DutchClick

Working in a public library means that you are dealing with people and books every day and all day. You find human jewels (people that are gratefull and that you can find what they want – despite the fact that you tell them it is your job and you like to do it – that is why you changed your carreer) and paper jewels.

A library member asked me to put aside a book from the central library. When I received it I was very much surprised by its state.
A library is not an archive (!), so most of the time you will find recent documents (read: mostly books, of course) in your hands.
This book was from 1918, so ‘almost’ 100 years old. I have seen books from that period before.

The great thing about this book were the stamps that were in it and the labels with instructions and remarks.
The books had been lend out 5 times in 1919, 7 times in 1920, 11 times in 1921, 7 times in 1922, 11 times in 23, 11 times in 24, 10 times in 25, 15 times in 1926, 10 times in 1927 and 5 times in 1928.

Remarkable is that the book had been lend out in the Second World War in The Netherlands, including the most difficult time of the war, the end of 1944, the Hungerwinter.

You see, even a library book itself can tell history….

One of the co-founders (!) of the free Internet encyclopedia Wikipedia, Larry Sanger, is starting his own compedium or in fact an elitist encyclopedia.
Just everything that Wikipedia didn´t want to be, I think.
Larry left the Wikipedia ship in early 2002 by the way (!).

I think Larry is a sucker! You want to know why?!

Wikipedia is one of the most succesfull and valuable treisures of the Internet!
No, not because it is flawless. Just because it is (almost) fully global, universal and made by the community itself. The good old Web1.0 feeling: one hand washes the other ….

Mistakes are made, articles are vandalised, of some articles the neutrality is disputed, that is alll true. But still it is the biggest source in its kind to start your search with.

A lot of people think paper encyclopedias always tell the truth. This too isn’t the case. And so does Wikipedia. Wikipedia is a great start for whatever subject. AFTER THAT you must go on and find more information from different sources.
Just like you should do with the different sources you find with Google.

Bye, Larry!

More on Wikipedia here and here

A few days ago I got the first payment of my new job. Next to the fact that the amount is nice, it is also a very nice feeling to have earned the money myself again and with a positive feeling about the work I have done and will do.

Can’t wait for the next month check! ;-)

I started working at a public library in The Netherlands this week. And I love it.

After having been working at different sorts of libraries through the years I think I will like this the best. The direct contact with all kind of people, the direct contact with books, that is what I want!

A lot of people think that being a librarian is dusty. But it is a dusty as you make it! Just like a lot of other jobs.

[photo: the sun coming through the window in our library (= bibliotheek) - (c) conan the librarian with Palm Treo 650]

I know for a few weeks now that I will have a new job from May 1st on. After (just) a few month searching for work this is a great feeling.

Two days ago I attended a pre-work meeting, my first meeting within months. It was nice to see a lot of coming collegues already.
About 90% is female and the rest (of course) male. What is it that a job as a librarian attracts women more than men?

When I was studying Library Science, this was already the case and now while starting for the first time in a public library it is proven again.

What is this?
Being a libarian can be a sexy as you make it!!