Author: jessamyn

tie-dyed librarian interviewed by mary minow

Posted on by jessamyn

Mary Minow has a fun interview with the librarian responsible for editing and annotating the upcoming book The Complete Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics and discusses how the Dead’s policy of allowing free taping of all their shows helped the band, and also how that aesthetic does or does not translate into the world of print.

The marketing model of allowing free distribution of the music just flew in the face of all the common wisdom. In a way, the file-sharing programs that are the target of such vilification from the mainstream music business world today are the direct descendants of the Dead’s approach. That said, they have been (rightfully) quite cautious in allowing this project to go forward as a print-on-paper book.

Lease Morgan: systems librarianship is within your grasp

Posted on by jessamyn

Eric Lease Morgan answers the question “What should I know to be a good systems librarian?” and ends with this caveat

Please do not be overwhelmed. All of these things can be learned and practiced on your desktop or home computer. They lend themselves better to server-class operating systems such a Unix/Linux, but learning about these operating systems is challenging in itself and not readily applicable to librarianship. All you need is the ability to read books, the desire to learn, and the time to do it.

two good links from resource shelf: IFLA & LOC

Posted on by jessamyn

Two things stuck out from the most recent Resource Shelf posting by Gary Price today

“The Library of Congress has launched a new public Web site to cover the groundbreaking work of a special independent committee. By 2006, this committee will recommend changes to copyright law that recognize the need for exceptions to the law for libraries and archives in the digital age.”

Highlights released IFLA/FAIFE World Report 2005 on Intellectual Freedom and Libraries: Libraries, National Security, Freedom of Information Laws and Social Responsibilities. Of note: filtering use on the rise, digital divide still a problem, consequences of war on terror affecting libraries, intelelctual freedom issues still a problem worldwide, including this quote In Turkmenistan it was reported that libraries have been closed under presidential order, on the grounds that ‘no one reads’. Damn. Read more IFLA blogging from the Rambling Librarian