Blogging Librarian

- 100 books every child should read
A pretty long article that has been broken up into 4 parts. This first part is just an introduction into the joys of reading, particularly when you start at an early age. The other three list the books according to the age of the child: early years, middle years and early teens.

- Kerpoof
What’s this you ask? Well, this is the children’s version of Facebook without the deluge of ignoring application invites. The site is for children to communicate and collaborate with each other online. And the site only allows kids that know each other to interact online. Interestingly, the company that runs Kerpoof says that more and more schools are using it in the US. I guess teachers are also making of online tools as much as librarians in engaging kids.
(via Techcrunch)

- Bookchase®
Ever wanted to run your own little bookshop, but without laying out the actual capital? Well, now you can! A company in the UK has developed the world’s first board game about books. And it does look really interesting. The price is a little steep for a board game at S$90 before shipping, but I know who would be interested in playing it.
(via LibrarianInBlack)

- Gaming, School Libraries and Curriculum
Next time anyone asks you why you are playing so much video games, point them to this article. Just don’t quote me on it. Alternatively, you might also want to read Paul Waelchli’s article on the skills used to play popular videogames.
(via The Shifted Librarian)

- MCL Learning 2.0
Chance upon this site when I was doing some search on Web 2.0 usage in libraries. Very interesting and I’m sure we can use some of this to encourage more staff to dip their toes into the giant pool of Web 2.0 tools and technologies. I think I’ll also be using this to prepare for my talks to teachers on the use of Web 2.0 tools for schools.

- Librarians at the gates
Although this news article is about the striking library staff in Victoria, Canada, I particularly like the quote from one of the reference librarians, Peter Thompson, who says, “If you don’t like working with people, you won’t like librarianship.” How true!!! Read the article for more inspiring quotes from this same librarian.
(via LISNews)

- Public Transportation Meets Public Library
Very interesting concept to put book vending machines at BART stations (that’s like our MRT stations). However, the concept might not work in Singapore given that most libraries are at close proximity to the MRT stations. But maybe we can put it at, say, Changi Airport for travelers to pick up a book on their way out of the country.
(via Library Stuff)

QQ’Librarian did this short quiz on Pew Internet Project on “Typology of Information and Communication Technology Users“. And here are my results:

Where do you fit?

Your Results

Based on your answers to the questionnaire, you most closely resemble survey respondents within the Omnivores typology group. This does not mean that you necessarily fit every group characteristic.

Omnivores make up 8% of the American public.

Basic Description
Members of this group use their extensive suite of technology tools to do an enormous range of things online, on the go, and with their cell phones. Omnivores are highly engaged with video online and digital content. Between blogging, maintaining their Web pages, remixing digital content, or posting their creations to their websites, they are creative participants in cyberspace.

Defining Characteristics You might see them watching video on an iPod. They might talk about their video games or their participation in virtual worlds the way their parents talked about their favorite TV episode a generation ago. Much of this chatter will take place via instant messages, texting on a cell phone, or on personal blogs. Omnivores are particularly active in dealing with video content. Most have video or digital cameras, and most have tried watching TV on a non-television device, such as a laptop or a cell phone.

Omnivores embrace all this connectivity, feeling confident in how they manage information and their many devices. This puts information technology at the center of how they express themselves, do their jobs, and connect to their friends.

Who They Are
They are young, ethnically diverse, and mostly male (70%). The median age is 28; just more than half of them are under age 30, versus one in five in the general population. Over half are white (64%) and 11% are black (compared to 12% in the general population). English-speaking Hispanics make up 18% of this group. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many (42% versus the 13% average) of Omnivores are students.

Hmmm … I must say that the result is quite true about the use of technology tools, but I think I’m much older than 28 and am definitely not white. And I finished my degree course about 10 years ago.

- Hooked on books
An article on turning reluctant readers into enthusiastic ones. It also includes some book suggestions.
(via Library Stuff)

- ‘Google Generation’ is a myth, says new research
The research shows that although young people are familiar with using the computer and the Internet, they, however, do not possess the analytical and critical skills to assess the information that they find. I guess that’s where the role of librarians coming in to help these young people do the critical and analytical assessments.
(via LISNews)

- Evaluating Web Content in the 2.0 Era
Related to the previous link, some guidelines on how to evaluate web content has been put up by a couple of librarians from the University at Albany, SUNY.
(via Library 2.0)

- White bread for young minds, says university professor
A university professor of media studies, Tara Brabazon, has claimed that Google is “white bread for young minds” and more should be done to equip students with the skills that they’ll need to properly interpret and sift through the information readily available on the Internet.
(via LISNews)

- Library Arcade
Carnegie Mellon Libraries’ have created 2 games that are, at the same time, fun and educational. One of the games requires you to help students with their enquiries and the other game is to learn how to shelve books correctly according to the Library of Congress Classification System.
(via iLibrarian)

- Baghdad’s Brave Librarian
A intriguing interview with Dr. Saad Eskander, director of the Iraq National Library and Archive in Baghdad. Surprisingly, he also faces the same problems as other librarians around the world of people talking loudly in the library and lost books. The additional problems he face quite regularly are sniper fire and Kotyusha rocket attack or a car bomb attack on his library’s front door.
(via Library Stuff)

- More on the Brave Librarian in Baghdad
A bit more on Dr. Saad Eskander as well as an interview with him on BBC Radio 4 FM, which you can listen online.
(via LISNews)

- Drive-through window at Decatur Library?
I guess you would have already envision how a drive-through window at a library. Well, in this case, it was a car that drove through the window of the library. Thankfully, no one was hurt in this accident.
(via Library Stuff)

- The Apple Store - amazing customer service story
The librarian experienced a tremendous experience in terms of customer service at an Apple Store in the States when he went to buy a MacBook for Christmas. He was wondering if libraries can offer such a service. (Sidenote: Such experiences don’t happen in the Apple retailers in Singapore.)
(via Tame The Web)

Strip from today’s edition of Unshelved

Somehow, this comic seems to explain all our thoughts when we encounter children in the library without their parents anywhere within the library. What’s worse is if the children have been in the library since the opening hour till the closing hour. And what’s worst is when the parent is still not here at closing hour.

- Ignoring our Digital Community
David Lee King feels that we, as librarians, are ignoring our digital patrons. I guess I have to say in some ways we are ignoring our digital patrons. But we, as in MPOW, have slowly embraced the Web 2.0 wave and are making in-roads in reaching out to the digital community through our blogs. Of course, there are areas for improvement and I believe we are slowly working towards becoming more attuned to our patrons who live in the digital sphere.
(via Library Revolution)

- An Open Letter to the World, From Your Local Librarian
A humorous insight into the life of a 50-something librarian coping in a digital world. However, I must add that some parts of the letter about the behaviors of patrons are quite true even for public libraries in Singapore such as people coming in 5 minutes before the library closes at 9pm and expecting you to show them all the information they need for their assignment due at midnight. Or looking after your children while they going shopping. I guess those are just some of the downsides of working as a librarian. However, there are upsides as well such as when patrons show their appreciation when you help them with an enquiry or find a book that they were not able to find.

- BookSwim
BookSwim is touted as Netflix for books. So, it works by paying a monthly subscription of US$14.99 per month and then requesting for up to two books at a time that you want to read on their website. The books will then be shipped to your house. And when you are done reading, just put it back in the mail box to be sent back to BookSwim. Anyway, this is only available in the US and I’m not too sure if these would work out in Singapore.
(via Read/WriteWeb)

- Kite Runner’s Afghan child stars forced into hiding
A sad thing to read about. Hopefully, the boys and their families are now a lot safer somewhere in United Arab Emirates.

- Secret librarian handshake revealed!
Read all about our secret handshake! Think I’ll need to practice with my other colleagues. Sounds a little difficult!
(via Library Stuff)

- New York Times’ 100 Books of 2007
An annual list of the top 100 books out of all the books that have been reviewed in the New York Times.

- Library books returned after 126 years
If you felt bad not returning your book late for 10 days, don’t despair. Chile has finally returned books that were ‘borrowed’ by the Chilean military after 126 years. The books were pillaged from the library in 1881 by the Chilean military during the 1879-1883 War of the Pacific.
(via LISNews)

- Bottom-ranked school shoots to top after introducing Harry Potter-themed curriculum
See! Reading Harry Potter is not just about enjoyment. A school in the UK have become one of the top schools (just outside the top 5%) by incorporating Harry Potter-themed lessons. Hmmm … I wonder if any Singapore school would like to incorporate such an idea into their entire curriculum.

- Favorite Book Covers of 2007
The Book Design Review have picked their best book covers from 2007. Surprisingly, most of those chosen have this retro look about them. Personally, I quite like the book covers for Unmarketable, One Perfect Day and The Worst Years of Your Life.
(via BoingBoing)

- 20 Sure Fire Lines to Pickup a Librarian
Not sure if the lines are actually useful and most are really corny. But all the lines are hilarious to read. Enjoy!

- Libraries to be ‘new channel’ for direct marketing
Seems like some British libraries have decided to allow advertisement inserts to be placed on the first page of books that are loaned out. In theory, the libraries can expect to earn about £10,000 a month if 300,000 inserts are sold. And the marketing company that ‘pioneered’ this direct marketing channel is hoping to roll-out to the rest of the British libraries over the next few years. Not sure how things will pan out, but the marketing company seems to be quite confident this new channel will be a success.

- Tales from the “Liberry” 2.0
Very interesting blog by an American librarian. What I like most are the posts of actual conversations he had with patrons. This one is a classic. And personally, I can relate to these posts as they have happened to me before as well.

- Shhh, this is a hotel (login required)
Hmmm … can’t quite fathom a library and hotel co-existing together in the same building. But that’s exactly what’s happening in New York where the Donnell branch of the New York Public Library will be taking the first floor and two floors below ground. The entrances to the library and hotel will be on the first floor, but they will be divided by a wall to allow for their individual space. Hmmm … I wonder if any hotel wants to work with NLB to have a public library within their building.