2 of 23 things on a stick

There is a great deal to think about in the interview with S. Abram, J. Blyberg's blog (could anyone with that last name NOT be a natural blogger?!) and the other articles for suggested reading in Thing 2. And I will still be thinking about them for some time to come.



The range of opinions and reactions to Blyberg's blog is wide, as seen by comments recently posted to it. The courtesy of the exchange is encouraging; we librarians tend to be a respectful bunch. But I still find the prevalence of an all-or-nothing attitude disturbingly present in so much of what I read and hear about Library 2.0, or however we chose to characterize our current, and future working environment.



I'm also feeling a wee bit guilty about the tone of my last couple postings, ( although every girl does need a good rant once in awhile.) What I find so discouraging about the current political climate is really the same sort of thing that bothers me about so many of the most vocal proponants of a Library 2.0 vision: this either/or concept of "traditional library" vs. "21st century library," and the idea that we have to abandon one to embrace the other.



I prefer synthesis to revolution, and am happy to work for a library system that I believe is seeking to strike a balance between what has made public libraries such a valuable social institution from America's earliest beginnings (OK, sometimes revolution can be a good thing) and new technologies and trends that can support and enhance what libraries are and do for their communities, and ALL its members, now and in the future.



I've checked off all the tasks for Thing 2, so why I don't feel like I'm done with it?

There's Democrats, and then... there's slow learners

-continued, see previous post.

That's what I really wanted to say to the jolly guy I helped today, after he was unable to find several recent neo-con diatribes in our library's catalog. I cheerfully, patiently, and respectfully showed him how to locate and reserve them. He then asked for help finding the last title on his list, "An Incovenient Book, you know, the one that answers that science fiction of Gore's." I credit my daddy's rule, and my own customer service ethic and training, that my smile never wavered, even as I was thinking, "You have absolutely no clue how incredibly offensive I find your reading materials, do you?" I did seriously weigh my future job security against the pleasure of pointing out to him that even George Bush has finally figured out (gasp!) that there is something going on that looks remarkably global warming.

But I refrained, and jolly guy and I parted the best of friends, with many thanks on his part, and the assurance that he'd be sure to ask for my help again next time he came in, because I was "sure a lot better at finding this stuff" than he was. So, thanks to my new friend, and G. W. (for global warming, don't you think?) Bush, I now have my 2008 election year rallying cry: There's Democrats, and then... there's slow learners.

I like it. And how may I help YOU?

My daddy always told me...

"... I don't believe there's anyone you can't at least get along with. " Yes, he's a bit of a Pollyanna (and a total sweetheart,) and I'm pretty sure even he would have exempted Hitler, along with a few others, from his advice... But in general, I've found it a good rule to try to live by, especially when dealing with difficult customers, colleagues, or anyone else I encounter in day-to-day life who may not be my favorite person (or may even be my least favorite) at the moment, or always.
Of course, if you're a public librarian, working in a large metropolitan library system, as I am- you'd better like people, and working with them, a lot! And I do, so most of the time, I enjoy the wide variety of people I work with day to day. But every once in awhile...

-to be continued.

1.1 of 23 things...

Creating an avatar was fun and certainly easy. I was disappointed that my avatar's animation didn't export from yahoo. You'll just have to imagine my candle flickering, my cat Betty Boop's tail twitching, and her big yawn (or was it a yowl?) Not to mention all those nifty Star Wars ships zipping by outside my window. Oh, well, you can't have everything...

On the other hand, as a bonus, I now have an avatar in my personal yahoo email account!

1 of 23 things on a stick

Hey! I finished my avatar and I'm heading off with my cat and a stack of bedtime reads. What could be better? Thing 1 accomplished.