As devoted book lovers and defenders of libraries, there are few things that upset us more than people who steal books. We read about a recent case of book theft in China this week, detailed after the jump, which compelled us to explore a brief history of shocking book thievery. Greed, desperation, and delusion have compelled ordinary citizens and literary insiders to snatch rare books and manuscripts for dubious purposes. Most of these stories about stolen titles read like a gripping thriller, but the following tales of book theft are sadly all too real.
Category Archives: Librarianship
10 Great Slidedecks from SLA 2013 – OEDB.org
10 Great Slidedecks from SLA 2013 – OEDB.org.
- KM Content that Delivers: Learn from the Early Adopters
- 60 Sites in 60 Minutes
- The Accidental Systems Librarian: Using Our Librarian Competencies in Managing Systems
- Where Did the Books Go? Exploring E-Library Models at the Engineering and Physical Sciences Libraries at Cornell University
- Implementing Open Source
- The Key Success Factor in Knowledge Management…What Else? Change Management
- SharePoint Speed Dating: Tips and Techniques from the Pros: Quick Tips for Creating a Competitive Intelligence SharePoint Site
- SPOTLIGHT SESSION: The Race to the Patent Office – the Impact of the America Invents Act
- Just Say No to Aimlessness! Strategic Leveraging of Social Media Content
- Next Generation Sci-Tech Librarians: Helping Institutions and Researchers Increase Their Impact
Chocolate: The Scent That Could Save Struggling Bookstores | Pacific Standard Magazine
Belgian researchers report the enticing aroma of chocolate inspired bookstore shoppers to stick around longer, and boosted sales of certain genres.
See the full article: Chocolate: The Scent That Could Save Struggling Bookstores  | Pacific Standard Magazine.
Preparing For The Future: Helping Libraries Respond to Changing Tech… | Brian Kelly
17 Amazing Stories of Lost and Found Films | Flavorwire
Exciting news for silent comedy fans, movie buffs, and people who generally like things that are awesome: film historian Fernando Pena has discovered an alternate version of the classic Buster Keaton short The Blacksmith, featuring numerous never-before-seen gags and a new ending. The film, buried in a large purchase of European prints from eBay, is the kind of discovery that makes movie lovers’ hearts dance; there are so many great old films either lost entirely or no longer in their original form that these kind of finds in archives, collections, and odd spots make the impossible seem possible.
via 17 Amazing Stories of Lost and Found Films | Flavorwire.
Quill & Quire | Guest opinion: why libraries should get into the book-selling business
In the June 2013 issue of Q&Q, Vancouver librarians Shirley Lew and Baharak Yousefi argue that libraries should get into the business of selling books.
See the full article:Â Quill & Quire | Guest opinion: why libraries should get into the book-selling business.
Quotable: “The loss of independent bookstores is accompanied by the loss of diversity, possibility, and sense of place. Publishers, writers, and the readers they serve all lose in a market that rewards blockbusters but ignores alternative voices and ideas. Instead of being bystanders to this devastation, libraries have compelling reasons to seize the opportunity it presents. We have a mandate to help preserve our literary and cultural landscape; we have the space, often in rent-controlled buildings; we know how to buy and promote books; and we are not constrained by the need to turn a profit. We are uniquely equipped to sell books and support writers, publishers, and reading in Canada.”
Related:Â Storify: should libraries sell books? [some Twitter reactions] | Quill & Quire
5 Awesome Librarian Business Cards | Ellyssa Kroski – OEDB.org
I’ve been using Moo cards for years because I love the slender, slick business cards that they provide from my photos but I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting ways to display information on them as well as design inspiration. I was very pleased to come across these 6 superbly designed librarian business cards.
via 5 Awesome Librarian Business Cards| Â Ellyssa Kroski – OEDB.org.
Vinyl Making a Comeback?
UVinyl — Universal Music’s vinyl branch — is developing a “crowd-funded vinyl service” that will release limited-edition records of old “deleted” albums if there’s enough demand. “The Vinyl Project” will re-press deleted and rare records into vinyl, and release them with digital downloads and personalized art prints.
via Universal Music Reviving Vinyls With Crowdfunding Service | Mashable.
The power of crowdfunding used to revive outdated technology. I’m not sure this would have happened if DJs, sound mixers, musicians and artists were not still using vinyl records and continuing their popularity. One area at least where the music industry is creating goodwill and partnerships promoting music development instead of restrictions.
Related:
- A Library Brings Back Vinyl | Annoyed Librarian | Library Journal
- Share the love: vinyl lending library opens in London | theguardian
- Third Man Records (Jack White’s vinyl records store)
Placing Literature maps book scenes in the real world | Crave – CNET
Go behind the scenes of a new site based in Google Maps that combines geography, technology, and literature into a crowdsourced map of real locations from novels.
Eventually, users should be able to harness the site to put together trips, like a visit to the China sites mentioned in “The Joy Luck Club,” or a regional tour of Laura Ingalls Wilder locations. The potential for use in education and academic research is also tremendous.Â
via Placing Literature maps book scenes in the real world | Crave – CNET.
LinkedIn and the MLIS Job Search | Information Space
MLIS students, and librarians in general, are possessed of singular skills that are valuable in a variety of positions, but they’re not always sure what those positions might be.
While searching LinkedIn recently, I stumbled upon some really interesting Library and Information Science Professionals in job titles and with career paths that some might consider unusual or even out of reach. The thing about LinkedIn is that this is what it should be used for. LinkedIn is not just a place to put up a profile and wait to see what happens. It is an amazing job search/research tool that Library and Information Science professionals should be easily able to navigate and come up with very valuable information.
See the full article: LinkedIn and the MLIS Job Search  | Information Space
Not discussed in depth in the article are the LIS groups MLIS students may want to consider joining. These include:
- Canadian Library Association
- Special Libraries Association
- American Library Association
- CILIP: Library, Information and Knowledge Professionals
- Information Science and LIS
- code4lib
- New Academic Librarians: Networking to success
- LIS Career Options
- Library Technician Students in Canada
- INALJ- The I need a Library job Group
- Your University Alumni Group
infophile 