Sunday, March 13, 2005

Saturday at the Reference Desk
  • A 50-ish year old man paused by the graphic novels end cap to peruse a Simpsons collection. Someone checked it out, but I didn't see who.
  • I "sold" Order of Amelie, Hold the Fries to a young-ish woman.
  • Homework: Emily Dickinson
  • Tech support: where did the browsers toolbar go?
  • Homework: clouds
  • Tech support: why won't AOL come up?
  • Tech support: why can't the library trace whoever's text-messaging is popping up on the screen and bothering me
  • Homework: college (?) paper on slavery [!!]
  • Reader's advisory . . . I don't wanna talk about it: I'm no good at it.
  • One complaint about a sign (handled)
  • Tax forms are over there, under the clock.
In Saturday's Mail
A ding letter from the Virginia Historical Society. A bill for the Sunday Washington Post, giving me hope I would get a paper copy today: Ha.


Reading
Richmond Burning, by Nelson Lankford.

A Book of Books, a book of photos by Abelardo Morell (2002), and with introduction by Nicholson Baker in which the latter writes, "Over many decades, paper changes color and becomes more fragile (though considerably less fragile than some apocalyptists have claimed) . . . ." At first read, I thought that was a move to the center on Baker's part, but typing it makes me think, No, not really. Typing the photographer's name sent my mind in another direction: that's a real name? Surely it's a diminutive, made up by people like that SNL "makin' copies" character? Wait. You know where I really know it from: the first book by Baker I ever read: Aberlado is the name of the narrator's boss in The Mezzanine (I book I adore, by the way. I wrote my name and "1992" on the inside of the cover, making me feel certain I bought my paperback copy at the delightful Square Books. For the record, its pages are beginning to discolor just a bit.). What an odd coincidence.

Capital City weather
: Clear, mild enough to spend time picking up trash in the street, raking leaves in the back yard. A nice contrast to the snow showers we've had 4 or 5 times in the past 3 weeks.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why are you having a hard time with reader's advisory? I think its probably one of the hardest parts of librarianship, actually, but I'm sure you are not doing as badly as you think. Have you tried NoveList (available at Williamsburg Pub)? I think there are one or two other "read-alike" services out there.

Also, haven't you been reading "Richmond Burning" for awhile now? Or is that too snarky?!

PS What if Jason and I came back to Richmond? ...think on the idea and let me know.

Lisa said...

Duh, I think you should live in Capital City!

Yes, we get NoveList, and another service that's even harder to use. I know it just takes practice.

Yes, it's taking me forever to read that freakin' book. I'm trying to nag myself into finishing it.