Library Stuff

This news depresses me to the point of possibly popping half a Klonopin (it’s been a while). HL has been one of my favorite blogs for the past two years (and the “Dummies” blog before that). Good luck on the new blog Happy villain. I will be faithful reader.

Libraries of Alexandria burn all the time – “IT IS COMMONLY agreed that the destruction of the ancient Library of Alexandria in Egypt was one of the most devastating losses of knowledge in all of civilization. Today, however, the digital information that drives our world and powers our economy is in many ways more susceptible to loss than the papyrus and parchment at Alexandria.”

Fish4Info – We Did It! – “After a crazy week of final preparations, we launched last Friday with Release Candidate 1 of the Fish4Info portal. RC1 of this next generation school library portal includes the FISH catalog (a Free Integrated Search Handler) that has been tied in with book reviews, social bookmarking, pathfinders and electronic resources.”

Web Sites Listing Informants Concern Justice Dept. – “Federal prosecutors are furious, and the Justice Department has begun urging the federal courts to make fundamental changes in public access to electronic court files by removing all plea agreements from them — whether involving cooperating witnesses or not.”

The article is number 2 on Digg right now.

Oh, I have to big ol’ File….Print on this baby [PDF] and read it on the way to work tomorrow. Thanks Docuticker!!!

I love this piece not for the amount of space dedicated to Twitter (irony noted) but for the first few lines:

“Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and co-founder Biz Stone have taken executive transparency to new heights, not only using their own Twitter micro-blogging service frequently to share details of their personal lives, but also publishing their own phone numbers and business address on Twitter’s Contact page. So it was easy for me to get in touch with them to set up a visit to their office in San Francisco.”

Yes! Being reachable doesn’t mean that you just post your e-mail or IM handle. IMO, that’s a bit impersonal. If you want to talk to me, you can call me (917-837-9706). I’ve gotten many phone calls since I’ve published my phone number on my blog (I learned that from Robert Scoble, a hero of mine). I love getting phone calls from readers who want to share cool stuff or to just say hello. Friends and colleagues know that when it comes to my life, WYSISWG. I don’t hide much. To quote Kramer from Seinfeld, “I’m out there Jerry, and I’m lovin’ every minute of it”

Disagree if you want. I’m not one to ignore those that have different thoughts on the subject. We are talking about transparency, right?

A great gift for the lefty librarians in your life. (via)

“Pour in a hot beverage and watch your civil liberties disappear! Mug features the complete text of the Bill of Rights, but temperature sensitive print responds to the change and shows what remains thanks to the Patriot Act!”

I just got an e-mail from Garry Collum who puts together the feeds at KCPL. He notes that they have been revamped. One cool new feature is the ability to set up a customized search feed. Huzzah!

You can read more about it on his blog.

Two thirds use museums and libraries (UK) – “A new survey shows that over 12 months, 64% of adults, almost two thirds of the population, visited a museum, a library or an archive. The Taking Part annual report, released by the Department for Culture Media and Sport, is the first single survey to collect information on the reasons why people like to visit museums, libraries and archives and why they don’t.”

Who will be raising the next generation of library lovers? – “Today, I don’t need the library to teach me how to read, train a puppy, or prepare my children for school. But I still need it for research, or when I want to linger in a cozy place with a book, unconcerned about overstaying my welcome.”

Search for tomorrow – “The battle for search supremacy is hardly over. In fact, search is in its early days and poised at the cusp of several major leaps forward. What impact will they have on libraries? And how can libraries benefit?”

I’m not into his politics, but Mitt Romney apparently says this in the latest issue of GQ:

“Even on the bleakest days, (fatherhood is) the most fulfilling experience of your life.”

As read in Politico.

Wired has a piece on the Twitter look-a-likes popping up. (via)