Two new shirts

from the American Library Association, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary, so these are vintage designs they've brought back from the past.

 

To be honest

Getting the cat out of the tree would be the harder test [with greater injury].

©Hot Paper Comics

The deep down sense of rage may have sparked my need to be a librarian

Or maybe it was the kind school librarian who let me be her assistant in junior high.

Still, I mostly annoyed the Kern County librarian in the same locale, the Mojave Desert, who wasn't prepared for a college-level reader in an 11-year-old. 🙂 I'm still annoyed she wouldn't let me read John Jakes' 'The Bastard', which was a miniseries on TV at the time, but given the subject matter, I guess I understand. But I don't know why she wouldn't let me read anything in the adult section, period. That seems extreme. She made me stay in the children's section. Harumpf.

Is this really the way to go, Houston?

HISD to eliminate librarians and convert libraries into disciplinary centers at NES schools

"I just couldn't imagine that it could happen so quickly. I don't understand why this current administration doesn't see the value of libraries and what they do for literacy and reading," Hall said. "Libraries are much more than just books. It's about helping match the reader to the right book at the right time. By talking to the student, you can find a direction to meet their needs."

Former library spaces at some schools will be converted into rooms where students who misbehave will be relocated to watch lessons virtually, work alone, or in groups with differentiated lessons. Books will remain on shelves and students will still be able to borrow books on a honor code system.

Meanwhile, in Philadelphia...

This is the quote of contention, now restored, from Elie Wiesel's Nobel Peace prize acceptance speech in 1986:

I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.

Mr. Wiesel was a Holocaust survivor who wrote numerous moving books. I particularly suggest his book Night, which chronicles his experiences as a teenager during the Holocaust.

Librarian says he was told to remove poster of Holocaust survivor’s quote for violating Central Bucks ‘advocacy’ policy

Interesting

Being a Victorian Librarian Was Oh-So-Dangerous

Things people ask librarians [problem solved]

Him: How do I find a book chain?
Me: Why do you need one?
Him: I keep losing this book. How many times have you had to find it? It keeps eluding me. I need to chain it to a shelf. (The book in question is How to Run a Traditional Jewish Household by Blu Greenberg, which is quite excellent and used a great deal in this house.)
Me: I don't think you can easily get book chains anymore. Last I saw, you still could get cables.
[Does quick Google search.  Goes to Demco (a library supply company) and has no luck, either.]
**IDEA**
Me: What about a box you could put it in? I have one I think that will fit perfectly.
Him: You do?
Me: Yes! [Takes him over to my bed's headboard.  There are three nesting boxes in the shape of books.  I take the middle one and empty it of papers.  The book fits perfectly.]
Him: Where will you put the papers?
Me: The big box.  Now don't lose the box. It looks like a book.
[Sends him happily to his home library to read.]

His library has more books than the library I worked in for twenty years [we had about 1500 books and then the various bound and unbound journals. I had about 2000 to 3000 myself at home before de-hoarding for the move, where I probably halved that.  He's probably at about 4000 or so].  I have often been tempted to include 'Managed the private library of X' on my résumé for just such reasons as this, despite payment being in the form of love and affection of his animals.  I have moved the books on several occasions, dusted, arranged, ordered, found lost ones, etc.  The only thing I haven't done is truly catalogue them, and if he ever gets that card catalogue I had at the library, I see that in my future.

Me against

a backdrop of Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research volumes. And no, I don't know what I had all over me.

Me, back in the day

Early in my current job...

Congratulations to Vanessa Irvin!

Vanessa Irvin | Movers & Shakers 2016 – Educators

Want some good reading material for librarians?

55 Articles Every Librarian Should Read (Updated)

I love this

A love letter to libraries

And sometimes you’d get lucky and there would be a special librarian there. Of course, all librarians were special when you were little. They were the guards and they were larger than life. They knew the secret codex of books. They were good witches and wizards who kept small keys around their necks, keys to special, sacred artifacts you had to know the secret password to see.

But first

let me just say that I am horrified by the events of last night where a white gunman (fortunately captured) opened fire in a black church, killing nine people. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those involved. I was also saddened to learn that one of those killed was a librarian.

Cynthia G. Hurd, Librarian, Among Those Killed in Charleston Shooting

On the night of Wednesday, June 17, a gunman opened fire at a prayer meeting at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston, SC; officials described the shooting as racially motivated. The suspect was apprehended Thursday morning in North Carolina, more than 200 miles away. Nine community members were killed, including Cynthia G. Hurd, manager of St. Andrews Regional Library branch at Charleston County Public Library (CCPL).

UPDATE: According to a report I read earlier today (6/19/15), the Charleston County Public Library shut down on Thursday in memory of Mrs. Hurd, and the two branches she'd headed were also closed today. There are plans to rename the St. Andrews Regional Library branch after her. What a wonderful way to honour her memory:

Librarian Cynthia Hurd dedicated her life to books, educating others

I am (finally) home

Sue - Field Museum (Creative Common Licence for this image)

Some lessons learned from my trip:

1. Keep your beloved jacket on no matter how sweltering the airport is, because you will otherwise lay it down and it will disappear.
2. Keep your parking ticket in the car rather than taking it on the trip and apparently leaving it in the jacket that you were going to lose.
3. How to navigate the mass transit system in Chicago, and also walking through downtown/the Loop.
4. When riding an articulated bus, do not sit inside the accordion in the middle, because if the bus comes to a stop as it turns, the floor moves under your feet while you try to stand up to get off the bus.
5. Double-check your credit card, because the hotel might be charging you for a second night when that was paid for by the university.
6. Chicagoans drive like maniacs, and make plenty use of the car horn. Stare them down and keep walking, but prepare for absolutely no yielding to pedestrians.
7. After several years, you can finally get the key card to operate an elevator, repeatedly, if you just keep trying.
8. Although I had a very good time, there really is no place like home.

Still, I kept up with a CPAP, a laptop, a purse, phone, and carry-on bag, plus took off and landed safely today, so I guess overall I did pretty well. I also lucked out amazingly because I met a colleague on the council at dinner yesterday, and she was not only at the same hotel, she had her car, and she offered me a ride to the meeting this morning, so I didn't have to take the Pink Line with all my bags, and then, because she doesn't live very far from the airport, she took me there, saving me time and money for a cab or the train. I think if I'd taken the 'L', I really would have been pushing it time-wise. A cab ride would have been expensive and I've never flagged one down before. I did offer her some gas money, but she wouldn't take it. We really hit it off, and I'm glad I met her.

So, to recap:

Wednesday I:
• Flew to Chicago after an hour-and-a-half delay due to fog in Lexington.
• Took the Blue Line train to downtown
• Found my hotel, Club Quarters at Wacker and Michigan
• Ate dinner at a restaurant at Millennium Park with various medical library directors who were in for additional meetings beyond what I was in for, but they invited those of us who came early. They were very encouraging of my job hunt in face of losing the library, and had good solid suggestions for marketing myself.

Downtown at a distance

Thursday I:
• Took two buses to the Field Museum, and spent time going through the exhibits there.
• Took a bus to a seminar where three speakers gave talks on the ethics and bias related to health literacy, how the exchange system works as a result of the Affordable Care Act, and evidence-based medicine and rapid reviews as practiced by the speaker's programme. It was worth 4 contact hours and was very interesting.
• Networked with my fellow Kentucky attendees.
• Ate dinner at Park Grill again, this time with a smaller group. Met a librarian who really helped me out in terms of getting to Friday's destinations.
• Walked an ungodly amount over the course of the day, over six miles.

Lake Michigan

Friday I:
• Got up at 6 am and got ready, then checked out of my hotel.
• Met my colleague and went to the Regional Advisory Council meeting.
• Had a continental breakfast.
• Set up a meeting with our GMR state liaison, who will be in Lexington next week, to come see my library.
• Had a very good meeting. Got a review of what's going on at the Greater Midwest Region office and did an interesting activity that really brought our ideas into focus. Had a lovely lunch; the vegetarian option was mozzarella and grilled pepper sandwiches.
• Was given a ride to the airport by my colleague.
• Changed shoes and made it through security.
• Grabbed a drink at McDonald's that was about $3 and mostly ice.
• Got a couple of small souvenirs for friends.
• Promptly lost my favourite jacket, with, apparently, my ticket for the oeconomy parking at Bluegrass Airport.
• Went back to the store, but they hadn't seen it. Someone now has a very nice jacket with my hospital logo on it and gloves that work with smartphone screens. Granted, one was a gift from a boss, who bought each employee in the department their choice of a fleece jacket (mine was purple and grey, had a zipper on the arm, two other zippered pockets, and two inner ones), and the pair of gloves was given to me by a now-retired co-worker because they were too big for her, but still, I loved them. I may see if my boss still has that catalogue and if I can buy another jacket with my own money at some point. But that jacket got me through the entire winter, practically, including two major snowstorms and sub-zero teperatures (I just layered underneath it).
• Made it into Lexington without delay, despite rain.
• Changed shoes, got out the umbrella, and went to the car.
• Promptly realised the ticket was not in my purse, and got into the trunk and tore all my packed luggage apart for it.
• Went to the attendant and explained the situation. Gave him my driver's licence, my boarding passes showing when I left and came back, and he took down my licence plate # and had me sign something, then charged me the correct amount ($24 for 3 days of oeconomy parking).
• Drove through UK, downtown, and stopped at Liquor Barn for wine so I can give a libation of thanksgiving to Hekate for a safe trip.
• Stopped by Taco Bell for dinner, as I hadn't eaten since noon and I didn't really know if there was any food in the house.
• Called my friends to let them know I was home. I sounded faded, and barely had the strength to get out of the car, repack the cases, and bring everything in.
• Grabbed the mail, came inside, dropped everything on the floor, checked that the breakables made it, and then ate.

Leaving Chicago

Almost home

Now I'm very tired. It may only be 9 pm, but I think I'll unpack the CPAP machine and get ready for bed. Good night.

The odd things YKWIA finds and shares with me

Tataku Shisho: the Book of Bantorra

In a world where deceased people turn into stone-like books and are stored in the Bantorra Library, anyone who reads a book can learn its past. Bantorra Library is maintained by the Armed Librarians, who wield supernatural abilities, and their enemy is a psychotic cult known as Shindeki Church. As the story progresses it presents a world of sorrow and pain, and the unfairness and frugality of life, as well as personal desires. However, in each arc there is also a small underlying hope, and more of the reasons, conspiracies, and secrets are revealed behind everything.

I'm beginning to feel a little obsolete myself

Placements & Salaries 2014: Public, Academic, and Special Libraries

However, reports of placements in special libraries have fallen off in recent years, dropping from 6% in 2011 to 3.6% in 2012. This may signal, as some suggest, that hospital and corporate libraries, among others, are becoming obsolete, or it may indicate changing roles and titles within these situations.

Approximately 2017, my position with the hospital will cease as it moves to a new building near the university and a new ambulatory care model without a library. In the intervening time, I and my library committee will have to find an exit strategy of sorts for the library, while providing services and resources up to the bitter end. In the meantime, I am looking at jobs in other areas of the library world, albeit in this geographical area. I've applied to the public library, but they keep promoting from within, which is a good thing unless you're on the outside. :) I've also applied with the state. I keep looking each week actively. The good news is that there are more jobs now than there were during the Great Recession. The bad news is that while I am mid-career (almost 18 years in this position), I am a solo librarian, and while I have supervised some, I haven't held an actual managerial job whose supervision of others was a major component of the job description. I think that's hurting me. I think people are reluctant to hire me in a Librarian I position because that's entry level, even though I'd still probably get paid more since it would be full time (I currently have two jobs at the hospital, one with a librarian pay grade, one with a data entry clerk pay grade, so they average out lower than a full-time librarian would make), and with my experience, they would have to pay more than someone just out of school, or so they think. And I am worth that, although frankly, I'd work for a little less than I'm worth in exchange for a real full-time job with benefits. But a Librarian II position often includes departmental and even branch managerial duties, so that may be beyond my reach at the moment. The field is very competitive in my area because the university here has a library school. It took me four years just to find my current job, which I started out at with an abysmal wage for a job requiring a master's degree. (It improved greatly when they started including medical librarian in our salary surveys in comparison with other hospitals). Then in 2003 I was reduced in hours from 35 to 20 due to some lay-offs. For years I worked my 20 hours and then also at a gas station. At least I got benefits at 20 hours, although they cost more for part-timers. In 2010 I got the data entry position where I do charge entries and reconciliation for billing, as well as acquiring doctor's referrals. That brought me to full time. But while it does (barely) pay the bills, I'd really like to be doing a library gig full time, for one, with other librarians around, and I've got about two years to find a position that's a good fit. I have deep roots in the region and loved ones I can't move away from, so it'll have to be here (besides, I love living in the Bluegrass). Wish me luck!

I love this!

I'm not sure where this originated; it was on Facebook. Thanks to Vanessa Jarebu Irvin for sharing!

Now this is real librarianship!

The Brave Saga of Timbuktu: Abdel Kader Haidara--The Librarian Revived Interest in Mali's Illustrious Past, Then Tried to Save It from Jihadists

Over nine traumatic months, Haidara and his team rescued 350,000 manuscripts from 45 different libraries in and around Timbuktu and hid them in Barnako, more 400 miles from the AQIM-controlled north.

This was done with great personal risk, and with risk that the precious texts could be destroyed at any checkpoint. I applaud their continued efforts to save their culture from those who would destroy it out of ignorance and hate. This is the type of 'guerilla librarianship' which inspires those of us devoted to preserving information for future generations.

Okay, I don't really care for the song (too much screaming)

but this homage has a great use of a book to take down evil-doers and is genuinely funny. And hey, they made it to Rolling Stone.

See Beastie Boys' 'Sabotage' Video Remade By Librarians: Crime-fighting librarians in shades and badges take over the stacks in hilarious remake

Just in time for MTV's Video Music Awards, BoingBoing has dug up an amazing remake of a legendary clip: the Beastie Boys' beloved Spike Jonze-directed homage to Seventies' cop shows, "Sabotage," as reenacted by librarians.

So apparently

If you do a whole computer scan with my antivirus software, then you need to restart the computer, and there may be difficulties. The laptop needed to be restarted; it refused to open the Chrome browser without doing so. The desktop not only did the same thing, but then got hung up on the restart and then it took forever for the mouse settings to revert to a left-handed mouse. This is not my day for technology.

I decided to listen to some music, then I napped for about an hour, so a lot of the tension went away (although perhaps a bit of it is creeping back in due to the computer issues). Then I texted with a friend for awhile. Now I've worked on the kitchen some and am doing a load in the dishwasher. I really need to do some laundry, but it's too late tonight to expect it to dry by the morning, I think, even though I have a drying rack for hand-washables. I think I have a couple of outfits left, anyway. I would do some regular laundry over at a friend's tomorrow, but I think that's one of his laundry days. But if I can get to the weekend, I should be able to get it done.

Oh, Vanessa Irvin Morris shared this on Facebook today, and I had to laugh. It's 30 Things Librarians Love, and I have to admit, it's mostly true. Number 1? Pointing out that you have to have a master's degree to do your job. This is especially difficult when someone with a PhD is standing there waiting for you to wrestle a copier into submission. Copier wrangling is not on my job description, exactly, but it is actually something I deal with every day, as I have two that are used by the whole hospital.

Tomorrow promises to be fairly busy as well, but hopefully things will slow down a little by Friday. At least I get paid tonight and Friday is jeans day. So the rest of the week has its positives.

I had thought about going to Meijer and getting something for a friend once I get paid, but I'm rapidly getting sleepy, so it will have to be tomorrow. He uses a certain product that was discontinued by Kroger, so we can't get it during the great grocery run on Saturdays. I was hoping to avoid afternoon traffic, but I may just go tomorrow. We'll see. I had my little burst of energy with the kitchen; now I'm fading. If I can get up early I'll go then, but the problem with that is it's nearly impossible for me to do so. My alarms are all set around 5:30 and that gets me up by about 7:40. Really. And that's with four alarms. I only heard one this morning, the Gentle Alarm that goes on for awhile, finally goes into a 'safe' alarm where it buzzes in case you didn't get up with the gentle music, and forces you to solve a puzzle to turn it off. That's really the only one that works, even though I have three other alarms that go off at intervals normally. Of course, my blood sugar has not been doing great lately, despite my attempts to rein it in. It's been pretty high every morning this week, so that might have something to do with it.