Library Link of the Day

I've subscribed to Library Link for some time now. It usually brings me something interesting, like today from yesterday's Wired blog: Google settles BookScan lawsuit: Everybody Wins! http://blog.wired.com/business/2008/10/google-settles.html
Google has settled the three year old lawsuit for $125 million dollars. They will pay publishers and authors for any books they scan that are currently out of print, but still under copyright. The article notes that these are books that probably never will be reprinted anyway. And they are establishing a non-profit Book Rights Registry to manage the royalties. "Publishers now have the option of activating a Buy Now button for readers to download a copy of the book. Google will take a 37% share of the profits, and the remaining 63% will go to authors and publishers." It goes on to state "Universities and institutions can also buy a subscription service for unlimited viewing of the entire collection, and U.S. public libraries will have terminals for students and researchers to view the catalog for free."

I LOVE the fact that Google worked this out so that everybody wins. Sure, there are going to be quibbles about different issues - but the larger picture is that less information will be lost and the people of the entire world benefit because they can all have ACCESS. It's not often you can make that statement and not sound goofy.

Del.icio.us

Love Delicious! Reviewing back over my account, it looks like I've had it open since Sept 2007. I took today's opportunity to add a few more sites. The problem is, of course, once I get into it - it takes me hours to get out. My discipline is not that good. Probably it should have some type of timer you can put on it for self-control purposes.

Techno-paganism and the concept of Twitter

From the Urban Dictionary: "Techno-pagan - Someone who blends modern technology with their pagan or witchcraft practice. Alternately, someone with a pagan spirituality who believes that mechanical and electronic devices, such as cars and computers, have a spirit or soul of their own."

As with all discussions I have on religion, this is tongue-in-cheek. I don't want to get into any in-depth discussions on personal religious belief. It's a good way to make enemies, or expose oneself to public prayer sessions - both of which I'd like to avoid.

I've begun to consider myself a techno-pagan, perhaps through default, more than a participating member of any established religion. (Yes, lapsed Catholic - thank you) Consider - Every day of the week, I seat myself at the altar of techno-paganism - the desktop or laptop computer. I place my hands in the approved position (for the qwerty keyboard) and I begin to make my obeisance to my daily email. I have clipped my divine token to the front of my outfit (Vocera) so that all participants may reach me throughout my work day. And the ear plug cord (to hear its secrets better) is wrapped around my neck. Like all religious tokens they never match what you're wearing - they are all black. Black, according to Color Wheel Pro is associated with power, elegance, formality, death, evil, and mystery. Hmm...how appropriate. And you know, it speaks to me, too. And in different genders. When I touch it's magic button it announces its presence in sepulchral tones. Of course, often it doesn't understand me, but then I'm a mystery to my husband, too.

But! are technological gadgets and appliances even alive? you ask. Doesn't matter. We treat them as if they were. How many of us have prayed and waived our arms, or cursed the machine we hold, if it skips a beat (is that 25 page report due tomorrow - Lost? Oh, MY god!) or just up and quits? And after Columbus' windstorm and subsequent power outage a few weeks ago, people were haunting my branch looking for power outlets to recharge their phones, the UPS', their laptops, etc. And it wasn't reverently. These people were on the edge. I bet they weren't half as worried about feeding themselves or their children.

So what does this have to do with Twitter? I signed up yesterday, and read over some of the 'tweet's of Columbus, Ohio participants - and frankly, I wasn't impressed. Much of it was totally inane, feeding the pagan god even if it means nothing. And a lot of it was being used as advertising, read evangelizing (as if we need much more of that) Even Barack Obama's twitter site was blatant self promotion - and I bet he's not even typing it. Really, I don't care to tell the world or even my best friends every move I'm making. Let them have a little mystery in their life. I really don't care what they're doing either. Maybe when I was sixteen, and I had a crush on some guy - then I really cared what he was doing every second of every day ( picking out my socks now. think I'll wear the blue ones - Oh, baby!) But now, there's already too much information in my life. What I'd really like is a little down time: 'no phone, no lights, no motor cars' to quote an old tv theme song - guess which one.

Final analysis: For some people I can see that this would be a great deal of fun, even an obsession. I can see that it might be used on a larger scale, but I think there are better venues. OH, and if you really want to 'tweet' me and prove me wrong or misguided, I'm at twitter.com/replogle.

I was afraid of this....Library Thing

For several years now, in my wanderings around the web, I have found many, many references to how cool Library Thing was. I was afraid to explore it, because...and let's be honest...I love books! I love books and reading in ways I sometimes think aren't normal. You don't think I became a librarian because I was in love with sensible shoes, do you? No, it was because I would be surrounded by books, and (having a key to the building) I would never, ever be without something to read.

I also love the look, feel and smell of books, and could be considered being just this side of a bibliomaniac. I don't even attend Friends of the Library booksales anymore, because of that certain corner of my house that is filled with bookshelves and stacked with books. And the wall-to-wall bookcase in my bedroom that's full, and the pile of books next to my bed, and next to the couch, and under the windowseat in the kitchen... I've given up trying to keep up with reading the professional book reviews because I've got reading lists pages long already, and my reserve que for my library card is full, and I'm at my library card limit, too. Oh, and did I mention the books on cd in my car?

So one can list one's books on Library Thing, which is great for people who like lists - but better yet - it groups books by subject by tags! Heaven on earth! So when I enter one of my all time favorite books - Pride and Prejudice - it gives me other books I might like to try also. Like books about Mr. Darcy - ooooh; or what happened after they were married - haven't you always wondered? And on, and on, and on....

So now Library Thing will help feed my obsession, and my poor husband and daughter will have to arrange some type of intercession to bring me back to the real world.

Generator

I always like to look for something fun but practical. I found it in the Interactive Tartan Weaver at the House of Tartan. One can create a tartan using different colors, numbers of threads, and types of fabrics. And once you've produced it, you can also order to have it made into something right there on line. How cool is that? See my choices? What do you think: a scarf, a skirt, or a cape?

Conjugate Blog: I blog, you blog, s/he blogs....

Ok, a quick and dirty search on the Internet tells me that common knowledge says the word 'blog' came from shortening the words 'web log'. (Hey, I really didn't know that!) Hmmm. I don't suppose you wouldn't be surprised to know that in the many blogs I've scanned, very few are interesting or readable. Some are down right strange and weird. I can say that I've enjoyed reading the group of blogs for this Learn & Play exercise. Perhaps because these bloggers are my immediate contemporaries - we've sat through many of the same training workshops and meetings, I suppose. Brothers/Sisters-in-Arms as it where.

I've been reading library-related blogs for quite a while, or at least since it's become such a sensation. I read them mostly to try to stay in touch with the evolution of the library concept, or at least to try and understand where this institution may be going. I've been in the library field for a long time, and I started my career in a small town library under the tutelage of a woman who was a fantastic, dedicated librarian - Marie Knudson. She knew her collection inside-out, upside down and sideways. When the introduction of the Internet created such an explosive impact on traditional library work, I didn't want to be left behind.

I particularly like to read the blogs that don't agree with common thought. The Annoyed Librarian has been entertaining and thought provoking. Not surprising that the AL has been asked by Library Journal to become one of their professional bloggers, and only their lawyers know who s/he may be. The AL promises not to give in to The Man! now that she has become part of the corporation. I regularly follow the Free Range Librarian and the Shifted Librarian, and a handful of others.

But you know, what I find more entertaining and interesting really is PubLib postings. Discussion is more off-the-cuff, and any subject at all can come up and often does. I see how my library stacks up again a lot of others, and I've learned that sometimes I have it really good here. There are honest discussions about the trials and tribulations of adding new technologies, and lots of very helpful advice in adapting to new technologies. And on Fridays, they can get a little silly. A regular PubLib contributor, Joe Schallan, has given some wonderful, laugh out loud types of posts. He says he's going to try to invest more time in his blog, and I hope so.