When everything is downloadable...

About ten days ago we decided to start providing downloadable ebooks for Nooks and other compatible devices, using the same company that hosts our downloadable audio book collection. They should be showing up in our catalog soon--maybe even before the end of the year, which would be good timing if you are hoping for an ereader this holiday season. Just make sure your personal shopper knows that Kindles do not work with the ebooks soon to be available from the library.

Everytime these new formats come along, I start thinking about the what it means for libraries now and in the future. There's the budget part of the issue, of course. It costs money to make these available, but our book budget isn't really growing and people still want the actual book as well as the audio version of the book--all of which means that it's not unusual for us to buy the same book in print, large print, CD, downloadable audio, and perhaps now, downloadable text. We're balancing these competing demands as best we can, but it's a challenge.

Then there's the whole question of where libraries will fit in if the future is more mobile (much of what I read seems to say soon we'll all be using smart phones for virtually everything we now do on a PC), and also much less oriented toward traditional print.

Yesterday Google Editions went live, in direct competition with Amazon. Barnes and Nobel stores are having a hard time, as are many independent book stores. I don't think that most people want to pay for every book they might want to read, even if the digital versions cost less than traditional print--I know I couldn't afford that. But libraries are a relatively small part of the book market, and the companies developing these new tools aren't so interested in us. Publishers are trying to figure out how to stay profitable in a digital world, and letting libraries check out a single digital copy of a book to multiple users looks like lost revenue to them.

Librarians are in this profession because we believe in the value of what we do. I read something the other day that resonated with me. "The 21st century is no place for timid librarians." We've found our way through many changes over the years, and I hope we'll figure this new digital future as well.

So, Let's Talk: Community Conversations

Last night the Main Library hosted the second of four planned Community Conversations. These programs are funded by Boeing and Humanities Washington, and their goal is to involve citizens in thoughtful conversations about contentious topics. The format is simple: a panel of people with different perspectives and expertise in the topic being discussed gives a presentation, and then they take questions from the audience.

Our first program was on the ballot initiative process, and was a particularly interesting discussion in a year with such a large number of initiatives on the ballot. Last night's program was on immigration. Approximately 20 people attended, and they listened to a constitutional scholar, a UW geography prof, an economist, and a community organizer talk about immigration. It was clear that not everybody in the room agreed on either the problem or the solution, but overall the tone was respectful. People were able to ask questions, receive thoughtful answers (even when they disagreed with what was being said), and then there was a little time at the end for one-on-one questions to the panelists.

While I was dismayed by some of the angry comments posted on the Herald website about the event, those who attended were willing to give the panelists a chance to speak. And to me, that was heartening--and it goes to the heart of what I believe a public library is all about. We build our collections around the idea that we want to provide a variety of viewpoints. We host programs on a variety of subjects. We want people to feel safe asking for the information they need--and not to worry about whether library staff will consider their request unacceptable because of whatever their request says about their politics or interests.

One of the things that makes this country great is that we get to disagree with each other without fear of the consequences. I really believe that as long as we're talking to each other (not just at each other), there is hope we can figure out what we should be doing as a country. And, of course, another great thing is public libraries, the one institution where you can be sure to find your viewpoint in print and on the shelves.

I hope you'll join us in January for another Community Conversation. This one will focus on historic preservation. I'll write more about it in another post.

Help Us Win $10,000

Everett Public Library is a finalist in the Playaway Picture This Contest, which means we have a chance to win $10,000--if enough of you vote for us at http://vote.playaway.com.

Creative staff members got us this far, with an eye-catching display you may have noticed at our Main Library. If you haven't noticed it, or don't know what Playaways are, it's time to check out the display and check out a Playaway. Playaways are MP3 players with an audiobook already loaded. They're about the size of a deck of cards, and are great for listening while exercising, cooking, gardening, or whatever activity goes better with a book.

The contest ends on December 17, and the library with the most votes wins. If we win, we'll use the money for our Summer Reading Program, to help support a community reading program for adults, and more books for our new teen area. Help us get there--with just a click of your mouse.

Librarians on vacation

I often visit libraries when we travel. All public libraries have much the same mission, but how they carry it out varies a lot. I know I'm not the only librarian who does this, and since we love to share ideas, it's usually possible to get a behind the scenes tour if you want. Or just stroll around anonymously.

This August I went on a a family vacation that was truly amazing. We toured Istanbul, a few Greek islands, and Athens. I saw the library at Topkapi Palace in Istanbul (no books there anymore), the remains of the library in Ephesus, and the site of Hadrian's Library in Athens. My niece is a librarian, too, and she and I made sure we took photos to commemorate our visit.

I like thinking about the long history of libraries. Whether they were built to demonstrate a particular ruler's importance or from a sense of civic pride, libraries have been one way cities and countries demonstrate a commitment to their citizens and to the future.

The photo here is of the library in Ephesus.

Vacation reading

Usually when I go on vacation I take too many books, and I spend a lot of time deciding just which ones to bring along. It would be too depressing to be stuck in an airport with nothing to read--or something to read that I wasn't going to enjoy reading. So I don't take any chances, and end up lugging around more books than I could possibly finish. And yes, I know that some sort of e-reader would be a solution to the problem, but I'm not ready for that yet.

But this year I got it just right. We were going on a trip with several long airplane flights, so I took 4 books. It proved to be the perfect number, and the perfect variety of escapist mysteries and more serious fiction. In case you're interested, here are my favorites:
Eucalyptus by Murray Bail is a tale of love, eucalyptus trees, and the power of stories.
The Ghost by Robert Harris is the political thriller the movie Ghost Writer was based on.
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters is a gothic mystery set in post-WWII England that was short-listed for the Man-Booker Prize.

There's Music in the Air

Street Tunes, a project of the City of Everett's Cultural Arts Department, made its debut at the Main Library yesterday with the delivery of an artfully decorated piano. Modeled after a very successful program called Play Me, I'm Yours, Street Tunes has placed pianos from the Transit Center to the Library. A complete list, with a map and photos, is here. This morning I came to work to find a yound man playing beautiful music--at 8 a.m. At noon, an elderly man was entertaining a group of teens, while others sat on the steps to the coffee shop, listening appreciatively. Here are some photos taken right after the piano was delivered, when Van Ramsey, library building caretaker and member of the band The Wild Snohomians, treated us to a tune, and artist Evelia A. Sanchez posed with her artwork.

The piano is here for 3 weeks--play it; it's yours to enjoy.

Spelldown!

October 8 may seem like a long way away, but it's not too soon to start planning how you can participate in the first ever Everett Public Library Spelldown, a spelling bee for grown-ups to be held at the Everett Performing Arts Center. If you're a pretty good speller--or just a good sport--think about getting a team of three people together to participate for the grand prize. We don't know what that will be yet, but at the very least you'll win the admiration of your friends and family!

The entry fee for teams is $100, but there's no charge to come and watch the festivities, and all proceeds go towards the teen space project at the Main Library. We'll have a cash bar with beer, wine, and soft drinks. So get together with friends, family (over 18), or colleagues, fill out your entry form, and start studying the word lists. Or don't study at all, and just come for a good time.

SIFF Comes to Everett

I'm a film fan, so I was very excited to hear that the Seattle International Film Festival was bringing a selection of films to Everett this year. I attended the opening night gala on Thursday, which included a screening of Mao's Last Dancer, a question and answer session with the director, Bruce Beresford, and lots of food and wine courtesy of local restaurants. Although I didn't like the film, I think I was in the minority. The audience was enthusiastic, and people really seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Last night my husband and I went back to see The Concert, a funny and uplifting story about Russian musicians and politics, and we both thought it was terrific.

I'm looking forward to seeing at least two more films before the Everett SIFF program is over, and I am hoping SIFF will be back next year. Whether that happens or not, be sure to check out the library's film collections. We have a great collection of foreign and independent films.

The Big Read

I can't let May go by and without a post on the Big Read. Perhaps you haven't visited us for a while, or even if you have, maybe you hadn't noticed all those stacks of Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried displayed in various places around both libraries, as well as the posters that highlight the book and the events scheduled in Snohomish and Island Counties. After all, I read somewhere that only 12% of all women and 5% of all men (I will resist making any snide comments here) actually read signs. So you might have missed the fact that Everett Public Library and Sno-Isle Libraries are collaborating on the Big Read, a National Endowment for the Humanities program designed to foster reading and book discussions.

We did this last year with Dashiell Hammett's The Maltese Falcon. I am much more interested in this year's book selection. The Things They Carried, a novel about the Vietnam War and its aftermath told from the perspective of a group of soldiers who served together, is a powerful book. Unlike the The Maltese Falcon, O'Brien's book lends itself to discussion on many levels--whether your interests are literary, historical, or sociological, O'Brien has managed to make his characters and the situation they find themselves in real and intelligible even to those of us who know little about Vietnam.

We bought over 500 copies of the book in a variety of formats. More than half of them are checked out, including most of our book group sets. I would not have guessed that we could get Everett residents to check out almost 300 copies of the same book at the same time. And it's not even a bestseller, having been originally published in 1990. I hope you'll read the book, attend some of the outstanding programs we've scheduled during the month, and most of all, I hope you'll talk about what you've read, whether at a library event or among friends. It's a great way to connect with your community.

If you like really good bread...

I love fresh-baked bread. Well, who doesn't, right? I don't make it often, but my life, or at least as far as bread baking goes, has changed since reading My Bread by Jim Lahey. I had read about this recipe more than a year ago, but was only recently inspired to try it after talking to friends who make it all the time. Lahey's recipe is no-knead, but it does take planning because it needs at least 12 hours to rise. So I mixed it up one night, and then left it. I was just sure the recipe must have a typo, because it only called for 1/4 teaspoon of yeast. When I looked at it next morning, it looked kind of grey and goopy, and I was afraid my concerns were justified. But I persevered, which meant leaving it to its own devices for about 5 more hours before actually baking it. It would be kind to say it looked less than promising going in to the oven--but it was delicious. That loaf was gone within 24 hours. Time to make another one, and maybe time to checkout some new cookbooks in search of yet more culinary inspiration.

Quoting Keith Richards

It's National Library Week, a time of year when we ask you to be happy you have a public library. There has been a lot of bad news for libraries around the country in the last two years. Libraries are often the first casualities of a bad economy, and the economy has been on the skids for two years now. When I read news stories about libraries cutting staff, cutting hours, cutting materials budgets, and closing branches, I am grateful we have so far escaped any of those fates. It's a sad truth that as people turn to libraries more than ever--whether for help with job searches, free programs for entertainment and education, or free materials for reading, listening, and watching--libraries in many parts of the country are less available and have less to offer than they once did.

But that's not true in Everett, and I am happy to be able to say that our libraries and our staff are providing more service to more people than ever. And we're doing it with the same budget we had last year. We're offering more computer classes, individual computer assistance, and soon, more public Internet computers. Our materials collection is robust,and we're launching our second Big Read project with Sno-Isle Libraries. Baby storytimes are thriving, circulation continues to grow.

I never expected to be quoting Rolling Stone Keith Richards, but I came across this on a list serv, and thought it was appropriate this week, and really, every week.

When you are growing up there are two institutional places that affect you most powerfully: the church, which belongs to God, and the public library, which belongs to you. The public library is a great equaliser.” Keith Richards

Good Intentions

When I began this blog my intention was to post at least once a week. I don't always make that goal, something you probably know if you read it at all regularly. Recently a colleague passed along an article about food bloggers/diarists--people who are almost obsessive about documenting everything they eat, and doing it every day. Whether you are a fan of the minimalist approach exemplified by Javier Garcia or Nora Sherman's more colorful photos, apparently it's possible to spend a lot of time online looking at what other people are eating.

I know myself well enough to know there's no way I'll ever blog about anything on a daily basis. In fact, I don't even spend a lot of time reading other people's blogs, at least not every day. I guess I read blogs the way I write this one--sporadically. I look at library blogs and gardening blogs, and then life gets busy and I forget to go back. And it's not because they weren't interesting.

I was thinking about how people incorporate technology and the Internet into their lives (or don't) the other day. I was at Best Buy waiting for a computer diagnosis, and talking about smart phones with one of the sales guys. Now, I would love a smart phone, and he was hoping to sell me one. We had a long conversation about various phones and features and calling plans. And then he asked me what I did online--where I got my news, for example. The answer to that is NPR and the newspaper. It feels as if I'm online a lot, but it's usually for a work-related purpose. I guess I still think of technology as a tool, and not as part of my leisure life. Maybe if I get that smart phone, that would change?

Oh, and just in case you're interested, today I've eaten an egg, some toast...

Back from Portland

I have just returned from Portland, Oregon and the 2010 Public Library Association Conference. I went to sessions on strategic planning, developing social software policies, library mash-ups, market segmentation, and how to deal with difficult people (not you, of course). Over the next few weeks I'll be working with staff to implement some of the ideas from the conference--ideas related to safety and decluttering will be the first we'll work on since they don't cost money and pay off for patrons and staff by creating a more comfortable environment. Longer term, we'll be looking at our use of social software, and moving our strategic plan into year 3.

Library conferences always have a large vendor exhibits area, and I came back with pens and pencils, note pads, and lanyards, as well as information about the latest new services and gadgets for libraries. There were even books and authors there, just in case you're worried about technology overtaking the printed word.

I hadn't been in Portland for several years, and I was very impressed by how easy it was to get around using light rail. We used it to get from our hotel to the convention center and back, and to get to a restaurant in the Pearl District--all at no charge. Portland also has great food stores, and we brought back bagels and some fancy chocolates to share with family and staff. And now, back to work.

How I spent my Sunday

Last Sunday was a beautiful day, and I spent it outside pulling weeds and pruning my roses. Until we moved to Washington, I had never lived anywhere where the weeds grow even in winter! Usually I listen to a book when I work outside so I can maximize my "reading" time, but this Sunday it was just me and the weeds--and lots of ideas about what to do differently in my garden this year.

The library has lots of books on gardening and landscaping, of course, but Everett has another great resource for those of us who enjoy gardens--and that's the Evergreen Arboretum. This gem of a garden is somewhat hidden from view, nestled at the edge of the golf course at Legion Park, but is well worth a visit whether you're looking for inspiration or just relaxation. I've been a member for a while, but Friday I am finally volunteering some time to help staff the Arboretum's booth at the Everett Home Show. Stop by the booth on Friday afternoon and learn more about Everett's very own arboretum.

Not again

This is becoming a sad series of posts. This morning I read that poet Lucille Clifton had died. Clifton won a National Book Award in 2000, and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist, to name just a few of the honors she earned in her lifetime.

She wrote children's books as well as 11 poetry collections, many of which celebrate her African-American heritage and feminism. National Poetry Month isn't until April--but there's always time to read a poem, and the library's extensive poetry collection will surely have something that fits your taste. You'll find American poets at 811, and British poets at 821. Check the catalog or ask at the reference desk for poets from other countries.

And now I think maybe I should stop reading the newspaper, before this becomes the dead authors blog.

And now Dick Francis...

Robert Parker, John Updike, J.D. Salinger, and now Dick Francis--we seem to be losing a lot of authors lately. You may have guessed from my post about Robert Parker that I am a mystery reader, so it seems appropriate to say a few words here about Dick Francis.

I'm not the least bit interested in horses or horse racing, but I always enjoyed reading Francis' fast-paced mysteries, almost all of which are set against the backdrop of professional horse racing. As further evidence that a good story can suck you into a world you might otherwise have little interest in, I'd like to recommend two other books for your reading pleasure. In honor of Dick Francis, both are about horses.

Jane Smiley's Horse Heaven
is frequently told from the point of view of the horses. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that a writer as skillful as Smiley could make this work. Well before the end of the book, I found myself empathizing with the horses and the people who are obsessed with thoroughbred racing. Perhaps I am particularly fond of this book because one of the great characters in the story is a Jack Russell terrier named Eileen!

There have been lots of books written about the legendary horse Seabiscuit, not to mention feature films and a documentary, but the one I would recommend (because it's the only one I've read) is by Laura Hillenbrand. I actually listened to it, and found it to be an amazing story. I'm not the only one--Hillenbrand's story of the horse and the people who loved him was named one of the best books of the year by over 20 publications.

So here's to Dick Francis, and great writers such as Jane Smiley and Laura Hillenbrand who introduce us to worlds we may only know through the pages of their books.

Robert Parker, RIP

Robert Parker is dead, and with his passing readers have lost his most enduring character, the detective without a first name, Spenser. The first Spenser novel, The Godwulf Manuscript, was published in 1974. I can't remember when I first began reading Parker's mysteries, but it's surely been at least twenty-five years ago.

Parker and his characters Spenser, Susan, and Hawk brought me many years of pleasurable reading--and whenever I visit Boston I think of him, and the people and places he wrote about. And if I've grown less attached to this series lately, I still occasionally wish my husband was as good a cook as Spenser, and that I had Susan Silverman's will power.

Books into Film

I tend to think that anytime Hollywood gets its hands on a book I've loved, they ruin it. However, after seeing Up in the Air with George Clooney recently, I started thinking about all the movies based on books that I've really enjoyed. Up in the Air is based on a book, which I haven't read--but the movie was excellent.

It almost goes without saying that any BBC production based on the work of a famous author is worth watching--and they are too numerous to name here. I would recommend both reading and watching any of the following titles: I Capture the Castle, Ghost World, Room with a View, and Remains of the Day.

You probably have your own favorites, and maybe you'll share them here.