According to Jessica Shaw of Entertainment Weekly (Nov. 30), reading in a bookstore is ’so five minutes ago,’ buying books online is ‘out,’ and getting a library card is ‘in.’

While I’ve always been a fan of the library card, I do have to disagree with her assertion that buying books online is out. I prefer shopping online, especially this time of year. It saves time and frustration (dealing with Christmas crowds puts me in a rather un-Christmas-like mood). And the more time I save by avoiding the malls, the more time I have to read!

Here at USF, your student ID works as your library card. If you qualify for a public library card (this would include students who live on campus) you should get one for there also. Even if you think you will never need it for books, remember that the public library has a lot of other stuff available, such as DVDs. And who knows? You may end up needing a book after all.

The recreational reading exchange seems to be getting a lot of use.  I just put several more books out to fill out the shelves.  The Thanksgiving break is coming (just one week away!) and this is the perfect opportunity to read something just for fun.

There are a wide variety of books in this collection. Just to give you an idea of what’s available for those who haven’t checked it out yet . . .

We have several Anne Tyler books.  Her novels center around interpersonal relationships and the growth of the characters.  She’s consistantly on the best seller list and her book Breathing Lessons won a Pulitzer, the best of both worlds.

There’s a copy of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.  If you appreciate British humor, you have to read this. If you prefer your science fiction a little more serious, there are 3 books from the Dune series also.

For horror lovers we have Anne Rice’s Queen of the Damned. 

If you like romance with a Christian focus, try Janette Oke’s Measure of the Heart.  There are also several other romance novels, including romantic thrillers.

We also have titles by John Grisham, Mary Higgins Clark, Agatha Christie, Danielle Steele, Barbara Kingsolver, Nicholas Sparks, James Patterson, and Nora Roberts. 

If you prefer non-fiction, we have books for you too.  There is a biography of Cary Grant, a copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul, and a copy of The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, just for starters.

 The Recreational Reading books are located on the second floor of the library just past the help desk.

     November is National Adoption Month. You will find books on various aspects of adoption on display on the second floor of the library. These items are available for loan, so if you see something of interest, feel free to check it out.

This year’s focus for National Adoption Month is on adopting children out of foster care.  According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in 2005 there were 115,407 children waiting to be adopted out of foster care. The number of infants available for adoption has fallen over the last several years. Older children were once seen as unadoptable but now make up a large number of the children waiting for a permanent home.

If you need to use one of the library’s computers to take an online test, please be sure that you have enough time to finish.  We’ve had a few students who have been in the middle of taking an online test when the library was closing.

Our hours are posted several places, including the library web site which also includes  holiday closing information.  Please check to make sure you know when the library closes before you sign on to take the test. The Cyber Cafe closes at the same time as the library.

 I have also been told that it is not a good idea to take one of these tests on a laptop as they are not as stable as desktop computers.  I know of at least one student who has been kicked off a laptop computer in the middle of a test.

Remember that the 250 prints you have each semester are for prints only.  You can not make copies with these credits.

In order to make a copy, you must put money on your OneCard. There is a machine right outside the second floor library entrance for adding money to your card.  It only takes paper money but you can load as little as $1. It doesn’t give change, so keep that in mind before you put that $20 in there.

The machine is pretty user friendly and the library staff are happy to help if needed. We can help with the copier too.

If you need to make copies but don’t have any cash, there is an ATM machine outside the library on the second floor.

Your other option is to scan what you need and print it off or email it to yourself to print at home. Scanners are available at some of the public computers on the first floor, near the periodicals.  If you need help scanning, there are scanners in the help desk where staff from UTS can help you.

Have you lost something while on campus?  You can check Vann Library’s Lost and Found by stopping by the second floor circulation desk.  Quite a few things have been turned in and are waiting for their owners to claim them. 

I can’t imagine how someone gets along without some of these things - glasses, car keys, calculators, photos - all kinds of things get turned in to the library’s Lost and Found.

 The most common item seems to be flash drives.  It’s really easy to forget to remove that little drive from the computer.

 Personally I don’t think you’re ever too old for costumes and carving pumpkins but if you would like to celebrate Halloween in a little more grown up way, check out the Halloween book display on the second floor of the library.

If you don’t find something interesting there, try the Read It Forward display in the corner near the Help Desk. These books are free to take without checking out. Just bring them back when you’re done. The bottom shelf has scary and suspenseful books you may enjoy.

   So . . . what did you think about the movie?  What particular things hit home with you?  Were there any surprises? Anything you disagreed with?

If you saw the film but are not a librarian, I’d like to hear your opinion of the film and how it may have changed your impression of librarians.

The film discusses how women who were professionals were seen as suspect and suggests this may be part of the reason behind the ‘ultra proper image.’ I thought this was an interesting point but wonder why this same stereotype hasn’t attached itself to nurses and other traditionally female occupations.

How has this stereotype played into your experiences as a librarian?  Do you find it offensive or amusing?

Personally, I choose to laugh over it rather than take offense. I love the idea of a librarian action figure (seen here http://www.mcphee.com/laf/) and find that most people know the stereotype is inaccurate. I’m more worried that too many people have no idea what we actually do it or what skills, education, and training are required.