World Book Day and Google Book Search

 World Book Day, Copyright, and Google Book Search

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On March 22nd the Southern District Court of New York rejected the Google Books Settlement.  One of the central issues of the Google Books Settlement was the burden on Copyright holders to opt out of having their works digitized by Google.  Instead, the burden is put on Google to obtain rights by having Copyright holders opt in. What does this mean for the extraordinary database Google has constructed of digitized works?  What contents are already available in Google Books?

 On March 16th the World Book Day game was reposted from Facebook to the PubLib Listserve:

  • “It’s that time again – World Book Day. Grab the book closest to you right now. Open to page 56 and choose the 5th sentence. Publish it as your status and write these rules as a comment. Don’t choose – PICK UP the CLOSEST BOOK. Don’t say what the book is about.”

The World Book Day game on Facebook is apparently a derivation of World Book Day as explained here by Judy Turner   :

  • Briefly, the day’s official name is World Book and Copyright Day (also known as International Day of the Book or World Book Days. It is celebrated yearly,except in the UK and the Republic of Ireland where the first Thursday in March was chosen as the date. The commemoration was organized by UNESCO to promote reading, publishing and copyright and was first observed in 1995.

Many PubLib subscribers posted the fifth sentence on the 56th page of the book closest to them on PubLib.    Running the sentences through Google Book Search yielded many of the titles.  Google sells many of these titles through the eBookstore, so it stands to reason that many of the copyright holders would have given permission to digitize.  Do the searches that do not appear represent opting out?  It also stands to reason if the 56th page of a book is available through Google Book search, the rest of the book would also be available.  Does this mechanism of being able to search a book in its entirety still represent fair use?  And, what are the books that were closest to the PubLib readers who participated in the game?

The 56th page fifth sentences follow. The sentences do not necessarily correspond to the 56th page of the edition scanned, but each sentence was available in its entirety:

This is only a test

By similar reasoning, it was held in U.S. v. Jacobsen (1984) that field testing of a white powder uncovered by a private search was no search, as it would only reveal whether the powder was an illegal substance.” ~ Robert Balliot  – Criminal Procedure Constitutional Limitations – Jerold H. Israel and Wayne R. LaFave -2006  – ( Editor: this was not in Google Book Search – is this an example of opting out by Thomson West?)

“Locally crafted of walnut, mahogany, and sometimes cypress, these knobs are identical to examples made in the eastern United States and continued to appear on both bench-made and factory-made furniture through the nineteenth century.”~ Audrey Jo DeVillier – na

“Paul knew that if he meant to make it in show business he had to go ‘down south’, even though southerners had a reputation for being unfriendly and condescending to northerners such as himself.” ~ Mark P. Hasskarl – Fab: An Intimate Life of Paul McCartney – Page 56 – Howard Sounes – 2010 – 634 pages

“Mainly a place for jewelers to pick up stock, ordinary mortals, too, can rummage the sparklers and invest in either loose gems or unique pieces of fine jewelry.”~ Gair Helfrich – na

“”The double hit of having a tendency to form clots combined with an additional element that causes clots can lead to serious problems.” ~ Viccy Kemp – 100 Questions and Answers about Stroke: A Lahey Clinic Guide – Page 56 – Kinan K. Hreib – 2008 – 185 pages

“Like her he scanned the shadows, the deep pits of dark.” ~ Patrice Matujec – na

“And later, after her gentle care, she could see the trusting look in his eyes”. ~ Deb Yoder – A Moment in Time – Judith Gould – 2001 – 323 pages

“What these men had to eat and drink Is what we say and what we think.” ~ Myers, Leigh – Selected poems John Crowe Ransom – 1969 – 159 pages – More editions

“I can do without the snake’s help this time.” ~ Charli Osborne – na

“Like its rival Laphroaig, this [Lagavulin] is a very distinctive malt.” ~ Diane Swint Levin

“Is she awake yet?” ~ Darla Wegener – na

“”We won’t be doing that, Sheriff Barnett.'” ~ Glenda Pate – na

“It’s my mother.” ~ Betsy Cherednik - na

After agreeing to the new, harsher terms, Johnston surrendered his once-great army on April 26, 1865. ~ Melissa Davidson – Insiders’ Guide to Civil War Sites in the Southern States- John McKay – 2005 – 384 pages

When the poet Claude McKay reviewed Shuffle Along for The Liberator magazine, he made a point of praising its all-black production because some black radicals ‘were always hard on Negro comedy…hating to see themselves as a clowning race.’ ~ Kathleen Stipek – Anything Goes: A Biography of the Roaring Twenties- Lucy Moore – 2010 – 352 pages

“Malcolm Usrey called the book ‘a powerful and moving story, made poignant by [O'Dell's] restraint and simplicity, reflecting the stoic, proud, and quiet or passive strength of Bright Morning.'” ~ Donna Olson – Biography Today Author Series: Profiles of People of Interest to … Laurie Lanzen Harris, Cherie D. Abbey – 1996 – 190 pages

The nation’s first nonpartisan African American summit convenes April 21-23. ~ Melodie M. Franklin – The African American almanac L. Mpho Mabunda – 1997 – 1270 page

Glue and clamp together four pieces of 3/4″ x 3-1/4″ x 4-1/4″ stock to form the cab block (B). ~ Michael May - The great all-American wooden toy book Norman Marshall – 1999 – 211 pages

“4 1/2 cups water” ~ Ami Kreider – too many hits – na

“I went to Sedona’, Brenda Answered ~ Carolyn in Glasgow, MT - Fatal Error – Judith A. Jance – 2011 – 368 pages

“It’s true that I may have looked a bit New Agey, but I didn’t really need this.” ~ Margaret M. Neill – One of Our Thursdays Is Missing – Jasper Fforde – 2011 – 384 pages

Beigeschmack m (-[e]/no pl.) slight flavor; smack (of)(a. fig.) ~ Fred Beisser – The Oxford-Duden German dictionary: German-English, English-German – Page 1538  Olaf  Thyen, Michael Clark, Werner Scholze-Stubenrecht – 1999 – 1728 pages

Since then, staff have followed up and worked with them to identify things they will do. ~ Carolyn Rawles-Heiser – na

“”Eileen, achora, I hear someone come tapping.” ~ Cindy Rosser – na

Install A-B-C fire extinguishers in the home and teach family members how to use them. ~ Dianne Harmon – It’s a disaster! … and what are you gonna do about it?: a … – Page 56  Bill Liebsch, Janet Liebsch – 2006 – 268 pages

Finally Ethel walked out on him and went to perform at a Black club called Egg Harbor, then landed at Rafe’s Paradise where the patrons were white. ~ Judy Turner – na

“Dorothy showed him no respect at all.” ~ Erin – Wringer – Jerry Spinelli – 2004 – 227 pages

It was characteristic of not only the Platonic but the Xenophonic Socrates. ~ Bill Manson - na

The very worst poetry of all perished with it creator Paula Nancy millstone Jennings of Greenbridge, Essex, England in the destruction of the planet Earth. ~ Diane Doty – The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Page 58 Douglas Adams – 1997 – 208 pages

Those to whom the power of election is transferred must observe the provisions of law concerning an election and, for the validity of the election, they must observe the conditions attached to the compromise, unless these conditions are contrary to the law. Conditions which are contrary to the law are to be regarded as non-existent. ~ Paula Laurita – The code of canon law: new revised English translation  Catholic Church, Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland, Canon Law Society of Australia and New  Zealand – 1997 – 508 pages

“The boy wondered and grieved that she could not eat; and when, putting his arms around her neck, he tried to wedge some his cake into her mouth, it seemed to her that the rising in her throat would choke her.” ~ Brad Leifer – Uncle Tom’s cabin, or, Life among the lowly – Harriet Beecher Stowe – 1852

“Then he heard a rustling sound coming from the kitchen.” ~ Meegan Tosh – – na

“The brigand’s sword withdrew to strike, and Friar Lorenzo sank to his knees in submission, clutching the rosary and waiting for the slash that would cut short his prayer.” ~ Heather Murray - Juliet – Page 56 Anne Fortier – 2010 – 464 pages

The Wee Tods cooried in close, their nebs twiggin, their een skinklin like stars. ~ Gail Roberts – na

“The rep was described as what we termed “UK-6 Aristocracy Dapper-12,” which meant that he had a fine pencil mustache and spoke as though he were from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.” ~ Catherine McCullough Les –  One of Our Thursdays Is Missing –  Jasper Fforde – 2011 – 384 pages

“All the same, she saw him go with regret.”  Betty Neels, The Awakened Heart. ! ~ Carrie Braaten (Editor: not in Google Books but  the line partially repeats – A Good Wife – Page 32 Betty Neels – 2009 – 192 pages – Shall I go up?’ Serena gave him a tired ‘Hello.’She was both tired and very worried, her hair hanging down herback … be along presently,’ he told her, ‘ and I’m sure your brothers will see to everything.’ She saw him go with regret. ..) – na.

“The amount of material on reserve for a course should be reasonable in relation to the total amount of reading assigned for the course;” ~ Kim Rutter - The librarian’s copyright companion – Page 56 James S. Heller – 2004 – 257 pages

“She is not for sale,” the father answered. ~ Marla – na

However, Sebastiano gained his greatest fame after moving to Rome in 1511. ~ Jessica Rogoz - The World Book Encyclopedia: Volume 1  World Book, Inc – 2007 – 22 pages

Most teams don’t have such a complete back; they’re more likely to have one of each, so defenses can take their next cues from the formation. ~ Sandra Ferguson – na

“Provides training and educational assistance to build a productive workforce.” ~ James B. Casey - Illinois handbook of government Illinois. Office of Secretary of State – 2001

I will continue to nurse, ride on her ody, and sleep in her nest for more than six years. ~ Judi Bugniazet – na

box of W’s. ~ Jane Carle – na

“There’ll be lots of little things like this, won’t there?” he says, sliding into the right-hand side of the bed. ~ Meredith Crosby – The Poison Tree – Erin Kelly – 2011 – 336 pages

“Eventually runners, if they survive to their eighteenth birthday, can become more of a liability than an asset.” ~ Carol Sheffer – Channel Surfing with God – Page 56 – Gary Fisher – 2009 – 267 pages

La negligencia en la otorgación del permiso de la minera San José, la falta de control respecto a situaciones precedentes y la inexistent supervisión de sus labores, se mantiene como el principal argumento del gobierno del presidente Sebastián Piñera ante los cuestionamientos opositores por el despido de Alejandro Vio, ex director del Sernageomin y responsable administrativo del desastre. ~ Kathi Kemp - Vivos Bajo Tierra/ Alive Underground: La historia verdadera de los …Manuel Pino, Manuel Pino Toro – 2011 – 272 pages

The child needs to get a job as well, which intensifies time pressure when it comes to studying. ~ Robert E. Perone – Ten minute guide – stress management – Page 91 – Jeff Davidson – 2001 – 192 pages

“And now,” said Susan, “what do we do next?” ~ Deborah Shepherd – The lion, the witch, and the wardrobe – Page 55 Clive Staples Lewis, Pauline Baynes – 2000 – 189 pages

All the lanterns were shuttered halfway so that a cool twilight suffused the air, lending an ethereal feel to the event. ~ Laurenne Teachout -Eldest – Page 56 – Christopher Paolini – 2007 – 704 pages

Boothe Homestead Museum gives tours Tuesday through Friday and weekend afternoons. ~ Cheryl Marriage – Off the beaten path: a travel guide to more than 1,000 scenic and … – Page 56 – Reader’s Digest – 2003 – 384 pages

“An evil prophecy is always fulfilled, if you put no time limit upon it; fulfilled quite readily, too, if you are a child counting little misfortunes as disasters.” ~ Ramona Lucius – The searchers – Alan Le May – 1954 – 272 pages

“Barbara came in bearing a tray of cups and saucers and a pot of hot chocolate.” ~ Deborah McLaughlin – American Taliban: A Novel – Page 56 – Pearl Abraham – 2010 – 258 pages

A rubber imitation softball, for instance, at something over 3″ in diameter, has it uses. ~ Judy Anderson – Musical instrument design: practical information for instrument making – Page 56 Bart Hopkin – 1996 – 181 pages

“In my experience there are three reasons why a boy will want to take out a book on poetry: 1. to impress a girl 2.for a class assignment 3.to impress a girl.” ~ Beth Dailey Kenneth – Bruiser – Page 56 Neal Shusterman – 2010 – 336 pages

“Until it receives a determination letter, the organization is required to file income tax returns and pay the applicable tax.” ~ John Richmond – na

“Some people set up routines or choose cues in order to build these moments of mindfulness into their day.” ~ Joanne Cronin – na

“The fall of communism was the result of a much longer process, and the popular protests were just its most visible, but not necessarily most important, component.”  ~ R.  C. Rybnikar  – na

I just need to know that nobody’s reading over my shoulder, about to ask me what I’m writing. ~ Sarah Howison – Messenger of Truth: A Maisie Dobbs Novel –  Jacqueline Winspear – 2007 – 336 pages

“I waited for another crack of thunder, thinking one surely had to follow a statement like that.” ~ Liz A. Vagani – na

In the was a brick oven carrying a large pan; beside it stood a rattan basket filled to the brim with pieces of charcoal. ~ sherry hupp - Judge Dee at Work: Eight Chinese Detective Stories – Page 56 – Robert Hans van Gulik – 2007 – 184 pages

“She didn’t know the real Eddie.” ~ Janet – na

What he needed was to dull his senses as much as he could, staying just sober enough not to be completely tongue-tied. ~ Connie Jo Ozinga – na

From the beer bottles strewn about like passed out drunks, and the cheese doodle dust coating his chest and face, it was pretty clear what he’d been up to. ~ David Faulkner – Red-Headed Stepchild – Jaye Wells – 2009 – 342 pages

“Or at least buy you a book on tactics to bolster your metaphors.” ~ Mary Wilkes Towner – – The Orchid Affair – Lauren Willig – 2011 – 405 pages

“An indoor botanical conservatory, two wedding chapels, and the Spa Tower complete the extravagant picture.” ~ Daniela Yew – Fodor’s Las Vegas 2010 – Page 56 –  Fodor’s – 2009 – 392 pages

“Later Longie Zwillman, the so-called ‘Al Capone of New Jersey’ , took Doc’s place.” ~ Michael Gregory – Encyclopedia of world crime: criminal justice, criminology, and …: Volume 1
– Jay Robert Nash – 1990 – 4500 pages

“To be sure, unlike Dana, the movement’s advocates were not attempting to democratize taste.” ~ Malakia Oglesby – na

“Wishing for my leg back.” ~ Susan Riley - na

“At one end of the bar the television set was on, but the sound had been muted.” ~ Celia Bandelier – P is for peril – Sue Grafton – 2001 – 352 pages

“A robot is already a spare part.” ~ Brock Peoples – na

“He furnished himself with shirts and all the other things he could, following the advice the innkeeper had given him; and when this had been accomplished and completed, without Panza taking leave of his children and wife, or Don Quixote of his housekeeper and niece, they rode out of the village one night, and no one saw them, and they traveled so far that by dawn they were certain they would not be found even if anyone came looking for them.” ~ Lisa Guidarini –  The First Part of the Delightful History of the Most Ingenious … –  Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra – 1909

“Other patrons push their chairs back; the front door opens and shuts, then opens but doesn’t shut as Hattie steels herself to explain about radon, and about how the cancer had already spread by the time they found it – to his liver and brain before anyone knew a thing. “ ~ Laura Carroll - World and Town – Page 56 – Gish Jen – 2010 – 386 pages

Badawi scratched his chin thoughtfully. ~ Ann Perrigo – na

“Frey and others such as Versaci are part of a growing number of educators encouraging read3ers to see comics as a legitimate literary form.” ~ Joann D. Verostko – na

“An old and inconvenient term still used to designate a color mixed with black.” ~ Teresa – na

Swaz si des uber Rin mit ir zen Hiunen brahte, daz muose gar zergeben sin. ~ Lucy Roehrig - Deutsche Grammatik: Volume 1; Volume 4 – Gustav Roethe, Edward Schröder – 1989

“We’re authorized by the Department of Extraordinary Affairs to take you into custody for the possible murder of Professor Mason Redfield.” ~ Pat Mathews – Dead Waters- Anton Strout – 2011 – 335 pages

“Aren’t you forgetting something else?” said Katie acidly. “Like, um, the vents?” ~ Terry Ann Lawler – na

“The very nicest.” ~ Cheryl Schubert – na

World Book Day sentence results

Word Map of Results

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Publib Topics – A Graphic Retrospective from January 2011 back to January 2010

Beware Graphic Content Ahead!

These graphic images or word clouds were created using Wordle. They are derived from the subjects and authors in PubLib from January 2010 to January 27 2011.  The size of the graphics is directly related to the number of un-weighted unique occurrences each month of the individual words represented.    Most automated graphic processes that generate these types of word clouds use additional weight for H1 – H6 tags through feeds.  These graphics are not processed with H1 – H6 tags. The titles and authors were copied to Notepad and stripped of all HTML before being run through the Wordle Java platform. The process is case-sensitive so Library is not the same thing as library.
The most prominent word without employing filters would have been PublibPublib and Fwd were deleted from the plaintext files before processing.  In addition, the Wordle program automatically disregards articles, conjunctions, and prepositions.
 
The first graphic represents the most current information for January 2011 and is followed by the normal sequence of January – December 2010.  
2011 appears somewhat ominous! 
January 2011 PubLib

PubLib January 2010

PubLib February 2010

PubLib March 2010

PubLib April 2010

PubLib April 2010

PubLib May 2010

PubLib May 2010

PubLib June 2010

 

PubLib July 2010

 

PubLib August 2010

PubLib September 2010

PubLib October 2010

PubLib November 2010

PubLib December 2010

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Best of PubLib 03.28.10

Best of Publib Current Topics and Archives

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This edition of  Best of Publib covers  March 15th through March 28th 2010. This PubLib review and analysis includes questions about naming library rooms, thought-provoking discussions about new media archives , library materials security,  and our new poll on R-rated movie access. Some of the topics we will be reviewing include: 

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Best of PubLib 03.14.10

Best of Publib Current Topics and Archives

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This edition of  Best of Publib covers the weeks of March 1st  through March 14th 2010. This edition includes questions about collection development, thought-provoking discussions about  known inaccuracies in ‘non-fiction’ works , circulation manager duties ,  humorous anecdotes regarding blondes ,  and the impact of closing public school libraries: 

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Best of PubLib 02.28.10

Best of Publib Current Topics and Archives

Best of PubLib TVComing Soon!

weekly updateThis edition of Best of Publib covers the week of February 22nd through February 28th 2010. This week included questions about advertising and accountability, use and implementation of ebook readers,  and our new poll on charging library fees to support other government departments. Some of the topics we will be reviewing include: 

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Best of PubLib 02.14.10

Best of Publib Current Topics and Archives

Best of PubLib TV – Coming Soon!

This week  in  Best of Publib covers the week of February 8th through February 14th 2010. This week includes questions about public access computer security, thought-provoking discussions about sharing library buildings with community centers and government, distribution of e-book readers,  and our new poll on rewarding staff innovation and initiative. Some of the topics we will be reviewing include: 

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Best of PubLib 01.31.10

Best of Publib Current Topics and Archives

Video returning soon

weekly updateThis week  in  Best of Publib covers January 24th through January 31st 2010. This week includes discussions about the Broadband Stimulus Programs,  collection development, technology planning, library programming, access to archives,  and the effect of library reference poaching. Some of the topics we will be reviewing include:

  • Topic   »    Library Fines – Lynda Dydo in Los Gatos, CA wants to know who raised fines – What was the impact on revenue?
  • Topic   »    Author Meet & Greets –  Rhonda Jessup  in Whitby, ON Canada  wants to know how you introduce authors – What is most effective?
  • Topic   »    Employment applications – Kathleen McCorkle in Sedan, KS would like examples of library specific employment applications
  • Topic   »    Documented LJ Index Problems – Thomas J. Hennen Jr. in Racine, WI provides analysis of issues with LJ Index – Will the problems be answered or resolved?
  • Topic   »    program attendance question – Elizabeth Fraser in Charleston WV is looking for program statistics – Which programs are successful?
  • Topic   »    GED revisions? – Kevin O’Kelly in Somerville, MA wanted to know about GED updates – the NETLS Coordinator provided the answers
  • Topic   »    Astoria Library Birthday Party Invitation – Jane Tucker in Astoria, OR lets us know about the 118th Birthday of Astoria Public Library
  • Topic   »    Question for Frequent Travelers – Jennifer Ray in Cassopolis, MI wants to know how to predict the best deals on flights – Sharon Foster offered Bing
  • Topic   »    Church Partnerships? – Tony Ross in Washington, DC wants to know how to build relationships with local churches – Are there constitutional considerations?
  • Topic   »    CD shelving – Lynne S. Ingersoll  in Blue Island, IL is looking at functional storage and display for 3000 CDs – What works?
  • Topic   »    RFID Implementation - Andrea Taylor in Fullerton, CA wants your story on setting up RFID – What were the processes and pitfalls?
  • Topic   »    Challenges to newspaper index entries – Bruce Brigell in Skokie, Illinois relates the effect of newspaper archives that  disparage – What is the balance between public access and public disparagement? 
  • Topic   »    CD and DVD protectors – Margaret (Meg) Van Patten in Baldwinsville, New York wants to know what works best – How do you protect the data side surface of your DVDs?
  • Topic   »    which Speaker System to use – Amy Blossom in Ashland, Oregon wants a low-cost speaker system with portable mikes  for library programs – Which products work for you?
  • Topic   »    iPad and what it means to the library – Andrea Taylor in Fullerton, CA discusses the potential impact of the Apple iPad  on similar products and libraries – What do you think?
  • Topic   »    Tax season – Elisa Babel in Washington, DC provides a great link to Closed Stacks discussing  tax season effect on libraries and the types of tax filers librarians are most likely to encounter – How did libraries become in loco IRS ?
  • Topic   »    Social Networking and the Library – Jane Genzel in Muskego, WI wants to know how your library benefits from blogs, Twitter, Facebook and other social networking tools – How do you measure success?
  • Topic   »    New Blog: Quid est veritas? – Bob Watson in Lake Villa, IL has started a new blog offering his expertise on reference issues Quid est veritas?
  • Topic   »    Appointments for in-depth Reference Assistance - Theresa Grieshaber in Modesto CA is reviewing methods for exclusive reference services
  • Topic   »   PR/Marketing Masterpieces – Dinah Harris in Lexington, TN is presenting on library public relations and marketing at Tennessee Library Association Conference 2010  – What are some of your success stories?
  • Topic   »    Reference Question Poaching – What happens when a collegue interupts the reference interview with their own answers? How do you handle it?
  • Topic   »    Library Humor for the month of January was compiled in  Best of PubLib Library Humor
  • Topic   »    Get Connected now available - Diedre Conkling in Newport, OR  links to Broadband Stimulus Program information  
  • Topic   »    NTIA sending out 1,400 rejection letters! – James Casey in Oak Lawn, IL points to some of the faults in the bureacratic process – Are Broadband Stimulus Applications too complicated? Is resistance useless?

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Best of Publib Library Humor

The following gems are courtesy of the collective mind of the PubLib Listserve January 2010 Archives

From the Front-line Circulation Desks : featured article

♦   Message: I cannot come in today to return a DVD. I tried to renew the DVD and the system will not allow me to because someone has put in a request for this DVD. It seems to me if I am allowed renewals on DVDs, this person should be expected to wait until I am done. I should not be penalized, with no warning, that I am suddenly not allowed to renew my movie. I should not be expected to pay any fine or even show this on my library record. :roll:

♦  … my favorite, although it was a telephone call, was the lady who called me about the overdue notice she had gotten on the book & CD set she had checked out. We were wrong, it couldn’t be overdue, because she had only had it for four weeks and the title said, “Learn Spanish in Three Months.” :D

♦  Our Circ clerk just shared with me at lunch today that she had strong words from a patron who was also upset about renewals: we’ve had quite a bit of snow this week (with more to come tonight) and the patron cannot get out of his house and all the way in to town to drop off his books. He is very upset that he is going to be charged 15 cents when it isn’t his fault it snowed . . . He tried to convince our new circ clerk that we have a no-late-fees-when-there’s-snow-on-the-ground policy. :)

♦  I’ve witnessed a patron trying to tell a Circ clerk that she shouldn’t have to pay that late fee because she wasn’t going to *drive* to the library to return materials that were due on Earth Day. One supposes the energy demands caused by using the phone or web that day were simply too much for her to consider utilizing those methods, either. :)

♦  My favorite excuse for not paying late fees, is when the patron says I didn’t even read/watch/listen to it. :)

♦  We recently had a patron come to the door before we opened. He didn’t trythe door, just started banging, kicking, and swearing. He repeated “Open the d at mn door” a few times and then left.

The next evening he returned and of course he had received a bill for the book since he’d had it since September. He complained that he can’t get to the library when we are open. I refrained from pointing out that he managed to get to the library to check the book out.

I politely stated that he was welcome to use the book drop if we were closed. “Oh, where is that?” ‘It’s to the right of the door you came in this evening.’ He looked startled and paid his fine saying thank-you to all the staff for their help as he left. :)

♦  I had a patron insist she returned the books she had checked out for six months. She remembered that the library was wide open and no one was there. (Tiny library inside a college, no book drop.) She said she left the books on the desk and walked out. She said it was a Saturday. The library was not open on Saturday and only a couple of people had the key. :)

♦  Northern Nevada usually has very little snow that sticks around, but this year has had significant snow: a patron called to say that she couldn’t get to the library to turn in her books, so they went to California instead. Huh? :?

From the Reference and Information Trenches :

♦  Diarrhea of a Wimpy Kid – I was told by a second grader that he read that long book……I tried so hard not to laugh. :)

♦  My manager once was asked:

Little Boy: “Do you have a book on Third-Grade Marshall?”

Manager/Librarian: “Do you mean Thurgood Marshall?” :D

♦  True story: A lady approaches the reference desk. I am sitting behind the desk (under a big sign that says Reference/Information), with my county ID on.

Lady: What’s your job?

Me: I’m a reference librarian.

Lady: Here?   :)

♦  When I worked at a bookstore, someone came in and asked me “Do you make keys here?”   :)

♦  I was once asked if we had any books on “Hanukkah and other foreign Christmas holidays.”   :)

♦  “Did George Washington sign the Declaration of Independence after he wrote it?”   ;)

♦  I like, ” can you get me the book I checked in last week? It had a green cover”.   :)

♦  Once a patron asked “Why would they put two short novels in one book?” She thought the novellas had been mashed together into one. I could not make her understand that they were still separate. Even saying, there’s the first novella, then the second one starts independently. She just kept saying, “Why would they do that? It doesn’t make any sense.” I said, “You’re right, it doesn’t.” And walked away. :)

♦  My best question was “Do you have books?” asked about 10 years ago. It was difficult keeping a straight face. :)

♦  “How much does it cost to rent books here?” :)

♦  How about “Do you have the book with all the answers?” I was about to suggest the Bible when I remembered I was interning in an academic library and they were looking for the answer book that their professor had left for them there. :idea:

♦  I work in a small, almost rural, library. One day a woman called up and asked the director, “How did Mr. [Smith’s] prostate surgery go?”

The director was a little confused as we didn’t have anyone on staff with that name and said, “I’m sorry, but there isn’t any Mr. Smith here.”

The woman said, “Oh, no! He isn’t *there*; he lives down on Main St. I’m just calling you to find out how his prostate surgery went.”

The director thought that maybe the woman had her confused with one of the other staff members who perhaps COULD give her that piece of information and she said, “I don’t have that information. Are you sure you meant to speak to *me* about this?”

And the woman answered brightly, “Of course I did! You’re the library. You know everything!” :oops:

♦  I had a little boy ask me once for “gay magazines” – i.e. “game magazines.” :)

♦  On a different topic, I once saw a patron go to an OPAC terminal to access his email account (which has happened several times). The screen was already set for an author search. He typed something in the search box, hit “submit,” scratched his head at the results and walked away. I walked up to the terminal and this was on the screen:

                                        “no author matches found for bigstud99 at hotmail.com; nearby matches are..”   :)

♦  When I worked as a circulation assistant at an academic library, a student asked for a “Non-fiction book” for an assignment. Just any Non-fiction book…

♦  I was just sitting at the reference desk a few minutes ago and got that exact same request, but mine was followed up by “I want something that isn’t boring.” She went off to look at some titles to try and see if she was interested in any of them. Then my shift ended. Hopefully something appealed. :)

♦  “Do you have any books with photographs of real dinosaurs?” :)

♦  My most interesting ones actually happened in a bookstore that I worked in during the early 90s: A customer asked me “Where are the red books?” After she clarified that she wanted to know where the books with red covers were, and that she didn’t have a particular one in mind, I told her that we don’t shelve by color. She said: “Why not?”

♦  Another customer asked me where the “book on the table” was (we had dozens of display tables). She couldn’t remember the author’s name, the title, what it was about, what the cover looked like, whether it was paperback or hardback, or any other detail about it. She thought that she had seen it a few weeks prior, or maybe a few months back, but at least within the last six months…maybe.

♦  Another time, a customer walked up to me and asked me where books with “pictures of dead things” were. He didn’t care if they were human or not, how they were killed, where they were killed, etc. He just kept reiterating that he wanted a book with “lots of pictures of dead things.” We tried True Crime, but the books there had “too many words.” We went to the Photography section and found a book on Vietnam that had lots of pictures of dead people, but (sadly) there was a one sentence caption at the bottom of each page. “Too many words,” he said. In the end, I sent him to “Forbidden Books,” an interesting bookstore in Dallas(now defunct) that carried the books that most bookstores wouldn’t touch. :shock:

♦  At the same bookstore, a customer walked up to me and told me a sad tale about the murder of her mother-in-law. Evidently, after visiting the customer’s family, the grandmother got on a plane, flew home, and was picked up in the airport by one of her other sons, who then gunned her down on the spot. The customer said “Where are the children’s books on that?” She didn’t want books about dealing with murder, books about the death of a relative, or general books about grief. No, she specifically wanted a book about a grandmother who is shot by her son, and nothing else would do. At that point, I fell back on my stock answer for that type of situation: I told her that it was a shame that the publishing industry had ignored that issue, and it would be great if someone wouldstep forward and write a good book about it. She said “I’ll do that!” and left happy. :sad: – Jesse Ephraim :!:

♦  Or the patron who looked at me with disbelief when I told him that fiction was organized by the authors’ last names. “Well, why don’t you put them by title?” As in, all fiction in alpha order by title. When I explained that some people want to see what else an author has written, and that many people like an author but don’t know the titles of books they’ve written, he looked at me as though I were mentally deficient. ;)

♦  A favorite of mine… I *believe* I read about this one years ago in Booklist, probably in a Will Manley article, but I’m not exactly sure. This has stuck with me all these years – namely for the tactful manner used by the librarian, if  anything.

It went like this:

Patron: “Do you have a life-sized atlas of the world available?”

Reference Librarian: [With an incredulous look upon her face] “Yes, but its in use right now.” :D

♦  Customer (Direct quote): : “I need some books on booby traps.”

Librarian: “Sure! Are you looking for hunting traps?”

Customer: “Hell no! I’m lookin’ for human booby traps, those d at mn wetbacks keep stealing my chickens!”  :evil:

Editors Note : The best resource may be ACME, but some of the products may not create the desired results. :shock:

And,  from Joe Schallan on the Beautiful NW :

♦   “I want to caution Publibbers about the “beautiful Northwest” bit, though. It’s beautiful, all right, if you like green. Heck, you’d be green, too, and with saplings sprouting from your scalp, if you had that much drizzle dumped on your head every year.

The Washington state flag is green because it is wet most of the year. Moss forms on the fabric itself. If you’re a flag maker, you can dye it green to disguise the moss, or just sell it undyed and let nature take its course.

How much drizzle? Would you believe 452 inches per annum? (Whatcom County actually has its own rainfull measurement standard, the Smoot, used to more compactly express such vast amounts of moisture, and based on the height of a well-known local bathroom-cleaning-products salesman, Oliver Smoot, who was five foot nine: “We got six-and-a-half Smoots last year.” “Yep, thank God, a little under average.”)

Which is not to suggest that there is no variability in the weather. It runs the gamut from drizzle to rain and back again to drizzle   more … :D

Best of PubLib 01.25.10

Best of Publib Current Topics and Archives

Video coming soon

This week  in  Best of Publib covers January 10th  through January 24th 2010. This week includes questions about collection development,  library hardware and software solutions, politics, policies,  and the ethics of advertising and branding. Some of the topics we will be reviewing include:weekly update

  • Topic   »    Shelving graphic novels - Phalbe Henriksen in Taylorsville, NC wants to know how many fit on a standard shelf – Graphic novel collections are growing! 
  • Topic   »    Classics List for Small Public Library - Bridget Krejci in Bloomer, WI wants recommendations for Classics – Kevin O’Kelly recommends the Everyman 100 and Carl Long provides an excellent, concise list.
  • Topic   »    Public Library System Organizational Structure: Request for information - Corinne Dickman in Sparks, NV is investigating alternative organizational structures – How is your library configured?
  • Topic   »    The future of reference? – This new product from Intel may show the future of reference – Are hololibrarians the next step in automation?
  • Topic   »    Recalled books – Justine Shaffner  in Aurora, CO forwarded this warning from CPSC of books that may cause a fire – Sometimes the books are on fire, sometimes the books cause them . . .
  • Topic   »    Not Gadgets -  M. McGrorty  in Los Angeles brings us this article by John Tierney – The Madness of Crowds and an Internet Delusion
  • Topic   »    library ethics vs local politics  – American Libraries reported on this troubling story out of Vermont  
  • Topic   »    Iphone app - Georgia Bouda  in  Bloomington, IL discusses the phone applications that digitize patron bar codes and offer them as alternatives to physical library cards – What are the security and service issues? How else can they be used?
  • Topic   »    Story time attendance dropping off? –  Janet Griffing  in Wadsworth, OH reports on diminished participation – Is it demographic changes or flu fears?
  • Topic   »    posting for causes on a library blog? – Kevin O’Kelly  in  Somerville, MA wants to know if it is proper – Should causes be promoted?
  • Topic   »    Flying candidates in for face-to-face interviews  – Matthew Pierce is looking at the cost – Is it still common to fly in recruits?
  • Topic   »    Review - M. McGrorty challenges librarians to post negative reviews of books – Is the trend to only see the good?
  • Topic   »    Branding in Libraries - Jane Genzel  at the  Muskego Public Library is investigating the appropriateness of branded donations – Does branding diminish services?
  • Topic   »    Drop In computer labs - Tracey Reed  in Clearwater, FL is implementing unstructured classes – Where is this effective?
  • Topic   »    Periodicals back issues - Laurenne Teachout   in Stephentown, NY has limited space for periodicals – What is ideal retention?
  • Topic   »    Overdrive Download Stations? – Nilya Carrato   in  Washington, DC  is configuring dedicated PCs for audio/ebook download – What software works the best?
  • Topic   »    Patron Counters - Cath Soffe   at  Ajax Library Services wants to know which products are the best
  • Topic   »    CIPA and e-rate - Andrea Taylor  in  Fullerton, CA is looking for a definitive answers on bona fide research and adult access - Is there conflict between local and federal guidelines?
  • Topic   »    libraries and local bookstores/resend - Robin K. Blum is writing on the subject – What collaborative relationships exist between libraries and bookstores?
  • Topic   »    Laptop Checkout - Mindy Kittay – in Colorado at the Anythink Libraries is looking for exemplary policies and procedures – How do your laptops circulate?
  • Topic   »    experience with outsourcing management of the library - Laurel Goodgion   in Wethersfield CT is investigating corporate profiteering on non-profits – When does outsourced management impinge on professional ethics?
  • Topic   »    Clipping files - Faith Jones – in New Westminster  BC, Canada is looking for best current practices for clipping files – are they still relevant with digitization? Does digitization of clipping files infringe on copyright?
  • Topic   »    Giveaways for silent auctions, etc. - John Richmond   in  Bartonville, IL wants to know what to offer other non-profits – Is there a great combination of that serves the library and external non-profits too?
  • Topic   »    Self Check Out - Andrew R. Stehr   in  Rochester, MN is looking for examples where circulation is 80% or greater automated – What are the benefits?
  • Topic   »    Expired Library Cards - Sue Reed   in  Jefferson City, MO wants to know how long you keep expired patron records before purging – Does your patron policy include privacy considerations?
  • Topic   »    Museum type holdings - John C. Sandstrom   in  El Paso, TX is looking for examples of libraries that still keep art work and realia – What are the collection guidelines?
  • Topic   »    Kevin Trudeau books - Becky Tatar   in  Aurora, IL investigates collection development policies – Do we offer what the public wants or what they should want?
  • Topic   »    Friday reference question - Dusty Gres   in  Vidalia, GA started a new discussion on humorous and troubling reference questions – It looks like we are generating a new list!
  • Topic   »    Book (etc.?) Awards - Diedre Conkling   in  Newport, OR  provided a link to ALA’s Book Award list in Cognotes.  The discussion truncated into contemplation of the effect of marketing and advertising on professional library literature. What do you think?

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Best of PubLib ALA Midwinter Exhibit Hall Review

Best of PubLib at the ALA Midwinter Meeting Exhibit Hall Review

This week,  Best of Publib covered the ALA Exhibit Hall at the Boston Convention Center.   The HD video below includes hundreds of vendor displays.  We hope it will help you imagine the experience if you were not able to attend, or help refresh and reinforce what you learned.  

 
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Boston Convention and Exhibition Center

The Boston Convention Center was an excellent venue for ALA. The train brought us to South Station - just a few minutes away from the hotels and convention amenities.   There are many local publishers and library suppliers within a short distance, so start-ups and unique product suppliers could present affordably.  And, Boston rocks!  The Freedom Trail, Duck Tours , along with world-class museums and libraries are within short distances of the convention center.  

The organizational effort by ALA and attention to detail by the library vendors was outstanding. It was easy to lose track of time on the exhibit hall floor amidst the panorama and noise.  It took on a casino / carnival atmosphere with prizes to win and vendors pitching their games. High above, you could use the Food Court sign as a directional beacon.  

Of all the hundreds of vendors represented, we chose to review five.  

The first is : I-Concepts which defines itself as Innovative Concepts for Nonprofit Organizations.  We could imagine many libraries outside of Boston benefiting from this service, along with fostering a general appreciation of local history archives.  If you are looking for a way to both encourage collection use and raise funds – i-concepts may be the answer. The Amelia Earhart print was fascinating.  

LibraryThing.com/forLibraries

The second  is : LibraryThing. Tim Spalding along with his gregarious black-shirted  horde truly represented the best of Open Source, Library 2.0 and viral marketing. They were eager to engage and highly entertaining.  

The third vendor is : LE@D-Lifelong Education @ Desktop from the University of North Texas   This group was absolutely charming and demonstrated infectious enthusiasm for their services. They dressed in some of the most colorful attire at the exhibit.  Le@D  provides highly affording library training. According to Director – Kevin Haney (in the middle with the green shirt) – costs are as low as $15 for a course! Enthusiastic library training –  Deep in the heart of Texas!  

New York Times

The fourth vendor is: The New York Times offering 50% off Home Delivery Service
 Marketing was conducted by On the Avenue Marketing Group with this excellent salesperson hawking half-price subscriptions. She may have been the hardest working individual in the exhibit hall. Yet, it was somehow troubling that this was the limit of representation of the New York Times publishing empire.  

III

The fifth vendor is: III – Innovative Interfaces Incorporated. III is one of the heavy hitters in the Library industry. Many libraries are dependent on their products and they have  a loyal base. I worked on two transitions to III – the first at Brown University from CLSI and the second at CLAN libraries from Horizon. I have used III for over twenty years and find it offers outstanding service. However, what I observed in the exhibit hall was troubling.  

The III booth was very well-appointed and designed with several interactive product displays. It supported a large group of associates to answer questions. Yet, few were actually engaged in discussions with anyone but their co-workers. A librarian approached two of the representatives to thank III for providing a pass to the exhibit hall. One of the representatives took a look at the librarian’s badge and said something to the effect of :

 “Well ______ must have been giving away those passes all along the east coast, we had another librarian from ____ stop by earlier “.

Then the rep rattled off a few names of people they considered important from that same institution and basically dismissed the librarian. There was no sales pitch. No offer to demo. Merely, a dismissal. 

Library Service, especially in the public library sector, ideally levels the playing field. Service is equal. In contrast, some vendor representatives have obviously been instructed to find out the station of the exhibit hall attendee, determine if they were of the buyer / influencer class and dismiss the others. Yet, the nature of libraries and librarians as technology consumers requires generating interest throughout an organization and getting everyone to buy in. If you have six vendor representatives at an exhibit and you don’t have a crowd around your people, then you should generate interest by engaging everyone.  All of the library vendors were start-ups at one point.   

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The exhibit hall may be the most effective way to get hands on experience with some of the newest and most exciting products in the library world.  The meager twenty-five dollar entrance fee – or having an inside vendor representative hook you up for free makes the experience well worth the visit.  

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