11 October 2011

Exercise 6, book reviews

 Book reviews are important and the writers of those reviews are never should be discouraged. God bless every person who has read a book from the first page to the last one and gave an articulate opinion on it!

 Sadly, in these days, when the airwaves are littered with swearwords and easy to digest popular culture, when gossip magazines multiply by the dozen, we have to treasure every single book reader, keep them motivated and give them platform to express their view....Obviously, these reports could be way too subjective so we have to handle them with caution.
 In an earlier post I unintentionally gave my opinion on a certain book that of I found on the train: I declared my personal connection to the subject and  how it made me instantly connected to this book. Others might think that  particular book  is nothing else but a part of a media campaign attempting to clean up some sporting figure's image in order to resuscitate his career. Nothing demonstrates better, how subjective a reader review could be, then this example.
 ... and above all:  De gustibus non est disputandum! We all like different things and we should respect that.
unless they express extremist views.....but that is the question of censoring.
 If I want to know more about a book,  I do a proper research on the particular title and read the critic's essays in  notable pulications, but I might peak into readers reviews for fun and curiosity. My local library has a Readers Club, but does not publish reviwes.

Lost and found books

I found a book on my way to work. It was left on the seat of the early morning train. It was probaly left behind by an other commuter just like me, who was too tired at 6 am to remember  take the book with her....I opened up and started reading that morning...Yes, I still have the book.

Please, read my debate, and tell me what should I do!
1. The book is not the greatest gem of literature, it is an autobiography of Ben Cousins, but I lost a dear friend to drugs and I am eager to learn about one's struggle.
2. As I said, there is not much artistic or aesthetic  value to this book, but it certainly describes an important character  development : someone's battle with their demons, committing then admitting their wrong doing. It has always been a  fascinating theme since  Faust and Raskolnikov .... In this book we find  the very same personal battle even if it is lived through by a spoiled / overpaid football player. Could  I be mistaken and maybe this book was written just to clean up his public profile and revive is career? I can not tell it yet..
3. My mother had an ex-libris stamp in her books, so the books could be returned to her , in case she lost one... Ex libris is now old fashioned, if not non-existent. How do I know that this book will be returned to it's rightful owner?
4. I am learning a lot about AFL.
5. I promised myself to turn the book in  to CityRail after reading ...after all, it's someone else's property.... They must have got a Lost and found Department full of umbrellas and paperbacks .
 So, kind visitor to this blog,  please be my judge and give me your verdict...should we ever keep a found book ? What would you do?

9 October 2011

Exercise 5

Social Networking – It is the way the 21st century communicates now and libraries would not want to miss out. They are using the power of Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr, Linkedin and so on...and they do it well. It is the new way  of building relationship or self advertising...Although, I could not help notice a tendency: libraries seem to use Facebook as a platform of fighting against extinction.
Facebook become the Greenpace of Libraries, in my opinion.
Not that there is anything wrong with that, it is one of the most effective way to give a shout out for the community, get people commited (befriend, "Like"...) or take notice of their case.
Let's just do a search on Facebook, and be amazed by the number of campaigns! Here are some examples :
Save Libraries
Save the Los Angeles Public Library!
I'll Bet I Can Find 1,000,000 People Who Think Libraries Are Pennsylvania’s 5.6 Million Library Cardholders Can’t Be Wrong
Library Voices
Public library advocacy