American Libraries Direct: Getting Carried Away?

 

It's nice getting the American Libraries Direct newsletter but I have to wonder if they're not getting a bit too carried away with things.

This week under the heading "Tech Talk" (of all things), they've got a post on a laptop from Dell, a cell-phone for "Boomers" and a link to a review of "point-and-shoot cameras". The question is, do we need a discussion of consumer products coming from a publication of the American Library Association to its members? Would this be any more appropriate in American Libraries (i.e. the monthly print issue) -- and if not there, why here?

Editorial restraint should be observed whether online or in print. Publication of something like this shouldn't be the moment that you lose it all -- just because the thing's going out via email.

Current Cites for May 2007

Current Cites for May 2007 is out! You can find the issue here...

NY Times: "Web logs"?

Time to update the NY Style Guide? From the today's paper:

"In February, a story and accompanying video by The New York Times reporter Damien Cave — and a photo taken by Robert Nickelsberg — that depicted the grievous wounding and eventual death of a soldier on Haifa Street, drew both praise and condemnation on Web logs and in the military about what constitutes appropriate imagery for the breakfast table." [Emphasis mine]

Diversey Harbor

I had lunch at my house with a couple of old friends. Afterwards we went out to Diversey Harbor. It truly was a beautify spring day.

My Gift to UMICH Libraries

I happened upon the University of Michigan Libraries Website today and the icons it uses for RSS Feeds made me wince.

I mean I'm not a purist or anything but you'd figure an institution with those kind of resources ought to be sporting something finer -- especially for a link to something that's increasingly as important as RSS.

So out of the generosity of my heart, I spent all of five minutes (or roughly 1 sec./pixel) to put together the following kickaZZ 24x12 icon to be shared by the entire University of Michigan community.

Yes, I know, generosity abounding.