Library President Quits After Selling His Own Books to Library

The president of the Middletown library has resigned after signing invoices to sell his own books to the library.  After a career total of about $750, the president feels he can do no better and retire before he hits a slump.

We imagine his last statement to be something like, "In the book market, it's all about who you know.  With the landscape changing to ebooks, I don't think i could keep up my conflict of interest much longer.  I want to thank all the fans and Friends that supported me along the way.  It's better to burn out than to fade away."

Well, I guess he is correct and we wish him a long and storied future as we have not heard from a named source that he plans to sell needles to nonprofit drug counciling centers.

Middletown library chief resigns over selling his own books to library - Asbury Park Press

New Library Announces The First People to Go Inside

The Los Gatos Library announced the first five ticket winning children to enter their newly opened library. 

I will not make any "golden ticket" or "The Cats Library" jokes here.  This actually brought a genuine smile to my face and happiness to my heart:  People vied for the opportunity to be the first to enter a library.  Not a club, not a Wal-Mart, a library.  Five children get to be in the history books as library supporters.  This is important and interesting as proof that our culture is not completely devoid of genuine excitement over knowledge.  This is a contest I can get behind in an era where the majority of stories I read are about library closures.

Los Gatos Library Grand Opening 'First to Enter' Ticket Winners Announced - Patch.com

Mom Attacks Urban Outfitters After They Are Cool

An outraged mother has created a Facebook page decrying Urban Outfitters new sexy Valentine books.  She claims titles like "Position of the Day" are not appropriate for such a wonderful cultural establishment.

This is a problem facing the kids of today.  I mean, the first time I walked into a Hot Topic and saw a pentagram on a t-shirt, I remember thinking, "There's no way the dark lord would agree to that."  The plague of pushing your open values despite my religion without sacrificing a goat to He Who Shall Be Named If You Want To Live Through Armegeddon is sweeping the nation.  I totally understand this woman not wanting an open discussion point with her children.  I like to just stare awkwardly at the children I am sacrificing to the open, cold dark abyss instead of telling them the dangers of talking to strangers.  I should start a Facebook page, too.

Dedham mom blasts Urban Outfitters over sex books - Boston Herald

Communist Manifesto II: The Quickening

Fidel Castro has released a 1,000 page memoir according to Cuban officials.  The document, detailing his life and times as well the rise of Communism in Cuba, is said to be a very enlightening read.

I dunno how to go with this joke: 

1) Fidel Castro can't understand how a capitalist like Steve Jobs will be better remembered with a book than a man who sent a small island paradise into a Communist wasteland.

2) He feels Kim Jong Il stole his communist thunder as World's Craziest Communist.  It hurts to be second best.

Either way, I am not much of a history buff so I can not really comment.  I would love it if a communist diary hit the best seller list, though.  The irony is spectacular.

Fidel Castro unveils 1,000-page memoir

ACLU Steps Up Into Washington Porn Battle, Stirs Nest

The ACLU has sued Wenatchee libraries in Washington state to stop filtering porn on their computers.  This comes after last weeks controversy of a Seattle mother being all waaa waaa over a dude looking at porn in front of her kid while librarians stood back and did nothing but their jobs.  The ACLU has claims that it is unfair that Seattle porn lovers get their freak on in the library rather than the Wenatchee porn lovers, other than, you know, actual issues that matter in terms in civil rights that are going on in this country like internet piracy laws.

ACLU wants Wenatchee libraries to stop filtering public computers - Q13 FOX

I'mma Let You Never Live This Down

Taylor Swift donated 14,000 books to a Nashville library this week.  Insert joke about how Kayne West interupted her donation and wanted to talk about Beyonce's baby.

Taylor Swift donates 14000 books to Nashville library - TheCelebrityCafe.com

London Court Rejects Appeal to Keep Libraries Open

An appeal by campaigners to halt the closure of six Brent area libraries has been rejected by the Supreme Court. 

Just another move by the Man to keep the library system down. 

Brent library closures: Supreme Court rejects appeal bid - BBC News