Start Over At The Beginning

  Claude Monet, Water Lily Pond and Weeping Willow, 1916 Daily Thoughts 12/31/2020 Happy New Year! I checked the library Twitter and Facebook Group this morning. Last night, I read Frank Herbert's Dune The Graphic Novel Volume 1 , Adapted by Brian Herbert and Keven J. Anderson.  This is an enjoyable read.  It looks like they broke the novel into multiple parts.  This makes the story truer to the original novel.  I like the illustrations.  They are very detailed.  The dialogue includes a lot of the original text from the book.  This was worth reading. 7 Unexpected Things That Libraries Offer Besides Books https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/7-unexpected-things-that-libraries-offer-besides-books/ar-BB1cfmb4

  Daily Thoughts 12/30/2020 Lucien Lefevre, Electricine, 1897 I checked the library Twitter and Facebook Group this morning. I read some more of A Planet to Win Why We Need A Green New Deal.  I am reading about why social change is as important as environmental change to bring climate change under control.   Job Searching During A Pandemic: Flexibility is Key http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2020/12/job-searching-during-a-pandemic-flexibility-is-key/ 2020’s Top Ebooks and Audiobooks From Public Libraries Reflect An Interest in Social Justice https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/2020-s-top-ebooks-and-audiobooks-from-public-libraries-reflect-interest-in-social-justice-1029922952 New Blume Library Grant Funds Open Source Theology Textbook https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/2020-s-top-ebooks-and-audiobooks-from-public-libraries-reflect-interest-in-social-justice-1029922952    

  Swing Into Books, Book Week, November 1-7, 1964 Daily Thoughts 12/29/2020 I checked the library Twitter and Facebook Group this morning. On the way to work, I read some more of A Planet to Win Why We Need A Green New Deal.   I am reading about the idea that there should be a new works project administration focused on green energy and environmental jobs. I checked the displays and the gift books. I spent some time working on grants today.  There is some work I have to do for Arts Westchester. I worked on two orders of new books. I checked out the book Too Much Information Understanding What You Don't Want To Know by Cass R. Sunstein. Five Ways Libraries Teach Science Literacy https://www.elsevier.com/connect/library-connect/five-ways-librarians-teach-science-literacy?sf241123837=1&utm_medium=spredfast&utm_content=sf241123837&utm_source=linkedin&utm_campaign=Library%20Connect  

  Cover Design for La Plume, 1898, Alphonse Mucha Daily Thoughts 12/28/2020 I checked the Twitter and Facebook Group for the library this morning. I read some more of A Planet to Win Why We Need A Green New Deal .  This is a radical book.  It actively advocates for stranding traditional oil and gas assets in favor of renewables.   Some of it is interesting like replacing private utilities with cooperatives and nationalizing energy companies. What Happened to the Ebook Revolution? https://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/what-happened-to-the-ebook-revolution Rochester Hills Public Library Donated 6,000 Face Masks https://patch.com/michigan/rochester/rochester-hills-public-library-donated-6-000-face-masks How to Get Library Books for Free On Your Kindle and Borrow the Latest Titles https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/how-to-get-library-books-on-your-kindle-for-free-and-borrow-the-latest-titles/ar-BB1bQYWo?getstaticpage=true&c=128183161013150...

  A Happy New Year, Circa 1910-1919, Curt Teich Postcard. Daily Thoughts 12/25/2020 I checked the library Twitter and Facebook Group today.    I also started reading A Planet to Win Why We Need A Green New Deal by Kate Aronoff, Alissa Battistoni, Daniel Aldana Cohen, and Thea Riofrancos.  It is a liberal climate change book focused on the concept of the Green New Deal.  I want to see how pie in the sky it is.  I invest in green technology.  I have several stocks that I am invested in. Santa's New York Roots https://www.nypl.org/blog/2015/12/09/santas-new-york-roots?utm_campaign=NYPLSocialMedia&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin.com Internet Archive's Library Explorer Makes It Fun To Search for Books Online https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/internet-archives-library-explorer-makes-it-fun-to-search-for-books-online/ar-BB1cd7Hg

  Postcard New Years Resolution,  Circa 1909 Daily Thoughts 12/24/2020 I checked the library Twitter and Facebook Group this morning. I finished reading Money The Story of a Made Up Thing .  The last part is about how to change the banking system so there are less central banks.  I found the subjects of the book quite interesting.  It is well written and easy to read, there is an index and extensive notes.  I learned quite a few new things about money. I spent some time thinking about budgets. I am also thinking about the Graffiti Denim Jackets project from Arts Westchester. I have some other projects as well.  They are asking me to be on a planning committee at the library. Baltimore County's New Library Director Touts A Very Democratic Institution https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/baltimore-county/cng-co-to-baltimore-county-new-library-director-online-20201211-bubv3vwmbffj7p6xw4crv4ujuy-story.html Library E-book Checkouts Soar During the Pa...

  Albert Aublet, Reading on the Garden Path, 1883 Daily Thoughts 12/23/2020 I checked the library Twitter and Facebook Group. I am on vacation.  It has been quiet which is a wonderful thing. I read some more of  Money The True Story of A Made Up Thing.  I am reading about the history of bitcoin and electronic money. IMLS, NEA, NEH Score Increases in 2021 Budget Bill https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/85208-imls-nea-neh-score-increases-in-2021-budget-bill.html The Internet Archive Is Making Wikipedia More Reliable https://www.wired.com/story/internet-archive-wikipedia-more-reliable/ These Are The Most Read Library Books in NYC During 2020 https://patch.com/new-york/new-york-city/these-are-most-read-library-books-nyc-during-2020

  Young Man With a Candle, Michel Gobin, 1681 Daily Thoughts 12/21/2020 I checked the library Twitter and Facebook Group this morning. I read some more of  Money The True Story of A Made Up Thing .  I read about electronic money and its roots in libertarianism and privacy. ALA Welcomes Build America's Library Act http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2020/12/ala-welcomes-build-americas-libraries-act?fbclid=IwAR2-2kbVa7D1ReVhm5tsR3mgaWzdAaVZ2rLVLHHtQ-BegpQJYsnApU4GH24 America's Star Libraries 2020 https://www.libraryjournal.com/?page=americas-star-libraries-2020 Lincoln Parish Library Budget Meeting Turns Into Heated Debate https://www.myarklamiss.com/news/local-news/lincoln-parish-library-budget-meeting-turns-into-heated-debate/

  The Upper Room of the Gibraltar Garrison Library. Coloured lithograph, 1846.  Thomas Colbin Dibdin Daily Thoughts 12/19/2020 I checked the library Twitter and Facebook Group this morning. On the way to work, I read some more of Money The Story of a Made Up Thing.  I am reading about the creation of central banking in the United States.  There used to be a large variety of currencies in the 19th century. I checked the new book displays. I did some weeding in the mezzanine fiction area. I read a copy of Booklist and a copy of the Times Literary Supplement. Many Bookstores Still Need GoFundMe to Survive https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/85190-many-bookstores-still-need-gofundme-to-survive.html St. Peter Offering Light Therapy Devices for Check Out https://www.mankatofreepress.com/news/st-peter-library-offering-light-therapy-devices-for-checkout/article_72d06cde-3e4b-11eb-a665-03f93dd5ee45.html Library Extends Wire...

The King's Library at Buckingham House, 1819, James Stephanoff, Pyne's Royal Residences Daily Thoughts 12/18/2020  I checked the library Twitter and Facebook Group this morning. I spent a little bit of time thinking about weeding. I read some more of Money The True Story of a Made Up Thing.  I am Reading about the gold standard for currency and inflation. Library of Congress Completes Digitization of 23 Early Presidential Collections https://www.finebooksmagazine.com/news/library-congress-completes-digitization-23-early-presidential-collections The FCC's Program to Discount Educational Internet Needs an Upgrade https://slate.com/technology/2020/12/erate-program-fcc-upgrade.html How Streaming Platforms Reinforce Inequity to Access to Public Entertainment http://newsbreaks.infotoday.com/NewsBreaks/How-Streaming-Platforms-Reinforce-Inequity-in-Public-Access-to-Entertainment-144359.asp

  Cuyahoga County Opera presents Carmen, WPA poster, 1939 Daily Thoughts 12/17/2020 I checked the library Twitter and Facebook Group. The library is closed today.  We are snowed in. I read some more of Money The True Story of A Made Up Thing.  I am reading about the concept of the gold standard.  Money historically has been tied to the price of gold and silver. What It Means to Decolonize the Library https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/85127-what-it-means-to-decolonize-the-library.html The Missing Piece https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2020/11/02/missing-piece-libraries-board-games/ What 2020 Has Taught Me About Advocacy https://knowledgequest.aasl.org/what-2020-has-taught-me-about-advocacy-a-simple-way-to-toot-your-own-horn/

  Cover of 1904  Opel  catalog (detail),  Art Nouveau  style Daily Thoughts 12/16/2020  I checked the library Twitter and Facebook Group this morning. I also read some more of Money The True Story of a Made Up Thing.  I am reading about the history of paper money and banking.  I like the story of John Law a genius in finance who was a gambler and banker.  He was one of the first people to develop mathematical concepts around probability. I checked the displays and gift books. I worked a little bit on grants. The Mount Vernon Public Library Board of Trustees is voting on my step increase tonight. I put in two orders for new books today. I worked on weeding some books in the mezzanine. I am looking at how we might shift some of the oversize books to the mezzanine. Bookstore Sales Post Another 27% Decline https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/85146-bookstore-sales-post-another-27-decline.html Introd...

  Stamps of Lithuania, 2015 Daily Thoughts 12/15/2020 I checked the library Twitter and Facebook Group this morning. On the way to work, I read some of Money The True Story of A Made Up Thing by Jacob Goldstein.  I am reading about barter and the beginnings of money. I checked the displays and the gift books. I looked through three copies of the Times Literary Supplement.  I also looked through a copy of the New York Times Book Review. I placed the The Paper Solution : what to shred, what to save, and how to stop it from taking over your life  by Lisa K. Woodruff, with Mary Nolan-Pleckham on hold. I spent some time working on programming for Arts Westchester. I did a little weeding and checked some damaged books. What Do Archivists Have to Do With Presidential Elections? https://www.libraryjournal.com/?detailStory=what-do-archivists-have-to-do-with-presidential-election ALA Urges Members to Push For Libraries In Covid 19 Relief Package https://www.publisherswee...

Shen Zhou. "Reading in Autumn Scenery", Palace Museum, Beijing., 15th Century Daily Thoughts 12/15/2020 I checked the library Twitter and Facebook Group this morning. I finished reading Team Human by Douglas Rushkoff.  It is focused on humanistic computing.  It reminds me a little bit of Jaron Lanier.  It is supposed to a manifesto. I find it to be closer to be a guidebook to a style of thinking about technology.  It is very anti-corporate and anti-consumerist.  The author tries to create a new way of thinking about the sharing economy and the commons.   John Le Carre's Literary Legacy Visualized https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/Obituary/article/85129-lecarr-s-literary-legacy-visualized.html Queens Public Library Launches Remote Printing Services https://patch.com/new-york/foresthills/queens-public-library-launches-remote-printing-services

  Cover Dynamic Science Fiction, October 1953 Daily Thoughts 12/12/2020 I checked the library Twitter and Facebook Group this morning. I read some more of Team Human .  Douglas Rushkoff is asking us to think differently about technology.  To focus more on shared resources and less on profits.  To be less individualistic and to think more about the common good.  He is asking us to be more culturally focused and less consumer oriented.   Photographs and Memories: Remember Book Expo, In Pictures https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/85125-photographs-and-memories-remembering-bookexpo-in-pictures.html After A Hard Year, Kickstarter Bounces Back https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/85123-after-a-hard-year-kickstarter-bounces-back.html Dreaming About the Ideal Library – A Sketch https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/11/books/dreaming-about-the-ideal-library.html

  Cover Planet Stories, 1954 Daily Thoughts 12/11/2020 I checked the library Twitter and Facebook Group. On the way to work, I finished reading Lovecraft Country.   Matt Ruff, the author was inspired to write this book by the experience of black science fiction fans.  There is a lot of meta science fiction in this book.  It contains many references to other science fiction writers and stories throughout the book.  There is quite a bit of material that draws on H.P. Lovecraft as well as similar authors like August Derleth.  Another inspiration for this book is the Negro Motorist Greenbook.  There are many references to the main characters in the book seeking safe hotels and places to stop for black drivers.  The time setting is the 1950s.  Part occurs in the south.  There are a lot of different themes in this book which pull together into a very curious setting.  I enjoyed reading this book tremendously.  Add in the idea that t...

  1946 Arkham House Advertisement Daily Thoughts 12/10/2020 I checked the library Twitter and Facebook Group today. On the way to work, I read some more of Lovecraft Country.   I like that there are several different interconnected stories with the same people in this book.  I also read some more of Team Human .  I am reading about the idea that corporations are increasingly looking to reduce the number of people with software and artificial intelligence.  There is description of the idea of extraction of resources from communities by technology companies. I checked the displays this morning. We are working on a set of videos on Youtube of recordings of our Cloth Doll Workshop from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on December 8 and December 9 supported with a grant from Arts Westchester. I put in an order for new books today. I spent some time weeding the adult fiction in the mezzanine. 50 Fictional Librarians Ranked https://lithub.com/50-fictional-librarians-ranked/?fb...

  Illustration by Boris Dolgov for August Derleth's short story " The Dweller In Darkness" from  Weird Tales , November 1944, p. 9. Daily Thoughts 12/09/2020 I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning. I read some more of Team Human .  I am reading about how digital industries are often winner take all, with only a limited group of people making it to the top. I also read some more of Lovecraft Country .  The setting is the America of the 1950s.  The book has many references to Jim Crow and how unsafe traveling was for African Americans.  This is combined with Lovecraftian horror.  It makes for an odd juxtaposition.   Denver's Tattered Cover Bookstore Is Now the Largest Black Owned Bookstore in the U.S. https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/85096-denver-s-tattered-cover-bookstore-is-sold-to-two-entrepreneurs.html This Ultra-Green Library Offers Hands-On Environmental Learning http:/...

  Cover of  Adventures Into the Unknown  1 (Fall 1948  American Comics Group ). Daily Thoughts 12/08/2020 I checked the library Twitter and Facebook Group this morning. I read some more of  Team Human.   I am reading about how social media and communications atomizes are experiences making our thinking more provincial and less global. I finished shifting the biography from the teen area to the main floor collection. I checked out  Lovecraft Country  by Matt Ruff which is a horror novel.  I also checked out  Money The Story of a Made Up Thing  by Jacob Goldstein. I checked the displays. I checked a shelf list for video cassettes.  Most are not here anymore. Penguin Random House Acquires Simon & Schuster https://www.libraryjournal.com/?detailStory=penguin-random-house-acquires-simon-schuster Library Books: A Small Antidote to a Life of Perpetual Dissatisfaction https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/08/magazine/public-libraries...

Hans Sturzenegger - Stilleben mit Blumen und Buch, c. 1920 Daily Thoughts 12/07/2020 I checked the library Twitter and Facebook Group this morning. I read some more of Team Human.   I am reading about how memes and viral advertising dehumanize us. I spent some time shifting books in the biography section. I worked on weeding in the fiction mezzanine. I still have some work to do on the Cloth Dolls program. We are working on a list of programs for the coming year. National Archives Role In A Presidential Transition https://aotus.blogs.archives.gov/2020/12/02/national-archives-role-in-a-presidential-transition/ J.R.R. Tolkien House Comes on the Market https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/02/realestate/tolkien-house-sale-oxford.html Can A Patron Who Gets Sick Sue the Library? https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2020/12/02/legal-issues-can-a-patron-who-gets-sick-sue-the-library/

  Reading Stand With Mount Yoshino, Edo Period, 18th Century Daily Thoughts 12/06/2020 I checked the library Twitter and Facebook Group this afternoon. I read some more of Team Human at the laundromat.  I am reading about how corporations and government use individualism to isolate people. Amazon Publishing In Talks to Offer E-books to Public Libraries https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/85068-dpla-in-talks-to-offer-amazon-publishing-e-books-to-libraries.html They Will Kill Your Library, Too https://www.currentaffairs.org/2020/12/they-will-kill-your-library-too?fbclid=IwAR0sgB01HHwDHmnYGyHOWxS9K10mrhquJY6tH6aTyLZ3eHjRNTPIc75pAFM Library Worker Accused of Burning Conservative Books https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Library-worker-accused-of-burning-conservative-15778613.php Library of Congress Seeks Volunteers to Transcribe Letters of Theodore Roosevelt https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/library-congress-asks-volu...

  Photo of the collage by Juan Gris entitled "Breakfast" (in French: "Le petit déjeuner"), year 1914. Daily Thoughts 12/05/2020 I checked the library Twitter and Facebook Group this morning. I read some more of Team Human by Douglas Rushkopf.  It is an internet manifesto about why technology should focus on being humanistic and be less divisive. In Second Pandemic Wave College Libraries Adjust to Shutdowns https://www.libraryjournal.com/?detailStory=In-Second-Pandemic-Wave-College-Libraries-Again-Adjust-to-Shutdowns Librarians Will Miss Book Expo https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/85073-librarians-will-miss-bookexpo.html Why There's No Consensus on Library Book Quarantines https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/why-theres-no-consensus-on-library-book-quarantines/ar-BB1bE4uJ How Modern Mathematics Emerged from a Lost Islamic Library https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20201204-lost-islamic-library-maths

  Edouard Manet, Woman Reading, Between 1876 and 1879 Daily Thoughts 12/04/2020 I checked the library Twitter and Facebook group this morning. I finished reading To Sleep In A Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini.  The book was gripping.  I also liked that it had appendices describing faster than light travel and ideas used in the book.  The book had a lot of interesting concepts in it. I checked the displays. I spent some time shifting biography books from the teen room to the main floor area. I weeded books in the mezzanine fiction area.  I am trying to loosen up the shelves and create some space. I worked on some orders for databases.  I did a little bit of work for the Cloth Dolls workshop. Publishers Would Back A Reinvented Book Expo https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bea/article/85037-publishers-would-back-a-reinvented-bookexpo.html  

  Winslow Homer, Girl In A Hammock, 1873 Daily Thoughts 12/03/2020 I checked the library Twitter and Facebook Group. I checked the displays. I read the latest copy of the New York Times Book Review as well as the New York Times Bestseller list. I worked on two orders of books. We are working on the Cloth Dolls program. I spent some time weeding fiction books in the mezzanine.   Best Books 2020, Worst Year, Best Books https://www.libraryjournal.com/?page=best-books-2020 Amazon Under Pressure to Lift Ban on E-book Library Sales https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/528280-amazon-under-pressure-to-lift-ban-on-e-book-library-sales ALA Invites Applications for Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2020/12/ala-invites-applications-libraries-transform-communities-engagement-grant