Are you over (net)worked?

I might be. Currently, I bookmark my favorite websites, blog (obviously), tweet, text, e-mail and use one of those social networking sites to keep up with my "friends." I am way more connected than I ever thought I'd be.



There are not enough hours in the day for me to keep everything up-to date. Everytime I look at my favorite bookmarks I see how disorganized it has all become and I wonder just how long it has been since I last checked some of those sites. It's obvious that I don't blog very often and I "tweet" occasionally. I receive lots of tweets - I have to keep up with inane sports information and all the latest drama going down in Sookie Stackhouse's life. Yes, there really are tweets from and about fictional characters.



Ah, texting. Does anyone actually talk anymore? Thanks to texting, I'm communicating with the next generation in my family. I still like e-mail. I was shocked to discover recently that one of my nieces actually has an e-mail account! That's so yesterday. I use it all the time for professional reasons and love it.



That catch-all social networking site? My account reminds me of my office. I have all these plans for organizing and exciting additions. Mostly it is just plans - I have work to do and I still read!

Association for Rural & Small Libraries

I've been to a few conferences in my time but, this is the first Association for Rural & Small Libraries. I am enjoying myself! Have you seen the new Anna Porter Public Library in Gatlinburg, TN? I hear that it is becoming quite the tourist attraction and not just with librarians. Kenton Temple and her staff were very gracious and they proudly shared everything that they know about ditching Dewey and moving toward a "bookstore merchandising" philosophy. Kenton really did her research and it shows in the resulting product. Gatlinburg has a new $1.8 million facility that debuted with a "new" collection. In the old dowtown facility the library was strictly Dewey and when the new library opened it was with a bookstore arrangement. I'm starting to come around; it truly does work. Of course, Dewey isn't dead - just hidden. Did I mention that they weeded 10,000 items? I love these people!

Check them out - http://www.annaporterpl.org/

On the Job Reading

Has anyone read the July 2009 article by Will Manley? It’s called, “Reading on the Job.” The premises are 1) whether or not librarians should read on the job and 2) if we should be offended if someone “accuses” us of actually reading on the job. Let me be perfectly clear, I self identify as a librarian and yes I read for fun and profit. I read every day for the sheer pleasure of the act; it is my time and I find that books are great diversions.

Did I say “profit?” Well, remember that I’m a librarian so there are really not many dollar bills behind that statement. However, the information that I come across enhances my ability to serve my customers and generally helps keep me informed on trends and issues impacting my profession. So, I peruse various print and online sources on a weekly basis (for those keeping score, Booklist is obviously in the mix).

I also read and/or utilize various professional sources from our in-house collection for research on projects that come my way. Thankfully, materials are added to professional collection frequently. I am grateful for the support of our agency staff that continues to make the development of this area a priority here at MLC.

Yes, I read on the job. Don’t you?

Fountain of Youth?

I recently found myself in a water cooler discussion about revisiting your "youth" if such a thing were possible. No surprise to me, the earliest decade that anyone wanted to see again was their thirties. Notice how the teens and twenties are conspicuously absent? Mostly, I tend to think that life only gets better the more you practice.

I have found that I'd like to make one exception though. What is it? Simply stated - Young Adult lit. Where was all this fun, challenging, realistic, factual, provocative, etc. reading material when it was appropriate for my age group?

The good news is that I can read and enjoy books for all ages now. What is the latest in a long line? Repossessed (2008 Printz Honor Book) by A. M. Jenkins in which a minor devil inhabits the body of a 17-year-old male and experiences “life” for a few days. I like writing with a little depth to it occasionally. This book is more than the book flap or the CIP data reveals. Don't misunderstand, the fun and teen angst are there in spades but that's just the surface. Go ahead, dig a little deeper. I’m still mulling over the concept of self- imposed punishment for sin.

It's the Economy ... Part 2

OK, there is nothing in the report that I didn't know already but the national exposure rocks. I refer to the segment on the Today Show from just this morning (6/11/09). I thought that the report made a very strong case for public libraries - increase in people having a library card, increased door counts, increased computer usage, increased attendance at programs, and increased needs everywhere. Paradoxically this is paired with reduced funding, decreasing staff, fewer hours and dwindling resources. Hmm, reminds me of a book.

Is this artificial intelligence?

During the last several months, two new "search engines" have been introduced. These are, of course, challenges to 'Google" and its success. Everyone wants a piece of the action, the recognition, and, of course, the money that the developers of Google achieved. But there is something different about these two new engines. Neither of them call themselves just "search engines".

The first that I became aware of is www.wolframalpha.com. They call themselves a "computational engine" and their purpose is not just to give you websites, but answers. Take a look at them, and ask your questions! They do really well on science and mathematical questions, and I like the way they explain their logic in arriving at the answer. If you put in a question such as "What is the meaning of life?", I'm not too sure that everyone is going to agree with the answer, but you will get one.

The other new search engine is www.bing.com, developed by Microsoft. They call themselves a "decision engine", and state that they want to provide information to help you make better decisions. They certainly make a case for the necessity of streamlining your choices with their discussion of the rapidity of new websites being created (four and a half new websites created every second, according to them).

My question is the title of this post. Have we finally reached the time that has been predicted every since the first computer was invented?

I love Sookie

It’s about time! I have devoured each and every title in the Sookie Stackhouse series. Finally the reading public has acknowledged what my fellow readers and librarians in Mississippi have known for years (the Mississippi Library Association honored Club Dead in 2005) and what Alan Ball noticed when he picked up Dead until Dark (I can’t wait until June 14 for the second season of True Blood). Yes, there’s something going on in Bon Temps, Louisiana that is worth reading about and as proof the latest installment in the series, Dead and Gone, will debut at #1 on the New York Times bestsellers list on Sunday.

I know these people – they’re my friends, family and acquaintances except for the undead/supernatural thing, I think. The richly drawn characters have all of these wonderful faults and vulnerabilities which make them so human. They have real problems like how to pay the rent and dealing with crazy relatives and maintaining friendships. Like life, the books don’t always end well – life is messy sometimes.

If you haven’t met Sookie yet it is not too late.