who knows what we like? Archie McPhee of course.

Posted on by jessamyn

Folks who read this blog know that I rarely link to things for sale unless they are really special. This is one of those times. I only wish I had a birthday coming up. Please enjoy the Illustrated Librarian Temporary Tattoos.

Librarian stereotypes are as old and outdated as microfiche. Nowadays you’re just as likely to see your local librarian driving a Harley as a Honda Accord. This 3-1/2″ x 4-1/2″ hard-cover book contains twelve non-toxic temporary tattoos ranging in size from 1-1/2″ to 3-1/4″. Put one in a prominent place to prove once and for all that “smart” and “cool” are not mutually exclusive! Also great for bibliophiles and bookworms. All colors follow FDA cosmetic regulations.

[note: I drive a Honda Accord.]

what makes a good library great?

Posted on by jessamyn

T. Scott discusses the work of Jim Collins and how what makes a business great and what makes a social sector enterprise great are two very different things.

[I]n the social sectors it is a mistake to think that we need to “act like a business” (the subtitle to the monograph is why business thinking is not the answer) and he acknowledges that the measurements that we use to assess ourselves are not going to be as neatly quantitative as those that measure the performance of a for-profit company. But we still have to have clear goals, and strong discipline, and a way to tell whether or not we are moving toward those goals.