Library Mash up

I am presently at the library mash up I had discussed before. After get through signing in to the network and having 6 power points between 30 persons and we are off. I know i'm using this like twitter, so apologies.

My great gran passed away

I had some sad news when my Great Gran Vodden (bottom right), passed away in her sleep in hospital. She was aged 107 and had only recently been to hospital, caring for herself in the same house for over 60 years. She was going blind and deaf, but her mind still sharp. She had 3 children, 12 grandchildren, numerous great and great grandchildren. She also had a great,great,great gran child born 101 years exactly after her own birth. Although it was time for her to go its still sad to hear the news, and doubtful i'll make the funeral to give her the good bye she deserved. I'll always think of you fondly gran.

What I read was great

I've just finished Steven Levy's book The Perfect Thing: How the iPod Shuffles Commerce, Culture, and Coolness. Levy provides a wonderful insight into the ipod and apple and its affect on society. Steven has previously written about apple and also touches on Jobs 'hacking' days in the 70's with Captain Crunch. He is able to ask Jobs anything. The book is well worth a look.

I got my ipod touch

I final got it. Thankfully i'll get my wi-fi friday and be able to use it. Also next week is the library mash up i'm going to. I'll use it there to blog etc.

Clay Shirky interview

Clay Shirky of famous Power Laws, Weblogs, and Inequality and the book Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations, is interviewed by Richard Wallis over on Panlibus site. Worth a listen (if only I had internet at home......just 16 days to go).

Brothers court case

Most of may know of my brothers murder. Well the accused has pleaded 'not guilty'. I can't say much more on the because of due process. We know await the trial. this will be the 30th of march (3 weeks after my brothers birthday and the day before my mums). Tomorrow will be the first anniversary of my grandfather passing away. Life don't seem so good. Thank god I have my girlfriend.

Facebook in libraries? Can it ever succeed?

I recently discussed David Lee King's article looking into facebook in libraries. Well a few other bloggers have been discussing this article (1 & 2).

I then went back to the original article and looked at the comments Kings comments had got and at the relevant libraries that had been using it (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6).

In looking at this I noted that the highest of these facebooks pages was 349 and lowest 25. My question is, will facebook ever be able to replace the online catalogue? I mean, with figures these (fairly) low, how would we get are patrons to go to this site and make people comment on our services?

My idea for facebook libraries is to offer something free that the catalogue does not. I think search skills video's on youtube or something along those lines. Without people visiting the facebook page its just a dead link in my opinion. We have to offer more for less in these days of credit crunch.

Lib Democrats show the decline of UK Public libraries

I have not mentioned public libraries recently (as I don't work in them anymore), but I found via lisjobnet, that Lib Dem culture spokesman Don Foster said a survey showing that 35 branches were lost in the last financial year "demonstrates the severity of the crisis facing library services across the country".

This seems a shame that public libraries are getting so little support (excluding the support of some personages and blogs). Hopefully the powers that be might see that culture is not just football and opera, its allowing the young and old to advance there own minds in a library enviroment, and not in google or second life

Unquiet History podcast

Librarian.net introduced me to an interesting podcast [whoops error, digital recording], entitled Unquiet History, which follows on from Matthew Battles book of the same name. When I finally get my ipod touch might even get to listen to it.

Saying good bye

I went down to Cornwall this weekend. Since my brothers death I have not been as much as I had hoped with other commitments (like weddings and house hunting). We (my niece and parents that is) had to pack his so few belongings. It brought home I have no future with this person, just cherished memories. I some times feel this gets better, but it always comes back. Hopefully some day the loss might not be so sharp.
On my journey home I started using his photo's in Imovie. I loved doing it, but just so few photo's of one I held so dear. I think of what one blogger wrote previously to me:-

I also lost a brother. He was 24; I was 26. At 53, he's still as alive in my heart and in my head as ever, though we will never get to compare wrinkles. His birthday is coming up: August 7. I will be celebrating it with him in my dreams.

I miss you everyday Jo.