A True Story:

One of the young residents (to-be doctors) brought a book to the circulation desk to check-out.

I opened the book in order to scan the bar code but much to my surprise there was no bar code.

Instead, the only “sticker” I saw had a large, blank, silver box in the center of it.

Embarrassed and with my mind racing, I was wondering where in the #$%^ the bar code was and how I was going to check this book out to the eager student. As usual I made small conversation to buy myself some time.

 “Oh,” I commented with elation, “A scratch and sniff sticker!”

The young doctor-in-training giggled. I turned the next page and there, much to my relief was the bar code. I scanned it.

Suddenly, I gasped in horror inwardly as I saw the book he was checking out: Essentials of Obstetrics & Gynecology. Well, I had to keep talking to cover up my mistake, now didn’t I?

“Oops,” I apologized, “A scratch and sniff sticker in an OB/GYN book might not be the best thing!” He was less enthusiastic but he quickly agreed with a crooked smile. Somehow I still felt like I was in a hole (no pun intended) so I made one more attempt to clear up my bad joke, “Well, you know, that IS part of the job sometimes.”

Now his face was ashen but with a brave stance he muttered, “I know.” This entire scenario had happened in less than two minutes and already I felt like a century had passed. Obviously being funny had gotten me into trouble; I knew this about myself! Something inside of me kept scolding me and the feeling that I just had to make things right would not go away…..

So I pulled my last, tried and true trick, as I handed him his book and told him to have a nice day, I looked deep into his eyes, and gave him the sweetest, most friendliest smile from the bottom of my heart. I think it worked.

The article summarizes the great contributions of philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie, to American libraries and libraries worldwide; Carnegie contributed to the creation of more than 2, 600 libraries. I found this to be astounding! The author’s bittersweet tone radiates feelings of conviction and stirs up tearful, happy memories of childhood and the role libraries have played in providing a welcoming atmosphere of learning and knowledge for people of all ages, ethnicities and religions regardless of economic status. The author points out how significant this is because before our nation had embraced equality, American librarians had already taken it upon themselves to extend services to a diverse society; not just to a privileged minority.

Quoting Vartan Gregorian:

“We also need the sense of elsewhere that libraries give us: In a library, we are in a place where we are safe and yet, at the same time, poised on the brink of discovery.”

For more information about this writer see the link below. He is currently the president of Carnegie Corporation in New York and served for eight years as president for the New York Public Library. http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/newsmakers/nwsmkr.jhtml?id=17000013

For stimulating conversation share with us your “whatzintellect” thoughts about an interesting proposition for libraries from the author: Gregorian suggests that libraries “build coalitions with…natural allies- public television…” etc. In light of previous discussions about the power of media and its influence on information flow what are your thoughts about how libraries would build coalitions or what positive and/or negative implications would arise from such an alliance?

The focus of this blog is to discover the management of information, its theories, its history, its future and any current hot-talk topics concerning knowledge and information science. The reason for Gripe Fest 2008 was to collect information about controversial topics people were interested in in hopes of organizing those topics and using them to conduct further research and promote intellectual stimulation through ideas that were socially authentic and relevent. Never the less, because this was an assignment and the individuals involved in this blog reading were most likely snowed under with their own blogging, studies and life, there was little to no response (also it could just be a really bad blog).

It is with much pain and endurance that this blog continues to live. It remains to be seen if it will stand the tests of time. Until then keep posted for new and up-coming big ideas, this blog is truly evolution in its purest form.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6932909090558446686

Thanks for taking time to visit my blog, whatzintellect.wordpress.com. The current theme is “Let’s Share Some Info”. I wanna know your pet peeves about the useless or relevent information we are bombared with or should be exposed to as a society through news media? So, come on and rant and rave, Baby!

Personally, I get tired of being told what is important information. Networks do this by only airing what they want to show, which is to say, what they think is important. Who gets to decide what America needs/wants to know?! Where is the meat in our local news channels? I’m sick and tired of hearing about our country blowing up with obesity, fast food chains, lawsuits against Oreos, blah, blah, blah! If I see one more camera zoom in on someone’s @$$ in a discriminatory fashion I’m going to scream!!! Check out my video Gripe Fest Video #1 for more info on this topic.