PR for Rob

Rob got a nice write-up on the SLIS news page (and kindly dropped my name):

Robert Boyd joins library commission after LIBR 200 field study

BTW, the MH Times had a lovely editorial last Friday on the new library, New Morgan Hill Library is a Wonderful Project (subscription required):

As the Friends of the Morgan Hill Library near the end of their fundraising efforts and as National Library Week approaches, there's no better time to laud the work of the Beyond Books Campaign and to remind the community that there's still time to support the cause.

National Library Week 2007

National Library Week is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation's libraries, librarians and library workers and to promote library use and support. This year it runs from April 15-21. Here in town, we got a proclamation passed by our mayor announcing the week (it'll be presented at Wednesday's city council meeting) and I promised to bring them a cake. At work, we're having an open house in our library on Thursday and will be tabling in our SF office during lunch on Wednesday.

Tabling

We did one last day of fundraising efforts at the library today, setting up a table outside and trying to raise awareness (and hand out goodies) to everyone coming in and out.

Hardhat Tour

We had the opportunity to take a hard hat tour of the new library tonight -- along with the rest of the library commission and city council. It is going to be a really fantastic space!!! Here are a few photos:

8 weeks until opening!!!

Once Upon a Mushroom

The front page of yesterday's Morgan Hill Times featured an article about one of the sculptures the Beyond Books Committee is raising money for. The article is restricted -- Once Upon A Mushroom -- but you can see one of the photos before having to log in. The piece had a nice box talking about the campaign -- we've raised about $140,000 out of our $180,000 goal. We're trying to wrap up the fundraising by May 1 to have time to get the donors names onto the donor wall, etc. before the big opening on July 21.

Here's a similar (but unrestricted) version from the Gilroy Dispatch -- Sculpture Will Greet Visitors to Morgan Hill's Library though since its the next town over they don't give the nice information about how to contribute.

Potential Westport Library Expansion

Nice article in the Westport News about plans to expand the library there:

Library Explores Possible Renovation and Expansion

Next year marks the library's 100th anniversary, and many of the board and advisory council members hope that the milestone will help with some of the fund-raising challenges. Library Advisory Council member Ann Sheffer said she thinks that a renovation and expansion could "just really remind everyone that for the last 100 years, what a wonderful place this has been."

Personally I'm glad our new library fundraising efforts here are drawing to a close -- the library is set to open this summer and we're doing one last push for contributions (get yours in by May 1st to be assured your name is in the program, on the donor wall, etc.)

In other family clippings, here's Brian on ClickZNews: Mobile Was the Message at South-by-Southwest Fest.

LibraryThing Piece

Since two of you have already sent me this article this morning (thank you Mom and Brian), I thought I should blog it so the rest of you know that I have in fact seen in by now. :)

Novelties: A Cozy Book Club, in a Virtual Reading Room
By ANNE EISENBERG
Social networks that tap the interests and buying power of traditionally reserved groups like the bookish are a small but growing force on the Web.

And no, despite meaning to for ages, I haven't had time to add my collection to the site, but certainly know many people who have.

Online Course

I started an online course today on teaching online courses, the prerequisite for my teaching a class this summer on Blogs and RSS at the library school. I'm really excited about the course and interested in finding out all sorts of tips and tricks to improve the course I'll be teaching (and thankfully they delayed the start of the class until after Puzzle Day and it ends the day I leave for Europe, so it squeezes right into my available time...)

MH Times Coverage of BBC

The Morgan Hill Times has a piece today covering the progress of the Beyond Books Campaign (raising money for the new library)

New Library Receives $30,000 from Donors: "A campaign to raise money for artwork and equipment for the new Morgan Hill library recently got a big push from three big-hearted donors."

No mention of the BBC's next big fundraiser... Puzzle Day! (which is coming on Feb 24, if you've forgotten.. which is 3 weeks from tomorrow) ... but our ads should start running in Tuesday's edition.

GetTech in the Gilroy Dispatch

The Get Tech at the Library program is written up in the Gilroy Dispatch and I was interviewed for the article:

Library Entices Girls to Get Involved in Science

Santa Clara County Library grant writer Emily Reich Shem-Tov calls the program "bringing a piece of the Tech Museum to our local library."

"I actually wrote it for a class because I have been involved with the Tech Museum for many years," she said.

Shem-Tov attended library school and was looking to foster collaboration with organizations such as the Tech Museum. She took a grant writing class and talked to people in the Tech Museum as well as the libraries.

"It's just so exciting to see two great community resources reach so many more people together," Shem-Tov said.

Physics of Roller Coasters

We stopped by the library to get a sneak peak at their Physics of Roller Coasters program, part of the Get Tech at the Library series (since I like to see how that's going...) It looked like a lot of fun -- I'm so excited they're actually bringing Tech Challenges into the libraries (the staff even had super cool t-shirts!)

SLIS Career Fair

Despite my cold, I seem to have managed to get through my little talk at today's SLIS career fair. The web cast is up at http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/ (SLIS Audio and Video -> Under "General Media", go to "SLIS Events") I'm a couple of minutes into part II (Roseanne introduces me at 6min in) It was a lot of fun and may lead to some other interesting things in the future (fingers crossed).

Westport Library Book Blog

I've been so excited to see that the Westport Public Library started a book blog but haven't had a chance to blog about it (the timing of finding out about it was bad, but I've been subscribed to the feed.) I noticed a post last week about mysteries featuring psychics and left a comment about the Ophelia and Abby Mystery series featuring a psychic librarian (I've blogged about it before and I think Susan read it at that point) But anyway, I happened to check back on the site today (since I saw their post about Triangle -- which we had read in bookclub) and noticed a comment after my comment responding that they bought the whole series for the library! How cool is that! (Disclaimer - its not a great series, but who can resist a mystery with a psychic librarian!)

Mom -- you should read Triangle and then go hear Katherine speak there on Wednesday, November 15 at noon. And I think Aunt Susan would like the book as well.

Building Progress

Check out the latest views of the new library!

Live web cam link

Grant

I found out at the commission meeting last night that the library seems to have received the grant I helped with to "Get Tech at the Library." (I had written the original version for my Fund Development class in library school) I don't see any information about it yet on the California State Library site, but am hoping they make a big splash about it soon. I am so excited that the library and the Tech Museum will be working together on some things, plus there were all sorts of other pieces like scifi bookclubs for tweens that I hope made it into the final version. Congrats to them!

Friends of the Library Volunteer Reception

Stopped by the lovely volunteer appreciation reception at the library and saw the usual gang of favorite library-supporter types. They did a really lovely job with the event -- we each got to choose a new book that was being added to the collection and put a book plate with our name in it. I chose one with chocolate recipes.

Congrats to Jean!

Congrats to Jean who, not surprisingly at all, just got offered a fantastic sounding academic librarian job. She's one of the smartest, coolest and most interesting people I've ever met -- and certainly one of the very best librarians I've come across! Best of luck to her -- it's just too bad its all the way back East (but that's where she wanted to be).

Afternoon in Tuscany

The Friends of the Library event was a great success, with over 100 people, 13 local authors, book sale, silent auction and an absoultely gorgeous setting. Alan and Margaret came up which was super wonderful of them (plus we finally got to show them our house), I learned that one of the City Council members had an uncle in Westport, and got to see Kay and her husband (hello!) and it sounds like Kay may join the ranks of bloggers soon herself (cool!) It was very very hot out in the sun, but a lovely party and a great start to the fundraising for furniture and art at the new library. Each author spoke for a few minutes about their books, and we bought two to be signed (Silicon Secrets for me and The Passionate Olive as a gift for some friends who like olive oil -- when Life, Death & Bilays comes out I definitely want to read that one too)

A very special thanks to Mom for her generousity with some silent auction items!

In the news...

A couple of recent news hits:

Ranch Turns a New Leaf
About our commission and the James Boys Ranch: "The Morgan Hill Library, Culture and Arts Commission is working to create a plan to get the library furnished, funded and up and running, said commission chairman Einar Anderson."

What to do with the $7 million?
In Gilroy: "Since a new library is out of the question, the city council will be figuring out what it will do with the freed up $7 million that was earmarked for a library if the proposition had passed."

And I had a 9 minute panel interview this morning -- 3 questions, 3 people I knew and have worked with quite a bit (which surprised me). Rankings in a couple of weeks.

Oh, and mark your calendars:

Aug 5: Morgan Hill Centennial Day Old Fashioned Family BBQ Picnic at the Community Center from noon to 6 pm and then a band/dance afterward. There will be games, prizes, a variety of music, entertainment,  and a huge cake celebrating Morgan Hill's birthday year and there will be appearances by Mr. and Mrs Hiram Morgan Hill and horse drawn carriage rides from the Community Center down to Villa Mira Monte. S and I will be volunteering so come by and say hi!

Aug 7-13: Zero One San Jose, an amazing sounding week of art+technology all over downtown SJ. We got a sneak preview today at work from the curator and the projects are SO super cool. I'm hoping to volunteer over the weekend of the event.

Authors Coming to Fundraiser

There was a great piece in yesterday's paper about the head of the MH Library friends and the upcoming fundraiser!

Local Book Lover Leads Library Fundraising Effort
Saturday, July 08, 2006
When it comes to Morgan Hill's new public library now under construction, local resident Carol O'Hare is on a mission.

And I just got the updated list of authors that are coming to the Friends of the Library fundraiser next Sunday (7/16)

Catherine Burr is a multi-published author of contemporary fiction novels and parenting humor books. Silicon Secrets, "A rags-to-silicon Chick Lit offering", sounds like fun.

Carol Firenze who wrote The Passionate Olive, ultimate guide to olive oil.

John Hamamura author of The Color of the Sea, which follows a Japanese language teacher raised in Hawaii as he finds love and as the U.S. and Japan drift into war.

Janet LaPierre, author of the Port Silva Mysteries, set in a fictional town on the chilly but scenic California north coast.

Phyllis Mattson's memoir, War Orphan in San Francisco, is a coming of age story told through family letters.

Kat Meads is the author most recently of two short story collections: Not Waving and Stress in America. She has also published a volume of literary essays, Born Southern and Restless. Coming soon: The Invented Life of Kitty Duncan, a mock biography.

Peter Orner, author of The Second Coming of Mavala Shikongo, set at a remote Catholic school in Namibia and based on the author's own year teaching in the veld. His story collection, Esther Stories, was a New York Times Notable Book, a Finalist for the Pen/Hemingway Award, and winner of the Samuel Goldberg Prize for Jewish Fiction.

Caroline Paul is an author and retired fire fighter! Her newest book is East Wind, Rain, "a compelling debut novel of innocence, identity, loyalty, and betrayal set on a small isolated Hawaiian island in December 1941 -- based on true events."

Beth Proudfoot -- her first novel, a contemporary women's suspense story entitled "Escape From Paradise" is currently represented by Nancy Ellis-Bell of The Lit-West Group. Her second novel, still a work in progress, has a working title of "Visible" and is more in the genre of mystery/thriller.

Serena Richardson, author of the essay "An Italian Thanksgiving" in the book Italy, A Love Story: Women Write About the Italian Experience (Twenty-four women write about Italy, from Sicily to Tuscany and beyond, exploring the rich traditions and beautiful landscape of this ancient country, while also explaining how they were seduced by both.)

Dylan Schaffer whose new book Life, Death & Bilays: A Father/Son Baking Story, arrives September 6th. He also wrote the Misdemeanor Man series.

Sounds like some interesting authors to meet... tickets are available at Booksmart if you're interested in coming!

Fundraiser Mention

The upcoming Friends of the Library fundraiser got a nice mention in the Gilroy Dispatch:

From Fireworks to Bike Rides, it's all About Spirit
Thursday, July 06, 2006
By Mary Anne McCarthy

I hope all of you socialites are planning to purchase tickets to an Afternoon in Tuscany July 16 at the elegant lakeside home of Mike and Mary Cox. The event benefits the new Morgan Hill Library. Tickets are available at BookSmart.

Library Book Cart Drill Team

... and of course the library had a presence in the parade!

Friends of the Library Web Sites

I've been asked to provide some feedback on our new Friends of the Library web site, so I thought I'd better take a look at what other groups are doing these days. So here's a quick survey of a bunch of sites that had some interesting features.

	Friends of the Tompkins County Public Library Love the photos of the volunteers on the front page Prominent "How Can You Help?" on side menu Nice list of what their donations have been spent on
	Friends of Multnomah County Library I love their tag line, "Inquire ... Dream ... Create ... Discover. That's what Libraries are for. That's what Friends are for." Nice rotating images of volunteers, the library (what a fantastic tree!) Fun facts about the library (though there's only one so far) Emphasis on being a library advocate
	Friends of the Little Elm Library The design needs updating, but I loved their trivia contest idea, which raises about $10k! Among the ideas are placemat ads ($30). From the description: "Join us for Trivia Night for an evening full of fun, food and prizes, on February 2rd 2006 at 6pm in the Lakeside JR. High School practice gym.  Festivities begin with a myriad of gastronomical epicurean delights available for purchase at our cerebral stimulation station located in the cafeteria.  Team members must be seated and have their thinking caps on by 6:45 and the contest begins at 7pm sharp.  Rules will be strictly enforced by our crack goon squad: No food allowed (buy ours this is a fund raiser);  Only contestants seated at the table (bring all your friends to cheer your team from the peanut gallery by all means);  No use of cell phones (this is not “Millionaire” and there isn’t a phone-a-friend option, just get Regis on your team)." Photos from the event
	Friends of the St. Paul Public Library This one is an award winner with good reason -- so much good stuff here! Very nice paypal membership payment options!! Memorials and Tributes Online store of gift items
	Friends of the Juneau Public Library I just liked the purple
	Friends of Morley Library Plus the library itself is not afraid to fundraise!
	Friends of Lafayette Library One of their upcoming events is "Lafayette Juniors presents the Seventh Annual Tour of Lafayette Kitchens to benefit the Lafayette Library on Saturday, May 20, 2006 from 10 am to 3 pm. The tour will showcase six spectacular, diverse kitchens, all of which feature the latest equipment and amenities. Tickets are $35 per person ($25 tax-deductible) and a gourmet lunch may be purchased for an additional fee. "
	Montgomery County Takes credit cards on their membership page but its not a secure form (eek)
	Friends of the Encinitas Library Great construction and groundbreaking photos
	Collier Friends I like how they offer to provide speakers to local groups - "The Friends welcome the opportunity to introduce your organization to the many outstanding programs and services provided by the Library. To schedule a speaker, call the Friends office or e-mail us"
	Friends of the Palo Alto Library Lots of news headlines on the front page Book Games to play Amazon Affiliate program
	Library Friends of Payson Chefs' Extravaganza fundraiser Hand croched "Bookworm Bookmarkers"
	Friends of the Kirkwood Public Library Check out the great book purses! I totally need to make some!!
	Sugar Grove Public Library Selling a Beach Reading Bag -- "Includes 5 paperback books that are great beach reads, a bottle of water, beach gear, our wishes for a great vacation, and the cool beach bag all for only $10.00. Take a picture of yourself and your bag when you are on vacation and send it to the library! We’ll make a collage of photos of what the beach bags did on summer vacation!"
	Friends of the Houston Public Library "If you are looking for a great project, we would like to invite you to start a Book Drive. The Friends' Annual Book Sale is the most important way in which we raise money for the Library and provide affordable books for the community. To have a sale as great as we do, we need a lot of books. You can help! A Book Drive is an excellent activity for groups or individuals."
	Friends of the Pickerington Public Library iGive.com, ebay and Amazon Cookbook Patches for Progress: "Patches for Progress, is a Friends of the Pickerington Public Library sponsored elementary reading program that links the Public Schools, the Public Library, our community and area businesses together with a vehicle that is parent driven and makes reading FUN !!"
	Friends of the Jefferson County Public Library Having a membership drive: "This is a great time to join and all new members will receive a coupon for a free "used" book (select from "used books for sale" shelves at your local library) and a coupon for a $1.00 off a purchase at the Friends Gift and Book Shop at the Belmar Library . In addition, there will be a drawing for Caroline Kennedy’s book "A Family of Poems". The drawing is open to all patrons." Connie Willis, one of my all-time favorite authros was there in May A link to bookcrossing Holiday Book & Gift Boutique
	Friends of the Thousand Oaks Library Endowment Fund Photo Album
	Friends of the Johnson County Library Best Friends Forever Bookmark Contest Gift Giving Ideas Booksale at the local mall
	Friends of the Colleyville Public Library Amazon and B&N affiliate
	Pelican Rapids The Faces of Change is a photo and essay exhibit designed to document the changes in a small rural Minnesota community, which has undergone a large influx of refugees in the last decade, and the changes in the immigrants who came to the community of Pelican Rapids. In 2002 the Pelican Rapids Public Library staff and members of the Friends of the Library, created a tapestry of fiber art that represents the cultures that have immigrated to this community.
	Cardiff by the Sea Business Memberships "Above and Beyond" award
	Friends of the Oakland Public Library Bookmark Wish List (things we need) Ten Good Reasons to Become a Member ... Advocacy Center Join for $50 (Fifty Dollars) or more and enjoy discounts at the following fine neighborhood bookstores
	Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries What's Your Library Story Join the Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries in our Book Fund Drive . Your donation is tax-deductible as allowed by Federal and State law, and we guarantee that your donation will be spent on books and media. Bookmending Workshop Sponsors
	Tippecanoe County Librarybooksales.org
	Seattle Public Library Community Outreach Events Friends are Library Advocates
	San Francisco Join online Donate online Publications
	Yorba Linda Public Library Shop on ebay
	Clayton Community Library Foundation Buy-a-Book: Place a bookplate in honor of a special person. $25 fiction, $50 non-fiction. Buy-a-Brick: Buy an engraved brick to line the walkway into the library
	Eldorado Library Paypal membership
	Fresno County Public Library Bi-Annual "Children's Party" Intermittent "Murder in the Library", presentations by authors of mysteries, proceeds from which are used to enhance the Library's mystery collection.
	Glendora Friends Foundation Lots of ways to give

Aug 24 - Read for the Record

Karen let me know about this very cool project that Jumpstart is doing to set the record for the number of children and adults reading the same book in a single day. They're going to have everyone read The Little Engine That Could on Thursday, August 24, 2006. There are materials on the web site for libraries and classes and individuals can sign up and be part of it too. They're going to be on the Today Show and other places as well.

http://www.readfortherecord.org/

On August 24, 2006, Jumpstart and its partners Starbucks, Pearson/Penguin, American Eagle Outfitters, and we hope YOU! – will set a world record for the number of children reading the same book, The Little Engine that Could, on the same day. This will be an annual event to build awareness around the importance of quality early education. Jumpstart is hosting events across the country in major metropolitan areas, in Starbucks stores, bookstores, Head Start centers and other preschool sites. Mrs. Laura Bush is the campaign’s Honorary Chairperson and NBC’s Matt Lauer is supporting the campaign…he will even be broadcasting the event live to the world from Rockefeller Plaza on the “Today” Show. Jumpstart will be selling custom limited edition books to the public through Starbucks stores from August 1-28; the sale of these custom books will support Jumpstart’s work in low-income communities (your constituents may also purchase copies online for Jumpstart preschoolers).

Now I have to see if I can get my library to sign on...

Help spread the word please!

As Karen writes:

This year alone, Jumpstart college student Corps members are working with 10,000 children in 22 states building the vital literacy, social, and emotional skills children need to thrive. High quality early education for children has been shown to increase graduation rates and lower negative outcomes such as being convicted of a violent crime.

As powerful as this experience has been for me, even more amazing is that this transformational experience is duplicated thousands of times each day in Jumpstart programs across America.

I hope you will get involved in Jumpstart's Read for the Record to support my work and to connect in the same way with a child in your life.

Library Web Cam, 06/25

If I can make myself remember to take and post a screenshot of the library's web cam every week for the next year, at the end I'll have a pretty awesome animation to share. So here's my first attempt.

Potential Library Museum Partnership

This caught my eye in today's Merc coverage of the art museum probably starting to charge admission again (its been free thanks to funds from Knight Ridder, but they're selling the Merc this summer so won't be the local player they used to be). Among the things they are considering to keep the museum affordable is: "a discount for San Jose library-card holders". I like that idea (I think my membership to the museum has lapsed, this would definitely be reason to renew it!)

Library Web Cam

Watch the construction of our new library -- live web cam!

Interesting Library Clippings

2 interesting local library clippings today:

Librarian Still Lacking in SBC
Apparently Hollister is having trouble recruiting for the job of their head librarian, prompting the following comments: "Librarians, in fact, are a scarce commodity in California, according to Solano County Director of Library Services Ann Cousineau. There is a dearth of librarians in the state because fewer people are choosing being a librarian as a profession, she said." For those of us fresh out of library school and interested in entry level librarian jobs, which are in very short supply here in California, especially near the largest library school in the country, it seems so crazy to hear about the shortage of librarians in California.

and then a scathing op ed piece in the Gilroy Dispatch against the upcoming library referendum urging people to oppose the library funding because people can surf porn sites. Sheesh.

MH Library Groundbreaking

A few photos from today's groundbreaking for the new Morgan Hill Library! The best part was that they mapped out the floor plan on the ground so you could really get a sense of what the new space would be like. Great fun -- there were speeches and rootbeer floats as well, but I could only stay for a minute because I had to get back to the reference desk so I missed out on those.

Views of El Toro

Some of the staff remembered to bring their shovels!

Our county librarian and Kay, former library commissioner now library intern

and some entertainment!

Poker @ the Library

Very cool -- Texas Hold'em Class for Teens at Los Altos Library. What a fun program to offer!

(hmm.. it'd be even cooler if the blog entry also included links to books for people interested in the subject but unable to attend) I bet there's even a good list of fiction in addition to all the how-to type things (i remember when Eduard was visiting and I took him to a bookstore and told him I'd buy him any book he'd like as long as he would read it -- and the only books he was at all interested in were non-fiction tales of poker players... I think he's expanded his reading list a bit by now...)

Another new library to visit

Ooh! I can't wait to see it! I love new libraries!

The Almaden Branch opened in 1971 and underwent complete reconstruction, reopening May 13, 2006

Too bad I'm working during their grand opening celebration (Sat, May 13, 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM) but I'll definitely try to check it out some day soon.

Groundbreaking Saturday

This Saturday is the groundbreaking for the new Morgan Hill Library! If you're around, please stop by -- and bring your shovel!

Groundbreaking for New Morgan Hill Library
Celebrate with food, music, prizes and treasure hunt for kids. Bring your own shovel and help dig! West of City Hall at Alkire and DeWitt Aves. 2 pm. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library and the City of Morgan Hill.

Here's a nice article from the Hollister Freelance News: Morgan Hill Library Groundbreaking to Feature Activities, Fun ("Shovels and books never had much in common - until now.")

Merc Endorses Prop 81

Say yes to library development bonds

Many California communities' aging and antiquated libraries face a similar plight. And, like Gilroy, they would be able to expand and modernize through Proposition 81, a $600 million state library bond issue on the June 6 ballot. Voters should pass it to keep California's public libraries open and thriving.

Library Survey

We've been getting an increasing number of phone calls trying to sell us things, so I've been more and more reluctant to actually answer the phone rather than just letting the answering machine pick it up. But since I work with a team of market researchers (and have always been a sucker for a good survey), I tend to agree to take phone surveys (if not in the middle of dinner). I'm extremely glad I stayed on the phone for today's, because it was about using the library! I'm a tad concerned I may skew the results a bit (having definitely heard of all the services offered and having been extremely satisfied with my interactions with the librarians and staff I encountered) but hopefully their sample is big enough to account for actually ending up with a librarian or two in the mix.

Embarrassingly though, I didn't have a good answer for "what service would you like to see offered at your local library that they don't currently offer?" I mean, really, I should have a whole wish list of things ready (if nothing else, i would need them for a library job interview if someone asked me what new services I would want to introduce!). I was tempted to say IM reference, since I'd like to see us offer it, but I don't think I'd use it as a patron so I didn't want to put that. All I could come up with was that it'd be nice if they (erm, we) were open later on Friday nights, since that's when I'd want to go and hang out at the library more socially.

Hopefully the results will be available at some point... I'd love to see what people said -- though it was mostly about awareness rather than real feedback...

KM and Libraries

Interesting post from Library Crunch on Managing Our Expertise which goes well wih a number of points raised by our Dev't Day speaker on Friday.

Staff Development Day

Spent the day at the library's all-staff development day. The highlight was definitely seeing all the people -- the sheer number of us all together was very impressive, plus there are two groups of folks it is always nice to see: there's a group I think of as the next-gen librarians, a bunch of us fresh out of library school or still in the program -- and these folks get me excited about being a librarian and all the cool ideas we have. They all have so much energy and I leave conversations with them wanting to take over the world (Hi Paul, Jean, Amytha, Kelly, Lisa, Nichole, etc.). The other group I think of as my mentors -- these are the fantastic people I've worked with at various libraries who I respect and admire and its always great to chat with them, have them ask me if I'm applying for the new job openings, etc. Some of the time I feel left out being "extra help" and not really being part of any one library, but I also realized that in some ways it was an advantage since I knew a bunch of people from different libraries (while perhaps some of them mostly knew their own group). Of course mostly I hung out with other extra-help folks though, so maybe we're really our own little sub-group afterall.

The speakers were Joan Frye Williams and LiB Sarah Houghton (who I had seen at CLA talk about blogging). Nothing radically new, since the future of libraries and library technology are topics I spend a lot of time reading about every day in the library blogosphere, but it was nice to have other people tell the crew about them and reinforce what we've been wanting for ages now.

Some things that stood out from JFW:

• its not hard to be a library futurist -- we get everything last so you just need to watch what's going on in other industries
• we should be recording and podcasting programs
• it should be possible to pay your library fines and fees online
• we should be taking online donations (duh) and make it prominent, like they do in a museum web site, instead of something we're embarrased about -- and, obviously the key is really good follow-up with the donors (Margaret would like the stories the speaker used about this)
• we should put the URL of the library's web site on the outside of the building (companies do it!)
• people should be able to see into the library from the outside -- and see people using it (like you wouldn't walk into a restaurant you couldn't see into)
• walk into your library -- what's the message patrons get from the start -- is there anything welcoming? or just a long list of NOs
• museums and stores have outside signs, banners, etc alerting people to the new stuff that's going on inside -- why don't we?
• the wording on things should be from the customer's view, about what they want to do
• "pop-up spaces" at other events and places, temporary, bring the library to them
• catalog toolbar (like denver's) -- we just implemented a firefox search at work to search our intranet and its super cool to have it there always
• library mashups (boy do I wish I had time to dream up some of these and get them going)
• recommender systems (reminded me to dig out the paper I wrote on this -- which talked about "Supplementing traditional reader's advisory service by layering user rating systems and collaborative filtering systems onto our online catalogs" -- Making it Easier to Connect with the Collection... i also want to brush off my paper on Designing for Community: Roles for libraries online and off which discussed the opportunity for library web sites)
• "personalization makes information more powerful"
• every library should have a wikipedia entry
• answer questions in myspace
• "continuous partial attention"
• the library brand is BOOKS -- that's our pass/fail bedrock service. we own "reading" (not information --- search engines beat us there) ... "Books are just the beginning" - great slogan, it leads with our strong card
• "real life happens nights and weekends" -- why do we close Friday night at 6pm -- I wish people could come in after work Friday nights, hang out, get movies for the weekend, listen to music, etc.
• putting professinals on the walk-up desk to take all comers is like Supercuts haircus w/out appointment
• every day we should pick some topic in the news and blog resources about it -- how cool would that be? it'd only take a couple of minutes and they'd all be archived for future reference. I might do a weekly one here as practice to build up a portfolio of them ... little quick bibliographies/path-finders
• use back to school night model and invite parents to the library to learn what the library can do to help their kids get through the school year (and beyond)
• practice "vigilante reference" - answer questions where they are (we all do this in line at the super market, etc, we just can't help ourselves.) read blogs and comment as the reference librarian with helpful tips on where to find that info, etc.

Anyway, lots to think about and we'll see what happens next. I feel like it was more "exposure" than "development"... I feel like a piece of film that got shown a lot of stuff, but that the development has to happen over time as we all go back to the job and try to make some of the visions into daily practice. Or something...

Knitting Page

I love this knitting page the library put up with pictures of some of the many knitting librarians and their favorite picks! Very fun!

More Good GI Library Publicity

Another nice article about our library system - this time on the Gilroy library:

Library Turns a Page
Thursday, April 06, 2006
By Marty Cheek, Special to the Dispatch

Lani Yoshimura, Gilroy's community librarian, believes 21st century library customers want activities as well as books. Events for kids as well as adults help foster a fun and friendly environment, she said.

New Bond Coming

Things are starting to get moving for Proposition 81. According to the news, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to support a library bond measure that if passed by voters in June would provide $600 million in state money to fund library construction and renovation projects in California.

Poets

One of my favorite teen librarians is featured in this article from the Gilroy Dispatch about the upcoming poetry slam at the MI library...

The Making of a Poet

Santa Clara County librarian Don Phillips couldn't get high schoolers to show up for anything related to poetry. He sponsored readings and poetry workshops only to see a handful of participants. But when he turned poetry into a competition a la "American Idol," they showed up by the dozens.

"Something about the competition … the ability to become a star brings people out," said Phillips, a former Milpitas High School teacher and a teen services librarian in Milpitas.

Yay! Nice publicity Don!

Small World

Library Crunch had a blogged a little note of congratulations about this Library Journal piece on a self-described “library geek”. The photo and name caught my eye and I realized (with a trip to the alumni web site and an email to confirm the correct identity) that I went to high school with John Blyberg of blyberg.net fame. He's one of the big names these days in the library 2.0 blogosphere, but I'll always remember him as the guy who ran a super cool BBS back in about 1987 that I was completely and utterly addicted to (you had to answer trivia questions to move up through levels or something, it was during the same time that I was spending way too much time on a local 7-line dial-up BBS called Comlink instead of doing my freshman English homework...) Anyway, it's always fun to cross paths with people from other lives! Gotta love the net!

Ok, Apparently Now it is Official

I got an email today from "Graduate Admissions & Program Evaluations" with the subject "=?ISO-8859-1?B?U2FuIEpvc+kgU3RhdGUgR3JhZHVhdGUgU3RhdHVz?=" and I almost didn't open it because I get quite a lot of spam promising me instant PhDs and things and usually jibberish in the subject line means the message is in Russian (don't know why I get spam in Russian...). But I did open it and it turns out to have been the official notification of my real degree. "Your application for award of degree has been approved for graduating in Fall 2005. Your master's degree has been officially posted on your transcript. Your diploma will be mailed to you at a later time..." along with a note suggesting that I order an official transcript if I want actual proof of my degree for employment or school purposes. At least I assume it is the real degree since it did have the proper contact information for my school's Graduate Admissions & Program Evaluations department in the signature block and an html attachment with the correct letterhead (it'd probably have been apparent more immediately if I hadn't been checking my mail through a text-only web mail client...) But its getting pretty hard to know what email to trust these days...

Refgrunt, 2/4

Today was my first in a series of every other Saturdays and it was great fun! 7 hours J, 1/2 hour A. Busy at times, quiet enough at other times to get some projects done -- a new display on Narnia read-alikes (I got to use the dye-cut machine to make the letters for "fantastic fantasy" plus a bunch of dragons and owls and things) and to check the collection against lists of recommended kids music choices. The new printing system seemed to work really well. Here are some of the questions/requests:

seals
dolphins
chihuahuas
big dogs
shar-peis
what's in a st. bernard's flask?
artic tundra
math for k and 2nd
Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (still a waiting list)
downloadable audio books
unlock DVD case
Washington
tsunamis
small claims court, wrongful eviction info
help with new printing system x4
cds to learn Japanese
Jigsaw Jones
can't log in (had a new card)
atlas
Tony Hawk biography, 4th grader
adult nonfiction videos on fire fighters
How My Private, Personal Journal Became a Bestseller
When in Rome (only had Spanish in)
Valentine day books to read aloud to a class
Along Came a Dog
questions from SLIS reference class including one on "inertial damping" (I gave her the Physics of Star Trek)
Goosebumps - I Live in Your Basement
Narnia
encyclopedia
Forest of Secrets
Warriors series (the one on cats)
hummingbirds
where to pick up holds
Italian Olympic athletes
general Italy info
info for science project on how grapes turn into raisins
Indian in the Cupboard
dogs
princesses
coloring pages
tape
sharks
Betsy Ross
Magic School Bus dinosaur video
Curious George books

Got Books?

I love the slogan for this year's Read Across America events (March 2, Dr. Seuss's birthday) from the California Teacher's Association -- "Happy Readers Come From California... got books?" (via the CLA Blog) Complete with very silly looking cows. (apparently it was the theme last year too but I completely missed that)

4 things

Librarian in Black adapted a meme that's been going around to create a Four Things @ Your Library posting. Even though I wasn't tagged and am not actually working on my library's blog any more (since accepting my full time job elsewhere, being on the library's web team was sadly one of the other commitments I had to give up), I wanted to play along!

4 Library Online Resources to Know About

• Biography Resource Center — A comprehensive database of biographical information on more than 150,000 people from throughout history, around the world, and across all disciplines and subject areas. This is probably the database I show people the most when I'm working on the reference desk -- its just great for a couple page summary of people's lives and a good stand-in when all the books on a person are checked out.
  
• Expanded Academic ASAP — From arts and the humanities to social sciences, science and technology, this database meets research needs across all academic disciplines. Access scholarly journals, magazines, and newspapers - with full text and images. A good general source for articles.
  
• LearningExpress — provides a way to prepare for academic or professional exams on-line, including SAT, ACT, GED, GRE, GMAT, PRAZIS, ASVAB, Cosmetology, Civil Service, Postal Worker, Law Enforcement, Fire, and more. California specific exams including 4th grade, 8th grade, CBEST, and California Highway Patrol. Online courses include Reading Comprehension, Grammar Skills for Writing, Math, Vocabulary and Spelling, as well as courses in Spanish. Its funny though, a couple of weeks ago I couldn't find it linked anywhere on our site, and all the bookmarks that used to be available at the reference desk were gone...
  
• Novelist — A database of reading recommendations for adults and children including information about authors, book discussion guides and booktalks and Novelist K-8 -- Reading suggestions and lists for children in grades K - 8 arranged by author, title, series and topics. A good source for read-alikes and other recommendations and fun to browse and search through when you're looking for new authors to try out.
  

For more online resources from your library, take a look at their Databases, eBooks, & Research Tools page!

4 Great Free Classes @ Your Library

• Introduction to Microsoft Office XP Pro, the Internet, Library Databases, and the Library Catalog Classes are on a drop-in basis and meet on the second Tuesday of every month (except December) from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  
• Morgan Hill Library "Knit - In", Tuesdays, 6:30- 8:30pm, Join a group of experienced knitters who will provide needles, yarn, and instruction.
  
• Poemcrazy: A poetry writing workshop for the poet in all of us (3/22, Campbell)
  
• hmm... we seem short on classes. I'll have to poke around some more.
  

4 Websites We Really Like (or, more specifically, web sites linked in our library's list of recommended web sites that I've used recently while answering reference questions)

• California Libraries Catalog - an amazing search of books at a zillion california libraries -- particularly useful when someone can't believe we don't have that book in our small local library and we can show that there are only two copies in the whole state
  
• Librarians' Internet Index -- A searchable, annotated directory of more than 4,700 Internet resources selected and evaluated by librarians.
  
• Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Forms and Publications -- This site includes tax forms and publications for the current tax year and prior years since 1992. It also links to a variety of tax information provided by the IRS.
  
• Which Phone Book? A project of the Santa Cruz Public Library, this site provides an on-line index to California phone books by city and area code. Not that I use physical phone books often, but this is a very handy tool when you need to.
  

For more websites we really like, check out the Reference Sites page!

4 Recommended Reading Lists to Check Out

• Staff Favorites (the past picks by genre are particularly useful)
  
• Narnia books and Readalikes
  
• California Gardening
  
• Pride and Prejudice, adaptations and spin-offs
  

For more recommended reading (and listening and viewing) lists, check out our Recommended page -- oops, we don't really have one central one. There's a good kids one and teen one though.

4 Upcoming Events to Attend

• Travel Slide Show: Iceland , Tuesday, February 21, 7:15 p.m., "Century Club" member Betsy Schwartz presents this island of fire and ice, Campbell Library.
• Youth Poetry (Love) Slam VI at the Milpitas Library Calling all young poets ages 10 to 18--The Milpitas Library is hosting Youth Poetry Slam VI on Wednesday, February 8, 2006 at 5 pm!
• Meet Julie Otsuka, author of When The Emperor Was Divine, a Silicon Valley Reads selection, at Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center on Saturday, February 4th at 10:30am. (pdf)
• Crafting Bee, January 12th & February 9th, Bring everything you need for your own project. You'll have time to work on your own craft, plus: Snacks - Music - Conversation - Fun!

Prairie Home Companion Skit

There was a skit about librarians on today's Prairie Home Companion. I only heard half of it on my way to the library this morning, but hopefully someone will post a transcript somewhere...

Update: ah, here's the script.

"How did you know?
I'm a librarian. I know."

Read Between the Lines

I may need one of these new Emily Strange library posters...

(via LiB

Stressed?

We may have one of the best jobs, but it is apparently stressful as well.

Librarians 'suffer most stress'
BBC News

whatever.

maybe they found the job "repetitive and unchallenging" because the profession is filled with people who like intellectual challenges and we're hard to please... of course when the criteria for stress includes "how much control workers thought they had over their working day, their workload and how much they earned" then maybe its not that surprising.

The article ends, "In addition, stress impacts different personalities in different ways, and different personalities may be drawn to different roles." Maybe we like stress...

Best Job!

Someone sent this link around to the lib school mailing list:

The Best Jobs to Have in 2006
By Marty Nemko
U.S. News & World Report

Librarian. This is an underrated career. Most librarians enjoy helping patrons dig up information. They learn in the process and keep up to date on the latest books and online resources. The need for librarians, unfortunately, may decline because search engines make it easy for patrons to find information without a librarian's help. The job growth for librarians will be in nontraditional settings: corporations, nonprofit organizations, and consulting firms.

And actually it's the only one on the list that I'd want to have (well, maybe professor) so I'm very excited to have it!

Meetup Push

We're making another push to get some people to come to the librarian meetup this year. So if you're in the San Jose area and are interested in library issues, please come! Thursday, January 19th, 7:00 PM.

Libraries Losing Teens

An interesting blurb from School Library Journal:

Libraries Losing Teens
By Brian Kenney and Lauren Barack, SLJ.com -- 1/1/2006

Nearly 16 percent of teens don’t visit their public or school libraries, according to a recent joint study by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) and SmartGirl.org, a Web site that surveys teens. And many young adults don’t expect to visit public libraries in the next five years because they’ll likely be using search engines at home or elsewhere, says “Perception of Libraries and Information Resources,” the latest report by OCLC that examines the public’s attitude toward libraries and resources.

It certainly is an interesting challenge to both promote the online databases and services of the library to teens who are happy to do their research online instead of coming into the library (we are definitely not getting that message out enough -- people are always so shocked when I show them the great stuff in the databases for homework assignments) ... and also to find ways to make the library interesting and relevant so that they do want to come in (I don't remember going to the library as a teen except once in a while to grab a stack of books for a research paper ... I wonder what would have drawn me there? I can't imagine my teenage siblings hanging out in the library any time soon.)

Info Overload Article

Interesting piece via Library Link of the Day:

Ready access to info means smarts or stress?
By Anick Jesdanun, AP Internet Writer | December 15, 2005

Books are being scanned to make them searchable on the Internet. Television broadcasts are being recorded and archived for online posterity. Radio shows, too, are getting their digital conversion -- to podcasts.

With a few keystrokes, we'll soon be able to tap much of the world's knowledge. And we'll do it from nearly anywhere -- already, newer iPods can carry all your music, digital photos and such TV classics as "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" along with more contemporary prime-time fare.

Will all this instantly accessible information make us much smarter, or simply more stressed? When can we break to think, absorb and ponder all this data?

Bookclub Kits in MI Post

Coverage of the library's new Book Club Kits in the Milpitas Post:

Talk of the Town, December 08, 2005

BOOK CLUB KITS

For the hundreds of Milpitas residents who participate in a book club, the enjoyment of reading and discussing a book with friends is sometimes diluted by the constant pressure to decide on next month's reading.

The Santa Clara County Library has a new solution Book Club Kits To Go, a set of 12 copies of some of the most popular book club selections, plus background information on the author and a discussion guide designed to enrich the book club experience.

More than two dozen book titles are now available in Book Club Kits, and more will be added over the next few months. Patrons of Milpitas Community Library can view the entire list on the catalog in the library or from their own computer at www.santaclaracountylib.org

Library RSS and Report

Check out the cool RSS Feeds from the New York Public Library. Very nice! (via Library Stuff

Best of the Web - new links selected by NYPL librarians
Classes - workshops, training, research classes
Subscription URL: http://www.nypl.org/rss/classes.xml
Events for Adults
Events for Teens
Events for Children
Exhibitions at The Research Libraries
Exhibitions at The Branch Libraries
Databases and Indexes Online- recent additions

and, as soon as I have some time, I definitely want to look at this report from OCLC closer!

Gilroy Dispatch WiFi Coverage

WiFi Coming to Gilroy Library
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
By Serdar Tumgoren

Gilroy - In coming months, local residents won't have to buy a latte if they want free Internet access.

Instead, they can bring their laptops, Palm Pilots or other handheld gadgets to the local library.

The Gilroy library and seven other branches of the Santa Clara County Library System will begin offering patrons free wireless Internet service as early as March 2006.

Now I'm really done!

And, waiting in our mail box when I got home today was the last bit of library school stress, the final notification that my culminating papers "successfully fulfilled the requirements established by the Faculty."

Plus, "As soon as [I] hear from the Graduate Studies Office that [I] have successfully completed all requirements for the MLIS degree, [I] will be given a complimentary one year membership in the SLIS Alumni Association."

:)

Wireless in the Library

The library is getting around to becoming a wireless hotspot and even though it seems a couple of months away still, it's starting to get some attention in the news. Here's some of the coverage, bit by bit:

Milpitas Post

As if rising visitor counts more than 3.3 million this year didn't already make the Santa Clara County Libraries the "hot spot" of their communities, that moniker will be confirmed when free high-speed wireless Internet access is introduced at each library over the next few months.

it was in the MH Times the other day, but I need to get a subscription first

I still think unshelved said it best (even though I'm very excited we'll be getting it)

Another paper not written (yet)

Back when I had planned to do a thesis for library school instead of the culminating papers (even suffering through the required research methods class as the prereq), I was planning to write about library/museum collaborations and do a nifty case study of all the amazing libraries and museums here in the San Jose area (having volunteered for four years at The Tech Museum). Saw this blog today: museums and libraries:

This blog will discuss the many relationships that have existed between museums and libraries and new ones that are now emerging. Its main focus will be on why these dynamic associations were created, the tremendous positive impact that they have had on society, the significant need for them to continue to work together, and the challenges that they face.

Yay Salinas!

Among the happy election news Tuesday, I forgot to blog that the library measure in Salinas passed!

Measure V for Victory: Salinas Libraries Saved!
Library Journal

Salinas Votes to Restore Library Services
ALA

Sales tax to keep libraries running
SJ Merc
Their opening: "John Steinbeck is probably smiling today."

Azar Nafisi Event

I have to work Wednesday night, but thought I'd post this in case anyone was interested, it went out on our school mailing list:

SJSU campus: Azar Nafisi reading and book signing (November 9)

Azar Nafisi, author of the acclaimed book Reading Lolita in Tehran: A
Memoir in Books, will offer a reading and book signing on the San Jose
campus at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday (11/9), in Morris Dailey Hall. The lecture
is free, and may be of particular interest to SLIS students interested in
intellectual freedom, human rights, and the power of books. Nafisi will
also be available for a Q&A session on Thursday (11/10) at noon in the Old
Cafeteria. For more information see http://www.litart.org.

Storytime at the Mall

Did you know that they [not the library] have storytime at the mall (Great Mall, Milpitas, 11/17/05 from 3:30-4:30pm)? Very interesting. And the PBS Share A Story site is cool with videos, activities to print (including a whole Al Roker activity set with a story and games).

Libraries 2.0

Everyone's been talking about Web 2.0 lately, and it's interesting to see folks talking about Library 2.0 as well. Jean had some great thoughts yesterday on synnergy in libraries, and I think that would be a great watch-word for Libraries 2.0. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to attend Internet Librarian last week, but it's been fun reading everyone's blog reports from the conference (and I'm just too overbooked currently to go to any of the fun conferences, even when they're local :( ) It would be nice to have the mental bandwidth to be able to give all this some real thought and to really play in this space. One day...

(adding Library Crunch to the list of library feeds I'll be reading. Note to self, time to organize the feeds better...)

Raffle Prize

Woohoo! Just found out that I won a raffle at work. My prize is a $20 gift certificate to Tomato Thyme Restaurant.

School Feed

I just noticed that SJSU SLIS has an rss feed. Snazzy. I guess they've had it for a while (since the news isn't really new) but I never noticed.

LJ Article on Experience

The Practice Prerequisite by John N. Berry III, Editor-in-Chief, Library Journal, September 15, 2005

It has come to the point where it is almost false advertising for an LIS program to suggest to students that graduating with an MLS is a guarantee of employment. That simply is not so, and the same students report that the average time it takes for a new graduate to find gainful employment is now more than a year.

I am very very thankful for the internships I've had during library school, and mentally getting used to the idea of starting a long job search experience.

Bird Flu

Another of my resource lists made the lib's web page! This one's on bird flu.

100 Years of E=mc2

Kelly and I completed our first web project and the page is up! Check out Einstein and His Big Idea, a quick list of resources to help celebrate the 100th anniversary of E=mc².

Turned in!

2 papers, 2 hard copies and a CD each. If all goes well, these will be my last grad school papers (at least for this degree). Now all that's left is the waiting...

LA$

Exciting library news in the SF Chronicle today (though we've known about it for a while, it's nice to see publicity about it):

In the money: The Los Altos Library is the recent recipient of a $1.6 million bequest, and a community forum has been set for 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Los Altos Library, 13 S. San Antonio Road, to discuss how to use the money.

"It is not often that a library has the opportunity to hold this type of meeting," Santa Clara County Librarian Melinda Cervantes said in a statement. "It will be a pleasure to focus on how we might want to expand services, facilities or the collection with this generous gift of funds."

The bequest came from the estate of Virginia Whipple, who died on March 24. She was a library volunteer and a member of the Friends of the Los Altos Library. Her bequest, which totaled $2.8 million after estate expenses were paid, was divided between the Santa Clara County Joint Powers Authority ($1.2 million) and the Los Altos Library Endowment ($1.6 million). The Santa Clara County Library operates the community library in Los Altos and the Woodland branch, Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Milpitas, Morgan Hill and Saratoga libraries.

info on the meeting

hmmm... what would you dream up for the library to do with the money?

MI Library Building Plans

Council advances demolition plan
By Ian Bauer
in the Milpitas Post

City of Milpitas plans call for a new community library and adjacent parking garage. The surrounding area would see construction of a low-price housing complex for senior citizens, and possibly a health clinic run by Santa Clara County.

Prior to breaking ground for those projects, the city must vacate existing buildings to prepare for demolition.

"We're preparing the site for the library and garage," Project Manager Mark Rogge said this week.

Part of the project will include preservation of the old Milpitas Grammar School building that faces North Main Street.

The 1912 school will be surrounded by the estimated $39-million library and adjacent $12.5-million multi-level parking garage.

The library and garage are scheduled for completion by 2008.

In another article, The 15th Annual Best of Milpitas

125. Best Historic Building The old Milpitas Grammar School on North Main Street, soon to be designed into a large new Milpitas library, was mentioned most often. The Alviso Adobe was runner-up.

131. Neatest Thing That Happened In 2005 (So Far)
Votes were spread across many categories here, but the Milpitas Fourth of July parade was mentioned most. Readers also enjoyed the July 4 fireworks, the city-funded additional operating hours at the library, Milpitas Rotary Club’s carnival, and Rancho Milpitas Middle School being voted a “School to Watch.”

New Branches

I decided that what I really needed for this paper was some inspiration, so I took a little tour of two of the newest branches of the San Jose Public Library System. The Branch Library Bond Measure, approved in November 2000, provides $212 million over ten years dedicated to the construction of six new and fourteen expanded branch libraries.

The Tully Community Branch Library opened on January 22, 2005 and serves a large and culturally diverse community in south San José. Its 24,300 square feet include a large community room, study rooms, a technology center, family place and Internet Café. (project details, floor plan) It is really one of the coolest libraries I have ever been in. Here are a few photos to give you a taste. They definitely take the idea of merchandising very seriously -- the displays are wonderful. There's a fireplace, lots of places to sit and read or work, group meeting areas, bright colors, great signage, lots of light and great art. The architects came and spoke to our class last week and talked about some of the decisions -- like having two entrances (so it connects to the ball fields) and the barn (to fit in with the historic use of the property).

The Vineland Branch Library (Blossom Hill) opened January 17, 2004 and serves a large and culturally diverse community in South San Jose. Its 24,000 square feet include a large community room, study rooms, technology center and café. (project details, floorplan) It's not quite as vivid as the Tully one, but still a very nice space and the cafe was great (plus, they are having their Spring book sale today) The reference desk was a bit hard to find though... luckily the staff wear name badges.

Happy Teen Read Week

Teen Reed Week, October 16-22, 2005

Tax Issues

The tax we passed is still up in the air according to an editorial in today's paper:

Attorney's claims tie up a host of vital valley projects
SJ Mercury News, Oct. 10, 2005

Parcel taxes collected by the Santa Clara County library district and schools in Campbell and Mountain View are under a cloud.

All this uncertainty is the work of attorney Aaron Katz, who owns properties in these districts. In pursuit of a dubious theory of tax fairness, he has filed five lawsuits to invalidate bond and parcel-tax elections in which voters approved millions of dollars in public projects.

These are not frivolous lawsuits. Katz has plausible, though radical, arguments, and is spending a lot of time and money making them. Although the cases may eventually be thrown out on a technicality, so far the courts have not dismissed them based on merits.

Katz claims the method of raising property taxes violates the equal-protection clause of the Constitution. Property owners -- the ones directly affected by the tax -- can't vote on the tax if if they don't live in the district. If property owners do live in the district, their votes are diluted by the votes of other residents who don't own properties and don't pay the tax.

While not frivolous, Katz's legal case does appear weak. The outcome, if he wins, would be bad law and bad policy. It would not only invalidate these local elections, but also turn voting in California on its head. Only property owners, regardless of where they live, would get to vote in parcel-tax and property-assessment elections.
...

At their peril, the library district is collecting and spending the tax increase voted last summer, and the Mountain View-Whisman School District is proceeding with its parcel tax, confident it won't be overturned. The Campbell Union High School District is collecting, but not spending, the $4.9 million parcel tax approved in November 2004.
...
But schools, libraries and hospitals benefit everyone, property owners as well as their tenants. Voting to support these institutions should, like other elections, be for all registered voters, without interference from non-resident property owners who have little stake in the community's quality of life. And tenants do pay property taxes indirectly, through their rents, even though owners can't always immediately pass on every increase.

The burden of taxes and user fees is not always equally shared. The decision to raise them generally should be in the hands of all voters, not a few.

Library School Lies

Well this was depressing:

Lies I learned in Library Sch