The LISNews Blogs To Read in 2011

I love to see the wide variety of writing topics of librarians - especially the ones that break the stereotypical molds. This is always a good list.

The LISNews Blogs To Read in 2011

Just as I was learning FBML

Seems that every time I learn a new skill like FBML, a major change comes along making it obsolete. Facebook is especially guilty of constant mandated changes, and I'll be looking to see how this affects the Library's Facebook page. I wonder if the FBML I've already done will transfer over or have to be redone. I'm curious to experiment with the iFrames now. I hope this means designing in Dreamweaver first will be an option.

Amplify’d from sixrevisions.com

Ultimate Guide to the New Facebook Page Design

No More "Standard" Tabs

Note: the new tabs will appear in the form of a list (there will be a maximum of 6 above the fold).

New Photo Strip

Profile Picture

The maximum size for the profile picture has been reduced from 200x600px to 180x540px.

User Interface Changes

Admin View of Wall (See Hidden Posts)

Post as Your Brand

Your Brand Can "Like" Other Pages

Fans Count Has Changed

Categories

Now displayed on Facebook Pages is your organization’s category (which can be adjusted). We recently changed ours from "Local Business" to "Internet/Software".

Development Changes

Facebook iframes Now on Tabs

From a web developer’s standpoint, this is the biggest and best change Facebook has rolled out. What does this mean? No more Facebook Markup Language (FBML)!

To use iframes, you need the most up-to-date layout. First and foremost: in order to use iframes, the page must be using the new Facebook Page layout.

Custom HTML and JavaScript

Facebook API for Facebook Pages

Saving User Sessions

Summary

With the changes scheduled to take full effect March 10, 2011, you should now be ready to take full advantage of the changes.

Profile photo now has a max size of 180x540px. Display page category. Photo strip shows most recent tagged or posted photos. They are randomized. Watch out for inappropriate photos tagged with your Facebook Page. The dimensions of thumbnails are 96x67px. Admin view. Filter wall posts by your Facebook Page only or by everyone. Tabs are now on the left (under the profile photo) in the form of a list (maximum of 6 above the fold). Also, switch to Admin View to see hidden posts. If you’re an admin, you can view the people who have "Liked" your brand. We noticed it’s in order of most recent Likes. If you’re not an admin, you can no longer view those who have "Liked" the brand page. Your brand page can Like other pages. They’ll show up on your brand page.

Other changes not shown in the image above:

You can see a Newsfeed of updates from Liked Pages on your home page when using Facebook under your Facebook Page name. Pages now support iframed tab applications. Email notifications when users post or comment. Read more at sixrevisions.com

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/brn38

Facebook Customizations

As part of my work with the Library's Social Networking Committee, I've been playing around with FBML to customize our Facebook page. I've managed to add custom tabs for our IM widget, a WorldCat search, and a stream to our Youtube channel and am now ready to tackle adding a new landing page with a customized image look. I've seen some really nice customized pages. Hoping I can do it in Dreamweaver first then add the FBML bits. Once I get this done, it's on to figuring out how to create a search widget for III to use on Facebook. This web page I found very useful as a start - but always on the look out for other sources of sample code.

I'd like to think the following libraries whose pages gave me ideas:

NYPL

Plainfield Public Library

Appleton Public Library

Southfield Public Library

WCPL

Kent District Library

Amplify’d from socialmediaseo.net

Customize Your Facebook Fan Page With FBML

Add Images To Facebook Fan Pages using FBML

1)  Installing the Static FBML App

2)  Working with FBML

3)  Defining Application Settings

4)  Adding Your Image & Custom Naming Your Tab

And that’s it!

Like I said, FBML is the key to really bringing your Facebook Fan Page to life and defining your brand on Facebook.

Enjoy and let me know if you have any questions!  As always, feel free to contact me directly with questions.

See more at socialmediaseo.net

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/brhly

Things I Don't Have to Think About Today

A fan of the blog and the author, I have long loved this reminder to not complain of life's little inconveniences and be thankful for all that I have.

Also really love his blog's appearance...may have to do some redesign on mine.

Amplify’d from whatever.scalzi.com

Things I Don’t Have to Think About Today

Today I don’t have to think about those who hear “terrorist” when I speak my faith. Today I don’t have to think about men who don’t believe no means no. Today I don’t have to think about how the world is made for people who move differently than I do. Today I don’t have to think about whether I’m married, depending on what state I’m in. Today I don’t have to think about how I’m going to hail a cab past midnight.

Today I don’t have to think about whether store security is tailing me. Today I don’t have to think about the look on the face of the person about to sit next to me on a plane. Today I don’t have to think about eyes going to my chest first. Today I don’t have to think about what people might think if they knew the medicines I took. Today I don’t have to think about getting kicked out of a mall when I kiss my beloved hello.

Today I don’t have to think about if it’s safe to hold my beloved’s hand. Today I don’t have to think about whether I’m being pulled over for anything other than speeding. Today I don’t have to think about being classified as one of “those people.” Today I don’t have to think about making less than someone else for the same job at the same place. Today I don’t have to think about the people who stare, or the people who pretend I don’t exist.

Today I don’t have to think about managing pain that never goes away. Today I don’t have to think about whether a stranger’s opinion of me would change if I showed them a picture of who I love. Today I don’t have to think about the chance a store salesmen will ignore me to help someone else. Today I don’t have to think about the people who’d consider torching my house of prayer a patriotic act. Today I don’t have to think about a pharmacist telling me his conscience keeps him from filling my prescription.

Today I don’t have to think about being asked if I’m bleeding when I’m just having a bad day. Today I don’t have to think about whether the one drug that lets me live my life will be taken off the market. Today I don’t have to think about the odds of getting jumped at the bar I like to go to. Today I don’t have to think about “vote fraud” theater showing up at my poll station. Today I don’t have to think about turning on the news to see people planning to burn my holy book.

Today I don’t have to think about others demanding I apologize for hateful people who have nothing to do with me. Today I don’t have to think about my child being seen as a detriment to my career. Today I don’t have to think about the irony of people thinking I’m lucky because I can park close to the door. Today I don’t have to think about memories of being bullied in high school. Today I don’t have to think about being told to relax, it was just a joke.

Today I don’t have to think about whether someone thinks I’m in this country illegally. Today I don’t have to think about those who believe that freedom of religion ends with mine. Today I don’t have to think about how a half-starved 23-year-old being a cultural ideal affects my life. Today I don’t have to think about how much my life is circumscribed by my body. Today I don’t have to think about people wanting me cured of loving who I love.

Today I don’t have to think about those who view me an unfit parent because of who I love. Today I don’t have to think about being told my kind don’t assimilate. Today I don’t have to think about people blind to the intolerance of their belief lecturing me about my own. Today I don’t have to think about my body as a political football. Today I don’t have to think about how much my own needs wear on those I love.

Today I don’t have to think about explaining to others “what happened to me.” Today I don’t have to think about politicians saying bigoted things about me to win votes. Today I don’t have to think about those worried that one day people like me will be the majority. Today I don’t have to think about someone using the name of my religion as a slur. Today I don’t have to think about so many of the words for me controlling my own life being negatives.

Today I don’t have to think about still not being equal. Today I don’t have to think about what it takes to keep going. Today I don’t have to think about how much I still have to hide. Today I don’t have to think about how much prejudice keeps hold. Today I don’t have to think about how I’m meant to be grateful that people tolerate my kind.

Today I don’t have to think about all the things I don’t have to think about. But today I will. Read more at whatever.scalzi.com

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/brhh3

It's good to see SL get some good press. It's a very timely exhibit, but the principles hold true in other teaching and learning situations as well. With such immersion, learning possibilities are endless. As the article does point out, this is still very much in the exploratory phase for much of academia, but definitely worth the experiment in order to open new worlds not before possible to access.

Amplify’d from http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/valleynewsdispatch/s_723607.html

Second Life virtual-reality game: It's not time travel, but it's close

By Mary Ann Thomas, FOR THE VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH Monday, February 21, 2011

Not just an excursion into computer geek territory, Second Life is a computer-based tool that takes students into a virtual world where history comes alive.

"You're giving people an opportunity to time travel," Partridge says. "You put them into an environment to move around in a space where they can understand these places and what it feels like to be there."

Participating in a simulation such as Second Life can be a more interesting alternative to experiencing history than listening to a lecture or memorizing names and dates, he says.

The virtual world seems like a natural venue to provide new learning technologies and opportunities, for example, to learn a new language or meet with people sitting in different places around the world. But, according to Partridge, the technology hasn't gone mainstream yet; it still is in the developmental phase. For example, students need special software to access Second Life and other virtual-reality programs.

"Rather than just look at a picture in a book, you can get in and walk around," he says. Read more at www.pittsburghlive.com

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/br8l4

Delicious

As a long time user of delicious - both for sharing bookmarks and simply for organizing my bookmarks across browsers, platforms, and workstations - the possible loss of the software leaves me wondering which alternative I would turn to. I truly hope Yahoo decides to keep it up. However, if not, then like every other time I have become dependent on software or a piece of hardware and it is ripped away from me suddenly, I will move on to something for better or worse.

Amplify’d from web.vivavip.com

'Delicious' leaves a bad taste

Joanna Ptolomey

It seems that the rumours are true and that the social bookmarking site Delicious is to close, or perhaps just change. Whilst generally being regarded as a good product (by users) Yahoo! do not find it a ‘strategic fit’ for them and are seeking a life outside the organisation – i.e. they are looking to sell it (http://blog.delicious.com/index.htm).

Last week on many social media platforms the conversations followed with outrage and ‘what now’? Social bookmarking has become popular for storing, tagging, sharing and mashing community collaborations. Many users commented that Delicious was one of their favourite tools – including me.   So what now? Where to go from here? Well Yahoo! have announced that they're maintaining Delicious for the time being so bookmarks will not disappear overnight. But what are the alternatives?

Pinboard

Stumbleupon

Xmarks

So with Delicious possibly on its way out, if Yahoo! does not find a buyer, then I will plan for moving on. Read more at web.vivavip.com

 

Gaming for Success

Based on some of the quotes in the summary, I really would like to read this book and explore these ideas more fully. I'd also be interesting in seeing also whether social networking and non game virtual environments, such as Second Life, are included in this study of video gaming, or if the construct of gaming is limited to those avenues that are strictly a gaming format. I can definitely agree that virtual worlds, online social networking, and gaming can be useful, depending on context and application.

Amplify’d from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-mcgonigal/video-games_b_823208.html

Video Games: An Hour A Day Is Key To Success In Life

Jane McGonigal

The single biggest misconception about games is that they're an escapist waste of time. But more than a decade's worth of scientific research shows that gaming is actually one of the most productive ways we can spend time.

That's what I mean when I say -- in the title of my new book -- that Reality is Broken." The fact that so many people of all ages, all over the world, are choosing to spend so much time in game worlds is a sign of something important, a truth that we urgently need to recognize.

Fortunately, however, this temporary exodus is not a complete waste of time! When we play a good game, we get to practice being the best version of ourselves: We become more optimistic, more creative, more focused, more likely to set ambitious goals, and more resilient in the face of failure. And when we play multiplayer games, we become more collaborative and more likely to help others. In fact, we like and trust each other more after we play a game together -- even if we lose! And more importantly, playing a game with someone is an incredibly effective way to get to know their strengths and weaknesses--as well as what motivates them. This is exactly the kind of social knowledge we need to be able to cooperate and collaborate with people to tackle real-world challenges.

So what's the optimal level of gaming? For most people, an hour a day playing our favorite games will power up our ability to engage whole-heartedly with difficult challenges, strengthen our relationships with the people we care about most -- while still letting us notice when it's time to stop playing in virtual worlds and bring our gamer strengths back to real life.

To find out more about the scientific tudies and games described here, read Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World (Penguin Press). Read more at www.huffingtonpost.com

Generations and their gadgets

The full study is very interesting and I believe has a great impact on Access Services. Not only will these technologies impact how library services are sought and delivered, but the perceptions and attitudes of library patrons toward the applications of these technologies in service situations will greatly influence these trends.

Amplify’d from http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/Generations-and-gadgets/Overview.aspx

Main findings

Many devices have become popular across generations, with a majority now owning cell phones, laptops and desktop computers. Younger adults are leading the way in increased mobility, preferring laptops to desktops and using their cell phones for a variety of functions, including internet, email, music, games, and video.

See more at www.pewinternet.org

 

Blame Game

As the supervisor of Access Services, I am the one that gets to handle the complaints that come in from patrons - mostly concerning fines for late or lost materials. They always have a reason, and seem quite offended that we dare charge them at all. As the patron I describe below said, they "take it personally." Well, so do I.

A patron came in recently to agrue over a fine for an overdue laptop. I explained to him the reason for the fine and my decision not to waive the $10 charge. His library record was not blocked, but he was still very unhappy. I told him he could appeal to the Dean of the Library if he so desired, but that I didn't think he had grounds for a successful appeal. His parting words to me were - "It's ridiculous, I know I'm right. And I think you know it too!!" He then went on to write the university provost concerning his fine, in an effort to go "above the heads of those who run the library in order to get this matter resolved." He ranted and raved about how this small fine for his negligence in returning a laptop on time were "against the founding principals of democracy in America,and plainly ridiculous." He continues saying that "to be disregarded in such a way, and processed as "automatically guilty" makes [him] sick to [his] stomach."

Well you know what makes me sick? The constant stream of students in and out of my office who are unwilling to take even the slightest responsibility for their actions. "I didn't know they had to be back at a ccertain time." (No libraries just let you keep stuff as long as you want.) "No one told me when they were due back." (Staff do this, and you can check online, and we send you courtesy notices and three overdue notices before you are fined.) "The fine is too high." (You sign the agreement form for laptops before you borrow them which clearly states the fine.)

Seriously people it's not that hard. Turn the materials in or renew them to extend your checkout or pay the fine already - but please stop coming to me blaming everyone but yourself for your own choices. This is a university - time to act like a grown up.

Epilogue: Thankfully, the Dean of the Library and the Provost supported my decision in the above case. I truly appreciate such supportive backing.

_____________________________

"How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?"

2011 Begins as a Blur

We're well underway into a new year, and what an interesting one it has been. Getting the semester off late due to more snow than I've ever seen in NC was just the beginning. The month was a rush, and I can't believe we've hit February already. Well per my normal MO, I am late starting the reinvention of this blog yet again. I'm back to random posts about the day in the life of a librarian who does a little bit of everything.

This past month was a perfect example of jsut that. I worked with another library to begin implementing the circulation of iPads here at the library. We're starting with a pilot project of 5 iPads. Our desk is already so busy I worry how much this will affect workload and morale. It often seems that circulation is the default place to start new projects, and while I like to explore new ways of serving our patrons, I also want to balance it with the needs of already overworked staff.

Wore my HR hat far too often in January, but that was to be expected with having to do new contracts for some of our assistants. There always seems to be a problem with one or two at the very beginning of the semester, but things have all smoothed out now. The online time reporting and fingerprint time clock have made it a lot easier to do time reporting for assistants, but it is still a big job and now done far more frequently.

I also have been working a lot on our virtual services - both in Facebook and Second Life. Have practiced my FBML and added some custom tabs to the Library's Facebook page, but I still want to work on customizing the look of the page via FBML. The newest tab I've added is a WorldCat search widget. I really wanted it to be a local catalog search widget, but that is going to take some serious studying of programming. I also began preparations for our African American History Book Club series for Second Life. Getting a lot more interest on this one than the one we did in November, which is encouraging. I hope for a decent turn out. I'm marketing it everywhere I can - Facebook, internal and external lists, print flyers, and within Second Life itself.

Another big project I had this month was working with my reserves staff member to finally get all the Mass Communication equipment records entered into Millennium in order to bring them into the system. I presented at the end of the month at SIUG (www.siug.org) on bringing campus departmental collections into a shared ILS system. This is our third department we've added to III - preceded by Music and Education. I can't blame them for wanting a satisfactory way of tracking such expensive equipment, but boy are we glad to have the hard part behind us. The loan rules are up and running, and they should be in operation sometime this semester.

Aside from my regular campus committee meetings (Faculty Development and Welfare and SPARC - Strategic Planning) I worked closely with my student group SAGA (Sexuality and Gender Alliance) in planning our event for February. Our Hands Over Hearts Gala will be held to bring awareness in the community about AIDS/HIV and other STDs. Working with the Robeson County Health Department, I feel this is one of the most worthwhile projects I tackled this month. I have high hopes for the event, and am glad for the chance to show that SAGA can tackle the serious topics as well as be fun.

In my "spare" time (lol) away from reference and access services duties, I managed to squeeze out two articles (late of course) for my editor for The Journal of Access Services and my last two submissions came out in publication. Time to start working on the next issue.

I did treat myself to an evening out seeing the Color Purple on campus - it was absolutely fabulous. Have been singing it ever since - especially "Hell No" - for which I also have the tshirt. =) There are some days that shirt will come in really handy.

Where Has the Summer Gone?

Hours of planning, implementation, and hard work over the spring and summer semesters were condensed into this article for my library's newsletter.

The summer months are often thought to be a quiet and peaceful time in academic libraries, a time to catch up from the frenzy of the fall and spring semesters. Since there are fewer students on campus, one might think there should be less to do. However, this was far from the case this summer at Access Services in the Library. New shelving and the shifting of thousands of volumes were just the beginning of the many transformations and modifications that took place over the summer months. Changes were also made to expand and improve our existing services to benefit both library patrons and staff.

Circulation Services updated several of its policies in order to keep current with the needs of the campus community and the trends of peer university libraries. The first of these updates was to eliminate renewals by phone. Today’s privacy concerns and the legal requirement that Social Security numbers not be used for identification purposes made this policy amendment necessary. Library patrons wishing to renew items now may do so online by logging in with their secure PIN or by coming by the Circulation Desk with their BravesOne card. Once the Banner system has been fully implemented and patrons know their Banner ID, we will revisit our phone renewals policy.

A huge transformation in Circulation Services was an overhaul of the fines and fees. The Library is eliminating daily overdue fines on certain items. The Library is more interested in having library materials returned than in collecting overdue fines. However, patrons and students will not be allowed to keep materials indefinitely at no charge. Instead of fines, replacement bills will be issued for severely overdue materials. A bill for a General Collection item will be issued 28 days after the item was due back to the Library. A bill for a media or bestseller item will be sent 12 days after the due date of the item. Each bill will include a nonrefundable $15.00 processing fee.

Because of this new system, and the desire to bring the Library in congruence with our peer libraries, the level of fines at which patrons are blocked from using library services and will have a hold placed on their student account was raised to $25.00. Previously, patrons were blocked when fines reached $5.00. This new level will be fairer to patrons and reduce the amount of staff time used in placing and removing blocks on patron accounts. All existing blocks for fees and fines involving less than $25.00 were removed from students’ accounts.

Interlibrary Loan Services also saw a number of modifications. The first is a new name – Document Delivery Services. Interlibrary loan, the lending and borrowing of materials between libraries, is still included in Document Delivery Services, but is only one component of the services now offered. Over the spring and summer sessions, an electronic delivery system was implemented that will now allow us to deliver requested articles electronically, rather than having patrons come in to pick up paper copies. Patrons can specify their delivery preference in their ILLiad account, the web interface used to make requests for materials.

Document Delivery Services expands this fall to include delivery of items owned by the Library. All library patrons may now place holds on available items in the Library’s online catalog, whereas they were previously limited to holds on checked-out items and items available elsewhere in our consortium. Library staff will now retrieve these items for patrons. Materials will be mailed to faculty and staff through campus mail, and to the home addresses of graduate and distance education students. Materials retrieved for undergraduates will be kept on the hold shelf at the Circulation Desk for one week before being reshelved. However, patrons should be aware that the pull slips take 24 hours to generate in the Library’s computer system, and materials needed sooner than 24 hours should still be retrieved in person by the individual needing the materials. Additionally, using an ILLiad account, article requesting is also now available. Faculty, staff, and graduate and distance education students may request electronic document delivery of articles owned by the Library. Library staff will retrieve, and digitize as necessary, requested articles for electronic delivery through ILLiad. This service is not available to undergraduate students. Undergraduates needing assistance retrieving articles owned by the Library should contact the Reference Desk.

Service expansions continued in Document Delivery with an extension of interlibrary loan services to Friends of the Library members. Previously limited in the use of this service through their local public library, Friends of the Library may now sign up online for an ILLiad account to request materials. Friends of the Library will be limited to the document delivery services currently available for undergraduates. This means that they will be eligible for electronic delivery of interlibrary loan articles and will be responsible for any costs incurred, but will have to come to the Library to pick up returnables and will not be eligible for local article delivery. Friends of the Library needing assistance retrieving articles owned by the Library should also contact the Reference Desk.

Access Services staff members think the recently implemented changes will be beneficial for our patrons and make the use of library resources more efficient and productive. If additional information is needed about any of the changes contact June Power, Access Services/Reference Librarian at unclassifiablelibrarian@gmail.com.

SRP 2007 - Eighth Book Review

Murder at the Feast of Rejoicing
Lynda S. Robinson
229 pages

I enjoyed the change of scenery in this installment of the Lord Meren series, as the Eyes and Ears of Pharaoh takes some time "off" at his "quiet" country plantation. Of course, if it were quiet, there wouldn't be much of a story, and this time Meren's family is involved. Not only do we get a change of scenery, but also a glimpse into Meren's past. It was refreshing to finally get some back story for this reserved character.





Totals
Books: 8
Pages: 1754

SRP 2007 - Seventh Book Review

Beatrice Letters
Lemony Snicket
72 pages

Before re-reading Lemony Snicket, including some of the Series of Unfortunate Events that I haven't read yet, I decided to read the Beatrice Letters because I was very interested in he love interest of Mr. Snicket, whom the series is addressed to. However, I was disappointed to find that this book raises more questions than it answers. I would discuss them but don't want to ruin the remainder of the series for anyone since the book is full of series spoilers. Frankly, there wasn't much too this book and I was hoping for more than what I found. Hopefully, reading The End will make it all clear. Wasn't at all sure what the picture inside the book is all about, or the letters cut out in the pages. I really felt like the whole thing was geared towards getting you to get the other books, which I don't mind reading, but was unsatisfying in its own right.





Totals
Books: 7
Pages: 1525

SRP 2007 - Sixth Book Review

Murder at the God's Gate
Lynda S. Robinson
280 pages

The dead bodies just kept coming with this book with a plot based around political intrigue. The Eyes and Ears of Pharaoh (Lord Meren's soubriquet in the novels) was hard at work with all of the political backstabbing in this book. However, it has me well-prepared for the upcoming presidential elections. =) I found this story a bit more predictable than the last, and still with many historical inaccuracies, but I still really enjoyed the story. I already have ordered the rest of the series through ILL, since the books are so good they only take me about a day to read.





Totals
Books: 6
Pages: 1453

SRP 2007 - Fifth Book Review

Murder in the Place of Anubis
Lynda S. Robinson
224 pages

This series immediately sucked me right in. It combines a lot of the elements I like in fiction - a historical setting in the court of King Tut (though the historical details are not all accurate), murders to resolve, interesting (though not deep) characters, and a lot of intrigue. As I anticipated, it was very similar to the Amelia Peabody series, only with the events actually occurring in antiquity instead of just an archaeological view. The mystery was very suspenseful, keeping me guessing until the end, though regular mystery readers may find it more predicatible. I kept thinking I had it figured out, then another plot twist would prove me wrong. Can't wait to read the next one.






Totals
Books: 6
Pages: 1173

SRP 2007 - Fourth Book Review

Dogbert's Top Secret Management Handbook
Scott Adams
192 pages

I wanted to hone my management skills over the summer, and since I was so empowered by The Dilbert Principle during library school that I thought I would revisit the genius that is Scott Adams. Chapters like "Forced Interaction with Unpleasant People," "Artificial Compliance," and "Identifying Suck-ups" made me laugh while helping me to understand the mystery that is management. An incredibly fun read.





Totals
Books: 5
Pages: 949

SRP 2007 - Third Book Review

All Together Dead
Charlaine Harris
323 pages


I was eagerly awaiting this next installment in the Sookie Stackhouse series. I love vampire stories and other stories of the supernatural, and the humor, action, and great characters of this series is just my type of good fiction. This story, in which the telepathic Sookie accompanies some of her vampire cronies to a vamp conference, was just as riveting as the previous books in the series.

However, just like Pirates of the Caribbean 2, I felt let down by the end - as if this installment just couldn't stand on it's own and has a big to be continued implied. I mean, I understand it's a series, and loose ends are necessary in order to keep the ball rolling. However, I felt this story just stopped, leaving me completely hanging. I'd like a little bit of resolution here please. Alas, the next book in the series will not be out until May 2008, so I'll be hanging until then to see where the drama will lead to next.





Totals
Books: 4
Pages: 757

SRP 2007 - First Book Non-Review

Empowering Your Library: A Guide to Improving Service, Productivity, & Participation
Connie Christopher
71 pages

I attempted to read this book, I really did. I was hoping it would give me some practical ideas for improving customer service and motivating my staff. I was sorely disappointed to find it dry as toast - sort of like a really long reserve article for a library management class based solely on theory. After flipping through a couple of sections and reading bits and pieces, I gave up, feeling less than empowered.

Totals
Books: 3
Pages: 434

SRP 2007 - Second Book Review

The Truth About Catalogers and The Truth About Reference Librarians

By Will Manley with illustrations by Richard Lee

129 and 152 pages respectively

I was trolling our library's collection of books about ourselves to see if I could find any that might be of professional interest to read. These books were exactly what I was looking for - a bit of light, comic reading perfect for advancing me down the road to tenure. OK, maybe that last bit was a stretch. These books are really only good for a laugh, and I read them in brief bits, since they are a mix of book and comic. It was nice to just read a few pages and not have to really invest in a plot, like while I had a moment waiting for a meeting to start. I have a toddler, and the smaller sections like "Theories on the Origin of Catalogers" and "Passages: Ten Stages in the Life of a Reference Librarian" enabled me to enjoy the books even if I got interrupted twenty times while reading it. I had quite a few laugh out loud moments while reading, so be careful not to drink milk while reading these books or the results could be problematic. =) If you are a librarian, or know one they'll make for good take to the beach reading.





Totals
Books: 3
Pages: 434

SRP 2007 - First Book Review

Moccasin Thunder
Edited by Lori Marie Carlson
153 pages

I found this book on the shelves of our American Indian Studies department, while looking for books I could review for American Indian Quarterly, something the librarians have assisted in doing at this historically Native American institution. I picked this book because it was a series of short stories, which I felt would be a nice introduction for my summer reading, and also because it would be easier to read during the hubbub surrounding the end of the semester.

Ten well known Native American authors offer stories not of the history of native peoples, but stories of young adult Native Americans with modern topics such as alcoholism, poverty, divorce, and the continued importance of family. These stories were a much welcome alternative to the usual portrayal of stereotypical images forever marooned in yesteryear. A grocery store checkout, a freezing rowboad ride, a drunken gym dance, and a public-access TV fiasco serve to remind us that the story of Native Americans is not one of the past, but is on-going. Written in styles from serious to humorous to sarcastic, the stories are fresh and engaging.

The stories include:

1. How to Get to the Planet Venus
2. Because My Father Always Said He Was the Only Indian Who Saw Jimi Hendrix Play "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Woodstock
3. A Real-Live Blond Cherokee and His Equally Annoyed Soul Mat
4. The Last Snow of the Virgin MAry
5. Crow
6. Ice
7. Wild Geese
8. The Magic Pony
9. Summer Wind
10. Drum Kiss

My favorite was Drum Kiss by Susan Power, and the story of Fawn who checks Grandma's closet every night to see if she can find the magical world of Narnia in an attempt to escape the poverty surrounding her. It was incredibly touching and I would definitely recommend it.





Totals
Books: 1
Pages: 153