L-S Library Blog: "... a different kind of cyberplace."

Twitter Messages as Primary Sources?

2010-04-26T14:01:00.011-04:00

Twitter Donates Entire Tweet Archive to Library of Congress

Since they are first-hand accounts, Twitter messages, or "tweets," might be used as primary sources by future historians! The Library of Congress now has an archive of all public tweets from the 2006 start of Twitter through the present. Although the entire archive will not be posted online, the Library of Congress may post tweets focused on particular themes.

University of Southern Maine: Osher Map Library & Smith Cartographic Center

2010-03-07T21:02:00.007-05:00

Thousands of maps, each revealing its maker’s worldview - The Boston Globe

"On the building’s facade are 104 aluminum panels whose 156-by-26-foot etching of a Dymaxion Map is possibly the largest exterior map installation in the world. The map was invented by the futurist Buckminster Fuller in 1946 to depict the globe with minimal distortion and make a political statement about the interconnectedness of continents and peoples."

"OML has earned a national reputation for its commitment to the use of maps in kindergarten through college education. The library offers workshops and online resources for educators ... "

Official Osher Map Library Web site.

Translation as Art

2010-03-07T09:18:00.005-05:00

The other author of 'Don Quixote' - The Boston Globe

MSLA Bookmark Contest

2010-01-15T13:54:00.003-05:00

Like to draw? The Massachusetts School Library Association (MSLA) is sponsoring a bookmark contest for students. Winners receive (among other things) a book store gift certificate, an enlargement of your bookmark, a framed award certificate, and an invitation to participate in the awards ceremony at the State House. Click here for more information.

A Dedication to Craft: North Bennet Street School @ 125

2010-01-10T22:13:00.001-05:00

"A successful bookbinding is a suit of armor that looks like a tuxedo and fits like a glove."

An exhibit showcasing the craftsmanship of graduates of Boston's famed North Bennet Street School runs through March 21, 2010 at the Concord Museum. The above quote is posted by cases containing examples of books beautifully bound in wood, tooled leather, and decorative papers. In addition to bookbinding, exquisite furniture, clocks, custom carpentry, locksmithing, instruments, and jewelry are on display.

Release Party for Inbound 4: A Comic History of Boston

2009-12-03T16:54:00.024-05:00

The Boston Comics Roundtable has just published Inbound 4: A Comic Book History of Boston. Among the dozens of comics included are those telling stories of the Great Molasses Flood, Shay's Rebellion, Charles Ponzi's original scheme, the Gardner Museum heist, Mark Twain's encounter with Boston literary society, and the 1970s busing crisis.

This Saturday, December 5, the writers and artists are celebrating with a release party at the Atomic Bean Cafe in Cambridge. For more info about this free event, click here.

"This unconventional account of our city's history brings a diverse cast of Bostonians to life: sports heroes and serial killers; pirates and punk rockers; founding fathers and favorite sons. An unexpected and delightful assortment of Boston lore!" - Jane Clayson, host of WBUR's "Radio Boston"

Author Tracy Kidder on Libraries and his New Book

2009-11-12T20:44:00.004-05:00

An interview with Tracy Kidder - Cohasset, MA - Cohasset Mariner

2009-09-29T09:18:00.013-04:00

October 21 - November 8, 2009

"Two weeks of talks, readings, and discussion celebrating the written and the spoken word."

Most events are free and the Chef Fest at Verrill Farm, which was canceled last year due to the fire, will be held Saturday, October 24 at 12-2:00 pm. Howard Dean will be the opening day speaker and will address the health care debate. A print copy of the newspaper supplement detailing the Concord Festival of Authors events is available in the L-S Library.

Author of BLACK WALDEN to speak in Concord

2009-09-29T08:50:00.016-04:00

A lecture by Dr. Elise Lemire, author of Black Walden (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2009), will be held on Sat., Oct 17 at 5:00 p.m. in the main lobby of the Concord Free Public Library, 129 Main St., Concord, MA. It is free and open to the public. Dr. Lemire, who grew up in Lincoln, is an Associate Professor of Literature, School of Humanities, Purchase College, SUNY. Black Walden was designated a “We the People” project by the National Endowment for the Humanities. (Press release from actionunlimited.com)

A copy of Black Walden is available for check out at the L-S Library.

U.S. Poet Laureate Louise Glück @ Concord Public Library

2009-09-09T19:29:00.011-04:00

U.S. Poet Laureate Louise Glück will kick off this year's Poetry Reading series on Saturday, September 26th at 7:30 p.m. at the Concord Library. Free and open to the public. Sponsored by the Friends of the Concord Free Public Library. Her new book, A Village Life, was reviewed in the New York Times. [Read review] Some of her award winning books include:

The Wild Iris (Pulitzer Prize)

Averno (National Book Award finalist)

The Seven Ages (New Yorker's Book Award in Poetry)

Ararat (Library of Congress Prize for Poetry)

Triumph of Achilles (National Book Critics Award)

No More Books?

2009-09-04T14:50:00.007-04:00

"Where the reference desk was, they are building a $50,000 coffee shop that will include a $12,000 cappuccino machine..."

This excerpt from today's Globe about the new Cushing Academy Learning Center, formerly known as the library, has generated 303 reader comments as of 3:20 PM. To read the entire article: Welcome to the library. Say goodbye to the books. - The Boston Globe

Li-Berry, Sh-sh-sh-sherbet, & Rocky Read

2009-08-04T14:19:00.026-04:00

Is this how Li-Berry pie might look? Photograph: David Levene.
The Guardian, July 20, 2009

These are 3 of the suggested names for a new library-themed ice cream flavor. According to an article in The Guardian, Book fans develop a taste for library-themed ice-cream, a NJ librarian has been collecting suggestions for flavors on Facebook and a spokesperson for Ben & Jerry's says that a library-inspired flavor is a possibility. To see a list of suggestions or to suggest a flavor, go to http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=88574048291&ref=search

Historian Looks at Americans in Paris

2009-07-27T14:17:00.019-04:00

Vacationers summering on Martha's Vineyard were treated to a reading of the first chapter of author David McCullough's as yet unpublished new book on Americans in Paris during the 19th c. The Vineyard Gazette article contains McCullough's remarks about doing research in and the importance of American libraries. He ended by saying, "... anytime you start to get a little down about the state of American society or the state of American culture, keep in mind that today, still, there are more public libraries in the United States than there are McDonalds."

Dangerous Keywords

2009-07-21T19:22:00.013-04:00

Network security company McAfee has released a 2008 study on keyword searches that have the highest probability of enticing users to download viruses, worms, spyware, keystroke loggers, etc., which infect one's computer. The top four are: word unscrambler, lyrics, myspace, and free music downloads. The list of the 50 riskiest search terms in the United States is on p. 8 of the report, The Web’s Most Dangerous Search Terms.

The most in demand out-of-print titles in America

2009-07-14T16:43:00.009-04:00

Bookfinder.com has published "Top 10" lists of the most popular out of print books in several categories (biography, history, popular science, thrillers, etc.) each August since 2003. The 2009 titles are now online, but at a different URL than the archive.

Sudbury Town Crier: L-S Debate Team News (6/10/09)

2009-06-16T09:37:00.015-04:00

L-S debate team members and library regulars Alex Jacobs, Jonathan Weinstein, Dane Weinberger and Dan Cmejla to compete in the National Forensic League National Tournament. Read more ...

Wicked Local Photo by Bear Cieri
(Sudbury Town Crier, 6/16/2009)

Red Room: Facebook for Authors

2009-05-04T11:02:00.005-04:00

Named after the White House Red Room, this fledgling site hosts about 2000 current authors. Check it out!

New England Carnegies

2009-05-04T09:46:00.015-04:00

Andrew Carnegie helped to fund the building of many libraries. Search by state/town, architectural style, or current use. Carnegie came to lay the cornerstones for three Worcester libraries - one now a school, one a private residence, and the third still a library.

(Clockwise: Quinsigamond School, Private Residence, Francis Perkins Library)

Video and article about the Amazon Kindle

2009-03-02T15:59:00.005-05:00

There's more than one way to read a digital book - The Boston Globe

A Glimmer of Good News

2009-02-12T22:58:00.003-05:00

Dana Gioia, NEA chairman who spoke at Sudbury's Longfellow Big Read last spring, reports "Reading on the Rise"

IE Tab for Mozilla Firefox

2009-01-28T20:45:00.002-05:00

TECH TIP: To avoid having to open two browsers, e.g. Firefox and IE, you can download an "add on" called IE TAB at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1419
After installing you can reload a page in IE with one mouse click.

Libraries Can't Escape Sour Economy

2009-01-28T10:26:00.016-05:00

The effect of budget cuts on public libraries can mean "decertification," in which case a library loses its membership in the state and regional systems. Patron are then denied borrowing privileges at other area libraries, can't request inter-library loans, database access is limited and more cumbersome, etc. Similarly, the proposed FY2010 reduction in professional staff in the L-S library will mean exclusion from the shared MASSCAT school library catalog and most database access will be lost to the school community. View Saugus Public Library video. (Unfortunately, there is a short ad before the piece airs and you need IE to view).

California Study Connects School Libraries to Student Achievement

2009-01-15T22:02:00.003-05:00

"... schools that staff and fund their school library programs outperform those that don't at the elementary, middle school and high school levels across the state."

Boston Globe Interview with Twitter.com Cofounder

2009-01-09T16:25:00.008-05:00

Technology News: Biz Stone, 34, is a Wellesley High grad and recently turned down a $500M offer from Facebook ...

First Person: Biz Stone - The Boston Globe

Posted using ShareThis

Why Blog?

2008-11-16T23:16:00.006-05:00

This blog has been created to provide a space for library announcements, an alternate access point for databases when the L-S servers are down, and a forum for the school community. Click on the "comment" link to ask a question, suggest a topic, etc. This is a moderated blog, so comments will be reviewed before posting.

L-S Library awarded PICTURING AMERICA Grant

2008-11-16T17:15:00.005-05:00

PICTURING AMERICA, an initiative from the National Endowment for the Humanities in cooperation with the American Library Association, brings high-quality reproductions of notable American art into classrooms and libraries. Picturing America gives participants the opportunity to learn about our nation’s history and culture using art as a catalyst for the study of America—the cultural, political, and historical threads woven into our nation’s fabric over time, enhancing the teaching and understanding of America’s past.
Excerpted from "Picturing America." Humanities, Sept/Oct 2007.

James Karales.
Selma-to-Montgomery March for Voting Rights, 1965.

2008-10-05T14:08:00.019-04:00

Oct. 15-Nov. 2

Something for everyone - 50 writers representing all genres will participate. Partially funded by the MA Cultural Council, events take place in Concord and Lowell, two towns rich in literary tradition. Highlights include:

* 2008 MA Poetry Festival (Lowell) Oct. 10-12
* A performance of keyboard works from Jane Austen's musical notebooks (Concord Library)
* Author/illustrator talks at the Concord Museum, Thoreau Institute, Concord Bookshop,
Emerson Umbrella and many other locations
* Concord Festival of Authors Official Site

(Please note the Chef Fest at Verrill Farm has been canceled due to the recent fire)

What have you been reading this summer?

2008-07-15T22:25:00.029-04:00

Beyond the current bestsellers list ... Share your summer reading picks. Here are mine:

I finally saw the film Love in the Time of Cholera and then read the book. IMHO, skip the movie, but the novel by 1982 Nobel prize winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez is beautifully written.

For historical fiction and George Eliot fans, I highly recommend The World Before Her by local (Lincoln, MA) author Deborah Weisgall.

Hamlet's Dresser is at once heartbreaking and uplifting, and one of the heroes is a librarian! Bob Smith's recounts how his lifelong love of Shakespeare was his salvation against the backdrop of a family challenged by his severely mentally and physically handicapped sister.

A more challenging read with a companion Web site is the Japanese coming-of-age novel Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami. It would make an interesting end of summer read.

Soldier's Heart is a battle-induced medical condition and an apt title for this true story about teaching literature at West Point over the past decade to tomorrow's military leaders.

Lowell Folk Festival - the largest free folk festival in the U.S.

2008-07-15T21:03:00.004-04:00

This is a wonderful annual 3-day event. Held July 25-27 this year, the downtown roads are closed so that pedestrians can stroll along the canals and through the downtown. A great variety of ethnic foods (http://www.lowellfolkfestival.org/food.html), crafts demonstration, and six music stages offer something for every taste. For a list of this year's performers, go to http://www.lowellfolkfestival.org/performers.html.

NEW: Modern World History Online

2008-07-02T21:00:00.006-04:00

New for 2008-2009 and available now, the L-S Library has purchased a subscription to Modern World History Online by Facts On File. (Click on link under Electronic Resources).

L-S Library joins the Web 2.0 world

2008-06-16T15:08:00.004-04:00

This blog is under construction. It is moderated and open to all members of the LSRHS community. Thanks for visiting.