.

I am thinking I amight do an informal session on social media at the library. A lot of patrons come in to use Facebook and Linked In on the library computers.

Daily Thoughts 4/11/2011 (Swann Gallery, The Alchemist, Getting More)

"Die Vorlesung", Öl auf Holz, signiert, datiert: 1879, rückseitig alte Londoner und Münchner Klebezettel, 38 x 30 cm
Daily Thoughts 4/11/2011

I took some time off from writing here for a few days.  I have a stack of six books to review in the living room.  It was a short breather. 

I wrote a summary of my experience of the visit to the Swann Gallery with the New York Library Club on April 6, 2011.  It is a work in progress.  It is up the New York Librarians Meetup blog. http://nylibrariansmeetup.blogspot.com/2011/04/meetup-at-swann-gallery-with-new-york.html

This morning, I checked the displays, updated the library Twitter account, and entered some more surveys for the library.  It has been a quiet, steady day.  The book, The Alchemist by Paolo Bacigalupi came in for me to read.  It is a novella.

I also took a few minutes to refill the book sale and pick out graphic novels to show for the Graphic Novels club on Wednesday.  We are not ordering anything new so it has slowed down a little bit.

We are working on the slide show gallery of the library from the Local History Room.  It is taking shape.

On the way home, I finished reading The Alchemist by Paolo Bacigalupi.  It was an excellent novella. But, then all his works have won prizes.  I also started reading Getting More How To Negotiate to Achieve Your Goals in the Real World by Stuart Diamond.  It takes a psychological approach focused on peoples emotions and real world actions.

Web Bits

A Rare Look at the Vatican Library.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/04/08/60minutes/main20052140.shtml
I watched this at the laundromat last night. It was a 60 Minutes episode.


South Korea to Open 180 Libraries, UK to Cut 400
http://www.suite101.com/content/180-new-libraries-to-open-in-south-korea-a338706
You sometimes wonder where the priorities are.