Convivial Librarian

On Libraries & The Classics

2007-01-05T05:09:00.000-08:00

This is excerpted from an email I sent my friend Lisa, who asked my opinion about a recent Wall Street Journal article on collection development in public libraries. The article is from 1/3/07, titled "In the Fray: Should Libraries' Target Audience Be Cheapskates With Mass-Market Tastes?" I would link to the article, but WSJ is chintzy about putting their archives online.

Regarding the article:

My first reaction is, "this guy obviously hasn't spent much time in his local library." His overgeneralization and "the sky is falling" panicked attitude was based on the actions of one library. His complete lack of detail in the article leads me to believe that he truly does not understand what that specific library (and public libraries as a whole) is actually doing. No public collection development librarian worth her salt would pull every copy of Hemingway or Shakespeare, even if they haven't been checked out in 2 years. Perhaps she would reduce the number of copies, because lack of space is truly an issue at many libraries. I believe his theory about libraries pulling all of the classics simply because they haven't circulated is completely invalid.

He seemed out of touch with library systems - since the dawn of libraries, librarians have kept count of how many times a book has circulated. It's not as if this is a new-fangled thing with online library catalogs. That alone diminishes his credibility.

I had a discussion about this article with one of the law librarians at work. She took the side of the author, saying that taxpayers' money shouldn't pay for the entertainment of the middle class. First, the middle class aren't the only ones who take advantage of the local library. A public library is there for the community, period - rich, middle, poor. If rich people have elsewhere to spend their money than buying books off of Amazon, then good for them - they are welcome to use the library. The disadvantaged use the library as a refuge and a place of improvement - I saw many poor or immigrant people searching for jobs via internet or newspaper when they couldn't afford a computer or the 10+ copies of the Sunday newspapers. The library exists to serve all.

Just because books are more accessible than they have been throughout history doesn't mean that the average reader wants to purchase $2,400 worth of books each year. I go through 2 hardback books, at least, per week, and that's how much it would cost me. Economically speaking, libraries benefit the taxpayers because of the collective pool of money that can be used for the greater (and personal!) good. In other words, I would rather pay $300 per year in taxes as opposed to $2,400 for books.

He completely ignored that libraries are present in communities for reasons in addition to reading. Libraries are cultural hubs for concerts, presentations, and lectures. Libraries provide top-quality research through reference collections and databases. To say that they should be closed simply because they are going towards popular collections is omitting 2/3 of the services that libraries provide.

I'm so firing off a letter to the WSJ editor.

Dewey Donate? Yes, We Should!

2006-07-18T13:50:00.000-07:00

News article on the Dewey Donate site, which is collecting donations for the Harrison County Library System. The system is located in Mississippi and was hit by Hurricane Katrina, who very meanly put several libraries' collections under water and mud. (As of this writing, the system's web site contained a picture of their bookmobile with what looks to be a pole through the front windshield.) Check out the donors map, made courtesy of Frappr. Choose from 8 different libraries' Amazon wish lists and away you go... a warm fuzzy for helping libraries in dire need. Publishers should step up to the plate, too, and donate reference materials to those collections damaged by the hurricane.

Hug Your Librarian

2006-06-14T09:32:00.000-07:00

I love linking to positive marketing and reports like this one on the MSN Encarta site. Librarians are often self-contained to a fault - we laud our accomplishments within the industry, but oftentimes don't (or can't) publish them for the whole world to see. In this case, it's a non-librarian providing very practical advice on how to squeeze the best out of your local library. Now, if ALA will just create a commercial for network TV...

Long Overdue

2006-06-14T09:24:00.000-07:00

"Long Overdue: A Fresh Look at Public Attitudes About Libraries in the 21st Century" reports the results of a national study of the general public as well as interviews with national and local civic leaders (see methodology below). This multi-level public opinion study identifies a troubling issue for library advocates: While Americans give their public libraries an "A" more often than any other community service asked about (45% give libraries an "A") and a large majority of the public (71%) says their local library uses public money well, few Americans are aware of the increasingly tenuous financial picture faced by many libraries.
Take a look at the full 84-page report.

Podcasting, Take One!

2006-05-23T08:22:00.000-07:00

Our library signed up to participate in OPAL - Online Programming for All Libraries. A subscription means that we can both listen to the real-time or archived podcasts, but also offer some of our own. Last Tuesday, with the help of my brave colleagues Jane and Jill, I recorded my Introduction to eBay program. The only hitch was when we realized that closing the door of the conference room blocks the wireless signal... but that was quickly, and easily, fixed once it dawned on us why the computer kept losing the connection. The program is in the OPAL archives. Our Reader's Services department will also be offering a booktalk program on OPAL in the near future.

OPAL will also be the host to the state-wide discussion of the Kite Runner. "The One State One Listen program of ListenIllinois brings together library patrons from across Illinois in an online, virtual, audio ebook discussion."

OPAL is a growing entity and a very easy way to offer programs to patrons who don't want to visit or can't make it to the library. The technology that it utilizes is very simple - all the library needs is a microphone ($10 at a retailer), computer and a couple of staff members who don't mind having their voices recorded. All the patron requires is a computer, speaker or headphones, and if they want to speak, a microphone.

Librarians in Leather

2006-05-21T14:21:00.000-07:00

...riding leather, that is. I just fulfilled a life-long dream to obtain my M-class license. My father, a former competitive trials rider, taught me how to ride off-road motorcycles from the time I was eleven years old until I moved away from home at 24. A few weekends ago, my father-in-law and I completed the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course, which teaches you how to ride more safely on the road. It rained the entire weekend, so needless to say, none of us knew how to brake on dry pavement when the sun finally came out!

It seems that I am not alone in my love of both motorcycles and librarianship - check out the MotoFemina blog. One of the contributors, Laura, is a librarian at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Motorcycling is a controversial hobby. Many people think it's risky. Indeed it is, but I would rather take the risk and love life than to live it so safely as to miss out on the incredible experience of riding a motorcycle. Maybe I'll start my own Dewey's Angels riding group.

A+ in Penmanship

2006-05-02T15:38:00.000-07:00

No wonder librarians were judged on their handwriting skills at one time... Thank God for automation.

Earth Day Irony

2006-04-26T11:48:00.000-07:00

I have to be honest and say the last time I really paid attention to Earth Day was somewhere around 1992. (Earth Day was April 22nd this year). However, living with less and taking better care of our world really struck me this week. It's Spring Clean-Out around town, which means everyone purges their basement and garage junk to the curb to be picked up and hauled to the dump. I've seen all the stuff multiply during my 10-minute commute to work each day through the neighborhoods - TVs, baby strollers in perfect condition, broken chairs, plumbing supplies, 1970s front doors. Old wicker furniture seems to be particularly popular, sunfaded and scratchy.

What really comes to mind is that we have the ability to stop all this stuff before it even gets into our homes. Shop less, live with less, stress less. This is a big revelation for a girl who enjoys spending free time at Ann Taylor Loft and Anthropologie. But more and more I'm realizing what an empty perusal more stuff, more stuff is. Others are on the same track as a rebellion against too many things - Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping by Judith Levine; those dedicated participants of Craig's List (please, please come to Chicago); and the Freecycle people in your local neighborhood. Way to go; I'm using you all as an inspiration.

Make mine a nice shiraz

2006-04-04T15:34:00.000-07:00

This came through my Google alert today... I probably have had too much cold medicine, because at first glance I thought it said "Libraries Offer Free Wine Week." Alas, that is not the case. However, the West Palm Beach Library, a fantastic Florida library (they have orange fish stamped into their carpet, no kidding), offer a Friday night Wine and Jazz evening. They partner with a local jazz group, who arranges the performers each month. It started out as a wine tasting and went full-fledged into a night of entertainment and tasty wine. Show me where to sign up.

Tea, Anyone?

2006-03-15T09:31:00.000-08:00

I'm off to PLA in Boston next week. I haven't been there before, so I'm particularly excited. What's dragging me down, though, is figuring out how to get my schedule into the blasted Blackberry. What would be incredibly useful is the ability to download a customized program schedule from the PLA website to Outlook, and then dump it into the Blackberry. Voila... a nice, neat, paper-free way to keep track of which program I'm supposed to be attending at 8 a.m. on Thursday, after some breakfast waffles. What I did in the meantime was to copy and paste into a Word doc to see it all laid out, and then I'll copy the final schedule into Outlook. Kind of a pain but I think it'll work. How do you organize your conference schedules? Chisel it out on a rock? Roll it up in a scroll? Print out 20 pieces of paper? Wait for the 40-pound conference schedule and then go crazy with the highlighter?

The Rural Life

2006-01-31T14:59:00.000-08:00

I grew up on a small farm (7 acres, 4 barns, 2 horses and a whole mess of cats) in the 1970s. Recently, on a recommendation, I picked up Verlyn Klinkenborg's book The Rural Life. Immediately, memories of my childhood came flooding back, a result of Verlyn's descriptive and lyrical prose. He has the unique ability to describe the mundane and bring it to full-color life. The breaking apart of a haybale, with its dusty, grassy smell that burst forth was made as real to me as yesterday. He noted the many uses of a hank of twine from the bale, which we used for everything from temporarily tying up loose barbed wire to extending the low handle on the red Ryder wagon.

Growing up on a farm wasn't easy. Many weekends with my friends were sacrificed because a fence needed to be put in or the alfa alfa from the small field needed to be brought to the barn before it rained. However, I wouldn't trade it - the experience of sliding off a horse to the ground while galloping full-out, finding newborn kittens in the hay loft, or driving a tractor with my dad for the first time - for anything. You can easily see Verlyn's affection for this tough, and incredibly rewarding, life, too.

Generations in the Workplace

2006-01-10T12:46:00.000-08:00

Interesting little clip from NPR on January 4th: "Steve Inskeep talks with CEO Fred Miller and President Corey Jamison of The Kaleel Jamison Consulting Group, which specializes in corporate culture, about generation differences and conflict in the office." Wish they would've expanded on it a little; it was mostly Corey talking about how Gen X is different from the Baby Boomers. But worth a listen.

Not So Trivial

2005-12-28T09:14:00.000-08:00

There is a new show on the Discovery Channel called Cash Cab. It's a take-off of a British show (isn't that usually the case with entertaining shows? See Also: What Not To Wear). The premise behind the show is that unsuspecting New Yorkers hail a trivia cab, in which they're given the chance to answer questions for cash. Ah, brain candy for librarians!

Hubby and I listened to A.J. Jacob's book The Know It All: One Man's Humble Quest To Become the Smartest Person in the World on the way home for Christmas. It's a very entertaining and sometimes poignant look at his journey through reading the entire set of the 2002 edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica. The author's aspiration was to be on Jeopardy, but I bet he'd do well on Cash Cab.

I've also been working on compiling the 80+ trivia questions for the annual Literacy Volunteers Trivia Bee (I'm on the board of directors. We're a very involved board.) It is getting more difficult over the years to find unique trivia using the library's resources. How is this possible? Well, the questions have to fit on a PowerPoint slide, not be so esoteric as to totally frustrate the audience, and they have to cover the gamut of subjects - science, pop culture, weather, astronomy, mathematics, literature, sports, and especially cartoons.

So all of this trivia that's been swirling around lately has me thinking - what makes up intelligence? Trivia certainly doesn't equal intelligence, although it seems that lots of Mensa members revel in trivial facts (see Jacob's comments in his book when he attends a Staten Island Mensa shindig). Is intelligence simply remembering facts and figures? No, I think it's more. Intelligence is the ability to make connections between facts and experience, and to then devise the best means of getting from A to B.

Librarians deal with facts and figures all day - everything from patron requests to balanacing budgets. I remember some of my patrons' inquiries, although certainly not all; often, they're the things that are unimportant to everyday life. The building of the Chunnel, who killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and the name of the Senator that spoke before Lincoln's Four Score speech have all stuck with me. I couldn't tell you the entire short text of Lincoln's speech, or explain Einstein's relativity theory to you, or even tell you what's on my grocery list at home. Why do some things stick in our memory but other things, most often the important things, fade away?

Merry Christmas, Everyone

2005-12-22T14:52:00.000-08:00

I love those end-of-the-year lists: Best/Worst Dressed, Top 10 Events, etc. We've seen to much happen to libraries this year -
Hurricane Katrina wiping out Southern libraries, another run at the Patriot Act, Google releasing a librarians' newsletter, Wikipedia gaining popularity, Firefox taking off, iPods for patrons, mergers, Gormangate, etc. etc. etc. Wow. I can't wait to see what next year brings. What developments do you see that are on the horizon for libraries?

It's Like Christmas!

2005-11-23T15:43:00.000-08:00

Wheee! Just about to go to the 'rents' house in Arkansas for Thanksgiving and I got a notice that three of my books are in from Baker & Taylor. (Crazy librarian that I am, I use some of my salary to splurge on vendor-discounted paperback books.) One is the Gourmet Toaster Oven cookbook (got to try out the bruschetta when I get home from vakashun), Cheryl Peck's new Revenge of the Paste Eaters , and Laurie Notaro's An Idiot Girl's Christmas. For once I am excited about stuffing myself along with a hundred strangers into a metal container 35,000 feet above the earth. I get to read my new books for a blissful, 2 1/2 hour stretch (barring turbulence and other scary things.) Lovely!

ILA Conference

2005-10-18T10:18:00.000-07:00

Just returned from the Illinois Library Association conference. Very good stuff there, including Stephen Abram's opening session speech on Google and a zillion other things.We asked him if a podcast of his talk would be on his blog, but unfortunately the best available is a copy of his powerpoint presentation. Needless to say he wandered a bit from the canned presentation and the meaty things were really in his speech. Ah well, let's take what we can get. For you Chicago area librarians, Stephen (and Jenny Levine) will be back with the Chicago Scholars in Residence program on November 9th.

That evening I also attended the ILSDO 40th anniversary bash. You've never seen so many librarians cut a rug, and even to Sir Mix Alot's "Baby Got Back." I think I sweated off my buffet pasta doin' the YMCA.

Also went to the tech trends talk by Jenny Levine, Paul Mills from the Prairie Area Library System, and Theresa Ross Embery from Library Associates. Blogging, podcasting and gaming were among the hot topics. To sum up, we need to reach out to our patrons and not expect them to come to us, and technology can be very effective in achieving this. Jenny provided an excellent example in the Ann Arbor Library District, where their director maintains a blog. Another great point was that blogs allow for patron interaction with the site - especially important for YA librarians to go forth and allow comments. I was completely geeked out, nodding along with everything these excellent and well-informed presenters were saying, when the guy behind me leaned over to his colleague and whispered, "Well, gee, all this stuff would be great if it wasn't totally irrelevant and impractical." *sigh*

It was a very worthwhile conference, although my one gripe is that no program seemed to start and end on time. They need an obnoxious bell to signal the end of class like we had in high school.

Weeding, a catharsis for the librarian soul

2005-09-27T14:08:00.000-07:00

I love to weed. For those of you that are not librarians, it's simply the act of deciding what stays and what goes on a library's shelves. I've found that a near obsessive attitude isn't generational among the librarians here - one Baby Boomer gets a thrill out of getting rid of old resume books, while a 30-something holds on for dear life.

Weeding makes the shelves so much more accessible. No longer are the well-loved books sharing space with moldy oldies that haven't gone out since the Nixon administration. After weeding, the collection looks approachable, with so much more potential for things to be discovered.

It's probably silly to wax poetic about the simple act of removing books from a library's shelves and dumping them in the bin for the used book sale, where they'll most likely sit on someone's shelves at home, unopened, for the next decade. But heck, librarianship can be a sentimental and romantic calling.

A few books that I weeded today:

~ Best Loved Songs of the American People (1975; we didn't need two copies on the shelf.)

~1900-1919 The Dawn of the 20th Century (1973; hadn't circulated in five years. Ahchoo!)

~Conversation with the Blues (1965; includes illustrations by the author)

Want any of these? Be sure to stop by our booksale next month.

Turning 30

2005-09-07T11:45:00.000-07:00

First, next Friday I turn thirty. Second, Miami, Ink is becoming one of my favorite TV shows. (I swear these two topics relate; let me explain.)

A milestone birthday, for sure. When I turned 21 and hit Laclede's Landing with my older sister, I never would've imagined that I'd become a librarian. At 25, newly minted MLS and working for a corporate library, 30 seemed so distant. Well, now it's smacked me upside the head and I'm thinking about ways to mark this birthday. The nose piercings that I've always envied on other women? Nah, I'm too Ann Taylor Prep to pull that off. A permanent mark on back or hip, perhaps? There's where the Miami, Ink comes in.

I mentioned the show to one of the other reference librarians, and we laughed about what we might get etched into our bodies. Of course we thought we'd get our own special Dewey Decimal numbers, hers being 808 and mine, 025 or 027. We'd probably look like prison escapees to those outside the library world, but can you imagine the reaction we'd get if we flashed them at ALA?

So help me out, here. Tell me your suggestions for library- or literary- related tattoos. I may not always be a librarian, but it would mark a certain time in my life that I will always value.

Giant Steps and... Nevermind?

2005-09-06T08:30:00.000-07:00

Librarian of Congress James Billington announced that Nirvana's Nevermind is one of the nation's most "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" sound recordings. The 1991 album has been added to a list of 150 others in the National Recording Registry. Incidentally it also includes John Coltrane's Giant Steps and the John Williams soundtrack to Star Wars. The Library of Congress "buttoned down"? No way!

Hungry? Go to a Library

2005-08-18T13:56:00.000-07:00

Today in the library staff room, I had my choice of:

1. New England Baked Beans (warm, in a plugged-in crockpot)
2. homemade brownies
3. a 2-lb bag of Hershey's Miniatures
4. black jelly beans from Easter
5. foil-covered chocolate Santas
6. fudge from somebody's trip the Wisconsin Dells

What is it with libraries and food?

Revisiting the Library

2005-08-18T12:54:00.000-07:00

My two nephews, ages 7 and 10, stayed with Aunt Michelle and Uncle Jason for a week in July. The extent to which I have cared for other beings includes experience with a goldfish named Tolstoy (Chekov, his partner in fishiness, died quickly), an onery orange tabby cat, a dwarf bunny dubbed Miss Buns, and a bi-eyed, lazy Siberian Husky who is new to the zoological family.

It is quite a shock to introduce two hyper young boys into a relatively quiet household. (Although fur- and hair-free, we are not.) I spent most of the week digging out random army men from the couch, clearing empty Capri Suns from behind the toliet (no clue there) and coming up with ways to entertain the kids.

Of course, a visit to the public library where I work was on the list. It felt very strange to walk in the doors in shorts and t-shirt. I realized it had been a very long time since I visited the library just as a patron, and not as a library worker in some form. Probably about ten years, I would guess. Even if I routinely stop into the library during my off-hours, it's not usually for the sole purpose of browsing the new book shelves for something tasty to read, or plonking down with the latest issue of Budget Living.

I have to say, it felt great to just be in a library again. As an adult services librarian, typically I don't make it down to the youth services department very often. It struck me as a joyful realization that the whole wide library was open to my nephews, to gather up and enjoy. I could sit with them in the faux train car that's in the middle of the youth department and read with them for hours. We could go to a cartoon program and sit in the middle of the half-moon rug. My nephews could discover the orange clown fish swimming slowly in the tank and exclaim, "Nemo!"

We indulged. The three of us read Batman comics and Frog and Toad on the bright blue, comfy upholstered chairs. The ten-year-old peppered the librarian on duty with questions about the graphic novel collection. The seven-year-old read aloud to me with his finger moving along the page, sounding out unfamiliar words and looking into my eyes for affirmation.

Being a patron reminded me of why libraries exist - not for legislators, not for the people that work there, not for community leaders - but for our everyday patrons that walk through the front doors seeking the services that libraries provide so freely.

What's Next? The Verizon Community Library?

2005-08-08T10:21:00.000-07:00

Oh, yuck. The Rogers Public Library in Rogers, Arkasas just dedicated their new Wal-Mart Children's Library, named of course for the retail giant headquartered in Bentonville, AR. According to the article, Wal-Mart will also be helping out with the renovation of the entire library. Hm, I wonder what kind of collection policy Wal-Mart will be enforcing on RPL? "If you want new furniture, librarians, you have to promise not to buy that evil rap music..." Complete corporate sponsorship of public libraries is wrong on so many counts.

Great Press

2005-07-29T14:50:00.000-07:00

Just came through my Google Alert (that's irony for you) : Google Isn't Everything, an article from the August 15th Forbes magazine. The author does a nice job of detailing the types of information - squirreled away in library's databases, waiting to be discovered - that are widely available through public libraries. Free registration is required to read the article, but it's worth it.

Share Your Successes

2005-07-12T07:56:00.000-07:00

Joined the Library Success Wiki today. There are about 16 contributors at this time, but it would be beneficial to have as many as possible - that's what makes a wiki flourish. This wiki attracted me because it's all about the positives that are going on in libraries, and of course, about the philosophy of sharing great ideas. The purpose of Library Success is to share popular programs, tips for working with vendors, team building exercises, marketing your library, and much, much more. There isn't an overwhelming amount of content right now, which makes it a good time to jump in and share. Let's all encourage each other!

New Presidential Libraries Stamp

2005-07-12T07:09:00.000-07:00

New commemorative presidential libraries stamp is to be unvieled at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum. "The stamp not only commemorates the Presidential Libraries, it is a reminder of the important role the libraries play in a democracy."

PLA Blog

2005-06-28T07:52:00.000-07:00

It is so exciting to be a part of the PLA Blog for the ALA Conference. It has been a great collaborative effort, and I've enjoyed reading others' notes on sessions that I wasn't able to attend. It takes an effort to find wireless (or get home at 9 p.m., log in, and blog) and it's much appreciated.

Perhaps the ALA Cognotes could go online as a blog next year?

How's Amy recovering?

2005-06-27T13:03:00.000-07:00

I'm at the ALA conference in Chicago, blogging away at the Internet Cafe. It's in between sessions so I was able to snag a computer pretty easily. So far I've participated in the World Championship Book Cart Drill Team competition (so much fun, I can't even tell you), a session on Digital Reading, and how to communicate as a manager (be honest, don't bend to conventional wisdom, and don't give up, essentially.) I've been pleased with all of the conference so far, and it's going to get even better, as David Sedaris is presenting tonight. Whoo!

One thing to note, though: I'm curious how Amy is doing this morning. See, I was on the shuttle bus going to a session, and the librarian (or library student) behind me was chatting loudly on her cell phone. About her night last night and how sloshed both she and her friend Amy got, and how she stayed up until 4 a.m. and met cute men. Eh, please, at a professional library conference, on the vendor-sponsored shuttle bus surrounded by your peers, please do not rehash your night of debauchery. You never know when you might be interviewing for a job with a fellow bus-ee in the near future. But just out of sympathy, hope you and Amy are over your post-Chicago night-out headaches.

Unseen Hands

2005-06-17T10:37:00.000-07:00

Princeton University has a beautiful online exhibition called Unseen Hands: Women Printers, Binders and Book Designers, which highlights the work of women in the book trade since 1476. The online gallery is beautifully done, with examples of the women's work, their biographies and a timeline. A site (and sight) not to be missed.

A Book a Week.. and I Still Wouldn't Get there

2005-06-17T06:46:00.000-07:00

My main source of stress right now - if you can believe it - is having too little time to read. I’m a geeky librarian, so of course I have two personal Access book databases set up - one recording rating books that I've already read, and one titled "Books That Need to Be Read." Unfortunately the already-read book database numbers 74 total records, while the ones itching to be opened numbers 76. Must drag chaise lounge outside in the backyard and read for a couple of hours.

2005-06-14T15:53:00.000-07:00

Love the beret. Wear 'em all the time at the Ref Desk.

(This book by Suzanne Roberts was published in 1967. I put in an interlibrary loan request for it; can't wait to see what it's all about.)

Synchronized Book Cart Pushing

2005-06-10T09:27:00.000-07:00

Ah, but it's so much more than that. The costumes... the lighting... the panache... come watch our team compete at the ALA Book Cart Drill Team Championship! We'll be the ones looking a little like Sherlock Holmes.

Fashion Sense Tonight: Nil

2005-06-02T18:28:00.000-07:00

It's 87 degrees outside and -50 inside the library. Time to don the stunningly fashionable white sweatshirt cardie with the library logo on the pocket. And I'm wearing heels and my fancy pants. I'm all set to blend in at the ALA Conference in Chi-Town.

New New Librarians Committee

2005-06-01T11:59:00.000-07:00

The library recently brought together a committee of new librarians (5 years experience or less). The idea is that the new librarians want to contribute to the library as a whole, and learn some stuff along the way. We had one meeting last week, and the ideas were a-flyin'. We settled on two projects. The first is to develop "spend a day in a department" program, where new hires can elect to shadow an employee in a different area of the library. This is great, as personally I'm scared of small children and would like to become a better interpreter of their questions by spending a day in the Youth Services reference department. The second program that we're tackling is to offer programming for the 20s - 30s age set. They seem to have forgotten that the library exists. We're trying to pull them back in by offering programs like buying your first home, surviving the first job interview, container gardening for apartments, etc.

Another idea is to have a Next Gen Friends group, like the Kansas City Public Library. We're also tossing around the idea of having the group meet at a different social location each month, built around a theme. We have a blues restaurant here in town; the Young Friends could meet for dinner and discuss a book about music, blues, etc. The library is a very nice place to meet, but probably won't draw people in for social activities. Unless we provide lots and lots of wine. And cheese.

Anybody else doing something like this?

Please, Ask Me What I Do

2005-05-25T07:47:00.000-07:00

I get this question often: "So what exactly do you do all day?" One of the women in my Bible study group recently asked me this, with a very puzzled look on her face. I don't take offense, or ever tire of hearing this question.

After all, I'm just as puzzled as to what rocket scientists do all day.

It gives me a chance to plug the 30-second "why it's great to be a librarian" schpiel. I get to tell people that part of my job is implementing cool new technology - MP3 players for people to check out, blogs for readers' services, subject guides for the Internet - and this inevitably starts a very enlightening conversation. "Oh, I had no idea the library offered stuff like that! Is it free?!?"

We should all be prepared to answer questions like this - and in a pretty spunky manner. Don't just list the reality of what you, as a librarian, do all day - order books, help people find things, surf the Internet, bleh bleh bleh. Think of something immediately attention-getting, "Oh, I change people's lives on a daily basis. Let me tell you how..." "I'm fighting for freedom of speech and privacy. Let me tell you how..." "I enrich the community you live in by..." I guarantee you'll be able to tell them something they didn't know before.

Rock on!

2005-05-19T13:55:00.000-07:00

We all keep saying that librarians rock... well, they literally do. Check out this review on the Twin Cities' band Wes Burdine and the Librarians. Smart lyrics meets folk-rock.

Battle of the Generations

2005-05-16T18:00:00.000-07:00

There has been a recent thread on the nexgen librarian listserv about the availability of professional jobs in the library market. (OK, there's been way more than one thread, but the one I'm referring to was the most recent.) Someone on the listserv asked, "When the heck are all the babyboomers going to retire, so we nexgeners can have their jobs?"

Let's think about this for a moment before we kick everyone over 45 out of the library world. With the mass exodus of the older librarians, we're going to lose much experience and institutional memory. While I agree that on the whole, nexgeners are innovative, creative, and often are the main proponents of useful library technology, there's still inherent value in years of experience, and nexgeners don't have that yet. All of that useful knowledge, garnered over decades of learning, will go *poof* when the babyboomers retire and take it with them. So let's not be too hasty to dismiss them and arrogantly assume that we can run libraries without the babyboomers.

The whole thread reminded me of the 60s/70s mantra, "Don't trust anyone over 30." The cry of some nexgeners seems to resonate as, "Don't even like anyone over 30 - they'll just get in the way."

Day in the Life

2005-05-09T12:38:00.000-07:00

To illustrate how diverse a public librarian's job is....

Fun Stuff I Did Today

Ordered the Spamalot Original Broadway Cast CD for our collection
Met with the Reader's Services Librarian to figure out how the department could use blogs
Chatted with colleagues about the joy of buying 2 or 3 pairs of shoes at once
Polished Introduction to eBay class presentation for patrons
Read Walt Crawford's April '05 article that says CL doesn't print well... oops. Must figure out how to improve printability
Went on mad weeding stint in the 004s (computers), chucking titles on the Internet from 1998

Clear the Sidewalks

2005-05-04T09:29:00.000-07:00

A patron came to the reference desk the other day asking for the Illinois Rules of the Road in large print....uh, may I suggest public transportation?

Spring Cleaning

2005-05-03T12:11:00.000-07:00

Bookshelves overflowing to the point of threatening to crush your guests when you have a party? Do books stack up on your nightstand and eventually slide to the floor in a big crash in the middle of the night? At a bookstore, do you think, "I have room for just one more, I swear..." while your sig other rolls his/her eyes?

It might be time to clean out.

Free Cycle is here to help your overflow woes... it is an email-based system where people post items they don't want anymore, but loath to see going to the landfill. Sign up for the local listserv, and offer and accept unlimited freebies. And know that your box of books will go to a good home.

Library Travels

2005-05-03T10:32:00.000-07:00

Just returned from a trip to San Diego, CA. When I'm traveling, I always try to visit the local public library, but ran out of time during this trip. At an independent book store, I did ask the shop owner where the SDPL was, but she lamented that it probably wasn't worth the visit. Apparently the citizens of SD have been lobbying for a new main branch for many years (the shop owner said 15), but it hasn't come through. For a city as beautiful, well-off and educated as SD, I was surprised that the system wasn't supported as well as it could be. Maybe this is part of the problem?

"San Diego leaders are now finding themselves staring at a deficit of more than $2 billion, largely of their own creation... Residents are feeling the pinch, and they are asking why. It costs more to swim in the city's pools; some public libraries are cutting hours; potholes are virtually ignored; Christmas in the city was temporarily canceled when lack of funds forced organizers to call off a popular holiday celebration featuring free admission to museums and cultural exhibits." Washington Post, September 13, 2004.

It's occured to me that public libraries need to figure out a way to protect ourselves better from public administrators' whims. Perhaps it's building in an independence from the city budget, if possible. I don't know. But it's made me sad to see all of the press about the dismal state of library budgets across the nation - Ohio, California, etc. And the thing is, knowing librarians, those that are affected by the budget cuts are going on with their jobs as best they can, but are brokenhearted at how public administrators and lawmakers rank the importance of libraries.

Blogs on the Stock Market?

2005-04-21T13:34:00.000-07:00

Fantasy football, fantasy baseball... and fantasy stockmarket blog trading. Sound weird? It is. But for a moment there, I feel kinda popular...

Just Dreadful

2005-04-15T12:28:00.000-07:00

After two emails from the American Library Association reminding me to e-vote for a new president and councilmembers, I logged onto the site. What a mess. On the site are are 84 names up for council positions. I've been in the library profession since 1998, but didn't recognize many of the names. So, to make an informed decision instead of just clicking on someone's name because I liked the sound if it, I attempted to read the biographies. After frustrating amount of time, I had skimmed through all of 16 biographies. It took thirty seconds, once I clicked on the bio link, for it to appear, and then an additional 20-30 seconds to get back to the list of candidates (trust me; I timed it.) This is at 2:35 on a Friday, on a T-1 line.

I picked 12 out of 36 and gave up. Come on, ALA, aren't librarians supposed to be tech-saavy? Why can't your voting site, which was pushed so heavily, work better?

Google Groovin' on Libraries

2005-04-12T15:33:00.000-07:00

From Karen Schneider's Free Range Librarian blog... Google honors National Library Week. Nifty!

You, Only Smarter

2005-04-07T10:47:00.000-07:00

One of the best parts of my job is getting to interact with patrons. Yesterday a man, early 40s with a brusque attitude, came to the reference desk asking for cassettes on improving sales and motivation. I showed him our array of Zig Ziglar tapes and such, and he commented that he hadn't visited a library in years. As I usually do when people say this, I replied, "Welcome back! It's good to see you again." Then he looked me straight in the eye and said very seriously, "I'm going to get smart here at the library, aren't I?"

Yes, sir, you are going to "get smart" at the library. And it's incredibly gratifying to be present when someone - even if it's just one person - has made that realization.

Learning Curve

2005-03-31T17:16:00.000-08:00

Every time I do something kinda dumb I'm reminded about how great it is to work in a library. Case in point... I ordered a CD listening station, where we'll pre-load a couple of discs for patrons' grooving enjoyment. (We need a little more grooving in libraries.) But alas I forgot that the thing would actually need a power source. It won't run on my good wishes and fairy dust. So now I'm scrambling to figure out how to get an outlet installed and dreading asking for more dough to get it done.

The point is, it's good to work in a library because everyday I'm reminded that we're all on a life-long learning curve. Each time a patron approaches the desk and asks a question, I'm reminded that we don't know it all, and we never will. Granted, mine was an oversight, but I probably won't make the same mistake again. That's what's great about working in a library - we keep learning, along with our patrons, and there's no end to the capacity of what's out there.

Warm Fuzzy

2005-03-24T13:34:00.000-08:00

Volunteering has always been near and dear to my heart... but when it's combined with books and libraries, well, rock on. I just discovered a library-volunteer program through Global Volunteers. So you go to the Cook Islands, which are located somewhere to the left of Peru, in the South Pacific Ocean. Then the weeks (2-3) are spent gloriously cataloging books and helping out the local library, or building trails through the protected forests, or lounging on the beach during free time. If this sounds just too cushy for you, check out the World Library Partnership. Unfortunately, their programs are not active right now (so donate to kick-start them again, will ya?) but, they send librarians to Africa to help set up libraries and assist with the local book fair. I spoke with the Executive Director of WLP, Laura Wendell, a few months ago about the program. She said that as long as you can stand a 20-hour flight and living out of a suitcase for four weeks, you're qualified.

If I can stop buying shoes, I'm planning to head out to the Cook Islands next summer. (Oh, and the cost of the trip is tax-deductible, unlike the pair of mules that I bought last week.)

Your Home Library and You

2005-02-17T18:14:00.000-08:00

The New York Times recently featured a cataloging librarian and her home-library book organization scheme. Basically, the librarian didn't follow Dewey or LC, perferring to use her own home-grown method of organization for 214 feet of bookcases. That's fabulous. I think librarians are somewhat constrained by ol' Dewey's point of view on subject arrangement at work, so we get all crazy with our personal collections.

I have my own weird system. Most people that visit our house are shocked that the books aren't strictly regulated by Dewey, standing at attention on our bookshelves. I do have special sections for ex-pat and travel fiction and non-fiction, books that my mom has given me, titles about Christianity, and then... everything else. But it works, it really does.

And the books featured on the bottom shelf are quite tasty, according to Miss Buns and her unstoppable chewing habit. Oh, well, at least it's just the old high school year books that she's munching on. What better way to get dispose of my 1991 high school photo, the one where my bangs are sprayed to equisite heights?

We Don't Need No Stinkin' Free Speech

2005-02-02T09:19:00.000-08:00

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation recently funded a study that asked students what they thought of the First Amendment. Horrifyingly (is that a word?), 1 in 3 students responded that the constitution goes too far in the rights that it guarantees. Yikes. Maybe they think they have not been directly affected by challenges to free speech. Maybe they don't understand what free speech means. As the article commented, maybe they don't feel passionate about this issue, and that's a requirement to take a stand on something as crucial as free speech.

It is partially the duty of libraries to educate both students and adults on the importance of free speech. One way that we've woken people up is to participate in Banned Books Week in our YA area. Banned books are covered in brown paper; we put up information about why the books were challenged or banned; and also information on our philosophy of not banning books. It has been an effective way to get students to question why the books were banned. It's especially crucial now, when free speech is being outright assaulted.

Where In the World?

2005-02-02T09:08:00.000-08:00

...Did all the Open WorldCat records go? I searched Google yesterday to try and find results from the search engine to our library's catalog. Has the interest in this project fallen off that quickly, that the results are buried three or four or fifteen pages back?

The much more efficient way to find the links to the Open WorldCat records is to install the Yahoo toolbar, which has an option to search libraries only. It popped right up.

This is a positive project in theory. But, how many of our patrons really know about this feature? How do we explain it to them? Why would they plow through dozens of hits from booksellers to finally find the library's catalog link? It just doesn't seem feasible.

Or maybe I'm just grumpy because it's dreary outside and 30 degrees. Someone get me a sunlamp, please!

Allowing Life to Happen

2005-01-08T14:48:00.000-08:00

Well, I started out this blog thinking that it would be all library- and book-related, but this fascinating article pretty much blows that intention. The article's title contains a word I haven't heard in a long time - serendipity - and just now I realize that I miss the concept. We live in a structured world, full of submitting reports, picking up the drycleaning, exercising furiously, fitting in friends when we can... which leaves little time to unearth the stories that come across our paths randomly. The article mentions the beauty in finding a jeweled pin at the noisy, ecclectic flea market vs. entering in your specifications in ebay and having it show up a week later after you've won the auction. It's occured to me that I need to be more open to these opportunities that aren't planned, aren't orchestrated, aren't in that stupid Blackberry.

Best Book Title Ever

2004-12-28T07:21:00.000-08:00

Somehow I stumbled upon the best book title ever... The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse by Robert Rankin. How could I pass that up? My husband and I are the proud owners of a truly Monty-Python evil bunny. Evil Buns is cute and fuzzy, but totally out of control (her pastimes include reducing our house's woodwork to shavings, eating the strings off our pillows and grunting ferociously when we try to pet her). The book, however, was great - a mix of sci-fi and mystery, Jack and his new friend Eddie Bear (yes, he's stuffed teddy bear) go on the hunt for the Toy City murderer, who leaves behind a chocolate rabbit as his calling card.

The Librarian Superhero

2004-12-07T10:22:00.000-08:00

An action-adventure movie titled The Librarian: Quest for the Spear previewed on TNT on Sunday. Ah, the criticisms were a-flyin' on the library listservs by Monday. Some people thought it was poorly executed (hey, it's a made-for-TV movie! It's not going to have Lord of the Rings-quality special effects). However, I thought it was fabulous. Finally, librarians get some attention in the media, mostly positive. We were portrayed as responsible for the world's most valuable things - Excalibur, the Golden Goose, Pandora's Box, etc. Even if your library doesn't own the spear that pierced Jesus' side, the knowledge that it does contain is the most valuable thing on earth.

Noah Wyle's character's lack of MLS aside, they chose the best person for the job because he was smart, resourceful and approachable. He also learned that he didn't have all of the answers, which leads us to the fact that librarians don't either - but we seek out other resources, human or not, to find out.

Let It Snow

2004-11-24T11:54:00.000-08:00

Ahhh... the first snow storm of the season. It's a pretty mess of wet, globby flakes. A great day to be cozily working away in the library.

Snow and cold temperatures are good in my book 'cause it's the perfect excuse to buy a really fabulous hat. I wish that wearing a beautifully made hat everyday was still in style. (I'm not counting baseball hats here.)

A Whole New Genre

2004-11-24T07:42:00.000-08:00

I've gotten into some bad habits lately - watching way too much TV and reading the same books over and over again. I blame the overdose of TV on the cold weather that inevitably has come to the Midwest, but I'm at a loss to explain why I keep cracking open the same books that I've already read six times. (My repeats most often include Bill Bryson and Christopher Moore.)

Looking at my reading habits, I've also decided that there should be a new genre - Sarcastic Literature. This new genre doesn't discriminate between fiction and non-fiction; anything goes. The poster author for Sarcastic Literature would be Laurie Notaro. Jon Stewart could be the spokesperson, and The Onion would be the official news source. I'm trying to imagine the genre spine sticker for Sarcastic Fiction, and the best I can come up with is a small round face with its tongue sticking out. Or a face with a very cynical expression.

Succession Planning, Pt. II

2004-10-22T08:15:00.000-07:00

The cover of Library Journal caught my eye yesterday after I had posted about succession planning - the cover is about salaries and the future of librarianship, but there's also an article,Your Library's Future, on what to do when the mass exodus happens. The article points out that many library administrators have little formal training on how to prepare budgets, maximize employee potential, manage buildings, etc. I think we'll see in the next generation of public library admin. the critical importance of a second master's degree in Public Administration or Public Services.

What follows succession planning is recruiting talented people within the library - and providing support to obtain an MLS so that they can fill professional roles. I'm talking about mentoring shelvers, reference aides, circulation staff, etc. We've got a captive audience, and they need encouragement to see how great librarianship can be. The library then needs to provide fair tuition reimbursement and a flexible schedule.

Where Did Everybody Go?!?

2004-10-21T16:40:00.000-07:00

I'm concerned about succession planning for public libraries. Specifically, my library, because the reference staff's average age is 50+. I am the youngest reference staff member, and the only full-time librarian under 50. I make jokes that I'll be the only one left in 5-10 years when the others retire, but it really is a serious matter. Libraries are in an interesting HR spot right now-many of those that are graduating from MLS programs can't find positions because those that are in librarian positions aren't ready to retire just yet. However, we need to start thinking about the future. I don't know if this is my responsibility (as a future administrator, hopefully) or the responsbility of the current big cheeses. I'm planning to work though this bibliography to be better prepared. (Unfortunately I noticed that not very many of these articles were published in public library periodicals. Public Librarians, publish! Once you get started, it's addictive.)

Brain Candy

2004-10-19T13:13:00.000-07:00

Just finished Christopher Moore's new novel, The Stupidest Angel. Moore is finally getting the recognition that he deserves - after eight works of sharp hilarity, people are discovering his works. His latest work is snort-laughing worthy; but start with his first two novels, Practical Demonkeeping and Coyote Blue, to get the full flavor. The new covers for the trade paperbacks, published by Perennial, are pretty horrid-looking. So try to get the older editions, if nothing but to see a more aesthetically pleasing cover.

2004-10-19T12:10:00.000-07:00

Great friends and excellent wine... visit to Napa Valley, 2004.

Why You Should Be a Librarian

2004-10-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

I compiled this list to hand out to middle school students for their career day. I also asked them (with the promise of a free t-shirt if they answered) what were some of the words that popped into their minds when I said the word librarian. "Cardigan" "old" "sssshh-ers" "mean" "crabby" "smart" "read often" were some of their replies. One at a time, we'll change their minds... they are, after all, future taxpayers and supporters of libraries.

Top 25 Reasons to Be a Librarian
Librarians change lives!
Access to practically all the information & knowledge in the world
Protectors of free speech and open information
Every day is totally different
Constantly learn something new
Use virtually everything you already know
Constant instant gratification and satisfaction
Use cutting edge technology, like wireless, MP3 players and ebooks
Be the ultimate search engine
Get to surf the Internet as part of the job
Teach people how to find answers to important questions
Beat your friends at Trivial Pursuit
People automatically think you’re smart
Influence government policies
Many different types of job opportunities – Public, Academic, Special Libraries and technology companies
Job growth, especially in special libraries, is expected to skyrocket by 2010
It’s not a boring desk job!
Great working conditions & co-workers
Opportunities to get involved in the community
Know when the best new books come out
Buy books and other fun materials with other people’s money
Access to the newest CDs, DVDs, magazines
Play with puppets, wear costumes and tell fantastic stories
Talk to all sorts of interesting people, from 8-year-olds to 88-year-olds
Arm young adults & children with knowledge and power

From ALA ... here's another list of why it's good to be a librarian right now. And no, not everything is on the Internet, nor will it ever be!

So darned fun

2004-10-15T09:06:00.000-07:00

I finally gave in... and bought a Blackberry PDA/phone/email device. I was a staunch opposer to all things related to cell phones, but gave in when I realized that I had three paper calendars going on - one at work, one at home and one that traveled with me when I didn't forget it. That's a sure ticket to driving yourself crazy.

Haven't hooked up the phone or email service yet... I'm working into it; give me time!

Thanks for the replies to my first post. I'll post the top 25 reasons to be a librarian soon (I created the list for a middle-school career day. The students were astounded that librarians a) could be male b) knew all about the internet and c) could be under 50 (I'm hangin' on to 29). )

My first post, yeha!

2004-10-08T11:54:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Steven Cohen, I've finally stepped into the world of library blogs. His article in LIScareer.com motivated me to try out this crazy new way to market libraries and myself. I am all for librarians marketing themselves and their talents - yeah, I know we don't do enough of it, so here's my small contribution.

I'm the electronic services librarian for a medium-sized public library in Illinois. My first professional foray into librarianship was as a corporate librarian for a financial company. Good experience, but sheesh, it's hard to be a solo librarian for 4,000 people in three countries. Needless to say I enjoy the socialization of working with 15 other librarians and the community much better.

I love telling people what I do for a living. Libraries are in such a good position right now (that's the optimist in me speaking), combining tradition with new technology. Our library has about 270,000 books and we recently purchased MP3 players for books on MP3. I wrote an article for the Shy Librarian (now defunct, boo hoo!) on the why it's good to be a librarian now.