Poll III: The Reckoning

This weeks poll ended with a thunderous success, while also putting forward the Banned Library Mascot Animal!  Hit the jump for the results.

Here were the results:

The Mighty Puffin came in with 0% of the votes.  Aw, poor puffin.

He's gonna cry, you guys :(

Tied at 11%, the Griffon and the Tiger!

We shall never see this epic battle.

At 33%, the Possum almost took the lead.

Believe it or not, it was so close I was sketching out designs.

In a come behind victory, I give you our winner, the one that puts the "ook" in "book," the Cleveland Cataloger, Jack "The Cutter #" Jackalope!

Oh... Oh, damn...  Don't worry folks, he'll look better on the logo.

This weeks post is now up:  Who Would Win In A Race?

DC Shuts Down Online Comments: I Love It when Nerds Get Too Serious

So who would win in a race, the Flash or Superman?  If you answered "Who gives a bright and shiny hotdog?" then this is not for you.  DC Comics had to shut down its online message boards last week because a bunch of nerds got into a huge flame war trying to answer this very question, Comics Alliance reports.

Hi.  I would like to talk to you a moment about an epidemic that does not get much attention:  Nerd Rage.  Nerd Rage is the primary reaction when something of no real significance becomes very important to an individual or group.  Nerd Rage can infect anyone at anytime, from the aforementioned "Superman Vs Flash" to your grandmother debating with her friends over hand or machine stitching for quilts.  Please be aware of this, as it can become quite contagious.  Thank you.

Also, the Flash would kick the crap out of Superman in a footrace.  Otherwise, why is he called "The Flash"?  He is supposed to be faster than anything else.  Otherwise he's be "The Shine" or "The Glow" or "The Quick Guy That Can Not Beat Superman".

Oswego Ladies Dyeing For Their Patrons

Three Oswego, IL teen librarians promised to dye their hair purple in a bid to generate teen interest in the Winter Reading Program.  Hannah Berry, Angie Baugher, and Pat Schwartz bet the teens that if they could turn in 75 book reviews, the three librarians would dye their hair an outrageous color.  Furthermore, the teen with the most reviews could help in the dyeing.  After two months and over 150 reviews, the librarians had a new plumage of bright purple. 

Well, ain't that cool?  I do hope it does not start a trend, though.  Jersey librarians with orange day-glow tans after the book club goes well, Arizona State librarians having to pound a beer when some freshman uses the database on his own, and the National Library of Medicine getting odd elective surgery because the someone found what controls the need for elective surgery in the human genome.  Anarchy.

Check out the rest of the story and some cool pics.

Time to Update That Web Nanny: Dot XXX Approved

No, not this one.

As the genius Dr. Cox once said, "I'm fairly sure if they took porn off the Internet, there'd only be one website left, and it'd be called 'Bring Back the Porn!'"

Well, the domain ".xxx" has been approved for use across the Internet and will be implemented sometime this year.  Now, for those of you not in the know, well, it makes it much easier to find pornography on the Internet.  Yep, no more hard searches to find what makes your toes curl, just imply Rule 34 and add .xxx to the end of it.  Examples:  sex.xxx, porn.xxx, and bannedlibrary.xxx  Be afraid, folks.

So, what does that mean for libraries?  Actually, if you think about it, it makes our jobs a little easier.  While not all websites hot-to-trot will do the switch and the switch is not required, many will switch and will redirect to the new domains.  This makes blocking them from library and home computers unbelievably simple.  Before, the tech peoples had to reach into their dirtiest of minds to come up with search terms to block.  Now, all they will have to do is add a small "*.xxx" to the block and whammo, less porn to watch out for.  This may be the most revolutionary thing to happen to the Internet.

Washington Post

New York Times Top Story: "News Ain't Free"

Top Story: "News Ain't Free!"

The New York Times, in an increasing bid to lose readership, has announced that starting March 28th their website will be a subscription-based service.  The company has already started the initiative in Canada to iron out the wrinkles on their new bid to be read less.  Hell, they even let the story go to the world, such as the site The Guardian, where you too can read about it for free.

I guess it is pretty obvious that I think this is a dumb idea.  The basic plan is any schmo can look at 20 articles a month for free.  The top stories will still be available on the iPhone and iPad apps, but that's about it.  Otherwise you have to pay at least $15 per month.  Paper subscribers get an unlimited access plan, but if you already have the paper... Eh, whatever.  Did I mention I got this story from a Google News stream?

But For Me, It Was a Tuesday

Trope Namer. No, really.

Picture the scene:  A hero faces off against his father's killer.  The hero has trained his whole life for this moment.  He spits out his father's name and the villain... has no idea what he is talking about.  The trope of "But for Me, It Was a Tuesday" is generally known more as a villainous trope, proof that the villain has done so much evil in his or her life that the hero's most horrible moment was for the villain just another day.  There are times, though, that "But for Me, It was a Tuesday" applies to librarians as well.


Let me 'Splain

The other day a librarian I know received an email addressed to the reference staff and herself.  In the email a college-age kid thanked the staff for their efforts in helping him pick a science fair project years before.  He said the project had won him the fair and a love for computers and now he was training to become a computer technician.  The problem was, no one could remember the kid at all.  So many science fair projects, so many kids in and out, that a change in someone's life had happened and well, it was just another Tuesday.

Never noticed that was a sign...

That happens every day in a library.  Think of all the books we check out.  Those books not only fill someone's free time, but they do so much more.  The books reach into peoples lives by teaching valuable skills, enriching with information and comforting someone who just needs an escape.

The computer labs alone change lives on a daily basis.  Emails are sent, resumes are typed, that damn FAFSA form is filled out and refilled out.  By connecting people into the global community alone we are changing the world, making it a little easier for new tech to come in and be integrated into our society.  

Plus we also do... 

No, there is too much.  Let me sum up.

You ever suddenly realize you have legs?  I mean, you know you have them, but then you start thinking about them.  Aren't they weird?  All down there, propelling you around, going to sleep when you sit on them.  Silly things.  That is what this is for me.  Not an epiphany or anything, just wow, look at that.  We change things we librarians do.  No right now, of course.  You and me sit on the Internet too long.

And now for something completely different.

Rule 26: A Digital Media Internet Law

Inspiration struck early this morning as I wrapped my head around the concept of licencing of digital media.  There are no rules.  None.  There are only the haves and the have-nots.

Haves

This is why, in the spirit of Rule 34 and the Internet Rules in general, I propose a set of rules for labeling digital content behavior.  The first of which is:

 Rule 26*:  If a cheaper version exists, some jerk will try to charge more for it.

Let me know if you have any other rules we should put into play, we have 1-25 and beyond to fill. #rule26 on Twitter to support your library's eRights.

*inspired by the limit Harper Collins is placing on... you know all this