OK, I am lazy this time. The list is in reverse chronological order. And it is first books, then audiobooks.....
Books read, January - June 2010
In the Sanctuary of the Outcasts by Neil White
for the East Baton Rouge One Book/One Community
The world that made New Orleans : from Spanish silver to Congo Square by Ned Sublette
Hungry Town: A Culinary History of New Orleans: The City Where Food Is Almost Everything by Tom Fitzmorris
Thelonious Monk: the life and times of an American original by Robin D. G. Kelley
Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell
Nadirs = (Niederungen) by Herta Müller
translated and with an afterword by Sieglinde Lug
Corporate Diversity: Swiss Graphic Design and Advertising by Geigy, 1940 - 1970 by Andres Janser, Barbara Junod, Karin Gimmi, R. Roger Remington, Yvonne Zimmerman
I did not actually read the whole book, merely browsed and sampled. There are some great, classic graphic designs featured.
The passport by Herta Müller translated by Martin Chalmers
Fabulous New Orleans by Lyle Saxon
[A 1988 reprint by Pelican Press of the 1950 reprint of the 1928 original. Christmas gift.]
Letter to My Daughter: A Novel by George Bishop
Advance Reader's Edition
Listened to:
There's a (slight) chance I might be going to Hell: [a novel of sewer pipes, pageant queens, and big trouble] by Laurie Notaro, read by Susan Denaker
The Traveler: [a novel] by John Twelve Hawks, read by Scott Brick
The Associate by John Grisham, read by Erik Singer
No way to treat a First Lady by Christopher Buckley, read by Grover Gardner
Searching for paradise in Parker, PA by Kris Radish, read by Barbara McCulloh
Inside Drucker's brain byJeffrey A. Krames, read by Sean Pratt
Buyology : truth and lies about why we buy by Martin Lindstrom
Main Street by Sinclair Lewis, read by Brian Emerson
Genghis: bones of the hills by Conn Iggulden, read by Richard Ferrone
Elmer Gantry by Sinclair Lewis, read by Anthony Heald
Thelonious Monk by Thelonious Monk, Legacy (2000) To accompany reading a biography of Monk
Monk alone: the complete Columbia solo studio recordings of Thelonious Monk by Thelonious Monk, Columbia/Legacy (1998) To accompany reading a biography of Monk
The complete Blue Note recordings by Thelonious Monk, Blue Note (1994) To accompany reading a biography of Monk
The Humbling by Philip Roth, read by Dick Hill
Inimitable Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse, read by Martin Jarvis
The prince of tides by Pat Conroy read by Frank Muller
Googled: the end of the world as we know it by Ken Auletta, read by Jim Bond
Celebrated cases of Judge Dee: [an authentic eighteenth-century Chinese detective novel] translated by Robert van Gulik, read by Mark Bramhall with Lorna Raver & Stefan Rudnicki
Breach of faith: Hurricane Katrina and the near death of a great American city by Jed Horne, read by Andrew L. Barnes
The last Dickens: [a novel] by Matthew Pearl, read by Paul Michael
Handle with care by Jodi Picoult, read by a full cast (Celeste Ciulla, Jessica Almasy, Jim Colby, Charlotte Perry, Alma Cuervo, Cassandra Morris)
While my sister sleeps by Barbara Delinsky, read by Cassandra Campbell
The dart league king by Keith Lee Morris, read by Nick Landrum
Football genius: a novel by Tim Green, read by Tim Green and the Full Cast family
Body movers. 2 bodies for the price of 1 by Stephanie Bond, read by Cassandra Campbell
44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith, read by Robert Ian Mackenzie
Friday, July 23, 2010
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Blog Anniversary, etc.
Well, it is my son's birthday (again), and it also means that my blog is having its anniversary also. I started this five years ago today. And, no, I did not do it on my son's birthday on purpose.
This year was the first time in a very long time that I did not attend ALA Annual, and as a result I don't have the same kind of "post-ALA blues" which I wrote about in my first "real" post on July 7, 2005.
My posting patterns have changed over the years, as has the content. I am about to head out on vacation, and for the blog I have two goals: 1) finish editing three posts from April 2009 to wrap up the PLA Spring Symposium; and 2) to spend some time reflecting on where this blog is going to go.
We will be in Northern Minnesota, and have been told that cell service is "spotty" but that the resort has wi-fi.
Stay tuned....
This year was the first time in a very long time that I did not attend ALA Annual, and as a result I don't have the same kind of "post-ALA blues" which I wrote about in my first "real" post on July 7, 2005.
My posting patterns have changed over the years, as has the content. I am about to head out on vacation, and for the blog I have two goals: 1) finish editing three posts from April 2009 to wrap up the PLA Spring Symposium; and 2) to spend some time reflecting on where this blog is going to go.
We will be in Northern Minnesota, and have been told that cell service is "spotty" but that the resort has wi-fi.
Stay tuned....
Thursday, June 17, 2010
More links
Dorothea Salo [spelling corrected...thanks, Eric] regularly writes about institutional data repositories. The ALA Washington Office reports on a meeting where libraries were viewed as having a key role in data curation.
Eric Hellman asks if public libraries are in a death spiral. He reflects on his experience in industry when a major contraction took place. He suggests that cutting hours is counter-productive, and advocates more fund raising like NPR. I respect Eric and his writing, but it is clear to me that he has not had to manage in the public sector. Much of the public does not believe the bad news of budgets until it hits them. Been there, done that. He includes a list of links to articles about public libraries being in trouble. I have talked about some of my experiences in July 2008, (twice), August 2008, and even earlier embedded in a post on customer service.
I am no longer sure where I picked up this citation, but it has good advice for bloggers, Bloggers: 7 questions to ask before hitting "Publish".
There was also a thoughtful post about copyright by Laura Crossett with both some good information, and interesting insights and reflections.
One of my electronic friends posted a link to this article which simply demonstrates the wrongness of the Arizona bill and other efforts to target immigrants legal (like this kid) and others. After all, there is only a very, very small number of my friends, colleagues, and acquaintances whose ancestors (or they) are not immigrants. Certainly somewhere back there (in the 1800s) all my ancestors came from another country! This attitude scares the crap out of me!
Facebook privacy settings take another beating in this blog post from John Henry Clippinger. (Is that a pseudonym?) David Lee King also posted about the settings, with a screen shot and some cogent observations.
There is a great post for anyone thinking about freelancing. (It is a thought I entertain from time to time...) It is a good mix of philosophical and practical. [Note to self: see if there is a part two and/or three!]
And finally, I noted the issue with the California Digital Library and Nature Publishing Group. Steve Lawson was first on my radar with "UC to Nature Publishing Group: DROP DEAD." I then picked up on the story in the Chronicle of Higher Education. There are three which summarized the issue well for me, starting with Dorothea Salvo, and including both Eric Hellman and Steve Lawson. Eric's post includes links to actual documents. And here is the Library Journal summary of the dust-up.
Eric Hellman asks if public libraries are in a death spiral. He reflects on his experience in industry when a major contraction took place. He suggests that cutting hours is counter-productive, and advocates more fund raising like NPR. I respect Eric and his writing, but it is clear to me that he has not had to manage in the public sector. Much of the public does not believe the bad news of budgets until it hits them. Been there, done that. He includes a list of links to articles about public libraries being in trouble. I have talked about some of my experiences in July 2008, (twice), August 2008, and even earlier embedded in a post on customer service.
I am no longer sure where I picked up this citation, but it has good advice for bloggers, Bloggers: 7 questions to ask before hitting "Publish".
There was also a thoughtful post about copyright by Laura Crossett with both some good information, and interesting insights and reflections.
One of my electronic friends posted a link to this article which simply demonstrates the wrongness of the Arizona bill and other efforts to target immigrants legal (like this kid) and others. After all, there is only a very, very small number of my friends, colleagues, and acquaintances whose ancestors (or they) are not immigrants. Certainly somewhere back there (in the 1800s) all my ancestors came from another country! This attitude scares the crap out of me!
Facebook privacy settings take another beating in this blog post from John Henry Clippinger. (Is that a pseudonym?) David Lee King also posted about the settings, with a screen shot and some cogent observations.
There is a great post for anyone thinking about freelancing. (It is a thought I entertain from time to time...) It is a good mix of philosophical and practical. [Note to self: see if there is a part two and/or three!]
And finally, I noted the issue with the California Digital Library and Nature Publishing Group. Steve Lawson was first on my radar with "UC to Nature Publishing Group: DROP DEAD." I then picked up on the story in the Chronicle of Higher Education. There are three which summarized the issue well for me, starting with Dorothea Salvo, and including both Eric Hellman and Steve Lawson. Eric's post includes links to actual documents. And here is the Library Journal summary of the dust-up.
Social Media Rules
Michael Stephens has written a post called Social Media Best Practices for Libraries. There is great content there, but it certainly does not spell out a suggested policy for a library. He does that in a separate post suggesting a policy for Anytown Public Library.
There is a great article in Public Libraries (November/December 2009, p. 23-25) by David Lee King and Michael Porter about dealing with comments. (I can't find the electronic version on the ALA/PLA web site.)
Jill Hurst-Wahl has a great series of posts on rules for using social networks. Here is #9.
Is this the end? I don't know. I think it will develop over time.
There is a great article in Public Libraries (November/December 2009, p. 23-25) by David Lee King and Michael Porter about dealing with comments. (I can't find the electronic version on the ALA/PLA web site.)
Jill Hurst-Wahl has a great series of posts on rules for using social networks. Here is #9.
Is this the end? I don't know. I think it will develop over time.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Insurance - Medical
Arghh!
No matter how far away you are, or what thunderstorms are in the vicinity (we have had some strong ones tonight), you probably heard me when I picked up my prescriptions tonight.
I have two conditions for which I take maintenance medications. One of them I have been taking one prescription or another for over 30 years (think 6 doctors, in five different states). Today was the day to pick up the refills.
One refill was just fine.
The other, the cheap one (less than $5 per month) had a note: 14 day prescription. Why? I don't know. There was no other note on the paperwork (from a national chain). Ironically, 17 days from now I will be on a different health plan. (That would be my employer's idea not mine....and my fifth health plan in five years.)
Anyone who does not admit that the current system is broken, has their head in the sand, and is not grounded in reality. Why can some administrative person in an insurance company or drugstore chain decide that what my doctor (the one who went to medical school and then internship and residency, and in my case has many years of practice) had decided that I need to take, is not correct?
In 14 days, I will refill the prescription, and make them give me an explanation. [And the rise in my blood pressure is what the medication is supposed to control! They are not helping!!!]
No matter how far away you are, or what thunderstorms are in the vicinity (we have had some strong ones tonight), you probably heard me when I picked up my prescriptions tonight.
I have two conditions for which I take maintenance medications. One of them I have been taking one prescription or another for over 30 years (think 6 doctors, in five different states). Today was the day to pick up the refills.
One refill was just fine.
The other, the cheap one (less than $5 per month) had a note: 14 day prescription. Why? I don't know. There was no other note on the paperwork (from a national chain). Ironically, 17 days from now I will be on a different health plan. (That would be my employer's idea not mine....and my fifth health plan in five years.)
Anyone who does not admit that the current system is broken, has their head in the sand, and is not grounded in reality. Why can some administrative person in an insurance company or drugstore chain decide that what my doctor (the one who went to medical school and then internship and residency, and in my case has many years of practice) had decided that I need to take, is not correct?
In 14 days, I will refill the prescription, and make them give me an explanation. [And the rise in my blood pressure is what the medication is supposed to control! They are not helping!!!]
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