The Stacked Librarian

Thing 47: Evaluation

2009-07-19T11:07:00.002-05:00

MW--All done and survey submitted. Thanks for providing another worthwhile online summer learning experience!

Thing 46: WebJunction MN

2009-07-19T10:54:00.004-05:00

I think none of my school library, public library, academic library nor special library friends have joined WebJunction. No luck in finding any of them.

In looking around the site, I see that most of the materials posted for schools come from Bruce Pomerantz, from the state. He's great about cross posting important information. For example, I get an email or two from him and then I see it posted on MemoList, plus someone from the U generally forwards his stuff along and now I know I can find it on WebJunction as well. What is nice is that WebJunction is a central spot to find lots of stuff. For sure I will share this site with my student teacher in the fall--it has lots of good resources to help beginning and continuing school media specialists.

Thing 45: Cloud Computing

2009-07-19T10:41:00.003-05:00

Two summers ago (or has it been three?), I started using GoogleDocs. It was a way to do some work when I was not at my school or home computer. It was super effecient and the service has worked well for me. This past school year I've noticed more and more students using GoogleDocs as a way to get their school materials back and forth between home and school. For the most part, it works well. Formatting, on occasion, gives us some trouble.

I haven't moved my whole life there just yet . . . I still rely on the server at work for solid back-up, plus an occasional back-up on a plug in hard drive. For presentations I take materials on a jump drive as I don't want to be caught in a situation where there isn't a reliable internet connection and unable to access materials. A pal uses his Iphone in that same capacity.

Where does it go next? Great question. It seems like we have started some conversations about moving to cloud computing for students in the years to come, especially as it becomes cost prohibitive to keep up with all the technoligcal advance--this is true for both schools and families. Interesting to me, brother-in-law who was once a huge advocate for cloud computing has put himself back on the ground, and pulled everything back to local servers at home and hardwired things. No more wi-fi at their house. Security concerns drove this choice.

This article published last fall from the Christian Science Monitor discusses the impact of cloud computing on the business world and surmises only the powerful will succeed.

Thing 44: The Economy

2009-07-19T10:29:00.002-05:00

As the economy has tanked, I feel quite fortunate to have had parents who have taught be about saving, how money works and so on. Also helps that I was raised by parents who were raised by parents who lived through the Depression and have no trouble reusing plastic bags. I knew husband had great potential beyond boyfriend status when one of our first dates I handed him the Happenings book and said "I don't care what we do tonight, but it's got to come out of the book." He laughed with me and many of our future date destinations were from this coupon book.

What's interesting to me is the push back schools are now getting on providing economic education. Certainly its important, but as classes like FACS (a place certainly appropriate for home economics education (saving, budgeting, etc.) become less available because of required courses, where do we squeeze in this info. Students take economics in 9th grade, but will they remember all that they need when it comes time to saying "no" to credit card offers in college? Perhaps, as with many things, this type of education is best done at home with some reinforcing at school. This websites provided in this thing are great for that. I can see making things like the Lee LeFavor video available, having a brief discussion in class and then having a homework assignment in Moodle. The types of economic exploratory activities here go way beyond the classic stock game and certainly would have more impact on students.

What are your cost saving tips?

This summer, we've spent some time on Craig'slist looking for items for the house and for many of our needs, we don't need to have new things. Husband and I are both ok with gently used. For us as we look at the costs of some things, it's an easy choice. My pal Bonnie is also a fantastic garage saler. She's on the hunt for us as well. Regarding other tips, I love coupons, should print off more than we do, try to plan meals around the Sunday grocery ads, Husband bikes to work at least three days a week, so on and so forth. Most of these tips are things we've been doing forever and so when the recession hit, we didn't have to make too many changes in our lifestyle, these things were already a habit. A new habit we hope to acquire in the new house is baking our own bread!

Thing 43: Online TV and Video

2009-07-18T16:54:00.002-05:00

When I've missed an episode of a TV show I like, I will take time to track it down and watch it online. Watching online, I find that I don't pay as close attention as I do when it's on the box in the living room. I'm distracted by checking email or looking at FB updates. The quality is not as great, but that's not what I'm after. Mostly, I want to make sure I'm up-to-date on the story line. I do like that you can watch a missed episode in less time than on regular TV (though I can speed up time with our TIVO as well).

I've had fun exploring shows on Hulu and looking at new movie trailers at Apple.

Right now having access to free TV content hasn't changed my viewing habits much. I still like to be comfy on the couch when watching TV (though I know we could get a server for the TV and set that up, etc. etc.) and sometimes I like to watch Gray's Anatomy at the same time everyone else is so that friends and I can call during the commercials. Will free access change things? Sure, we've already seen that with the writers strike and their demands for payment when things go online. How to license creative content and pay everyone fairly is a hot topic! No longer is the guilty warning on the bottom of sheet music not to "reproduce because it negatively impacts the livelihood of the artist" enough.

Thing 42: Music 2.0

2009-07-18T16:42:00.002-05:00

Friend Eric introduced me to Radioio a couple of years ago and I liked listening to that when I was working late. No longer did I have to lug around cds, there was a website that had a variety of music formats and I could listen to whatever I wanted. If I were willing to pay a fee, I wouldn't even have to listen to the commercials. Lately it seems that connectivity to this site hasn't been great, so as I have been packing up the house this week I've been listening to The Current via the computer. (We no longer have a stereo or boombox, all is packed away). With the advent of the Ipod and podcasts, I've been able to keep up with favorite radio shows that I sometimes miss and that certainly is a boon! For example, we downloaded a whole bunch of Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me episodes to listen to in the car when driving to Chicago. If you haven't heard the recent episode where Paula Dean is interviewed, grant yourself this 7 minute pleasure. It's a hoot!

So will internet radio replace broadcast? I don't think so. It seems like the radio stations figured out the importance of the internet connection to their work before the TV stations did. In order to stay in business, they must stay relevant. They do that by having up-to-date content, making their original content available via the air waves as well as the internet and by hiring fantastic on air talent. Doesn't matter how good the news reporting is on NPR, if the on air talent isn't any good, no one is going to listen. Plus at this moment, the radio stations do have the advantage of a poor economy on their side . . . HD radio is a luxury for many people and in these times, it might one thing to forgo. Remember when new cars came with Sirius radio connections? They were fabulous, but how many people continued the subscriptions?

Thing 41: Mash Up Your Life

2009-07-18T16:35:00.003-05:00

Ja, so our life is pretty much mashed up at the moment. Contents of one house locked away in a storage locker. Half the contents of the other house in storage at my parents house, quarter of the remaining contents packed up in boxes around the house leaving a quarter of things to get us through the next three weeks until we close on the new house.

My frustration with 23 Things is the constant registering for web services, many of which we may never use again. (I get that you don't know until you try, but at this stage I may be getting web service fatigue). Thing 41 wants us to register for yet another thing and quite honestly, I'm very happy with my Igoogle page and Tweet deck for keep tracking things. All the gadgets I have added to those pages do fine by me. So to answer the prompt do these services make life easier, some yes and are they productivity boosters? Yes and no, I like having only one place to check for blog, tweet and FB updates. Am I spending more time on FB this summer than last? Yep. Is that productive? Not so much. :-)

Thing 40: Mashup on the Web

2009-07-18T15:27:00.005-05:00

Hmm, so first off I looked at Visual Headlines and found the site hard to use because it wasn't immediately clear where to click. After clicking on "Top Stories" the site loaded a banner of pictures to accompany the story "Family Doctors Are an Endagered Breed." The pictures on the banner don't necessarily relate. They were:

A group of people seemingly standing in a line of sorts
A man with with his hair pulled back in a pony tail and a pierced left ear
People welcoming Hillary Clinton to India
A lion
A beagle on a couch

With each refresh, the pictures change. What is the reader to intuit about the connection between the photos and the headline? Are pony tailed men who also pierce their ears in danger of extinction? Is Hillary Clinton attending medical school while in India? Lions may be endangered, but certainly not a beagle, though beagles are an acceptable family pet. Uffda! All this means to me is that there is even more need to teach visiual and media literacy to students!

OK, now that I have ranted, I went back and looked at the site again. Each one of these pictures was to represent a word in the headline. Blech! Really, the people in India warrant an "an"? I understand the cuteness of what the site is trying to do, however, writing a computer code to match up pictures and words . . . without context . . . all under the banner of news seems irresponsible. Walter Cronkite would not call this journalism!

Also played with booktour.com. Helpful site in looking to see what authors are coming to town, the search feature could use a little work, but certainly could use this site as a starting point. Lazy Library won't work as a site for EHS students . . . outside reading books must be atleast 250 pages in length. (And when did reading short books be come something to celebrate rather than reading something that interests you?? Example--Marley and Me is a book that nearly everyone who picks it up just loves. Doesn't make this list because it is too many pages in length, 320 in paperback )

For this entry assignment, I made a first day of school outfit on Polyvore.

How To Use Polyvore by sarswenson featuring Fendi shoes

(Don't know why I'm getting those "drop and drag" labels. They don't appear at the Polyvore site.)

Thing 39: Digital Storytelling

2009-07-18T15:20:00.005-05:00

Looking at the Mark Twain lesson plan idea, I can see something like that being done in our building. What it would require is some more direct instruction on powerpoint and a shift in how teachers use the computer lab. I think we could pull off something like that and it helps that the lesson plan comes from a trusted resource like NCTE. The digital storytelling would be a 21st century improvement on the poster, because not only would it incorporate technology skills, it would be yet another chance to work with students locating materials and crediting sources.

Inspired by my friend Barb who was in a scrapbooking phase, I created a scrapblog account a couple of years ago. As I type this blog entry today, I am waiting for Scrapblog to send me my password so I can play around with it some more. (Obviously I didn't do much with it then). I can see having a student worker use this program to put together some fun online displays for the library, but overall I like "Shelfari" for these kinds of things. (It's been a bit and still no response from scrapblog . . . I'm moving ahead.)

Thing 38: Screencasting

2009-07-14T19:46:00.005-05:00

Inspired by my fellow high school librarians, I explored Jing this past spring and consequently created a series of Jing videos, one for each of the subscription databases for our school. They are posted at the school website. There was a trial and error period in learning to use Jing, most frustrating was the headset that wouldn't work consistently. Overall, though it was an easy to use product and I'm pleased that we have these quick tutorials for students.

My Jing resume also includes a video done for the district, providing instruction on accessing our new online card catalog. I've also talked with a couple of teachers about putting lectures on their Edline pages using Jing . . . MW, I think we've both tried to get people jazzed about the idea, though with mixed results, the sawhorse in the road being not enought time.

Thing 37: Photo Tales

2009-07-14T19:17:00.004-05:00

I had read about animoto in Joyce Valenza's blog. Looks like a great service and should be an easy enough transition for students who have been using Photstory. Animoto was certainly easy to use and I like that it has links to copyright free music. Here's a quick video with some pictures from our trip to Chicago in June:

I haven't used a lot of these sites for online picture sharing. At home, our digital photos are nicely organized into albums on the Mac, using IPhoto. I always think I'll spend more time playing them then I actually do.

Random Things

2009-07-13T09:59:00.003-05:00

Two items from a recent American Library Association newsletter that might interest the Twitter users . . .

Discovering The Truth About your Twittering
Marshall Kirkpatrick writes: “How do you really use Twitter? Do you retweet a lot of other peoples’ content, share a lot of links, and respond to direct messages? A new service called Twit Truth will tell you the cold, hard facts about your own use of Twitter. It might sound trivial, but you could also say this service is an example of the kind of conversation data mining that will define some of the most exciting innovation in the future of the web.”...ReadWriteWeb, July 6

10 Ways to Find People on Twitter
Josh Catone writes: “Twitter is all about facilitating conversations, but until you’re following some people, it’s just a blank page. Once you find people to follow and talk to, however, Twitter becomes exceptionally useful. You can share thoughts, ask questions, get updates about news, music, brands, and businesses, and discover helpful links and information. Finding good people to follow can be a bit daunting, though. Thankfully, there are a number of ways you can find people on Twitter. Here are 10 sites you can use to locate tweeps to follow.”...Mashable, July 2

Thing 36: Comic Relief

2009-07-09T15:59:00.004-05:00

Shelf Check 356

Ya RLY

Here's a comic that I tried making at Make Beliefs Comix. It wouldn't let me save an image.

Fun to play with the various image generators. We've used some this past year at school including Wordle to make signs for displays and Book Club posters. Also, reccomended a couple of these sites to some students who had to generate movie posters for a class assignment. Photoshop was proving too difficult and these image generators made completing the assignment easier. The only hurdle I can see for teachers is the email account, for some of the sites want to mail things. Creating comics is a higher order thinking skill (have to apply what you know, include humor, etc.) and would be a great summary activity for a lesson or unit.

Here's my Dewey classification. Is it ironic that it matches my astrological sign? I didn't include my birthday.

Sara Swenson's Dewey Decimal Section:
714 Water features
Sara Swenson = 91819354954 = 918+193+549+54 = 1714
Class:
700 Arts & Recreation
Contains:
Architecture, drawing, painting, music, sports.
What it says about you:
You're creative and fun, and you're good at motivating the people around you. You're attracted to things that are visually interesting. Other people might not always understand your taste or style, but it's yours.

Thing 35: Books 2.0

2009-07-07T10:22:00.005-05:00

Lots of fun book sites to explore in this "thing." Some I knew and some were fun to discover and I look forward to playing with them a little bit more as we determine what to read for book club in the year ahead.

This year at school I noticed an uptick in students reading for fun . . . it was terrific to see! Students also used blogger for their book journals and by having to comment on others blogs, I think their interest in other books was picqued!

(MW--this might be the lamest post ever. Apologies!)

Thing 34: Online Answer Sites

2009-07-07T09:52:00.003-05:00

Customer service . . . seems that libraries which are flourishing in these tough economic times have embraced a solid model of customer service, which includes taking a look at how reference services are delivered. Professional magazines have lots of advice and I've been an outsider looking in as MHS has contemplated how to evolve their reference services. This past spring, the focus of Minnesota Library Technology Conference was on creating useful library spaces for students who were unfamiliar or uncomfortable with traditional libraries. The keynote speaker, Stacey Greenwell spoke of a space she created at the University of Kentucky. The Hub, is outside of the traditional library and really seems to be a large rumpus room with WiFi, comfy furniture, large white boards and is staffed by a young librarian. It's quite popular with students. In a way it seems like a way to meet students halfway, acknowledging that computers are how they do their research now and by getting them into the library, the librarian can help make the bridge to research strategies and finding quality materials.

The question for me after the conference was how to incorporate some of these ideas in a high school. Staffing is limited and in fact, cut back for the next year, but I would like to update our webpage with a variety of different sources, hoping that students will take advantage of what is offered there.

It was fun to explore the online answer sites, many of them reminded me of what long time librarians would call a "handy file" . . . the place where we keep answers to commonly asked questions. Was surprised to see About.com on the list however, that site rarely seems to have what I am looking for . .

Thing 33: Travel 2.0

2009-07-01T19:53:00.007-05:00

In our household, we had a Web 1.75 experience in planning a recent trip to Chicago. As a birthday treat, Husband treated me to a getaway to the Windy City. Our planning involved a computer, various web sites and of course, several books.

An Ode to our Trip
With husband was at the keyboard and I at the book,
we quickly planned our trip including chatting up a celebrity cook!

Using Hotwire, we found a room at the Palmer House
And from Frommer's printed guide, we did learn of a grouse
(Spot on!)

For certain we knew at Topolobampo we'd eat
And meeting Chef Rick Bayless was no mean feat!
For fun, we tried another spot in The Loop
Blackbird in Chicago, for it would be fun to tease our friends about this fancy pigeon stoop!
Eating is not all we did,
Rented bikes and saw a museum filled with kids.

All is all a fine trip was had,
Planning done with both computer, book and paper pad.
Two things are for certain, we know by far . . .
Computers help with finding good prices and books with maps are best in the car!

Thing 32: Google Maps and Mashups

2009-07-01T19:10:00.004-05:00

Google has a long memory. When I clicked on "My Maps" it brought up the map I made last summer, showing the locations of my extended family. Husband and I have been using the real estate map ALOT this summer as we hunt for a house.

As far as school goes, I can see using this map with a variety of English and Social Studies classes. For example, last spring an AP English teacher and I talked about having her students create a sonnet map using Google Maps, tracking places in a city where sonnets have been written. Unfortunately the idea didn't get off the ground.

For this assignment, I used the timeline feature in Google to get a timeline of the explorer Marco Polo's travels. There was conflicting information about his birth year and birth place, so before I could even create my first placemark, I had to confirm the information in a third source (great research activity for students). I can see this sort of map making activity being a decent activity for a Social Studies class as it incorporates reasearch, geography and computer skills not to mention employs writing skills as students would have to write a description for each placemarker.

Marco Polo map

Thing 31: More Twitter

2009-06-29T17:16:00.003-05:00

Just today I uploaded a picture for Twitter . . . small steps here. I am not much of a Twitter user and don't have much of a presence here. As the summer passes I am trying to add more to Twitter, but really am not sure that my contributions to the Web 2.0 world have much impact, primarily because they are haphazzard and aren't all that interesting. Perhaps I should take a marketing class as well?

Despite my lack of use, there's now denying its impact on our society and its staying power. From the election in Iran to the various celebrity deaths this past week, all events have been dutifully logged and shared via billions of tweets. The research from the Pew Research Center, "140 Characters of Protest" sums it up very nicely.

Thing 30: More RSS

2009-06-29T16:52:00.002-05:00

Part of my morning routine is to check email and then check my RSS tab page on IGoogle where I keep up-to-date with the blogs of friends, plus follow a handful of professional blogs. I used to throw all my professional reading materials in a pile and once a month take some time to read through the collected materials. Now, I can do that more effeciently each day and then pass along any timely information. Less clutter makes me happy! (Husband, that one's for you!)

The suggested article was a bit overwhelming at first, particularly if you're not interested in how the RSS feed works, but rather just want the information. Their conclusion of "It's easy to get discouraged with RSS" could be applied to almost any new technology. I'll continue to plug away with my Bloglines account and will give their "reader" a try.

Thing 29: Google Tools

2009-06-29T16:16:00.003-05:00

Search Tools
The ability to set up search alerts by keyword seems like a publicists dream. No longer do they have to search through newspapers, magazines, websites, etc. for posts about their client, now those articles/blog entries/etc. can be found for them and sent to them in their Google Reader.

Instead of playing further with these tools (though at our house, Husband set up an alert to track everything that was going on with the Iranian election), I chose to play around with the newer search features in Google, namely timeline and wonderwheel. These search features debuted this spring. I played with them then, but haven't looked at them in over a month. I'd like to show our sophomore World History students the timeline feature as it would work well with their Enlightenment project.

Productivity
Husband and I use the Google calendar to keep track of our lives. It's a great way to see who is free and to schedule activities, appointments, etc. without having to interrupt their work day. We each have several calendars (individiual, joint, work, etc.) that are easily combined into one spot. It's been great and I laugh when I think how far we've come from when we used to plan it out on paper--a huge step for husband who never used to keep a calendar at all!

Thing 28: Customized Home Pages

2009-06-29T15:39:00.002-05:00

This past school year I created an IGoogle page which I use for tracking news, my favorite comic, FB updates, etc. Also, I created a second tab for tracking blogs. The IGoogle page has been an effecient way to track blog postings (I prefer it to bloglines). I get frustrated when I try to add a new RSS feed because inevitably time has passed since the last time I did it and something has changed in the process. For example, today I wanted to add the 23 Things page for our group at NetVibes and had trouble finding the RSS feed gadget. The gadet I used last time for this purpose is not where I remember it being and a quick search resulted in new gadets and those that I tried didn't work.

I read Joyce Valenza's article about using IGoogle pages as a way to help students track their research. It's an intriguing idea and I'd like to know more about the type of projects that the students used the readers for . . . was it a current events class? Best though was her third "duh" where she pondered if her student users wouldn't be better served by integrating specifc RSS feeds into exisitng pathfinds. That's a trail I'd like to follow!

Thing 27: Twitter

2009-06-23T09:14:00.004-05:00

Husband started tweeting in March and I joined then to follow him. It's been neat to see his posts and to learn who's following him. After a conversation with him this morning, he proclaimed that I am Web 1.0 since I follow things and Web 2.0 is all about collaboration. My Igoogle page is filled with blogs that I follow, plus my daily Non-Sequitur fix. I love this tool as it keeps me in the loop with professional things as well as friends. But like the student I was in the classroom, I tend to listen and reflect internally and on occasion raise my hand to contribute. The challenge to me then would be to start tweeting!

Too funny is a recent Tweet from a public librarian. In responding to a common question posed to librarians, "What do you do?" he tweeted "I help mentally challenged people stalk celebrities on the internet. What's not to like?"

Thing 26: Join the Ning

2009-06-12T10:37:00.001-05:00

Have joined the ning. In general, I like nings, though am frustrated that our proxy server at schools blocks them. I have read about several nings for content area teachers where lesson plans and other ideas are shared. As I have passed along those links inevitably I hear back from teachers about their frustrations about not being able to access them at school.

This summer, I see myself visiting and contributing to the Camp Read-A-Lot ning as I prepare to attend this conference in August.

Thing 25: Blogger's Toolkit

2009-06-11T16:17:00.003-05:00

Turtles. The turtles are a gadget from Google and I added them to the blogger site using the online help at the designingers site, but the gadget isn't working as well as I would like. The turtles are moving quite slowly, more tortise like than turtle like. The problem may be the size of the gadget window. I've been unsuccessful in tweaking the HTML code to resize the window.

Professionally, I apprecriate the creation of so many different gadgets and widgets. This year I added to our school library website a widget which allows users to search all of our ebooks at once. Also, we added a Shelfari page to help display our latest aquisitions. The Shelfari widget reminds me of something I saw last summer on 23 Things . . . St. John's used Flickr to display their new acquistions, each book was linked to a review. Shelfari lets us do the same thing and seems like a little less work.

Thing 24: Refresh Your Blog

2009-06-11T16:11:00.003-05:00

Green is the color of spring and summer. This year, seems like those two seasons are a bit intertwined. In honor of a return to 23 Things and to refresh my blog, the new layout color is green. Also notice the charming, or what I like to think of as charming, turtles on the left. Aren't they dear? This summer dear reader, I hope to update you on my reading. On the right side I've added a list of books currently read and will add to it as the summer passes. Perhaps you'll joining me in a reading a title or two!

Regarding the prompt for this entry, I've set up a blog reader page within my IGoogle site for following a number of professional and personal blogs. Now longer do I look at each blog each day, navigating from the favorites menu of the web browser. Now, I log into my IGoogle site and everything is there--super handy!

Thinking ahead to the night of the goblins

2008-09-03T11:15:00.005-05:00

I'm married to a man who adores Halloween. My husband is married to a gal who isn't nearly as fond of this holiday. Being a good sport, however, I'm thinking ahead to what our costumes could be and have arrived at:

After all, Batgirl was a librarian!

Thing 23: Final Thoughts

2008-07-05T13:31:00.002-05:00

Wouldn't you know it? Last post, tried to put in a cute animated picture from ImageChef and the html code won't work. Fussed with it a bit and still not working, so no pretty pictures for the end.

Wonderful staff development experience and I liked the "go at your own pace" speed. It was fun to be doing it with a group of colleauges from both EPS and MHS. Lots of different experiences, insights and thoughts. Lots of fun conversations about possible uses of various 2.0 programs in different settings.

But now, I'm done and am looking foward to having a little more time to read BOOKS!

Thing 22: What Did I Learn Today?

2008-07-03T16:51:00.001-05:00

Today I learned that vocabulary makes a difference. My librarian friend Ron asked me if the area high schools used the ELM databases. Recently he had a conversation with a friend from Minitex who thought schools weren't using them. Here's the thing . . . we are. We are using the state provided databases like you wouldn't believe. My neighboring high school media colleagues and I make have links to all of them on our school library web pages. Here's the deal. We don't use the ELM interface, rather we link directly to the databases themselves.

I explained to Ron that the ELM welcome is very user friendly and has a public library feel about it. In my school, as in most of the classic lake schools, over 85% of our students are college bound. We teach the students how to access the databases by their names and talk about when and why you would use each type. College libraries are set up the same way. In that regard we are intentionally training our students for college library use. I showed Ron a couple examples of school library web pages. He saw the common theme and remarked that they were set up much like his college library web page.

So, it all comes down to vocabulary. We are using the same things, but just calling them by different names.

(Mike, I think is the post where I am to pledge allegiance to things library and web 2.0-ish. I'm uncertain about a formal pledge, but I will continue to keep my eyes open, keep reading professional materials including the feeds at bloglines and even try new things once in a while. I can't promise though, that my Luddite skepticism, better known as practicality, will take a complete leave of absence.)

Thing 20: Libraries and Social Networks

2008-07-03T16:50:00.003-05:00

So I joined Facebook. I signed up a couple of weeks ago and have not taken the time to upload a picture yet. Three invitations were issued to close friends and those dear hearts were kind enough to "friend" me. Since then, I've also been "friended" by folks I haven't seen in years.

Already, I feel like I'm back in junior high and wondering if this is the day you're supposed to wear the sweater with the "V" on the front or on the back. Are we pinning pants this week or not? In the end, I hated all those social pressures and would just wear what I wanted to wear. Facebook is little bit like that for me. Am I being witty enough? Did I choose the right picture? Who is this person? Do I know them? ARGH--what a time and energy drain! I have a Linkedin account for professional things and even with that, I hate making the decisions of whether or not I "link" with people. Last week I received a request to "link" with a woman who isn't a very nice person. Do I link with her because we have mutual friends? If I say no, will that lead to an uncomfortable conversation at an upcoming cocktail party? ARGH!

I'll continue to work with Facebook and even post a picture. My college class is having a reunion this year. I put together a wiki for us to use, but have since learned from the college, that they prefer for us to use Facebook for these things. It was the recent graduate who works in the alumni office who emailed me with the news. On a positive note, two his office mates who are further up in the leadership were introduced to wikis via our class page and were even willing to give them a try!

About using Facebook at school . . . my superstar librarian friend put together the Myspace page for HCL. I talked with him about schools doing such a thing, but because of the parameters of school and other concerns, he advised against it. This spring, I revisited the idea with some of my library kids. I asked them if they used Facebook or Myspace. Most had Facebook accounts. I asked them if they would use a school library Facebook page as a a way to get at the online resources the school provides. Their faces held looks of confusion (apparently the school and personal worlds were about to collide) and they told me they wouldn't. "You already taught us how to find those things. Why would we use Facebook for that?" Why indeed, though I do think it's a brilliant use of social networking by the public library system to connect with kids--meeting them in "their space."

Thing 19: Podcasts

2008-07-03T16:49:00.012-05:00

If I weren't marrying a charming man who insists, nay, demands a speedy Internet connection at home (As if it were a constitutional right, which I do not believe it is, well, that is until we have Constitution 2.0!), here's the thing that might just push me to upgrade from dial-up all on my own!

Of course, once the downloadable book vendors figure out how to download books onto my Ipod, well then that speedy Internet connection will really be the bees-knees!

(Yet again, further proof that tattoos really out to be well thought out before being inked and in most cases, better not seen!)

About podcasts, I get them. We've had some small successes in our building with them, though just one or two teachers really interested in trying them. I am grateful, Mike, that you have helped with these projects and are familiar with Audacity. I have also read about them in educational magazines, the articles emphasizing the importance of pushing the learning beyond the classroom walls. Again, understandable, but the high school skeptic in me wonders who is listening to these regularly, other than family members? (You know, the fourth graders from Nebraska. Fun, weekly shows, but core audience?) Maybe my frustration comes from the technology a little bit, but more so wanting (some) teachers to raise the bar for the quality of the type of project students are doing?

Thing 18: YouTube & Other Online Video

2008-07-03T16:49:00.006-05:00

Like most people, I'm familiar with finding things on YouTube. We have periodic discussions about whether or not to block access for students, but ultimately we leave it open. There are other resources out there, but they don't seem to have nearly the holdings as YouTube. TeacherTube, for example, is a great idea--a place for teachers to post scholastic and school appropriate materials. Problem is, there's never what you need there. This past February, an English teacher wanted to share some Shakespearean sonnets with her students. Couldn't find a thing on TeacherTube, but some fellow record all of them and put them on YouTube.

I played a little bit with Google video, but didn't care for their interface. Also, their search results weren't well compiled. Is there a different algorithm for video searches than for word/text searches? I also looked at the list of other recommended video sources and while the reviews were helpful, none of the sites seemed to be a great fit for school projects.

Disappointing all around, however, is that no one seems to have posted a video for this fine song:

Jimmy Buffett - Love In The Library

On the corner of Government and Bay Avenue
The old doomsday fanatic wore a crown of kudzu
Sirens where wailing in the gulf coastal heat
And it seemed like the whole world was in forced retreat
I paid no attention, revolved through the door
Passed the newspaper rack on the worn marble floor
Near civil war history my heart skipped a beat
She was standing in fiction stretched high on bare feet

Love in the library, quiet and cool
Love in the library, there are no rules
Surrounded by stories surreal and sublime
I fell in love in the library once upon a time

I was the pirate and she was the queen
Sir Francis and Elizabeth the best there's ever been
Then she strolled past my table and stopped at the stairs
Then sent me a smile as she reached for Flaubert

Love in the library, quiet and cool
Love in the library, there are no rules
Surrounded by stories surreal and sublime
I fell in love in the library once upon a time
She gathered her books, walked while she read
Words never spoken but so much was said
You can read all you want into this rendezvous
But it's safer than most things that lovers can do
Well stories have endings and fantasies fade
The guard by the door starts drawing the shade
So write your own ending and hope they come true
For the lovers and strangers on Bay Avenue

Love in the library, quiet and cool
Love in the library, there are no rules
Surrounded by stories surreal and sublime
I fell in love in the library once upon a time

So instead, we'll look to Cookie Monster to help contemplate that age old question of why there are no cookies in the library.

Thing 17: ELM Productivity Tools

2008-07-03T16:39:00.002-05:00

Minnesota is a great state. It's the 32nd state admitted to the union and one that pride's itself on fantastic public libraries. Hence ELM4You. Each year, I write a note to my state representatives to let them know how useful it is for our students to have access to a wealth of information via these state tax dollar funded databases. There's no way our school could afford all of them. It's simply fantastic that the state provides access.

Back to the assignment . . .
I have user folders at all the databases listed and demonstrate for a wide variety of audiences how to make them, store info, set up alerts, etc. I do like that feature because for many, research is done at a variety of locations and it's very helpful to be able to put all of the findings in one easy to locate spot! To give a quick example, when the online physical education class was being created, I was charged with finding assignments for students to read. I was able to search for articles, find them, dump them in a folder and then easily share them with the teacher, all without wasting paper. Yea!

Thing 16: Student 2.0 Tools

2008-07-03T16:25:00.004-05:00

The Student Research Project Calculator is neat and I LOVE that it is aligned with the Big 6 Skills. At our last Big 6 training days with teachers I introduced it, but it didn't get much use. I've been thinking about how best to do some staff development for teachers in regards to student research and would like to cover/review this site with teachers. First step though, will be to put a link for it on our school library page. The teacher support materials are good as well. Laurie, Mary and I have been charged with updating the Info Lit Skills curriculum this summer. The student research guide looks very similar to what we currently have, but the narrowing topic sheet could be useful.

Thing 15: Online Games and Libraries

2008-07-03T15:52:00.005-05:00

Ahoy ye mateys! I tried to play Puzzle Pirates this afternoon, but network problems prevented logging on. The round, fleshy pirates looked cute in a weeble sort of way. Certainly the creators and programmers seemed to have fun with their word choices and character creations. My pirate would be named "Bernadette."

Mike, I'm going to take liberty here (nice pirate term, eh?) and count our emails this past spring about the Frontline show as credit for the impact of gaming on teens.

Thing 14: LibraryThing

2008-07-03T14:34:00.003-05:00

This fall will mark my fourth year as a panelist for Booked for the Evening. It's an annual children's and young adult literature review and alumnae/alumni event for St. Kate's. On a late fall evening, four librarians review the best of the best books published in the current year and the Red Balloon Bookshop has copies of said books on hand for purchase.

I've tried different ways to keep track of books for this project, my most favorite is to toss reviews into a folder (usually purple as that is the Katie color) and then review them in the summer as I start to gear up in ernst for the presentation. Last year, my fellow presentor Ashley used LibraryThing and upon her reccomendation, I started to use it for this project.

I like that I can see the book covers and can tag the books I add to help organize by year which titles I present. Also helpful is the comment section where I can start to put together my thoughts for what I will say about each book. Slow to embarce some library 2.0 technologies as I may be, this is one in particular that I enjoy and for which there is focused use and application.

Thing 13: Online Productivity Tools

2008-07-03T12:01:00.003-05:00

Here's the thing, I'm an organized person. So you'd think that I would love these online productivity tools, but it's taking me awhile to embrace them. My soon to be legally-wed-to-me love and I have a shared Google calendar. It's nice to be able to see things that are going on in our busy lives; I just hate feeling so tied to a computer. There's a certain beauty to pulling out my paper planner/calendar, quick and easy access whenever needed. But that was also when it was just me. Now, there are more calendars to consult. Maybe I need to pony up and buy an Iphone or similar device and service plan that allows me 24/7 access to all these online planning tools, but at the same time, I do enjoy being unplugged several hours of the day!

The project management tools are neat, but again, it's my love/hate thing with them. I couldn't register at The Knot because the sheer idea of having a wedding day countdown appear each time I logged caused great stress. Since I am good (well, atleast in my opinion) at managing my time, I wouldn't care to have a countdown clock for projects. At the same time, I can see where such a thing would be useful for group projects.

At Remember the Milk I created at to-do list for tomorrow. It was irritating to ahve to set a due date for each item and to have to manually enter a date. Clicking on the calendar icon did not bring up a calendar. I can see the usefulness of such a product, but in my luddite ways, really do like putting things on a post-it and then crossing them off as I go. And now Mike, before you go and suggest that I look at Stikkit, you should know that I did. It seems to have lots of similar features to Outlook (meeting planning, notes, etc.), but perhaps is intended for people in the broader community.

The ideas and sites listed here warrant some more investigation and perhaps an article in the parent newsletter this fall about student use of online planning/calendar tools.

Thing 12: Digging my way to China

2008-06-25T16:23:00.007-05:00

Stories about the Internet and China have been a regular part of Morning Edition this week. The filter software required by the feds has nothing on the Chinese government! A former teacher friend turned PhD candidate thinks that I look like Education Secretary. When she wears her glasses, I can see the vague resemblance--if you're squinting.

Though, you'd never catch me doing this:

A handshake and that's it!

Aah, but back to digging. I don't digg. Lots of it comes down to how I want to spend my time and doing some of the social networking is not really something with gathers my interest. And yes, I know may be alone in that, but that's just fine with me. I'm happy to read my copy of Plato in the cave.

Thing 11: When is tagging like cataloging?

2008-06-25T15:50:00.005-05:00

Or like vandalism?

Here's the thing. I'm a librarian because generally, I like people. This afternoon, that likability is being tested a bit by the patron wear patchouli, the worst scent in the world. The smells from my uncle's hog barn which waft near the hot tub when the breeze blows from the south (sore muscles must be eased after a hard day of labor and chores) are sweet compared to this ungodly foul unwashed medieval pungent smell.

Anyway, I am a librarian. In library school I quickly learned that there are two type of people: people who like people (and aren't they luckiest people?) and those who don't, better known as catalogers. I appreciate all that my cataloging colleauges do, for without them, it would be difficult to find things. It's easy to find things because they catalog things, organize things, label things based on a set of rules that all librarians know. What's to say then when the world goes wacky and starts cataloging or tagging things are on their own, without following any sort of rules? I'm all for organizing things--my friends will attest--but how can I find your pictures with light bulbs when you are labeling them as (gasp!) light bulbs and I am referring to them as their properly assigned subject heading: incandescent filters? Is it a case of tomato and tomato? Or should I just learn to embrace another new Web 2.0 tool and rejoice in the idea of more people getting organized?!

I can see the application for librarians and teachers to create a list of websites for students to use and setting up a spot for them to add what they find.

Thing 10: Wikis

2008-06-25T12:26:00.007-05:00

Where to start . . . a review of how wiki's have changed how we look at, access and compile information? How Wikipedia created? engineered? the former and then responded to concerns of validity by adding footnotes and links to resources? Or to talk about my frustration in trying to create wiki's. Perhaps the last as the others have been covered over and over by people who are both smarter and better writers than I.

After reading Will Richardson's book Blogs, Wikis and Podcasts . . last summer, I created a wiki to use with an advanced art class. It looked good. I was excited about it. The teacher was excited about it and as these things go, we never used it. Not wanting to loose my wik-ability (Wait, now I sound like merino wool!), I tried making another one for my upcoming college reunion. I tried two different sites, some horrible site the name I can't remember and wetpaint. Wetpaint was easier to use and had pretty colors, so the planning group is playing with it right now. Come October, we'll see if it was a useful planning (and recruiting tool) for a reunion.

With my other job, not to be confused with my other other job or yet that different other job I have, the institution has been doing lots with Web 2.0 tools. One of my colleagues as well as boss was recently recognized for her work with promoting and integrating Web 2.0 tools, namely Placeography. This house history wiki has been a phenomenal sharing site for users. Two weeks ago I was at a lovely garden party and mentioned this site to Ryan K. who is hosting a walking tour of his neighborhood. Not only did he know about Placeography, but had also been interviewed on a local TV show about his well regarded contribution. So while the Internet brings information together, it is the garden parties in the central neighborhood of Minneapolis where people truly connect!

One thing that I have noticed about wiki's . . it takes people to keep them going and it there's no interest or it's too difficult to contribute, then they grow stagnant. Case in point, Minnewiki. The idea behind the site is great, but what's the point of a Minnesota music wiki if no one can contribute? The site is doesn't allow for users to add material. Without the ability to contribute or even keep things up-to-date, the Current's self chosen name is more than ironic!

Unnumbered but related Thing

2008-06-20T14:16:00.003-05:00

My friend Eric (insert broken link. An early blogger, before blog was a word, he ~sadly~ no longer writes online.) is a long time reader of The Atlantic. The topic of conversation over a recent dinner had to do with reading fodder and attenion span. He mentioned Nicholas Carr's recent article Is Google Making Us Stupid? and if you have time, it's worth reading. (Yes, reading. Not skimming, but sitting down, slowing down and enjoying the words as they were put together by the author and taking time to reflect upon his point of view.)

Thing 9: Online Collaboration Tools

2008-06-20T09:48:00.006-05:00

Photo credit: jelens

I'm a fan of Google docs. Last summer I started using at as way to work on school projects no matter where I was. It's not always convenient to have a jump drive and sometimes I am working at a work station where the software choices and accessibility is limited. Google docs has been freeing for me (wait, something else is supposed to be freeing for me what is it . . .) as a traveling user.

Last fall we started using Google docs with students as a way for them to create things, but more so as a way to easily transfer items back and forth between school. Slowly the interest is growing and I think as more teachers begin to use and demonstrate it, Google docs will become more popular.

(Mike--you may have noticed that I didn't write about editing public documents. I understand what the software is for and what can be done with it, just not my area of interest. Perhaps those government teachers might like to do something with it in the fall when they have students create their own Pledge of Allegiance . . .)

Thing 8: Share your creations

2008-06-20T09:24:00.008-05:00

Here are pictures of the mural in my library. Last summer, my friend John created and painted it. While he was hard at work painting and singing along with radio, I weeded and weeded the non-fiction collection. There are no pictures of the many boxes of deaccessioned books, but there are these great pictures of the mural in progress!

With Zoho, I like the idea of being able to make updates and then those changes being automatically updated on the webpage. We'll see if that happens. I found a grammar error, corrected it and resaved the show, but when I last checked, that change hadn't yet been posted. What was frustrating for me was the slowness of Zoho. I wanted it to move a little faster than it did, but when I reminded myself what I was asking of it and that it was live and on the web, I became a little less critical about speed. (I know, I know. Those of you who know that I have dial-up at home are thinking I don't have a leg to stand on, but this post was done on a speedy computer with a speedy connection. :0)

A side note, I love the pictures of my fellow school media specialists posted on the 23 Things site!

Finally, I am intrigued by Lazybase and am contemplating how we might use that for the various reading lists I/the English Dept. compile for students. Right now, we use MS Excel as well as tables in MS Word lots and lots . . .

Thing 7

2008-06-19T12:19:00.004-05:00

The use to web 2.0 technologies in the workplace has been in the news this week. Make it Stop! Crushed by Too Many Emails was a story on Morning Edition about the deluge of email at the work place.

Escape is but one solution and not one with much ROI (it's the acronym of the day, return on investment). According to the radio story, some companies have turned to instant messaging as a way of communicating while others have instituted "no email Fridays" where workers are encouraged to phone colleagues or better yet, walk down the hall and talk face to face.

IM has is place for quick things, though for more important things, I prefer email. I can keep the messages as well as search for errant ones. A topic on conversation today at the reference desk was the possibility of using text messaging here and how that could impact how we staff the reference desk. The idea represents change, which rarely goes over well in this department, but much of the professional literature reports that IM is being used and used well. As the occasional visitor, it's always interesting to see how new things are introduced and potentially, implemented.

In my other life, I am adjunct faculty at a university in Wisconsin. Part of my duties are to provide library (aka bibliographic) instruction for their students in Minnesota. About two years ago, the unnamed university started a "live chat with a librarian" feature. Each time I demonstrate it, the reaction is the same. The adult students in the class are thrilled that there is someone at the other end to help them with their research projects and they are also a little surprised that the software is so easy to use. Of course, they also puzzle about what sort of person would be willing to help with such things, but I reassure them that librarians are people too and at that moment, point out the library hours, noting they close on Friday and Saturdays at 5 pm, because librarians have social lives, too!

Photo courtesy Linda M.

More on Thing 6

2008-06-19T12:16:00.005-05:00

Having lots of fun at ImageChef.

Again, more ideas for publicity things such as:

Thing 6: Online Image Generators

2008-06-19T11:32:00.004-05:00

And you thought those READ posters were fun (stay tuned . . . I've been struggling with Photoshop and the software for these posters so am taking a class next week).

Here's my trading card:

Yet another addictive online tool that 23 Things has introduced. Students in World History create a resume for historical figures. It might be fun to create an online trading card for these folks, too.

Thing 5: More Fun with Flickr

2008-06-18T18:05:00.003-05:00

Discovery time:

Mashups seemed like an interesting thing to explore. Despite out of date links, I was able to find some examples of mashups at the Webmonkey site and really like this prize winning site Podbop. Enter your city and a calendar list of off many (notice, I didn't say all) of the bands playing in the area appears. What makes this site different than say City Pages or Vita.mn, is that there are sound clips, freely and legally available. Users can listen to a band before heading out and paying a cover fee only to discover that the Detroit Cobras may not be to their liking!

The assignment:

23 Things posted a warning that Flickr spelling could be addictive. Right they are! I'll have to add this site to my bookmarks and use these fun creations in future library publicity materials.

Thing 4: Flickr

2008-06-13T11:25:00.003-05:00

With interest, I clicked on the link for the Clemens and Alcuin Libraries. Their online book display idea is fun, though I wondered how much work is it and are they tracking the data to see if their circ statistics increased as a result . . .

Certainly people have found creative ways to use Flickr and it's definitely got some classroom applications for visual learners. Check out this spelling word project put together by an ambitious mom . . . Spelling in fourth grade. Some of the other postings, however, are more about humor and remind me of the goofy photos on the back page of the Sunday travel section of the newspaper. I'm curious to know if my elementary school colleagues would look to Flickr for help with spelling lessons.

The clustering search tool, which reminded me of Clusty, was helpful in narrowing down my search for a picture of a library. Here it is, the Peabody Library.

photo credit: Lisa Pisa, accessed 6.18.08

Thing 3.0: Feed

2008-06-13T10:36:00.005-05:00

In the book Feed, M. T. Anderson writes of a future where most people have computer implants in their heads. These "feeds"take over the ability to read, write and even think for oneself. In way, while convenient, RSS does a little bit of that. Each day, it feeds me summaries from websites that I have chosen. In the book, the world is controlled by the feed. With my RSS conenctions, I control the news and information I receive and by doing so, I wonder what am I missing?

For awhile now, the death knoll of the newspaper has been sounded. The drums thump that subscriptions are falling. Thump-ad revenue is slipping. Thump-the actual size of the paper itself is shrinking. Are these all signs of the end of the printed word? The debate continues with new data added to the argument each day. What isn't changing however, is that as a society, we're becoming more divided and absorbed by our own self interests. If The Daily Show is my only source for news (as it is for many college students), I'll get just a one sided view of current events. If I read just the New York Times, the likehood of being exposed to ideas and views different than my own increases dramatically. Newspapers purposefully employ columnists with differing viewpoints such as David Brooks and Maureen Dowd. The interet has the power to bring people together, but it also has the ability to keep us apart in that we can focus on just the things that are of interest to us, never having to consider another viewpoint.

That said, no doubt about it, RSS feeds are useful. But for the time being, I'll continue to make my daily visits to various news websites and enjoy the clicks that lead me to read something that challenges me, enrages me or even reinforces something I know. When else will I have time to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee?

(Note: I have a bloglines account and have had one for a couple of years. A bunch of librarian friends all set them up. We thought it might be a faster way to get at information rather than checking each website each day. Included in my feed are headlines from NYT, Salon, The Atlantic, CSM and a bunch of educational technology sources. Included in the feeds of my friend and co-23 sticker Steve is this breaking news website.)

Thing 2.0: L2

2008-06-13T09:51:00.004-05:00

Why blog about L2 when we could blog about CB2 or even L7? The simple answer is because it is the assigment. The mere truth is that it impacts my job, well, all my jobs.

Librarians have embraced the web and now Libraries 2.0 in different ways. To quote the beloved Mary Manderfeld, "Life is change. Growth is optional." With the fast paced changes that come with L2, librarians have had to make quick decisions about what to incorporate and how these new technologies change the way service is provided to patrons. The decision making process has not always been pretty nor easy, but adapting to and integrating new techologies is a necessity. For at their core, libraries are about providing access to information as well as meaningful and helpful service to patrons.

At school, L2 is making inroads. Assignments like blog journals for outside reading have replaced making web pages. Students are asking to use their own laptops on the building wireless system. Despite their age and ability to click fast though, their searching and navigating skills not to mention analysis of materials found still need work. (Thank goodness--job security!) Teachers embrace the new technologies differently and librarian/media specialists are called to help support these new curricular initiatives. My building prefers to study and analzye before jumping in, surely creating frustration for those in charge. At the same time, schools also serve as "in loco parentis" and teachers want to make sure that these new technologies have a sound educational base and are indeed "what's best for kids."

At my other jobs, I observe the libraries looking at L2 and slowly making use of what is available. Like most places, there are early adopters, those who were asking to set up internal wikis over two years ago and those who stubbornly refuse to particpate. Those who are change adverse or who simply don't want to learn new things are being challenged to do so by their patrons. The patrons are seeing what is possible and are asking for those things; libraries, to some extent, must respond accordingly.

Like everything, it's about balance, but in an era when information and access are the new currency , libraries are posed to once again prove that they are invaluable. Thomas Friedman knows of such things. Check out his webcast from the 2005 National Book Festival hosted by the Library of Congress.

Thing 1.4: Create an avatar

2008-06-11T13:14:00.004-05:00

My mom always told me that I was unique. An individual. One of a kind. There was no one else like me.

Turns out that my mom is full of Wisdom 1.0 and that Al Gore and the other creators of Web 2.0 want to give her a run for her money. In a nod to my Norwegian ancestors, my avatar is named Ingrid (after my Tante Ingrd) and she speaks with a slight norske accent.

Get a Voki now!

Ha det bra!

Thing 1: Create a Blog

2008-06-11T12:54:00.003-05:00

23 things to do, so let's get started.

Thing 1. Create a blog and register.

Done! Hurrah!

(I wonder, is Vista done? For a little bit of fun, check out the latest Mac/PC advertisements)

23 Things on a Stick

2008-06-11T12:25:00.005-05:00

Trust Minnesota librarians to come up with a staff development on Web 2.0 technologies and cleverly term it "on a stick" - a long time reference to the Minnesota State Fair where there are many offerings on a stick.

What started off as food on a stick (think of corn dogs as the original food on a stick) has grown to so many more things. I have yet, however, to see a tractor on a stick!

(photos from the Minnesota Historical Society)

23 Things on a Stick

Shhing and looking cute at the same time

2007-07-09T10:17:00.000-05:00

Check out this article from today's NY Times: A Hipper Crowd of Shushers

Aah, the profession is doing quite well for itself!

Write About What You Love

2007-07-02T17:43:00.000-05:00

That's what Michael Perry did in his latest book, Truck: A Love Story.

At first glance, it may appear to be an homage to his dearly beloved International Harvester truck, but it is so much more than that. Moreover, Perry has way with words that makes me want to savor each sentence slowly (and that's a big deal for a girl who reads with lightining speed.)

My favorite sentence of the moment--because there are sure to be more--is: "The spent garlic, when squeezed warmly from its husk directly upon your tongue, will slacken your face and make you shimmy." (19)

Indeed, Mr. Perry and it's not hard to imagine you shimmying across your kitchen floor whatsoever.

Picts from DC

2007-06-30T09:42:00.000-05:00

A childhood friend recently went to DC and shared these her pictures with me. Which one should hang at school?

Don't Mess with The Archivists!

2007-06-28T15:30:00.000-05:00

This week in The New York Times, Maureen Dowd opined:

"I love that Cheney was able to bully Colin Powell, Pentagon generals and George Tenet when drumming up his fake case for war, but when he tried to push around the little guys, the National Archive data collectors -- I'm visualizing dedicated ''We the People'' wonky types with glasses and pocket protectors -- they pushed back.

Archivists are the new macho heroes of Washington."

School House Rock taught us that "knowledge is power." Indeed it is and the public has a right to see those documents, especially the documents of the government. Thank goodness, my fellow librarians and archivists are standing up for what's right!

Booklist

2007-06-22T15:39:00.001-05:00

Gad and gads of book reviews, that's what I am reading this week. It's the end of the school year and we've been asked to submit a book order for the summer. The beauty of the summer book order is that I send it in and when we return in August, there will be boxes and boxes of new books waiting to escape into the hands (and grubby at that) of teenagers.

Grubby hands . . . do you remember those book stickers from when you were young? They were carefully placed by some caring library worker on the inside cover of library books, gently imploring the reader to wash their hands before carefully handling what was assurdly a fine, fine story.

This photo isn't quite like the metal embossed sticker of my youth, but it gets the point across:

Booklist has lots of good suggestions for books for school and books for me, my dad and many friends. Now, if only I can figure out how to add a 25th hour to the day, there will be time to read them all!