No Shushing

Read about the contemporary library and hip librarians, specifically in California, in No Shushing in This Library, a feature article in The San Diego Reader

You VS the Computer

Want to make computers smarter? GWAP invites you to do just that with games like Verbosity and Squigl. Of course you can opt to keep computers dumb.

CAPTCHA

The term CAPTCHA translates to "Completely Automated Turing Test To Tell Computers and Humans Apart." The first CAPTCHA was developed to be used by Yahoo and the term was "coined in 2000 by Luis von Ahn, Manuel Blum, Nicholas Hopper and John Langford of Carnegie Mellon University." You can visit the CAPTCHA site and download the software to add it to your website. The purpose of the CAPTCHA is a

"program that protects websites against bots by generating and grading tests that humans can pass but current computer programs cannot. For example, humans can read distorted text as the one shown below, but current computer programs can't."

I have to use a CAPTCHA each time I update this blog. It's often a case of the CAPTCHA vs. LIBRARIAN, however. They can be very difficult to use. For instance, is that second letter an i or a j? Could there be an l in front of the b?

ReBound

There are many craft artists out there making old book covers into purses. I purchased one locally and loved it to death ... or almost because I've put the poor worn-out thing on the top shelf of my closet. They can be pricey - but they are perfect gifts for readers, booklovers and librarians. Here is an online link to artists like Rebound-Designs. The Friends of the Library in Kirkwood, MO have taken the idea and run with it.

Delaying News in the Age of the Internet

Read an interesing article on news traveling fast inThe New York Times by Noam Cohen.

"For better or worse, it seems that even NBC News cannot protect the family of one of its own in that way.

The lesson seems to be this: as long as there is news, people will try to share it. And new technology promises to turn the process into a tide that can swallow us up, good intentions and all. "

Thanks to Library Link of the Day

Wordle Clouds

Gerry sent me yet another great link this week. Wordle will create an original word cloud. Be sure to play with the layout, colors and fonts. What a great tool with all kinds of uses.

Shakespeare on the Common

Free performances of Shakespeare are held every summer on the Boston Common. They are wonderful and the Taming of the Shrew (done in a quirky but very fun and irreverant North End style!) was great in 2006. Bring a picnic dinner, low chairs or a blanket, patience and an inclination to sit under the stars. This year is As You Like It and the performances will be held on the evenings of July 18 through August 3. Check ahead for a weather report and take the T. Read the Boston Globe update for complete information, including some history of the project.

Just Vocabulary

Just Vocabulary "is an online audio-show/podcast that teaches you 2 words per show. It's free, it's short, and you can listen to it where and when you want. Just Vocabulary introduces words from the GRE, SAT and TOEFL lists."

Study tools include MP3 downloads, podcast subscriptions and iPod flashcards.

Free Speech

Speeches from both campaigns can be found on the candidates' websites - Barack Obama and John McCain

My Readable Feast

Interesting blog by a mom who pairs children's books with cooking ideas.

Bringing familes closer with children's books and a pinch of cooking.

Anne Marie has been blogging My Readable Feast since June 2006.

Three Books

NPR's Three Books highlights a few young adult reads this week.

Finding Good Books

One of my excellent sources of good reads (for myself and for library patrons) is Bas Bleu,

champion of the odd little book ...

Of course, when trying to outwit the demand that will eventually hit our library ... this week or next month ... The New York Times Book Review (and the bestsellers lists), is a must. Other great sources are BookSense, the website for independent book stores (it becomes IndieBound.org on July 1, 2008. and Bookpage. Other great sources for demand from patrons is Oprah Magazine's book lists - here are the Summer Books 2008, and NPR's lists, including the Summer Reads 2008.

50 Best Web Sites

Time Magazine has listed the 50 Best Web Sites 2008. Among them are GasBuddy, TripKick, Zeer and MapJack. Be prepared to kill some time because each short article introducing the site includes others like it, better or worse.

Miles To Go Before ... You Change the Oil?

Gerry sent me this link to an article from GreenCar. The 3,000 Mile Oil Change Myth states:

"Using 2005 data, the [California Integrated Waste Management] Board estimates that Californians alone generate about 153.5 million gallons of waste oil annually, of which only about 60 percent is recycled. Used motor oil poses the greatest environmental risk of all automotive fluids because it is insoluble, persistent, and contains heavy metal and toxic chemicals. One gallon of used oil can foul the taste of one million gallons of water."