'Re: [Publib] Topicality, the delete key, and the Hydrox Wars'

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List:       publib
Subject:    Re: [Publib] Topicality, the delete key, and the Hydrox Wars
From:       GraceAnne Andreassi DeCandido <ladyhawk () well ! com>
Date:       2008-08-29 22:36:39
Message-ID: 48B841B7.24797.295E938 () ladyhawk ! well ! com
[Download RAW message or body]

Amen, my brother.

I suspect this is pretty off topic, but today I used my newest toy - a
digital audio recorder (and it is shiny pink!) to record and upload part
of the online class I teach. It was easy. It worked well. It made me
happy.

I also got to write two letters of recommendation for online students
I have had. I have never met them in person. However, I could go
over every single comment they had made in class, remind myself of
their splendid personages, and joyfully recommend them for MLIS
admission.

It was a good day. I work at home, from my second floor office aerie
in the green and leafy Bronx, and if I didn't have you guys to talk to I
would lose my mind.

I have Joe's blog on my RSS feed, but it would be way more fun if he
continued to post here.

GraceAnneLadyHawk

--------------------------------------------------
The honorable Michael Golrick noted on 27 Aug 2008 thusly:

As one of the elder curmudgeons on the list, I feel like I have to chime
in. I also feel that I need to remind Joe that a German from the upper
Midwest does not give in so easily!! (This I am learning, even from
the Norwegians and Swedes who can be equally tenacious.)

Let me observe that after *mumble*-teen years of reading this list:
There are cycles. It is just like at work and in our "other" lives.
Summer tends to be busy in libraries. Our attention is devoted to our
patrons/customers/users (I forget the clever name that Joe
created....). We have less time to post since we are busier at work,
and therefore more tired when we get home. In this part of the
geographical world, it has been a gorgeous summer. Let's see: (hands
balancing) do outside activities or read/post to lists. I will tell you
that in addition to my personal travails, I have chosen outside many
times! In the dark days of December and January, it is a lot easier to
choose the warmth of the laptop, and post!

So, while Joe may (or may not) be correct about the volume on the
list, I do believe he has made a logical jump which is not called for.

On the other hand, I will add Joe's blog to my list, and read it
religiously (yes, John Richmond, religiously!). I would encourage
Joe, and others, to continue to add pearls of wisdom to the list.

A final reminder is that there is a very longstanding tradition of
"Friday Funnies." These need not be on topic. And because of the
nature of the list often flow into subsequent days. (Some are even
bold and post them early. Good!) My dear friend (whom I first met
because of this list!) Sue Kamm rightly noted that laughing is good for
you. So let's remember that.

I think we also need to remember that PUBLIB is more than just a
list. It is a community. While I have not heard of any marriages
resulting from participation on the list, I can personally attest to some
very good friendships and collegial relationships which were nurtured
by participation on the list (Graceanne DiCandido, the late [beloved]
Mary Anderson, Jim Casey, Sue Kamm, Nann Blaine Hilyard, Diedre
Conckling, Hilary Theyer, .... are the beginning of my list). And then
there are those who have had "only" and electronic relationship, and
that is important too.

So, my personal request is for Joe to continue to grace the list with
his personal wit and style, in whatever form he feels most
comfortable. That we all take a deep breath, and laugh once in a
while. Relax.

Michael Golrick
ALA Councilor-at-Large
in residence in Eau Claire Wisconsin (for the time being -- more
news in the next month....I hope)

On Wed, Aug 27, 2008 at 2:43 PM, <publib-request@webjunction.org> wrote:
    Friends,

    At the end of June we had a bit of list unpleasantness
    which I will call "The Hydrox Wars." (Makes a pretty
    good sounding SF novel title, eh?)

    I've been thinking quite a bit about the issues raised at
    that time pertaining to humor, staying on topic, and
    inviting those who don't care for the humor to press
    their delete key. An assertion was made that a list
    subscriber shouldn't be asked to deal with off-topic
    material at all, since by Publib's own definition of itself,
    the material doesn't belong there.

    I have concluded that there is merit in that argument.

    If Publib were baseball, I suppose I would be the Babe
    Ruth of off-topicality, and the season leader in leaving
    good library topics on base and in overall off-topic
    percentage, as well as in driving clean, simple metaphors
    right into the ground.

    Therefore I am moving my whimsical and
    curmudgeonical act over to my blog, where the six or
    seven of you who have enjoyed it in the past may now
    find it:

    http://juralib.blogspot.com

    In the meantime, I will continue seeing you all on Publib
    for strictly on-topic concerns.

    I will try to freshen up my blog from time to time, but
    when it is gnawing at my ear, demanding the posting of
    new material when I'd rather be in the living room
    watching the Diamondbacks beating the tar out of the
    Dodgers, I may recycle some of my "classic" (an
    improbable label, I know) material from Publib
    including, yes, the three methods for keeping patrons
    from coming behind the reference desk to filch
    materials.

    Cordially,

    Joe Schallan
    Phoenix

GraceAnne A. DeCandido
Reader Writer Reviewer ~ New York City
Part-time lecturer in children's and YA literature Rutgers SCILS/PDS
Favorite titles 2008
http://www.well.com/user/ladyhawk/books.html

"My mother was born before women could vote. But in this election
my daughter got to vote for her mother for president."
Hillary Rodham Clinton, August 26, 2008
"People have always been more impressed by the power of our
example than by the example of our power."
Bill Clinton, August 27, 2008

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