5000 books for anyone in lower Manhattan who wanted to take one. Computers to use. Pure democracy. All destroyed by the powers that be.
From the Dec 12, 2011 Nation article, a professor and volunteer librarian writes: "I love books—reading them, writing in them, arranging them, holding them, even smelling them. I also love having access to books for free. I love libraries and everything they represent. To see an entire collection of donated books, including many titles I would have liked to read, thoughtlessly ransacked and destroyed by the forces of law and order was one of the most disturbing experiences of my life."
Great Conference! I've beento several ILA's over the years and this one had the twin benefit of being close to home and far enough away that the center was really the only place to be. Lots of learning, bonding, a great sense of library community, free lunch, and even a video contest (see below).
So, that learning...George Needham and Joan Frye Williams told us all about The Hopeful Workplace and when to let go of things that aren't working in Embracing the Cycle. Duane Bray brought a refreshing outsider's perspective in Guerrilla Innovation. But it wasn't just about the big us. It was also about Oak Park Public Library. Bursting with pride, I cheered on as we nailed over a half-dozen presentations ourselves and picked up a few awards as well.
What follows is notes from the sessions I attended in reverse chronological order.
Making a Connection: Library Services for International Students
Applicable to understand our local internationals.
Unique Needs – Listening difficulties, strong accent, need time to translate words into own language first.
Cultural Differences – Library cultures, classroom culture, writing styles, plagiarism (in China, can copy?!), references (cannot make them up). Never take “common sense” for granted.
Speak normal, clearly, 10-15% slower (not louder!) Focus on the last 2 sentences, often will get the point. Nonverbal communication, many foreign cultures avoid direct eye contact—especially mixed gender.
The Known Face: Situations and Discussions
Situations/skits from the Library World!
Frontline staff should not be engaged in unfriendly confrontation, give benefit of the doubt, they brought it to the library. Give best service possible.
Unattended child – Ban people? Explain why. Let it happen once. If it continues, send along to the manager, director, etc.
Reports from the Front in the Battles to Protect Free Expression on the Internet
Tom Burke, National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera and this moderator’s Facebook page were shut down due to being “violent,” but maybe because the FBI trolls found it and told them to take it down. Threatened with multiple indictments, can lead to 7 years in jail. 23 have been subpoenaed. Homes raided.
Mary Dixon, American Civil Liberties Union – Filtering bill applies only to schools, and students can disable the filter upon request. Gay-Straight Alliance , Chick Fil-A’s anti-gay practices, Harvey Milk, these were all filtered. It Gets Better also. Surprisingly. The equal access act was violated here. URL Blacklist is being sued, with some success.
Al Kagan, SRRT ALA – Wikileaks. Patrick Henry, our liberties are not ensure if our government conceals. All European governments disbelieve that Afghanistan can become a credible government, a gov’t contractor has paid for child porn here, we have held 150 at Guantanamo who were not a threat, we overthrew Tunisia, we trained Egypt torturers in Virginia, Saufi Arabian arms trading kickbacks, we’ve opposed min wage in Haiti.
Daniel Ellsworth linked releasing 9/11 papers to Wikileaks. “I was Bradley Manning.” ALA supported him.
Access, democracy, the public good, and social responsibility. These are the ALA codes we uphold.
OMB Memo 11/28/2010 “Wikileaks – Mishandling of Classified Information.” ALA supports Wikileaks, and wants Bradley Manning freed.
“When people think what they’re doing is subject to open view, their behavior generally improves.”
Releasing classified information that should not be classified possibly prevents our government from doing anything they want to do.
Filters are not effective, they’re just censorship tools. Why don’t they die? These bills effect sex offenders and children, and are why they’re regurgitated…
Guerilla Innovation: Changing Libraries from Within
(Or ways to create change from within) by Duane Bray
Human Multitasking – The technology we use may be rewiring our neural pathways. Mediated conversations, engaging network to make decisions. People text vs. talk even when next to each other. Worlds blend.
Self Quantification – Datam allows you to quantify yourself. Can track anything, understand behavior. Food, money, films we consume. Otherwise, we’re being tracked all the time.
Collective Intelligence – We gain info from humans and non-humans we encounter. Yelp.
Questions/Implications
What is the role of the library as physical space?
As more content becomes digital, should libraries become more virtual
What might some future library services be?
How do we help people understand the difference btw good and bad info?
How do we engage librarians in thinking about the future?
How do we convey the unique value of libraries?
A set of tools and processes to enable organizations to create change from within using their own people and resources rather than relying on outsiders. Helps with:
New/expanded roles, changes to physical space, new customer interactions, digital tools.
Requires: Leadership buy-in, curiosty & optimism, benefit of the doubt, willingness to make change, and perseverance.
Inspiration – NASCAR prepares fix kits, loyalty (military, marriage) and how it is fulfilled. CPL has best practices (eMedia space + digital)…cultural institutions (American Museum of Natural History using digital tools to enhance physical space)…competition (Google, Wikipedia)…Like Minded Folks (Voyurl…human ability to locate and find good info)….Disruptors (Amazon, Small Demons – aggregates book content, presents as an engagement tool.)
Empathy – Seeing the world through our patrons’ eyes. Day in the life…shadowing…cultural exchange/critique…get on social networks.
Storytelling – Sharing insights in a meaningful way. Diary of insights, personae and behaviors, storyboard the library!
Collaboration – Understanding roles.
Spaces for Change – Need to signal change in a physical manner. Destroy the cubicle. Pixar has wooden cottages. Google has T-Rex & Flamingos and in Sweden, a twisty space. Create an idea zone. A board. For patrons to see as well. Here's one from a university in Texas.
Prototyping – Getting tangible. Give familiar things as provocation to create a final solution (Rosetta Finances) Build a team, align on challenge, brainstorm, build & pilot, gather feedback, etc.
Formalizing – finishing up. Try it out, improve it. Throw away bad ideas, improve those with potential.
Closing/Things to Try – 7 steps, include telling a story, seeking inspiration from other settings, experience other roles first-hand, create human centered view, try it on for size, prototype together, introduce/encourage experiments. Concept prototypes can be drummed up as a form.
Multi-Type Library Cooperation & Local Content Creation
The mission of librarians is to improve society through knowledge creation in their communities.
Under the Influence – 2009 Springfield, big read program, 5 libraries. iLEadU (Multiple types of libraries) initiative led them to want to target 18-24 year olds. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. Music was gateway theme. Video’d survey of what all students thought book was about. “How has music inspired you?” any artwork/mixed media was posted to website from contest. 30 entries. Public voted for favorite entries. Contest winners announced at launch for big read.
Preparation
Buy in, employer support, how does it fit mission? Identify goals. Establish relationships. Timing.
Promotion
Used skills & resources of others to reach different people. Found the tribe, used technology (wordpress to create, facebook, twitter to promote), but also used print. United effort, when asked, people almost always helped. Hootsweet and Tweetdeck can populate Twitter throughout a period of time.
Execution
Timing is everything. Keep on schedule. For flip cameras, training sessions didn’t work out because of lack of staff. Collaborate. Learn CMS. Promote!
Ideas/Inspiration
Wordpress class can be offered. iPads and Flip Cameras can be lent out. Can make promotion easy with all of these tools & relationships, achieve the mission!
Underestimating Complexity: Creativity in Libraries as Loose Systems, Troy Swanson
Karl Weick – KISS (Keep it Simple Stupid) denies the complexity of any workplace situation.
Mountain Bikes – No one “invented” one….disc brakes from motorcycle added to regular bike…inventors had to be aware of innovation & have ability to add to them.
The Power of Loose Systems
Adaptability – ability for local actors to make discoveries and communicate that back to the group…or…potential! Requires: easy communication, understanding rules, oversight to keep rules working, and support for variability. Can your people share ideas? Is bottom-up innovation spread? Do ideas spread? We need to talk!!
Info Literacy Programs as Loose Systems
What is the looseness?
*Needs of students
*Relationships between sessions poorly defined
*Outcomes difficult to measure
*Relationships between individuals constantly shifting
*Highly creative as librarins & instructors to meet local, time-sensitve needs
*Creativity released into space, never to be captured…answers very local needs.
Too tight: What types of creativity can NOT happen because of your system? Where is the line you won’t cross and why?
Too loose: What types of creativity are lost into the ether? Has to be some boundaries.
Each librarian observes four other librarians’ sessions, writes reports, summarize, share, discuss best practices. Feedback from students important.
Systemic
Do people see hey are part of a system, need to share? Do people value discussion enough? Get people to share their stories…these create meaning. Assessment is a formal version of feedback. Need to have enough structure to support creativity. Experimentation needs a few rules.
“Just let go,” “I say never be complete, I say stop being perfect, I say let’s evolve, let the chips fall where they may.” Tyler Durden
This is the submission my colleague and I put together for the contest. What follows is the presentation, a pretty good brush-up on how easy it is to get started, how to shoot, edit, and even some equipment tips.
Everything is Changing – Arlington Heights service desk. Much smaller. More self-service. Ready reference was killed by Google. eBooks, streaming, etc. vs physical collections.
Everyone’s a Producer – There are 48 hrs of video uploaded to Youtube every minute. We can curate collections as well as create.
Getting in on the Action – Video creation is much easier than it looks. Tools you might need:
Home or Consumer Entry Level Camcorders: Kodak Z18, Playsport, Sony Bloggie Touch, Flip Mino HD—great to check out for patrons to use(!), standard camcorders (cnet.com reviews). Canon S95 camera shoots HD video. iPhones, androids, etc also have great cameras, where you can buy a $35 zoom lens, connectors are important for better sound, etc.
Equipment:
Mics – Desktop, Blue Yeti mic can be switched by direction. Lavalier, clip on.
Lighting – Well-positioned halogen lamps from Target can help. Plan for natural light. Pro kits are pricey.
Tripods – Must be fluid, pan, tilt, cascade. Gorilla Pods are cheap and can be wrapped around solid surfaces. Can buy them for phones. Monopod is just a stick, good for the field. Can make a DIY shoulder rig.
Editing Software – iMovie, free with every Mac. Windows Movie Maker and Youtube Video Editor are both free.
Pre-Plan to Make Your Movie Shine!
*Try some different genres on the idea. Parody already popular film. “Blab” write down 5 minutes of ideas, the more ridiculous the better, about the program, service, etc.
*Consider tone/mood/intended audience.
*Half the film is sound. Plan a song that might work. FX, dialog, voiceovers, etc
*Cast the film…there is always an actor in the library.
*Hold a pre-shoot meeting. Show care, organization, impress colleagues for buy-in.
*Storyboard, shoot list, and script. Can just do one. Many free script templates online.
*Bring props.
*PANTS (power, accessibility, noise, traffic)
Shooting Tips
Zoom sparingly – consciously.
Rule of Thirds – Never just the center. Four inner corners are best for principals.
Count Down – From five, silent on last three, drop index finger. Consistent. Gets actors ready.
Soundjay can be a good resource for sound effects. iMovie is fun –n- easy. Transitions, titles, etc!
The Hopeful Workplace – Joan Frye Williams and George Needham
Ingredients: Meaningful goals, the will to get there, the way to get there, some level of control, reasonable expectation of success, connection to others.
Meaningful Goals – Positive outcomes for end user. What do you do? “I change people’s lives.” I get people jobs, literacy, solve any number of problems…clarity. Has to mean something to you. Need to be able to articulate the goal. “Save time, get better grades:” Oxford Brooks University slogan.
Prepare for Success – We ration success, limit computers, DVD’s, etc. We more often prepare for failure.
The Will to Get There – You need to know you’re not the only one working towards this goal. Support your colleagues. The 2nd person on-board is a crucial vote of confidence otherwise you’re a “lone nut.” You can say “tell me more,” then say “sign me up” later. Consensus is also important – the process was fair, decision criteria clear, opportunity for input, and even if you don’t fully agree with it, you can still support it with positivity. Not well-done in libraries, generally.
The Way to Get There – Get off the fence, act. A well-thought-out plan that is hopeful & flexible. Stonewall, natural pushback; answer with “how can we?” Take good objections and work them into design criteria. Add “Yes, and” vs “Yes, but.” Appreciative inquiry – starting from strengths…what do we have to work with? What are we really good at? What is uniquely ours? Don’t focus on what you don’t have. Learn from mistakes, don’t necessarily stop, but tweak. And answer questions: Will it show (value)? Can it grow (scalable, flexible, deliverable by nonprofessionals)? Does it flow (match the patrons’ lives—equitable, usable, compatible, in demand)? Check out this sustainability checklist, customer walkthrough and other tools here.
Some Level of Control – People want to be able to work it themselves. Not too little or too much. Clear role expectations, who’s accountable. Defined by outcomes, not tasks. Open communications, no “gotchas.” “Tell me what you need, I’ll tell you what I need.” “It’s your day to be right.” Constructive feedback that focuses on technique, not intentions, or person…helps people understand how they stand vs the expected outcome. Also, recognize & give rewards, routinely. Allow authority, give tools for success rather than rules…there are many ways to get there. Plan B, C, D = hope.
Reasonable Expectation of Success – No pie in the sky, 100% literacy, top of Hennen rankings. Focus on attainable goals, 10 you can hit vs 40/50 you can’t. Focus on results, even if you got there ugly. We make changes in the communities, make a difference, but all we talk about is the backlog. Support from successful role models, can be casual. Official mentoring is great for the mentor, mentee, and profession. Not all surprises are bad, leverage these, celebrate them. Neutralize the pit-dwellers and deal with the naysayers. Give the pit-dweller one more chance, then ignore, isolate, and stop wasting time on them. Don’t argue with people who have already given up.
Connection to Others – Hard to be hopeful when you’re alone, social creatures need support. Choose generosity. Choose yes. Focus on abundance, share it. “I think we can strengthen this work if..” is better than “that sucks.” Libraries tend to be over-critical. Be flexible, bounce back when you’ve been slammed against a wall. Traditions don’t help here.
Other Tips 4 Hope –Take care of yourself to keep your spirit and those of others up. Be civil and set that example. Trust people and let them trust you. Earn it. But don’t expect to be let down, disappointed, betrayed. Be open. It is a joyful and hopeful way to work. Teamwork is essential. The human condition is funny; laugh. Express gratitude. Show and share the passion, this is what gets support at levies. Citizens notice. Let's all get work-related tattoos like the employees of Harley Davidson?! Contact George & Joan
Staff Rewards and Recognition, Jim, Dee, Rick, Kelly, Dee, Rory
Unsurprisingly, they rocked it. Calm, cool, informational, yet professional. Very proud. They impressed outsiders as well, earning star on the wall here for an inspirational program. Many other stars were put up, including one for Lori, just for being Lori...
Embracing the Library Life Cycle – Joan Frye Williams and George Needham
Information Cycle – we need to preserve context, work across formats, we need to work on the application and help in the organization of info. Only librarians like searching, everyone else likes finding. We need to think of the end product, what the patron is looking for. A book on resumes vs. a job.
Technology Cycle – Product, demand for product designed. Steve Jobs did this. Technology is consumer driven rather than top down. They often teach us. We need to ramp up access and licensing expertise. DRM must be understood. Lots of different learning styles require lots of different tools. We want to empower people, add value for that 2nd question.
Economic Cycle – Times are tough, the memory of which will be similar to the Great Depression. Doing more with less is impossible. Do different with less. What can we do differently. Measure the results rather than the workload. Like how firefighters became EMT’s after houses were built more flame retardant. How do users become successful from our work?
Government Cycle – Public is asking more as we are getting less. Interagency cooperation may be a solution. ILL has existed since 1919…evidence that we are way ahead of other government organizations. Must be more grassroots, rather than top-down. How do we play nicely w/organizations that aren’t just like us? ALA made common cause with the NRA against the Patriot Act. Privacy vs. big brother. Inspiring.
Convergence – The difference between a library and community center is eroding. Note: malls have disappeared/diminished. We can and should step in. How do we crawl out of OCLC Silo, “cylinder of excellence?”
Environmental Cycle – Transumerism (Zipcars, etc,) staying local, and reducing reusing recycling. Libraries are the original environmentalists. We should position ourselves as such. We could go solar, lots of libraries have. What is a library’s carbon footprint vs. other organizations? This should be determined. We generate a carbon credit. Invest in us!
Education Cycle – Lots of group work. Now extreme teaching to the test, for “No Child Left Behind.” Leaves intellectual pleasure behind. We can coach, bring this back. Unsticking people. Help with FEMA forms, job applications, etc.
Anticipate the Cycle – Beyond training to co-creation. Create and propagate new knowledge. We are contributors to the learning team. No longer anonymous or neutral. Hyperlocalism, why not specialize in the local community? We can help the historical society with technology. Fix Wikipedia pages. Rather than advocate, we need to demand. We’re either at the table or on the menu. We know more about community assessment/engagement, economic development, customer-focused IT, and so much more. We need to sell this, not beg for pennies. Leverage our value! We can’t hunker down. Look for what’s on its way out. How is behavior changing? Solid materials are on their way out. Jump on trends, answer to them.
Social Cycle – People long for community. Boomers want to give back. Community service is part of a young person’s life. Hard to fit it in. They can do this at the library, with friends groups. As a gathering space, we can do more facilitation, convening. We can host the potluck vs. cook the dinner. We need to be the safe home of community conversation.
Political Cycle – Factionalized. Little common ground for discussion of important issues; our neutrality is a benefit here.
What’s on Its Way Out:
OPACs – Freerange discovery.
Subscription Databases – Except at academic libraries.
Hard copy audio and video – Downloadables.
eContent that can’t be used on multiple devices
Wired Connections.
80/20 – Refresh frequently. Keep 80 percent regular, change 20% and make it show. Think of grocery store end caps. Show we are a changing organism. Techniques change, not principles. Consider routine sunsetting…if we stop doing something that’s no longer used, we make room for the future. Move those VHS users to DVD’s. Celebrate what you’ve done well and give it a fine retirement.
Keep Learning and Laughing – Every day, learn something new. Make it fun. Never lose sight of your motivation for fine, noble work worth doing. Honor the people you serve. George and Joan's website here.
In the New York Times, an archivist discusses that due to our increasing societal reliance on data, libraries won't die but parts will. Like we shed our skin, we lose our card catalogs. Maybe someday, we'll lose the ILS in favor of something better, who knows.
Article here.
Lost library ephemera slideshow here.
While nothing will replace our beloved libraries, the institutions, the cultural centers...I love the rampant democracy of the Little Library. Started in Wisconsin, you can apparently build them yourself for about $350. Or look for one, they're all over the place, and take any of 20 or so books. Elegant!
Check out an article about them here.
Here's the official website, where to purchase and a cool slideshow filled with additional ideas...
Really interesting infographic, thanks to The Centered Librarian! Terrific design and economy of information, especially pertaining to the variety of what we do (left brain vs. right). Read on...
Why not? They're fun, educational, culturally-rich, bring patrons through the doors. You can play and walk away, but in this American Libraries article, I detail to precision how to DIY.
Flavorwire has a really nice feature today, 10 adaptations that failed to be realized. Orson Welles doing Heart of Darkness anyone? How about Sam Goldwyn, Harvey Weinstein, Billy Wilder, Elia Kazan, Terrence Malick, Jack Nicholson, Marlon Brando, Leonardo DiCaprio, or Jerry Lewis doing Catcher in the Rye? Or Bill Cosby direciting anything (aside from stand-up special Himself and a few of his 60's shows). Read the post here.
I love articles in the general press about how libraries are great because they're free. Even better, this article on MSN Money details exactly why that is. We do it all the time in the biz. But the article cites free books, audio, video, magazines, job searching, babysitting workshops, things to do with the kids, Internet and Wifi, and best of all:
"Librarian access 24/7. If you can't find the answers you need, libraries await your question. In Ohio, they have Know it Now (your local libraries will have different names for this feature) which gives 24/7 access to an online research librarian."
Yes! Libraries and librarians are a great resource. In a culture steadily advancing towards where everything has a pricetag, where the middle class is disappearing, and so many of us are poor, we need libraries, a center for the common good with absolute equity of access.
Little names like Dr Seuss, John Le Carre, Isaac Asimov. James Joyce, Jack Kerouac. They were all told repeatedly to give up. This list details the rest.
Have just finished the wonderful McSweeney's Created in Darkness By Troubled Americans humor collection. Click here for a list of things actually said by Patrick Thomas's Hollywood bosses.
A couple teasers:
"I don't want to understand it, I just want to know how it's going to be done."
"You're too enthusiastic and eager to please. Every time I see you smile, it ruins my whole day."
This absolutely wonderful blog is the best side of what we tend to see on the web. Someone gets inspired, decides to collect things. A librarians delight: a list of quotes. In this case: books and breathing.
"Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing." ~ Harper Lee.
"I nearly always write, just as I nearly always breathe." ~
John Steinbeck.
The first part of this post consists of presentations from libraries who circulate eReaders; more pertinent to what we do for sure. But part two's Apple, Barnes & Noble, Borders, and Best Buy pitches (dubbed by a colleague "live infomercials") contain a lot of good information that could help us answer questions from patrons who already have these devices.
Library eReader Presentations
You can see the slides from the great presentations here. But it seems like it might be a temporary link, so feel free read on for my notes and observations.
Ming Heraty, Arlington Heights Library
40 eReaders circulate, varying brands. No internal loss, cameras everywhere. Best to circulate pre-loaded, add new ones yearly. Each device has a list of books in its record.
Kindles
Takes a while to get approval. Call corporate, 3 months later using them.
19 regular + 1 DX (for large type only) + 1 reference (for staff to play with). Do not work with Overdrive.
This is what patrons ask about. Answer demand by circulating pre-loaded Kindles.
"Singles" -- for short-format works, novellas, ebook-only releases
"Romance" -- Many come out only in eBook format, esp. paranormal.
"Special Collections" -- local authors.
--they must be cleared each time. The home page can seem "lost," patrons will panic. Kindles can be de-re-registered. Ordering is too easy. Costs the patron, not the library. They break, but Amazon replaces them with no questions asked. When batteries run out, they're dead and must be returned. 6 kindles per account.
Nooks
10 regular + 1 reference. Work with Overdrive. Extremely good/improved customer service.
Ordering is time consuming, can drain batteries.
Adobe Digital Editions can't be activated more than 6 times before they need to be reactivated. Takes very little time to clear up and can be deregistered.
Sony
10 regular + 1 reference. Work with Overdrive. Sony Reader Library Program -- training, handouts, pocket edition readers. Ordering is time-consuming. Must synch to computer. Managing patron use is easy, can easily clean scrub each time.
General Rules
Residents 12 years old and up. Reservable/renewable, though with consistent holds, not an issue.2 week checkout period, $1/day fines. Same problems with any checked out item, they come back dirty, etc. How They're Handled In-house
Exactly like any other item, except everyone works together. Collection Management selects. Tech svces. acquires, processes readers & cases, catalogs. Every part is barcoded. Circ checks out/in. They only new wrinkle was managing the quick turnaround and a department clerk does this. Empty cases that have all instructions (e-reader focused) printed on themlive on "just returned" cart until someone checks them out. Check # of items, send along to review.
Anthony Molaro, Messenger Public Library, Aurora Many Options -- which way to go vs 50 reasons not to change. Pilot Project -- staff first, then unleash on the world. Notified Amazon of intent in writing. Worst case cease & desist letter, which didn't happen. Create Policies -- create positive, sensible, avoid "no poop int he sink" Scrub -- Nooks can be wiped on check-in, "return to factory settings." Perfect for Overdrive checkouts. Title List -- Doesn't need to be cataloged. Can group by genre classification, print list. Help Staff Embrace Change --eBooks ahve eclipsed books in sales for Amazon (1/2011) and Barnes & Noble (2/2011). Staff is 80% of our cost, train them well. Be people-oriented. Cost -- Minimal. $150 for a Kindle. Add free books.
Amy Peterson, Schaumburg District Township Library
Training patrons/staff to use eReaders & downloadable media.
Raise Awareness with staff Webinars -- great, very passive. Classes -- Lectures, hands-on. Informal -- Peer to peer. Follow up -- Ex: "Apple products now accept Overdrive!" Keep training and handouts current and relevant.
Patron Education Lecture Style -- Don't shoot for too much: 1 type of reader/format per session. Hands-on -- A better option. One session for eReaders, 1 for audiobooks, etc. One-on-one -- Book a librarian is a very popular service. Demos int he Library & Elsewhere -- Train station, farmers market. Videos & .pdf's -- Guides live on website Vendor Supplied -- Apple, B&N, etc. will visit. These also happen at stores, Barnes & Noble has a "Nook Night." We can visit these to promote the library's downloadable services. Screencasts -- can include interactive web tutorials. These exist in Columbus, Denver, University of Washington, Orange County, and countless other places. Rip them off.
Store eReader Presentations
All to be taken with a grain of salt. Every one of these people, whether from Barnes and Noble, Borders, Apple, or Best Buy spoke with a 100% interest in moving their product. That's all. however, the sales pitch included valuable information that can help us work with people who already have some of these devices. Even though Best Buy's info was off. But Best Buy did seem like the best place for a "petting zoo," since they carry everything.
APPLE STORE iPad -- iBooks app turns it into an eReader. Can increase font size. Lock orientation. Can "disctionary" any word you read. Also, highlight, change color. Can leave a note regarding highlighted text, date indicated; These bookmarks show by table of contents. Can email these notes to self w/button in top-right. 10 hour charge, 9.7 in screen. Also: display picture books in full. Pull off bookshelf. iStore has "Top Charts" access to NY Times bestsellers as well as free books. Tap "get" button, enter password. Apps
Kindle App -- allows you to access old Kindle/Nook titles you've obtained. Special Apps -- certain books have their own. Green Eggs and Ham "reads" to you, names words & objects you touch. Varies camera angles, distance of framing.
OverDrive App -- Makes it usable by library users.
BARNES & NOBLE Nook -- wifi 3G color. 3 devices. 22 million titles. Can sample before you buy. Android operating system which is an open system, updatable, free per customer demand, cna load any type of file. Replacable battery. Dictionary. Games. Text/background changeable. Battery lasts 4 days (8 hours for color/wifi). 2 GB = 1500 books. Additional through micro SD card.
BORDERS Demy -- cookbook w/sealed touchscreen, 2500 recipes ($199!). keyingredients . com can save preference and allergy information. Has 3 timers and can convert Oz to jigger, milliliters to tsps, etc. Kobo Original -- Basic, any pdf/epub file. 1gb, expandable up to 5gb. 2 week battery with eInk which is easier to read. 2 fonts. Cheapest! Kobo Wireless -- 3 day battery life. Sony Pocket -- 5 in screen, 2gb expandable. 10 day batetry. Sleep mode saves page. Highlight, take notes. Translation dictionaries. Sony Daily -- 7 in screen, free 3g, 2gb expandable up to 64(!) 10 day battery w/Internet capabilities. Open format. $300! Sony Touch -- 6 in touchscreen. All of these can be locked.
BEST BUY Kindle -- 7 day battery ($139). 3G ($189). Keyboard. Limited to Amazon.2000 books. No touchscreen capabilities. He said there was no limit on the number of devices that can download a book, but it's actually 6. Also, he hinted that the Kindle DX and 3 may do Overdrive. In light of the misinformation on the amount of downloads, I wonder if this is true.
Best Buy for Business -- offers bulk discounts for libraries.
This NPR Story discusses our future in the world of eBooks. Will we become obsolete? Will publishers go broke? Harper Collins 26-checkout limitation infuriated most, but got us talking.
Some suggest we lease content from the publisher, kind of like our databases. And I think this is probably the future. Which is unfortunate.
But Eli Neiberger of Ann Arbor District Library has a different idea: "The goal of the library is to obtain the ability to distribute content to its public. And if we can do that easier and more cheaply with the rights holder or the artist themselves and they make more money on it, then it may be heretical — but the future usually is."
Google's hope to make one was struck down. So-called "orphan" books -- those out of print with no ability to actually find the author and secure copyright -- languish, waiting to be put online. I would love to see these up and searchable.
From the editorial in today's New York Times: "[Congress] almost passed a bill that would allow anybody to digitize orphan works without fear of being sued for copyright infringement as long as they proved that they had tried to find the rights’ holder. This would give all comers similar legal protection to that which Google got in its agreement.
Congress should approve this legislation. While it’s at it, it should consider promoting a nonprofit digital library, perhaps seeded with public dollars. The idea of a universal library available to all is too good to let go."
This panel, led by Mattel (unsurprising that they described the manufacture of a He-Man character) described what goes into the planning and creation of an action figure. Works a bit like advertising. Research and Development (the creative guys) float an idea. They plan the articulation. Then they manufacture it. Everything is done by a human being wit a brush. Must train everyone to consistent quality level.
Early Works of Jim Henson
Tale of Sand -- is an unmade film. Is being adapted to a graphic novel.
Wants to honor Jim, inroduce Jim to this side of Jim. Archaia comics has also done Return of the Dapper Men and Mouse Guard. Working on prequels to Dark Crystal and Fraggle Rock.
Alexander the Grape -- Cute, unfinished cartoon.
Time Piece -- 1964, (now quaint) rhythmic meditation on modern life with animated live action starring Henson himself. Has been used in film schools. Very clever, only spoken word: "help."
Ripples/Bufferin/Cities -- Raymond Scott music over experimental animation of live action. 3 films.
Ulysses and Headquarters Detective were the first challenged. In the 40's, it was determined to be a case of free speech. I blogged a bit about this and the big comic burning in my hometown, Binghamton NY last year. 1954, Comics Code Authority was voluntary self-censorship vs. government regulation or commercial boycotts. The Supreme Court has defined 3 categories of speech not protected, obscenity (sex, not violence), harmful to minors, and child pornography (doesn't include virtual). AKA the "Miller Test"
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund -- Initially never meant for kids (really more for GI's), after the code, comics were infantalized. For the first time in 70's artsits attempt to adopt content for social relevance. 1970's, Marvel did a book on drug abuse & horror books made a comeback. 1966/7 underground comix Jack Jackson's (aka Jaxon) "God Nose" the opening salvo. Crumb pushing a baby carriage of Zap #1 down Haight St. Dennis Kitchen. Kim Deitch,. Art Speigelman. A lot of individuals who had grown up on EC, which disappeared and they didn't know why. Frankly addresed sex, violence, issues of the time in a full range of expression.
Zap #4 included Spain Rodriguez, S Clay Wilson, Crumb, many others. Joe Blow was a satire of 50's society -- incestuous family. Gross out sick humor. Addressed that nuclear family may be a myth. A bust in 1971 led to the first modern conviction for obscenity for comics. This is the first time the Government actually steps in. Makes underground comix collapse. Conventions spring up. With newsstands dying, mainstream comics need a place also. Cerebus and Elfquest self-published...majors pick up. 1978-1986 brought along Alan Moore and Frank Miller. 1978 A Contract with God sets the tone for the Graphic Novel and more sophisticated contact. Raw is started with Maus serialized here. Adult comics fully come back. Watchmen, Maus, and Love & Rockets, Omaha, Dark Knight Returns all in 1986. Friendly Franks comic bookstore was busted and CBLDF was established to protect him. They won.
Librarians and staff bring most challenges, surprisingly -- parents (60%) + community members + organized pressure groups as well. Circ clerk will bring it to the director off the YA shelves, etc.
Brooklyn, NY Tintin au Congocommittee vaulted it for special permission. Should they also have gotten rid of Huckleberry Finn? Views of past illuminated.
Thanks to my c2e2 pal for being there with her daughter. Made it possible for me to sit there and absorb the cuteness without feeling like a creepazoid. Dozens of adorable costumes on parade; some, like the Flashes who tended to run in a huge circle, a karate demonstrating Superboy, and an endlessly somersaulting Iron Man, were a blur of action. Others shyly waved, half-chicken dancing to that song that happened to be playing. One toddler Wonder Woman was asleep on her daddy's shoulder. The Savage Dragon, Iron Man, Wonder Woman, many Flashes (some female), Spiderman & Spidergirls, Green Lantern, Princess Peach & Mario, Captain America and The American Dream, a few totally fabricated from the imagination like "the Beating Light Girl," and on and on. Just amazing.
Popped into a couple screenings...
Dungeon Crawl (pictured right)is a film that anyone can watch for free here. It's about just what it sounds like it would be...
Evangelion 2.22 -- Mecha anime. A lot more people in this screening.
Meet Jim Martin
Legend in the field described puppeteersas "immediate animators" who watched their creations on the monitor while working them, instantaneous. He told his life's story. Did a bunch of local stuff in Pittsburgh before landing at Mr. Rogers, which used jazz uniquely as a kids' show. Then met some Sesame Street people. George Pal, others (stop-action Hansel & Gretel is amazing). Hearing him doing his Gary Gnu voice was a real thrill, Mark Hammill was the president of the GG fan club. Then moved onto Captain Kangaroo for its last couple of years and did Mr. Spaghettio. Did the pigs, chickens, and cows for Sesame Street and then a director on the show, for which he won an Emmy.
Bonus: Martin said Jim Henson's big puppeteering innovation was that he made the hand go out as the mouth was opening and closing; try jutting that thumb out and you can almost imagine the ping-pong eyeballs on top of your fingers.
Adaptation Issues Panel Shakespeare, Jonah Hex, etc! To see the guts of this program, click here. Thor will take place in Asgard. Superman seems like it will be terrible. Adaptation adds Complexity -- Stephen King has famously said movies of his work are better. Shakespeare is the opposite problem -- must takes some out. Here's a blog posting about how graphic novels help in understanding Shakespeare.
Vertigo Panel What's cooking in comics' "edgiest imprint" with Bill Willingham, Scott Snyder, Shelly Bond, Jill Thompson and others. The Marvel Fear Itself panel was full. No big. Let's see what these cats who've been publishing since the days of Hellblazer and Sandman to Fables and DMZ
Jill Thompson Delirium's Party in May, companion to the Little Endless Storybook, reprint due soon. Scott Snyder American Vampire, very young. One to watch. Bill Willingham Fables series on ABC not happening. Another novel? Maybe.
Time to run to the costume contest! Videoed some of the characters. Wow. Speaking of which, the costume contest seems to be ongoing... Other costumes I Have Simply Seen While Walking the Exhibitors' Floor: Weapon X, Mario, Green Lantern, Pokemon (20's guy), Waldo (30's girl), Baby Superman, Sideburns Superman, Authentic Superman (waiting in DC line), goths of all kinds (lots of dead girls), anime/manga that I don't know, Scott Pilgrim's girlfriend, Cleavage displayed in: wonder woman, futureshock cowboy lady, bo peep, supergirl, powergirl (remember her?), Princess Leia (as enslaved by Jabba), countless characters I don't recognize, some maybe fashioned around the cleavage. Ren fair people (often hard to tell from the countless Obi Wans (one was a male-female couple!)), every Star Wars character, The Joker: asian, black, white, tween versions, begoggled steampunk characters, Star Trek characters (many blue, red, and green, less yellow tunics and dresses).
I love seeing those in partial dress; heroes and villains alike caught in vulnerable "backstage moments" such as: Thor (in blue jeans w/hammer), helmetless Stormtrooper on a cellphone, just about anyone (from Spawn to The Riddler in mask and suit as if they're en route to a black tie event)...and the kid with the Spider Man costume and Lone Ranger mask about made my day.
Otherness in America Description here. We3 by Grant Morrison provides animals' perceptions (of time, especially) to show how they're different from ours. Lots of POV shots from animals, asserts against our general "lesser-than" view of animals.
Christopher Deis The Politics of Popular Culture -- the zeitgeist, the symbolic powers. Overlaps -- Comedy & satire, movies, TV, editorial cartoons. SNL, Glenn Beck, 60 minutes, etc, etc. Vice versa -- Cesnorship, propaganda, social networking and "Jasmine Revolution," moral panics, style/fashion, music by people's movements (Black Freedom struggle) Race -- A fiction, there is only 1 (human race). Has been a central fissure, tells us who gets what. Critical readings, becomes moral conversation rather than analyzing it. "Floating Signifier" like class and gender, it is a stand-in for something else. Conscious or subconscious. Collective subconscious, stories work because of this. The white racial frame, language we use around normality or "the universal." A challenge, problem, opportunity, selecting the cases to discuss. Social/political context -- The creator -- comic books & GN's as social texts -- the reader, how it is received. Captain America -- embodies nostalgia, Americana, "political" subject matter (WW2, 9/11, Tea Party, etc.) Race, politics and memory. Burdens of history and representation (segregation, Tuskegee, eugenics), Questions of canon, narrative, aesthetics, Divergent responses among fans and critics. The Truth complicates the story with re-imagining the origin of Isiah Washington, the first man that the Capt. America serum was tested on. Stan Lee called challengers racists. Walking Dead -- Apocalyptic setting and the "new normal." Humans vs. xombies. Preexisting social and identity markers made irrelevant, kills those lines. Dystopian possibilities. The relationship between national and personal trauma. A metaphor for national trauma--hypervisiblity of race & gender. Fables -- Mythical ch's set in the real world. Politics, immigration, assimilation, conflict, human drama. Initially Eurocentric. Now introducing Arabian Nights. The corrective: a great opportunity for rich story-telling. Future Directions -- New York as a diasporic society of many cultures. Specfic ch's: John Henry, the "bluesman," the Maroon King, Stagolee, Uncle Remus, Briar Fox, Shango, Obeah Man, etc. GN as a sociological and politcal text. Interdisciplanry conversation. Academics + audences + creators working together. Casting Films -- Donald Glover as Spiderman. Asgard with people of color. Moving towards multiculturalism away from the canon (which is the group in power). James Bond can't be black because he's British. Veerhoven's work is far-right (Starship Troopers, Robcop). Green Lantern is black in print, not in the film.
Representing Science and Medicine in Comics Stories optimize scarring. Comics deliver stories in a unique way. The gutter space, the making of boxes, the time it takes to represent visually what one's trying to convey. Helps to process trauma, bearing witness to suffering for practitioners. But also for patients. Uses the whole brain. Comics & Medicine conference at Northwest--Scott McCloud, David Small will be appearing. Viruses are drawn as heroes. Scientists are also drawn as heroes. Great way to get kids into science. Visual learners. Differences in learning styles. After 5th grade, text and image can still be married. Note: the anatomy coloring book. Essential for med school.
DAY ONE...
I am posting from C2E2 while watching Hero Tales, a pretty-good anime due out soon. Good enough to select for the library? Maybe. Popular enough, no. But here's the thing, I am posting, while researching pop culture, which I am absolutely suffused in. Costumes everywhere. Allegiance-defining T-Shirts. A wide swath of incredibly interesting people with equally diverse interests. Animation, comics, Japanamania, TV shows, anything with a (potential or actual) cult following is presented here.
What did I do today? Learned about the world's largest publicly-accessible comic library, Toby Greenwalt's great work in Skokie to not only involve patrons with comics, but to get out to the community as a whole. This is obviously a passion of his and I intend to follow up on a lot of the great ideas he had. A black comix panel celebrated the life of Dwayne McDuffie. It was so full that I had to type it from the top of a garbage can.
From the Windy City Jedis (lightsaber choreography and stage fighting!) to the costume contest (Skeletor was late), I also just observed, awe-struck at the amazing creativity people throw into things they are obviously passionate about. At once complicatedly sophisticated and sweetly naive.
Reading Comic Books in College: Using Michigan State University’s Comic Art Collection for Research and Teaching
Library (in Basement):
Stated Goal – To have every American comic book every published, has over 200K. Largest publicly-accessible collection in the world. As well as fanzines. Full text books trumps reprints due to additional content, including ads, letters column, etc, etc. Meant to be accessed and used. Teens come in; fully open to the public. Doesn't include much art, mostly just the comics and books. Comics must be read in reading room, cannot be browsed. Monitored area ensures books stay in good shape. Scan or reprint older books to preserve them.
The Comic Arts Collection @ MSU
Over 1000 books of Newspaper strips. From 1935 forward, largest cataloged collection in US. Many other countries, languages.
MSU Hosts Comics Forum every year. To promote comics research and expose the nexus of both comics study and historical study of comics and popular culture. Site here. I want to go to here. The comic shop across the street stocks books for classes and takes part in this.
Ways of Teaching
Historical Analysis -- Compare early Superman to current Superman book. Relate historical context.
J Anthony Blair -- Comics, GN's,, video games are very easy for students to relate to and grasp. Visual Rhetoric: arguments can be communicated in the traditional sense visually.
David Birdsell & Leo Groarke -- Toward a Theory of Visual Argument: images can sufficiently carry meaning and words have their limitations.
Kathleen Blake Yancey -- "Delivering College Composition: A Vocabulary for Discussion." The essay may be dead, since so little of it is done post-school. Most write memos and formal technical reports. How to manipulate fonts, include visuals, enter settings, may be more crucial. Repurposing writing. Composing rather than writing.
Also: multimedia presentations, online writing, with a solid foundation of essay mechanics. But can they make and upload a Youtube documentary? They should in order to be successful in the modern world.
Why Comics? -- Watchmen & Sin City are important cultural artifacts. They are suited to analysis rather than the reviews students may be tempted to write. But they are easy to teach because:
They are accessible
They are fun (students put in energy)
They come in with knowledge of comics/films/games
Help illustrate (literally) thetorical concepts
Gives students experience analyzing media, crucial to looking at the world w/critical eye.
Heralds of Change: Comic Books, Libraries, and Innovation
Not a lot of popular books have a lot in common. GN's have less shelf space, budget, but circulate more than any other genre once teen is added to adult.
We can use the same methods to hook people on services. Building credibility.
A safe space for users. As the get more comfortable, they approach us, and we can sell them on other programs and services.Can do this virtually as well--Facebook, etc.
Messing Around
We surprise people as doing what we do best. Going out there and being nerds.
Setting up RSS feeds per question type and making those feeds go in a certain radius area.
Willingness to experiment -- making sure everything is mobile-friendly. Can have a scavenger hunt through foursquare with prizes like bags, free pizza, etc. Engendering discovery & reward. Do the same thing with hiding QR codes.
Geeking Out
Chris Ware's cutouts. Wednesday Comicsallowed current authors to do old strips. Seth's Dominion City model. Best, though to look at making patrons create their own comics. NANOWRIMO, 24 hour comics day. Drawing Day 2011.
Skokie Stories -- is like Story corps. 2 people in community with shared connection to interview each other. Archive in partnership with Historical society.
May Be Doing Allready -- People breakdancing in library parking lot. 14 year old kid who built an iPad app. Capture what's happening. Capitalize on it.
Digital Media Lab -- Give patrons the space to do this. CPL's new media space. Built from book's main ideas--hanging, messing, and geeking...
Use Gimp, Audacity, Scratch. Recording equipment is cheap.
Collect -- After created also collect the info, innovations, culture, content!
We are one of the only tech centers for people, and so much more. Brand recognition works against us, OCLC said 80% of teens think "books" and only books when they think of us. We should refocus on "story" rather than books. We are being cut left and right. This is our way to establish credibility. We need to get people to geek out about the library.
Black Comix: African American Comics Art and Culture This panel had a conversation, mostly about Dwayne McDuffie.
Milestone Comics -- DC African American imprint has been putting out work since the nineties. Still going in a different form. Not the failed experiment it's often referred to as. Comics failed Milestone, not vice-versa. The same way they failed women.
Dwayne McDuffie -- RIP for this major artist, he made John Stewart, Luke Cage, Black Panther possible to be huge.
Image/Tribe -- Told blacks that they could make books even more like themselves.
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