Good Library blog.....missing the point.....as usual

I'm always interested in what Tim Coates Good library blog says. Sometimes I will agree with him, but not very often. But as I'm often to quote F.Scott Fitzgerald statement:-

The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.

So I read with interest the post If these libraries were any good councils wouldn't be closing them

The piece is just full of so many defiecencies and sweeping generalisations. His statements such as thus:-

If they were all as good as the good ones then councils and councillors wouldn't think of closing them.

Sorry? So councillors are closing these libraries because they are rubbish then? Councillors are just nice people with no political agenda? Sorry, a councillor usually becomes a councillor for political reasons Mr Coates (not all the times, but they do have a political agenda).

He then proceeds to blame public library closures on librarians saying:-

public libraries, they have an awful lot to answer for, and instead of looking in my direction, it would be better if they faced and tackled their own problems.

So, lets look at these two points again. Councillors are nice people, just trying to get rid of the crud in the local area? So when Johanna Bo Anderson's Blog pointed out in a post entitled Librarians Gagged that was not the councillors trying to stop freedom of speech? Or how about this post here, where three middle aged librarians where physically accosted for being on library property, because they were protesting against there terms and conditions that were being pushed on them?

His second point that libraries (and librarians I assume) have created this problem because we are only interested in digital formats rather than books an buildings is rubbish. Sorry Tim, some users want digital formats as well as books. He also seems to indicate that librarians have done nothing to help themselves but follow a policy of futerism, not caring about reading and books etc and therefore are deserving of losing there roles. Well, sorry Tim many librarians (who don't work in public libraries) are trying to stop the cultural vandalism of the present government with advocacy sites like Voices for the Library.

Christ, I left a comment on his post, but he has yet to answer. Oh well, thats a change?

Is it really only Five years old?

I read today that youtube is 5 years old. Youtube seems so ubiquitous now I can't remember it not being there.

Joining the Union.....

I recently joined Unison, I just feel that sometimes in today's economy, you just need some advice and legal assistance. It allows me to hum ertain tunes to.

Library 101

David Lee King and Michael Porter have release a new video and Library resource called Library 101. They have essays, learning resources and obviously the video. Its even been mentioned on BoingBoing.

Boolean for Idiots

(Found via here) I was interested in this simple Boolean search tool. Really easy to use, simple for students of most ages to get there head around to. You could also try these videos to (1 and 2). For the video links thanks Colin.

Wikipedia.......the rising headaches hitting 3million makes

The Guardian has an article entitled Wikipedia approaches its limits, which looks at the rising problems Wikipedia presently faces, with its editors either being 'Deletionism and inclusionism'. I had read about this previously in Andrew Lih's interesting book The Wikipedia Revolution: How a Bunch of Nobodies Created the World's Greatest Encyclopedia. Both worth a read.

Library video and the hive

(Found via here), Jisc has released a video entitled Libraries of the future on youtube.
Librarians Matters blog says of it:-

Libraries as bee-hives? Google as a partner? Librarians as network administrators as much as information specialists? Librarians “entrepreneurial, engaged and outward looking”? Investing thousands of pounds in change management programs?

The video is well worth a look.

One year on

A year yesterday my baby brother was murdered. Its been sad without him and even sadder going to Cornwall to be with my parents. I still hold the memories and times we had together. Anyhow here are some video's of Jody (1 and 2). Thanks to all the messages of support.

Youtube librarianship

This is via Librarian in black, about Videos on YouTube for Librarians. It has 100 Awesome Youtube Vids for Librarians. I think I might have to bring this up in the Web 2.0 thing we're doing about at the library I work at and discussed before (1,2).