A fine way to start the week

Just read this:

http://jaslarue.blogspot.com/2008/07/uncle-bobbys-wedding.html

Over and out fair readers.

Shooting Ourselves in the Foot

Hello fair readers!

I would like to direct your gazes to the following blog posting over at Tame the Web

News from Mishawaka Library on Facebook Ban

Now I have some strong feelings about the whole fuddy duddy culture of hate that has for some reason chosen Facebook as its target.  I don’t understand why people cannot see the validity of a site to collaborate, meet people, socialize, network, exchanges thoughts and ideas, debate, agree, and organize.  These qualities all sound to me like something libraries can relate to, foster, and quite frankly, see in themselves.  What is the public library, for example, if not a real world facebook?

Real World Facebook

I have never understood the need to remove and censor things that are perceived as a threat.  But I have a sense that’s what is going on here.  Perhaps by removing Facebook this library is thinking they are removing one piece of the culture that is making them feel inadequate or somehow threatened by the future?

from the rut

Then again, maybe they just don’t like teens taking up all their space having fun and I’m reading too far into this.

But I know this much is true, everytime a library bans something progressive, something useful, something forward thinking; something like facebook, they lose another customer.  They lose another teen or 20-something from walking in that door and using their resources.   And that, my fair readers, is a damn shame.

Have a lovely week everyone.  See ya on Facebook

Banned Books-a-go-go

Hello fair readers!

As many people in the library world know, this week is officially Banned Books Week.

For those who don’t know, banning books is more common than you would like to think.  It can be either an angry Christian mother who thinks Harry Potter is corrupting little Johnny or it can be a conservative politician in Alaskawho thinks she can push her views onto the town librarian.

Either way, banning books is a vicious form of censorship.  Reading all sorts of information, on all sides of issues, or hell…even Harry Potter, can do nothing but expand your knowledge of a topic.  And remember, fair readers, knowledge is power.

Of the top 100 Banned Books since the year 2000, my favorites are probably:

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

and They Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien

What’s your favorite banned book?

Have a lovely week fair readers.  And remember to excercise your freedom to read whatever the hell you choose!