A 'Bibliopocalypse' @ the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library

LINK

Link to November 6 Buffalo News article, "Library supporters look to shelve cuts proposed in county budget".

Excerpt: But there was no shushing the crowd of about 100 librarians and library supporters who gathered at Lafayette Square on Saturday to protest the county's plans to cut $4 million from the Buffalo & Erie County Library.

"We're here to make some noise!" rallied Timothy Galvin, president of the union that represents county librarians.

County Executive Chris Collins' cuts to the library's budgets won't shut down any libraries, as the county did back in 2005. But they are expected to lead to 200 layoffs and drastically curtail hours at some branches, down to as little as 16 hours a week in some cases.

The proposal is not sitting well with the librarians' unions, nor with library supporters who argue that the community is still suffering from the 2005 closings and that use of branch libraries has increased as economic troubles have dragged on.

"It's a BIBLIOPOCALYPSE," read one handwritten sign two protesters held up.

Related articles:
WBEN online poll offers 3 general options for public library future. (10/31/2010)
Reimagining the library.  (10/27/2010)
Budget cuts = reduced hours.  (10/21/2010)
Deep cuts (again) in the works.  (9/17/2010)
Editorial puts in 'a word about libraries'.  (8/30/2010)
Library could lose 25% of funding.  (8/19/2009)

Tacoma Public Library Tightens Its Belt

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Link to November 6 Tacoma News Tribune article, "Tacoma board weighs closing library branches".

Excerpt: Beginning next year, Tacoma Public Library patrons likely can expect fewer hours of operation at the city’s main library downtown and could face service cuts even more dire: losing their neighborhood library branch.

Facing a coming budget more than $1.8 million smaller [to $24,700,000] than the current one, the library’s five-member board of trustees is now considering several cost-cutting options, including scenarios that would close one or two branches.

“I would like (city council members) to know that the branch library in their district may very well be on the chopping block,” trustee Lillian Hunter said during the board’s meeting Wednesday. “… Let’s not sugarcoat it.”

Boy Scout Conducts Book Drive for All-Volunteer Keizer Community Library

Population of Keizer, Oregon: 36,093.

LINK

Link to November 5 (Oregon) Statesman Journal article, "McNary student boosts library's cache".

Excerpt:    McNary High School sophomore Grant Gerstner aimed to earn his Eagle Scout wings recently by having a book drive for the library.

Gerstner's efforts brought the library $100 and 8,125 books, compact discs, VHS tapes, DVDs and other materials. The library's inventory before Gerstner's aid was 11,000 books and other items, said Art Burr, library director.

Gerstner, 15, also arranged the printing of 3,400 fliers, which were distributed to area homes. Volunteers gave him more than 200 hours of their time. He set up collection barrels at four local businesses.

"The library in Keizer is not funded by taxes, and it's been having a lot of trouble with financial issues and space," Gerstner said.

U. S. News and World Report: No More Printed Monthly Magazines

One of the triumvirate of newsweeklies until 2008.

Link to memo to U. S. News & World Report employees.

Update on Cushing Academy's Bookless Library

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Link to November 6 Boston Globe article, "Digital shift. Going (almost) bookless has made Cushing Academy's library a popular spot".

Excerpt: As prophets go, Tracy is alone in the wilderness closer to home. While other institutions have expressed interest in what Cushing has done, he’s unaware of other schools following his lead, and larger prep schools such as Phillips Academy in Andover and its sister school, Phillips Exeter Academy, have no intention of getting rid of their books. Exeter has 176,000, Andover more than 150,000. (“In general, I believe that the book in its traditional form is beyond wonderful and is not going to become obsolete,’’ says John Rogers, Andover’s dean of studies.)

Meanwhile, Cushing’s library has been transformed into a wide open space (though there are a couple of stacks left). Circles of comfortable chairs are located at each end of the room, where some classes are held, and students study together or, just as often, chat at tables in the middle. There’s a coffee shop, too. The new iteration, in Cushing parlance, is “a creative commons.’’ The sepulchral silence of a traditional library is gone. (A small Silent Room remains for those who need quiet to study.)


Related article:
Headmaster ignores yesterday's lessons.  (9/6/2009)

Recommended reading for James "I-can't-believe-McGovern-lost-everyone-I-know-voted-for-him" Tracy:  "What do teenagers think about ebooks?  Not much."

Governor-Elect Scott Walker Selects Mike Grebe to Head Transition Team

LINK

Dane County Nears 500,000 Population...and Need for Legislative Fix

Link to November 5 Wisconsin State Journal article, "As Dane County population nears 500,000, laws could force taxpayers to pay up".

Excerpt: A series of state laws written to apply to Milwaukee County could force local taxpayers to pay the state $59 million and require Dane County to surrender control of its child welfare system.

But local officials hope state lawmakers find a fix.

Dane County is on the verge of reaching 500,000 population in Census numbers expected to be released early next year, and that would make it subject to about 160 state laws that were written to apply to Milwaukee County, Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk wrote in a memo to legislators obtained by the State Journal.

The next county to face this dilemma, though not likely until after 2020.

Meet the State of Wisconsin's New Leadership: Part 1, The Senate

Republicans

Majority Leader

Public libraries in the 13th Senate District (which includes portions of Mid-Wisconsin, South Central, and Waukesha library systems).
Dane County:  Cambridge, Columbus, Deerfield.
Dodge County:  Beaver Dam, Fox Lake, Horicon, Hustisford,  Iron Ridge, Juneau, Lowell, Mayville, Randolph, Reeseville, Watertown.
Jefferson County:  Fort Atkinson, Jefferson, Lake Mills, Waterloo.

Assistant Majority Leader

Public libraries in the 20th Senate District  (which includes portions of Eastern Shores and Mid-Wisconsin library systems).

Dodge County:  Theresa.

Fond du Lac County:  Campbellsport.

Ozaukee County:  Cedarburg, Grafton, Saukville, Port Washington.

Sheboygan County:  Cedar Grove, Random Lake.

Washington County:  Kewaskum, Slinger, West Bend.

President

Public libraries in the 19th Senate District (which includes portions of OWLS and Winnefox library systems.

Outagamie County:  Appleton.

Winnebago County:  Menasha, Neenah, Winneconne.

President Pro Tem

Public libraries in the 9th Senate District (which includes portions of Eastern Shores and Manitowoc-Calumet library systems.

Calumet County:  New Holstein.

Manitowoc County:  Kiel, Manitowoc.

Sheboygan:  Elkhart Lake, Kohler, Plymouth, Sheboygan, Sheboygan Falls.

Caucus Chair

Public libraries in the 32nd Senate District (which includes portions of Southwest and Winding Rivers library systems).

Crawford County:  Prairie du Chien.

LaCrosse County:  Bangor, La Crosse, La Crosse County (Holman Onalaska), West Salem.

Monroe County:  Cashton, Norwalk, Wilton.

Vernon County:  Coon Valley, De Soto, Gays Mills, Hillsboro, La Farge, Ontario, Readstown, Soldiers Grove, Viola, Viroqua. 

Caucus Vice Chair

Public libraries in the 10th Senate District (which includes portions of the Indianhead and Northern Waters library systems).

Burnett County:  Grantsburg.

Dunn County:  Menomonie.

Pierce County:  Ellsworth, Elmwood, Prescott, River Falls, Spring Valley.

Polk County:  Amery,  Balsam Lake, Centuria, Clear Lake, Deer Park, Dresser, Frederic, Luck, Milltown, Osceola.

St. Croix County:  Baldwin, Glenwood City, Hammond, Hudson, New Richmond, Somerset, Woodville.

Democrats

Minority Leader

Public libraries in the 16th Senate District (all within the South Central Library System).

Columbia County:  Cambria, Lodi, Poynette

Dane County:  DeForest, Madison (Hawthrone, Pinney), Marshall, McFarland, Monona, Oregon, Stoughton, Sun Prairie

Assistant Minority Leader

Public libraries in the 30th Senate District (all within the Nicolet Library System).

Brown County:  (Green Bay, Green Bay East, Green Bay Southwest, Howard, Pulaski).

Marinette County:  (Coleman-Pound, Marinette, Peshtigo).

Oconto County:  Lena, Oconto.

Caucus Chair

Public libraries in the 24th Senate District (which includes portions of the South Central and Winnefox library systems).

Adams County:  Adams County, Rome.

Portage County:  (Almond, Plover, Rosholt, Stevens Point), Amherst.  

Waushara County:  Hancock, Plainfield.

Wood County:  Arpin, Marshfield, Nekoosa, Vesper, Wisconsin Rapids

Assistant Caucus Chair

Public libraries in the 31st Senate District (which includes portions of the Indianhead and Winding Rivers library systems).

Buffalo:  Alma, Mondovi

Eau Claire:  Altoona.

Pepin County:  Durand, Pepin.

Pierce County:  Plum City.

Trempealeau County:  Arcadia, Blair, Ettrick, Galesville, Independence, Osseo, Strum, Trempealeau, Whitehall.

Unfortunately, this good advice is likely to be ignored

LINK

Link to November 5 Indianapolis Star article, "Daniels' political tip: Zip your lips.  Governor wants no talk of plans for '12 until '11".

Excerpt: But, Daniels said, "I'll ask anybody who is thinking of running for any office in 2012 to be quiet about it for the next several months. We just finished an election. We now ought to all be about the business of delivering on the change and the duties that we have. So I'm going to ask anybody who is thinking about running for anything to just stifle yourself for a few months."

Asked if that meant he would not be talking about the presidency until at least after the legislative session, Daniels said: "Very astute and, yes, 100 percent correct."

I may not be in full agreement with his politics, but I certainly like his style!

Scenario Development for Troubled Times at the University of North Carolina

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Link to November 5 Charlotte Observer article, "UNC worst-case budget looks grim. Bowles lays out bleak picture: Cuts could cost jobs, programs, and even whole campuses".

Excerpt: Chapel Hill UNC system President Erskine Bowles painted a bleak picture Thursday of the UNC system if the more severe of two budget-cutting scenarios is necessary.

As many as 1,700 jobs could be lost, he said.

Bowles even suggested that if North Carolina's economic health doesn't improve, the UNC system may eventually have to close a campus - which he called a smarter strategic and fiscal move than simply chipping away at every university in the system.

"If we keep having cuts, cuts, cuts, we'll have to look at eliminating schools, campuses," Bowles told members of the UNC system's Board of Governors. "If it went on for several years, that would be the smart decision. The unfortunate, smart decision."

To be clear, the university's situation is nowhere near that dire yet.

Congratulations to Nancy Adamczyk on her 40 Years of Service to New Jersey's Madison Public Library

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Link to November 4 Independence Press article, "Library Director Nancy Adamczyk honored for 40 years of service to Madison".

Excerpt: A graduate of Radford College, Mrs. Adamczyk holds a MLS from Rutgers University. She joined the staff of the library on Oct. 1, 1970 as a reference librarian and became general services librarian, working on publicity and programs.

Mrs. Adamczyk was appointed director of the library in October, 1977.

Robbery Attempt Foiled at Boston Public Library

LINK to floor plan for all levels

Link to November 5 Boston Globe article, "Attempted robbery reported at library".

Excerpt: A man showed a gun inside the Boston Public Library’s main branch in Copley Square on Wednesday in an apparent attempt to rob the cafe, police said. A police report said officers responded to 700 Boylston St. at about 3:20 p.m. and spoke to a clerk at the cafe, who was “shaking and crying.’’

Interview with Principal Architect of Madison Public Library Renovation

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Link to November 5 Capital Times interview, "Architect: Renovating Madison's Central Library better than rebuilding".

Excerpt (Intro): Jeff Scherer is the principal architect on the Madison Central Library renovation. He is working with several members of his Minneapolis-based firm, Meyer, Scherer and Rockcastle, as well as architects from Madison-based Potter Lawson. The Capital Times spoke with Scherer about his western Arkansas roots and his philosophy about designing libraries.

Related articles:
Design development juggling acts.  (10/15/2010)
One possible message  don't settle for less.  (8/5/2010)
Possible temporary location has asbestos problem.  (6/18/2010)
Architectural firm selected for Madison Central project.  (5/26/2010)
State Journal editorial board sez Madison City Council made right decision on Central Library. (5/10/2010)
Council vote on library goes under the radar.  (5/8/2010)
And the beat goes on.  (4/14/2010)
Mayor Responds to Critics on Library Issue.  (4/13/2010)
Board Endorses Renovation Plan.  (4/6/2010)
Some Council Members Not Ready to Move Forward on Mayor's Renovation Plan.  (3/30/2010)
Council President Pro Tem to Introduce Resolution Approving Madison Central Library Renovation Project.  (3/28/2010)
'Dissatisfaction' with Collapsed Madison Central Library Project. (3/25/2010)
Fiore Departure Seen as Beneficial to Madison Central Project.  (3/23/2010)
Matter of Principle" Dooms New Central Madison Library.  (3/20/2010)
Madison Central: The Dream Dies, It's Now Time to Renovate. (3/19/2010)
Dispute over Construction Costs Threatens to Derail New Central Madison Library. (3/17/2010)
Madison Public Library Project Faces Delay in 2011. (3/9/2010)
Construction, Cost Concerns May Delay Madison Central Library Project. (1/25/2010)
New Madison Central Library Wins Council Approval. (11/11/2009)Capital Times Endorses New Madison Central Library. (11/10/2009)
Madison Council Begins Review of Mayor's Budget on Tuesday. (11/6/2009)
More Questions About Madison Central Library Project. (11/1/2009)
New Madison Public Library's First Change Order: Rooftop Garden.
(10/28/2009)
Call for Referendum on New Madison Central Library Not Attracting Support. (10/21/2009)
Madison Board of Estimates Rejects Library Referendum. (10/13/2009)
Some Madison City Council Members Want Referendum on New Central Library. (10/9/2009)
Wisconsin State Journal Editorial on New Madison Central Library. (9/13/2009)
New Madison Central Library: Let the Positioning Begin. (9/1/2009)
New Madison Central Library on Mayor Dave's Front Burner. (8/30/2009)
New Madison Central Library: Build or Renovate? (7/7/2009)
Motley Brown Not Reason Enough. (6/11/2009)
Fiore Plan Receives Unanimous Support. (6/5/2009)
Fiore Plan Gets Nod from Committee. (5/15/2009)
Public Forum Focuses on Central Library Options. (4/24/2009)
Developer Sweetens the Deal. (4/21/2009)
Visualizing a Remodeled Madison Central Library. (4/4/2009)
Renovation Plan Put on Table for Madison Central Library. (3/26/2009)
Residents Critique Proposals to Rebuild Downtown Library. (1/9/2009)
Competing Developers Defend Their Central Library Plans. (1/8/2009)
Comparison of Downtown Madison Library Proposals. (12/17/2008)
Two Proposals for New Madison Central Library. (12/3/2008)
Best Headline of the Week. (9/6/2008)

Keep Your Eyes on South Carolina

LINK

Link to November 2 Los Angeles Times article, "Nikki Haley bests Vincent Sheheen for South Carolina governor".

Excerpt: South Carolina is saddled with an 11% unemployment rate and an expected billion-dollar budget shortfall. Haley has said she would stimulate jobs by eliminating business income taxes. She also said she would look to corporate sponsorships and faith-based organizations to help fund public libraries and educational programs. [Emphasis added.]

From Merriam-Webster online

As opposed to look for, as in "to search for, seek".

According to the 2008 Institute of Museum and Library Services "Public Library Services Fiscal Year 2008",  South Carolina's public libraries received 8.6% of their funding, or $9,818,000, from the state.

"Look!  Up in the sky!"
"It's a bird!"
"It's a plane!"


I like this Nikki better.

Ohio Bats .789 in Latest Round of Library Levy Votes

30 of 38 (.789) in November 2010.
25 of 29 (.862 ) in May 2010.
30 of 37 (.811) in November 2009.

Or a total of 85 out of 104 library levies pass in Ohio since November 2009, for a .817 batting average.

Wood County's a winner!

Link to November 4 Toledo Blade article, "Regional voters approve 7 out of 9 library levies".

Excerpt: Nevermind the Republicans, the biggest across-the-board winners in this fall's election were - once again - Ohio's public libraries.

Voters statewide approved 30 of the 38 library issues on the ballot Tuesday, or nearly 80 percent. Of the record nine libraries in the local region that sought operating levies, seven won passage.

The seven area library systems whose levies were approved were Bellevue, Dorcas Carey, Forest Jackson, Harris-Elmore, North Baltimore, Tiffin-Seneca, and Wood County. Voted down were levies in Liberty Center and Putnam County.

And this latest election day was no anomaly. Voters passed 81 percent of the 37 levies on the November, 2009, ballot and 86 percent of the 29 levies on the May ballot, according to the Ohio Library Council.

Mount Prospect Library's Mad Scientists Club

Thanks to Carolynn Muci (Marketing/Public Relations, Mount Prospect Public Library) for bringing this video to my attention.

Related article.
Library awarded grant for "Science-to-Go" Kits. (1/23/2010)

September 2010 Survey of Online Activity

Link to November 4 eMarketer post, "More Time Spent on Social Media than Email Worldwide".

Probably All You Need to Know: Which 'Campaign 2010' Candidate was the Biggest Newsmaker

Read the full story here.

Library Book Leads to Lucrative Career

Start your search @ at the library

Link to November 3 Charlotte Observer article, "Stay-at-home mom turns outlet into career".

Excerpt: Maria Headrick didn't plan to become an artist. When she was a stay-at-home mom with two children, she needed to do something for a creative outlet.

"I got a book out of the library on mosaics and it appealed to me," Headrick said. "I started small, with gifts. Then I had so many pieces I had to start selling them because my garage got full."

She doesn't have that problem any more. Ten years later, Headrick's work is so popular, she has trouble keeping a large enough inventory on hand to show customers what her work looks like.

Des Plaines Public Library to City Council: Your love is like a see-saw

LINK

Link to November 2 Daily Herald article, "Des Plaines city council approves library loan".

Excerpt: There was little discussion on the council floor Monday night before the library's loan request was approved unanimously and advanced to second reading so the ordinance could be adopted immediately, said Des Plaines acting City Manager Jason Slowinski.

The vote was 7-0 to approve the loan with 2nd Ward Alderman John Robinson abstaining since he also sits on the library board.

Slowinski said the city granted a loan of up to $1.5 million, though officials don't expect the library will need that much.

Library Director Holly Sorensen last month told the city council the library needs only $550,000 to stay open through December with full staffing.

Related articles:
Library to remain open with limited hours, minimum staffing.  (10/30/2010)
'Back to basics' sez mayor to library.  (10/19/2010)
A bleak December may be in store for Des Plaines Public Library users.  (10/14/2010)
Mayor grouses about library's possible need for loan.  (9/29/2010)
Mayor offers veiled threat to library board.  (10/27/2009; note comment.)

Troy Michigan Voters Wave Bye-Bye to Their Library

LINK

Link to November 3 MLive.com article, "Oakland County election results: Troy library millages go down..."

Excerpt: Voters in Troy on Tuesday rejected four separate millage proposals that would have saved the city's library, which is scheduled to close July 1, 2011.

The first proposal -- a 10-year, .9885-mill increase -- was rejected by fewer than 600 votes, with 51.13 percent of voters notching a "no," according to unofficial results from all 31 precincts provided by the Oakland County Clerk's Office.

Voters rejected the other three proposals by significant margins.

Related articles:
Giving voters more choices than they need.  (8/13/2010)
Library threatened with closure, part 2.  (5/19/2010)
Library threatened with closure, part 1.  (4/25/2010)

Fast Facts about Wisconsin Public Library Service 2009

Original version found here.

This version is included with hand-written congratulatory notes sent to Governor-elect Scott Walker, U.S.-Senator-elect Ron Johnson, and my new State Assembly rep, Brett Hulsey.

Time for the library community to reach out to all newly elected national and state officials and build a common agenda.

There Is Good News From Columbus, Ohio

LINK

Link to November 3 Columbus Dispatch article, "Columbus, Southwest libraries to reverse some cuts after voters OK levies".

Excerpt: With more than 90 percent of Franklin County precincts reporting, more than 66 percent of voters were approving a 2.8-mill property tax yesterday that Columbus Library officials say will restore operating hours, help buy new materials and expand literacy, jobs and children's programs.

And after seven failed attempts, Southwest Public Libraries persuaded 58 percent of voters in the Southwestern City School District to support its first-ever public funding.

"Obviously we're very pleased by how the community has come together to support the issue," said Pat Losinski, director of Columbus' 21-branch system. "Clearly this is a community that does love its library system."

The victory is the fifth successful levy effort in the library's history.

Related articles:
CML local level on November 2 ballot.  (10/11/2010)
CML levy campaign:  Keep our library strong.  (9/10/2010)
CML going to voters for renewal levy in November.  (1/30/2010)

$600,000 for Code Compliance is Cut from Brown County Public Library

Brown County Public Library

Link to November 3 Green Bay Press-Gazette article, "$600K for Brown County Library cut from Brown County budget.  Funds needed to bring infrastructure up to code, director says".

Excerpt: The $600,000 that the Library Board requested for an architectural design change that would fix what is broken or outdated and to redesign the facility has already been discarded by County Executive Tom Hinz and Board Chairman Guy Zima.

[snip]

Library Director Lynn Stainbrook said the cut is disappointing.

"The library has so many needs," she said. "It has code violation after code violation after code violation. I'm amazed we haven't had anybody with disability issues complain at this point. But we've done our due diligence and let them (supervisors) know. Now what are they going to do?"

Nearly 1 million people come into the Central Library every year, more than any other county-owned building, she said.

Stainbrook said much of the library's infrastructure — heating and ventilating, lighting, electrical wiring, elevators and windows — doesn't meet current code.

Congratulations to Ruth Ann Montgomery, Recipient of the 2010 WLA Frances de Usabel Outreach Services Award

LINK

Link to November 1 Janesville Gazette article, "Award recognizes Montgomery's efforts".

Excerpt: When area libraries started offering computer classes geared toward job-related skills two years ago, organizers found many of the laid-off auto industry workers had never used computers.

"They really needed the basic computer skills," said Ruth Ann Montgomery, director of the Arrowhead Library System, which coordinates and expands services at Rock County libraries.

The libraries since the late 1990s had offered computer classes, but when word hit that the area would be flooded with thousands of laid-off workers, Montgomery took action.

Her efforts secured federal grants and set up classes focused on job-related skills at each of Rock County's seven libraries. This year alone, more than 330 classes have been held serving 1,782 residents, she said.

Because of Montgomery's outreach efforts, she recently was named this year's recipient of the Frances de Usabel Outreach Services Award, which is presented annually by the Wisconsin Library Association's Outreach Services Round Table.

"Throughout her career, Ruth Ann has been this person who is connected and knows what is happening in the community," said Barbara Huntington, youth and special services consultant for Division for Library, Technology and Community Learning at Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. "She just exemplifies outreach."

Three Finalists Announced for Marathon County Public Library Director Position

LINK

Link to November 3 Wausau Daily Herald article.

Excerpt: Three Wisconsin residents made the final list of candidates vying to become the next director of the Marathon County Public Library, including one person already working in the county system.

The library's Board of Trustees met Monday to narrow from five to three the candidates seeking to replace retiring Director Phyllis Christensen.
The candidates are Walter Burkhalter of Burnett, Garrett Erickson of Weston and Ralph Illick Jr. of Sussex, in Waukesha County.

The new director of the Marathon County Public Library, or MCPL, will oversee a system with nine branches, a staff of about 50 people, and a budget of about $3.6 million in 2011.

The salary starts at $70,745, but the MCPL Board of Trustees could increase the starting pay depending on the new hire's experience. The benefits package costs the county about $34,000 more, said Frank Matel, director of the Marathon County Employee Resources Department.

Libraries Not the 'Silent, Somber' Places They Used to Be

This post is a bit of a mish-mash.

Published in 2002

but still frequently referenced

And in related news.....

(No tax for tracks?   What suburban dream?)

Link to Maureen Downey's October 20 'Get Schooled' column in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Turning up the volume in our lives. Everyone seems to be talking now, in the library, in class. Is quiet old school?"

Excerpt: The WSB-TV story about the mother being arrested in the Decatur library allegedly because she wouldn’t quiet her noisy toddler made me think about noise in schools and libraries. (BTW, having used that library many times and seen the tolerance toward boisterous children, I have to believe the library’s account that the police were called because of the woman’s loudness rather than the child’s.)

First off, libraries in general are louder than they used to be. As a young child, I was a regular at the library near my house and it was a silent, somber place where I checked out my “Harriet the Spy” books and fled home to read them.

Today, libraries are filled with parents and toddlers and there are bean bag chairs and little tables that invite kids to get comfy. The child-friendly nooks and crannies also invite noise because where they are children, there is noise.

In fact, I also see many more adults who talk in normal tones rather than the whispers in libraries. I am always shushing my own kids in the library while everyone else is talking as if they were in the food court of the mall.

It's not just libraries and schools.

Years ago, when people entered a church, they remained quiet until the start of the service.  They didn't open their mouths until the singing of the opening hymn.  Not to mention the fact that everyone dressed up.  Men and boys wore suits or sports jackets, with a tie (I was still in my clip-on phase back then), and women and girls would never be seen wearing slacks.  Most of the adults wore hats, although the men took their off upon entering the church.  (OK, I admit it; I'm seriously dating myself here.)

Nowadays there are generally pockets of conversation going on even through the organ prelude.  And the attire is decidedly casual, as if congregants were "in the food court of the mall".

Based on a 2002 report, Aggravating Circumstances: A Status Report on Rudeness in America, we don't seem to be inclined to change our ways.

Excerpt:  Lack of manners for Americans is not whether you confuse the salad fork for the dinner fork, said Deborah Wadsworth, Public Agenda president. It's about the daily assault of selfish, inconsiderate behavior that gets under their skin on the highways, in the office, on TV, in stores and the myriad other settings where they encounter fellow Americans.

Among the report's key findings were that:

• 79 percent of Americans say lack of respect and courtesy should be regarded as a serious national problem; only 19 percent say it should not be viewed as serious given other issues facing society;
• 73 percent believe Americans did treat one another with greater respect in the past; just 21 percent attributed those feelings to a false nostalgia for a past that never existed;
• 62 percent say that witnessing rude and disrespectful behavior bothers them a lot and 52 percent said the residue from such episodes lingers with them for some time afterwards;
• Six in 10 believe the problem is getting worse, and;
• 41 percent confess to having acted rude or disrespectful themselves.

Mom and Her 'Noisy' 14-Month-Old Toddler Booted from Library

Never an easy situation to deal with, but in this case, you'd think a 5-story library would include a space designed for family computer use.

Decatur Library

Part of the Dekalb (Georgia) Public Library

Link to October 20 WSB-TV story, "Mom Arrested After Toddler Makes 'Too Much Noise' In Library".

Excerpt: A local mother claims she was kicked out of a metro Atlanta library because her toddler was making too much noise.

Serita Foster said she was at the Decatur Library on Monday when her 14-month-old started making noise.

Library staff told her to quiet him down, which she said she did. But then a staffer asked her to leave anyway, Foster said.

When she questioned why, library security called Decatur police and officers escorted her out and arrested her, she said.

This is Very Cool: Missoula Public Library Maps Montana Books

LINK

Link to October 26 Missoulian article, "Missoula Public Library creates digital map for notable Montana books".

Excerpt: The library launches this week the Montana Authors Project, a literary map for Big Sky books. Other states and regions have recorded the geography of their literature, and project manager Karl Olson had noticed the online collections.

"So I thought that Montana certainly deserved to have an interactive map as well, since we have such a rich literary heritage," said Olson, a library assistant.

See the first phase of mapped books at www.missoulapubliclibrary.org/map . In a Montana Festival of the Book event Friday, the library shares the history of the project and demonstrates the map, which is a new way to experience Montana books as well as a digital tool that furthers one mission of the library.

Two Positions Open at UW-Green Bay Cofrin Library

LINK

LINK

LINK

'Sentiment Analysis': Sifting the Web for Public Opinion

12 'votes' apiece at Twitter Sentiment.  Hardly conclusive.

Link to November 1, 2010 New York Times article, "Nation’s Political Pulse, Taken Using Net Chatter".

Excerpt: He [John Hancock, political consultant advising the Roy Blunt Senate campaign] said this technique, known as sentiment analysis, would soon be a part of every campaign he works on, because it helps him determine quickly which messages are resonating with potential voters. “You get a real sense of who’s carrying the day,” he said. “It affects the advice you’re able to give.”

Online organizing techniques have been rapidly adopted by the political world, and they played an important role in President Obama’s victory in 2008. Now, campaigns and the news media are becoming convinced that the Internet can also be mined systematically for useful data about public opinion. The New York Times has a tool that monitors Twitter for posts about candidates.

The articles notes a couple of drawbacks:

Those who post their views online aren't a representative sample of the public.

Sentiment analysis has a 'tin ear' for detecting notes of sarcasm.

The New York Times covered this topic on 8/23/2009, Mining the Web for Feelings, Not Facts.

Manitowoc #2 on Forbes 'Best Small Cities to Raise a Family'

LINK

Other Wisconsin communities placing in the top 15.
5.  Marshfield
6.  Stevens Point
14.   Fond du Lac

Link to November 1 Sheboygan Press article, "Officials: Forbes ranking of Manitowoc as No. 2 small city to raise a family is beneficial".

Excerpt: The 126 cities that met the criteria then were ranked on commute time, percentage of adults age 25 and older who had at least a high school degree, median household income, the rate of home ownership and housing affordability. The report was released Oct. 25.

"This goes to show that we have a quality education structure — both public and private, K-12, University of Wisconsin-Manitowoc, (Lakeshore Technical College) and Silver Lake College — a pro-business attitude, a very clean and safe community with opportunities for families to improve their overall quality of life," said Mayor Justin Nickels.

Not to mention a great public library!

The Community Library and Its Little Engine That Could

Link to October 30 MyKenosha.com article, "Municipal pow-wow about library set for Nov 5".

Excerpt: Community Library Board President Ken Mangold (Ran-dall) attended the last Twin Lakes board meeting and along with Doug Baker, head of the Kenosha County Library System, averted an immediate dissolution of the Community Library.

The library was created with an intergovernmental agreement in the 1980s and recently the five member municipalities have taken action to update the agreement and provide more oversight than occurred in the past.

The five members are the town of Randall and Salem and the villages of Silver Lake, Paddock Lake and Twin Lakes. One complaint that both Twin Lakes and Randall had was that the lion's share of the money collected from all five municipalities found its way into the Salem building and they felt left out in the cold.

Twin Lakes and Randall joined forces and became the little engine that could and changed in the make-up of the board and Community Library leadership changed.

Community Library in the news:
Stakeholders agree to postpone to disagree.  (10/22/2010)
DWD Equal Rights Division:  No discrimination on Community Library case.  (10/18/2010)
Need for more space at Twin Lakes/Randall Branch of Community Library.  (8/23/2010)
More disagreements at Community Library.  (5/25/2010)
Maggie Rivals Dewey for Attention.  (5/24/2010)
Board Member Raises Objections to Library Cat.  (5/9/2010)
New Director Hired.  (4/20/2010)
A Library Board Appointment Not According to Hoyle.  (4/13/2010)
Former Library Director Sues for Wages after Firing.  (3/16/2010)
Position Announcement:  Library Executive Director, Community Library, Salem, Wisconsin.  (2/5/2010)
Former Director of Community Library: From Demotion to Dismissal. (1/29/2010)
 Community Library Board Member Wields Machete to Address $1,000 Deficit. (12/06/2009)
New Community Library Representative to Wilmot School Board. (11/11/2009)
Demoted director to fight for job. (10/30/2009)
Library Board confirms interim director. (10/27/2009)
Community Library Soap Opera Continues. (10/23/2009)
Community Library Update: "What we have here is...failure to communicate. (10/09/2009)
Community Library Board of Trustees: Riding Roughshod? (10/01/2009)
Library Board's "Positive Direction" Takes an Immediate Detour. (9/30/2009)
West county library group under fire. (1/29/2009)

Now Off Limits to Mr. Johnson

Link to October 14 TCPalm.com article, "Stuart man, 92, kicked out of libraries for advances on female librarians, deputies say".

Excerpt: Martin County library patron Herbert Johnson, 92, has been given a trespass warning to keep out of public libraries because he allegedly was making unwanted advances on female librarians.

A librarian at Blake Library complained that Johnson, of the 3400 block of Southeast Martinique Trace, Stuart, sent her inappropriate gifts and letters, which she refused or tore up, according to a sheriff’s report.

Then he allegedly left at the library’s front desk a letter “containing sexually explicit language stating what (he) wanted to do to” her, according a deputy’s report.