Thomas Memorial Library: Website of the Day

Thomas Memorial Library
Cape Elizabeth, Maine
(click to enlarge)

Wisconsin State Historical Society Library: Renovation Views from the Third Floor

Not much to see. I shot the pics through a small square of plexiglass.

America's Maturity Index Trendline

Link to November 13 New York Times article, "More Than Ever, You Can Say That On Television".

Excerpt: On many nights this fall, it has been possible to tune in to broadcast network television during prime time and hear a character call someone else a “douche.”

In just the last several weeks, it has happened on CBS's “The New Adventures of Old Christine” and the CW’s “The Vampire Diaries,” which are broadcast at 8 p.m., during what used to be known as the family hour. It has been heard this fall on Fox’s new series “The Cleveland Show,” which begins at 8:30, and on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy.” On NBC, its use has spanned the old and the new, blurted out on the freshman comedy “Community” and the seasoned drama “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”

In total, the word has surfaced at least 76 times already this year on 26 prime-time network series, according to research by the Parents Television Council, which compiled the statistics at the request of The New York Times. That is up from 30 uses on 15 shows in all of 2007 and just six instances on four programs in 2005.

Remember the first time you uttered a "bad" word and what a strong reaction you received. (Keep in mind this is a PK speaking.) I was so entranced by all the attention that I repeated the word another half dozen times. Gee, with this kind of follow-through, maybe I should have been a writer for TV sitcoms.

The Library of Congress Chronicles America

A well-organized starting point.

Link to Chronicling America homepage. (Thanks to Resource Shelf for the link.)

Excerpt from LC website: Chronicling America provides free access to more than a million historic American newspaper pages. Listed here are topics widely covered in the American press of the time. We will be adding more topics on a regular basis. To find out what's new, sign up for Chronicling America’s weekly notification service, that highlights interesting content on the site and lets you know when new newspapers and topics are added. Users can use the icons at the lower-left side of the Chronicling America Web page to subscribe.

Gubernatorial Candidate Tom Barrett: the Unofficial Version

Link to November 13 Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel article, "Barrett plans to run for governor".

Excerpt: Mayor Tom Barrett will announce this weekend that he is running for governor, the Journal Sentinel has learned.

"You would not be inaccurate to write that," said a top adviser to the two-term mayor on Friday.

A second Milwaukee Democrat who has firsthand knowledge of Barrett's plans also confirmed that the mayor has decided to enter the race to try to replace Gov. Jim Doyle, who announced in August that he would not seek a third term.

Boise Public Library: Website of the Day

Boise Public Library

Steve Cunningham Picks the Top 5 Must-Read Social Media Books

Arranged in a lesson plan.

Lesson #1. You need to build trust.

Lesson #2. Turn the bullhorn around.
Lesson #3. Learn the pillars of social media success
Lesson #4. Work your face off.
Lesson #5. Get smart about the tools.

Mobile Marketing: For Now, the Bad News Probably Outweighs the Good

Link to November 12 Adweek post, "Good News, Bad News for Mobile Marketing: The audience for mobile marketing has more men than women at this stage".

Excerpt: The report has one ominous finding for mobile marketers: "Since June of 2008, the percentage of people who don't like mobile marketing has increased." More specifically, 67 percent don't like text ads (vs. 64 percent last year), 60 percent don't like voicemail ads (up from 57 percent) and 60 percent don't like video ads (up from 56 percent).

There has been a similarly modest increase in the number saying they regard such advertising as "an invasion of privacy" (from 50 percent to 52 percent). And the number saying marketers must get permission before sending such mobile ads has risen as well, from 56 percent in 2008 to 58 percent in this year's poll.

That's a supermajority in the "don't like" category. Tough to put a happy face on that statistic.

Going Up, Way Up: Watching Movies and TV Shows Online

Retiring Guy's source of video content, 1956-1966.

Link to November 12 CEPro post, "Consumer Viewing of Online Video Doubles".

Excerpt: More than 25 million U.S. broadband households are regularly watching full-length TV shows online, while more than 20 million watch movies online. "Close to 40 percent of broadband households today watch full-length television shows over the Internet." says Jayant Dasari, research analyst, Parks Associates.

So, AV collection development librarians. Are DVDs still flying off the shelves as quickly as they were a few years ago? Still an insatiable demand for TV show DVD sets?

Magazine Death Watch

Link to November 9 New York Times article, "Metropolitan Home Will Close After Its December Issue".

Excerpt: Published regularly as Apartment Life in 1974, Metropolitan Home became known for its features on renovations and its focus on everyday homes rather than the houses of celebrities or architects, making it a more accessible predecessor to magazines like Domino. It had a circulation of about 560,000 in the first six months of this year, which was about 10,000 more copies than it had promised to advertisers, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations.

Its ad pages from July to September fell 35.7 percent, to 127.4 pages, from the same period a year earlier, according to the Publishers Information Bureau. That drop was around the same as Gourmet’s; Condé Nast recently closed that magazine.

From apartment to home to .....

Elkhart Public Library's Online Retro Furniture Sale

Link to items for sale. (Bidding begins on Sunday, November 15, 2009.)

Excerpt: The new Elkhart Public Library opened on March 31, 1963 with its interior furnished in mid century modern, including Herman Miller desks, credenzas, tables and chairs, Eames fiberglass chairs, and Jens Risom desks, credenzas, and miscellaneous items.

[snip]

All items are used. Some have been in use to the present day, while others have spent years in storage. All items are sold as is. We have done our best to give accurate descriptions and provide photos.

This sale will be held online. Open house to view items is Friday November 13 from 2 to 6 p.m., and Saturday November 14 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Location is the Elkhart Public Library storage garage at 27669 Westwood Drive, Elkhart, IN, 46514..

All items are sold as is, and must be picked up by successful buyer. We will be as flexible as possible in scheduling pickup, but will not be available for pickup on Friday November 27. Pickup must be arranged in advance with library administration. Payment may be made in cash or money order at the time of pickup.

Brought to Retiring Guy's attention via Lazyfeed and a November 13 Book Patrol blogpost, "Dig This Hipster Decor From A Library Store".

Lewis & Clark Library: Web Page of the Day

Lewis & Clark Library
Helena, Montana

Advocating for the Rockford Public Library

Link to November 8 Rockford Star-Register article, "You still have time to affect the library funding decision".

Excerpt: There is something the aldermen can do. They can listen to the more than 2,000 constituents who signed the petition against this cut. They can vote against this proposed cut to the library funding as it is written now and propose a more moderate solution. We understand the devastating financial problems our city faces. And yet, despite the fact that so many of Rockford’s citizens are unemployed, members of City Council voted to raise water rates and the garbage tax without input from the citizens. They owe it to the citizens of Rockford to at least vote on whether they are willing to pay an increase to the library portion of the tax revenue.

Illinois Family Institute: Priorities Reading Left to Right

Flag, Marriage (heterosexual, I assume), white people, babies (white ones first), minorities.

How did I find myself to this place?

Link to November 11 School Library Journal post, "Conservative Group Calls for Boycott of Scholastic".

Excerpt: The Illinois Family Institute (IFI), a conservative organization dedicated to upholding and reaffirming marriage and family life, has called for a boycott of Scholastic following the company’s decision to include Lauren Myracle’s controversial Luv Ya Bunches (Abrams/Amulet, 2009) in its spring 2010 middle school book fairs.

Rumor Has It That This "Nonfiction" Book Has No Index

Link to EarlyWord post, "Going Rogue: Sneak Peak".

I think it's a typo. Real title: Going Rove.

This is Worse Than Leon Russell Not Being in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Much worse.

Not available as an audiobook.

Not available as an audiobook.

Worst of all, not available as an audiobook.


Sent them a query.




And as for Leon, he gets my vote on the strength of this little ditty I've embedded for you. (It's so PK!)

"Roll Away the Stone" -- Leon Russell

Bob | MySpace Video

And the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame does have a Sidemen category. Leon arranged many of Gary Lewis & the Playboys records. You know that's him playing the piano on this rollicking pop gem. (And who was the guru behind Mad Dogs and Englishmen?)

Wolfgang's Vault Adds Newport Jazz Concerts

Link to November 10 New York Times article, "Historic Sounds of Newport, Newly Online".

Excerpt: It’s a complicated story. But if you want to know why the Newport Jazz Festival has been so important to American music, it’s easy: you just have to hear the recorded evidence. Bits and pieces have emerged over the years, in live recordings by Ellington, Coltrane and others. Now Wolfgang’s Vault, the online concert-recording archive, intends to fill in the gaps.

The company, based in San Francisco, bought the archives of the Newport festivals from the Festival Network last year. Bill Sagan, founder and chief executive of Wolfgang’s Vault, says the archives include many, many tapes: 1,000 to 1,200 individual performances, dating at least to 1955, the festival’s second year, and continuing to the end of the century. It is not a complete audio record — certain years contain only a small number of performances, or are missing completely — but it is a major one nonetheless.

A Hazard of Audiobooks

Shortly after John Updike's death in January of this year, I decided to pay homage to one of my favorite authors by (re)listening to the quartet of Rabbit novels: Rabbit Run (1960), Rabbit Redux (1971), Rabbit is Rich (1981), and Rabbit at Rest (1990).

Initially, I was disappointed to discover that the compact-disc version of the audiobooks features a different reader.

What happened to Michael Prichard? I wondered. And who is this Arthur Morey guy anyway? I asked myself.

Someone who quickly won me over with the voice he created for Harry Angstrom, a pitch-perfect blend of the whiny and the cocky.

I'm currently listening to short stories by William Faulkner. The monumental, 25-disc set features 6 readers, including Arthur Morey. Unfortunately, I can't listen to any of the stories he narrates -- the dialogue in particular -- without thinking that Rabbit Angstrom has run to Yoknapatawpha County. And in a few conversations, it's as though Webb Murkett has joined him. Then the recollection of Rabbit's lust for Webb's wife Cindy gets me all confused. (When she stands, the backs of her thighs are printed in squares and her skimpy black bathing suit bottom, still soaked, clings in two arcs a width of skin below two dimples symmetically set in her fat like little whirlpools; the sight dizzies Harry. From Rabbit is Rich, page 63.)

Such is the hazard of audiobooks.

Wisconsin Department of Administration Secretary Michael Morgan Responds to Pew Report

Link to November 11 DOA news release via The Wheeler Report.

Excerpt: Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) Secretary Michael Morgan made the following statement regarding a report released today by the Pew Center on States that contains factual errors and uses them to wrongly compare the fiscal situation of Wisconsin to California.

“In no way can Wisconsin be compared to the nation’s most financially troubled states, especially California.

“While Wisconsin has been affected, like all states, by the national economic downturn, we have balanced our budget by cutting spending and raising revenues as needed.

“In addition, recent reports have shown that many other states have large revenue shortfalls in the current fiscal year. But Wisconsin does not.

“The Pew Center report is factually inaccurate. From the outset, the report is fundamentally flawed.

“It is not true that the recession has hit Wisconsin harder than other states. While we have taken hits like everyone else, Wisconsin has fared much better than other states and manufacturing is doing better in Wisconsin compared to our neighboring states.

Nothing yet on Republican Party of Wisconsin's webpage (but that could change by the time you click on the link).

Scott Walker, You Betcha

On the Wisconsin campaign trail?

Link to November 11 Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel article, "Walker Courts Palin Endorsement".

A strategy the newly elected Governors of New Jersey and Virginia studiously avoided.

Excerpt: Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker (note the diversity on his campaign homepage) is among the Republicans lining up for an endorsement from Sarah Palin, the 2008 vice presidential candidate and former Alaska governor.

Walker sought help in his run for governor Friday in a half-hour meeting with Palin after her invitation-only Wisconsin Right to Life event.

Time magazine's Web site first reported on the meeting Wednesday, and Walker spokeswoman Jill Bader confirmed it was accurate.

"Sarah Palin is one of many national political figures we're reaching out to help on the campaign trail to be part of Scott's effort," Bader said.

Wisconsin's State Budget Outlook Ranked Among 10 Worst

Link to November 11 Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel article, "Wisconsin budget rated in worst 10: Think tank report sees trouble ahead for states".

Excerpt: Wisconsin residents should brace for more tax increases and service cuts, based on an analysis that rated the state's budget predicament among the 10 worst in the country.

The rise in unemployment and a steep drop in revenues from 2008 to 2009 suggest a dire future for a state that has struggled to fill perennial budget shortfalls, according to the Pew Center on the States and its report, "Beyond California: States in Fiscal Peril." (70-page report, i.e., large file.)

The top-10 ranking puts Wisconsin in a dubious group with California, a state that issued IOUs to contractors earlier this year. Wisconsin is ranked ninth-worst, tied with Illinois.

"A challenging mix of economic, political and money-management factors have pushed California to the brink of insolvency," said Susan Urahn, managing director of the Pew Center on the States. "But while California often takes the spotlight, other states are facing hardships just as daunting."

"Clip" from Pew Report (page 51).

100 Useful Links to eBook Lovers

Link to November 11 post at OnlineCourses.org. (Thanks to Amber Johnson!)

Excerpt: You already know that the Internet is one of the most convenient, effective means of researching and finding information for your classes, but did you know that in some cases it can replace all of your hefty textbooks and reading assignments too? With ebooks, you can read, stream, and listen to lessons, classic literature, poetry and reference books on the Internet or your mobile device. Here are 100 useful links for ebook lovers.

Racine Public Eyes a Return to Sunday Hours in 2010

Link to November 11 Racine Journal-Times article, "Recycling carts stay, splash pad eliminated from budget".

Excerpt: No splash pads or sewer fee increases are likely in Racine's future for next year, but more playground equipment, recycling carts and a new night parking checker are planned. The Racine Public Library may also open again on Sundays this winter.

Wednesday night, aldermen reviewed Mayor John Dickert's proposed 2010 budget, which they are scheduled to vote on Tuesday. They eliminated about $100,000 in borrowing for capital projects but increased the tax levy $33,000, an amount that could help the library reopen on Sundays.

Interview with Hudson Mayor Dean Knudson

Link to November 11 Hudson Star-Observer article, "Mayor addresses library questions ". (You may need to register for a free account to access full article.)

Questions answered (excerpts):
1. Why was a referendum required for the 2008 proposal but not this time?
No referendum is required under this plan because municipal library support is not being increased.

2. With the current economic recession, high unemployment and weak real estate market, is this a good time to expand the library and raise taxes?
This plan does not raise taxes.

3. Will the library ever be able to expand into the entire building at 700 First St.?
When donations are sufficient, the library may purchase the building and the police department will move into a new facility.

4. Is it smart to have the police department and the library in the same building? Is it safe?
In the proposed sharing plan, the police will have a separate entrance from the parking lot, as well as private access through the underground parking. Expert analysis of this building has indicated that it is suitable for shared use.

Huh? Wha?

Could you run that by me again?

Ebook Reader for the Visually Impaired

Intel Reader

Link to November 10 Computer World post.

Excerpt: Intel Corp. today started selling a new e-reader that can snap pictures of books and newspapers and then read them back to people who have a hard time reading the printed page.

Called the Intel Reader, the $1,499 device assists people who are blind, dyslexic or have weak vision, said Ben Foss, the director of access technology with Intel's Digital Health Group, who came up with the idea for the reader. "It's designed to give them independence and access to reading."

Intel estimates that there are as many as 55 million people in the U.S. who could use its device.

Rich Guy Gone Wild

Link to November 11 Crooks and Liars post, "Rupert Murdoch wants to charge for Internet service and wants to destroy "fair use" content"

Excerpt: Rupert, Rupert, Rupert. He just doesn't understand how the Internet works. If he continues to actively try to destroy the "fair use" of content, readers from all across the political spectrum will revolt against him. Even from his own side. Murdoch hates Google and every other search engine because he thinks by having Google linking to his stories, they are kleptomaniacs and robbing him. When asked why he just doesn't remove his websites from Google searches now, he replies that he will after he turns them all into "just for pay" only sites. If he feels they are ripping him off then why doesn't he do it now? The answer is he can't afford to do that. I dare him to do it.

Portage Library Board Discusses Rental Property Options

Link to November 10 Portage Daily Register article, "What should be done with library rental property?"

Excerpt: Another obstacle to a proposed expansion of the Portage Public Library was removed Tuesday when it was reported that tenants of the library's next-door rental property had moved out.

"But what we need to decide is what we want to do with it now," said board of trustees member Karen Kaiser.

The house at 263 W. Edgewater St. - next door to the library - could be razed, sold and moved, sold outright or leased again. The first two options would clear the lot for a possible expansion that library board members have been talking about generally for years and concretely for their last several meetings.

Kindle Doesn't Meet Universities' Nondiscrimination Policies

Link to November 11 GM Today article, "Schools shun Kindle, saying blind can't use it".

Excerpt: Amazon's Kindle can read books aloud, but if you're blind it can be difficult to turn that function on without help. Now two universities say they will shun the device until Amazon changes the setup.

The National Federation of the Blind planned to announce Wednesday that the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Syracuse University won't consider big rollouts of the electronic reading device unless Amazon makes it more accessible to visually impaired students.

Both schools have some Kindles that they bought for students to try this fall, but now they say they won't look into buying more unless Amazon makes changes to the device.

Hudson Library Board Approves Lease Agreement

Link to November 10 Hudson Star-Observer article, "Library Board agrees to lease space in the NMC building". (You may need to register for free account to access article.)

Excerpt: The Hudson Area Joint Library Board voted 6 to 1 Monday night to lease 20,000 square feet of floor space in the Nuclear Management Co. building to serve as the new home for the library.

The decision clears the way for the city of Hudson to buy the now-vacant corporate headquarters property on Vine Street between First and Second streets.

The City Council on Oct. 19 approved an agreement to purchase the property, but the $2.5 million deal was contingent upon the library agreeing to move into the NMC building. The city has until Dec. 16 to opt out of the purchase agreement without losing $100,000 in earnest money that it put down.

The library will pay a beginning rent of $120,000 a year (or $6 per square foot of floor space) under the five-year lease approved by the board.

Community Library Update

Link to November 11 West of the I post, "New Community Library Representative to Wilmot School Board".

Excerpt: While Wisconsin regulations require a school representative from the local library board to alternate between Westosha Central and Wilmot High schools every three years, Wilmot School Board members can’t recall the last time they had one.

Newly appointed Community Library Representative Linda Smith got an earful from Barbara Wetherbee about the recent demotion of former Community Library Director Mary Ellen Close at her first school board meeting Tuesday night.

“I am very disappointed in the Library Board in the way they handled Mary Ellen Close and I think they should have told the taxpayers why they were releasing her,” Wetherbee said. “If age was a problem, 62 is not that old and it makes you wonder why she was being let go. There was no explanation-we don’t know if there was wrongdoing or anything after she was there for so many years. I’m not speaking for or against her, but just to tell you that I am disappointed.”

Sheboygan's Finance Committee: Public Safety Trumps Library

Mead Public Library

Link to November 11 Sheboygan Press article, "Cut library, keep cops, mayor urged".

Excerpt: The City of Sheboygan is considering a proposal to cut funding to Mead Public Library in next year's budget in order to keep four police officer positions from going unfilled.

The move would reduce the city's property tax levy allocation to the library by $225,000 and put the library below the minimum funding level mandated by the state for inclusion in the Eastern Shores Library System, which could result in library patrons losing access to the system's online catalog and interlibrary loan and delivery service.

The funds would instead be used to fill the four police officer positions.

Mayor Bob Ryan had proposed leaving the police officer positions vacant as part of his 2010 budget, but the Common Council's Finance Committee asked him to reconsider during a four-hour budget meeting Monday night, where committee members recommended cutting library funding to pay for the officers.

"Public safety is such a high priority," Ald. Jim Gischia said during an interview Tuesday. "That doesn't mean the library is a zero priority, but I side with the protection of the citizens."

New Madison Central Library Wins Council Approval

Pop that champagne cork!

Link to November 10 Wisconsin State Journal article, "City Council agrees on Central Library plan".

Excerpt: Finally, after years of delay and frustration, Madison is getting a new central library.

The City Council late Tuesday dropped the most serious objections to Mayor Dave Cieslewicz's financing plan for the $37 million, six-story, glass and stone library, meaning construction could start next year.

Activist Stuart Levitan summed up sentiment in the chambers, telling the council, "For 135 years the city of Madison has supported its public library. ... If you honor that past, the future will honor you."

Cieslewicz, who took a political risk in proposing the library in a troubled economy, wants to use $17 million in borrowing, $6 million federal tax credits, $4 million from the sale of the existing library site and $10 million in private fundraising over three years to pursue the Fiore Cos.' proposal for a facility at Henry Street and West Washington Avenue that would be part of a larger development.

In the end, the mayor won a sweeping victory with broad support on the council and no public testimony against the project. (RG's emphasis.)

The main concern was that the new library not divert money from branch updates and additions.

I just sent Barb Dimick, Madison Public Library Director, a congratulatory email. (bdimick@ci.madison.wi.us)

Maryland: Thieves Initiate Library Books for Recreational Drugs Program

At least 1 of the 12, anyway.

Link to November 10 Entertainment Weekly article, "12 people charged with stealing books after $87,000 worth taken from public libraries in Md." (via Lazyfeed)

Excerpt: Some college libraries also were hit by some of the same suspects, officials said.

“They’re traveling quite far and wide for the little bit of money they get,” said Mary Eilerman, chief of security at Harford Community College, also victimized. “They were ripping off the bar codes and handing them over to book consignment shops as quickly as they could.”

Eilerman said a $100 textbook would yield about $3 or $4 at a consignment shop. She said one of the suspects told her she was using the cash from the thefts to buy Ecstasy.

Kentucky Library Association Promotes "Library" License Plate

Read about it at November 10 The Rabid Librarian's Ravings in the Wind blogpost, "Another way to support Kentucky libraries." (via Lazyfeed)

Kentucky already offers lots of choices.

Public Libraries and the "Lost User"

Link to November 10 Opinions of a Wolf blogpost, "I Am A Librarian, And I Am A Lost User".

Lost user is defined as "someone who used to be a regular library user, but stopped going".

Excerpt: Yes, I know, people could easily claim I’m the one at fault in all of this. ("Wolfy" offers 5 reasons why she is a lost user.) If I was more organized, it wouldn’t be stressful. If free books really mattered to me, I would make the time. Etc…. Sorry, but that’s just not my reality. My reality is I have very little time. I feel guilty if I hold onto books way past when they’re due not to mention then I have to pay fines. Reading is supposed to be relaxing, calming, and convenient. My local public library just doesn’t make it that way for me.