We have been talking about change for a while, and there have been a number of changes at the library - hopefully most are ones that have been positive since that was the intent. All these changes were a choice, based on observed issues and needs, developed from a meeting of minds to formulate the best solutions.
Unfortunately, sometimes change is imposed rather than chosen. And there are big changes coming up for everyone that uses the library. Maybe you have been hearing about the drive to reduce the tax rate here in Salem, and reductions inevitably are visible and felt everywhere - and the library is no different.
As of January 1, 2012, the library hours will be reduced. We will be closing at 7PM on Monday and Tuesday nights, and at 2PM on Saturdays.
But that is not the most difficult change for us. The library was asked to absorb a 10% budget reduction and to meet that goal, everything will be reduced and sadly that reduction includes a staff reduction of two. We are very distressed and saddened that two of our wonderful people will be leaving us at the end of the year.
While we will do our best to provide the quality service you have come to expect, covering the kind of services provided by these departing staff members will be difficult. We all hope that you will be understanding as we find our feet as we adjust to these difficult changes.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Kindle and eBooks
We have been a participant in the wonderful state-wide program that makes Overdrive and downloadable audiobooks and eBooks available to you. You can find it here if you haven't tried it already. Originally this was just downloadable audio, but about a year ago, we all added to our annual contribution to Overdrive and added eBooks. They have proven to be enormously popular.
There have been a few drawbacks. It is a process to do it the first time, there aren't many eBook titles and they are always checked out, and you couldn't use your Kindle with it. But times change, and we are delighted to announce some very nice upgrades.
First of all, you can now download eBooks onto your Kindle (it has to go through your computer first) and read. Remember these are "checked out" just like a book and you only have them for two weeks, renewable. However, they are free, and we all know that eBooks are just about as expensive as regular books now.
Second, we have just arranged to have a supplimental service with Overdrive. This means that while we will continue to participate fully in the state program, we are arranging for additional eBook titles that will be available only to Kelley Library cardholders. We are in the process of selecting titles right now - so keep checking, soon there will more titles to select from that may actually not be already checked out!
Questions? Just stop by or call the reference desk and our helpful staff will be delighted to introduce you to this expanded service.
Still love to hold those books in your hands - you are in luck! We have just the books you are looking for, we just have them in more than one format.
Stop in and check out the Kelley Library. If you haven't been here recently, you really haven't been here.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Have you met Natalie?
If you use the library regularly, you no doubt have come across Natalie at the main desk. What you may not know is that she is our Head of Circulation which means she is responsible for a wide variety of things ranging from statistics to scheduling to making sure that anything and everything related to circulation is being done. If that isn't enough, Natalie is our go-to person for almost any question, idea or plan. If I had a nickel for every time someone says "I'll ask Natalie" we could have a diamond studded circulation desk!
Natalie has imagination, endless curiosity and creativity married to practicality, detail thinking, and the ability to think of all the issues and potential problems - a rare combination. Basically, if I make the most casual "Wouldn't it be nice if . . ." statement, within an hour or at most a day Natalie has a plan of attack with all the variables addressed and is ready for it to be put in place.
So it is no surprise that in the time between my asking if I had asked her the famous 5 questions (no) and coming back with the questions and a pencil, she was all ready with her answers:
1. When I am not at the library, you can find me: at home reading (and let me tell you, she reads alot of books).
2. Describe your perfect day: at the beach, uninterrupted, especially by kids (did you know she has teenaged twins?)
3. If you had to live somewhere else than NH, where would it be? San Diego, it is just about perfect. (She was just out there for a short vacation and discovered its perfection then)
4. What 3 things can you always find in your fridge? Grapes, yogurt and cheese.
5. You would be surprised to find out that I: like to skeet shoot.
Stop in and say hello to Natalie. She is always there for all of us.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Our AED
You may have noticed a new addition right at the front entrance. If not, I recommend you take a moment to look. The Town of Salem has distributed AEDs to most of the town building and the library is one of the locations.
An AED - automated external defibrillator - is an easy to use device to help when someone is having a heart attack or similar problem. It comes with easy to follow instructions and won't do anything if its sensors do not find the correct condition. It is an invaluable tool to help keep someone alive while waiting for an ambulance.
Several people on the staff have had training, but the device is out in the public areas just so that anyone faced with this kind of emergency can take action.
Please take a moment to locate the device - no one ever knows when it will be needed.
An AED - automated external defibrillator - is an easy to use device to help when someone is having a heart attack or similar problem. It comes with easy to follow instructions and won't do anything if its sensors do not find the correct condition. It is an invaluable tool to help keep someone alive while waiting for an ambulance.
Several people on the staff have had training, but the device is out in the public areas just so that anyone faced with this kind of emergency can take action.
Please take a moment to locate the device - no one ever knows when it will be needed.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Reading and sharing
We were talking about what to do about the ripped upholstery on one of the big comfy chairs in the children's room. During one of our many rearraging of furniture here, we moved two down there in the window so that parents/grandparents and kids could snuggle together and share a book. They have been very popular - so popular that we are faced with what to do with the ripped upholstery.
I remember the hours spent reading picture books to my kids back lo these many years and how much fun we had, lying together on a bed, enjoying the books, discussing the artwork, and having a lovely, quiet shared moment at the end of each busy day. My older son continued to share with me and my daughter even when he was reading to himself, but ultimately there came the day that both were avid readers and no longer saw the charm of the picture books. Gosh that was a hard change to accept! But we did keep the tradition of reading several favorite Christmas picture books on Christmas Eve (Polar Express, Santa Cows and Harvey Slumfenburger's Christmas Present come to mind)whenever we are together at Christmas.
So I was delighted to come across this new book that has just come out about a father and daughter who read aloud together each night for nine years: The Reading Promise, by Alice Ozma. They started when Alice was in the fourth grade, with the intention of reading for 100 consecutive nights. Once they reached that goal, they wanted to continue, and did so until Alice left for college. They have worked their way through a wide range of books, but best of all they retained a shared experience through the most challenging age for kids. They were able to carve out a snippet of time to come together and share some meaningful moments together - with books at the heart of it.
There is something about sharing a book that is irresistable. While it is a very solitary activity in general - and my husband always grumbles about feeling ignored when I read - at the same time as you read you frequently are thinking of talking about it to a friend or family member, are reminding yourself to recommend it(or recommend against it) to others. Just now there are a few books where the authors have written to share their life changing experiences while reading a set group of books over the course of a year. Howard's End is on the Landing, by Susan Hill is all about Ms Hill decision to read all the books on her shelves that she never had gotten to before.
Another title just coming out is Tolstoy and the Purple Chair, by Nina Sankovitch. In this book, Ms. Sankovitch decides to deal with personal loss by reading a book a day. She discovered a way to connect with a lost loved one.
It never fails to amaze me the various powers of books.
I remember the hours spent reading picture books to my kids back lo these many years and how much fun we had, lying together on a bed, enjoying the books, discussing the artwork, and having a lovely, quiet shared moment at the end of each busy day. My older son continued to share with me and my daughter even when he was reading to himself, but ultimately there came the day that both were avid readers and no longer saw the charm of the picture books. Gosh that was a hard change to accept! But we did keep the tradition of reading several favorite Christmas picture books on Christmas Eve (Polar Express, Santa Cows and Harvey Slumfenburger's Christmas Present come to mind)whenever we are together at Christmas.
So I was delighted to come across this new book that has just come out about a father and daughter who read aloud together each night for nine years: The Reading Promise, by Alice Ozma. They started when Alice was in the fourth grade, with the intention of reading for 100 consecutive nights. Once they reached that goal, they wanted to continue, and did so until Alice left for college. They have worked their way through a wide range of books, but best of all they retained a shared experience through the most challenging age for kids. They were able to carve out a snippet of time to come together and share some meaningful moments together - with books at the heart of it.
There is something about sharing a book that is irresistable. While it is a very solitary activity in general - and my husband always grumbles about feeling ignored when I read - at the same time as you read you frequently are thinking of talking about it to a friend or family member, are reminding yourself to recommend it(or recommend against it) to others. Just now there are a few books where the authors have written to share their life changing experiences while reading a set group of books over the course of a year. Howard's End is on the Landing, by Susan Hill is all about Ms Hill decision to read all the books on her shelves that she never had gotten to before.
Another title just coming out is Tolstoy and the Purple Chair, by Nina Sankovitch. In this book, Ms. Sankovitch decides to deal with personal loss by reading a book a day. She discovered a way to connect with a lost loved one.
It never fails to amaze me the various powers of books.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Books to movies
I can't think of a topic more rife with strong preferences than the translation of a beloved book into film. There are those that were disappointing in the translation: The Shining, Bonfire of the Vanities, VI Warshawski. There are just as many that were quite successful: Roots, almost anything by Robert Parker, a few of the Agatha Christie series. But regardless, when we read a book we create a vision of the characters and the surroundings that is completely our own. It isn't always easy to articulate, but we know what it is, and we know when it is right on film. We are only truly satisfied when the film and the director's vision are close to our own.
Of course, we can always separate ourselves from the book and judge the movie as a stand-alone. I have done that on a number of occasions, with The Shining and even with Demi Moore's rendition of the Scarlet Letter (sorry none of the GMILCS library has this gem). If you just pretend that this is a new story that is totally unrelated to that book you liked so much, you might find much to enjoy in the film. The Shining is a good horror film, but it in no way reaches the intent or the true scariness of the book. When I read it way way many years ago, I had to stop before dinner, otherwise I knew I wouldn't be sleeping that night. The Scarlet Letter? There is a PBS version that is really good, but I found Demi's a guilty pleasure. It bore no resemblance to the book so I just watched for the B movie it was.
The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder is a series of books I can reread at any time. I recall not too long ago on a quiet summer night in Maine, reading The Long Winter. At some point I got up to let the dog out and was really startled to see there was no snow outside. I certainly never got drawn into the story like that when watching the Little House series on TV.
So when I read that the cast had been set for the Janet Evanovich/Stephanie Plum movie - I was kind of worried. I love the series, and the characters are clearly imprinted in my mind's eye. Now that Sandra Bullock was too old, who could they decide to cast? Well, I have to admit, they made some great choices. I'm not sure about the choice for Ranger, but I think Grandma Mazur is going to be a hoot. What do you think?
Of course, we can always separate ourselves from the book and judge the movie as a stand-alone. I have done that on a number of occasions, with The Shining and even with Demi Moore's rendition of the Scarlet Letter (sorry none of the GMILCS library has this gem). If you just pretend that this is a new story that is totally unrelated to that book you liked so much, you might find much to enjoy in the film. The Shining is a good horror film, but it in no way reaches the intent or the true scariness of the book. When I read it way way many years ago, I had to stop before dinner, otherwise I knew I wouldn't be sleeping that night. The Scarlet Letter? There is a PBS version that is really good, but I found Demi's a guilty pleasure. It bore no resemblance to the book so I just watched for the B movie it was.
The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder is a series of books I can reread at any time. I recall not too long ago on a quiet summer night in Maine, reading The Long Winter. At some point I got up to let the dog out and was really startled to see there was no snow outside. I certainly never got drawn into the story like that when watching the Little House series on TV.
So when I read that the cast had been set for the Janet Evanovich/Stephanie Plum movie - I was kind of worried. I love the series, and the characters are clearly imprinted in my mind's eye. Now that Sandra Bullock was too old, who could they decide to cast? Well, I have to admit, they made some great choices. I'm not sure about the choice for Ranger, but I think Grandma Mazur is going to be a hoot. What do you think?
Friday, May 20, 2011
How do you say?
I was looking through the review journals we use to select books, and came across the new Michael Robotham book that is coming out in June, The Wreckage. Whenever I have come across his name, I have wondered how exactly to pronounce it. This time I decided to try and find out, as I have been successful in the past discovering how to pronounce John Lescroart (Les kwah) and Jodi Pecoult (Pekoe).
A quick Google search lead me to quite a variety of sites that provide help in pronouncing author’s names. The first one at Teaching Books is nifty because it includes a number of authors saying their own names (my favorite was Vladimir Radunsky). A great resource, but focused on children’s authors, so I moved on. The next site I tried was Inogolo, a site that provides pronunciation help for names in the arts. Sadly, no entry for Robotham, but Vladimir, John and Jodi were there – and Jodi’s showed that this site also has some audio links. I moved on to Swisseduc.ch. This appears to be a webpage for students in Switzerland, but it is a nice site for a limited number of author names spelled out phonetically and with an audio file of the author as well. I guess Robotham is not on the reading list (nor John, Jodi or Vladimir), so I moved on to Book Browse. What a great site for readers! Well worth the time to browse through and revisit. But I was looking for pronunciations. They have quite a variety, my favorite on this page being Cees Nooteboom. Cool name, and we even have a book by him – will have to try it. But still no Robotham. So I did a direct google – how do you pronounce Robotham. I came across a brief discussion on Facebook, and apparently the problem is there is no single pronunciation, but at least there were some suggestions.
So was I successful in my search? Well, at least I have identified a way to pronounce the name, possibly not the right way, but a way. But the big bonus was coming across this article, a very interesting bit about Robotham’s background as a well-known ghost writer. Interesting what all you discover on the road to an answer.
By the way his background as a ghost writer reminded me of the great movie I saw recently . . .
Movies: Ghost writer
A quick Google search lead me to quite a variety of sites that provide help in pronouncing author’s names. The first one at Teaching Books is nifty because it includes a number of authors saying their own names (my favorite was Vladimir Radunsky). A great resource, but focused on children’s authors, so I moved on. The next site I tried was Inogolo, a site that provides pronunciation help for names in the arts. Sadly, no entry for Robotham, but Vladimir, John and Jodi were there – and Jodi’s showed that this site also has some audio links. I moved on to Swisseduc.ch. This appears to be a webpage for students in Switzerland, but it is a nice site for a limited number of author names spelled out phonetically and with an audio file of the author as well. I guess Robotham is not on the reading list (nor John, Jodi or Vladimir), so I moved on to Book Browse. What a great site for readers! Well worth the time to browse through and revisit. But I was looking for pronunciations. They have quite a variety, my favorite on this page being Cees Nooteboom. Cool name, and we even have a book by him – will have to try it. But still no Robotham. So I did a direct google – how do you pronounce Robotham. I came across a brief discussion on Facebook, and apparently the problem is there is no single pronunciation, but at least there were some suggestions.
So was I successful in my search? Well, at least I have identified a way to pronounce the name, possibly not the right way, but a way. But the big bonus was coming across this article, a very interesting bit about Robotham’s background as a well-known ghost writer. Interesting what all you discover on the road to an answer.
By the way his background as a ghost writer reminded me of the great movie I saw recently . . .
Movies: Ghost writer
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Hit or Miss
I have wondered for a long time why some books hit big, and others that come out at the same time, get similar reviews, are similar types of books, just miss.
One that comes to mind is The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl and Dan Brown's The DaVinci Code. I remember reading reviews of both when selecting books from the library's collection and thought they both sounded interesting twists on standard thrillers. They got similar reviews as well - ok but not glowing. So I bought them both, and really, The Dante Club was the one I remembered more from the reviews. But for some reason it was The DaVinci Code that took off and took off huge.
Richard North Patterson and James Patterson started off about the same time - again I remember noting the similarity in name and the fact that they were well-reviewed additions to the thriller genre. I bought both and marveled to see that while they both are best selling authors, James Patterson is crazy popular.
So what is that magical difference? Nowadays, it is often the marketing side, getting onto Oprah, etc. But back when the above examples occurred, each were similarly mild blips on the publishing scene, yet one in each became an overwhelming success. It comes down to word of mouth and having a theme or topic that just hits the public at just the right time. AT that point, success builds on success, it gets into the press and that just pushes it all into overdrive.
A recent example is the "The Girl Who" series. These titles have taken off like crazy - as anyone waiting on the waiting lists for them well knows. I am not sure why they are more popular than other mystery series as I have read equally good stories and series that don't see this kind of popularity. But wow, they are huge. Again - the pattern seems to have been word of mouth leading to heavy press coverage leading to monster success.
There are tons of examples - and I would love to hear yours. Share them so maybe we can start a bit of word of mouth magic. Here's mine - I dare you to read Small Change, by J. Belinda Yandell and explain why it or the author never saw the success of Richard Evans, Robert Waller, or Nicholas Sparks. Good luck finding it, no one in the system even has it anymore, but check the reviews at Amazon - if you are really interested, I can lend you my copy.
One that comes to mind is The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl and Dan Brown's The DaVinci Code. I remember reading reviews of both when selecting books from the library's collection and thought they both sounded interesting twists on standard thrillers. They got similar reviews as well - ok but not glowing. So I bought them both, and really, The Dante Club was the one I remembered more from the reviews. But for some reason it was The DaVinci Code that took off and took off huge.
Richard North Patterson and James Patterson started off about the same time - again I remember noting the similarity in name and the fact that they were well-reviewed additions to the thriller genre. I bought both and marveled to see that while they both are best selling authors, James Patterson is crazy popular.
So what is that magical difference? Nowadays, it is often the marketing side, getting onto Oprah, etc. But back when the above examples occurred, each were similarly mild blips on the publishing scene, yet one in each became an overwhelming success. It comes down to word of mouth and having a theme or topic that just hits the public at just the right time. AT that point, success builds on success, it gets into the press and that just pushes it all into overdrive.
A recent example is the "The Girl Who" series. These titles have taken off like crazy - as anyone waiting on the waiting lists for them well knows. I am not sure why they are more popular than other mystery series as I have read equally good stories and series that don't see this kind of popularity. But wow, they are huge. Again - the pattern seems to have been word of mouth leading to heavy press coverage leading to monster success.
There are tons of examples - and I would love to hear yours. Share them so maybe we can start a bit of word of mouth magic. Here's mine - I dare you to read Small Change, by J. Belinda Yandell and explain why it or the author never saw the success of Richard Evans, Robert Waller, or Nicholas Sparks. Good luck finding it, no one in the system even has it anymore, but check the reviews at Amazon - if you are really interested, I can lend you my copy.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Fads vs Staple
We are all familiar with passing fads, those must have things that fade quickly. Pet Rocks or Parachute Pants come to mind. There are those things we think will be a passing craze that seem to linger to become, astonishingly, a staple - saggy pants come to mind on that. Who would think that Marky Mark would have set off a craze that is still with us today.
There doesn't seem to be a discernable reason for one to fade as a fad, and another to stay with us as a staple of life. A fad hits the public's interest at just the right moment, capturing the interest of consumers, pundits and journalists. But what makes it last? What ensures the enduring popularity making it a standard? If there was a way of predicting, marketers and investors would have a much easier time of it.
The idea of fads and staples has been on my mind for a while. Today I came across this video about Mexican Pointy Boots (really you have to stay for the whole video), and combined with a call from Barnes and Noble, it got me wondering why eBooks are showing significant signs of becoming a staple, this time. We librarians see eBooks as just a new format in our array of offerings, a great addition to the Large Print, audiobook, paperback, hardback choices intended to meet the varying needs of our community - that this time around is actually showing signs of staple-dom.
This time? You might well ask. eBooks are not new. I can remember back some 10 or so years when working at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, having the Assistant Director, Gladys Maharam, - a true visionary of library service - demonstrating this new gizmo that would allow people to read a book electronically. She saw such a future for them that she had invested in purchasing several, plus the books. She was sure that everyone would be as excited as she was, would understand the potential, and electronic versions of books would be, well, a staple. I guess you realize that it didn't. Didn't even show up as a fad. No one was interested, and nothing came of it - back then.
Fast forward to the present, and suddenly eBooks are the thing. Not a fad, and not the death of the printed book - but something comfortably in between - a staple. Everything has its golden moment - the trick is making the evaluation: fad or staple? The science is making the right evaluation and know where to invest and where to just enjoy the fleeting craze.
Book: Trendwatching: don't be fooled by the next investment fad, mania, or bubble, by Ron Insana
Audiobook: Microtrends: the small forces behind tomorrow's big changes, by Mark Penn.
There doesn't seem to be a discernable reason for one to fade as a fad, and another to stay with us as a staple of life. A fad hits the public's interest at just the right moment, capturing the interest of consumers, pundits and journalists. But what makes it last? What ensures the enduring popularity making it a standard? If there was a way of predicting, marketers and investors would have a much easier time of it.
The idea of fads and staples has been on my mind for a while. Today I came across this video about Mexican Pointy Boots (really you have to stay for the whole video), and combined with a call from Barnes and Noble, it got me wondering why eBooks are showing significant signs of becoming a staple, this time. We librarians see eBooks as just a new format in our array of offerings, a great addition to the Large Print, audiobook, paperback, hardback choices intended to meet the varying needs of our community - that this time around is actually showing signs of staple-dom.
This time? You might well ask. eBooks are not new. I can remember back some 10 or so years when working at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, having the Assistant Director, Gladys Maharam, - a true visionary of library service - demonstrating this new gizmo that would allow people to read a book electronically. She saw such a future for them that she had invested in purchasing several, plus the books. She was sure that everyone would be as excited as she was, would understand the potential, and electronic versions of books would be, well, a staple. I guess you realize that it didn't. Didn't even show up as a fad. No one was interested, and nothing came of it - back then.
Fast forward to the present, and suddenly eBooks are the thing. Not a fad, and not the death of the printed book - but something comfortably in between - a staple. Everything has its golden moment - the trick is making the evaluation: fad or staple? The science is making the right evaluation and know where to invest and where to just enjoy the fleeting craze.
Book: Trendwatching: don't be fooled by the next investment fad, mania, or bubble, by Ron Insana
Audiobook: Microtrends: the small forces behind tomorrow's big changes, by Mark Penn.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Have you met Vicki?
There's a good chance that you haven't had a chance to meet Vicki. While she helps out at the reference desk, it is limited to Friday nights and every 3rd Saturday. The rest of the time she is behind the scenes making sure that everything you check out is there to check out. Vicki is our cataloger, entering most of our collection into the system so that you can see it in our catalog. This is a very specialized process that takes a detail oriented person that strives for perfection, and we are lucky that Vicki is right there in the top ranks of the field. In fact, she is one of very few librarians in the state that the State Library allows to do some specialized cataloging. Of course she does much more than that for us - but it is all invisible to our users, but absolutely vital to making the library function.
Luckily, Vicki isn't a terribly serious person (except with her work) so her easy laugh and humorous attitude do much to lighten the load for all of us here at the library. And in addition to her participation in a very competitive Sweet Adeline Chorus, she has other unexpected interests. We found out during out 5 questions:
1. When I am not at the library, you can find me: at home on the computer.
2. Describe your perfect day: At a Science Fiction Convention with my friends. In fact, I already have made plans to attend the WorldCom in London in 2014.
3. If you had to live somewhere else than New Hampshire, where would it be? Down in Georgia. I got my masters in Decater and worked there for a while, and loved it. I made great friends, found Atlanta to suit me well and have always planned to move back at some point.
4. What 3 things can you always find in your fridge? Eggs and OJ for my dad, and chocolate ice cream for both of us.
5. You would be surprised to find out that I: Collect hand fans. I started collecting back in 1981 as an inexpensive way to decorate my home. Now I have a large collection and belong to the Fan Association of North America.
So keep an eye out for her, but know that her work is visible every time you look for a book or check out a DVD. She brings a great deal of professional experience to this library, and we gladly benefit from it, but we all treasure her friendship.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Snowed under?
We have all seen them, the ads for Bing where one word sets off a random torrent of conflicting responses, and let's be honest, it is a successful ad because we all have experienced that.
This week has been one of those times where nearly everything that comes up relates to one idea - the overload of information we are all recieving. Being snowed under as it were. It started with a book I ordered in to read. Talk about a service that sucks you in and makes you reach out for so many books, movies and cds! I won't say how many knitting books I have to look over at home. Did I mention we now have two successful knitting groups here? See how easy it is to be led way off track with a single idea.
Anyway, the book. It is a marketing book about catching the attention of your customer: Your attention please. The introduction and first chapter is all about how the overwhelming avalanche of information (ads, emails, web content, etc) is making it almost impossible for people to focus on anything. I see myself doing exactly what he mentions - keeping emails to check later - and never getting to them because of the dozens and dozens that have come in since. Printing off great articles for reading later - and never getting to them because of everything else coming along and swamping them. Making notes of what to do the next day, only to have so much unexpected come up that they are covered with a new series of notes, to be covered again and again.
Well, since then, I have seen an article in this week's Newsweek about how an overload of choices and information is interfering with decisionmaking. I have also seen postings around the web, and have experienced in on the job - just too much going on to be able to sit back and think clearly.
I'm not sure what we can do, except shut off the computer/phone/device. Find something away to occupy yet not overstress your brain: take a walk, sit and watch the view, knit - did I mention all those knitting books? But it is vital to slow the flow, put some brakes on all that we see and hear so we can take a moment to enjoy the moment for more than a moment. One of the most surprising tidbits in the book I mentioned above was the fact that there is more information in a single issue of the NY Times than the average person recieved in a lifetime in the 1600's. Wow. No wonder it is so hard to focus and no wonder it is so important to slow the process a bit.
Book: Making it all work, by David Allen
Book: Information: a history, a theory, a flood, by James Gleick
Book: Winter of our disconnect: how three totally wired teenagers (and a mother who slept with her iPhone) pulled the plug on their technology and lived to tell the tale, by Susan Maushart
Book: Against the machine: being human in the age of the electronic mob, by Lee Siegel
This week has been one of those times where nearly everything that comes up relates to one idea - the overload of information we are all recieving. Being snowed under as it were. It started with a book I ordered in to read. Talk about a service that sucks you in and makes you reach out for so many books, movies and cds! I won't say how many knitting books I have to look over at home. Did I mention we now have two successful knitting groups here? See how easy it is to be led way off track with a single idea.
Anyway, the book. It is a marketing book about catching the attention of your customer: Your attention please. The introduction and first chapter is all about how the overwhelming avalanche of information (ads, emails, web content, etc) is making it almost impossible for people to focus on anything. I see myself doing exactly what he mentions - keeping emails to check later - and never getting to them because of the dozens and dozens that have come in since. Printing off great articles for reading later - and never getting to them because of everything else coming along and swamping them. Making notes of what to do the next day, only to have so much unexpected come up that they are covered with a new series of notes, to be covered again and again.
Well, since then, I have seen an article in this week's Newsweek about how an overload of choices and information is interfering with decisionmaking. I have also seen postings around the web, and have experienced in on the job - just too much going on to be able to sit back and think clearly.
I'm not sure what we can do, except shut off the computer/phone/device. Find something away to occupy yet not overstress your brain: take a walk, sit and watch the view, knit - did I mention all those knitting books? But it is vital to slow the flow, put some brakes on all that we see and hear so we can take a moment to enjoy the moment for more than a moment. One of the most surprising tidbits in the book I mentioned above was the fact that there is more information in a single issue of the NY Times than the average person recieved in a lifetime in the 1600's. Wow. No wonder it is so hard to focus and no wonder it is so important to slow the process a bit.
Book: Making it all work, by David Allen
Book: Information: a history, a theory, a flood, by James Gleick
Book: Winter of our disconnect: how three totally wired teenagers (and a mother who slept with her iPhone) pulled the plug on their technology and lived to tell the tale, by Susan Maushart
Book: Against the machine: being human in the age of the electronic mob, by Lee Siegel
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Family
We have just started a Genealogy Club here at the library, giving people interested in looking into their family history a chance to share techniques, great sources and stories. Genealogy it a popular hobby with many of us, providing us context and stability in our ever-changing lives. It puts into perspective the trials and joys of our lives when compared to those of our ancestors.
My mother went through a family history craze years ago while trying to prove that her family could be traced back to the Mayflower. So to me, tracing family history meant boring waits in the car, trips to cemeteries filled with strangers, and my mother engrossed with sheaves of paper all the time. My brother has recently caught the bug, leading him all over New England in search of this or that family link. He has ratcheted up the process, dropping in on descendants of distant shared ancestors.
My version of catching the bug was when I decided to scan, label and package all the old family photos so that everyone could have a copy. It was fascinating to see my grandmother, who suffered from depression for many years, as a happy young girl. It was a delight to see my grandfather as a strikingly handsome young man. But it was all the mysterious other people included in photos that linger on my mind. Who were they? Who were they to my ancestors? Many were identified by my parents, but one, a long time girlfriend of my Great Uncle, remains a tantalizing mystery. She is/was vivacious, lovely and brimming with life - here are a just a few of the dozens of pictures:
She was apparently considered part of the family since her name was never part of the meticulous labels in white ink on the black paper photo albums. All the relatives that would know are dead now, so I may never know who she was - unless someone out there recognizes her? She lived somewhere in the Alston/Billerica/Greater Boston area.
But that is what is endlessly fascinating about genealogical searches. There are snapshots of times past, hints of what our great great grandparents lives were like, mysterious people entering and leaving our family histories - really it is like a good mystery book - you know the end, but how did we get there?
If you are interested at all in genealogy, join the club - it meets next on February 22nd at 1PM. If you can't make the meeting, be sure to try out our genealogical esources: Ancestry Plus and Heritage Quest. Plus we have some wonderful resources at the library and the reference staff can help you any time.
Book: Genealogy online, by Elizabeth Powell Crowe
Book: Family history for the older and wiser, by Susan Fifer
Book: Scrapbooking your family history
Book: Uncovering your ancestry through family photographs, by Maureen Alice Taylor
DVD: Faces of America
My mother went through a family history craze years ago while trying to prove that her family could be traced back to the Mayflower. So to me, tracing family history meant boring waits in the car, trips to cemeteries filled with strangers, and my mother engrossed with sheaves of paper all the time. My brother has recently caught the bug, leading him all over New England in search of this or that family link. He has ratcheted up the process, dropping in on descendants of distant shared ancestors.
My version of catching the bug was when I decided to scan, label and package all the old family photos so that everyone could have a copy. It was fascinating to see my grandmother, who suffered from depression for many years, as a happy young girl. It was a delight to see my grandfather as a strikingly handsome young man. But it was all the mysterious other people included in photos that linger on my mind. Who were they? Who were they to my ancestors? Many were identified by my parents, but one, a long time girlfriend of my Great Uncle, remains a tantalizing mystery. She is/was vivacious, lovely and brimming with life - here are a just a few of the dozens of pictures:
She was apparently considered part of the family since her name was never part of the meticulous labels in white ink on the black paper photo albums. All the relatives that would know are dead now, so I may never know who she was - unless someone out there recognizes her? She lived somewhere in the Alston/Billerica/Greater Boston area.
But that is what is endlessly fascinating about genealogical searches. There are snapshots of times past, hints of what our great great grandparents lives were like, mysterious people entering and leaving our family histories - really it is like a good mystery book - you know the end, but how did we get there?
If you are interested at all in genealogy, join the club - it meets next on February 22nd at 1PM. If you can't make the meeting, be sure to try out our genealogical esources: Ancestry Plus and Heritage Quest. Plus we have some wonderful resources at the library and the reference staff can help you any time.
Book: Genealogy online, by Elizabeth Powell Crowe
Book: Family history for the older and wiser, by Susan Fifer
Book: Scrapbooking your family history
Book: Uncovering your ancestry through family photographs, by Maureen Alice Taylor
DVD: Faces of America
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
New year, new look
We took advantage of a little lull between Christmas and New Year's to do some rearranging here at Kelley. This is just the next step in a reorganization of the library to make it more welcoming, provide more space for our growing collections, and just to bring it more up to date. I'll start with the main floor and talk about the Children's Room next time.
We had already painted the walls and moved the study tables throughout the library. This time, we did a lot more. The new book area got a facelift with some comfortable club chairs and new carpets. The area now looks like a welcome spot to sit and browse through the new books. The paperback section was reorganized for easier browsing and to remove the wall of shelving that greeted browsers. The teen books were moved further back into the library where this popular and growing collection could grow and have seating for browsing. The cd-book collection took over the teen area enhancing browsing for this collection and allowing for expansion. The TV show DVDs moved over next to the film DVDs so that the whole DVD collection is together. Westerns are still where they always were, but now the paperback westerns are with them. All our science fiction is now in aisle 11a providing for easy browsing in just one location.
We think it looks and feels good and so far feedback has been good. If you haven't seen the changes yet, here are a few previews, but the best way to see it all is to come in and take a look.
Are we done? Not by a long shot - the next series of changes will be coming in a few months. What is great about the changes is that it improves your experience, revitalizes the library experience, and other than a lot of lifting and carrying by our wonderful staff (a big woohoo for Natalie, Allison, Michele, Cindy, and Christine!) it was all done at a very low cost.
Music CD: Best of Bowie
Book: Who moved my cheese, by Spencer Johnson
We had already painted the walls and moved the study tables throughout the library. This time, we did a lot more. The new book area got a facelift with some comfortable club chairs and new carpets. The area now looks like a welcome spot to sit and browse through the new books. The paperback section was reorganized for easier browsing and to remove the wall of shelving that greeted browsers. The teen books were moved further back into the library where this popular and growing collection could grow and have seating for browsing. The cd-book collection took over the teen area enhancing browsing for this collection and allowing for expansion. The TV show DVDs moved over next to the film DVDs so that the whole DVD collection is together. Westerns are still where they always were, but now the paperback westerns are with them. All our science fiction is now in aisle 11a providing for easy browsing in just one location.
We think it looks and feels good and so far feedback has been good. If you haven't seen the changes yet, here are a few previews, but the best way to see it all is to come in and take a look.
Are we done? Not by a long shot - the next series of changes will be coming in a few months. What is great about the changes is that it improves your experience, revitalizes the library experience, and other than a lot of lifting and carrying by our wonderful staff (a big woohoo for Natalie, Allison, Michele, Cindy, and Christine!) it was all done at a very low cost.
Music CD: Best of Bowie
Book: Who moved my cheese, by Spencer Johnson
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