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Cover of March 13, 2014, Rolling Stone magazine showing Justin BieberDo you want to find a particular magazine article? Do you want to know if the library has your favorite magazine? We can help you find magazines and magazine articles available through the library, both in print and online. If, however, you don’t care which magazine the articles come from and just want to search for all the articles about a subject, take a look at “Searching for articles on a subject (Paul Anka, please!)

Let’s pretend you are a total Bieber believer, and at your dentist’s office you saw an article about Justin Bieber in a March issue of Rolling Stone. Unfortunately, you were called in for your root canal (heartbreaker!) before you could have a chance to read the whole article. Now it’s a few months later and you want to see if you can get it from the library. Here’s how to do it.


1. Check to see if the library has the magazineScreenshot.

To check whether the library even has this magazine, go to the Classic Catalog and choose a “Magazines/Newspapers” search, then search for the magazine title Rolling Stone. Success! You get two results: one that has an icon on the right that says “Periodical,” and another with an icon that says “E-Journal” (electronic journal).

2. Choose the electronic journal option

Screenshot.If you want to find an online copy of the article, you can choose the electronical journal option. The catalog entry for the e- journal Rolling Stone has a link which says “Click here for full text” - this link takes you to a page showing which library databases include full-text articles from the magazine.  You have several options of databases which have Rolling Stone for the date you need; for this example, let’s pick MasterFILE Premier. Click on the link for it to go to the database.

3. Search in the database for the article

Screenshot.To search for the article you saw at the dentist's office, you can type “Justin Bieber” into the keyword box and “Rolling Stone” into the Publication box (MasterFILE Premier contains lots of magazines, so this will limit your search to only be articles from Rolling Stone). Hit the Search button and, baby, oh, you’ve found it! “Bad Boy” from the March 13, 2014, Rolling Stone. This database has the article in full-text.

Unfortunately, the database does not include photos from this magazine article. :`-( Sometimes databases will include PDF scans of the articles with images, but often the article will just be text. Hmm... maybe the local library down the street from your house will have the actual magazine, and you can look at all the photos there.

4. Find out which libraries have print copies of the magazine

Screenshot.To see which libraries have print copies of the magazine, go back to the Classic Catalog and do the “Magazines/Newspapers” search again for Rolling Stone, but this time choose the result with the icon that says “Periodical.” This will take you to an entry in the library catalog showing which libraries have print copies of the magazine, and which dates they have. It looks like all of the Multnomah County Library branches have the 6 most recent issues of Rolling Stone, and Central Library has them (in print and on microfilm) back to 1967!


What if you follow the steps here and still can’t find the magazine article you want?

Never say never! - the library will do everything we can to get you the article you need. You can always contact a librarian for help or use our interlibrary loan service to request that we get the article from another library. We just want to see U smile!

Deanna Geiger and Jean Nelson celebrate winning their case for marriage equality in Oregon [Photo by S. Mirk, via Flickr]So, now that it’s legal, you are planning to marry.  Congratulations!!

If you are organizing a wedding celebration or party in addition to your legal ceremony, you have some work ahead of you.  No matter the size or formality of your event, you’ll probably have to at least invite people and find a place to celebrate in.  If you want a huge party with tons of people in lovely outfits, flowers, a big cake, party favors and a unicorn; well, that’s going to require a lot of organization.  But never fear, librarians are always here to help!

What does organizing your wedding look like?  I’d say the answer depends entirely on you and your intended spouse.  One thing working in your favor is that, um, you’re not straight.  Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer people have long had the joy -- and the burden -- of defining their own relationships and building their own rules for living.  So make your wedding yours.  Here are a few resources to help you get started:

Books and articles

There are precious few books written specifically to aid same-sex couples in wedding planning, but the library has a few you may want to consult:

Despite their queer focus, these books are all pretty traditional.  Folks who are looking for stories and images of trans people and couples, or weddings that center on specific aspects of gay culture and style may not find them in these -- or in any books.  That’s not a surprise, but it is a disappointment.  If your wedding planning is taking you in a direction that isn’t well-served by the mainstream media, you might want to do some more, shall we say, basic research.

Depending on your needs, you might start with wedding how-to books that were written for a general (yeah, mostly straight!) audience.  The library has tons, including books on wedding decorations, wedding photography, making or designing your wedding cake, wedding traditions, making or styling your wedding dress/es.  Or, you might want to take a look at general books about costume history, flower arranging or planning a non-wedding type of party.  Will your wedding have a theme?  Chances are, the library has books, magazine articles, or other materials that will help you incorporate that theme into your celebration -- contact a librarian to get started.  

Another useful source for words on weddings is the local magazine PQ Monthly -- they regularly feature stories, opinion pieces, and miscellanea on marriage equality.  A recent standout (in my humble opinion) is local fashion writer Sally Mulligan’s column predicting wedding outfit trends -- and offering easygoing advice for brides, grooms and spouses: “Life’s a Catwalk, and the Aisle is an Exception.”

Queer-friendly wedding businesses

Even in the first blush of marriage equality here in the Beaver State, it can be a bit tricky to find trusted, queer-friendly wedding business and other resources.  Portland’s Gay Yellow Pages has a short section of wedding listings that includes venues and services.  Or, try Purple Unions, a national directory of gay-friendly wedding vendors -- they list a variety of Oregon wedding venues, photographers, wedding planners, and other wedding services and professionals.  

 

Do you have more questions?

Librarians are ready to help you find answers!  Whether you’re looking for help finding the perfect queer-positive tailor or you want some inspiration for writing your vows, we are happy to help.  Ask a librarian anytime.

And, be sure to check out the library’s booth at the Pride Festival, June 14 and 15 at Tom McCall Waterfront Park!


 

a blank Oregon marraige certificateSo by now it’s getting to be old news: same-sex couples in Oregon have the right to marry on equal footing with opposite-sex couples.  Many Oregonians are breathing a sigh of relief, and some are ready to plan their weddings right now!   Deciding whether or not to marry can be a very personal and emotional matter.  And planning a wedding, goodness knows, has myriad practical, interpersonal and emotional aspects.

But deciding whether to marry and/or planning a wedding may also have legal implications.  For same-sex couples, the legal implications can be complex, unfamiliar or just plain unclear.  Never fear, though -- librarians are here to help!  Let’s pick apart some of the questions same-sex couples might face as they consider marriage:

Deciding if you want to marry

The opening up of Oregon marriage laws is an unequivocal joy for some couples who want to marry.  For other individuals and couples, this new ability to marry legally here in our home state raises both questions and concerns.

One great way to navigate this challenge is to learn more about your options.  The local PQ Monthly’s April/May 2014 issue is all about weddings, and includes both practical and philosophical articles with a variety of perspectives.

There is lots of information in this post about getting married and about the legal implications of marriage -- what about not getting married?  Unmarried Equality is a California-based civil rights organization which advocates for “equality and fairness for unmarried people, including people who are single, choose not to marry, cannot marry, or live together before marriage.”  Their website provides information about and support for a variety of ways to be unmarried, as well as some resources for and about people who consciously choose not to marry.

Actually getting married

Have you decided to marry?  In Oregon, the first technical step in getting married is to get a license, from the county in which you will wed.  The Multnomah County Division of Assessment, Recording & Taxation issues marriage licenses in Multnomah County, and their website lists all the requirements and fees for getting a marriage license -- and explains the steps you’ll follow once you have your license. The ACLU of Oregon also has a helpful FAQ about getting married in Oregon, which includes a directory of the marriage license offices for all 36 Oregon counties.

Once you have your license, you’ll need to find an officiant -- usually this is a religious leader or judge.  Your county clerk or registrar’s office may have a list of judges and other officials who can perform a marriage.  Here’s a list of Multnomah County judges who are available to marry people (pdf), from the county recorder’s office.

Next, have your ceremony!  

Miscellaneous practical matters

Making it Legal bookjacketMarriage can change your tax status or have an effect on your estate planning, property ownership, child custody arrangements, and a whole host of other business-like issues.  Making It Legal: A Guide to Same-sex Marriage, Domestic Partnerships & Civil Unions, by Frederick C. Hertzwit & Emily Doskow (both attorneys!) is chock full of practical information and advice about the many legal and practical issues that arise for same-sex couples who marry or register their relationships.  The book is extra new -- just updated in January 2014 -- and should have mostly up-to-date information (though Oregon marriage law changed in May, so remember to look to more current resources for specifics on Oregon same-sex marriage specifically).

If Making it Legal isn’t for you, check out one of these other books about LGBTQ couples and the law.

D-i-v-o-r-c-e

Dare I say it, you may also want to think about what will happen if your relationship doesn’t last until death do you part.  If this is an issue you want to consider, it might be helpful just to hear about other LGBTQ people’s experiences with divorce.  Kathryn Martini’s thoughtful column about her own divorce in the July 2013 issue of the local PQ Monthly is one place to start.

Making it Legal also talks about special issues in same-sex divorces -- as do several of the library’s other books on LGBTQ couples and the law.  Or, you might want to consult with an attorney to get advice about your own unique situation:

Getting expert legal help

Do you have other specific questions about marriage and its implications for your taxes, child custody, inheritance and the like?  If so, you may want to get personal legal advice.  Or perhaps you and your spouse have already married or entered into a formal domestic or civil partnership, and you have questions about your status.  I’m a librarian and not an attorney, so I can’t give legal advice.  But librarians are always happy to help you locate resources!  

Here are a couple of great places to start with your specific same-sex marriage legal questions:

The civil rights organization Lambda Legal has a legal help desk (email or call 1-866-542-8336) which “provides information and assistance regarding discrimination related to sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and HIV status.”  Lambda Legal also maintains a number of resources you can use to see the status of same-sex relationships nationwide, or track the constantly changing legal issues around marriage and family law for LGBTQ individuals, couples and families, including legal issues for same-sex couples who are not able to or who do not marry.

The National Center for Lesbian Rights provides legal assistance to people with LGBTQ-related legal questions, as well as a small library of resources on specific legal issues

And, the Oregon State Bar has a lawyer referral service that you can use to help get in touch with a local attorney who works in the right area of law for your specific needs.

 

Do you have other questions?

Please, ask a librarian anytime for more resources to help with your queer legal research (or really, with your anything research!).  Or visit your local county law library for a wider range of legal materials. 

And be sure to check out the library’s booth at the Pride Festival, June 14 and 15 at Tom McCall Waterfront Park!


Although we are always happy to help you locate resources and give you search tips, it is against state law for library staff members to engage in any conduct that might constitute the unauthorized practice of law; we may not interpret statutes, cases or regulations, perform legal research, recommend or assist in the preparation of forms, or advise patrons regarding their legal rights.


 

Closing the ‘Skills Gap’

A report released by the Oregon branch of America's Edge describes the cost of the state's skills gap

There have been many articles about the relation of unemployment and the so-called ‘skills gap’ recently and there have been lots of discussion about whether that’s real or just hype (check out these articles from the Harvard Business Review, the Economic Policy Institute, and Wharton Digital Press).  But regardless of where the real fault lies for jobs going unfilled in a time of high unemployment, that's the reality of hiring in the computer age, with the advent of applicant tracking systems, scanners and parsing software. Fortunately, there are measures you can take to adjust to the realities of computerized hiring and cut through the avalanche of job seekers applying online (and the software employers use to weed them out), to get to the actual people who still do the hiring.

First, you need the skills to actually do the job before you can convince someone you can.  We can help you brush up your computer skills with our library computer classes and labs, as well as books and other self-instruction materials. The library also offers online tutorials and practise tests on a wide range of in-demand skills, including preparing for many occupational skills and licenses and even connects you with career experts online. Let us help you navigate these options in person, by phone, email or chat.

The next step involves telling your story to potential employers...

Resumes and cover letters

Everybody talks about how choosing the right words to use in computerized job searches, resumes, cover letters, and interviews is the key to success, but how do you find them? QuintCareers.com shares several articles about using keywords to enhance your resumse’s effectiveness, how to find those keywords and even offers a worksheet to help you get at just the right keywords. This article from Wharton Digital Press is a practical guide for what can you do about parsing software.  You can find more advice and examples on websites like Susan Ireland’s Resume Site, Monster.com and the many resume and cover letter books we have at the library. Before submitting your resume to potential employers, it’s always good to have someone else review it - you can do this for free by posting your resume to the library’s Tutor.com service or MSN’s CareerBuilder site.

Networking

Because 'It's not what you know...' - well, actually it is, but it's also who you know who knows someone who needs what you know.  So you need to make those connections and here are some ways to do that:

  • LinkedIn: use that “six degrees of separation” thing to your advantage and put your best foot forward in a place where people who can help will see it.

  • pdxMindShare:  techies and creatives, this is your place.

  • CNRG:  networking and more for the local nonprofit world.

  • Network After Work - Portland: old-fashioned, face time networking events.

  • Meetups: because you have other interests, and so do the people who can help you get hired; and they have job seekers groups too.

Interviews

Now that you’ve gotten the interview, it’s important to prepare before you tell your story in person. Glassdoor.com has lots of examples of real questions applicants were asked in real interviews with various companies, as well as other insider tips.  They may not ask you exactly the same thing but it will probably be a similar kind of question - according to Forbes, all job interview questions boil down to three basic things:  ability, motivation & fit. The library also offers many books to help you prep for your interview.

Keeping all your ducks in a row  - organizing your job search

There’s a lot to keep track of in a full scale job search - industries and companies researched; networking contacts made; applications due and applications sent; jobs boards searched, results of different job titles, skills and attributes sought; followup, resume revisions; etc.  How do you keep track of it all?

Fortunately, there are a number of places that can help you:

  • Learning Express - this library database does more than provide a way for you to learn new skills, it also has a Job & Career Accelerator section which can help you with your job search in many ways, including keeping track of it all.

  • jibberjobber.com - a web-based way to keep track of it all.

  • this spreadsheet from the makers of Excel is designed to track various aspects of the job search and can, of course, be modified to suit your needs.

  • Do it yourself, e.g., a very simple Word doc with expandable rows & columns for keeping track of where you’ve looked, what you’ve found, and, most importantly, what new searches that leads to. Any calendaring system can be good for keeping track of deadlines, interviews, callbacks, etc.  You just have to pick one and use it consistently.

On May 30th, U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell announced a new National Park Service initiative to explore the nation’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history.  Jewell made this announcement at the Stonewall Inn, in Greenwich Village, New York City -- currently the only National Historic Landmark celebrating LGBTQ history.  

What’s this new initiative going to do?  A panel of 18 scholars will spend the next two years looking at the history of our nation's LGBTQ civil rights and liberation movements, and researching stories about how queer people and communities have impacted American law, religion, media, civil rights and the arts.  The panel will be evaluating historically-significant places for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, designation as National Historic Landmarks, or consideration as national monuments. 

The Queerest Places bookjacketOne resource the National Park Service panel on LGBTQ history is likely to turn for source material is the book The Queerest Places: A National Guide to Gay and Lesbian Historic Sites, by Paula Martinac.  If you’re an amateur historian, or if you’re planning a trip to -- well, to anywhere in the U.S. -- you might want to consult this book too.  It provides detailed descriptions of places which are important to both local and national queer history.  

For me, the highlights of the book are the listings of local pre-Stonewall hangouts, and information about sites important to the history of the struggle for queer liberation.  For example, reading the Portland section, I learned that Oregon’s first gay pride celebration was held June 28, 1971 -- a public dance in the second-floor banquet hall of the Pythian Building, at 902-918 SW Yamhill St. 


Want to learn more about LGBTQ history?  Browse through my reading list for some great book suggestions.  Or, take a look at Peter Boag’s Oregon Encyclopedia article on the history of the Oregon gay and lesbian rights movement.   And remember, librarians love helping you answer questions and satisfy your intellectual curiosity, so don’t hesitate to contact your librarian any time you have more LGBTQ history questions -- or questions on any other subject!

Also, be sure to check out the library’s booth at the Pride Festival, June 14 and 15 at Tom McCall Waterfront Park!


 

I was born in 1954. 

Here is Elvis bookjacketa snapshot of that year:

Elvis Presley paid to have his first two songs recorded in Memphis.                                                                                                                                    

The average cost of gas was twenty two cents and Lassie and Rin Tin Tin were keeping us safe from the bad guys.                                                                              

There was a new trend called DIY that encouraged citizens to decorate their own homes and fix own their cars through magazines like Popular Mechanics and Better Homes and Gardens .

It was also an exceptional  publishing year with modern classics likeHorton Hears a Who by Dr.Seuss and Live and Let Die by ex-British Spy Ian Fleming.

When I read the list of books that were published the year I was born it was like seeing a snapshot of my own personal history. For example, my dad carried a copy of Ian Fleming's books in his black metal lunch box to read at work. Among the piles of book we brought home from the library every week there were always at least one or two by Dr. Seuss. The families we knew traded stories and ideas for fixing up their hoHorton bookjacketuses and gardens and cooking with new and interesting ingredients, among them Jello.

Wondering what books were published the year you were born and what they might tell about your personal history snapshot? I would love to make you a list.

cover image of year of pleasuresI just read Year of Pleasures by Elizabeth Berg for the third time. What books do you re-read? Is it a yearly thing or on an as-needed basis?

I read Year of Pleasures when I am feeling sad. Betta Nolan, the main character, is a recent widow (which you find out in the first few pages). She and her husband had planned to move from Boston Massachusetts to the midwest. John, her husband, requests that she still move to the midwest after he passes. Betta doesn’t disappoint and moves to a small midwestern town.

Elizabeth Berg is a bestselling writer because she knows how to tell a story. She finds all the intimate places of a character's mind. She knows what makes them tick. And what makes them ticked off! Her characters start over or refurbish their lives. At the same time they notice the simple pleasures of life. She is one of my most favorite authors. I look forward to her books every year. While Year of Pleasures is sad, it honors and celebrates those beautiful parts of the parade of life. Check it out!

Portland author Nicole Mones’ novels are so interesting. You get well-developed characters, a bit of romance, and good writing, but you also get to share in her wealth of knowledge including, but not limited to, all things Chinese. Ms. Mones owned a textile business for many years that required her to spend a lot of time in China. Between that and the research she's done for her books, she is such an expert on China that she’s now a member of  the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations. Her novel, A Cup of Light is full of information about Chinese porcelain, and The Last Chinese Chef offers an introduction to the fascinating philosophy that guides Chinese cuisine.

Her new book, Night in Shanghai, introduced me to an astonishingly interesting and vivid city. Shanghai in the 1930s was an open port, with a thriving International District. It was full of money, jazz clubs, dangerous women and political intrigue. Communists jockeyed for position against Chiang Kai-Shek’s Nationalist party, powerful crime gangs fought each other, and the Japanese army had long been an increasingly menacing presence in the city. Black American jazz musicians came in multitudes because in China, they could escape from the racism and segregation they left behind in the United States and could earn a fair living. Shanghai also came to be a haven for Jews fleeing Nazi Germany, mostly because of one man, Ho Feng-Shan, a Chinese diplomat in Vienna. Jews were desperate to flee Austria, but no one was issuing visas for Jews anymore, and they were not allowed to leave without a visa. Shanghai, as an open port, did not require visas, but in order to help thousands of Jews escape, Ho set his staff to creating fake ones, as fast as they could, in spite of the fact that his superiors were ordering him to stop. His heroic actions didn’t do much for his career, but he is still honored in Israel for them.

In this exciting city, a  romance blossoms between Thomas Greene, a classically trained pianist turned jazz musician, and Song, an indentured servant and secret communist.  It’s ever more obvious that World War II is coming, and as Japan allies with Germany against the United States, we wonder if Greene will get out in time, and will Song go with him, or if she’ll stay in China to fight with the communists. And what will happen to all those Jews who have found refuge in Shanghai now that Germany is demanding that the "Jewish Problem" is addressed there?

Mones writes beautifully in this book about music, how it feels to improvise, and how music can change the world. More Portlanders should know about this local author. Give her books a try!

Remember Mary Stewart?  She may be best known for her Merlin Trilogy, which I devoured in school.  Recently however, her other novels have been re-released as rediscovered classics. These rediscovered classics involve a female heroine, an exotic locale, a little bit of mystery, and a gentle romance. They are just the thing for reading whilst on holiday, commuting on mass transit, are something fun and light for those summer days, and cozy enough for a winter evening.  In short, they are just about perfect anytime, anywhere. cover image of Wildfire at Midnight

Several of these novels are now available with new cover designs, but my current favorite is Wildfire at Midnight. A young divorcée from London escapes to a remote hotel in Scotland for a much needed break and discovers that not only has there been a strange murder on the nearby mountain Blaven, but one of the hotel’s guests is none other than her estranged husband. Some holiday!

Samuel Delaney’s 1966 novel Babel-17 centers on a language where the meaning is so perfectly expressed in so few words that it accelerates thought. This perfection makes it possible to solve previously insurmountable problems in a nanosecond. It is not just a language — it is a weapon.

Babel 17

In Jo Walton’s tor.com blog post about Babel-17 she relates that the plot grew out of a linguistic theory that was in vogue at the time. Called the strong Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, it posited that language shapes perception so deeply that thinking in a different language gives you a different perception. This has apparently been disproven.

Disproven or not, I find this theory deeply intriguing. If you have lived in another language, you know that translating is, well, a little lie. When you live in a language you live in a culture, and quickly need to transition from converting words using an equation to understanding the words as they are.

So, how do the words we use shape what we are capable of imagining? How deeply are we divided by culture and language? And, if the only tool we have to communicate are words, can we ever understand someone from another planet?

I’ve made a booklist of novels where the plots are driven by some of these questions, or by wonderfully playful insights into words and the nature of narrative: The words are the plot

And, incidentally, Jo Walton's blog posts on classic science fiction and fantasy, like the one linked above, have been collected into a new book called What Makes This Book So Great. She is insightful, informative, and has a contagious love of the genres. If you are looking for fodder for your summer reading, look no further.

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