Can’t get enough of smelling as if you’ve been hanging out in the stacks all day? Try using Christopher Brosius’ In the Library perfume.
In the Library is a warm blend of English Novel*, Russian & Moroccan Leather Bindings, Worn Cloth and a hint of Wood Polish.
*The main note in this scent was copied from one of my favorite novels originally published in 1927. I happened to find a signed first edition in pristine condition many years ago in London. I was more than a little excited because there were only ever a hundred of these in the first place. It had a marvelous warm woody slightly sweet smell and I set about immediately to bottle it.
The Ministry of Stories is a UK version of the 826 National writing program. Just like the 826 locations have fantastical storefronts, the Ministry of Stories has the Monster Supply Shop. It was designed by We Made This and is super neat.




More on the Ministry of Stories.
More views of the Monster Supply Shop.
Fancy riding from Copenhagen to Berlin with a bunch of librarians next summer? I do. Kai, a information school professor and cycling enthusiast is organizing a ride.
Cycling for libraries is a politically and economically independent unconference and a bicycle tour. It also supports physical and mental well-being of library professionals, grassroots networking, and internationalism and — last but not least — the crucial role of libraries for the society and for the intellectual and scientific education in general. Cycling for libraries also supports environmental values and ecological way of life.
More info at Cycling for Libraries.

Those little slices are bread are adorable.
The Lost in Chair turns something annoying and turns it into a feature. This could be a neat way to merchandise some books around the library.



There’s also the Bibliochaise.


Only 29 days until more hours of daylight! Need some new tunes to get you through these wintry days? Download Walking Paper Audio Winter 10. There are guitars, there are beats, there’s old stuff, new stuff, and there might be something you like.
Tracklist
It’s Not Meant To Be – Tame Impala
Sleep Forever – Crocodiles
Evergreen – The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Home – Glasser
Drink drank drunk – A Sunny Day in Glasgow
Sunburn – Beat Connection
Primal – Slowdive
Leaves Me Cold – Lush
Desire Lines – Deerhunter
Take ‘Em Up – S Robot
Shipwreck Glue – Kelpe
Train to Baltimore (Original Mix) – Ambivalent
C-Beams – Pariah
Hearts – oOoOO
Redlights – Salem
Okay. Maybe these photos are a statement about consumerism. I get it. Could still be a bit wasteful.
I feel a bit awful for liking them so much.




More destroyed Apple stuff.
Playing around with visualizing DCPL computer usage data.
Apple refurbished the North/Clybourn stop of the red line in Chicago and it looks much nicer than it did before. It also opens up to a plaza at which an Apple store sits on the other side. Convenient, that!
Before:
After:
I haven’t been to the stop yet but imagine that it’s lovely. A win/win for the citizens of Chicago and Apple or corporate co-opting of the public? I don’t know. It makes me uncomfortable. Would it feel even creepier if the corporation involved was one that people loved to hate, like Walmart or McDonald’s? Oh wait, some people do love to hate Apple.
Every day people are voting for Apple (and Microsoft and whatever else) with their dollars. It would be easy to just wish that they’d cast their some of their votes for public services but that’s asking a lot. Too much. Libraries need to first be worth voting for and then demonstrate that they’re worth voting for. The real rub is that it would be easier for us to do this if we had more money in the first place, right?
Right. But we also know that there are plenty of things we can do to endear our libraries to the communities they serve.