The Liminal Librarian

So, the Encyclopaedia Britannica accepted my application the other day. I guess this means I’m a real blog! Unfortunately, they have no entry for “liminal,” so I thought I’d look up “Wikipedia,” just for kicks. (If this works as advertised, you all should be able to read that without subscribing; I haven’t yet played with their little widgets.)

It’s always fascinated me how encyclopedias portray the competition. Back in the dark ages when mfpow owned both the Grolier’s and Encarta CD-ROMs, we could amuse ourselves on a slow day at the reference desk by looking up topics like “Microsoft” and noting the interesting slant of each source. (Surprisingly enough, Grolier’s would emphasize topics like lawsuits and monopolies, while Encarta’s entry made little mention.)

Tags: bias, britannica, encyclopedias

I’m pleased to announce the winners of the 2008 computer book giveaway:

• The Imperial County Free Library (El Centro, CA)
• Turkeyfoot Lending Library (Confluence, PA)
• Wausaukee Branch Library ( Wausaukee, WI)
• Mountain Regional Library System (Young Harris, GA)

Thanks, all — I wish I had enough books on the basics to send everyone who applied, but please watch for a similar announcement next year.

Tags: computer media, giveaway, lj

I just posted and emailed the May 2008 issue of Info Career Trends, and thought I’d point you all over there because this month’s theme (”show me the money!”) targets ways to find personal funding to do all the neat professional development type things we’d like to do — and you can’t beat free money!

Tags: funding, ict, may 2008, money

This negative reviews theme keeps cropping up: Over at Whatever, John Scalzi posted several of his one-star Amazon reviews and challenged other authors to do the same. (Read some here.) Here’s an excerpt from my own angriest one-star reviewer — enjoy!

Seriously, this book is a huge waste of time and money. There was absolutely nothing helpful about this book whatsoever. It contained depressingly obvious information, and even more depressing discourse from the various librarians quoted. If you want proper and helpful advice then I suggest saving your money and going down to the local library and asking the librarians themselves. You certainly can’t do worse then I did paying $30 to be kicked in the groin with ridiculously obvious “advice” and miserable ramblings about the futility of pursuing a rewarding career with a library science degree. Gordon’s book is a government pamphlet worthy, elementary book on how to choose a school, interview well, and how frustrating public employment can be. All is common knowledge to all but the most hapless uninformed high school student. I want my $30 back.

(I’m a much easier target than some of the Hugo- and Nebula-award winning folks Scalzi links to…)

Tags: amazon, one star, reviews, scalzi, whatever

This initiative by the Encyclopedia Britannica to give free access to “online publishers” fascinates me — I think I’m going to apply and see what happens. Not sure what the criteria are here, other than:

Note: This program is intended for people who publish with some regularity on the Internet, be they bloggers, webmasters, or writers. We reserve the right to deny participation to anyone who in our judgment doesn’t qualify.

I’m assuming they’re doing this in an effort to raise visibility of their subscription service, but wonder what, if any, effect it will actually have on sales. Here’s their FAQ for more info.

Tags: encyclopedia britannica, free

Car hits electric pole in our yard

Originally uploaded by lib_rachel

So, I go to Maine to do a presentation to LLNE. Unfortunately, I got stuck in New York overnight on the way back because my connecting flight through LaGuardia was cancelled (note: New York is NOT the cheapest city to get stuck in). Doubly unfortunately, I therefore missed seeing school-skipping teens tearing down our street and taking out the utility pole at the corner of our yard with their SUV. And then I missed the electric box on top of the pole bursting into flames. And I also apparently missed terrified teenagers scurrying in all directions and flinging suspicious substances into the woods by our house.

Luckily, my husband took photos.

Tags: car, crash, laguardia, llne, pole, teens

Is it just me, or is this insane?

Tags: amazon, MacGillivray, reba, reviews

Salon has a handy article up on “What Every Freelancer Should Know” — which I should have posted before U.S. taxes were due, but there are some other handy tips in there too. In case you’re wondering what a freelancer looks like, anyway, you can find out over at BookLust. (Has this ever happened to you?)

Given the surge of interest in work-at-home options, I started a category over at the LISjobs.com forums for telecommuting opportunities. I’ve posted a couple telecommuting/freelance options that have crossed my radar, but would love if others would share any they see — or tips — as well.

Lastly, those of you who travel frequently to do workshops or consult might appreciate this recent UserFriendly comic. It made me snort coffee, anyway…

Tags: freelance, freelancing, LISjobs.com, salon, telecommuting, wah

I guess there really is a book for everything.

Tags: feministing, mothers, plastic surgery

[Disclaimer: I haven’t read this book, nor do I intend to.]

However, if someone wrote a blog post like this about one of my books, I don’t think this is the way I’d choose to respond. (Give it a minute, the comments get more … shall we say… pointed.)

Tags: authors, reviews