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This story of earthquake survivors burning books to keep warm [via LISNews] reminds me of some of the librarian moments in The Day After Tomorrow (a truly miserable film), such as when the male librarian tucks himself in a chair clutching a copy of the Gutenberg Bible. He explains snootily that he will bodily protect it from being dumped into the book-fueled fire the (smart) main characters are burning so they won't freeze to death.
I also enjoyed the very buttoned-up woman in the cardigan sweater who sat the reference desk with her ankles primly crossed while the library filled first with cold and wet refugees, and then with freezing cold water. May I help you?
Priorities, people. Priorities.
Advice for librarians who want to start knitting groups at their libraries!
I know not everyone likes the new Rex Libris, Head Librarian comic, but the parts I read online were actually pretty funny. I like the spare art and the ridiculous, long-winded exposition, too. Some complained it's too stereotypical, but I like to think it's intentional irony. [via LISNews]
It's hard not to enjoy an essay that favorably compares browsing the library stacks to using the Force.
Obviously there are multiple ways of searching for information.
Computers are helpful, but the stacks cultivate intuitive bookish
instincts. Those instincts may not be quantifiable, but they produce
discoveries that the rational structure of electronic databases almost
inevitably preclude. It's like in Star Wars when the ghost of Obi-Wan
Kenobi tells Luke Skywalker to turn off his computerized targeting
system and "use the Force" instead.
From Stacks' Appeal, by Thomas H. Benton, in the Chronicle of Higher Education. Subscription required, unfortunately.
Need a reference fix? Pop over to the Reference Book of the Day, with informative blurbs on highlights of your reference collection, from Rory Litwin of Library Juice fame.
Ok, not strictly a library humor piece, but this comic satirizing bookstore customer queries certainly struck a chord for me.
My favorite:
Robert Jordan writes fantasy, not science-fiction! You work in a bookstore, you should know the difference! I will now roll my ten sided die to decide your fate.
As always, LJ's NextGen column has some wise words to share. The most recent, and aptly titled, Is This the Ninth Circle of Hell?, points out:
Junior librarians often feel overworked and left out in the cold, rarely understanding what is going on and how decisions are made that impact them on a daily basis. They need their managers to take it one step further and help them learn the skills they will so desperately need to take over--to let go of some of the control before it's too late.
Just in time for the new year, the Chicago Public Library makes a giant leap into the 21st century! Free wireless internet access is now available at nearly all Chicago library locations. In addition, they are finally implementing online reservations for internet-capable computers!
Now all they need is a better online catalog, and online renewals. Oh, and the ability to return all media items at any branch.
Still, not to denigrate this terrific service. Way to go, CPL! I salute you.
From the nextgenlib-l list, merchandise from the Curmudgeony Librarian. Hard to spell, hard to pronounce, but worth a look. The "I'm a librarian, don't make me shush your a**" baby tee is causing rather a lot of librarians to drool, it would seem.
There's a really interesting article in Library Journal online about a survey of new librarians and their experiences with their first jobs. Some issues the authors raise include how well newbies believed their LIS programs prepared them for the job, their experiences with management, and their overall feelings about their work.
I'd like to congratulate the authors on pointing out such major library workplace issues such as lack of coordinated training for new staff, debt and low salaries, and the clashes between workers of different generations and working styles. I must, however, take issue with some of the authors' spin on their results. Ok, they only had 124 surveys, and they appear to have talked with largely public librarians. Still, here's an example:
Most of the new librarians (55.6 percent) agreed that library science classes prepared them well and taught them skills they use now. Only 26.1 percent disagreed.
Ok, by my math, 26.1% of 124 is 32 people. More than 1 quarter of those surveyed. In a small sample. I'd say that's a pretty big minority, undeserving of the "only" label.
Here's another favorite:
Fifty-seven percent agreed with the statement, "I feel happy in my workplace." Answers were scattered across the scale, but only 18.3 percent were specifically unhappy in their libraries.
Granted, that's only 23 people who hate their jobs, and 71 who are happy, but still, I think the fact that just under half the respondants would not agree that they were "happy" (not very happy, or thrilled, or delighted, but "happy") in their workplace is worth noting.
I don't want to denigrate the study, because I think the authors' learned some useful things and made some excellent points in their analysis. I just think it's worth being less polly-anna-ish and more realistic about what the results of some of these surveys indicate about our profession.
Karen Schneider sounds off on Web4Lib on the "Check Shevles" designation in some library catalogs.
I have never been an advocate of "Available," at least with respect to books, but in many situations when I'm using an OPAC, "Check Shelves" might as well be "Touch Your Toes and Pray."
"Probably available, give 'er a go" is what we really mean, except in those cases where we mean "Who Knows" or "Not My Problem" or "Dream On."
Rachel Singer Gordon is my hero!
I'm glad someone bothered to respond to the ridiculous American Libraries article about important library leadership qualities.
Current administrators' views of the qualities needed by future leaders hang heavily on their own experiences moving up the ranks*in a much different environment. For example, a sense of humor, interpersonal skills, and commitment to explaining decisions are listed among other bottom-ranked personal leadership qualities in a May American Libraries article. This is how directors and assistant directors at larger academic and public institutions see it. Oddly enough, NextGens are frustrated by their current administrations' lack of just these types of qualities, which largely boil down to skill in building relationships and encouraging participation at all levels.
Aaron at Walking Paper describes his view of the YL phenomenon (as I shamelessly steal his YL abbreviation, which I love):
YLs (my new term*) are bringing a relevant and much needed perspective
into the profession. Because they've spent their life immersed in modern
information technologies (or at least, videogames), I have faith that
YLs will do a fine job implementing technologies into libraries. Many
YLs I've met were attracted to the profession for the same or similar
reasons as me: it is a helping profession, it promotes learning, I don't
have to sell anything, I get to play with computers, and so forth. This
leads me to believe that YLs might also do a great job creating usable
public spaces.
Meanwhile, Library Journal offers a case study on what happens when not-so-young librarians think everything is fab in the library, and YLs do not agree. Isn't everyone having this problem at their library? Does anyone really see a solution to this, besides calling in Human Resources to play mommy?
Wouldn't it be great if all my reference desk exchanges involved Lord of the Rings? Very fine chat ref from Walking Paper.
Data geeks, unite! If you aren't checking the Census site for cool new publications and info, you should be.
New articles are available on LISCareer.com. This is a great resource, particularly for librarians who don't have a convenient mentor in the next office. See the newest additions to this repository of wise advice. [via LISNews]
Librarians all over the web are blogging about Noah Wyle's starring role in The Librarian. I can't bear to comment on this. Really. Please don't ask me to. Mercifully, this won't be produced for some time.
Cash-strapped public libraries are taking advantage of the Amazon wish list feature to request books from their own patrons. There's something both sweet and sad about this.
A quick search of Amazon's wish list directory for "library" turned up an astonishing number of results. Here's one from my home state.
I was deeply disappointed by the American Libraries article on the future of library leadership. Apparently, the authors' survey of current ARL library directors and assistance/associate directors indicated that the following leadership characteristics (among others) were considered low-priority: facilitation of group processes, developing extra-library partnerships, implementing systems assessing the library's value to users, and "creation of an environment that fosters accountability." Also considered unimportant or low-value personal traits were: a sense of humor, interpersonal skills, team-building, and "commitment to explaining decisions."
This article really brought into focus for me my frustrations with the library field as it currently stands. It's not that I don't approve of the many important traits that were rated highly. It's that I was saddened by the idea that team-building, accountability, assessment, and relationships with staff were ranked so low. Academic libraries desperately need to embrace their staff (librarians and paraprofessionals alike) and to encourage their input and participation. Many of these low-rent traits would be valuable in achieving those goals. It's too bad our current directors don't think they're important.
Is Boolean dead? You know you're in trouble when Mary Ellen Bates is asking that question.
But she has some good points. Much as I want my freshmen to understand the different between AND and OR, and how to combine searches in OVID, I do find myself wondering why we can't simplify the mechanics for them. I have the same reaction to this issue that I have to the idea of seamless metasearching:
[picture me swooning with a hand to my brow] But what if they no longer understand the difference between a book chapter and an article? What if they never use a print journal again? O woe is me!
We need to figure out how much (if at all) it actually matters if they can't differentiate content types and search etiquette, as long as they understand how to evaluate what they get when they get it. (via Librarian in Black)
Blake could use your help to support the endlessly informative LISNews. Won't you donate? Every little bit helps. Blake, I hope the money I sent makes a difference.
Apparently some archaeologists think they've unearthed the Library of Alexandria. As cool as that is, the best part of this article is the picture: an image of the library as seen in Carl Sagan's Cosmos. (via LISNews)
I really do adore Neil Gaiman. A new ALA poster features his charming self, and he linked to the Guardian's library vs. Google deathmatch with a positive library spin. Good man.
Telnet? Awww! I really miss telnet catalogs. Man, what I wouldn't give for NOTIS some days.
Today I had to rescue a student's unsaved file when her mouse died just before she sent it to print. It took all my mystical DOS-engendered knowledge to ALT her document's way to freedom. These kids don't remember DOS. They don't know what the ALT key does, besides log them on to the occasional computer along with CTRL-DELETE. The future is bleak.
A sweet article about the librarians at one of my favorite childhood haunts, the incomparable Skokie Public Library. (via ShelfLife)
Library poster to capture young
How can you argue with a headline like that? Sounds like a Twilight Zone episode to me....
Steve "Bobst Boy" Stanzak has been getting the royal treatment in the news. I often tell my students I live at the library, but I'm kidding. I was sad to see no librarians were interviewed about their erstwhile houseguest.
His school paper suggests that perhaps the university should offer one student per year the opportunity to live in the library as part of Stanzak's legacy.
What could be more scholarly than to live in a library, a sanctum sanctorum of human knowledge?
If only my reference desk were this exciting.
One staff member in my own library in fact told me "I feel like I’m in sole charge of the Starship Enterprise when I have to help readers use the library’s electronic databases." ... I pointed out that the library had experienced neither alien invasion, nor ever crashed into another planet, and that the worst that could happen would be to look foolish in front of a reader.
I culled this from Nick Joint's article on library training procedures, published in a recent issue of Library Review. Too bad the article itself didn't give more ideas on how to improve library training -- or at least how to pilot a starship. Thanks, Library Link.
As a response to a recent accusation that I am not a subtle person, a fellow librarian noted,
Good information science is rarely subtle. Good information science is
usually direct and to the point. Be proud of who you are!
Thanks, Bob. :)
How to put things on e-reserve?
How to set up a research consultation?
Articles on Fanny Hill.
Dictionary.
Video we don't own.
Great big staples.
Exhibit on display?
Student from affiliated school with book questions.
Do you have that book again? (MLA Handbook)
Articles on consumer behavior dealing with celebrity endorsements or convenience.
Where can I find this reference book? x 3
Law Stacks.
Little Women.
Industry trends in photography.
My barcode doesn't log me into Ovid.
Can I send citation e-mails to multiple accounts?
Setting up GroupWise web password.
Where's the bathroom? x 2
More barcode problems.
Where are the journals?
That reference book is at the Loop.
Yes, you should replace your ID.
No, you can't check out reference books.
Another book in the Loop. Smell of smoke lingers long after student is gone.
Oodles of dissertation questions.
Yes, those weird fake books that tell you to go somewhere else for your reference book are annoying.
Terrorism (or maybe terrorizing?) and children, and what families & communities can do about it. Hmm.
No, the ethernet plugs were never activated.
Wireless network may be down. Not that anyone would bother to tell us, except our disgruntled students.
Can't renew.
Stats on discrimination.
Seriously, this is cool. Seattle's new library features "wireless "smart" necklaces that let library staff communicate and respond from anywhere in the building" (SO James Bond), "software that will provide a floor map diagramming each book's location, so the catalog will tell you a book's call number and show you exactly where to find it," and "individual 'sound domes' [that] will play loud music in the young adult section, tunes that are inaudible a step away." Wow.
Had to link this hilarious strip from Unshelved, on trying to teach your patrons to fish for their own research. Ha!
Steven J. Bell wrote a thoughtful, intelligent article for the Chronicle of Higher Education (temporary link here) comparing Google's fast and easy results to intellecutal fast food.
His thesis?
James Morris, dean of the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University, has coined the term "infobesity," which nicely describes the outcome of Google-izing research: a junk-information diet, consisting of overwhelming amounts of low-quality material that is hard to digest and leads to research papers of equally low quality.
And a possible solution:
Together we must begin by developing search systems and interfaces that provide an appropriate balance between the quality and sophistication of library catalogs and good aggregator databases, on the one hand, and the convenience and ease of Google-like search engines, on the other.
[via LISNews]
If you’ve always wanted to field queries, read to kids during story hour and make book selections, tell us about it.
Thanks to Woman's Day for so appreciating all we do. [via LISNews]
Now I have to go teach irritable freshmen how to search for articles, help grad students track down old issues of The Lancet, and come up with books on frontal lobotomies for drama students.
The Daily Herald highlighted the North Suburban Library System's 15th annual legislative breakfast.
State Sen. Wendell Jones of Palatine was among the legislators who talked about Gov. Rod Blagojevich's plan to provide a book a month to Illinois children during their first five years of life. This plan, if used by all, would cost the state $26 million in 2005 to promote literacy.
But Jones added his voice to those who believe this money would better serve the public by going to libraries.
Really? You think? I'm pretty sure my mom and I checked out 20-30 picture books every week when I was little. One book a month would not have done the job. And why pay for one book a month for each kid, when among them (and their future siblings, and the next generation of kids), those kids could share so many more books ....
Disturbing comments fielded in a basic library skills session this afternoon:
Where do babies come from?
Wouldn't lesbianism be a good synonym for feminism?
Also, should freshman be throwing things because they are bored or annoyed? I mean, aren't they adults?
The New York Times (registration required) looks at how libraries can be a good resource when web searching fails.
One of my favorite librarians, Joe Janes, gets his two cents in:
"When Google doesn't work, most people don't have a plan B," said Joe Janes, an associate professor in the Information School at the University of Washington in Seattle, who is teaching a course on Google this quarter. "Librarians have lots of plan B's. We know when to go to a book, when to call someone, even when to go to Google."
Thanks also to librarian Joe Thompson of the Baltimore County Public Library, for pointing out "Good information still costs money, and people forget that[.]"
It's worth noting that Jenny over at Shifted Librarian has some insightful comments on this article and what it means for libraries.
People have their own ways of finding information, from asking friends to searching Google. We don't have to be the intermediary for every information transaction. What we need to be is ready to step in when that transaction fails. Teach people to fish, but help them find the fish when they're casting in the wrong part of the lake. But to do that, you have to be prepared, waiting in the wings, and increasingly those wings aren't in your physical building. We need to integrate our services into the user's environment.
(via LISNews)
Well, not really.
For three days next week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Feb. 14, volunteers will count how many hours patrons use computers or study quietly, how many make trips to the restroom, make copies or send faxes.
...
They also will be asking patrons to answer questions and give recorded testimony about how and why they use these libraries and whether they would be willing to get less or pay more.
It's an interesting project, but I wonder what the data would be used for. Do we charge a quarter for bathroom use if you're not a tax-paying member of the community? However, given how the participating libraries seem to be suffering for lack of funds, I understand they may have intelligent motives for estimating actual use of their facilities and resources. (via LISNews)
An intriguing commentary on the frustrations of using the online catalog, and of teaching others to use it. Honey, I feel your pain.
This is not just about availability, but about the near-impossibility of teaching undergraduates the kinds of search heuristics that will reliably produce useful material on most research subjects. ... I used to be a punk and think that was about Luddism and sloth, but I’m realizing that the fault lies less in ourselves and more in our tools.
(via LISNews)
Thanks to PC World for highlighting the joys of your local public library web site. (via LISNews)
New York Times.
French banning of the Muslim hijab.
Sociology and history of the Hebrew language. Have you considered books?
Wireless access.
Adult obesity and its relationship to the healthcare system.
No, those computers only search the catalog.
Searching for journals we own.
No, those computers only search the catalog.
Women successors to family businesses.
Ethics of assisted suicide.
Applied mechanics for a mechanical engineering class. Clearly not being taught here.
Dissed by patron who went to man at desk instead of to me.
Walt Disney's competitors and their products. Long reference interview.
Learning disabilities and homeless kids.
Any open ethernet ports? Sorry, we don't have those.
Tracking an article back from just author and topic.
Ineffective teachers and strategies for dealing with them.
No Child Left Behind - has teacher accountability gone too far?
How many books can I check out?
Opening DRM protected Adobe Acrobat files. (huh?)
Do you have a calculator? Nope.
Sorry, we don't have either of those journals. You can get them elsewhere in the morning.
No, the computer lab isn't answering the phone. I don't know if they're open.
Lots of good research questions today!
Where is this call number?
How do I place this book on hold?
How do I find these journals?
What time do you close? x3
A library version of Piano Man, from icontemplate:
And the place is just bursting with lunatics
as some idiot yells on his phone
Yes, they're surfing this thing they call Internet
While asking 'bout interlibrary loans
...
Find us a book, you're the librarian
find us a book, tonight
Well we're all in the mood for a fantasy,
and we heard Tolkien's alright.
(link from Library Stuff)
Well, I finally got to meet the members of my committee, and we had a good meeting. Good thing I had to fly halfway across the country for a two hour chat with half a dozen people.
I did get to meet the incomparable Jessamyn West and Bill Barnes, which was the highlight of my trip. I also had the chance to see some old library school chums, now gainfully employed at Oregon State and Harvard.
I'll be at ALA Midwinter from Friday through Monday. I'll try to read all e-mail and post to the blog while I'm out of town.
Sunny San Diego, here I come!
Where's the Law Library?
In transit? No, I'm sure it's back at Law.
History of the CTA.
How to ILL.
Finding electronic & print journal articles.
Video checkout policy; video location.
No, I'm afraid I can't let you use my phone.
Library with subscription to Thalia.
Local Community Fact Book.
Photocopier.
Book in the Chicago Collection.
Photocopier.
HR phone number.
(Why can't I ever manage to navigate phone trees?)
Articles on echo location and bats.
Using the census.
Where to get CDs.
I'm here for an interview. Can you help me find ... ?
Articles and such on Ivan Albright, the painter.
Color printer?
CD burner?
Yes, you can take this reference book into the lab.
For popular women's magazines, you'll need to go to the public library.
OED, Latin & Greek dictionaries.
Stapler.
Paintings of Greek vases.
Transfer the phones.
Scissors.
Sorry, we don't have Kleenex here.
National Geographic on CD-ROM?
Where are we located.
Studies in Education & Philosophy?
If you had the ISSN, it would save you time.
Stapler.
Articles on the emergent model in cultural education.
Thanks for bringing my scissors back.
Footage of Chicago Latino riots in 1960s and 1970s Humboldt Park.
Can I photocopy this book?
Textbooks on healthcare collaboration.
Stapler.
Computer lab entry.
Call number location.
Thanks to the Shifted Librarian and many others for this fab t-shirt link. My personal fave.
If I see one more librarian t-shirt with a pile of books and a cat on it, I will SCREAM.