libraries

the noble tradition of libraries

A long but worthwhile article on where libraries are going with some reflections on where they’ve been.

Although the computer terminals tend to be the busiest area in the library these days—and remain the only place where people who do not have internet access at home, which includes half of all households in Brey-Casiano’s district, can use the internet for free—librarians maintain that the internet should supplement, not supplant, traditional sources. [thanks robert]

basement discovery at Bethel Library

Posted on 14Feb05 by jessamyn

Hey it’s one of those great weird library basement discoveries, but it’s in the basement of my own local library! Not quite the Declaration of Independence, but a fascinating look into my town’s past.

The volumes are replete with priceless gems regarding Bethel in years past. There are not only comments and thoughts regarding Sylvester Parker’s sermons, but numerous mundane yet interesting vignettes containing such matters as Mary’s cooking, Sylvester’s need for a new coat, an incident when he was run over by a horse, his travels, a record of the daily weather, Mary’s purchase of poorly-fitting false teeth, and many daily events in the town.

patron privacy

Posted on 13Feb05 by jessamyn

While it would be a more cut-and-dried case of patron privacy to deny wholesale snooping in your patron databases, what about when the police come to your library with a patron’s wallet? If you’re in Johnson County, giving the police that patron’s phone number might get you fired. I know the police have shown up at our library more than once looking for patron information supposedly in the interests of returning a wallet or a PDA. I believe our policy is to offer to call the patron, but not give out that patron’s personal information [without a warrant] in accordance with our privacy policy. Of course, any privacy policy is only as strong as the weakest link who has database access, right?

alternative press center library, a history

Posted on 13Feb05 by jessamyn

There’s a good article in Library Juice this week about the Alternative Press Center Library in Baltimore MD.

photo experimenting – my library slide show

Posted on 13Feb05 by jessamyn

One of the great benefits to living in a rural community is that going to a foreign country is a big deal. I have done a slide show of pictures from my trip to Australia twice now, once at a senior center and once yesterday at my library. Thirteen people showed up and we had a good time. Here are a few photos from the slide show along with some things I learned about doing slide shows at a library.