Mommy Group Mad They Can't Hold Private Meetings at Public Library

A local group named "Cool Mommies" have been told that they can no longer use King County Library System's meeting rooms because the library says they hold private meetings and turn away other members of the public.  The library's policy states that meetings held at the library must be public and the group's behavior of turning away children and others from the area violate that policy.

The debate around this issue has come up often.  Space in a public library is more important than real estate in Manhattan.  To set areas aside for groups to gather and meet means there is space not occupied by library materials.  However, public meeting places are important.  They give groups an area to converge, talk, discuss and meet without bias.  If you reserve a meeting room at a public library, know that you are reserving public space and that all should be welcome.  And throw away your damn trash, we are not your janitors.

If the great duo of "Garfunkle and Oates" got it right when they sang "Pregnant Women are Smug," then the adendem should be that mommies can be a very entitled group.  This issue here is not mommies being snubbed but of a group taking space from the community.  Bravo to the library that keeps all its doors open, both outside and in.

'Cool Mommies' Miffed at Not Being Allowed to Use Kirkland Library Room - Patch.com

Library's Need a Pirate Mentality

Getting an MLIS would be so much more fun if it were more like how you Joined the navy back in the day:

"I went out drinking with these librarians... Next thing I knew I woke up in the stacks with nothing but a cataloging manual and a cart of books.  A disembodied voice yelled out 'Shelve or die, page!' 

Over the next couple of months I would run across a new cart with more books and I would shelve those, too.  All I had to eat was stale popcorn and juice boxes. 

Then, slowly, I learned the way of the Dewey and found my way out of the stacks.  I learned I was the only one of my group to do so, making me worthy of the title 'library assistant.'  After a few more years, battling incoming patrons and manning the computer lab, I made friends with The Director.  Less and less was I told to go out to the desk.  I was made a part of the institution.

One day she bid me into her office.  'I am not the true Director' she said, 'The real Director has been retired for years and living quite comfortably in Florida.  The next shift change, I too shall retire and leave you the library.'

Good to her word, she retired and I took her position after we found a new crew.  Every once in a while she would pop back in, all the while calling me Director.  And that's how I became The Director of the library."

Yeah, I wish it was that way.  I wish it was so that when the Director retired, they moved a worthy soul up and hired from the bottom.  But looking at library job postings can tell you this is not the common practice.  Why would you want to get new blood in the profession, anyway?  Might as well only advertise for director positions, it is not like those new graduates know anything useful. 

And going out drinking after work would be so much more fun if we could kidnap people.  Just saying.

Something about Penguins Hating Libraries

Penguin Books has pulled its e-titles from publisher Overdrive and from library lending programs. 

Penguin (and other companies that have pulled their support for library lending) claim that putting their books out there for free to the public encourages piracy and profit loss.  I can see their point.  Library's have always promoted piracy.  This past year alone I can not count how many times I caught little old ladies hunched over the copy machine with a copy of The Help.  You have to watch those crazy ladies.

Penguin Stops Selling e-Books to Libraries - Publishers Weekly

Library Threatens Salvation Army Prom Dresses

The Union County library is looking for prom dresses for a second annual prom dress and accessory sale at the library to be held soon.

I struggle to find a point to this.  Yes, it is a community event that will bring people to the library.  Yes, it provides a service to those people looking for cheap and nice dresses.  Does this help the library mission, though?  Does this mean we can expand the library to overtake the local Salvation Army?

I can picture that.  The library staff literally going to the matresses, taking on the bright boys in red of the S.A. over an estate sale of a retiree.  Can the library get the headboard and half the coffee cup collection?  Those could fund next year's performance of Marco the Exquisite's magic show for the summer reading program.  That monkey lamp?  It could be gold on eBay. 

Hell, let's expand the book sale to include a farmer's market, open extra early Sunday morning.  I bet that will up the checkouts on the new James Patterson.
Union County library seeks prom dresses, accessories - Palladium-Item

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