A few links
From Salon: “Is the Internet melting our brains?” “No! The author of “A Better Pencil” explains why such hysterical hand-wringing is as old as communication itself.” By Vincent Rossmeier. From The Australian: “
We need a social media helper – call for volunteers
We (Litwin Books and Library Juice Press) have a presence on a number of social media sites – Facebook, Twitter, Goodreaders, Livejournal, LibraryThing – but we’re not using them to their full potential. I’ll own up to it – I don’t relate to some of these services (especially Twitter – I just don’t get it). … Read more We need a social media helper – call for volunteers
SLA —> ASKPro?
It comes up periodically and gets a little more serious each time. The Special Libraries Association is asking members to approve a name change to the “Association of Strategic Knowledge Professionals,” or ASKPro. Lots of SLA members say, “What’s in a name? It’s a matter of being recognized as what we are. Don’t take words … Read more SLA —> ASKPro?
The Minow sisters!
From the New Yorker, “The Minow Sisters: An Example for Malia and Sasha Obama?” Yes, that’s Minow as in Mary Minow of librarylaw.com… 🙂
On the contribution of publishers
This post presents a second look at the familiar story regarding the transformation of information consumers into information producers and the idea that this shift is making book publishing companies obsolete. While the effects of the technology revolution have certainly empowered individuals, this common story overlooks some important aspects of the role that publishers play, … Read more On the contribution of publishers
An illustration of the difficulty of being a good futurist
From “How Technology Changes Society,” by: William Fielding Ogburn. Published in Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 249, Social Implications of Modern Science (Jan., 1947), pp. 81-88. Between the patenting of an invention and its use, the old adage is appropriate: there is many a slip betwixt the cup and … Read more An illustration of the difficulty of being a good futurist
Pres. Obama Declares October National Information Literacy Awareness Month
I look forward to Republicans coming out against this…. THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary ____________________________________________________ For Immediate Release October 1, 2009 NATIONAL INFORMATION LITERACY AWARENESS MONTH, 2009 – – – – – – – BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION Every day, we are inundated with vast … Read more Pres. Obama Declares October National Information Literacy Awareness Month
Call for Papers – Politics, Libraries and Culture: Historical Perspectives
Call for Papers *Politics, Libraries and Culture: Historical Perspectives* *Library History Round Table (LHRT) Research Forum, June 2010* * * The Library History Round Table (LHRT) of the American Library Association (ALA) seeks papers for its Research Forum at the 2010 ALA Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., June 24-29, 2010. The theme of the Forum … Read more Call for Papers – Politics, Libraries and Culture: Historical Perspectives
People and Machines
Leveraging our impact with technology means certain things. It means substituting machine processes, which are good at certain kinds of thinking, for intellectual processes, which are good at other kinds of thinking. In terms of “recommender engines” or other systems intended to connect people with information automatically, it means relying on aggregate data and averages. … Read more People and Machines
Library History Bibliography
From the LHRT site: “The Library History Round Table publishes a bibliography of library history in each semi-annual issue of the LHRT Newsletter. LHRT has consolidated the bibliographies from the 1990s and early 2000s to improve searchability.”
Strike at University of Western Ontario Libraries
Press release: London, ON Unionized librarians and archivists at the University of Western Ontario have voted overwhelmingly to support strike action to back their bargaining goals of fair evaluations, job security and equitable salaries and benefits. A total of 88% of UWOFA-LA members voted in favour of authorizing their union to call a strike. The … Read more Strike at University of Western Ontario Libraries
John Miedema to speak in Washington, DC
John Miedema, author of Slow Reading, will be speaking at a forum on the Future of Reading at the Library of Congress, on October 22nd. The forum is sponsored by the Library of Congress’ Federal Library and Information Center Committee (FLICC).
Leszek Kolakowski (1927-2009)
This is not library-related, but I would like to pass on a link to an article on the career of the late Polish intellectual Leszek Kolakowski by Tony Judt, in the New York Review of Books. I read a book of his in college (titled, simply, Religion) that influenced my thinking. I admired Kolakowski for … Read more Leszek Kolakowski (1927-2009)
Library Juice Press and Peer Review
Up to now there has been no peer-review process for books considered for publication by Library Juice Press and Litwin Books. That is changing as of now. Manuscripts that are presently in progress will be sent out to reviewers after they have been submitted to us. (The exceptions will be the titles that are not … Read more Library Juice Press and Peer Review
The menace of the public (library) option
This is a cute piece from the San Francisco Chronicle: “The Menace of the Public Option” (Public Library Option that is.) I am enjoying the the way people are making fun of the rabid anti-Obama crowd in the healthcare debate by pointing out that such mom and apple pie institutions as libraries and fire departments … Read more The menace of the public (library) option
A.Word.A.Day this week
Anu Garg’s “A Word A Day” newsletter is the greatest thing in the world right now for (English) word lovers. He sends out an email each weekday that is all about a word. Each week his words are linked by some theme or characteristic. This week he is honoring Banned Books Weed with words about … Read more A.Word.A.Day this week
Send us your graphic design portfolio
We’re in need of freelance book cover designers. Just getting started? No problem. That has worked well for us in the past. See our past covers here. Send a link to your portfolio to us at inquiries@staging.litwinbooks.com.
Free speech in the workplace
Just want to alert you to this article by John Buschman in Academe, the magazine of the AAUP (American Association of University Professors): “Who Defends Intellectual Freedom for Librarians? The ALA should defend librarians as the AAUP defends faculty members.”
Philadelphia library to stay open
The Pennsylvania legislature has passed a bill that funds the Philadelphia Free Library to stay open. News on their blog. I’m glad but frankly still really disturbed by the whole thing.
“Verbiage,” “Intuitiveness,” respect for language, respect for users
“Verbiage” is a derisive word describing prose that uses many words to say not a lot, or more particularly, prose that uses words carelessly, to create impressions without attending to what the words actually mean in a specific sense. For techies, “verbiage” is stuff that English majors add later for the benefit of end users, … Read more “Verbiage,” “Intuitiveness,” respect for language, respect for users