1. What is the name for the law which states that “If there is a wrong way to do something, then someone will do it” or “If anything can go wrong, it will”?
2. Which British poet wrote: “A thing of beauty is a joy for ever”? Was it Keats, Shelley or Gray?
3. What was Shakespeare referring to in “Othello” when he wrote: “It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on”?
4. Fill the gap in this quotation from a 1918 speech by David Lloyd George; “What is our task? To make Britain a fit country for…what?…to live in”.
5. Which British conductor said “The English may not like music – but they absolutely love the noise it makes”?
6. In the 1933 film “I’m No Angel”, which actress said “Beulah, peel me a grape”?
7. Complete this quotation from Kingsley Amis’s “Lucky Jim”, about someone recovering from a hangover: “He resolved, having done it once, never to move his…what?…again”.
8. Which French author wrote “L’Enfer, c’est les Autres” (Hell is other people)?
9. Which British prime minister was Peter Cook impersonating in “Beyond the Fringe” in 1961 when he said “We exchanged many frank words in our respective languages”?
10. Which American said: “A good newspaper…is a nation talking to itself”?

Find the answers here.

The advantages are obvious. If you have exclusive distribution rights to content then you can charge whatever you want. You have no competitive pressures or market forces that would set the price at its real value to customers. The exclusivity question is not specific to ‘for-profit’ or ‘non-profit’ library vendors. Some of the most prominent ‘non-profits’ in the world of reference publishing are some of the leading examples of businesses that employ exclusivity to their business advantage.

So why would Credo Reference make the conscious choice to eschew exclusivity in any of our content provider relationships? We are unabashedly a ‘for-profit’ company. But we are also a ‘for libraries’ company. And a ‘for employees’ company. And a ‘for learners’ company.

Our board of directors has always been very clear that building a really great company is analogous to creating a thriving ecology. An ecology is healthy if all constituents experience themselves as well-served by their participation. So if we were to seek and then depend on exclusive relationships to obtain important content, we would be creating a significant imbalance between what we’d charge for that content and its real value to customers.

Credo would rather obtain content on a non-exclusive basis. A non-exclusive relationship is basically a statement that we expect the content provider will have other approaches in their markets – and that may include library markets. We seek to provide excellent returns for our publishers—but if they can get better returns by including others in their distribution plans why shouldn’t they? By not obtaining exclusive agreements, Credo  indicates to our library customers that we’re not paying huge extra prices for the content we provide them and therefore can provide both content and functionality at a much better value.

This idea of a company being an ecology in which each constituent is served in a balanced way is not unique in the business world. But it does give us unique guidance on how we approach things like exclusivity in content relationships. We’ve also found that it resonates well with many experts in reference librarianship. We’ve heard from many reference experts about how libraries should be able to get the reference titles they need on the platform of their choice. Exclusivity agreements for content would be a direct contradiction of this vision.

The centerpiece of our company’s innovation is the platform on which we deliver reference content. We are sufficiently confident that we have done and will continue to do an excellent job on our interface that we don’t need to shore it up artificially with exclusivity arrangements. Ironically, by not seeking exclusive content relationships we may end up with publishers preferring to have their content on Credo. We’ll be glad for that vote of confidence, but it won’t be something that we seek to artificially prop up with exclusive content agreements.

John Dove

1. James Boswell is best known for his “Life” of which person?

2. “The Greatest” was the 1975 autobiography of which world-champion boxer?

3. Virginia Woolf’s “Flush” was a biography of what sort of animal owned by Elizabeth Barrett Browning?

4. Complete this verse by Edmund Clerihew Bentley:
The Art of Biography
Is different from Geography.
Geography is about Maps
But Biography is about…

5. Who wrote biographies of J. R. R. Tolkien, W. H. Auden and Benjamin Britten, as well as books called “The Inklings” and “Geniuses Together”?

6. “Brother Ray” is the autobiography of which American singer, written with David Ritz?

7. How did Lytton Strachey describe four Victorians in the title of his 1918 book of short biographies of them?

8. Who wrote the autobiographical novel “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man,” extracted from a work called “Stephen Hero”?

9. Charles Laughton starred in a 1933 film about “The Private Life” of which English king?

10. Anne Stevenson’s “Bitter Fame” is a notoriously controversial biography of which of her close contemporaries?

Find the answers here.

From Anne Kail, UK Sales Director:

Why am I never reading Tolstoy or Proust or Ibsen when asked ‘what are you reading?’  Here in the Oxford office it’s our busiest time of the year, so a bit of light-hearted escapism is what’s required.

Starting Over

Dilemma: you can see I’m too much of a literary pseud to be seen curled up with chick lit (or admit it here).  Solution: chick lit written by a chap wouldn’t be chick lit, would it?

Nick Hornby and Tony Parsons to the rescue! Absolutely ripped through Nick Hornby’s “Juliet, Naked.” It’s about a handful of guys obsessed with a long-retired rock star who wants nothing to do with them.  It doesn’t have the laugh-out-loud lines that I found in “Fever Pitch” and “High Fidelity,” but every so often you want to read bits out loud to whoever is nearby.  Oh…  that’s just me, then?

Have nearly finished Tony Parsons’ “Starting Over.” It deals with cellular memory syndrome (see, hardly chick lit!). George is in his 40’s, steady job, married with two children; he has a heart attack, gets the heart of a 19 year-old, and starts behaving like a teenager and loses the lot. A real page-turner. How will it end!?

(Note to self: I will definitely read “War and Peace” sometime soon.)

From John G. Dove, Credo President:

Lemprières Dictionary

I am reading “Lemprière’s Dictionary” by Lawrence Norfolk.   It was suggested to me by the librarian of the Houses of Parliament (who is getting her PhD on the characteristics of subject encyclopedias).   This historical novel is a Dan Brown like thriller which has at its center the famous lexicographer of mythology who grew up on the island of Jersey.

Could there be a more perfect novel for me to get lost in?

From Heather Blaine, Sales Marketing Manager:

As I wrote about here, I am in the midst of reading “This Book is Overdue” by Marilyn Johnson. I’m further along and really enjoying all the different stories and examples of what leading-edge librarians are doing and have done in the past few years. The book is organized thematically by chapter and I’ve just finished the chapter on “Blogging Librarians” so now my list of blogs to follow has doubled!

The Sea of Monsters

In addition, I’ve started the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series – I’m now on book two, “The Sea of Monsters.” I really enjoyed the Harry Potter series and I LOVED studying Greek Mythology in school so when someone recommended these books to me I thought, why not? Well, I’m pretty well hooked. I think Rick Riordan has done a great job of creating a compelling story that is relatable in today’s world but which is also sneakily educational at the same time.

So, now you’ve had some insight into our reading habits at Credo Reference. What would you suggest we read next?

From Al Stevens, CTO:

The Invention of Air

“The Invention of Air” by Steven Johnson, a fascinating account of the life of the English scientist and philosopher Joseph Priestley. His religious and political views forced him to flee England and then nearly landed him in prison in the US.  Besides discovering oxygen, he helped found Unitarianism, invented soda water and influenced the thinking of George Washington, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

From Lisa Hill, Senior Library Relations Specialist:
I’ve recently become immersed in the Karla-Smiley espionage trilogy from author John Le Carre.  Begun in 1974 the series takes place during the heart of the Cold War and pits British Intelligence chief George Smiley against his Russian counterpart known as Karla.  I’ve just finished “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy,” which dealt with the hunt for a Russian mole within British intelligence.  I’m now nearing the finish of “The Honourable Schoolboy” which has George Smiley and his men following Karla’s tracks in Southeast Asia.  “Smiley’s People” ends the trilogy, but I haven’t gotten there yet.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

I’m enjoying the series because it doesn’t follow the standard ‘espionage novel’ template and doesn’t read like a Hollywood movie.  Le Carre takes time to develop the characters, flaws and all, so that the reader receives a fully fleshed glimpse of the spy trade.  I’ve missed my train stop on more than one occasion.  Read “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” and you too can be late for work!

From Nancy King, Product Manager:

Pedaling Revolution

I’m reading “Pedaling Revolution” by Jeff Mapes.

Why am I reading it? Well, I’m desperately hoping for an early spring so that I can get back on my bike and off the subway. It’s an interesting read about bike-friendly cities and how they’re creating a place for cyclists on city streets. If only Boston were more like Amsterdam or even Portland, Oregon… Next up is another transportation-related book – “Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us)”
But, wait, there’s more…our next installment will include dictionaries, heart transplants, librarians and Greek gods!

To celebrate, here’s a brainteaser about the National Gallery and some of its pictures.

The Hay Wain

1. In 1821, who painted “The Hay Wain”, which is in the National Gallery.

2. The National Gallery has a painting called “Sunflowers” – one of several of this subject produced in 1888 by which artist?

3. In which London square is the National Gallery?

4. Who famously painted water-lilies at his garden at Giverny?

5. When an extension was proposed to the National Gallery, Charles, Prince of Wales, described it as putting “on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend” a monstrous…what?

6. What kind of animal was “Whistlejacket”, painted by Stubbs in about 1762?

7. “Marriage A-la-Mode” was a series of satirical engravings about the upper echelons of society made by which artist?

8. Was the picture called “Les Grandes Baigneuses” painted by Manet, Cezanne or Seurat?

9. Which ship, tugged to her last berth in 1838 and painted by J. M. W. Turner, was the subject of the picture voted “The Greatest Painting in Britain”?

10. An 18th-century portrait of “Mr and Mrs Andrews” is the masterpiece of which artist’s early years?

Find the answers here.

Martin Palmer opened the seminar with an excellent account of how Essex Libraries explored and responded to the changing technologies and demands for e-books in the library environment, from the very early days to the huge and growing success that they now are at Essex Libraries.

Though Credo Reference is not an e-book platform, Anne Kail nevertheless found a theme that resonated.  Mindful that in these tough financial times usage and promotion are even more pressing than ever for librarians, Anne showed how Credo’s new Topic Pages tackle both those challenges and demonstrated how the library’s own e-books can be featured on the Credo page.

The event was wrapped up nicely with Tony White’s talk “E-publishing – a writer’s perspective” which he closed with a reading from one of his short stories – check it out at www.artistsebooks.org

Swiss Cottage Library

Some of you will know (or can find it in Brewers’ on Credo Reference) that Swiss Cottage refers not only to the library and the local area but originally to the ‘public house built in the style of a Swiss chalet. The original version was erected on the site of a former tollgate keeper’s cottage in 1803.  Today’s Swiss Cottage Library (pictured) is a branch library of Camden Libraries who are long time subscribers to Credo Reference.

The book's fantastic cover art

Last week I had the chance to attend a reading here in Boston by Marylin Johnson, author of “This Book Is Overdue,” which I have just started reading. I was excited for the opportunity to learn about her process and experiences while researching and writing the book.

In introducing the book, she started out by describing it as her “love letter to Librarians;” there were many librarians in the audience and I got the sense that they really appreciated the sentiment!

Of course one of the very first questions from the group was why she chose to write a book about librarians. In answer, she talked about her last book, “The Dead Beat” and her opinion that the most interesting obituaries she read while researching it were of Librarians so she decided they deserved a book of their own.

She described some of her experiences in researching the book – including attending library conferences such as ALA. Hearing the conference described from her perspective as a total outsider made many of the conference veterans in the audience chuckle, myself included.

Johnson talked a lot about the various librarians she met while doing her research and one theme that came across quite strongly was her sense of librarians’ fierce commitment, as a professional group, to enable access to information to anyone who needs it; so this rant by a blogger for the Huffington Post struck a chord with me. A rather off-key chord based on Johnson’s description and my own experiences with members of the profession. I understand where he’s coming from, but I think he doesn’t understand libraries and librarians and how they operate with a different mission than a business.

After the event was done she stayed and signed books for many of us. I waited in line to say hello and thank her though she couldn’t really sign my book – I have the Kindle version.  She did offer to sign my Kindle, or a sticky note to put ON my Kindle, but it’s not quite the same.

I’m not far enough along in the book to offer any kind of review just yet, but I promise one will follow once I’ve finished. What I’ll say for now is that I am finding “This Book is Overdue” to be a fascinating read with stories that range from funny to sad to inspiring to infuriating. Stay tuned…and if you’re reading the book, please let me know what you think.

Salon.com recently posted an interview with Johnson, you can find it here.

The Winter Olympic Games are taking place in Vancouver this year. Can you answer these questions about the Winter Olympics?

1. How often are the Winter Olympic Games held?

2. Which British pair of skaters won the Olympic ice-dance title in 1984?

3. Which sport, included for the first time at the Winter Olympics in 1998, involves riding across snow standing on a wide single ski resembling a small surf board?

4. The IOC is responsible for the summer and winter Olympics. What does the abbreviation “IOC” stand for?

5. Were the Winter Olympic Games first held in 1904, 1914 or 1924?

6. Where were the Winter Olympic Games held in 1984?

7. The luge was introduced into the Winter Olympics in 1964. “Luge” is French for what?

8. Name one of the three places where the Winter Olympics have been held twice.

9. How many people are there in a team at curling, a winter Olympic sport?

10. Which skier, known as “Le Superman” in his native France, won three gold medals in Alpine ski events at Grenoble in 1968?

Duart da Silva addressing the assembled crowd

There was a terrific, lively atmosphere at the Credo reception to celebrate the inclusion of the National Gallery images in the Credo Reference collection.

Perhaps the secret was the brevity of the speeches allowing our guests maximum time for mingling and enjoying the excellent food and drink:

Westminster Councilor Edward Argar lent an appropriate touch of gravitas to the proceedings and set the pace and a light-hearted tone with his brief remarks.

Louise Rice of the National Gallery gave us a witty whistle stop tour of the Gallery’s contents and its history, egalitarian from its beginning in the early C19 to today’s free public access to one of the world’s greatest collections of Western European painting.

Credo’s John Dove took up the baton and showed how the Gallery’s images would enhance the Credo search results, and Anne Kail crossed the finishing line with a preview of Credo’s exciting new Topic Pages, set to launch later in the year.

Or perhaps the lively hubbub of conversation that then followed over those excellent canapés and wine was down to the eclectic mix of Credo subscribers who came along – university and public librarians rubbed shoulders with newspapers, art editors, art publishers and professional institutions.

The inclusion of this prestigious collection is generating some excitement: “Credo’s Got My Attention, Again!” (From a recent Library Journal eViews column http://www.libraryjournal.com/blog/1100000310/post/730052273.html)

The Westminster Reference Library is right next door to the National Gallery so we were delighted when they offered to host our reception.  Our thanks go to the team who were there on the night and who all ensured that everything went so smoothly and enjoyably: Rossella Black, Alexandra Buccholz, Peter Collins, Owen Grey and last but by absolutely no means least, Duart da Silva who was a superb ‘master of ceremonies’ (pictured above).

View of the National Gallery