Daily Thoughts 11/15/2011

Understanding, mural by Robert Lewis Reid. Second Floor, North Corridor. Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, D.C. , 1896


Caption underneath reads:
WISDOM IS THE PRINCIPAL THING
THEREFORE GET WISDOM AND WITH ALL
THY GETTING GET VNDERSTANDING.




Daily Thoughts 11/15/2011


This morning, I read some more of The Better Angels of Our Natures.  The author is describing how literacy increases empathy leading to less tolerance for violence.  Reading allows people to reflect on other peoples thoughts.  It also increases civility.  Literacy also helps create an information network.  With ships, letters, and correspondence it was possible to spread ideas across the whole globe in the 18th and 19th century.  With the advent of the internet and telecommunications there is now a global sphere of learning creating the possibility of a "global university."

This morning, I checked the displays, updated the Twitter and Facebook accounts, and spent a little more time looking at programming.  One of my colleagues gave me a copy of the March-April 2011 Calendar of Events.

This afternoon, the library is having the Biography Book Club from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., I am looking forward to talking about The Letters of Robert Frost to Louis Untermeyer.  Hopefully, it should be very interesting.  I bought some snacks during lunch time.  People talked about Vachel Lindsay, Claude McKay, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, and Alexander Pushkin.  It was interesting hearing about the different poets lives.

We are also having the Intermediate Computer Class today from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. in the Computer Lab.

Kabiru Mohammed dropped off flyers for his play The Tragedy of Ethelia which he is showing on January 26, 2012 from 5:30-8:00 p.m. in the community room.

On the way home, I read more of The Better Angels of Our Natures. Steven Pinker is describing the statistical decline of the total amount of wars in the 20th century.


Web Bits


Occupy Wall Street Library

It was interesting that the library was at first thought destroyed, then found to be safely stored away.  This has a very dramatic feel to it.  Sometimes it makes you think  There have has been discussions but still I hear no solutions among the noise of the media.

Occupy Wall Street Library Evicted
http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/occupy-wall-street-library-evicted_b42238
I find the idea of a digital Occupy Wall Street Library interesting.

Occupy Wall Street Library Reportedly Thrown Away by NYPD
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/15/occupy-wall-street-library_n_1094941.html?ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false

Occupy Wall Street Library Removed as New York Evicts Protestors
http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/home/892805-264/occupy_wall_street_library_removed.html.csp

ReOccupy Writers Stand in Solidarity with OWS Tonight at 6:00

http://peopleslibrary.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/occupy-writers-stand-in-solidarity-with-ows-and-the-peoples-library/

Daily Thoughts 11/14/2011

Kinchaku to kusazōshi Print shows a coin purse and two books, one with a portrait of a man on the cover.  Date Created/Published: 1824. 

Daily Thoughts 11/14/2011

This morning I checked the Facebook and Twitter accounts for the library.  I also wrote my bimonthly report.  I am focusing on training my Microsoft Office skills and trying to work with the computer lab a little more.

All of the old discards and left over books from the book sale are packed up and ready for Better World Books.  I checked the displays and the gift books this morning.

I made reminder calls for the Biography Book Club and the Mount Vernon Writers Network.  I have been thinking about programming for next year.  I have the last two years worth of programming calendars in my desk.  I have a fairly good idea of which programs have been repeated year after year.  This is the second year we have had the Adult Summer Reading Program, we also have been doing poetry programs for the last couple of years, and we have been doing quite a few entrepreneurial programs as well with the help of the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce and the Women's Enterprise Development Center.

On the way home, I read some more of The Better Angels of Our Nature.  Steven Pinker is describing the process how torture, public corporal punishment, and the burning of heretics became unacceptable practices. He is describing how reason and valuing human life reduces violence.  He also touches on how reducing cruelty to animals reduces violence among people.  The book is thoroughly researched and includes lots of historical citations.

Daily Thoughts 11/13/2011

Émile Verhaeren (1855-1916), Belgian poet, by Theo Van Rysselberghe


Daily Thoughts 11/13/2011

This morning I checked the Facebook and Twitter accounts for the library.

I finished taking Microsoft Publisher  Essentials 2010 today.  I plan on taking Microsoft Access 2010 Essentials and Microsoft Powerpoint 2010 Essentials all from Lynda.com.  I will have finished most of the office productivity basic courses.  In addition, I am hoping that I can finish taking Illustrator for Adobe next. This will allow me to be trained in most of the essential office software by the end of the year.

I read a little bit more of The Better Angels of Our Nature this morning.  The author is describing how nation states reduce violence.  He is describing the transition from medieval thinking to modern thinking and how it makes us more civil.  Right now, Steven Pinker is focusing on England.

Web Bits

Library to Get Hackerspace
http://boingboing.net/2011/11/12/library-to-get-a-hackerspace.html
This is something which has been discussed a lot but not implemented until now.


Unusual Library Finds A New Home
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/13/us/an-unusual-library-finds-a-new-home.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
I like this because it speaks for libraries taking on more local material.

Open Library
http://openlibrary.org/about

Daily Thoughts 11/12/2011

A U.S stamp with the picture of the poet Robert Frost.


Daily Thoughts 11/12/2011

I updated the library Twitter and Facebook account.  I also finished reading The Letters of Robert Frost to Louis Untermeyer this morning.  The letters were published after Robert Frost died.  Robert Frost wanted to wait until he was no longer around to express some of his opionions.  I think I'll probably read some of Robert Frost's poems.  I read this in preparation for the Biography Book Club on Tuesday, November 15, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Each member of the club is reading a different biography of a famous poet.

I also watched some more of the BBC Documentary Life narrated by Oprah Winfrey.  It is very beautiful nature imagery.  I found out about it because a patron was checking out the BBC Documentary Planet Earth.

I have been thinking about programming a bit. I also spent some time on Lynda.com today studying Microsoft Publisher 2010.

I read some more of   The Better Angels of Our Natures today.  The author is describing how violence has declined as people have moved from tribalism to centralized governments. He describes how people in primitive times were much more likely to die from violence.

Daily Thoughts 11/11/2011

Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784): Poems on various subjects, religious and moral. By Phillis Wheatley, Negro servant to Mr. John Wheatley, of Boston, in New England. London: Printed for A. Bell, bookseller, Aldgate; and sold by Messrs. Cox and Berry, King-street, Boston. 1773.


Daily Thoughts 11/11/2011

Happy Veterans Day.  I updated the library Facebook and Twitter account this morning. I also took some time to look over the different programs that have been happening at the library.  There are a number of organizations that have worked with the library directly; AC-BAW Association of Community Based Arts of Westchester, Westchester Arts Council, Womens Enterprise Development Center, the Triple Hill Arts Council, and Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce.

Sometimes I look on Get Glue to see what is popular.  They often have titles that libraries do not have.  Two books that caught my attention are Word Hero by Jay Heinrichs which is about writing viral copy and Back to Work by Bill Clinton.

I watched some of the dvd Earth which is narrated by Oprah Winfrey.  Oprah Winfrey does an excellent job describing the actions of the animal kingdom.

I read a bit more of The Letters of Robert Frost to Louis Untermeyer.  It reads like a different world without all the accoutrements of computers and modern electronics.  The feeling is one of a much simpler, cleaner life.  I also read some more of The Better Angels of Our Natures.  The author is describing the violent nature of ancient Rome and biblical Judea.


Web Bits

What Do Americans Want from Their Libraries?  Heres  our Chance to Find Out.
http://www.nextlibraries.org/2011/10/what-do-americans-want-from-their-libraries-heres-our-chance-to-find-out/
If you are a library patron with a smart phone or E-reader please consider becoming involved.