Hi Pageturn readers,
Just like most professional book pushers, whenever I travel to a new locale, the first place I visit is the public library. For most librarians, it’s almost like a homing device: “Must. See. Stacks.” So when my husband and I visited relatives in Gothenburg, Sweden this summer, I made a beeline straight to the Gothenburg Public Library. And I’m so glad I did, because it was an absolute inspiration to see the dazzling space allotted to kids and teens. Here I am in the entrance to the youth area. I was seriously digging that cool blue dragon sign. Unfortunately, they wouldn’t let me bring it home with me. Shoot. It would have looked so good in our picture book room!
It was also very fun to get to see some of my favorite titles in Swedish. I got such a kick out of seeing “The Deluxe” series on the shelves in the youth area. Apparently the title gets an extra syllable in Swedish!
But the piece de resistance had to be the teen room downstairs. Filled with cozy couches, colorful paperbacks (including many adult titles) and entire wall of gaming devices and screens, this was a teenage dream that even Katy Perry would approve of. The full wall of windows opened out into a pretty green courtyard, where teens could go to mingle or chat on their cells.
Here’s the stage (for open mic events) and gaming area. Teens can check out gaming consoles and devices for use in the teen area just
like books. I was super impressed with how much room was provided for teens for digital recreation, a clear indication that this library values their teen patrons and understands their importance to the library’s future success. During a time when public library, and especially teen services, are being cut all over the United States, it was both thrilling and sad to see such a wonderful space being offered to teens that was so respectful of their needs and sensibilities.
On a practical note, I was also geeked out by the beautifully designed library shelving carts. “Gorgeous” isn’t usually a word you use
to describe a book truck, but doesn’t it fit this one perfectly? This is one of the ways you know you are a born librarian—when you get wistful over well-designed library accessories.
By: Eleanor Tylbor,
on 1/2/2008
Blog:
NOTE TO MYSELF
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NOTE TO SELF: AS A *WORDSMITH*, *IT IS WHAT IT IS* USING CERTAIN WORDS OR PHRASES
Go figure that someone would create a list subscribing that certain words and phrases are useless. We're talking words that most of us have used over time and now they're - Lake Superior State University - suggests that we find others.
In all there are 19 words or phrases that appear in its List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-Use, Over-Use and General Uselessness.
The school in Michigan's Upper Peninsula released its 33rd list Monday, selecting from about 2,000 nominations. This year's list derives from more than 2,000 nominations received through the university's website, www.lssu.edu/banished. Word-watchers target pet peeves from everyday speech, as well as from the news, education, technology, advertising, politics, sports and more. A committee makes a final cut in late December. The list is released on New Year's Day.
Here is the 2008 list:
PERFECT STORM
WEBINAR
WATERBOARDING
ORGANIC
*WORDSMITH/WORDSMITHING
AUTHOR/AUTHORED
POST 9/11
SURGE
GIVE BACK
BLACK FRIDAY
BLANK
BACK IN THE DAY
RANDOM
SWEET
DECIMATE
EMOTIONAL
POP
*IT IS WHAT IT IS
UNDER THE BUS
If you surf on to the university's site here: http://www.lssu.edu/banished/current.php there's a list of who nominated the words i.e. ordinary people who claim they have a pet peeve against one of the above-mentioned words/phrases, and the reasons or rationale behind their distaste for them.
Looking them over can't say that any of them particularly upset me. For me the mere concept of accepting words nominated by...anybody for no good reason, is ludicrous and a reason not to take this seriously. Strikes me that the university is using their annual listing as a ploy to attract potential students.
