Thanks for reading <3

Today, big stuff happened on the libraries and ebooks front. And I tried to write an eloquent and stern “open letter to HarperCollins” type post. But so many people are doing it much better than I can. So instead, I will do something I am good at and point you towards the resources to educate yourself about what is going on and what you can do about it.

First, read the Library Journal article written by Josh Hadro who broke the story. It’s really great reporting. Thank you so much Josh.

HarperCollins Puts 26 Loan Cap on Ebook Circulations

Next, check out the hashtag that started the uprising of librarians in response to that great piece of reporting.

#hcod

Now read the really amazing blog posts popping up all over the libraryland blogosphere.

The Publisher That Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by theanalogdivide

Library eBook Revolution, Begin by the Librarian in Black

Publishing Industry Forces OverDrive and Other Library eBook Vendors to Take a Giant Step Back by Bobbi Newman

I am altering the deal. Pray I don’t alter it any further. by LibraryRenewal

Questions That Need Answers by David Lee King

Okay you should be pretty briefed by now and also angry/upset/disappointed — however you choose to process this.

Finally, there is this:

library.ebook@harpercollins.com

That right there is the email HarperCollins has obviously set up specifically for our complaints and suggestions. So let them have it. Tell them what you think and what you have to say about it. Give them any suggestions you have for how to make this right and more importantly if you are angry about this decision (that’s right Librarians, it is okay to be angry) that was made without libraries and librarians having any place or opinion in the matter tell them about it.

You can also @ them on twitter. They live here: http://twitter.com/#!/HarperCollins

And that’s all for now. Have a lovely (but activist filled) weekend.

So, fair readers, today I am here to write about a nifty little group I heard about on Studio360 (which is, btw, a NPR show you should probably be listening to, if you don’t already). What happens when you mix classical music nerds and indie pop?

BEAUTIFUL THINGS!

Just watch this and then purchase all her albums. You know you want to:

Hopefully the snow won’t prevent you from doing so.

SNONOES!

Stay warm! Stay safe! And have a wonderful weekend fair readers.

http://8tracks.com/leahthelibrarian/tess-of-the-d-ubervilles-a-soundtrack

But it might not be in the right order. So here is the breakdown:

Phase the first: The Maiden
1. The World is a Very Scary Place – The Gothic Archies
2. Unfortunate Few – The Ditty Bops
3. Wolf Like Me – TV on the Radio

Phase the second: Maiden No More
4. Sad, Sad Song – M. Ward
5. Lady Sings the Blues – Billie Holliday

Phase the third: The Rally
6. Love Love Love – The Mountain Goats
7. I Want To – Best Coast

Phase the Fourth: The Consequence
8. I’ve Got A Secret – Kate Nash

Phase the Fifth: The Woman Pays
9. I’ve Got Hurt Feelings – Flight of the Conchords
10. Sully My Name – The Marked Men
11. Brakes – De La Soul

Phase the Sixth: Convert
12. Troubled Waters – Cat Power
13. The Great Escape – Patrick Watson
14. I Want You (She’s So Heavy) – The Beatles

Phase the Seventh: Fulfillment
15. Monster – Kanye West
16. Wholehearted Mess – Bear in Heaven
17. Stonehenge – Spinal Tap
18. Shit Luck – Modest Mouse
19. Falling Down – Tom Waits

Enjoy!

Even $1 will help their cause and if you can give more, then please considering doing so. Their kickstart page can be accessed here:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fromourshores/we-come-from-the-sea-an-ambitious-short-film

Support the arts and consider giving Davis and Co. a helping in hand to create their beautiful short film.

Have a great weekend, fair readers.

Thank you Mom for introducing me to the emotional side of music. And thank you Dad for re-buying her the album that introduced me to this concept. Now that’s what I call good parenting.

I never get these things up on time! Just like last year…

2010 was special. It was my year of change. I moved in with my boyfriend and headed to a new neighborhood—got a new job, in a new type of library, in a field I never imagined myself specializing in–I published my very first featured article in Library Journal–I turned 28, moving just a bit further into my late twenties–co-founded the Chicago Deskset. Also my little nephew Oscar turned 1 and started to walk and talk and become a tiny little person. There have been lots of big moments.

But as usual, this has been a year of good reads, great concerts and complete loves. How could it not? Here are my favorites…

Cut Copy at Lollapalooza

I wish I could find the perfect youtube video to show you how completely in the palm of Cut Copy’s hands we were…it was just amazing. He said jump, we jumped. A lot. It was a total blast. Everyone danced. Everyone leaped around. We just fed off each other. I haven’t been to such a perfectly in sync concert with the musicians and the crowd just vibing off each other like that in years. Made Lollapalooza definitely the best concert experience of 2010.

Freedom by Jonathan Franzen

What can I say, other than: Go read it. Now. You can thank me later. Don’t worry that it was picked by Oprah for her book club. Who cares? Just get to a library and grab a copy of this book. Seriously….now! Stop reading this silly blog and go!

Grand Canyon National Park

Sometimes I think about how much I underestimated the power and majesty of the Grand Canyon…and then I laugh at myself. This was simply the best. We did a great deal of hiking at the canyon. I have done small hikes but this was a whole new level. It was so challenging and so incredibly rewarding in ways I never knew possible. Nothing compares to hiking on an unmaintained path, up the edge of the Grand Canyon. It changes things. Going to the Grand Canyon was a much needed reminder for me. I cannot wait to go back and discover more. Some people feel patriotic when they see an American Flag? Well this makes me feel patriotic. America the Beautiful, indeed.

There’s more. More moments and songs and books and words. 2010 was pretty good to me, looking at it overall. Funny how each year just brings more surprises. More depth. I can hardly wait.

Happy New Year, fair readers. To the days to come!

This video was created by one of my very talented co-workers. Watch it. Like it. Share it. And please, vote.

http://vote.playaway.com/v/

Now we have made it to the top 10 and the rest is up to an online vote. And I am asking for your help. It is very simple. Just go to this link:

http://vote.playaway.com/v/mortongrove/

You can view our photographs, which I’m pretty proud of, enter a valid email address, and click on “vote for this library”. There is one vote per valid email address. And please, once you have done that, please share the link on facebook, twitter, or forward this email. Post it to your blog or your website. Please pass it on. The way this can be successful is through word of mouth. And I know that I can count on you to spread the vote.

So help us (and me) out and please vote for the Morton Grove Public Library. Again, the link is:

http://vote.playaway.com/v/mortongrove/

Here is one of my favorite pics from our contest submission — in case you need a little extra motivation

Thank you so much for your help. And have a lovely day.

I know.

I know, I know, I know.

It’s been 3 months since I have posted. I have little excuse for such behavior and I will fully admit that this blog may now seem all but dead. But in my own defense, I have been…

busy.

Insane amounts of busy. I have been working at a new library, in a new position and I have found that, low and behold, I am pretty damn good at it. Still, starting a new job is challenging. And that has taken up much of my time. Also I have been pouring my heart and soul into the group that I co-founded with Adam Girard and Anthony Molaro, the Chicago Deskset. And this has been going splendidly.

But! As you can tell from the title, this isn’t exactly the point of the post. For the past few months I have been working very hard on the feature piece for the Salaries & Placements issue of Library Journal. And today, it has appeared in the online format.

http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/careers/salaries/887218-305/placements__salaries_survey_2010.html.csp

I cannot tell you how excited I am about this — it was such an honor to first, be selected by LJ and then two, be able to work with an amazing editor, and three, to have the honor of selecting three incredibly talented librarians to write with. Adam, Karen and Molly, seriously, I know I keep saying this but THANK YOU! I am constantly in awe of my peers and what we are capable of putting out into the world. Your writing brings me to tears and makes me laugh and makes me proud to be a librarian. So yeah. You pretty much rock my world.

Okay, now I will get back into library world. Working my tail off. Writing what I feel. And speaking my mind. I will be back, fair readers. I just don’t know when.

Have a lovely weekend <3