When the book is controversial

Every once in a while a controversial book comes along. Sometimes it’s the subject matter; other times the writing that’s controversial. The controversial book for libraries right now is “Fifty Shades of Grey: Book One of the Fifty Shades Trilogy." I’m certain you’ve heard of it. You may have read it. But does it belong in the library?

Great question. Librarians make the decision to purchase or not based on reviews, collection development policies, community interests, and other factors. “Fifty Shades of Grey” is controversial because of its erotic subject matter and use of erotic language. “Wait” you say, “there are plenty of Romance books that are pretty erotic and use pretty steamy language. There must be something else going on in the book to make it controversial.” According to the article in @ Your Library, there’s more to this story. Take time to read the article, what the short news report, and some book reviews and you decide. http://atyourlibrary.org/libraries-center-fifty-shades-grey-controversy

“Fifty Shades of Grey” is not the only controversial book. “The Dirty Cowboy" by Amy Timberlake  is also in the news. This is a children’s story about a cowboy in need of a bath. The cowboy’s dog steals his clothes while he is bathing by a stream. There are lots of cute pictures in this children’s book, and a little nudity. Would you ban this book? PA School District Bans 'The Dirty Cowboy' for Partial Nudity School Library Journal May 24, 2012 http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/home/894620-312/pa_school_district_bans_the.html.csp

There’s no right or wrong answer. Your decision as librarian or library director depends upon many factors. Remember, the ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom is there to help you respond to requests to remove books from the library.

Information – Trying to explain Buckland’s theory

For session 4

As I mentioned in my video podcast, many types of objects can be considered texts. Let’s take photographs because they are the easiest to explain.

A photograph as document or text is a practical example of what Buckland is discussing. While I’ve included some links in the syllabus to photographs, here’s a new example. F&P Daguerreotype Panorama of Cincinnati Shoreline in 1848 http://1848.cincinnatilibrary.org/contains lots of information.

We can use this photograph to understand the development of the city as a port, as a trade. Historians use the photograph to study the development of streets, the layout of the city, the types of businesses, even clothing and transportation. Transportation historians can study the boats, wagons, and buggies. If you have enough magnification, you can read the names of businesses on buildings and signs.

In the background you see the city and the rural areas or farms. Even the streets are visible. The longer you study the photograph, the more information it will reveal. What do you think the photograph tells you? What would a cultural historian find? What about an anthropologist or urban historian?

What about the photograph itself? It is a daguerreotype, one of the oldest and most durable types of photograph of the nineteenth century. Most daguerreotypes are of people; this one is of a city. Imagine how far away the photographer had to stand to capture the entire cityscape. He must have stood in Kentucky!

The same principles of object as text apply to sculpture, buildings, ceramic pots, and textiles. How will you apply Buckland’s theory to these objects?

Readings – too much information

Because this is an intensive course taught over five weeks, there’s almost too much to read. Here's some advice for handling the readings and podcasts. Listen to my video podcasts first. They are all short and will outline the major points of the readings. They should bring the subject for the session together. Then attack the readings and other podcasts. And yes, some are deadly long. You need to read actively, which means Read the first and last paragraphs carefully. Take a few notes. Then read or skim the rest and make note of interesting facts or ideas. Then review the intro and conclusion. If the author wrote well, everything is in those two or three paragraphs. Try not to read too slowly, where the words echo in your head. That’s called passive reading and doesn’t work as well when you are trying to actively learn.

All your notes for each reading should fit on two sides of an index card. One side for ideas, the other for topics. no more. The cards will serve as prompts for the discussion threads. Of course, you can take notes on paper, one reading to a page.

Taking notes on the article, highlighting the text, or taking notes into a computer is not the same as actually writing up notes by hand. You’ll find you retain more if you write it out.

The older you are, the harder it is to cram and memorize. You just do not retain information the same way as when you were 20. Take the time to learn the information. You’d be surprise how refreshing it is to take a break every hour, even if all you do is stretch and walk around the room.

As time goes on, you'll see themes in your notes and in your reflective journal.

Books - or the words between the covers

There are many cute videos and books that promote the book itself. Thanks to one of my students for sharing this cute video. YouTube Video “It’s a Book” both the preview

 http://www.amazon.com/Its-Book-Lane-Smith/dp/1596436069/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338941550&sr=1-1

Take the time to listen to the author who talks about his book and the idea of engaging young reading in the printed page.

So you want to be a librarian

It is so rewarding to be a librarian, archivist, and information scientist. Don’t misunderstand. The profession takes a lot of hard work, a drive to learn and understand, and most of all, the ability to communicate with others. You have to learn how to teach at a moment’s notice, to show others how to do something on the computer, to find a book, an article, or a government form. While being a librarian or information professional is very rewarding, most days I would leave the reference desk, and go home numb from so much thinking and so much interaction with others, with strangers. My brain needed to shut down and then restart. The mile walk home always helped to re-energize me. (That was before iPods.)

The hardest part of working as a librarian was all the interaction. I'm actually pretty shy myself and can never figure out what to say in social situations. The reference desk requires that you talk to people. You have to find a way to get over the shyness, to connect for a few moments and help that person. It takes courage and practice. Practice with your pets, with your mirror, with your friends. Help them find things. Explain things to others. After a while, it becomes natural to put on that 'pseudo extrovert' persona in public.

Organizations like Toastmasters http://www.toastmasters.org/ help you speak to others and give presentations. Otherwise, you have to find the courage inside to do it yourself. Underneath the surface, many librarians and archivists want to commune with books, information, and computers. Find a way to break out of the mold at the library. Remember there’s always a book waiting for you at home. Take time to relax, refresh, and re-energize every day, at lunch, at break time. That’s the time to turn inward and savor the ‘me’ time.

What's your librarian personality type?

What's your personality? Are you quick to make judgements and decisions, or do you take your time? Are you an introvert or an extravert? Check out the books below and let me know who you think you are?

There are two fairly new books that might interest you. The first is Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman.  

The two basic themes of his book are how people think intuitively and how they think deeply on specific subjects, or any subject for that matter. He is particularly interested in how people make decisions and derive conclusions for visual and written evidence. Take a look at the book, or even at excerpts and reviews, to see what you think. Does his argument make sense? In a world where students and individuals tend to skim articles and books, does deep thinking exist?

The second title that I found fascinating is Quiet by Susan Cain who examines the role of introverts in today’s mostly extroverted society. When I read the introduction, I realized that I’m a pseudo-extravert. I pretend to be an extravert when I’d rather disappear into a book than socialize with strangers. Yet, I force myself to do the latter and, after a fashion, do just fine talking to people. Cain looks at defense mechanisms and learned behaviors of introverts and how they cope with the need to be extroverted and gregarious. Where do you place yourself on the scale of introvert / extravert? As a librarian and information scientist, and archivist, you must learn to interact with others, particularly with strangers. How will you do this if you natural inclination is to be shy and retiring?

Initial thoughts on teaching Foundations

As I begin teaching Foundations of Library and Information Science this semester, I want to step back and think about why I’m teaching this course. After all, I teach many electives that require specialized knowledge. Why teach the introductory course? This foundational course makes me consider the various aspects of the field, what has changed over time, and what stays the same. At the same time, I must consider the field into its cultural perspective, in a social, economic, and political context, and most of all, how the practice of librarianship and information science is evolving. While this is not an easy task, it is enjoyable and forces me to think about libraries and other cultural institutions as a whole, as an integral part of society and our civilization.

You will read in this first week that Dr. Rubin believes the core roles of libraries as Education, Recreation & Information. What do you think? Are there other roles for libraries and information centers, for archives, historical societies, and museums? How will cultural institutions evolve over the next 10 or 20 years? Can you see that far into the future? How will this profession be affected by the internet, social networking, and computers in general? What role with e-books and the digital revolution play in and with cultural institutions? There is much food for thought in the past, present, and future of this profession. Which aspects of the profession will keep you up at night?

Another question to consider is your place within the world of librarianship, information science, and the fields of knowledge workers as a whole. I see my role as one of disseminating information and knowledge, whether I locate information for a client, compile historical data for a project, identify individuals or materials to answer a legal question, or try to explain a concept to a library science student. It is a basic tenet of librarianship that we disseminate information to those who seek or ask. Does this role hold true today?

Here’s a new video that is making the rounds. New Amazon Kindle Commercial Parody (A Normal Book) http://youtu.be/PgbwXfw50q4 Discusses the virtues of the physical book using the same vocabulary as advertisements for the Kindle or other e-book reading devices. Do you think that this video helps or defeats the notion that “books are disappearing”?