LibWorm.com provides a librarian RSS filtering service. Over 1500 RSS librarian sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest headlines from journals and sites in the Non-fiction interest group. http://www.libworm.com/rss/librarianqueries.php Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:07:56 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FlaJobline/~3/456640736/reference-librarian-airdrie-public.html Position Title: Reference Librarian (Information Services) – Part-TimeReports to: Adult Services CoordinatorAirdrie Public Library is a member of the Marigold Library System and is one of the fastest growing libraries in one of the fastest growing cities in Alberta. The Library has an immediate opening for a Part-Time Reference (Information Services) position. We offer a flexible and supportive work environment, and value initiative and lifelong learning. Position Summary:The successful candidate will be responsible for the following duties:Providing information services to the public using print and electronic resources;Providing Reader’s advisory to staff and the public;Promoting the Library’s services and collections;Assisting with Collection Development: reference materials, Fiction, and Non-Fiction; Providing Technology Training and Tutoring to the public; Qualifications:The successful candidate will have a professional and positive approach and a genuine interest in serving the various customers that frequent the public library. Library Technician diploma or other relevant post secondary education training;Experience in providing information services to customers;Experience in providing technology training (computer, e-resources, and Internet);Excellent interpersonal, communication, organizational skills, and customer service skills. Assets:Adult Education experience or an Education degree;Public Library experience;A great sense of humor, flexibility, creativity and a commitment to organizational excellence and team building. Future Possibilities: In a mid-sized library there is an opportunity to serve in other areas, based on strengths and interests: Preschool Literacy ProgramsTechnology Training/Teaching OpportunitiesTechnical Services Duties: Interlibrary Loan, Acquisitions Employment Terms: Part-time position offering 15-25 hours weekly. Some evening and weekend shifts required. Security check required. ... Tue, 18 Nov 2008 01:49:44 +0100 673845 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/calitreview/tlOO/~3/FdpkscqAapg/1656 It was brutal stuff. Massacres, scalpings, crops burned, winters with only salted meat to eat – and this on both sides. Again Boone survived this melee, but it took a great deal of guile to do it. When his daughter Jemima was kidnapped by a Cherokee and Shawnee war party, for instance, he needed his backwoods know-how to track them down quickly and shoot the offenders. (Source: California Literary Review) Sun, 16 Nov 2008 15:36:49 +0100 673264 http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/nov/15/2 Anyone who does not want to find Harry Hill's Whopping Great Big Joke Book in their Christmas stocking should make that abundantly clear, immediately, to all family, friends and potential gift-givers.The Richard and Judy Christmas book list lands today, and Hill - who comes in second, after the Ladybird Pack for Boys - will be rubbing his hands with glee. As will Alan Carr and Stephen Fry, who are first and second among celebrity autobiographies. Russell T Davies and Benjamin Cook, authors of Doctor Who: the Writer's Tale, top the serious non-fiction section, pipping Guardian writer David McKie's Gazetteer: A Local History of Britain.There's depressing news, though, for Jamie Oliver, spurned by Rotherham and now Richard and Judy, and Nigella Lawson, pictured on her latest Christmas cookery book clasping a roast duck to a red cashmere-clad bosom. Neither makes the cookery section, which is headed by Gordon Ramsay's Cooking for Friends, followed by Rachel Allen's Bake.Recession-hit punters unable to travel further than the shop on the corner may like to curl up with Ultraluxe Hotels, a sumptuously illustrated study of luxury resorts charging up to $10,000 a night.The book club, which began as an unashamed imitation of Oprah Winfrey's version in the US, is regarded by publishers and booksellers with almost superstitious awe. Last summer, Linwood Barclay's No Time for Goodbye had sold just 13 copies in one week, then sold 5,267 in its first week on the Richard and Judy summer list. It topped bestseller lists for over a month and sold 53,952 copies the week it featured on the show.The Irish writer Joseph O'Connor's historical novel Star of the Sea had been modestly well reviewed but was headed for the remainder shelves when it was picked up by Richard and Judy's books editor, Amanda Ross. It went on to sell 350,000 copies, had to be reprinted twice and won the author a film contract. ... Sat, 15 Nov 2008 00:17:07 +0100 672676 http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Library&diff=251456472&oldid=prev Islamic libraries ← Previous revision Revision as of 00:51, 13 November 2008 Line 61: Line 61: ==Islamic libraries== ==Islamic libraries== - In [[Iran|Persia]] many libraries were established by the [[Zoroastrian]] elite and the [[Persian Kings]]. Among the first ones was a royal library in [[Isfahan (city)|Isfahan]]. One of the most important public libraries established around 667 AD in south-western [[Iran]] was the [[Library of Gundishapur]]. It was a part of a bigger scientific complex located at the [[Academy of Gundishapur]]. Upon the rise of [[Islam]], libraries in [[Islamic Golden Age|newly Islamic lands]] knew a brief period of expansion in the Middle East, [[North Africa]], [[Sicily]] and [[Spain]]. Like the Christian libraries, they mostly contained books which were made of [[paper]], and took a [[codex]] or modern form instead of scrolls; they could be found in mosques, private homes, and universities. In Aleppo, for example the largest and probably the oldest mosque library, the Sufiya, located at the city's Grand Umayyad Mosque, contained a large book collection of which 10 000 volumes were reportedly bequeathed by the city's most famous ruler, Prince Sayf al-Dawla. <ref>{{cite book|title=Mosque libraries: An Historical Study|author=Sibai M. |year=1987|publisher=Mansell Publishing Limited,p.71|}}</ref> Some mosques sponsored [[public library|public libraries]]. [[Ibn al-Nadim]]'s bibliography ''Fihrist'' demonstrates the devotion of medieval Muslim scholars to books and reliable sources; it contains a description of thousands of books circulating in the Islamic world circa 1000, including an entire section for books about the doctrines of other religions. ... Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:51:34 +0100 671770 http://www.lisnews.org/books_give_our_soldiers_short_respite_war Books give our soldiers short respite from war: An organization called Operation Paperback (www.operationpaperback.org) takes requests for specific titles, authors and genres — or just fiction or non-fiction — and passes these on to volunteers. These people scour used-book sales, flea markets, garage sales and ask their friends, families and co-workers for books. Many are parents or relatives of soldiers deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan or on a ship in the Persian Gulf. (Source: LISNews - Librarian And Information Science News) Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:11:28 +0100 672387 http://lisnews.org/books_give_our_soldiers_short_respite_war Books give our soldiers short respite from war: An organization called Operation Paperback (www.operationpaperback.org) takes requests for specific titles, authors and genres — or just fiction or non-fiction — and passes these on to volunteers. These people scour used-book sales, flea markets, garage sales and ask their friends, families and co-workers for books. Many are parents or relatives of soldiers deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan or on a ship in the Persian Gulf. (Source: LISNews.org) Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:11:28 +0100 671507 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/calitreview/tlOO/~3/Je-SiF_GoZY/1590 It takes an enormous amount of courage for Resnick to put her life story on the page. Her writing is as stripped, raw and intense as her emotions, and at times you don’t want to read further. But you do, anyway, with a kind of abject horror. The two main men that parade through her life, who ultimately woo, use and abuse her are truly the type of guys your mother would warn you to stay far away from. (Source: California Literary Review) Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:56:57 +0100 672220 http://santafelibrary.blogspot.com/2008/11/radio-reader.html Several mornings a week, I'm greeted at work by a colleague asking me, "Did I pass you today?" I take the bus most days, and this co-worker drives right by my stop in seeming oblivion. I can't really blame him, however, because from 8:30 to 9:00 am when we're both commuting to work by various transports, he’s listening to The Radio Reader on KANW, 89.1 FM. This radio program began in 1936, and the half-hour format of a man reading from a book demands attention and a good memory. After I get passed on the road, I get to hear a synopsis of the morning's show when I finally do arrive at work.Dick Estell, the third permanent reader in the show's history, selects recent fiction and non-fiction works to read from. The book is read in its entirety over the course of several weeks. Over the past few months, I've been able to hear second-hand synopses of Desperate Passage, about the ill-fated Donner party stranded in the Sierra Nevada, and The Airmen and the Headhunters, about a World War II air squadron lost in the jungles of Borneo. Estell is currently reading Where the River Ends, a novel about a married couple coping with terminal illness. However, the works aren't always this serious. Estell also read a biography of Milton Hershey the chocolatier recently, and reads a lot of fiction, like John Grisham. If you've been on the hold queue for a new audiobook, you might want to check the next book. Or if you want something on your morning drive besides news, music or traffic, tune in for your own bit of storytime. (Source: ICARUS... the Santa Fe Public Library Blog) Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100 671393 http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Library&diff=250516378&oldid=prev History ← Previous revision Revision as of 21:58, 8 November 2008 Line 30: Line 30: ===Libraries in the Hellenic world and Rome=== ===Libraries in the Hellenic world and Rome=== - Private or personal libraries made up of [[non-fiction]] and [[fiction]] books (as opposed to the state or institutional records kept in archives) first appeared in [[classical Greece]], in the 5th century BC. The celebrated book collectors of Hellenistic Antiquity were listed in the late second century in ''[[Deipnosophistae]]:''<ref>Epitome of Book I</ref> + Private or personal libraries made up of [[non-fiction]] and [[fiction]] books (as opposed to the state or institutional records kept in archives) first appeared in [[classical Greece]], in the 5th century BC. The celebrated book collectors of [[Hellenistic civilization|Hellenistic]] [[Classical antiquity|Antiquity]] were listed in the late second century in ''[[Deipnosophistae]]:''<ref>Epitome of Book I</ref> <blockquote>[[Polycrates of Samos]] and [[Peisistratos (Athens)|Pisistratus]] who was tyrant of Athens, and Euclides who was himself also an Athenian<ref>Not the familiar [[Euclid]].</ref> and Nicorrates of Samos and even the kings of [[Pergamum|Pergamos]], and [[Euripides]] the poet and [[Aristotle]] the philosopher, and Nelius his librarian; from whom they say our countryman<ref>The writer was Alexandrian; the sophisticates in ''Deipnosophistae'' were at a banquet in Rome.</ref> [[Ptolemy Philadelphus|Ptolemæus, surnamed Philadelphus]], bought them all, and transported them, with all those which he had collected at Athens and at Rhodes to his own beautiful Alexandria.<ref>See [[Library of Alexandria]]. ... Sat, 08 Nov 2008 21:58:44 +0100 670177 http://www.nea.org/readacross/resources/nabooklist.html "To mark the 13th anniversary of Native American Heritage Month (November), NEA has released a recommended reading list that includes titles ranging from such pre-K classics as 'Mama, Do You Love Me' to Tony Hillerman's Joe Leaphorn Series that has been thrilling young (and older) adults for more than a decade." Includes titles "listed by grade level and include fiction, non-fiction and poetry." From the National Education Association (NEA). (Source: Librarians' Internet Index: New This Week) Fri, 07 Nov 2008 08:06:01 +0100 669404 http://newpagesblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/jobs-various_07.html The Petree College of Arts and Sciences of Oklahoma City University is seeking an assistant professor of writing for a tenure-track position. The MFA Writing Program, based in the School of Critical Studies at California Institute of the Arts, invites applications for a regular faculty position (two courses per semester) in fiction and/or creative non-fiction. Jan. 5, 2009. Two positions at (Source: NewPages Blog) Fri, 07 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100 670008 http://www.sla.org.uk/blg-reading-for-pleasure.php Reading for pleasure is something I do every day - often taking precedence over more ‘important' things like cooking, cleaning etc!  I can not imagine life without several books ‘on the go' at once, so the chance to share with you the information about this conference seemed like too good an opportunity to miss.Celebrating reading at Reading is a day conference to celebrate reading for pleasure in schools, libraries and homes for anyone interested in young people and their books. The day will include: Honor Wilson-Fletcher, Director of the National Year of Reading 2008 Popular children's authors, Helen Cooper and Mini GreyMarilyn Brocklehurst, with her amazing Norfolk Children's Book Centre  A choice of sessions on reading and books suitable for all age ranges from Foundation Stage to Upper Key Stage 2.This will take place on Friday 5 December 2008, 9.30-3.45 at the University of Reading Institute of Education, Bulmershe Court.  Fee £65 (includes refreshments and a light buffet lunch.) The application form - available from Tracey Pinchbeck, Email: t.l.pinchbeck@reading.ac.uk or FAX: 0118 378 8834 - needs returning by by Monday 24 November 2008.It's also time to nominate the Children's Laureate for 2009-11.  The main purpose of this honour is to celebrate children's literature and its contribution to culture and, through this, to bring to the attention of a wider audience of both adults and children. All individuals are recommended to look at the laureate website where there is an online nomination form - www.childrenslaureate.org.uk  .   This is such an opportunity to keep building on the excellent work done by the laureates so far.  As a reader I take a journal called Slightly Foxed - www.foxedquarterly. ... Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:49:03 +0100 670068 http://bclyaknow.blogspot.com/2008/11/wordstock-book-fest-this-weekend.html Check out the Wordstock Book Festival this weekend at the Convention Center in Portland!All things literary: Author readings, lectures, workshops, discussion panels, book booths, Adult authors, Children's and Young Adult, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Graphic Novels...SATURDAY SCHEDULE:http://www.wordstockfestival.com/#/page_id=111&article=482/SUNDAY SCHEDULE:http://www.wordstockfestival.com/#/page_id=111&article=483/ (Source: YA KNOW @ BCL) Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100 669380 http://clpteens.blogspot.com/2008/11/spanish-language-titles-at-carnegie.html Did you know that crepusclo means twilight in spanish? Well, now you do, because the Teen Department at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Main, has a brand new Spanish Language collection. We have fiction, non-fiction, and graphic novels, including all of the titles in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series. We were inspired to create this collection by the non-English language collections in the Adult and Children's Departments here at the Carnegie Library in Oakland. You can find Hindi, Arabic, German, and more alongside the Spanish titles in those departments.Stop by and check it out!Nosotros esperamos verle aquí.All the best,Holly (Source: Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh - Teen) Tue, 04 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100 669573 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/iRcS/~3/438923963/2008-guardian-first-book-award.html The shortlist for the 2008 Guardian first book award has been announced. The shortlist comprises two non-fiction titles, The Rest Is Noise by Alex Ross and Owen Matthews' Stalin's Children, as well as God's Own Country by Ross Raisin, Booker-shortlisted A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz and A Case of Exploding Mangoes, by Mohammed Hanif (Source: Peter Scott's Library Blog) Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:57:53 +0100 668498 http://feistylibrarian.blogspot.com/2008/10/reading-augusten-burroughs.html I am an Augusten Burroughs fan. I like his writing so much that I do not even recommend him to the average library user. This is because I am completely selfish and vulnerable. I am afraid to even offer him up because their possible rejection or lack of interest in his writing would crush me. I save Augusten for just the right person. There are twenty some memiors, non-fiction, edgy/unorthodox fiction titles that folks will espouse and I hand them Augusten in full confidence. I want them to mourn, gasp, laugh out loud and sulk when they read his stuff. I want them to get him. Can I get an autographed book for this glowing review of Augusten? (Source: Feistylibrarian) Fri, 31 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 668641 http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/oct/31/guardianfirstbookaward-awardsandprizes An "ambitious, varied and incredibly individual" shortlist for the Guardian first book award is announced today. The five works include a history of 20th-century classical music, a novelistic memoir of a Soviet-era romance and a dark Yorkshire-set story of obsession and violence. There is also a subversive Pakistan-set political novel, and a cantering, carnivalesque Australian saga."These are sophisticated books that require a big investment from the reader - an investment for which they are richly rewarded," said Guardian literary editor Claire Armitstead, the chairwoman of the judges. She also paid tribute to the books' "generic inventiveness" and "defiance of easy marketing packagability".The £10,000 prize - which covers fiction, non-fiction and poetry published in the UK - is unique not only in its recognition of debut authors, but also through the extent to which it involves readers' groups in the judging process.This year, Waterstone's readers' groups from Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, Bath, Oxford and London, plus one based online, helped narrow down the 10-strong longlist to five books. Their combined voting power was greater than that of the panel of four judges."It's particularly fascinating that The Rest Is Noise, a history of 20th-century music by Alex Ross, made the shortlist," said Armitstead. "In some quarters it has been seen as rather specialist - but in fact a huge number of readers have been willing to give it a go and the groups responded to it open-mindedly and intelligently." The book, also shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson non-fiction prize, is the only American work to have made the final cut; Ross is the music critic of the New Yorker.The second non-fiction title is Owen Matthews' Stalin's Children. Combining memoir and history with a novelistic technique, Matthews tells the story of his parents. ... Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:17:06 +0100 667855 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FlaJobline/~3/437166664/information-adult-services-librarian.html The Leduc Public Library seeks an energetic Librarian who is committed to excellence in public service, intellectual freedom and community outreach. The successful candidate will posses strong computing skills and will participate as part of the management team that runs this vibrant library. The City of Leduc is a growing community located in the Edmonton Region. We offer a competitive salary and an excellent benefits package. For more information about our library visit our website www.library.leduc.ab.ca. The deadline for submitting your resume is November 14.Resumes and Requests for information should be directed to:Christine BrownLibrary Director(cbrown@library.leduc.ab.ca)780-986-2638Position Summary - Information & Adult Services LibrarianOverviewThe Information & Adult Services Librarian is responsible for the effective provision and management of reference service to the public. She/he develops and maintains the library’s information resources and plans and presents programs and services for adults. This is done through effective community needs assessment and outreach activities. Technology planning and administration make up the balance of the duties in this position. The Information & Adult Services Librarian together with the Public Services Coordinator, work closely with the Library Director and assist, where needed, in the overall management of the Library, implementing the vision espoused by the Board.Reference Services:Develops and maintains appropriate performance standards with respect to the delivery of reference and information service.Assists patrons in the fulfillment of reference queries using proper reference transaction techniques and trains staff in same.Develops in-depth knowledge and expertise in the use of the library’s print and electronic reference resources, non-fiction and vertical file collections and ensures staff has appropriate level of knowledge in the use of these resources. ... Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:51:30 +0100 668157 http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2008/oct/29/publishing Earlier this month, during an alumni event at Newnham College, Cambridge, Margaret Drabble mentioned that she had recently had a "tense conversation" with her publishers. Novelist Sarah Dunant, who was also at the event, said that Drabble talked about how she suspected they were trying to rebrand her work, and that she was "being dumbed down by my publishers [because] ... there's an agenda of how it should be in the marketplace." So, says Dunant, Drabble decided to confront them about it. Drabble, who has written 17 novels and seven non-fiction books, retreated a little when questioned later, but did not deny her unease. "They have not asked me to dumb down ... but I have a feeling there's a problem. I write literary novels but I can sense my publishers have difficulty in selling me as a genre ... whether in literary fiction, or women's fiction or shopping fiction." Many writers will have acknowledged this point with a weary mutter about book publishing not being what it once was (it never is), but a spirited Canadian books blog, bookninja.com, picked the story up and carried it into the realms of satire. "Are top novelists being rebranded to meet the purchasing habits of an embiggened sector of stupid readers?" asked George Murray, the poet and editor who runs it, of his regular readers. "I propose we hold a contest here. It's been a while. And you probably all have Photoshop by now. So take your favourite literary novelist and 'rebrand' one of their titles to appeal to more popular sectors: chicklit, thriller, romance, sci-fi/fantasy, celebrity kids' book, etc." The response was immediate, and imaginative; we reprint 12 of the entries here. And while bookninja.com's competition is now closed (the winner was Ingrid Paulson's take on The Road, by Cormac McCarthy), we would like to reopen the competition for our own readers. Which literary novels do you think should be redesigned? Send your covers to book. ... Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:05:51 +0100 666940 http://www2.cincinnatilibrary.org/blog/entries/cincinnatis-book-festival-books-by-the-banks-2008 The second annual Books by the Banks regional book festival will be held this Saturday, November 1 in downtown Cincinnati, and it is an event that is not to be missed.  Featuring nearly 100 authors representing books for all ages and interests, it promises to be a day to celebrate writers, readers, and the joy of reading.  Many of the participating authors and illustrators are from the greater Cincinnati area, some are from farther afield, and some are former local residents who are returning to town for the event.  For example, Alan Gratz, former Cincinnatian who now lives in the mountains of North Carolina, will be making his return in order to promote his highly-praised series of mysteries for teens.  His "Horatio Wilkes Mysteries" first appeared in 2007 with Something Rotten, which has been recently followed by Something Wicked.  Each title gives a clue that the stories are influenced by the works of Will Shakespeare.  Featuring authors of fiction, non-fiction, local and military history, cookbooks, and books for children, Books by the Banks also includes 22 different panel discussions and loads of activities for kids.  Make your way to the Duke Energy Convention Center at 5th and Elm Streets this Saturday between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm to meet some authors, buy some books, and to gather with hundreds of people who make reading an important part of their lives.  (Source: Turning the Page...[Combined Feed]) Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:48:27 +0100 666702 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/calitreview/tlOO/~3/2msdzNfb6WU/1459 The early resistors soon discover that the Nazis don’t view their activities with similar lightheartedness. Oblivious to the reason why a German car might be parked outside the hospital her mother is in, Humbert walks straight into hell. A member of the Gestapo has infiltrated and betrayed their group, and she and her friends are rounded up for a show trial. It is only April 1941. What follows is an account that tests our 21st century belief in rationalism. (Source: California Literary Review) Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:38:49 +0100 667373 http://newpagesblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/updates-newpages-listings.html Literary MagazinesBasalt – poetry, prose, translations, reviews Words and Images – fiction, poetry Wordletting – poetry Publishers Biblioasis – fiction, poetry, criticism and non-fiction (Source: NewPages Blog) Tue, 28 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 667696 http://yourlibrarycsu.blogspot.com/2008/10/highlights-of-new-titles-20-26-october.html Each week CSU Library adds hundreds of new resources to our catalogue, including books, DVDs, CDs, and electronic resources. The following selection highlights some of the new books added to the collection last week. Click on a book's title to read more information about the book, or click on 'Check Availability' to find the book in the Library Catalogue. Click here to view the complete list of new titles.Hate on the net : extremist sites, neo-fascism on-line, electronic jihad by Antonio Roversi Check AvailabilityCorpocracy : how CEOs and the business roundtable hijacked the world’s greatest wealth machine--and how to get it back by Robert A.G. Monks Check AvailabilityDoes feminism discriminate against men? : a debate by Warren Farrell, with Steven Svoboda and James P. Sterba Check AvailabilityNowhere people by Henry Reynolds Check AvailabilitySelling the Australian government : politics and propaganda from Whitlam to Howard by Greg Barns Check AvailabilityThe fight over food : producers, consumers, and activists challenge the global food system edited by Wynne Wright and Gerad Middendorf Check AvailabilityWine politics : how governments, environmentalists, mobsters, and critics influence the wines we drink by Tyler Colman Check AvailabilityWrestling with Starbucks : conscience, capital, cappuccino by Kim Fellner Check AvailabilityThrough young black eyes : a handbook to protect aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from the impact of family violence and child abuse by the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care Check AvailabilityWater reuse : an international survey of current practice, issues and needs edited by Blanca Jiménez and Takashi Asano Check AvailabilityNobody reads the credits by Gordon E. Carr Check AvailabilityArchimedes to Hawking : laws of science and the great minds behind them by Clifford A. Pickover Check AvailabilityCell biology for biotechnologists by Shaleesha A. ... Mon, 27 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 666616 http://www.bartlesville.lib.ok.us/2008/10/movies-we-like-e-newsletter.html We have a new newsletter available through our Bookletters service: Movies we Like. Sally Jenkins, who works in Technical Services here at the library has done this month's Staff Picks newsletter. Sally reads a lot of non-fiction and her picks are unique and intriguing. To subscribe to these, or any of our newsletters, check out our subscription page here: http://www.booksite.com/texis/scripts/bookletter/addnluser.html?sid=6952 We'll see you in your inbox! (Source: Bartlesville Public Library News) Mon, 27 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 666397 http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/2008/10/23/nela2008-session-highlights I was at the NELA 2008 conference this week, and spent yesterday and today going over my notes and trying to get caught up. Lots of good stuff, but here are a few of the highlights from the sessions I attended: Ethan Zuckerman If you ever have a chance to see Ethan Zuckerman speak, do it. Not only is he interesting and entertaining, but his work using technology to bridge cultural divides directly relates to what we do in libraries. He also approaches things from a global “big picture” viewpoint, which is a nice change from my generally myopic “what’s going on in my community” point of view. I learned a lot from Ethan, both library-related and otherwise - read the complete notes from his “The Internet is NOT Flat” session. Men in the Library Being a male, I was curious about Nancy Davis’ program called “The Vanishing Male: Guy Stuff That Lures and Hooks.” It was a discussion about why men generally use the library less than women, and what libraries can do to attract more male patrons: Men are “seekers” and not “browsers” - they want to go in, get their stuff, and leave. Libraries should have signage that caters to this, and be more open, so men don’t have to wander around looking or ask for help Book groups don’t work for a lot of men because men don’t like “sharing” - to get men to a book group, have it “led” by a scholar or other authority (male book groups prefer non-fiction books), and that way the men feel they’re getting something out of it For programming ideas, try anything tool-based, such as “greening” your house, installing solar panels, bike repair & maintenance, etc. ... Thu, 23 Oct 2008 21:18:15 +0100 664752 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/calitreview/tlOO/~3/4DfbGSqlOYU/1404 Aside from providing an easily assimilated scientific and historical overview, The Gulf Stream describes and mammoth natural system that helps drive the living organism that is earth. In these regards Ulanski has done his job as a writer. (Source: California Literary Review) Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:46:19 +0100 664985 http://liszen.com/trends/story.php?title=Getting_Married Planning on getting married soon? We've just added a new non-fiction resource to our website to showcase some of the many books we have on this subje (Source: pligg - all) Mon, 20 Oct 2008 07:00:18 +0100 663199 http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Library&diff=246084494&oldid=prev Persian Empire ← Previous revision Revision as of 12:34, 18 October 2008 Line 23: Line 23: The earliest discovered private archives were kept at [[Ugarit]]; besides correspondence and inventories, texts of myths may have been standardized practice-texts for teaching new scribes. There is also evidence of libraries at [[Nippur]] of about 1900 B.C. and those at [[Nineveh]] of about 700 B.C. as showing a [[library classification]] system.<ref>''The American International Encyclopedia'', J.J. Little & Ives, New York 1954, Volume IX</ref> The earliest discovered private archives were kept at [[Ugarit]]; besides correspondence and inventories, texts of myths may have been standardized practice-texts for teaching new scribes. There is also evidence of libraries at [[Nippur]] of about 1900 B.C. and those at [[Nineveh]] of about 700 B.C. as showing a [[library classification]] system.<ref>''The American International Encyclopedia'', J.J. Little & Ives, New York 1954, Volume IX</ref> - ===Persian Empire=== + ===Libraries in Persian Empire=== During the [[Achaemenid Persian Empire]] the religious and scientific books of [[Persia]] since [[Zoroaster]], were archived in the libraries of "Ganj-i-hapigan" in [[Takht-i-Suleiman]] and "Dez-i-Napesht" in [[Persepolis]].<ref>Denkard (4:15) [link http://avesta.org/denkard/dk4.html]</ref> These books were probably in the fields of [[philosophy]], [[astronomy]], [[alchemy]] and [[medical sciences]], the fields in which [[Magus]] of [[Persia]] were master in. After the invasion of [[Persia]] by [[Alexander the great]] all these books were burned. It has been mentioned in the book [[Arda Viraf]] that <ref>Aeda Viraf (1:1:4-8) [link http://www.avesta.org/mp/viraf. ... Sat, 18 Oct 2008 12:34:56 +0100 662541 http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Library&diff=246084306&oldid=prev History ← Previous revision Revision as of 12:33, 18 October 2008 Line 23: Line 23: The earliest discovered private archives were kept at [[Ugarit]]; besides correspondence and inventories, texts of myths may have been standardized practice-texts for teaching new scribes. There is also evidence of libraries at [[Nippur]] of about 1900 B.C. and those at [[Nineveh]] of about 700 B.C. as showing a [[library classification]] system.<ref>''The American International Encyclopedia'', J.J. Little & Ives, New York 1954, Volume IX</ref> The earliest discovered private archives were kept at [[Ugarit]]; besides correspondence and inventories, texts of myths may have been standardized practice-texts for teaching new scribes. There is also evidence of libraries at [[Nippur]] of about 1900 B.C. and those at [[Nineveh]] of about 700 B.C. as showing a [[library classification]] system.<ref>''The American International Encyclopedia'', J.J. Little & Ives, New York 1954, Volume IX</ref>   + ===Persian Empire===   + During the [[Achaemenid Persian Empire]] the religious and scientific books of [[Persia]] since [[Zoroaster]], were archived in the libraries of "Ganj-i-hapigan" in [[Takht-i-Suleiman]] and "Dez-i-Napesht" in [[Persepolis]].<ref>[Denkard (4:15) http://avesta.org/denkard/dk4.html]</ref> These books were probably in the fields of [[philosophy]], [[astronomy]], [[alchemy]] and [[medical sciences]], the fields in which [[Magus]] of [[Persia]] were master in. After the invasion of [[Persia]] by [[Alexander the great]] all these books were burned. It has been mentioned in the book [[Arda Viraf]]<ref>[Aeda Viraf (1:1:4-8) http://www.avesta.org/mp/viraf. ... Sat, 18 Oct 2008 12:33:10 +0100 662583 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/iRcS/~3/423607743/wellcome-trust-book-prize.html "The Wellcome Trust Book Prize is open to outstanding works of fiction and non-fiction on the theme of health, illness or medicine. The GBP25,000 annual award, created by the Wellcome Trust, is the first of its kind to bring together the traditionally diverse fields of medicine and literature" (Source: Peter Scott's Library Blog) Fri, 17 Oct 2008 10:53:41 +0100 662196 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/iRcS/~3/423607743/wellcome-trust-book-prize.html "The Wellcome Trust Book Prize is open to outstanding works of fiction and non-fiction on the theme of health, illness or medicine. The GBP25,000 annual award, created by the Wellcome Trust, is the first of its kind to bring together the traditionally diverse fields of medicine and literature" (Source: Peter Scott's Library Blog) Fri, 17 Oct 2008 10:53:41 +0100 662178 http://newpagesblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/updates-new-listings-on-newpages-guides.html Literary Magazines Broken Plate – poetry, fiction, nonfiction Writing Our Hope – creative nonfiction Cahoots - poetry, lifewriting, plays, fiction, nonfiction, feature essays Masthead – poetry, essay carte blance – poetry, fiction, nonfiction Literary Bird Journal (LBJ) – creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, literary journalism, narrative scholarship In the Mist – fiction, non-fiction, poetry, (Source: NewPages Blog) Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 660175 http://bhplnjbookgroup.blogspot.com/2008/10/book-suggestions-for-library-book-group.html This week, the First Tuesday of the Month book group at the library will be considering titles to read.Here is a list of possibilities with one line annotations and links to longer reviews.The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt (non-fiction) the author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil covers the story of the burning of the Venice Opera House in 1996.March by Geraldine Brooks (fiction) Year of Wonders author invents the Civil War from the perspective of the father in Little Women.The Crow Road by Iain Banks (fiction) "It was the day my grandmother exploded," begins this novel about a Scottish family.Eucalyptus by Murray Bail (fiction) A modern day fairy tale set in Australia.The Swallows of Kabul by Yasmina Khadra (fiction) Life under the Taliban in Afghanistan.Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (fiction) An English boarding school, a love story with a dystopian twist.The Hanging Garden by Ian Rankin. (mystery) Inspector Rebus of Edinburgh returns in this hard-boiled mystery.The Portrait by Iain Pears (fiction) Scottish painter in Brittany accepts commission and tells his life story to his sitter.Jar City, a Reyjavik Thriller by Arnuldur Indridason (mystery) Gritty police procedural in Iceland. (Source: Berkeley Heights Public Library Book Blog and Buzz) Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 659927 http://santafelibrary.blogspot.com/2008/10/2008-nobel-prize-winners.html This year's prize winners have been announced! The recipient for Literature is Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio. According to the Nobel Foundation committee, he is an "author of new departures, poetic adventure and sensual ecstasy, explorer of a humanity beyond and below the reigning civilization." A versatile and prolific writer of both fiction and non-fiction, Le Clézio is French/Mauritian, and has lived and traveled all over the world. He is also a Lannan scholar and lives in Albuquerque part of the year. Both his travels and his writing attest to a fascination with and love of the deserts of the world.Be sure to get on the holds queue for his works! And yes, we have also placed orders for those books that are still available in print.You can find the full list of this year's Laureates on the Nobel Prize website.Le Clézio photo courtesy of Sagabardon (Source: ICARUS... the Santa Fe Public Library Blog) Thu, 09 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 658951 http://liszen.com/trends/story.php?title=Featured_Non_Fiction_Author_-_Alan_Titchmarsh Further details can be found on our library website. www.dunedinlibraries.govt.nz - featured non-fiction author. Posted in Books, e-resource, Library (Source: pligg - all) Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:00:18 +0100 658082 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ConversationalReading/~3/415170377/nobel-reactions.html The Literary Saloon has a pretty good response to the recent Engdahl remarks. It includes:Kirsch mentions Roth, who, after all was editor of the impressive 'Writers From the Other Europe' series. He might also have mentioned John Updike, one of the few reviewers who actively sought out foreign fiction and whose reviews in The New Yorker helped introduce many foreign authors to American readers. And yet look how much lasting influence the 'Writers From the Other Europe' series has had (yeah, Kundera made the mainstream leap -- but who else has ?). Look at how those authors Updike introduced have fared. With very few exceptions -- especially non-English writing exceptions -- foreign authors don't figure in the American literary dialogues. Our (least) favourite example is, of course, the foreign-fiction-phobic Sam Tanenhaus, at the still influential The New York Times Book Review. They've actually been on a decent run of a foreign mention or two a week recently -- Wojciech Tochman's Like Eating a Stone this week (a rare non-fiction mention !), Per Petterson's To Siberia in the 12 October issue (though we might mention that book first came out in English in 1998 ...) -- but these are little more than token mentions, and certainly not part of any larger literary dialogue. We just received the 23 October issue of The New York Review of Books, and, yes, they review/mention a few Alain Badiou titles, which makes for something of an international dialogue, but there's barely a mention of any fiction, much less foreign-language fiction.For his column, Scott McLemee has collected a number of reactions to the remarks, including those of yours truly. Charles McGrath has a pretty good shot in the Times.In other words, the Nobel selection process is hardly the lofty and purely literary exercise — the “big dialogue” — that Mr. Engdahl suggests, and it never has been. Whatever else the prize may be, it is not a guarantee of literary excellence. ... Wed, 08 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 658865 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/iRcS/~3/410395308/friday-brain-teaser-from-credo.html The Friday Brain-teaser from Credo Reference - this week: Non-Fiction. Answers here.1. Who was "the founder of psychoanalysis", who published "The Interpretation of Dreams" in 1900?2. Who wrote the 1988 book "A Brief History of Time" which gave a popular account of cosmology and became an international best-seller?3. Who wrote a famous diary about her time in hiding in a sealed-off room during the German occupation of Amsterdam between 1942 and 1944?4. Who expressed in "The Origin of Species" the theory of evolution which resulted from his discoveries while naturalist on board the "Beagle"?5. Which American economist wrote the books "The Affluent Society", "The New Industrial State" and "Economics and the Public Purpose"?6. James Boswell's masterpiece is his 1791 biography of which other writer?7. Who wrote the autobiographical narrative "Walden: or, Life in the Woods", published in 1854, describing a two-year period when he retired from the town of Concord to live alone?8. What was the title of James Watson's 1968 book describing the discovery of the DNA structure?9. Who wrote the historical work "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire", published between 1776 and 1788?10. Which French author wrote "The Second Sex" (1949) which overturned thinking on women's sexuality and social position? (Source: Peter Scott's Library Blog) Fri, 03 Oct 2008 16:26:49 +0100 656450 http://liszen.com/trends/story.php?title=New_Non_Fiction We've just updated our list of featured non-fiction titles for October. As the daylight savings kicks in now is the time to grab a new book to enjoy (Source: pligg - all) Fri, 03 Oct 2008 07:00:32 +0100 656104 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/teleread/KHnj/~3/408913116/ One idea that libraries have been experimenting with for a while is lending a collection of e-books under the same kind of restrictions as paper books—no more than one patron using a given “copy” at one time, each copy being “returned” after a set checkout period. (For a while, eReader was owned by a company that offered e-book lending collections to libraries.) I have learned that both Fictionwise and my local public library now offer e-book lending collections—Fictionwise through its Libwise division, and my library through Overdrive. Today, I decided to take a look at both e-libraries and see what they had to offer. Similarities and Differences Both of the libraries offer works in the Secure Mobipocket e-book format. This lets them deliver the books to you with a set expiration date enforced by Digital Rights Management (DRM), so that you cannot read them after they have expired. The library is then free to lend the books out again to you or someone else, knowing that only one person can be reading the same “virtual copy” at a time. To download library e-books, you must register your Mobipocket application and device serial numbers with the library. Fictionwise’s allows 4, Overdrive’s 3. Of course, you must also create an account with each of them. Fictionwise’s uses your pre-existing Fictionwise account. My library’s Overdrive needed my library card number. At the moment, Fictionwise’s library is open only to members of its Buywise discount club (though they will also offer guest accounts to library administrators on request). My public library’s Overdrive collection is open only to those who have a local library card (as will be other public libraries’ Overdrive collections). ... Thu, 02 Oct 2008 04:20:20 +0100 655371 http://ottawalibrary.wordpress.com/2008/10/01/get-your-magic-card-here/ Library Line in the Ottawa Herald by Rosemary Honn Once upon a time as I was checking out some materials to a mom, her little boy asked if she had her “magic card.” Perhaps he had a certain credit card in mind, and yet it could even better describe another card that is easily added to your wallet. With high gas prices and rising expenses, you don’t have to be an expert on the economy to feel the pinch. With a swipe of your library card, you can stretch your dollars with the library: • Borrow rather than buy. Fiction or non-fiction books, movies, CDs and more are available. Simply read and return, and — as long as you’re not late — it’s all free. If we don’t have something you are looking for, there’s a good chance we can borrow it for you from another library. • Download free audiobooks. Do you enjoy listening to books on audio? With a Kansas library card and the Internet, you have access to all the audiobooks provided by the state library. Once you’re set up, you don’t even need to visit the library to check out new titles. • Save on subscriptions. Come in, relax in comfortable chairs in our reference room and browse through our selection of magazines. • Upgrade your career. Use the library computers to update your resume or search for a job and explore books on careers. • Bring your kids to activities at the library. The children’s librarians provide many programs that children love to attend. As kids listen to stories and make crafts, they learn to love reading, a vital skill that will pay huge dividends throughout their lives. It’s also a great opportunity to meet and socialize with other parents at the same time. • Find out about activities close to home. Our Web page, http://www.ottawalibrary.org/, features a calendar of community events of things to do in the area. • Get smart about managing money. ... Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:19:49 +0100 655864 http://kidslit.menashalibrary.org/2008/10/nominations-are-now-open-1.html Join in the fun that is the Cybil Awards, the children's lit blog awards!  Now entering their third year! You can nominate only one book in each category, so think carefully and browse through the other nominations to make sure you aren't duplicating someone else's.  Some people love to nominate early, others wait until the nominations close on October 15th, so that they can nominate their favorite that got overlooked by others. There are a few rules: One nomination per genre per person. The book must be published between January 1 and October 15 of 2008. English or bilingual books only. Easy peasy!    Here are the genres: Fantasy and Science Fiction Fiction Picture Books Graphic Novels Middle Grade Fiction Non-fiction: Middle Grade and YA Non-fiction Picture Books Poetry Young Adult Fiction   I'm lucky enough to have been asked to head the Fantasy/Science Fiction category and the only thing I regret is that I won't be able to nominate books this year.  So you go ahead and enjoy!  Nominate some great ones! (Source: Kids Lit) Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 655618 http://newpagesblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/montana-lit-germinate-cultivate.html Montana State Univeristy The University of the Yellowstone's Literature and Arts Conference 2008 November 14 - 16, 2008 Montana State University ~ Bozeman READ THIS: Montana State University's Literature and Arts Publication is now accepting papers for its inaugural undergraduate academic conference: critical essays, creative non-fiction, original poetry, fiction, drama/screenplays, or panel (Source: NewPages Blog) Tue, 30 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 654803 http://www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/madreads/index.php/2008/09/27/mental-illness-in-the-family/ I downloaded 72 Hour Hold by Bebe Moore Campbell on my MP3 player, at the suggestion of a coworker. Despite the focus of the book being mental illness and all its repercussions, I really enjoyed this work of fiction which read like auto-biographical non-fiction to me. This book will take you on an emotional roller coaster as it shows the ups and downs of mental illness, specifically bi-polar disorder. Campbell tells the story from a variety of viewpoints as the characters in this book try to deal, or not deal with the issue at hand. She also explores the ups and downs of false hope and its promise of a quick fix and the blatant disappointment that comes with dealing with the mental health system of the United States. The book starts with Keri Whitmore, a divorced mother of one exceptionally talented daughter, Trina who was slated to attend Brown University after her high school graduation. Keri was also a successful business woman, and an individual with the ability to nurture those who are receptive of her nurturing ability. When Keri and her ex-husband had to face the reality that Trina wasn’t ‘normal’ by societies standards, Keri stepped up and accepted the fate of her child’s mental illness. Though Keri worked at acceptance, her ex-husband turned his grief inward to avoid dealing with the reality that his oldest child, his first daughter, was sick, mentally. Keri will do and had done everything possible under the sun to give Trina unconditional love, guidance, and tolerance as she watched her only child move in and out of manic-depressive mood swings that eventually threatened Keri’s own physical safety. 72 Hour Hold reveals the loops and inadequacies a parent or loved one goes through battling the mental health system. Everything from filling out multiple forms to making many court appearances and appointments with various professionals and specialists is explored. ... Sat, 27 Sep 2008 14:48:30 +0100 653587 http://bhplnjbookgroup.blogspot.com/2008/09/random-picks-from-new-non-fiction-shelf.html Read on...Crime Fiction, Reading Lists for Every Taste by Barry Trott. Looking for Chick Lit mysteries or hard-boiled or a certain locale or time period? Take a look at these lists.What Should I Read Next? Jessica R. Feldman, editor. Readings in history, politics, literature, math, science and the arts.Lost in the Museum, buried treasures and the stories they tell by Nancy Moses. Including a very unusual collection at Mutter Museum of the College of Physicians in Philadelphia. I can't say what in this family friendly blog...Introvert Power, why your inner life is your hidden strength by Laurie Helgoe. Shy people strike back, now. Or, well, pretty soon...Friend or Frenemy, a guide to the friends you need and the ones you don't by Andrea Lavinthal. Includes the Friend Commandments.Working World, careers in international education, exchange and development by Sherry L. Mueller. All you international relations majors, listen up...Killing Sacred Cows, overcoming the financial myths that are destroying your prosperity by Garrett B. Gunderson. Personal finance. Maybe congress/ Wall Street could use this title this week?Let's Talk Turkey, the stories behind America's Favorite Expressions by Rosemarie Ostler. With a whole chapter on politics. Straw poll? Stump speech? Hat in the ring?In Arabian Nights by Tahir Shah, author of the Caliph's House. English travel writer travels across Morocco. My book group loved the Caliph's House, this might be a good follow-up. (Source: Berkeley Heights Public Library Book Blog and Buzz) Sat, 27 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 653768 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/calitreview/tlOO/~3/402876388/1189 Had Sitting Bull and his war chiefs reacted in the customary skirmishing style of Plains Indian warfare, the outcome would have been very different. But the Sioux and Cheyennes, fighting with their backs to the wall against the encroaching tide of white civilization, opted for a pitched battle and almost from the outset, Custer’s tactical plan went terribly wrong. (Source: California Literary Review) Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:06:29 +0100 652880 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/typepad/ydEM/~3/402936105/fact-check-roun.html With the general election less than two months away, we're at a quadrennial high for stretched truths, fact shading, lies, damned lies, statistics, spin, and periodic outbreaks of flaming pants. Ouch! How do you sort out the facts from the "facts"?  LLRX's new article Political Fact-Checking Websites by information consultant Peggy Garvin provides a good overview of the major fact checking websites, the people and organizations behind them, and their methods of separating fiction from non-fiction. Garvin also mentions that popular urban legend checking website Snopes.com can be useful in this realm, because it "tends to cover rumors (faked videos, altered photos, and the like) that the others don’t touch," as well as those ubiquitous email forwards. (Source: novalawcity) Thu, 25 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 653545 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/BPLDNews/~3/401896496/volunteer-guild-bookstore-of-buena-park.html The Volunteer Guild Bookstore of the Buena Park Library is offering a few hours of unbridled joy for book lovers at a very reasonable price. On Saturday, October 11th, they will hold a Sidewalk Sale in front of the Library at 7150 La Palma Avenue from 10 AM to 2 PM. Tables full of donations will be on display for perusal and purchase. Everything will be on sale for 50 cents! Come early for the best selection!The Sidewalk Sale will include fiction and non-fiction, paperback and hardcover, magazines, videos/DVDs, audiobooks and plenty of children’s books. Cash will be the only accepted method of payment. Sale proceeds will benefit the Volunteer Guild, which generously funds Buena Park Library programs and services.For further information, please contact Luann O’Hara, Bookstore Manager and President of the Volunteer Guild, (714) 826-4100, x123. (Source: Buena Park Library District News) Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:59:04 +0100 652560 http://liszen.com/trends/story.php?title=Featured_Non-Fiction_Author_-_Mark_Kurlansky Sylvia Plachy. Mark Kurlansky. Photo: Sylvia Plachy. Kurlansky is a freelance writer who formerly worked as an international correspondent for variou (Source: pligg - all) Wed, 24 Sep 2008 07:00:23 +0100 652042 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/teleread/KHnj/~3/401086397/ Native Rites, a mystery set in Kent, is another free novel by David Hewson. A a best-selling writer, he has also put online a freebie of "a non-fiction account of an environmental campaign I was involved in." Related: Lively ‘Dead’ mystery: Free download at Scribd. Technorati Tags: David Hewson (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home) Tue, 23 Sep 2008 19:27:19 +0100 651841 http://knowledgecenter.webspace.unr.edu/?p=44 In college and grad school, there were plenty of times when I got so sick of my reading for class that I just wanted to ignore it for a while and read something “fun”. So I would go upstairs in my university library and sort through all the big heavy dusty academic books to find something more lighthearted, with varying degrees of success. Here, we make that easy for you with the Popular Reading Collection on the second floor of the Knowledge Center (of course, our librarians are also happy to help you find something to read). Browse till you find something good, or do an advanced search of our catalog and limit “location” to UNR Popular Collection. We have popular fiction and non-fiction, current issues of newspapers and magazines, and even a few picture books. If you feel more like watching a movie, head downstairs to the Multimedia Center, which has the biggest collection of movie titles in the state of Nevada at over 15,000 different movies (available as DVDs, VHS, blue-ray, and more). Search Encore (our new catalog) and then look for UNR KC Multimedia Center under “location,” or check out our feed of new videos and sound recordings (click on “New Videos and CDs in the Multimedia Center” from the general list). Think we’re missing something? Use this form to make suggestions for both collections. (Source: The Knowledge Center) Thu, 18 Sep 2008 23:30:33 +0100 650758 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Booksquare/~3/395880562/ If you examine it on the whole, the publishing industry is an unsustainable mess. Think about it: bad economic theory, out-of-touch decision making, Peter paying Paul or the piper or someone, deregulated approach to the market. Hmm, sounds like another entity we know, doesn’t it? The future of publishing is not about technology or widgets or free samples. It’s no wonder that we endure a never-ending succession of “it’s the end of the world as we know it” articles about the publishing industry. New York Magazine has given us the latest, a gloomy piece chock full of quotes from gloomy industry professionals. It’s only when you take a step back that you realize the article misses a whole bunch of important points. Noted statistician Philip Roth estimated, fifteen years ago, “…there were at most 120,000 serious American readers—those who read every night—and that the number was dropping by half every decade.” If this were even remotely true, then the New York publishing industry would have collapsed ages ago. Lordy, how would they make the rent on those Manhattan offices? What is really meant by this, and what is really meant by this article is that a certain segment of the publishing industry is in jeopardy: literary (with a capital L) fiction. More specifically, literary fiction from New York publishers. Look at who is doing the hand-wringing, who is doing the worrying. If this is the end (and it’s not), then what, exactly, is ending? This is where the New York Magazine piece misses the boat. It sees publishing through the eyes of the literary crowd, not the reading, writing, publishing crowd. Out here in the real world, readers decide what they want, and, man, they want a lot of stuff. We’re talking, in a single purchase, a gluten-free dummies book and Bridge of Sighs and The Keepsake. ... Thu, 18 Sep 2008 04:49:51 +0100 649635 http://www.selco.info/blogs/selco-librarian/archive/2008/09/17/visit-to-leroy-public-library Michael Scott, Assistant Director I had the opportunity to visit the Leroy Public Library on July 18, 2008.  I had a great time getting to know Rhonda Barnes and her staff and finding out about what was happening at the Leroy Public Library.The library itself consists of two floors.  The main floor contains the Information Desk, public computers, the Adult Fiction collection and the Children's area.  The lower level consists of the Adult Non-Fiction collection and large tables where patrons have plenty of space to spread out work they're doing.  On the day I visited, the library was buzzing with activity.  The public computers were all in use and there was even a bit of a waiting line for the computers (yes, I know, no surprise!)  There were also a number of patrons coming in to check out and return library materials.One of the unique parts of the Leroy Public Library's collection is its cake pan collection.  For a small fee, patrons can "check" out a baking pan in some unique shape and bake the perfect birthday or special occasion cake.  I thought this was a neat service for patrons who want to make a very special cake but don't want to own a very special cake pan forever.  Rhonda told me that this collection receives quite a bit of use.I want to say thanks to Rhonda and her staff (Sharon and Kay) for making my visit so very welcoming.  I felt just like one of their patrons whom they warmly welcome to the library. (Source: SELCO Librarian) Wed, 17 Sep 2008 12:20:40 +0100 649574 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/iRcS/~3/394146988/2008-australian-prime-ministers.html The Australian Prime Minister, the Honourable Kevin Rudd AM, has announced the two 2008 winners of the new the Prime Minister's Literary Awards. Non-fiction winner is Ochre and Rust: Artefacts and Encounters on Australian Frontiers by Philip Jones. Fiction winner is The Zookeeper's War by Steven Conte (Source: Peter Scott's Library Blog) Tue, 16 Sep 2008 12:00:48 +0100 649103 http://santafelibrary.blogspot.com/2008/09/sites-we-like.html Here are a couple of web sites that have come in handy here at the Library:Reading New Mexico is a new website consisting of book reviews "with a New Mexico connection." The reviews are organized by fiction and non-fiction, title and author. So far, the reviews posted are short enough to read quickly, but long enough to give you good information about the book. The site is also accepting reviewers if your favorite books aren't reviewed yet. Keep an eye on Reading New Mexico as it grows in its coverage of our state's rich and varied literature.In a different vein, Project Vote Smart has been indispensible since the national political conventions, and will only get more popular as Election Day draws closer. It's a reliable, unbiased source of information about political candidates at all levels of government. While some of the availability of information depends on what the candidates supply, the inclusion of voting records, issue positions, and interest group ratings make this a valuable clearinghouse for voter information.Have you come across any good sites lately? Let us know! (Source: ICARUS... the Santa Fe Public Library Blog) Mon, 15 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 657914 http://www.travelinlibrarian.info/2008/09/del-rey-lucasbooks-announce-extension.html From: Star Wars Books from Del Rey [mailto:Starwars@info.randomhouse.com] Sent: Monday, September 15, 2008 2:10 PM To: msauers@travelinlibrarian.info Subject: Del Rey & Lucasbooks Announce Extension of Star Wars Pub Contract & New Multi-Book Series DEL REY AND LUCASBOOKS ANNOUNCE EXTENSION OF STAR WARS(TM) PUBLISHING CONTRACT AND NEW MULTI-BOOK SERIES NEW YORK, NY - September 15, 2008 - Maintaining a relationship that began more than 30 years ago, LucasBooks and Del Rey are slated to publish another 45 STAR WARS titles from 2009 through the end of 2013. The titles will include 35 novels and 10 nonfiction books. Since 1976, when Judy-Lynn del Rey took a chance on an unknown movie called STAR WARS and published the tie-in novel to unprecedented bestsellerdom, Del Rey Books has published a wide range of STAR WARS titles, including movie and video game tie-in novels; original series and stand-alone novels; as well as character guides and non-fiction film books. Every hardcover STAR WARS novel from Del Rey/LucasBooks has been an instant New York Times bestseller, and 2008 saw STAR WARS in the #1 spot twice on the New York Times list with Revelation, the eighth book in the recent STAR WARS: Legacy of the Force series, and with STAR WARS: The Force Unleashed, the tie-in to the upcoming video game from LucasArts. In 2007 alone, the total number of STAR WARS books printed under the Del Rey/LucasBooks imprint was over 1.5 million copies. "Our relationship with Lucasfilm is treasured," said Gina Centrello, President and Publisher of the Random House Publishing Group. "We are extremely proud of our STAR WARS publishing program, which is the cornerstone of the Del Rey list." Howard Roffman, President of Lucas Licensing, said "The legacy of STAR WARS publishing began with Del Rey. ... Mon, 15 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 648822 http://santafelibrary.blogspot.com/2008/08/war-to-end-all-wars.html This coming November 11th is the 90th anniversary of the signing of the armistice ending World War I, also known as “The Great War” and “The War to End All Wars”. Since there have in fact been additional wars since the original Armistice Day in 1918, WWI often gets overshadowed by subsequent events. A number of excellent online resources bring the magnitude and daily experience of this conflict to life.WW1: Experiences of an English Soldier is a daily posting of letters from the front. The solider is Private Harry Lamin, and the first letter posted is from training camp, written on February 7th, 1917. The letters are posted online almost 90 years to the day that they were written. Start at the beginning, and share Harry's observations and experiences as the Great War progresses. Other sites can assist with background information. First World War provides a multimedia history, the BBC offers a comprehensive overview, the World War I Document Archive contains primary sources, including photos, and World War I - Trenches on the Web is a labor of love from history buffs that offers online tours of the war and real-life battleground tours.Of course, the Library has plenty of books about World War I, covering all facets of the war, for all ages. To find out what the women were doing while soldiers like Harry in the trenches, check out Vera Brittain's Testament of Youth. We also have DVDs, audiobooks, and VHS videos about the war, both fiction and non-fiction. So unlike Harry Lamin, you don't have to wait until Armistice Day, or, as we call it in the United States, Veterans Day, to find out how the War to End All Wars ends. (Source: ICARUS... the Santa Fe Public Library Blog) Fri, 12 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 657915 http://en.wikibooks.org/ "Wikibooks is a Wikimedia community for creating a free library of educational textbooks that anyone can edit." Searchable, or brows by topic, featured book, or other factors. Also includes links to Wikijunior (non-fiction books for children from birth to age 12), textbooks in "simple English," and books in languages other than English. (Source: Librarians' Internet Index: New This Week) Thu, 11 Sep 2008 19:40:14 +0100 647050 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/calitreview/tlOO/~3/388680202/1039 He refuses to accept the dominance of money over medicine and the alarming diagnoses of bipolar disorder in infants. ‘We now have a system that inhibits our abilities to find cures while encouraging companies to seek short-term profits by co-opting bipolar disorder for the purposes of increasing the sales of major tranquilizers to infants. Giving major tranquilizers to children is little different from giving children cancer chemotherapy when they have a cold.’ (Source: California Literary Review) Wed, 10 Sep 2008 22:13:04 +0100 646847 http://www.olis.ri.gov/rhodarian/?p=468 L-TV 120 Fact vs. Fiction Fran Farrell-Bergeron, director of the West Warwick Public Library, talks with Hope Houston, the Reference Librarian at OLIS, and John Bucci, the Librarian at Cranston’s William Hall Library, about fiction and non fiction books that examine the same subject matter. Sunday, September 14       - 12:30 pm Monday, September 15       -  2:00  pm Wednesday, September 17  -  9:00 pm L-TV is shown on the Statewide Interconnect Channel A which is cable Channel 13 (Source: Rhodarian) Wed, 10 Sep 2008 12:57:24 +0100 646855 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/calitreview/tlOO/~3/386793806/1011 In fact, the only one who doesn’t fall in with this uplifting sentiment is, God bless her, Shirley MacLaine. With a fabulous display of grande dame orneriness, she even takes Eichenbaum to task for trying to make something monumental out of the whole idea. Exploring the dancer within? Bah humbug. (Source: California Literary Review) Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:58:15 +0100 646021 http://kvl125.blogspot.com/2008/09/bestseller-evening-with-john-grisham.html The Bestseller, An Evening With John Grisham, Will Benefit the Katonah Village LibraryOn Friday, October 24, The Bestseller, An Evening with John Grisham to Benefit the Katonah Village Library, will be held at the North Salem Golf Club in North Salem, New York at 7:00 p.m. One of the world’s most popular and successful writers, Grisham has authored over 20 works of fiction and non-fiction, including A Time To Kill, The Firm, The Innocent Man, and most recently, The Appeal. Over 225 million copies of his books are currently in print in over 29 languages worldwide, and nine of his novels have been made into films. The evening’s festivities will include a small pre-gala cocktail party with John Grisham at the Katonah Village Library (separate ticket purchase required), dinner with featured speaker Mr. Grisham, and live and silent auctions at the Salem Golf Club. An attorney by training, Mr. Grisham’s career began as a criminal defense attorney. He was inspired to write A Time to Kill after hearing the harrowing testimony of a 12-year-old rape victim and imagining how the facts would have evolved if the victim’s father had killed her assailants. Since A Time to Kill was published in 1988, Mr. Grisham has written one book a year, and all have become international bestsellers.The theme of the The Bestseller event will focus on books that have enjoyed tremendous popular success in modern history. Distinctive live and silent auction items will include vacation homes and apartments, a dinner for six prepared in the winner’s home by Katonah artist, chef and published Italian cookbook author Edward Giobbi , a private concert with local folk singers Marc Black and Jean Bratman, a behind-the-scenes tour of Christie's auction house with tea for eight, and an opportunity to be immortalized in an upcoming Grisham novel. The event is being generously sponsored by Andrew J. Entwistle and Family, the Landesberg family and the Sabath Family. ... Mon, 08 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 645706 http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/sep/06/history.roundupreviews?gusrc=rss&feed=books Review: A Little History of the English Country Church by Roy StrongPowerfully conveys the trauma of the Reformation for ordinary parishioners (Source: Guardian Unlimited Books) Fri, 05 Sep 2008 23:08:44 +0100 644710 http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Library&diff=236308866&oldid=prev Citation maintenance. Formatted: pages. Initiated by Mr. Absurd. You can use this bot yourself! Please report any bugs. ← Previous revision Revision as of 20:30, 4 September 2008 Line 54: Line 54: By the 8th century first [[Iranians]] and then [[Arab]]s had imported the craft of [[papermaking]] from China, with a [[paper mill]] already at work in [[Baghdad]] in 794. By the 9th century completely [[public libraries]] started to appear in many Islamic cities. They were called "halls of Science" or ''dar al-'ilm''. They were each endowed by [[Islam]]ic sects with the purpose of representing their tenets as well as promoting the dissemination of secular knowledge. The 9th century [[Abbasid]] [[Caliph]] [[al-Mutawakkil]] of [[Iraq]], even ordered the construction of a ‘zawiyat qurra'' literally an enclosure for readers which was `lavishly furnished and equipped.' ''In [[Shiraz]] Adhud al-Daula (d. 983) set up a library, described by the medieval historian, [[al-Muqaddasi]], as''`a complex of buildings surrounded by gardens with lakes and waterways. The buildings were topped with domes, and comprised an upper and a lower story with a total, according to the chief official, of 360 rooms.... In each [[department]], [[catalogue]]s were placed on a shelf... the rooms were furnished with carpets...'. <ref>{{cite book|title=AL-Muqaddasi: Ahsan al-Taqasim|author=de Goeje(ed.)|year=1906|publisher=BGA, III|Leiden, p.449}}</ref> ''The libraries often employed translators and copyists in large numbers, in order to render into [[Arabic language|Arabic]] the bulk of the available [[Persian language|Persian]], [[Greek language|Greek]], Roman and [[Sanskrit]] non-fiction and the classics of literature. This flowering of Islamic learning ceased centuries later when learning began declining in the [[Islamic world]], after many of these libraries were destroyed by [[Mongol invasions]]. ... Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:30:20 +0100 644077 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/calitreview/tlOO/~3/383263575/964 Jaynes, a psychologist who taught at Princeton up until his death in 1997, showed how ancient peoples from Mesopotamia to Peru could not “think” as we do today, and were therefore not conscious. Unable to introspect or contemplate metaphor-driven scenarios, they experienced auditory hallucinations — voices of gods actually heard as the Old Testament or the Iliad — which, emanating from the brain’s right hemisphere, told an individual what to do in circumstances of novelty or stress. (Source: California Literary Review) Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:51:22 +0100 644451 http://www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/new/index.php/2008/09/04/wisconsins-immigrant-history-anytime/ Finns in Wisconsin is the newest edition in the People of Wisconsin Series published by the State Historical Society Press.  The books in this series capture the history of Wisconsin’s first settlers and include photographs, maps and first person accounts. Other books in the series include:  Danes in Wisconsin Irish in Wisconsin Germans in Wisconsin Norwegians in Wisconsin Swedes in Wisconsin Swiss in Wisconsin Welsh in Wisconsin These non-fiction books help kids and adults discover more about the heritage of their home state.  Real stories of Wisconsin people connect the generations. (Source: What's New) Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:53:14 +0100 644025 http://www.infotogo.com/users/index.asp?RSS=30570 "The aim of this project is to produce age-appropriate non-fiction books for children from birth to age 12. These books are richly illustrated with photographs, diagrams, sketches, and original d... (Source: Info To Go: Navigating the Internet) Sun, 31 Aug 2008 10:26:00 +0100 642308 http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/aug/29/guardianfirstbookaward?gusrc=rss&feed=books Chimp's 'autobiography' to compete with fiction and non-fiction for £10,000 prize (Source: Guardian Unlimited Books) Thu, 28 Aug 2008 23:05:43 +0100 641441 http://www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/madreads/index.php/2008/08/27/graphic-essentials/ Gene Kannenberg, Jr. has compiled a book containing what he calls the 500 Essential Graphic Novels : The Ultimate Guide.  Now that’s the sort of inflated title that’s just begging to be punctured once or twice.  Kannenberg even helps by admitting upfront that the phrase “graphic novel” can be open to interpretation.  His suggestion is that the phrase should refer to works of “lasting value” rather than the daily strip or monthly periodical format that the word “comics”suggests to most readers.  Which is probably as good a working definition as he needs for this collection of titles.  It sort of has to be, since he includes works that are collections of daily strips, and others that are considered children’s books.  One key limitation Kannenberg placed on works to be included in this volume was that the titles had to be currently in print.  Which means that a lot of great material from the past which would have made the list, got left off in the interest of giving readers a fair shot at finding the titles mentioned.  But even with those kinds of limitations he came up with 500 titles.  And among 500 titles there are bound to be some undiscovered or forgotten gems. Overall, the book is pretty nicely organized, with the selected titles divided into ten chapters covering ten genres: Adventure, Non-fiction, Crime and Mystery, Fantasy, General fiction, Horror, Humor, Science fiction, Superheroes, and War.  Each chapter starts with a two-page introduction covering some of the broader history of each genre and some of the highlighted works, followed by what Kannenberg calls a “top ten essential section.”  These top tens get longer reviews and plot summaries and feature a full-color picture of the book cover and usually a page or a couple of panels from the interior of the work. ... Wed, 27 Aug 2008 20:53:16 +0100 640836 http://hedgehoglibrarian.blogspot.com/2008/08/multiple-intelligences-multiple.html I love hanging out with my friends--I am reminded how amazingly brilliant they are in such a wide variety of ways. It also makes me feel like I should be doing and reading far more than I am and almost always makes me want to go back to school.I attended a barbecue recently with friends who have been displaying a crazy amount of raw brain power for some years. There was discussion of theater, various types of vegetarian burgers, non-lactose cow sensitivity, Solzhenitsyn, and the current state of architecture in the Eastern Bloc. What does one label the cement structures we saw being built during the sixties and the cold war? How do you compare the gulag descriptions of Solzhenitsyn to those of other Russian writers who were in Siberia prisons? So goat's milk is okay but perhaps, at some point, not beef? It's enough to send one diving for the lit crit and history books along with the relish and another ham/veggie/turkeyburger.I was debating this with M on the way home from the BBQ. While much of our discussions revolve around some medical obscurities, what she's writing and what I'm knitting--she's also my source on antiques, china patterns, and gemstones. I've learned more in the last two years about gemstones....I am fascinated at the breadth of interests humans have and pursue. My Kiwanis club recently had a speaker in who talked about mountain bikers and new ecologically friendly trails they are putting in the bluffs near here, millions of people who will travel for a weekend of riding specialized bikes on these eco-friendly trails. Add in the hikers, regular bike riders, dog walkers, runners, roller bladers, and letterboxers and you can imagine how many new tourists we might see coming into La Crosse. This in stark contrast to me--who had to go buy a pair of "real" sneakers because I'm going out to Colorado and we're going out on a hike. Keds, I'm told, will not cut it on the trail. ... Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:00:00 +0100 639997 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/iRcS/~3/370880146/2008-new-england-book-festival-call-for.html "The 2008 New England Book Festival has issued a call for entries for its annual program celebrating the best books of the holiday season. The New England Book Festival will consider non-fiction, fiction, biography/autobiography, children's books, teenage, how-to, cookbooks, science fiction, audio/spoken word, photography, art, poetry and spiritual works published on or after January 1, 2000. All entries must be in English" (Source: Peter Scott's Library Blog) Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:55:35 +0100 638589 http://super_librarian.blogspot.com/2008/08/to-buy-and-not-to-buy.html I often joke that The Boyfriend and I have nothing in common. Not entirely true. We have one very, very important thing in common - how we handle the finances. When it comes to paying the bills on time, saving money, what we buy and don't buy - 99% of the time we're on the same page. Believe me, I know how lucky I am. Lord, do I know how lucky I am. Neither one of us has to worry about the other taking the credit card or check book and going on a spending bender. I take care of the bills only because I'm massively anal retentive and would drive him insane if he did it. However, he's great when it comes to saving for the long term and investing. I know that stuff is really important, but man, it makes my head hurt.That being said, every once in a while I get the itch to shop. My eHarlequin order has been shipped (but with the Buy One, Get One Free promotion I made out like a bandit!), and yesterday I spent a whopping $3+ on some erotica at Amazon (I had gift certificate money burning a hole in my pocket). Even when I go on a book buying bender I'm a bargain shopper. I don't know whether I kick ass or am just really pathetic.However temptation really hit hard when I got home yesterday. Sitting in my mail box was the latest "tea porn" catalog.I've mentioned on the blog before how much I love tea. I'm addicted. So when the latest Republic of Tea catalog shows up in my mail box, it's a happy, happy day. What should I find while browsing it? Hot Apple Cider tea. No joke. People, I'm from the Midwest. About 25% of my blood is made up of Apple Cider. The move to California has just about killed me on that front though because it's hard to drink cider in October in California when it's 100 degrees outside. Cider is a fall drink and it's kind of wrong to drink it when you're living in an area that doesn't have a fall. It just loses something in the translation. ... Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:00:00 +0100 639345 http://www.lisnews.org/which_reference_book_would_you_see_made_movie It's been reported that bestselling diet manual French Women Don't Get Fat is to get the big screen treatment. Hilary Swank's production company has picked up the finger-wagging weight-loss manifesto that instructs the Brits on how to be as slim as their éclair-scoffing sisters across the Channel. Here are The Guardian's favourite non-fiction tomes: can you think up likely plot-lines for any of them? And which titles have they left out? 1) The Joy of Sex 2) Eats, Shoots & Leaves 3) Who's Who 4) The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People 5) What to Expect When You're Expecting (Source: LISNews - Librarian And Information Science News) Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:21:13 +0100 638303 http://lisnews.org/which_reference_book_would_you_see_made_movie It's been reported that bestselling diet manual French Women Don't Get Fat is to get the big screen treatment. Hilary Swank's production company has picked up the finger-wagging weight-loss manifesto that instructs the Brits on how to be as slim as their éclair-scoffing sisters across the Channel. Here are The Guardian's favourite non-fiction tomes: can you think up likely plot-lines for any of them? And which titles have they left out? 1) The Joy of Sex 2) Eats, Shoots & Leaves 3) Who's Who 4) The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People 5) What to Expect When You're Expecting (Source: LISNews.org) Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:21:13 +0100 638095 http://www.popgoesthelibrary.com/2008/08/bringing-your-expertise-to-pop-culture.html While I've been a fan of Project Runway, I've been a casual one until this cycle. Part of that is because Carlie and I have a standing date to IM during the show, so we can share our moments of "Genius!" and "What the hell?". Our snark doesn't compare to that at Project Rungay, but we have fun.It's been interesting to discover how I watch Project Runway, though. I sew a little; I'm not anywhere near good enough to be able to sew something without a pattern, but I know the basics and I know enough to tell when something's been put together well. And I have to say, this cycle's contestants are a disappointment to me, with most garments being badly fit, poorly sewn, or both. One of my shining moments was criticizing the construction of an outfit, and having Michael Kors say the same thing within a minute of me typing it to Carlie.Yet even though I have some knowledge that makes me watch the show differently, it doesn't affect my enjoyment of the show. After all, I can't do what the designers do. There's been other occasions where my knowledge doesn't let me enjoy something. When a TV show or a movie features librarians, or has a character baking, or is set in Tudor England, and they don't get it right in my opinion, I'm usually pulled right out of the entertainment. I know that sometimes facts are pushed to the background, for the sake of the story, but I still get distracted by my thoughts of "But that's not right!"Thankfully, I'm not as bad as the woman discussed in this blog post, who can't get any enjoyment out of the Olympics since she was an elite gymnast until she was injured. Because I sew a little, I get more enjoyment out of Project Runway, all the while being aware that I'm not skilled enough to achieve what any of those designers can achieve. And that's okay; it's fun to feel like an expert, even if I'm not really. ... Wed, 20 Aug 2008 04:00:00 +0100 638067 http://brisance.livejournal.com/61519.html Just finished Robin McKinley's Spindle's End. Didn't think the ending was anything great, but it did resolve, and that's worthwhile. The rest was a solid read, and took me out of my current universe.Now I'm on Steampunk. I understand starting with Moorcock, but the selection didn't really work as an opener for me.And B's first book has finally gotten shipped to Pande - I had bought the second, but I don't like reading sequels out of order, so I waited on that.I actually haven't been reading much SF&F in awhile - mostly popular non-fiction (science) and course readings. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao was a great way to re-enter the field though, as it's about someone who reads SF&F. Comparing an historical dictator to Sauron - ah, warmed my heart.(No sentences lately, because I hadn't had time to go, and then the studio closed to move. So, maybe in Fall. Or maybe something new.)Elena (Source: it warn't always like this) Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:57:18 +0100 636304 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/calitreview/tlOO/~3/364875986/804 Asahara amassed hundreds of million dollars and sent agents to far-flung destinations to ferret out information and materials for use in bioweapons. In 1995, he sought to hasten the apocalypse and seize earthly power by spreading an unlikely sacrament, sarin gas, in the Tokyo subway system. This event killed twelve people outright and injured another thousand or more, many of them seriously. The group had carried out a previous gassing, a sort of practice run for the Tokyo event, in the outlying town of Matsumoto. Seven died. (Source: California Literary Review) Fri, 15 Aug 2008 03:26:11 +0100 636250 http://ramblinglibrarian.blogspot.com/2008/08/ifla-2008-part-7-e-reading-for-disabled.html [From Part 6]Monday, 11 Aug 2008, Quebec City. Libraries Serving Disadvantaged Persons Section."E-reading for disabled persons: The French digital library for the Disabled" by Monique Pujol.Monique spoke in French but her slides had English explanations so I was able to follow (good thinking, 'cos translation receiver headsets might fail.)She shared about their digital library serving people with disabilities, based in the city of Boulogne-Billancourt. The project was a multi-party collaboration. It involved the Paris Public Hospital Network, commercial companies (who provided digital content, computer hardware) and disabled persons associations.The service is offered via this website - bnh.numilog.comCollectionsThey acquire recent (i.e. popular) & classical works55% Fiction and 45% Non-fiction itemsSo far they have1,120 written works, 210 audio items, and 7,000 documents.The use the PDF format, as it works with Text-to-Voice softwares like JAWSSomething about adopting "PRC for palm PDA smartphones", as it allows text enlargement (I think it's this)Audio formats would be WMA and MP3CostsAbout 50,000 Euros per year to maintain the website and for acquiring the digital booksUsers & FeesThe service is for individuals or institutionsIt's only for users with disabilities of any form. Proof being the disability association they belongThere's an annual joining fee between eight Euros (for city inhabitants) to 20 Euros for non-residents There are 400 registered users, out of which 40% have some form of motor-disabilities and 47% have some form of visual-disabilityResults of evaluationThey conducted a study with the help of university students. It was a national sample, using an online questionnaire. Some person-to-person interviews were also done to collect testimonials. ... Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:24:00 +0100 635148 http://marklindner.info/blog/2008/08/11/books-read-in-1st-half-of-2008-and-some/ Taking a cue from someone else’s post which I saw a month or so back here is a list of the books which I have read in the 1st half (plus) of 2008. I imagine I missed recording one or two and I know I failed to record one or two which were re-reads. I also have a few books in progress which were started sometime earlier but aren’t finished yet. Doing this now will make it simpler come the end of the year. As anyone who knows me only (or primarily) through this blog can see, my reading took somewhat of a turn this year so far. As it stands I am about to return to something more like the back half of last year and first month or two of this as of today. Summer is fast winding down and it is time to concentrate on finishing my CAS paper and prepping for the panel I am on at ASIS&T (Oct.). Before we get to the list, though, I’d like to mention a conversation I had with my friend the other day. We were discussing my love of [much of] our literature and she expressed some concern over my ability to find something to read for edification and enjoyment when I am done with my degree and school. I assured her that that is not in any way an issue. Just because I am done with school won’t mean I am done reading the literature of my profession. There are too many gems from the last 100+ years waiting to be read (and critiqued). I also have hundreds of non-fiction and a score or two fiction books to be read already in my possession. There are 1000s more I do not own. There are books to re-read. And there are genres which I have barely even begun to consider, such as poetry; of which she has a decent collection to get me started. My reading habits—especially whether I can find something to read once I back off some on the LIS stuff—should not concern anyone. There is too much too know to not be able to find something to read, and after almost a lifetime of actively avoiding literature there is much to make my own. ... Tue, 12 Aug 2008 01:49:42 +0100 634775 http://yourlibrarycsu.blogspot.com/2008/08/2008-prime-ministers-literary-awards.html The short list for the 2008 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards, has been announced! This post will highlight the shortlisted works and, where possible, provide a link to the book in the Library Catalogue. Click on the book's title to read more about this work or click on the Check Availability link to find the book in the Library Catalogue. Short list: Fiction “The seven short-listed fiction books include works in prose, a compilation of short stories and one work in verse. Among the short list are writers whose distinguished careers have spanned decades as well as debut authors whose careers are just beginning.” [Text: Arts & Culture website] Burning In by Mireille Juchau - A young woman translates the emotional distance from her mother, a Holocaust survivor, into her own passion for photography. A beautifully written psychological novel. Check Availability El Dorado by Dorothy Porter - There is a serial child killer stalking the streets of Melbourne. He kills his victims gently and places a gold mark on their head. The mark of El Dorado. He doesn't kill because he hates children, but because he loves them. He believes in Childhood Innocence, and he will kill to entomb them there... Check AvailabilityJamaica by Malcolm Knox - Welcome to Jamaica, have a nice breakdown . . . A group of 6 friends converge on the fabled island of Jamaica to compete in a marathon relay swim across treacherous water. Compulsive reading from an unflinching observer of fallibility, hypocrisy and thwarted ambition. Check AvailabilitySorry by Gail Jones - In the remote outback of North-west Australia, English anthropologist Nicholas Keene and his wife Stella raise a curious child, Perdita. Her childhood is far from ordinary; a shack in the wilderness, with a distant father burying himself in books and an unstable mother whose knowledge of Shakespeare forms the backbone of the girl's limited education. ... Thu, 07 Aug 2008 04:00:00 +0100 633296 http://hedgehoglibrarian.blogspot.com/2008/08/tag-team-catch-up.html I went back to work tonight after dinner. We're short two aides and the aide I work with the most had come in to a pretty nasty backlog. This is the second night in a row she's come into such a backlog. Though always upbeat, she was rather daunted with the amount of books/DVDs before her and waiting in circulation. I had a dinner appt and couldn't stay late as I usually would have but by the end of dinner I'd decided I would rather go back and help her than stew about it and get frustrated. I have to say--this particular aide continually impresses me. Last night while I was putting up one display and climbing in and our porthole with a glass shelf as part of putting up another display (yes, we have a 6' porthole), she powered through an incredible backlog. Tonight she came in to four half to mostly filled carts that were each barely grouped by section (chapter books/teen/non fiction/etc) but not alphabetized--plus two more full carts in circulation. By the time I got back from dinner she had all the carts integrated and alphabetized and was ready to start flying the books out to the shelves. And I kid you not when I say she can shelve circles around me. As I went through teen and the children's fiction she HAULED through picture books, easy readers and non fiction. I shelved a few DVDs while she straightened up the room, and we exited stage left, with only a cart that I'd pulled from circulation and sorted waiting for the morning. While it would have been okay, and (in my opinion) quite understandable if some other books had been left for the next day--it would have frustrated her and, as she's leaving for a nice long weekend, I felt we should avoid that. Truly--she impresses me. If we were all as efficient imagine how much more we'd get done. :) (Source: Hedgehog Librarian: Prickly, Nocturnal, InfoDiva) Thu, 07 Aug 2008 02:53:00 +0100 632798 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/calitreview/tlOO/~3/357473678/800 Gold, jewels – that was what the new world promised and that was what the Spanish demanded. It is the same paradox that had English settlers starving on the shore while lobsters scuttled underfoot. If it wasn’t what they had imagined, it didn’t exist. (Source: California Literary Review) Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:51:43 +0100 633380 http://liszen.com/trends/story.php?title=Childrens_Choice_-_August_08_Issue_-_Out_Now The latest issue of Childrens Choice has been published and contains a good list of books for kids spanning fiction, non-fiction, picture books as we (Source: pligg - all) Tue, 05 Aug 2008 07:00:23 +0100 632022 http://www.homerlibrary.org/2008/08/used-book-sale.asp The Homer Township Public Library's first Used Book Sale is almost here! The sale will be held on Friday, August 15th from 9am-4:30pm and Saturday, August 16th from 9am-3pm. Any items that are not sold at the sale will be given away for free on Monday, August 18th from 10-4pm.We will be selling books of all kinds, from childrens books to adult non-fiction and everything in between. Hardcover items will be sold for 50 cents each, while paperback items will be sold for 25 cents each. We will be adding to the selection throughout the sale, so feel free to stop by at any time! We hope to see you there! (Source: Homer Township Public Library) Mon, 04 Aug 2008 04:00:00 +0100 632284 http://memphisreads.blogspot.com/2008/08/author-obit-alexander-solzhenitsyn.html From CNN.com:"MOSCOW, Russia (AP) -- Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the Nobel Prize-winning Russian author whose books chronicled the horrors of dictator Josef Stalin's slave labor camps, has died of heart failure, his son said Monday. He was 89.Stepan Solzhenitsyn told The Associated Press his father died late Sunday in Moscow, but declined further comment.Through unflinching accounts of the eight years he spent in the Soviet gulag, Solzhenitsyn's novels and non-fiction works exposed the secret history of the vast prison system that enslaved millions. The accounts riveted his countrymen and earned him years of bitter exile, but international renown.And they inspired millions, perhaps, with the knowledge that one person's courage and integrity could, in the end, defeat the totalitarian machinery of an empire.Beginning with the 1962 short novel "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich," Solzhenitsyn devoted himself to describing what he called the human "meat grinder" that had caught him along with millions of other Soviet citizens: capricious arrests, often for trifling and seemingly absurd reasons, followed by sentences to slave labor camps where cold, starvation and punishing work crushed inmates physically and spiritually.His "Gulag Archipelago" trilogy of the 1970s shocked readers by describing the savagery of the Soviet state under the dictator Josef Stalin. It helped erase lingering sympathy for the Soviet Union among many leftist intellectuals, especially in Europe.But his account of that secret system of prison camps was also inspiring in its description of how one person -- Solzhenitsyn himself -- survived, physically and spiritually, in a penal system of soul-crushing hardship and injustice."Read Full ArticleCheck the Library Catalog for Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (Source: Memphis Reads) Mon, 04 Aug 2008 04:00:00 +0100 632276 http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Library&diff=229490098&oldid=prev elim. my duplicative remark of Cassiodorus; added sect. Renaissance and Baroque libraries in Rome ← Previous revision Revision as of 23:40, 2 August 2008 Line 21: Line 21: The earliest discovered private archives were kept at [[Ugarit]]; besides correspondence and inventories, texts of myths may have been standardized practice-texts for teaching new scribes. There is also evidence of libraries at [[Nippur]] of about 1900 B.C. and those at [[Nineveh]] of about 700 B.C. as showing a [[library classification]] system.<ref>''The American International Encyclopedia'', J.J. Little & Ives, New York 1954, Volume IX</ref> The earliest discovered private archives were kept at [[Ugarit]]; besides correspondence and inventories, texts of myths may have been standardized practice-texts for teaching new scribes. There is also evidence of libraries at [[Nippur]] of about 1900 B.C. and those at [[Nineveh]] of about 700 B.C. as showing a [[library classification]] system.<ref>''The American International Encyclopedia'', J.J. Little & Ives, New York 1954, Volume IX</ref> - ==Libraries in the Hellenic world and Rome== + ===Libraries in the Hellenic world and Rome=== Private or personal libraries made up of [[non-fiction]] and [[fiction]] books (as opposed to the state or institutional records kept in archives) first appeared in [[classical Greece]], in the 5th century BC. The celebrated book collectors of Hellenistic Antiquity were listed in the late second century in ''[[Deipnosophistae]]:''<ref>Epitome of Book I</ref> Private or personal libraries made up of [[non-fiction]] and [[fiction]] books (as opposed to the state or institutional records kept in archives) first appeared in [[classical Greece]], in the 5th century BC. ... Sat, 02 Aug 2008 23:40:22 +0100 631257 http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2008/aug/02/fiction?gusrc=rss&feed=books Hardback fiction (Source: Guardian Unlimited Books) Fri, 01 Aug 2008 23:03:56 +0100 630940 http://teenbrooks.blogspot.com/2008/07/new-young-adult-display.html Hello Everyone,As of August 1, there's a new display of books in the Young Adult area of the Brooks Memorial Library.These non-fiction books are on display for you to look at and check out using your Brooks Memorial Library card. Remember that if you don't live in town, but you go to BUHS, you can obtain a "student" library card. Ask us how.The display on books have a "social awareness" component, but you may find other topics as well. We have a nice assortment, so come on in and take a look.These are just some of the titles you'll find:*Students for a Democratic Society: a graphic history, written by Harvey Pekar*Student's Vegetarian Cookbook: quick, easy, cheap, and tasty vegetarian recipes, by Carole Raymond*Temporary Tattoos, by Erick Aveline*The Teenage Investor: how to start early, invest often, and build wealth, by Timothy Olsen*Teens Can Make it Happen: nine steps to success, by Stedman Graham (Source: Teen Blog@Brooks) Thu, 31 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100 630740 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Booksquare/~3/348478660/ Rumor has it that I’m going to be on News Hour with Jim Lehrer tonight. I’ll be talking about the demise of the Los Angeles Times Book Review. Eight minutes isn’t near long enough to cover a topic this broad; it’s barely enough to get started with the conversation. Yesterday was the last day for the dedicated book review, and it makes me sad to know it’s gone, but if you didn’t see it coming, you weren’t paying attention. To blame the Internet for the demise of the LATBR is to address part of the problem. Yes, book lovers are increasingly online, and one key reason, as I’ve said many times, is because the LATBR simply didn’t serve its community. There are other forces at work as well. Let’s start with one absolute truth: Sam Zell has no business owning a newspaper. When he bought the Tribune company, I knew it was going to be bad, and it’s worse than even I’d imagined. This is a Pulitzer Prize-winning paper and has had some of the best reporting of its tenure in the past decade or so. The LAT has incredible writers on its team. They’re going to kill this paper because they don’t understand the news business. It’s going to be an expensive mistake for Zell and a huge loss for the community. Another truth: the Tribune/Zell companies simply didn’t do a good job of migrating the newspaper to the web. For many years, they saw the Internet as competition. Then they tried to recreate the look and feel of a newspaper online. Then, well, who knows? Ask people who use the LAT website, and you’ll hear a lot of frustration. In 2008, the paper can’t even get search right. Steps are being made in the right direction, but the incessant focus on paying back Sam Zell’s loans at the expense of the actual newspaper isn’t going to help the LAT. ... Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:13:39 +0100 629074 http://www.selco.info/blogs/selco-librarian/archive/2008/07/28/visit-to-mabel-public-library Michael Scott, Assistant Director On July 9, 2008, I had the privilege of visiting the Mabel Public Library in Mabel, MN.  As can be seen from the photo above, it was a lovely day for a visit.  The library is located just off of the main street in Mabel and is open 6 days a week.  On the day I visited, I met with Donna Johnson, the library director in Mabel, as well as her staff members, Donnis Thompson and Penniann Ramirez.  The library, as I've found in nearly all of my visits during my first year, was a busy place.  The public computers were all filled at various times with children and adults.  People were coming in and out to pick up requested items or to check out items from the library's own collection.  Of course, people were also returning their materials as well.  As I've said before, it is certainly one of the places to be in town.Mabel Public Library has many of the same amenities that other libraries in the region have.  There is a nice children's section in the middle of the library where children can easily find books to read.  The back section of the library contains the non-fiction collection and the longest table I think I've ever seen.  The table, which is popular with several patrons in town, came from the council chambers when a new table was purchased.  As you'd expect, the DVD and video section is quite popular and located in the front of the library, across from the large circulation/information desk.The library staff in Mabel is certainly proud of their space and take great pride in making it a place that patrons enjoy visiting.  I want to thank Donna, Donnis, and Penniann (a special thanks to her for coming over from her other job this summer at the school!) for welcoming me to Mabel.  To see more photos from my visit, click here to see visit the SELCO site on Flickr. (Source: SELCO Librarian) Mon, 28 Jul 2008 12:16:34 +0100 629322 http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/jul/27/roundupreviews?gusrc=rss&feed=books Non-fiction roundup: Heather Thompson on The Importance of Music to Girls | A Voyage Round John Mortimer | Rape: A History from 1860 to the Present | Science and Religion: A Very Brief Introduction (Source: Guardian Unlimited Books) Sat, 26 Jul 2008 23:15:40 +0100 628479 http://hplbookhunt.blogspot.com/2008/07/what-are-other-adult-summer-reading.html Check out the "Reading Bug" non-fiction selections suggested by librarians at the Monterey CA Public Library. Reviews from the members of the Springfield MA Adult Summer Reading Club are up on their blog. (Hunter may join their club, the grand prize is tickets t