Decisions,decisions…what to write about….

Writing an e-mail or a letter is one thing but posting something to a blog is totally different. E-mails can be rambling and just thoughts and also don’t need to have spelling corrected, Spell Checker where are you?  Blogs on the other hand…wow for someone heading from middle age to old age I am just farklempt ( a jewish word I just love ) and also one could say fartoost. I have just been shown a wonderful Yiddish website so will now be using some of the wonderful words I have found on it. But it is all fun and I am hoping that it won’t take me too long to learn all the ins and outs of blogging. Debbie 

The Universal Library: Not As Close As You Think

This recent New Yorker article gives a lovely overview of the progress we’ve made, as humans, in digitizing our intellectual output. You may notice that the article’s author, Anthony Grafton, is a clear library supporter, as all good and right-thinking people are. However, even if libraries aren’t your cup of tea, Mr. Grafton makes clear the sheer scale of effort that truly “putting it all up on the Web” entails. As any of our researchers in pre-1900 areas know (Poole’s Index, anyone?) the bulk of our intellectual heritage is not digitized. Who’s going to digitize it? And who’s going to organize the resulting mass of stuff so it’s usable?

Impact factors: how meaningful?

Karen Merguerian: Our engineering librarian, Joan Omoruyi, has recently called our attention to an article published in Journal of Cell Biology, which calls into question the methodology used in determining journal impact factors.  The article is here: http://0-www.jcb.org.ilsprod.lib.neu.edu/cgi/doi/10.1083/jcb.200711140 The NU Libraries recently acquired access to Journal Citation Reports, which includes journal impact factors. 

Book Clubs

Even though I really love to read, I’ve never been part of a sustained, organized book club. One of my favorite elements of college was the discussion sections for my English classes. I enjoy thinking about aspects of a text, analyzing them, and also getting to hear what others thought. Of my friends who’ve been part of book clubs, the general consensus seems to be, that after the first meeting or so, no one usually ends up reading the book, and the get-togethers become more haphazard and purely social affairs (which can also be fun, but deviate from the original goal.)

I’ve thought about trying to start a book club at the library. Do you think that students would want to participate, or are they too entrenched in their own studies, to want to pick up additional reading? Do you think library staff, or other faculty and staff from the Northeastern community would be interested? And how narrow of a book club topic yields the best inquiry?

iPod Addiction

Yesterday morning while getting off the commuter rail on the way to work, I did my usual routine of taking out my iPod and starting a favorite song.  However, when I took it out and pressed play– nothing happened.  I realized my battery was dead… and freaked out.  Easy fix though, right?  Just bring it home after work and charge it.  But, that would involve being without it for an entire day.  An entire back-from-a-week-and-a-half-off day.  I knew then what I never wanted to admit– I am addicted to my iPod. It never used to be this way.  I was probably the only one on the planet without an iPod, certainly the only one out of my friends.  I thought, “I’ll never get one.  I’ll never cave to society’s popular gadgets.”  But, when my other cheap-o mp3 player bit the dust, I decided it was time for a change.  Something a little more innovative, a little more durable– a little more like an iPod.  So I went for it and let me tell you: it was the best $150 I’ve ever spent.  Not only did I get an iPod, but I got the brand new 3rd generation nano.  Gasp. I listen to it on the way to work.  I listen to it at my desk.  Occasionally you can see me listening to it walking around the stacks while searching for media booking items.  Of course I listen to it on the way home from work and let’s not forget before I fall asleep at night.  I even got it a little protective case so it doesn’t get scratched.  I may even name it someday, but I don’t know if I want to go there, yet.  I am in love with this thing. Well, rest assure, the first thing I did yesterday when I got home was charge it so that it would be ready for today.  As a closing note,  I thought I would share with you all what I am currently listening to:  Gretchen Wilson- her album, Here for the Party (and I promise- this is the only country music on my iPod!) ~Tricia 🙂