By: Jessamyn West,
on 11/4/2008
I voted. I feel that only one candidate shares my values of intellectual freedom and privacy and the importance of public institutions like libraries. If you’re not against that sort of thing, please go vote today. Thank you.
By: BookMoot,
on 10/16/2008
I just love puppets.
From the Lion Brand Yarn newsletter:
| Hold Your Own Debate With Presidential Finger Puppets |
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| These are serious times and we have a serious choice to make, but that doesn't mean we can't have a little fun! Who do yarn lovers choose for president? Tell us who your presidential pick is and we'll publish the results! Click here to vote! |
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By: Danielle,
on 9/25/2008
This week’s episode of Spark on the CBC gives an interview with Ron Deibert who runs the Citizen Lab at the Munk Centre for International Studies at the University of Toronto. His digital wishlist for the Canadian election is available as a video and can be summarized in three excellent points:
Ron Deibert says that the Internet is a shared global communication medium but it’s being “carved up, colonized, and militarized” and an elected government in Canada should do all it can to stop this.
How timely is this?
Hillary wasn't first. Nor was Ferraro. Have you heard of Belva Lockwood? I had not either before reading this fabulous picture book biography.
Belva once read that a person could move mountains if he or she only had faith. Belva believed this wholeheartedly, and lived her life accordingly. Belva was born in Niagara County, New York in the year 1830. She was the daughter of a farmer, and by the time she was a 39 she had already been married, had a child, been widowed, become a teacher and gotten involved in the suffrage movement. She decided that she wanted to attend law school. In 1869, however, not many law schools wanted to admit women, and the few that did certainly did not want to grant degrees to the women who attended. If you've figured anything out about Belva by now, you know that she found a way to get her deserved degree, and to have it signed by President Ulysses S. Grant to boot!
What could be next for Belva?
After becoming the first woman to graduate from the National University Law School, she became the first woman to practice law in the federal courts. She was the first woman to argue a case before the Supreme Court. She rode her tricycle around Washington D.C. oblivious to the stares from those around her. And then in 1884, Belva became the first woman to officially run for president.
Before the ratification of the vote, Belva ran for president! And she got votes. Votes from men. 4711 to be exact. She got more votes than that, but they were thrown out, since the men doing the counting could not believe that anyone would actually vote for a woman.
I found this story not only timely, but incredibly inspiring as well. An author's note, glossary and timeline are included, which make this ripe for classroom use. Do today's kids know that the vote was taken away from women in 1787 (1807 in the case of NJ)? Author Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen has done a great job of writing a readable storyline filled with, but not laden down by, facts surrounding suffrage and the political process. Courtney A. Martin's illustrations reflect the time period, though I do wish that the cat accompanying Belva everywhere was explained! This is a book that deserves a prominent place in classroom and library alike!
By: Jane Mack,
on 1/30/2008
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By: Alice,
on 12/21/2007
Andy sent me this quirk from the Chronicle, "Who Needs a Dorm During Finals?"
The holidays push everyone to do quirky things. Especially students. And even me. I have been obsessively tracking the status on the Christmas cards we are sending out this year. (They have not yet arrived at our house, where I can then redistribute.)
Perhaps it is because we've never actually sent Christmas cards before. And the ones we're receiving from friends with 4+ kids BEFORE Christmas are stacking up. No longer do I feel justified in saying "but we have a new baby, and I'm back to work, and we've had 16" of snow, and I have been busy sussing out the Presidential candidates for the rest of the nation..."
No, it may just be that the holidays drive us to it. Maybe it's the prospect of being reckoned and coming up short--whether it be your final exam grades, your year-end budget review or simply the perfect Christmas gift. We all wish for perfection in ourselves, I think, and sometimes this quest takes us to interesting places.
Like the library. While you celebrate this year, take a moment to remember your salad days, your youth and do something quirky. Just for me.
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By: Lizzy Burns,
on 11/12/2007
Please, renew your ALA memberships, including your YALSA memberships, because if you don't, they you cannot vote. And remember: you do not have to be a librarian to be a member.
The slate of people running for all offices and committees is up at the YALSA Blog.
Last year, you may recall I was a Printz candidate, and won! Which means starting soon I will be reading my little heart out (my reading is for 08 titles for the 09 Printz.) Which probably explains why I've taken a bit of a book break these past few weeks.
Anyhow, enough me. Check out the Printz slate: Carlie Webber is running!!! (Yes, they use her full first name, Carlisle, and have not corrected the typo on her last name. Sigh.)
Carlie is a contributor at Pop Goes the Library, originator of the awesome idea of the Supernatural stars on a READ Poster. She is also the Teen Coordinator for BCCLS (Bergen County Cooperative Library System), which runs a mock Printz every year. More info on Carlie can be found at her blog.
For Tea Cozy readers, here are the important things to know:
Carlie is the source of the most awesome "the plural of anecdotes is not evidence."
Carlie is a book goddess. She knows her stuff, and is very good at recognizing quality stuff.
Carlie is going to be a guest blogger here! I know! I've been trying to figure out how to get more reviews up, especially as my time is getting limited with other commitments, so Carlie said she'd help Tea Cozy out!
So, make sure your YALSA membership is up to date so when elections open, you can say "yes" to Carlie (you get to vote for 4 people, 8 are running.)
By: Jane Mack,
on 11/4/2007
You can get the election results here. I'm just glad the Saipan Casino Act went down in flames.
Angelo has a discussion going on about the effect of blogs on the vote. I'm sure others are licking their wounds or celebrating in style.
As for me, I'm enjoying the relaxed post-election atmosphere. The tension from the uncertainty has drained away. Good or bad, whether you like the results or not, we now know what we'll be living with for the next few years.
I personally was surprised that so many incumbents won re-election. And I would like to hear what others think is the reason?
Do we not blame them for the present predicament? Are we still having candidates win based on family size? Are the incumbents who won somehow perceived as different than the others? What's up?
By: Jane Mack,
on 10/28/2007
Greg Sablan sent me this with a request to post on the blog. So here goes.
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The Commonwealth Election Commission has received reports that there are individuals informing our citizens and registered voters that a “yes” vote means “no” for some of the questions on the November 3, 2007 general election ballot.
There are seven (7) questions for Rota and for Saipan and the Islands North of Saipan, and six (6) for Tinian and Aguiguan, that require a yes or no vote. The questions are all found on the right-hand side of the ballot and they are for the four (4) judicial retention questions and the two (2) House Legislative Initiatives and the Saipan Casino Act for Saipan and the Islands North of Saipan and the Rota Casino Act of 2007 for Rota.
For the record, a “yes” vote means that a voter is approving the question, whether it is for the initiative or for the retention of the judicial officers. A “no” vote is a vote in opposition, a disapproval, of the question.
Thus, if a voter votes “yes” on the Saipan Casino Act, for example, that voter is voting to approve the initiative. A “no” vote means the voter is not in support of the initiative.
The same goes for all the questions on the right-hand side of the general election ballot.
Anyone having more information about this issue is asked to please report the matter to the Office of the Attorney General, the Public Auditor or to the Commonwealth Election Commission.
Sincerely yours,
GREGORIO C. SABLAN
Executive Director
COMMONWEALTH ELECTION COMMISSION
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Whoever is spreading the nonsense (about a yes vote meaning no) must not think our CNMI voters are very smart. Or else they're just desperate. I trust that most (all?) blog readers already know this, but just in case, or in case you find someone else asking about this, you can say you've read the official answer--yes means yes and no means no--and give a straight answer (without thinking it's a joke).
By: Lizzy Burns,
on 5/2/2007
I would like to send out a big THANK YOU to all YALSA members. The results of the 2007 election are in, and -- drum roll, please -- I am a member of the Michael L. Printz Committee!! This is the Committee that will select the 2009 winner, so I don't start reading until 2008.
Congratulations to all; but a special shout-out to my fellow New Jersey librarians, Sarah Cornish Debraski who is Vice President/ President Elect, and new Margaret A. Edwards Committee member Sharon Rawlins.
Links: YALSA BlogI cannot find the ALSC election results, but will edit and post once I do.
The ALSC Election results. Once again, congratulations to all, with a special shout out to Ed Spicer, (09 Caldecott Committee) and to NJ librarian Carol K. Phillips (09 Sibert Committee Chair.)
By: Lizzy Burns,
on 3/17/2007
If you're a member of YALSA, you have your ballot by now; please vote for me for the Printz Committee! My answers to questions to the candidate (basically, so, why should I vote for YOU?) are over to the YALSA Blog.
By: Liz B,
on 1/13/2007
ALA and YALSA elections are coming up; in order to vote for the YALSA part you must be a member of ALA and YALSA by January 31, 2007.
The election opens March 15 and closes April 24.
Go over to the YALSA blog to see the full slate of candidates for different positions.
Please note the candidates for the 2009 Michael L. Printz Award Committee:
Elizabeth Burns (yes, this is me!)
Donna Cook
Stacy Creel-Chavez
Alison Hendon
Celia Holm
Ellen Loughran
Karyn Silverman
J. Marin Younker
Eight candidates are running for four positions. The full policies and procedures for the Printz are here.
Cross posted at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy.
By: Lizzy Burns,
on 1/13/2007
ALA and YALSA elections are coming up; in order to vote for the YALSA part you must be a member of ALA and YALSA by January 31, 2007.
The election opens March 15 and closes April 24.
Go over to the YALSA blog to see the full slate of candidates for different positions.
Please note the candidates for the 2009 Michael L. Printz Award Committee:
Elizabeth Burns (yes, this is me!)
Donna Cook
Stacy Creel-Chavez
Alison Hendon
Celia Holm
Ellen Loughran
Karyn Silverman
J. Marin Younker
Eight candidates are running for four positions. The full policies and procedures for the Printz are here.
Cross posted at Pop Goes the Library.
Jess,
Great pin. Heading out to vote for “that one” now!
Fantastic.
Then again, someone walked in with a HUGE Obama pin at our voting location and no one even said a word. Thank goodness for NE Ohio… we manage to balance out the other bits.
Oh my goodness, I LOVE your pin! :D
Here in Oregon, all our elections are vote-by-mail. My ballot arrived in the mail 2 weeks ago, and a day later it was in the mail again, back to the elections office. The best part about voting by mail? Once my ballot is received at the elections office, my phone number is removed from political phone lists. Yay, two weeks of no political phone calls!
BTW, your pin is fabulous. *wants*
So I’m voting for Obama, too, obviously (net neutrality wooooo), but do you still feel that he “shares [your] values of intellectual freedom and privacy” after he voted for telecom immunity? I’m not trying to be contrary–I really do want to know your thoughts on that. He’s clearly the better of the two candidates if you’re a librarian (McCain opposed E-rate, too!) or care about intellectual freedom or civil liberties, but I’m still interested in your thoughts on the telecom immunity vote.
I think the telecom immunity vote sucked frankly, but realistically not enough to make me not vote for him.
I wish I had known about that pin before today! I totally would have gotten one and rocked it all fall. Oh well.
I am also hoping that the bond issue to fund improvements at three of the branches of Baltimore’s library system will pass.
Yay! Yes we can!
Jess,
Great pin! I voted for “that one” too! From opne sexy librarian to another–rockin’ pin, babe!
I voted for “that one” too! There was such good energy at the polls
I find it fascinating that your concept of privacy includes the tacit approval of the Ohio government’s snooping through the files of Joe Wurzelbacher following his questioning of “The One” about raising taxes.
It doesn’t.
Those were individual Ohio employees, Patch. And I don’t approve, tacitly or explicitly, of what they did. No candidate for a national office is going to match my personal values 100%, I’m just glad there was a candidate who even understood my general apporach to privacy and intellectual freedom issues.
Privacy and intellectual freedom won’t mean squat if the terrorists get back on their feet.
Depends on your perspective really. For many people privacy and intellectual freedom are things that everyone deserves and should not be eroded just in the interests of getting bad guys. Others disagree. I think you and I may be on differing sides of that divide. Intellectual freedom will be important no matter what happens in the future of terroristic acts worldwide.
Hello! I wanted to leave a comment to not only say that that pin in the picture is great, but also to after finding this blog has really inspired me.
I am currently going to college and have been majoring in art, but I’ve been thinking about finding a different way to go when I thought about becoming a librarian. For a while I kept going over it in my head that it is such a great idea, but I would have to change myself and how I am so much that I was kind of hesitant about working towards that as a career, but after finding this blog I am totally going to go for it. My overall image of the librarian as a lady in a long dress, glasses, and her nose stuck up high has totally changed.
So I just thought I’d say a big THANK YOU! for that. I feel much more motivated. :D