New Year's Resolutions for Librarians Check out Mary Pergander's twelve resolutions for the New Year in the latest American Libraries - http://www.ala.org/ala/education/empopps/careerleadsb/workingknowledge/workingknowlege0108.htm

I just got back from lunch with a colleague who does a similar job at a nearby library, so I feel pretty good about # 1 on the list. I don't understand librarians who don't like to socialize with other librarians. What's up with that? It's how I get some of my best ideas, either stealing them from colleagues (CASE - Copy and Steal Everything) or generating ideas together through hot-and-heavy discussion of library issues.

I remember one time my librarian friend Heather and I took another librarian out to dinner. Our discussion about libraries -- from our specific places of work up to the future of our profession as a whole-- got heated, as it usually does when Heather and I get together. We didn't really notice that our colleague wasn't quite as into the discussion as we were.

At the end of the evening she asked us "Umm... do you guys usually talk this much about libraries?" Oops. It reminded me of an ill-fated blind date I had once where I went off on a rant about libraries and the guy looked at me like I was a three-headed, be-cardiganed alien from Mars.  ¶ posted by Mary Martin @ 4:08 PM  0 comments links to this post

  Way to Pimp the Harris County Public Library (TX) Check out this blog entry on the Harris County, Texas Public Library's blog: http://www.hcpl.net/ebranch/news/archives/000588.html

I really like the way they have taken the writer's strike and made it into a tool to market what their library already provides. The "Did you know?" and "If you like" references make it sound very much like a conversation you'd have with a friend, and I think that helps to make the library sound friendlier and more accessible.

Thanks to Heather for sending me this link!  ¶ posted by Mary Martin @ 2:30 PM  0 comments links to this post

  Books Don't Take You Anywhere It's hard to believe that Books Don't Take You Anywhere, an "expose" about books and reading, was published in The Onion ten years ago. It kind of makes me feel old, actually. But the article is still pretty dang funny. And just think! If you read it ten years ago, chances are you won't remember it now, and it'll be like you're reading (and enjoying) it for the FIRST TIME!  ¶ posted by Mary Martin @ 12:17 PM  0 comments links to this post

  Paws for Reading

Photo courtesy of Joan Shyers, Echoes-Sentinel

In October 2007 we started a program at the library called Paws for Reading. Each month, trained volunteers come to the library with their therapy dogs and kids can sign up to read to the dogs for 5 minutes. The kids sometimes bring their own books, other times they pick out a book at the library. (My favorite moment so far was when a kid chose to read Go, Dog, Go to the dog.) We had this month's program last week and we didn't have too many kids signed up (I think it was due to the holiday season) so, to my delight, there was a slot open for ME to read to the dog! I read "Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus." Ginny, the dog, seemed to enjoy it, but maybe that was just my imagination. Can I just say how much I LOVE having dogs in the library?!?!?!? It rocks.

Plus, when I sent out a press release announcing the event, both of the local papers got very interested. They both sent photographers and had reporters contact me about it. I think it was the unexpectedness of having dogs in the library that attracted them. Here's the article from the Courier-News.

  ¶ posted by Mary Martin @ 1:08 PM  0 comments links to this post