Bizness of Politicking

What's the bizness yeah???? While the politics of politicking can be crazy-making, it's nice to feel like you are taking part in something greater than the everyday.  Even if it's predominately voting for the shadows on the wall, each new election brings a chance to make a difference.  Not sure we've got the best way figured out yet, but at least one can have hope that some day we might.

Brushing off the dust

I'm returning to my blogging roots today.  After a lively conference with inspiring educational leaders I think it's time.  To be honest the reason I have not been blogging consistently the last few years is I've been busy making things happen.  Starting a family and a career is no easy task.  I thought graduate school was difficult.  It prepared me for the non-stop work but it did not prepare me for the never ending challenges of being a full-time professional in addition to being a full-time wife and mother.  Thankfully the payoff is beyond words and each day brings new levels of contentment.  I hope to carry on this blog by sharing my experiences of negotiating life and striving to make a difference at home and in the office.

Banned Books Week 2010

Individuals must be free to express and consume ideas. Without this ability true democracy cannot take place. In honor of this year's American Library Association celebration of banned books I am posting a manifesto from Ellen Hopkins.

To you zealots and bigots and false

patriots who live in fear of discourse.

You screamers and banners and burners

who would force books

off shelves in your brand name

of greater good.

You say you’re afraid for children,

innocents ripe for corruption

by perversion or sorcery on the page.

But sticks and stones do break

bones, and ignorance is no armor.

You do not speak for me,

and will not deny my kids magic

in favor of miracles.

You say you’re afraid for America,

the red, white and blue corroded

by terrorists, socialists, the sexually

confused. But we are a vast quilt

of patchwork cultures and multi-gendered

identities. You cannot speak for those

whose ancestors braved

different seas.

You say you’re afraid for God,

the living word eroded by Muhammed

and Darwin and Magdalene.

But the omnipotent sculptor of heaven

and earth designed intelligence.

Surely you dare not speak

for the father, who opens

his arms to all.

A word to the unwise.

Torch every book.

Char every page.

Burn every word to ash.

Ideas are incombustible.

And therein lies your real fear.

— Ellen Hopkins

Volunteers extending library hours is a good thing imo.

The Library Journal recently wrote an article about the Charlotte Library's use of volunteers to extend hours. Some have questioned this move stating it could cause funders to believe libraries can operate off of a smaller budget. I think that's an unfounded fear as many institutions both public and private benefit from unpaid labor. Washington D.C. has the highest volunteer rates in the nation, so clearly volunteering for public institutions is not unheard of.

Besides what better way to spend one's time than volunteering at a local library. Some would argue there is no greater cause than facilitating knowledge acquisition. When I set-up a volunteer opportunity in the community college library, I had more students interested than I could place in positions. I think this is a great way for libraries to expand upon their services. While volunteers are manning the desk, staff can be developing new projects and fine-tuning their budget needs to ensure the institution remains vital.

Buying whatever they are pushing.

Publishing in the Higher Education world receives some of its support from journal subscriptions of libraries.  While in the past librarians played key roles in the selection of these items today with the rise of aggregaters like Ebsco, the decision becomes less about content and more about the IR system and the price.  With package deals such as Academic Search Elite or Curriculum Essentials, it is difficult to know what exactly one is buying.  The vendors push various products claiming more full-text or more images but deciding which one offers the most quality can be overwhelming due to the sheer number of titles.  Having access to so many titles is surely a good thing, but not so when the overall quality is lacking.  The task of deciding which aggregaters to license is beyond most individuals capacities.  These products have not been around long enough for us to truly know how to best to evaluate.  Often purchasing decisions are made on usage statistics alone, which may have more to do with product placement than quality content.  What’s even more troubling concerning purchasing quality content is how deals are negotiated by vendors.  Whereas with the onslaught of electronic publishing journals and publishers dealt with all the major vendors, now we are seeing more exclusive contracts such as the one between Ebsco and Time Inc.  Our reliance upon big vendors to tell us what to buy, causes concern for the role of academic libraries in supporting scholarly publishing.

Lending more than just books

I like the idea brought up by Library Journal Insider of libraries lending toys.  Apparently this already takes place across the United Kingdom.  What a great idea as libraries remake themselves in a digital world.  Toys, tools, fishing poles and all sorts of items would be well suited for the library business model of lending to multiple users.    I was recently reminded of how convenient and cheap it is to borrow non-books from the library and was very impressed with the collection of movies and music available.  What sort of things would you borrow from a library?

Reader's Advisory for Ernest Hemingway

As one of my favorite authors I thought I would create a list based on what Ernest Hemingway would like to read. Writing in simple sentences with heavy undertones Hemingway is moved by stories of men who must test their virtues. Notions of courage and honor as well as cowardliness and infidelity are often feature plot lines. Morbidity and death are also addressed by Hemingway. Romance is common but from a males perspective such that his descriptions aren't sappy they are cold and direct but still manage to tingle the female reader. Being an avid hunter and fisher many of his stories derive from his experiences. This is also the case concerning his war themed stories as he was an ambulance driver for the Red Cross during WWI. His writings are also reflective of his ex-expatriate status and circle of friends, having spent much time in Europe and Cuba throughout his life. Based on his own life experiences and the types of things he liked to write about I've selected five stories. I mainly used Guys Read and Worldcat.org Genres to find my selections.

Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson (2008)

A beautifully written novel discussing growing older (facing death) and coming to terms with one's past, this novel would be a favorite of Hemingway. The writing is simple and descriptive with heavy undertones. Much of the plot is based on the main character's memory of his strong father and the realizations of his imperfections. Also Hemingway did a good job of describing the scenery as does Petterson, making you feel like you are sitting in the woods of Norway or mountains of Spain.

Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane (1968)

Hemingway's penchant for war stories and battles with courage would surely put the Red Badge of Courage at the top of his list. Additionally, the author's ability to convey the impact of war upon one's psychological state is a trait well-developed by Hemingway as well.

Ugly American by Eugene Burdick and William J. Lederer (1958)

This collection of short stories provides humorous yet pointed descriptions of Americans abroad and specifically in Southeast Asia during the cold war era. Hemingway's travels, concerns over American foreign policy and love of Cuba would make this a great addition to his collection.

The Whole Sky is Full of Stars by Rene Saldana (2007)

This is the story of a young male who lost his father and now must face manhood on his own. With a boxing competition, underhanded backroom dealings, along with coming-of-age tribulations this story would surely catch Hemingway's attention.

Black Dogs by Ian McEwan (1992)

McEwan's noted abilities are not unlike Hemingway's in their ability to create simplistic yet suspenseful prose. Black Dogs focuses upon matters of the heart intertwined with the realities of the world, concepts Hemingway explores thoroughly in For Whom the Bell Tolls. The French country side setting during WWII would also attract Hemingway.