Highlights

"I've been walkin' in my sleep / Countin' troubles 'stead of countin' sheep"*

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0500

The other day I came across this on the NYTimes’ Well blog: “Walking for Miles in New York City” by Tara Parker-Pope. Years ago I heard a similar story on NPR about a woman somewhere (in the Midwest? maybe Minneapolis?) who was walking every street in her city.

The NPR story led me—also all those years ago—to check out ”Wanderlust: A History of Walking” by Rebecca Solnit from my local library. This NYTimes blog post reminds me that I never have read that book. I’ve checked it out then returned it unread a few times. It’s not just this book—there have been quite a few others that I serially check out and don’t read. I think I want to read them but then I’m not in the mood for them right then.

Have you ever done that? Or am I the only one?

Maybe you should read “Wanderlust” and confirm that I should read it?

If you are interested in books about walking, “The Lost Art of Walking: The History, Science, Philosophy, and Literature of Pedestrianism” by Geoff Nicholson looks fascinating, too. Or just search SUNCAT for the subject “Walking.”

*Lyrics from “Across the Great Divide” by Kate Wolf

Links I Love Friday

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0500

Daily Drop Cap, dailydropcap.com:* “The Daily Drop Cap is an ongoing project by typographer and illustrator Jessica Hische. Each day (or at least each WORK day), a new hand-crafted decorative initial cap will be posted for your enjoyment and for the beautification of blog posts everywhere.”

Remember I like fonts … a LOT. Even if you don’t like fonts too much, I think you’ll love this site.

heck it out!

You can become a fontaholic, too…

…if you’re lucky.

When I’ve mentioned fonts before, I’ve linked to searches for “Graphic Design” or “Type.” But, today’s a day for something completely different: a SUNCAT search for the subject “Lettering.”

*Seen on the blog, How About Orange.

_______________________________________

Tutorial Tuesday: DIY Paper Flowers on Creature Comforts: I can’t believe making paper flowers is so easy. Watch out, Martha Stewart!

I spent all last night making flowers from construction paper! … Could someone tell me what to do with a hundred paper flowers?

Interested in other paper crafts? Search SUNCAT for the subject “Paper work.”

_______________________________________

Vélocouture group on Flickr: Now that the weather is getting cooler, I’m considering trying to ride my bike to work again.

Ever wondered what to wear if you don’t have a place to change from biking clothes to working clothes? Take a look! Vélocouturists wear whatever they please!

Read up on bicycling with a SUNCAT search for the subject “Cycling.”

Be Your Own Tech Support

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0500

I just saw this post, “Web Work 101: Be Your Own Tech Support,” on Web Worker Daily. 10 things to check or do when you’re having problems with equipment.

I know this is information we’ve all heard many times, but it’s good advice that’s worth repeating! You might not be able to fix all your tech problems yourself, but when you call tech support and are asked, “Did you try rebooting? Did you check your cables?,” you can say, “Yes. Yes, I did!”

You might also impress your friends and family with your “knowledge.” Although my husband is quite knowledgeable about technology, he was puzzling over how to fix a problem he had noticed with some equipment. I chimed in, “Did you try rebooting it yet?” And no, no he hadn’t.

"Kindle, Price War Changing the Way We Read" from PBS's NewsHour

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0500

"Kindle, Price War Changing the Way We Read" from PBS's NewsHour:

Did you see this story on Monday’s NewsHour?

I agree with the woman filmed in a bookstore who said, “It’s the whole experience of going to the bookstore, reading the reviews, reading the backs of the book, being in a bookstore, and then buying the book, and having the book, and cuddling up in bed and reading the book.”

But, I also agree with the critic from “Time” who said, “It’s great when anybody reads anything anywhere. And e-readers create this great new retail channel for selling books, because you can buy them — buy books impulsively wherever you are, just download them wirelessly. And that’s fantastic.”

Library Journal’s latest cover story is about this same topic: “The Future of Reading.”

What do you think a book is?
Do e-books and paper books offer the same experience?
Is reading anything a good thing?

In the Cards

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0500

When was the last time you saw a card from a library’s card catalog?
Or maybe you don’t even remember that libraries had card catalogs?

I work in libraries, and I haven’t seen a catalog card in years!

The University of South Carolina’s library is celebrating their old cards with a “What Can You Make with Catalog Cards” contest: www.sc.edu/library/inthecards.html, .

I know I could make a very heavy paper airplane. What about you?

Source: LISNews.org

This month is NaBloPoEvWoDaMo.

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:26:03 -0500

I already talked about NaNoWriMo, which started yesterday. But, have you heard about NaBloPoMo and NaBloWriMo (National Blog Posting Month and National Blog Writing Month)?

Each site encourages posting to your blog every day for a month. I can’t post here every day for a couple of reasons. The most important one is that I would have had to post yesterday, which I obviously didn’t. So, in the spirit of NaBlo[Po/Wri]Mo, I’m creating NaBloPoEvWoDaMo, National Blog Posting Every Workday Month.

Why? Hey, why not!
Will I post every workday? Can I really do it? Wait and see!

(In my favor is the fact that November has 3 holidays: Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving, and the day after Thanksgiving.)

If you’d like to find out more about blogging, search SUNCAT for the subject “Blogs.”

Links I Love Friday

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:00:00 -0400

It’s a Halloween themed Links I Love Friday!

“Top 10 Ghostwritten Books” by Scott Laming on AbeBooks.com:

The “one reclusive mythical creature that particularly sparks fear in literary hearts - the ghostwriter.”

How do you feel about ghostwritten books?
I feel tricked when I discover someone prominent hasn’t written the book he or she claimed to have written. (On second thought, can I have a ghostwriter write my NaNoWriMo novel?)

The library owns 2 of the top 10:

“The Player on the Other Side” by Ellery Queen (ghosted by Theodore Sturgeon)
”Tiger of the Snows” by Tenzing Norgay (ghosted by James Ramsey Ullman)

_____________________________

Thrill the World / Learn the Dance, www.thrilltheworld.com/learn:

“Thrill The World is an annual worldwide simultaneous dance of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller.’”

I’ve never participated in one of the Thrill the World events, and since I’m not much of a joiner, I don’t think I ever will. But, I’ve wanted to learn the Thriller dance for years. This page is just what I need.

________________________________

Allen County Public Library commercial (featuring zombies!) on YouTube:

I love this commercial any time, but it’s perfect for Halloween!

"Time is on my side, yes it is"*

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:16:48 -0400

This Sunday (Nov. 1) it’s time to change the clocks: Spring forward. Fall back.

I’ve written about the reasons for the time changes before, but I have a new link to direct you to this time: “Saving Time, Saving Energy” on NationalAtlas.gov.

If you’re really interested in the history and reasons for the time change, search SUNCAT for the subject “Daylight Saving.” You’ll come across these 2 books:

*Please imagine me singing this song, and please imagine I sound good.

Michael Chabon on last night's news

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:10:17 -0400

Michael Chabon was interviewed about his newest book on last night’s NewsHour: “Monday on the NewsHour: Michael Chabon.”

After the interview, my husband said, “I like him. I want to read everything he’s written.” I agree. What a great interview!

If you feel the same, search SUNCAT for his name as an author: “Chabon, Michael.”

Links I Love Friday

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:54:44 -0400

National Novel Writing Month: November 1st-30th, Thirty days and nights of literary abandon! www.nanowrimo.org:

Ever thought about writing a novel? November is your chance to try along with more than 100,000 other writers.

“Valuing enthusiasm and perseverance over painstaking craft, NaNoWriMo is a novel-writing program for everyone who has thought fleetingly about writing a novel but has been scared away by the time and effort involved.

Because of the limited writing window, the ONLY thing that matters in NaNoWriMo is output. It’s all about quantity, not quality. The kamikaze approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly.” (What Is NaNoWriMo? page)

I’ve signed up in previous years but never completed. In fact, my word count was pitiful. But, this could be my year! Are you going to join me?

Need inspiration? Search SUNCAT for “Fiction—Authorship.”

_______________________________________________________

“The Virtue Of Hitting ‘Delete,’ Permanently” on NPR’s Talk of the Nation:*

What happens if almost everything you’ve ever done is available somewhere online? ”Remember that embarrassing picture you posted on Facebook 10 years ago? Your teenage DUI arrest?…Today, we consider the consequences of indelible, perfect searchable memory and hear an argument to reintroduce our ability to forget.” (transcript of the broadcast)

I wonder about such things. If you do, too, have a listen or read the transcript.

*Seen on LISNews.org.

Science: Looking out and in

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:49:06 -0400

I’m almost always fascinated by news of the work of “hard” scientists. How do they make discoveries and breakthroughs? “How do they do that?” I wonder, don’t you?

Yesterday I watched a fascinating report on the NewsHour by Climate Central about a project in Greenland: “Drilling Back to the Future: Climate Cues from Ancient Ice in Greenland.” And this morning, I saw on CNN that 32 new planets have been found: “32 New Planets Found Outside Our Solar System.”

One group of scientists was looking out from our Earth and the other in. Either way, how do they do that?

If you want to start to learn more about either topic, try searching for the subjects “Glacial epoch” and “Outer space exploration” in SUNCAT. And, if you’re intrigued by how scientists get started doing what they do, too, search for “Science—vocational guidance.”

Links I Love Friday

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:00:00 -0400

“Best Free Reference Web Sites 2009, Eleventh Annual List, RUSA Machine-Assisted Reference Section”:* (Whew, that’s a long title!)

It’s a yearly list of outstanding reference web sites. If you like these sites, you might want to take a look at the combined list for 1999-2008.

If I had to pick one favorite from the list, it would be UrbanRail.Net, but then again I also like this book.

*You suggested this site. Thank You!

___________________________________

“The Top 50 Proprietary Programs that Drive You Crazy and Their Open Source Alternatives” on Web Hosting Database:*

These may not be the best choices for everyone, but it’s seldom bad to learn about all your options.

*Seen during a workshop presented by the librarian behind web2learning.net.

___________________________________

“Libraries and Readers Wade into Digital Learning” by Motoko Rich on NYTimes.com:

You2 sent me this—thanks, You2, who know who you are!—because I’m involved with the Sarasota County Libraries’ downloadable audiobooks project.

I think I’ll always love (and prefer) books on paper, but digital formats have their charms, too.

As the article says, “The idea is to capture borrowers who might not otherwise use the library, as well as to give existing customers the opportunity to try new formats.”

If you haven’t tried our downloadable audibooks, why not?
Visit ecat.lib.overdrive.com and give it a try!

Sarasota County Libraries eCAT via kwout

_______________________________________

Yes, it’s a very special “Links I Love Friday” with not the usual three but four, count ‘em four, links.

“Kramer’s Entrance,” on YouTube:*

*Seen here on axinomancy.tumblr.com.

If you liked “Seinfeld,” too, try searching SUNCAT for the title “Seinfeld.”

Ask a Librarian's Director's Chair Video Contest

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:55:54 -0400

Ask a Librarian's Director's Chair Video Contest:

Calling all Florida HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS!

The Ask a Librarian Director’s Chair Video contest is seeking entries. If you’re a budding director or know someone who is, let them know!

Links I Love Friday

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:52:09 -0400

Craft in America, website for the PBS series:

My husband saw this series in the television schedule on Wednesday night and made me watch. What a great series!

I just put the companion book on hold, but I’ll let you have first dibs on the DVD of the first season.

____________________________________________

Read.gov Explore New worlds. Read.

“The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress invites people of all ages to discover the fascinating people, places and events that await you whenever you read.”

Read my colleague’s description of Read.gov on Sclibs E-Gov.

____________________________________________

“What Are You Reading on the Subway? The Results” from NYTimes.com:

Of course, we don’t have a subway here, but don’t you love articles all about what people are reading? (I’m very nosy in general and like to know what other people are doing/reading/thinking.)

What do you read on your commute?
If you’re the driver, do you listen to audiobooks?
If you’re a rider, do you read books, magazines or newspapers?

On my bus trip to work, I often read a newspaper. On the trip home, I usually read a book. My current bus book is “Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture” by Ellen Ruppel Shell. I’ve seen several fellow passengers reading mysteries. My previous bus book was a spy thriller, “The Increment” by David Ignatius.

National Book Foundation, Presenter of the National Book Awards

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:59:22 -0400

National Book Foundation, Presenter of the National Book Awards:

October is National Book Month.

I think every month should be book month, but October may deserve the honor since the National Book Award finalists will be announced on October 13.

You can vote for The Best of the National Book Awards Fiction on the National Book Foundation site.

I voted for “The Collected Stories of William Faulkner.” Which of the six would you vote for?

New Library Hours

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 15:39:34 -0400

New Library Hours:

Library hours change on Monday, Oct. 5.

Links I Love Friday

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:54:07 -0400

Today I offer a themed Links I Love Friday: all the links relate to movies.

I’m surprised I’ve never had a movie theme before. Thanks to my spouse, I watch a lot of movies. Repeated screenings of The Godfather Trilogy and movies that prominently feature airplanes* are especially popular at my house, but I digress. Now on to the links!

___________________________________

“How Netflix gets your movies to your mailbox so fast,” by Christopher Borrelli from ChicagoTribune.com:**

I thought it would be completely automated, but it’s not.

Learning how Netflix does this is like staring through the glass window at Krispy Kreme and seeing how the doughnuts are made.

**Seen on axinomancy.tumblr.com.

___________________________________

This next site includes strong language within some reviews and especially in its comments. Please don’t click through if you think you might be offended.

The Hunt For The Worst Movie Of All Time on Videogum via kwout:

“After watching Death Sentence, a terrible movie starring Kevin Bacon as a father in search of vigilante justice directed by Saw’s James Wan, Gabe embarked on The Hunt For The Worst Movie of All Time. This is his sad journey.”

How do I go about getting Gabe’s job?

___________________________________

Rotten Tomatoes’ Best Reviewed Movies of All Time:

Really bad movies can be fun to watch, but I can only take so many at a time.

Is your favorite movie on this list?

(You know “The Godfather” is on it.)

___________________________________

*If you like movies with airplanes, the documentary “One Six Right: The Romance of Flying” is interesting and beautifully shot.

Worst of the Worst? Or Best of the Worst?

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 10:56:53 -0400

I came across Rotten Tomatoes’ “Worst of the Worst: Counting down the worst reviewed movies of the last ten years” guide last night.

Since one man’s trash is another man’s treasure and I think really bad movies are sometimes good because they are so bad,* I’ve searched SUNCAT for titles from the bottom 20 worst movies.

The library doesn’t own all of the bottom…er….top….20 worst movies. I can’t decide if that’s good or bad. Enjoy?:

20. Crossover
18. The Master of Disguise
17. Twisted
16. Daddy Day Camp
13. Constellation
11. Merci Docteur Rey
10. Witless Protection
9. Redline
6. Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2
5. National Lampoon’s Gold Diggers
3. Pinocchio(Roberto Benigni version)
2. One Missed Call

_____________________________

*Consider the case of ”Plan 9 from Outer Space.”

The National Parks

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:25:19 -0400

Are you watching “The National Parks” on PBS?

I’ll admit that I’m waiting for the re-running of it, but I’m currently enjoying the extensive companion website: http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/.

You can also search SUNCAT for more information on our national parks:

Search by subject for “National Parks and Reserves—[insert state name here]” or search for the name of a particular park as the subject. For instance, “National Parks and Reserves—Wyoming” and “Yellowstone National Park.”

Links I Love Friday

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:55:49 -0400

The Top 100 Web Sites of 2009 from PC Magazine:*

Some of these sites you probably already know, but I found many I’d never heard of….maybe you will, too.

*Seen on Librarian in Black Blog.

_________________________

Awkward Family Photos.com - Spreading the Awkwardness:

Who hasn’t been the subject of family photos just as awkward as these? It’s like peeking inside my own family’s photo albums!

This one is from the list of Top 100, but I didn’t want you to miss it. I think it’s just replaced LOLcats as my daily obsession.

And so you never again take a photo that could qualify for AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com, search SUNCAT for the subject “Photography of families —Amateurs’ manuals.”

_________________________

“Got a Burning Question? Ask the Net” by David Pogue on NYTimes.com:*

Do you use the Internet to find answers to your questions?
Googling questions or using a service like answers.yahoo.com?

I’ll admit I do that, too, but hey, why aren’t we—especially me!—using Ask a Librarian?

It rather stings that the article’s author didn’t even mention the library as the place for answers to all your burning questions.

*The Library Link of the Day on Sept. 14, 2009.