The Singular Pilgrim: Travels on Sacred Ground by Rosemary Mahoney was published in 2003. It was published around the same time as Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and it was not as popular. Mahoney details several pilgrimages, in Spain, in India, in Britain and in Ireland. It is a tale of walking, and more walking but embodies the classic religious or spiritual need to test the body and through that find faith or peace or in today's world, we may view this as a way to find oneself.
Beautifully written Mahoney struggles with her belief and the search for God. It is also a memoir describing the end of a relationship and her life as a writer. A simply wonderful book.
Who should read it: Readers who loved Eat, Pray Love and were drawn by its discussion of spirituality. The Singular Pilgrim focuses mostly on Christian pilgrimages but Mahoney does describe a pilgrimage by the Ganges.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Kindle for Distance Learning
I read John Gapper's column in the Financial Times with great interest. He described the battle between the Sony Reader and Amazon's Kindle and indicated that he thought that the Kindle had won. The Kindle has built-in wireless capability, it is easy to get content from Amazon for it (now there are over 145,000 items available), you can easily subscribe to newspapers and blogs and of course, it has a keyboard. Although Amazon has not provided sales figures for the Kindle, other groups have estimated that about 240,000 units have been sold.
One of the reasons that I am so fascinated by e-readers and the Kindle, in particular, is that I getting my Master's in Library Science through an online program and I can see what a terrific market the online learning community is for a Kindle or other reader. Of course, now the Kindle can only access what is available through Amazon or books in the public domain and that would have to be expanded.
For my classes,I access a bulletin board in which the professor and the students post and respond. Through this bulletin board, also access my assignments, find papers to be read and access other course tools such as our wiki. A Kindle or Kindle-like device would allow distance students to easily keep in touch with the bulletin board, get their email and research. The wireless capability is the key along with the keyboard because students could use the device not just to read items on the bulletin board but post as well.
A lot of distance students complain about the lack of community and face-to-face interactions. That bothers me less because I managed a development group remotely for several years. What I would like to see to increase satisfaction in distance learning is improved access and a portable device that I can always carry and like the Kindle, is always connected to a wireless network.
One of the reasons that I am so fascinated by e-readers and the Kindle, in particular, is that I getting my Master's in Library Science through an online program and I can see what a terrific market the online learning community is for a Kindle or other reader. Of course, now the Kindle can only access what is available through Amazon or books in the public domain and that would have to be expanded.
For my classes,I access a bulletin board in which the professor and the students post and respond. Through this bulletin board, also access my assignments, find papers to be read and access other course tools such as our wiki. A Kindle or Kindle-like device would allow distance students to easily keep in touch with the bulletin board, get their email and research. The wireless capability is the key along with the keyboard because students could use the device not just to read items on the bulletin board but post as well.
A lot of distance students complain about the lack of community and face-to-face interactions. That bothers me less because I managed a development group remotely for several years. What I would like to see to increase satisfaction in distance learning is improved access and a portable device that I can always carry and like the Kindle, is always connected to a wireless network.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Market Electronic Availability
I have been continuing my research for my Library Automation Vendor Analysis and have discovered that SirsiDynix is adding a Books by Mail feature. A patron can specify whether they want to pick the books up in the library or have them delivered to their home or office. Now, clearly there are implementation issues that libraries will need to grapple with, but this feature is a terrific step forward for libraries and should be marketed as being part of an end-to-end electronic capability. Patrons can now request books on-line, track their status, renew them and have them delivered to their home without needing to step inside the library. They can also ask reference questions online and access reference materials from home.
It is not that I think coming to the library is a bad idea, but this recognizes the fact that many people do not use the library because they do not have the time. When I worked at my previous job (a way more than 40 hrs a week job), I seldom used the library because I could not get there often. I travelled a lot and going to the library took time,I often did not find books that interested me and if I did take something out, I had to worry about whether I would be around when it was due so it was easier to go to the bookstore than go to the library.
For years, I have kept a notebook of books that I wanted to read; the notebook was organized by month so I would know when books were coming out and I kept another couple of pages for books that might be older but had attracted my interest. Now, that I can request books online I seldom use the notebook because I can read about something and add it to my library wish list immediately whether the library is open or not.
I often read articles about the importance of marketing libraries and their services and while I agree that is important it has often seemed to me that these articles focus on getting people into the library, but seldom treat those users who do not come to the library but would still be interested in the services of the library--I think of this as the virtual service population.
This is simply a terrific marketing opportunity--you can use all of the services of the library from home now including getting the items delivered to your home. There have been a number of articles about how libraries should work on creating open spaces and be more like bookstores, but I have always thought that the secret to a successful library is in the service and 24/7 electronic access is a winner.
We recently had a discussion in my class about library blogs and whether they make sense for a library. I think that they do but as part of an electronic presence for the library. Patrons like to come to librarians for suggestions about books, they can come to the blog to get those. I have also seem library blogs featuring things like website of the day which is also useful for your virtual service population and it shows that the library is embracing the electronic world. A library blog part of the electronic strategy of the library and an important component of marketing the new virtual 24/7 library.
It is not that I think coming to the library is a bad idea, but this recognizes the fact that many people do not use the library because they do not have the time. When I worked at my previous job (a way more than 40 hrs a week job), I seldom used the library because I could not get there often. I travelled a lot and going to the library took time,I often did not find books that interested me and if I did take something out, I had to worry about whether I would be around when it was due so it was easier to go to the bookstore than go to the library.
For years, I have kept a notebook of books that I wanted to read; the notebook was organized by month so I would know when books were coming out and I kept another couple of pages for books that might be older but had attracted my interest. Now, that I can request books online I seldom use the notebook because I can read about something and add it to my library wish list immediately whether the library is open or not.
I often read articles about the importance of marketing libraries and their services and while I agree that is important it has often seemed to me that these articles focus on getting people into the library, but seldom treat those users who do not come to the library but would still be interested in the services of the library--I think of this as the virtual service population.
This is simply a terrific marketing opportunity--you can use all of the services of the library from home now including getting the items delivered to your home. There have been a number of articles about how libraries should work on creating open spaces and be more like bookstores, but I have always thought that the secret to a successful library is in the service and 24/7 electronic access is a winner.
We recently had a discussion in my class about library blogs and whether they make sense for a library. I think that they do but as part of an electronic presence for the library. Patrons like to come to librarians for suggestions about books, they can come to the blog to get those. I have also seem library blogs featuring things like website of the day which is also useful for your virtual service population and it shows that the library is embracing the electronic world. A library blog part of the electronic strategy of the library and an important component of marketing the new virtual 24/7 library.
Labels:
Libraries,
Library Automation,
Library school
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Fall Quarter Registration
I am taking two courses this quarter, a Practicum and Public Library Service. Since I work in a public library and will be using that as my practicum site, I thought that pairing these two courses would work well together.
I always register early on the first day available to me and usually get the courses that I want. However, this morning there was a problem. I registered and got a strange error message but thought that the registration might have gone through, but no luck. I tried several times again with the same result. I sent email to my advisor and she registered me in the class so all is well.
I have looked at the syllabus for Public Library Service and it looks good. I have a lot of questions about funding and administration and it looks like we will address those topics in the class.
This will be the first time that I have taken two courses at a time. I have not been in a hurry to finish and there are plenty of things that I like to do outside of work and school and taking only one class made that possible. However, I am getting closer to finishing and want to accelerate the process. I suspect that I will spend about the same amount of time on school that I do now, but I will just need to allocate that time over two courses rather than focusing so hard on only one.
I always register early on the first day available to me and usually get the courses that I want. However, this morning there was a problem. I registered and got a strange error message but thought that the registration might have gone through, but no luck. I tried several times again with the same result. I sent email to my advisor and she registered me in the class so all is well.
I have looked at the syllabus for Public Library Service and it looks good. I have a lot of questions about funding and administration and it looks like we will address those topics in the class.
This will be the first time that I have taken two courses at a time. I have not been in a hurry to finish and there are plenty of things that I like to do outside of work and school and taking only one class made that possible. However, I am getting closer to finishing and want to accelerate the process. I suspect that I will spend about the same amount of time on school that I do now, but I will just need to allocate that time over two courses rather than focusing so hard on only one.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Rediscovering Gems: Random Family
Family sagas are popular and here is the twist with this one--it is a family saga and it is real. Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble and Coming of Age by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc was written after 10 years of studying a Bronx family. It centers on two young women, Jessica and Coco and follows them as they fall in love, get pregnant and start families. Jessica falls in love with a drug dealer and spends years in prison and to get away from the neighborhood and start fresh, Coco takes her family to Troy, NY.
LeBlanc does not preach or use statistics to make her case--she simply presents these lives as they happen. The women assume their own dignity but for many readers their lives will seem more like fiction than most novels because the women's experiences are so different from the lives of many readers and yet, they started off with many of the same dreams.
While there is much sadness in this book, LeBlanc's depiction of the family and their lives is engrossing, touching and well done. I started out wondering how she researched it but quickly fell into the story of their lives.
Who would like it: People who like family sagas, but more realistic ones. People who are interested in sociology and city life.
LeBlanc does not preach or use statistics to make her case--she simply presents these lives as they happen. The women assume their own dignity but for many readers their lives will seem more like fiction than most novels because the women's experiences are so different from the lives of many readers and yet, they started off with many of the same dreams.
While there is much sadness in this book, LeBlanc's depiction of the family and their lives is engrossing, touching and well done. I started out wondering how she researched it but quickly fell into the story of their lives.
Who would like it: People who like family sagas, but more realistic ones. People who are interested in sociology and city life.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Vendor Analysis
I am mid-way through my Library Automation course and have been researching the final project, a vendor/product analysis paper. I have chosen SirsiDynix Symphony. The research is going well and I have started writing the paper.
Symphony is the product that we use in my library and I have a much better understanding of the features, the migration necessary to move from Unicorn to Symphony and a greater understanding of the information that is avaialable to SirsiDynix customers. For example, they produce detailed Release Notes so you can find what has changed or been added in each new release. I have always asked for Release Notes whenever we had a upgrade and none were ever provided to us but now, I can find them myself.
All-in-all a very worthwhile project.
Symphony is the product that we use in my library and I have a much better understanding of the features, the migration necessary to move from Unicorn to Symphony and a greater understanding of the information that is avaialable to SirsiDynix customers. For example, they produce detailed Release Notes so you can find what has changed or been added in each new release. I have always asked for Release Notes whenever we had a upgrade and none were ever provided to us but now, I can find them myself.
All-in-all a very worthwhile project.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Rediscovering Gems: The Lymond Chronicles
The first in the new Friday series, Rediscovering Gems, is the Lymond Chronicles. This is a series of books written by Dorothy Dunnett that follows Francis Crawford of Lymond in his adventures in 16th Century Europe and the Mediterranean. There are six books in the series: The Game of Kings, Queens's Play, Disorderly Knights, Pawn in Frankencense, The Ringed Castle and Checkmate. Clearly all use the imagery of chess and Lymond is a charismatic figure who is a patriot, a soldier of fortune, a poet and troubled man.
Dunnett is a superb author and she handles the sweeping history of the Lymond Chronicles with ease. Clearly the books are lovingly and exhaustively researched but the reader is in the hands of a wonderful storyteller so the history comes through as part of the story not like a lesson.
There are several reading guides available for this book including this site put together by Random House that includes images of all of the books, a history and reader's guide to the books.
Wikipedia has a terrific entry on the Lymond books which includes major characters, both historical and fictional, and a synopsis of each book.
Dunnett wrote another series, The House of Niccolo, that has a linkage to the Lymond Chronicles. A link to the family tree of the House of Niccolo is available through the Wikipedia link above. However, if you have not read the House of Niccolo you may find that the family trees gives away an important revelation in the final Niccolo book (I have not finished the Niccolo books so I have not yet checked out the family tree because I do not want the surprise to be spoiled.)
Who would like this gem: People who love history would love these books and the success of the Patrick O"Brian books and the rediscovery of the Horatio Hornblower books show that there is a readership who enjoy books that combine history with a sweeping story. And, Lymond is a wonderfully romantic creation and these books will appeal to those readers who enjoy a romantic figure at the heart of the story.
Dunnett is a superb author and she handles the sweeping history of the Lymond Chronicles with ease. Clearly the books are lovingly and exhaustively researched but the reader is in the hands of a wonderful storyteller so the history comes through as part of the story not like a lesson.
There are several reading guides available for this book including this site put together by Random House that includes images of all of the books, a history and reader's guide to the books.
Wikipedia has a terrific entry on the Lymond books which includes major characters, both historical and fictional, and a synopsis of each book.
Dunnett wrote another series, The House of Niccolo, that has a linkage to the Lymond Chronicles. A link to the family tree of the House of Niccolo is available through the Wikipedia link above. However, if you have not read the House of Niccolo you may find that the family trees gives away an important revelation in the final Niccolo book (I have not finished the Niccolo books so I have not yet checked out the family tree because I do not want the surprise to be spoiled.)
Who would like this gem: People who love history would love these books and the success of the Patrick O"Brian books and the rediscovery of the Horatio Hornblower books show that there is a readership who enjoy books that combine history with a sweeping story. And, Lymond is a wonderfully romantic creation and these books will appeal to those readers who enjoy a romantic figure at the heart of the story.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)