Daily Thoughts 02/15/2017

C.L.S.C. Books Louis John Rhead (American, born England, 1857–1926)

Daily Thoughts 02/15/2017

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

I read some more of  Reality Is Not What It Seems The Journey to Quantum Gravity.  Carlo Rovelli is describing the weave of space being made of a 3 dimensional mesh interlinked rings. There is picture on P.162 which reminds me a little bit of chainmail in its structure.  There are a lot of interesting ideas in this book.  For example a watch that is lower to the ground will run slower than a watch high in the air.  Some of it is a little baffling.

I also finished reading Ghetto, The Invention of a Place, The History of An Idea by Mitchell Duneier.  There is an excellent summation at the end of the book.  The author compares the black ghetto to the Jewish Ghetto.  Also there is a little bit on how the barrio, or other ethnic enclaves like Chinatown are different from the ghetto.  This is a well written book.  There is an index, notes, extensive bibliography, acknowledgements, and a set of black and white photographs in the center of the book.

I checked the displays and the gift books. I also checked to make sure the payment for one of my programs will be available.  I am buying some supplies for the Saturday Acrylic painting class.

I spent some time training a colleague on Brodart to order nonfiction titles.

There was a Beginning Microsoft Access class tonight from 5:30 p.m. to 7;30 p.m.

I stayed for the Mount Vernon Public Library Board of Trustees meeting.  They showed the new Board Docs system which they purchased.  There was a little input on personnel.  They discussed programming.  They are planning on doing a "Read Down Your Fines" program soon.  They also mentioned that there was going to be another open house for the library.  It was an interesting meeting.

On the way home, I finished reding Reality Is Not What It Seems The Journey to Quantum Gravity by Carlo Rovelli.  I liked that at the end of the book, there was some discussion of Information Theory is physics which is about how particles store and exchange information.  This was well worth reading.  It inspired a sense of wonder in science.  If you like popular science books this is an excellent read.

I looked at the Libraries Transform Campaign for National Library Week.
http://www.ilovelibraries.org/librariestransform/

Web Bits

Thieves Rappeled Into A London Warehouse In Rare Book Heist
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thieves-rappelled-london-warehouse-in-heist-180962176/

The George Peabody Library, A Literary and Architectural Treasure

http://darkroom.baltimoresun.com/2017/02/the-george-peabody-library-baltimores-architectural-and-literary-treasure/

Daily Thoughts 02/14/2017

James Baldwin, Marlon Brando Civil Rights March 1963, Public Domain, U.S. Information Agency. Press and Publications Service.

Daily Thoughts 02/14/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook today.

I rested on the way to work.   I checked the displays and the gift books.  I also spent some time working on orders for new books.

I worked a bit on preparation for programs.  I am looking forward to the James Baldwin's America program.

The crochet group met today from 2;30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the fiction room.

I read through a copy of the New York Times Book Review and a copy of Publishers Weekly.

I am in the computer lab right now.  There is going to be a Fundamentals of Computers Class and a Beginning Microsoft Word 2013 class tonight.

I checked out the graphic novel Habitat by Simon Roy.  Also the move Desk Set came in for me to watch as well as the novel, Moonglow by Michael Chabon.

I have some programming to work on tomorrow.

I read some more of Reality Is Not What It Seems  The Journey to Quantum Gravity. Carlo Rovelli is an advocate for "quantum loop gravity".  The imagery can be striking in this book.  When I read the section on waves, particles, and granularity in quantum mechanics it made me think of the idea of "amber waves of grain."

Web Bits

Officials Rename Harlem Library After Civil Rights Icon Harry Belafonte

https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20170213/central-harlem/harry-belafonte-harlem-library-115th-st

Daily Thoughts 02/13/2017

Gabriel Huquier (French, Orléans 1695–1772 Paris), Man and Woman Reading ca. 1742


Daily Thoughts 02/13/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I also spent some time getting ready to work on programming next week.  There are still quite a few things that need to be done.

I worked on three different courses today.  I finished my Current Issues course.  I focused on my last assignment on the topic of annual programming calendar for the adult department.  I am waiting for my textbook for the Budget and Finance class.  I have to create a Program Budget for the Collection Development department.  I watched the hour long video for the Management of Technology portion class.  I'll focus on the assignments later in the week.

I read some more of Ghetto The Invention of a Place, The History of An Idea.  I am reading about Geoffrey Canada and his charter school in Harlem, New York.

I read some more of Reality Is Not What It Seems.  I am reading about the history of quantum physics.

Web Bits

Hennepin County Library posts msessages that 'All Are Welcome Here'

http://www.startribune.com/hennepin-county-library-posts-messages-that-all-are-welcome-here/413328623/

Daily Thoughts 02/12/2017

Still Life, Unidentified Artist

Daily Thoughts 02/12/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook.

I read some more of Ghetto The Invention of a Place.  I am reading about how class becomes a greater factor in the 1980s as more African Americans become middle class and move out of the ghetto into mixed race neighborhoods.

I also read some more of Reality Is Not What It Seems by Carlo Rovelli.  The writing is very clear.  I read some more history of phsyics focused on Newton and Einstein.

Web Bits

As E-book Sales Decline Digital Fatigue Grows

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/retailing/article/70696-as-e-book-sales-decline-digital-fatigue-grows.html

Quiet Hour at Northbrook Library Hopes to Create Autism Friendly Space

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/northbrook/news/ct-nbs-northbrook-library-access-tl-0216-20170211-story.html

Daily Thoughts 02/11/2017

Reading the News at the Weavers' Cottage

Adriaen van Ostade (Dutch, Haarlem 1610–1685 Haarlem), 1673

Daily Thoughts 02/11/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of Reality Is Not What It Seems.  I am reading about the history of physics.

I also read a bit more of Ghetto, The Invention of a Place.  There is a little bit about the West Village in New York and Castro street in San Francisco being a ghetto for gay people.

I placed a hold on the graphic novel Habitat by Roy Simon.

Web Bits

A Patron by Any Other Name is Still a Patron

http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2017/02/a-patron-by-any-other-name-is-still-a-patron/