Lazy, Hazy Days of Summer...

Barbecuing books... no, really, I mean burning them. Get free ebooks at these 40 sites.... guaranteed non-combustible.
How about a little Louisa May Alcott in your life? Nice site.
Online Video Guide.... a new search engine from TV Guide. (There are 1,037 Office videos here.... priceless.)
Recommended search engines: new, updated Exalead and Ask.com. Get out of your Google rut, experiment....

Tassel on the left, right? A guide to academic regalia....
Eye veil, no eye veil? A guide to Muslim veils...
You don't look like a librarian... no, really, not that much anyway, just in a certain light. The Hollywood Librarian is premiering at ALA in June.

So, I missed Mothers Day... Fast Facts and Favorite Baby Names from Social Security... and then I missed Memorial Day... The National Memorial Day Concert and The official site of Arlington Cemetery. Next, I plan to miss Flag Day, Father's Day, and the Fourth of July. Working on my tan... but if I am not back soon, occupy yourself with this addictive, time-wasting fun....

Other Days, Other Blogs....

To make up for my truancy....

• Check out the winners of the 2007 Bloggy awards... maybe they post more frequently than I do.
• Mattering in the Biblioblogosphere, American Libraries... I know they post more frequently than I do.

Recently Read...

Uh-oh! The librarians are reading comic books! Three graphic novels (a new interest inspired by a workshop at the Virginia Hamilton festival and my brother-in-law who writes his own) ...

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel. An excellent and thoughtful graphic novel/autobiography, Fun Home refers to the funeral home/residence of the author's childhood. The narrative moves back and forth in time but never strays far from the author's relationship with her father. I'm not sure how to describe the "plot" without compiling a laundry list of sexual preferences and although this is central to Bechdel's story, the book is much more than its lesbian coming-of-age in a dysfunctional family scenario. There seems to be something very direct and powerful about graphic novels that really seem to engage and intensify the reader reaction or interaction. The visual aspect is a sort of shorthand to a more complex understanding. Or maybe that's just me... but if you are curious about graphic novels, this would be an excellent read. This book is one of the NYT Notable Books in the Reading Room.

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood and Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return by Marjane Satrapi. The presenter at the graphic novel workshop talked about one of the illustrations in Persepolis... that of the little Iranian girls being issued their veils for the first time and running around the playground using them as capes and toys, a charming depiction of a (to feminist eyes) sinister event. Her discussion and the chance to read a different point-of-view made me seek out these two autobiographical graphic novels. The author relates her childhood after the overthrow of the Shah, during the Islamic Revolution and the subsequent war with Iraq. I found it fascinating to see these world events through the eyes of an Iranian child, to discover the perspective of intellectual Iranians who questioned authority, and to appreciate the very human, lively personality of the rebellious narrator. Satrapi's parents send her to school in Vienna to protect her from the religious police but freedom proves to be difficult also. Persepolis 2 portrays the misery Satrapi experiences on her own, romantic disappointment, even temporary homelessness, before she returns home as a university student. The steady support of her parents' love and her affection for her country are obvious throughout. These were just great, really engrossing ... the character portrayals were also very satisfying... especially her feisty grandmother whose plain spoken wisdom transcended regime change.

Bite-Sized Bits of Bibliotrivia and Related Information Resources...

From the Books Change Lives Dept.
Ethiopia Reads... an organization with the goals of providing quality reading material, publishing attractive books in local languages, and emphasizing the importance of literacy for Ethiopian children.

From the Lovely Archival Site Dept.
L. M. Montgomery's Personal Scrapbooks and Bookcovers: Picturing a Canadian Life ... cool, but a little confusing, go for the interactive scrapbook option.

From the Very Special Search Engine Dept.
With the logo, "The huddled masses need a clean place to sit," Bathroom Diaries allows you to locate clean, public facilities wherever you may go (giggling) ....

Need the words to "I'm All Out of Love?" Dwight Schrute recommends it to set the mood! LyricWiki can help you (without freezing up your computer like those other sites.) Maybe I can quit singing the wrong words to rap songs now...

Recommended Summer Reading...

Librarian Lynn Hoffmann shares some timely tips for summer reading and placing a hold on the books you want. Lynn suggests checking out the New York Times Notable Books in the library's reading room, "under the clock," with a special Notable Books label on the spine. Some of the 46 available titles include: The Dissident by Neil Freudenberger; High Lonesome: New and Selected Stories by Joyce Carol Oates; Skinner's Drift by Lisa Fugard; At Canaan's Edge: America in the King Years, by Taylor Branch; Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community and War by Nathaniel Philbrick; and The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan.

Someone else has the book you want? Here's how to be next...

• Go to the library's online catalog.
• Search for the book you want.
• If the book you want is checked out, click on the title to open the record.
• Click on Request at the top of the screen.
• Enter your barcode and last name.
• Place the hold.

Book Reviews: Endangered Species....

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Los Angeles Times, and the Chicago Tribune, among others, have recently opted to downsize their book review sections or have elected to eliminate them completely. Author Michael Connelly defends book reviews in this Los Angeles Times column and some have started a petition to save the Atlanta Journal-Constitution book section. Others point the finger of blame at blogs -- where any "noodle with a keyboard" can join the discourse. Traditional print reviewers are also defended at the National Book Critics Circle blog. The New York Times chimes in with "Are Book Reviewers Out of Print?" (Don't tell me they are thinking about eliminating their Book section... I don't want to live in that world.)

Roger Sutton of the Hornbook states the problem succinctly... "the real distinction is not between paper and bloggers; it's between editorial authority and unsifted opinion. That's where the fight will be." This will have a familiar ring to those who teach information literacy skills and the critical evaluation of unfiltered information on the internet. As usual, I don't understand why it has to be either/or... both sources are valuable in their own way. I believe most information consumers do possess the basic judgment to distinguish between solid, scholarly, and reflective essays on books and literature and synopses and recommendations from other book lovers. Depends on what you are looking for, right?

And just to mix it up a little, The Wall Street Journal announces the coming launch of its Book Channel, online videos featuring authors promoting their work. The New York Times already has a book review podcast.

Image from Edward Gorey, available on t-shirts, sweatshirts, tote bags, etc.

Sell By, Use By...

These leftover bits of information from my rss reader are past their expiration date but I hate to throw them out. Like suspicious milk, please sniff before using.
May 4, 1970: FBI Documents you could have read about Kent State....
May 5, 2007: Recipes you could have made for a Derby Day party....
May 5, 2007: Crafts and activities you could have used for Cinco de Mayo...
Also, Information you could have shared with your friends about the history of Cinco de Mayo...
May 5, 2007: Carp wind socks you could have made for Boys Day in Japan...

On the History Bestseller List...

Librarian Judy Silva shares some good news -- Dr. Gary Scott Smith's book, Faith and the Presidency, has been named a History Bestseller by Library Journal. Faithful readers (unintentional pun) will recall that Gary spoke at one of our Library Encounters in October 2006. Gary is a professor at nearby Grove City College and the husband of Librarian Jane Smith, our department chair. That last bit is full disclosure, but Jane didn't make us post this, honest. :)

Database Spotlight...

You will no doubt be pleased to make the acquaintance of World Access News (also known in some circles as NewsBank.) The New York Times, the Washington Post, and 38 Pennsylvania newspapers including the Butler Eagle (back to 2005) are available in this database, along with weekly news magazines and worldwide news coverage not available elsewhere. The official description: "Full-text content of local and regional newspapers, each with its own diverse viewpoints on local, regional and world issues." You can save searches and create a customized folder.

Among its many fine features are NewsBank Special Reports on topical issues. Librarian Jessica Marshall points out the current special report on School and College Security Issues.
This was a trial database in December and has now been added to our ever-growing list of helpful online resources. Want to see what else we have for news searches? Check it out...

Up All Night (Again) ...

During Finals Week, the library will be open continuously from Sunday, May 6, at 1:00 pm to Friday, May 11, at 2:00 am. In other words, we are open all night on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. On Thursday, we are open until 2:00 am as usual.

AVI is supplying free coffee and the Library is sponsoring a study break on Monday night. For security reasons, library doors will be locked from 2:00 am to 7:45 am, Monday - Thursday, allowing students to leave at any time but preventing others from entering. If you are in the building by 2:00 am, you can study here all night. The eyeball, btw, is the logo of the Pinkerton Detective Agency. And here's a link to some books in our library on the subject...

Grab a Green Bike....

Check the bike rack in front of the library for a green bike.

The Green Bike movement is new to our campus... a very cool idea where bikes, donated by the Rapp Bicycle Shop in Butler and painted green, are left around campus for those needing transportation. It's a win-win... reduce the impact of vehicular traffic, increase your personal exercise and fitness. I believe this is a joint project of the Cycling Club, Outing Club, and campus Keep It Green group. Sorry I couldn't get a picture of the real thing... they are all in motion at the present! Read more in The Rocket here... Or check out some of the library's cycling books here...


This photo, btw, and others on our web page are by student photographer Jeremy Salopek.