The Liminal Librarian

When I travel, even if it’s back home to visit family, I like to check out different libraries. Yesterday, I visited the Post Falls, ID library for the first time — and what a nifty little library it is. They have their used book sale set up in a separate room as a permanent store, and I bet they sell a lot more that way due to the openness and nice arrangement.

What I liked even more, though, was the way they fit local and Native design into the building.

This greets you in the lobby, and looks into the children’s department. When you walk into the Post Falls Library, you know you’re not in just Any Old Library, Any State.

They’ve also nicely blended in technology here and in a separate computer lab, preserving the open feel of the building while incorporating the new.

I’d love to have study groups or small meetings in this little conference room off the lobby! I’d also really like to sit here and read during the winter.

We complain about what libraries do wrong a lot, so I also like to comment on what they do right. At least on the surface of things, this library seems to do a lot of things right — I felt welcomed as soon as I walked in, and the design and architecture were intriguing without being intrusive. If you’re ever out this way, pop by!

Tags: design, idaho, library, post falls

So. Who here is still writing for Elsevier? And how much do you pay for their journals and textbooks, again?

Elsevier officials said Monday that it was a mistake for the publishing giant’s marketing division to offer $25 Amazon gift cards to anyone who would give a new textbook five stars in a review posted on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. While those popular Web sites’ customer reviews have long been known to be something less than scientific, and prone to manipulation if an author has friends write on behalf of a new work, the idea that a major academic publisher would attempt to pay for good reviews angered some professors who received the e-mail pitch.Here’s what the e-mail — sent to contributors to the textbook — said:

“Congratulations and thank you for your contribution to Clinical Psychology. Now that the book is published, we need your help to get some 5 star reviews posted to both Amazon and Barnes & Noble to help support and promote it. As you know, these online reviews are extremely persuasive when customers are considering a purchase. For your time, we would like to compensate you with a copy of the book under review as well as a $25 Amazon gift card. If you have colleagues or students who would be willing to post positive reviews, please feel free to forward this e-mail to them to participate. We share the common goal of wanting Clinical Psychology to sell and succeed. The tactics defined above have proven to dramatically increase exposure and boost sales. I hope we can work together to make a strong and profitable impact through our online bookselling channels.”

Hmm. I wonder how much they’d pay me to not post a negative review? As if the Merck fake journal thing weren’t bad enough. Ooh, wait! I wonder how much the going rate in Amazon gift certificates is for five-star reviews of fake peer reviewed journals?

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised by the “anything to make a buck” mentality, but I must be naive. Idonotgeekelseviertoday.

Tags: elsevier, ethics, marketing

Igeekthatgeekisnotaverb! I also like to.put.spaces.between.words. But maybe I’m old. I think I don’t get this site. Or don’t geek this site. But it’s so shiny and pretty…

I do GROK the library. Ooh! the domain’s available: grokthelibrary.org. Dear Bill and Melinda Gates: Please give me millions of dollars to develop a marketing site there. Or hundreds of thousands. I’m flexible.

Tags: geek, geekthelibrary, library, oclc

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I’ve always had a soft spot for Montana. Less so at the moment, now that I’ve been reading on newlib and ReadWriteWeb and, oh, everywhere all morning about the city of Bozeman’s new application requirements — guess my long-term plan of working as a Montana librarian in retirement someday is going on the back burner . Not a joke:

Applying for a job with the City of Bozeman? You may be asked to provide more personal information than you expected.

That was the case for one person who applied for employment with the City. The anonymous viewer emailed the news station recently to express concern with a component of the city’s background check policy, which states that to be considered for a job applicants must provide log-in information and passwords for social network sites in which they participate. (emphasis mine)

What the? Login information? Passwords?? Really? I thought perhaps this was one of the news stories outlets tend to accidentally pick up from The Onion, but look at the background check form on the city’s own website:

Please list any and all, past and present, personal or business website or web pages, memberships on any Internet-based chat rooms, social clubs or forums, to include but not limited to: Facebook, Google, Yahoo, YouTube.com, MySpace, etc.
Website/Domain Username/Member Log-In Password (if applicable)

Whoa. (Not only that, they only give 2 lines for it — perhaps they don’t hire web designers or, I dunno, people who use the Internet in Bozeman.)

So, now let’s start taking bets on exactly how long it will take before public outrage makes them change the form. I say: Within the week. You? Update: I guess I was a week off !

Tags: bozeman, montana, passwords, privacy, social networking

I posted this over at Mashup Mom this morning, but after getting comments over there from librarians saying that their youth services department might be interested, I thought I’d xpost here so more librarians might see it! Yup, this is an affiliate link, if you don’t want to support Liminal Librarian then use your super infopro skills to find it unlinked.

This flip video camera is down to $49.99 on Amazon — $100 off, and free super-saver shipping!

Tags: amazon, flip video camera

I’m in Madison this morning, about to go give a talk to the support staff section of WLA. I’m away less than a day, and apparently we already have a new pet in the house.

In all the recent discussions about becoming a competent library presenter, I’ve never seen any advice on keeping your home reptile-free in your absence. Hmm…

Tags: madison, snake

This blog cracks me up. I think I weeded some of these books once upon a time…

Tags: awful library books

This is fascinating. I’m wondering how it reconciles with the whole recruitment push, or if they’re going to lay off that for a while?

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For Immediate Release                                                                 Jenifer Grady
May 15, 2009                                                                                     jgrady@ala.org

ALA Wants Your Stories About How to Get a Job

In preparation for a new American Library Association (ALA) Web-based toolkit called Get a Job!, the association is seeking your stories and advice about what to do and what NOT to do to find employment, particularly in this economy.  ALA asks employers and consultants to share words of wisdom about what a candidate has done to impress you.  ALA wants new employees to share their best tactics in landing the job of their dreams.  ALA also invites everyone to send their best preparation, interviewing or “I wish someone had told me” anecdotes for possible inclusion on the website.

Get a Job!, will debut at the ALA Annual Conference, and in addition to the expected resume and cover letters suggestions, will also feature advice on how to use social networking tools in your job search, what to do if you’re laid off, budgeting assistance, networking techniques, and strategies for finding out about the economy and jobs in various parts of the United States.  The interactive toolkit will include information specific to those seeking their first job, mid-career staff and those changing professions.

The site will be a one-stop resource including and/or linking to information prepared by units within ALA, as well as linking to information about related best practices from other fields. As the site evolves, it will offer tips, suggested links and readings, a blog, podcasts from experts, timelines, and activities/checklists for new librarians and support staff.

Get a Job! is being developed by nine units within the American Library Association in collaboration with the American Library Association-Allied Professional Association.

Email your stories to Jenifer Grady at jgrady@ala.org by Friday, June 5, 2009.

Tags: ala, ala-apa, get a job, toolkit

Apparently, the raincheck thing? Not working out so well, people everywhere getting turned away. Isn’t it odd, Oprah tells people to go get free chicken, and they actually try to do it…

Tags: kfc, oprah

How-to Geek is looking for an UberGeeky Tech Writer Guy.

Really?

It’s too bad they’re not looking for UberGeeky girls, because, you do have to like an email address like i.am.supergeeky@howtogeek.com.

Tags: ads, how-to geek, problogger, tech writer guy