Pooh Collection at Donnell Library

Pooh Collection at Donnell Library, originally uploaded by Shan213.

Here are the real Christopher Robin's stuffed animals, which inspired AA Milne's timeless classics. They live in the New York Public Library; I'm hoping to visit them on my upcoming trip to New York.

OK, so I cheated. . .

I skipped the slideshow on lifelong learning. Not wanting to be branded a cheater-pig, however, I just went back and watched it.

I'm not feeling confessional enough to mention which habit comes hardest for me, but I'll gladly share my attitude toward learning: I'm pretty much addicted. I need to be learning new things, always. Otherwise I get squirrely. (And I think that attitude is actually pretty common among library types.)

An important habit that leads to successful lifelong learning which the presentation failed to mention is wool-gathering. (1553, "indulging in wandering fancies and purposeless thinking," from the lit. meaning "gathering fragments of wool torn from sheep by bushes, etc." Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper.)

I'm a firm believer in the importance of wool-gathering, letting your mind wander, and looking at things from strange and unusual perspectives. I like the concept of not just thinking outside the box, but actually blowing the sucker up. My favorite phrase is "what if. . ."

Do it now!

You can put pictures in your e-vanced listings; it looks soooooo cool. Here's an example.

Fantasy du Jour

So, we all have library fantasies, difficult-to-obtain stuff we know would improve library services dramatically. I'm longing for a Bokomaten, an automated dispenser like the red box at SaveMart, only for books. No, I don't want to put folks out of work. Instead, I want John Q. Public to be able to check out a book at 4:00 am if he's in the mood.

Because there's nothing worse than not having something to read. Admit it -- haven't you at least occasionally been reduced to reading Cheerios boxes and Ajax labels, because you didn't have a book available? Imagine being able to borrow a book from a vending machine any time of the day or night! In my ideal world, not only would Bokomatens stand outside every library, but you'd also find them in grocery stores, airports, lobbies of hospitals and medical offices, and at the DMV. You'd never have to think, "Damn, I wish I'd brought a book with me" again.

Of course, I rarely have to think that; one of my life mottos is: "Never go anywhere without a book," but still . . .

Click here to see a Bokomaton in action up in Yuba County.

And hey, what's your library fantasy?

And now the adventure begins . . .

Ever since I heard the 23 Things presentation at All Staff Training Day last year, I've looked forward to SPL implementing a similar program. And now it's here. Yay!!