Best of 2007: Fun Library Literature

Sound like an oxymoron? Here are some librarian recommendations for informative and fun library and information reads from 2007:

Judy:

I recommend the book Everything Is Miscellaneous by David Weinberger. It’s an interesting take on the organization of information, putting it into the larger context of organization of knowledge in today’s world. Weinberger illustrates the limits of the traditional organization of knowledge in physical space, and demonstrates quite comprehensibly the vast array of options for individual preference of organization in the digital environment. In physical space, a library, for example, a particular book can be housed in only one place, even if it deals with more than one subject. A decision must be made as to how to label it, and where to place it on the shelf. In the digital world, however, information can have as many labels as people think to give it, and can be retrieved in an infinite number of ways. Required reading for Luddites!

Courtney:

My favorite Firefox extensions from Lauren’s Library Blog
If you’re new to Firefox and don’t know about extensions, this is a good place to find some handy ones. (Extensions are small add-ons that add new functionality to Firefox, from a simple toolbar button to a completely new feature. They allow you to customize Firefox to fit your own needs and preferences.) If you use Firefox and want to use it even more effectively or if you’re always looking for new extensions, this is a great place to find some of the best extensions.

Rachel:

In the essay “Shelf Life” (St. Louis Magazine, December 2007), novelist, essayist, and professor of philosophy William H. Gass writes about growing up with and living in a library. Beautifully written, the essay details a life-long love of library book sales, ideas, and “book dipping.”

One article, “Hipper Crowd of Shushers” by Kara Jesella (New York Times, 7/8/2007), generated a lot of talk in the wider world. This light-hearted piece portrayed the new generation of librarians as hipsters and bleeding hearts. While it won’t eradicate the stereotype of librarian as shusher, the article certainly didn’t damage our street cred.