Obsession
Robert Kent, Steve Marquardt, Walter Skold, FREADOM, “Friends of Cuban Libraries”… What is that perfume, that perfume that you won’t let anyone forget? Ah, I recognize it…. It is:
Interface agents and human control
We hear a lot about Radical Trust, with the emphasis being on trusting users (of systems, websites, etc.) to guide organizations. I have tried to sound a skeptical note at … Read more Interface agents and human control
Review article of six books on the loss of Iraqi antiquities
In the current issue of the New York Review of Books there is a review article by Hugh Eakin about the loss of Iraqi antiquities and records in the current … Read more Review article of six books on the loss of Iraqi antiquities
On the past, present, and future of PLG
This is a very long post and one that I think some people will wish I had simply sent to the PLG listserv instead of putting it here before the … Read more On the past, present, and future of PLG
Library Juice Book Club
From Erik Estep, sent out by email today: Hello Everyone, I’m very pleased to announce the Library Juice Book Club. Here are the details: (1) The first book is Questioning … Read more Library Juice Book Club
ALA-APA’s Living Wage Resolution in the context of a global economy, global famine, and U.S. economic decline
I am going to be try to be brief here and state my views on the issue of librarians’ salaries as simply as I can, with reference to things happening … Read more ALA-APA’s Living Wage Resolution in the context of a global economy, global famine, and U.S. economic decline
Survey report on library services to the poor
ALA has an important policy, Policy 61, on library services to poor people. This policy was brought about in the mid-90s through the dedicated work of SRRT’s Homelessness, Hunger, and … Read more Survey report on library services to the poor
Please note: We are not the new generation
My generation is called Generation X, but I’d like to start thinking of us as the Silent Generation 2.0, because the world we found is similar in some ways to … Read more Please note: We are not the new generation
Electronic journal access found to reduce breadth of citations
Noting an article of interest: “Electronic Publication and the Narrowing of Science and Scholarship” Science 18 July 2008: Vol. 321. no. 5887, pp. 395 – 399 DOI: 10.1126/science.1150473 James Evans … Read more Electronic journal access found to reduce breadth of citations
Digital Copyright Slider
Want to know if something is in the public domain or under copyright? Use the ALA OIT’s new digital copyright slider to find out. They’ve had an actual slide-rule like … Read more Digital Copyright Slider
Intellectual Freedom advocacy in a Huxleyan world
A favorite debate of pessimistic sophomores, or perhaps sophomoric pessimists, is as to whether our society and its future is more like George Orwell’s 1984 or Aldous Huxley’s Brave New … Read more Intellectual Freedom advocacy in a Huxleyan world
Library Journal reviews Questioning Library Neutrality
If you’d like to purchase Questioning Library Neutrality for your library but need to supply a review from a mainstream source in order to justify it, the answer is here. … Read more Library Journal reviews Questioning Library Neutrality
SRRT Councilor’s Report on ALA Council
ALA Council Report to SRRT, Anaheim, June 2008 ALA met at Disneyland, whoops, I mean Anaheim, June 27th to July 2nd. The ALA and APA Councils passed several resolutions that … Read more SRRT Councilor’s Report on ALA Council
ALA IFC’s Fostering Media Diversity in Libraries, and ALA’s grey literature in general
In my view, one of the most important documents and position statements that ALA has produced in the last few years was its June 2007 report, “Fostering Media Diversity in … Read more ALA IFC’s Fostering Media Diversity in Libraries, and ALA’s grey literature in general
Call for papers on critical pedagogy and library instruction
Critical Pedagogy and Library Instruction: An Edited Collection Critical pedagogy seeks to identify, critique, and disrupt the inequalities of the dominant culture, thus equipping learners to transform oppressive social, cultural, … Read more Call for papers on critical pedagogy and library instruction
Book: The Dumbest Generation
A book of interest: Mark Bauerlein’s The Dumbest Generation. What it says is that the under-30 generation is so removed from books and reading that it is shockingly ignorant, and … Read more Book: The Dumbest Generation
Librarian ejected from ostensibly public McCain rally for holding a sign
Carol Kreck, a librarian, was arrested and removed from a public campaign event for John McCain in Denver yesterday. She was in front of the Denver Center for Performing Arts, … Read more Librarian ejected from ostensibly public McCain rally for holding a sign
Jim Casey’s report on ALA Council meetings, Annual 2008
ALA Councilor James Casey writes an excellent report on Council business after each conference. His report on the conference that just happened in Anaheim has been posted to the ALA … Read more Jim Casey’s report on ALA Council meetings, Annual 2008
Sherrill Cheda
Obituary for Sherrill Cheda, Canadian activist, librarian, and publisher. I wish I had known about her while she was alive…