Daily Thoughts 12/30/2012

Where the Water Lilies Grow; signed and dated 'J. Aumonier' (lower left), inscribed with title, artist's name and address (on old label verso); oil on canvas; 50.5 x 70.5 cm, James Aumonier, by 1911

Daily Thoughts 12/30/2012

I read a little more from Management Basics for Information Professionals.  Right now, I am reading about managing money; specifically about fundraising from outside sources.  This includes, grants, fundraising, fees for research services, bequests, and other activities.  I sometimes talk to the Friends of the Mount Vernon Public Library about the book sale.  Currently, we do not have an active foundation.  Part of reading this material is learning what should be happening.  The next section is on Managing Technology.

Daily Thoughts 12/17/2012

WPA Poster, Gregg Arlington Artist, between 1936 and 1940

Daily Thoughts 12/17/2012

On the way to work, I read some more of Management Basics for Information Professionals.  Right now, I am reading about listening and customer service.  Some of it is focused on angry patrons.

This morning, I checked the Twitter and Facebook for the library.  I also checked the new books, the displays, and the gift books.  I got a few questions about Freegal this morning which is a download service for music.

I have the latest New York Times Book Review to read.  There is a review of the fiction book All Men Are Liars by Alberto Manguel.  Alberto Manguel wrote two nonfiction books which I liked; The Library at Night and A Reader on Reading.  I also read the latest Publishers Weekly, there is a novel by Woody Guthrie called House of Earth coming out in February.  The novel has introduction by Douglas Brinkley and Johnny Depp.  The December 10, 2012 Publishers Weekly also has a large section on African American publishing.

The library is having WEDC Women's Enterprise Development Center do a workshop on entrepreneurship in February.

I got the book, Communicating Professionally today.  I also received the Romance Sells catalog from the Romance Writers of America.  Romance is one of the most popular categories in our library.

I am reading through the 12/15/2012 Booklist.  I placed the graphic novel, The Lovely Horrible Stuff by Eddie Campbell on hold.  It is a nonfiction graphic novel about money.  I also spent some time looking through the craft books that are being reviewed.  Crochet and jewelry making are very popular.

On the way home, I read some more of Management Basics for Information Professionals.  They are rehashing different ideas on motivation including Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Theory X (command and control) versus Theory Y (self-actualization).  I sometimes think that the idea that a person with a solid liberal arts education and common sense has better management skills than most MBA's is often true.

I spent a little time thinking about the budget today.  There are articles appearing in the local papers, the Westchester Journal News and the Mount Vernon Daily Voice.  I see things a little different this time.  Last year, we had a budget crisis with the library as well.  I am hoping that people are informed more than anything else.

Web Bits

Tablet Readers Don't Want Interactivity Says Hearst President
http://mashable.com/2012/11/30/hearst-tablets-interativity/

Ether for Authors Can We See You?
http://publishingperspectives.com/2012/11/ether-for-authors-can-we-see-you/?goback=%2Egmp_104765%2Egde_104765_member_197013918
An article about how hard it is to count the number of ebooks being produced.

Daily Thoughts 12/4/2012

Illustration of the short story A Scandal in Bohemia, which appeared in The Strand Magazine in July, 1891. This illustration appeared on page 63, and is captioned "I CAREFULLY EXAMINED THE WRITING." http://www.archive.org/stream/adventuresofsher001892doyl#page/5/mode/1up

Daily Thoughts 12/4/2012

This morning, I read some of Management Basics for Information Professionals 2nd Edition by G. Edward Evans and Patricia Layzell Ward.  The opening chapters are on the different types of management styles.  I am not particular fond of time motion studies and efficiency.  I rather like the idea of quality management and participative management styles which take account of all the staff.

I checked the Twitter and Facebook accounts for the library.  I also checked the displays and the gift books.  I spent some more time working on weeding in the 900s.   I am working with one of the clerks on this project.  It will be a slow steady process to do this.

I also spent some time looking at cancelations from BWI so I can determine what I plan on reordering.  Many of the items are out of print or out of stock from the publishers.

I have to read The Times Literary Supplement from November 30, 2012 and the December 3, 2012 Publishers Weekly. 

On the way home, I read some more of Management Basics for Information Professionals.  The two sections which I read were on diversity and marketing.  The marketing section had a little bit on public relations.  I liked that library advocacy was described as part of public relations.