Ah that time of the week again

I know that this blog is not meant to be a hard assignment. It is a reflection on our progression through the program. However, I still struggle with sitting down and writing in a blog, even when it is assigned. Especially when there is all sorts of thoughts banging around in my head. So, I will try to focus on one. And no it is not very creative, seeing as many others have written about it, but I will try to give my opinion on e-reading.

At first when e-reading is brought up, I do have a tendency to shy away from the subject. I just what to grab any book in sight. I will always be a die hard for holding the book in my hands and flipping the pages. However, as I continue to learn more knowledgeable on what has become available, I am starting to see a benefit to this new field.

This are some of the pros that I have towards e-reading.

• An e-reading device can hold a generous amount of books on it. That way, if you are board of the book that you are reading, you can start up a new one. This is especially nice with the devices that have Wi-Fi so that you can download the book right where you are.
• Along with this idea, a single device with mutiple reading options is great for traveling. They are sleek and small and better then carrying around bulkier books. 
• Also, it I were to fall asleep while reading, which I often do, the e-readers are may to save to the page that you are on in the book.
• One of my favorite benefits is that you can put PDF files onto most of the devices. This saves you on printing costs and paper usage. 
• Also, you don't have to stare at a computer screen for too long.(Only when writing blogs)
•  The E-Ink technology is anti-glare so you can read out in the sunlight (if we are getting any in Syracuse).

The one thing I will hold onto the hardest with e-reading.  I can never see a children's book being better in e-format. To me, no matter how good the images and colors get in e-ink format, they can never replace a child turning the page and seeing the illustrations and touching the page. I hope that I will never read a Dr. Seuss book in e-format, that might just make me cry.

Even though I hold some reservations to the world of e-reading, I have come to see that I need to embrace it for what it is, in up-and-coming field. E-reading is going to be prevalent as we go out and work in the library sector, and we need to be prepared to face what is coming our way.

In conclusion, I would have to say that I am to truly for e-reading. However, I am not really against it either. Therefore, the jury is still out on this one for me. I'll let you know if it ever comes in.

My random fact for the day is really out there, but it actually comes from my 605 assignment. Did you know that you can get The Encyclopedia of the American Constitution in e-book format? Well you can. And I am sure that you are all going to go look for it online now, but be warned that you need to log in to access information about it, so that may put a damper on your excitement.

Say it Stupid

So if I just sound ridiculous, will people cite my blog as the next best thing? I highly doubt that, but maybe it is worth a try. Though, for me to say ridiculous things I don't have to try, they just come.

To make an another note in relation to the title of this post, I came to realize a big reason why I don't really talk in classes. I know professors are always saying that we need to participate in class, but I am always afraid of sounding ridiculous in front of the whole class. I guess that I should not care so much. So that is what I will try to work on during the semester.

As for the subject matter of class, I found it most interesting the breakdown in the numbers of the types of libraries. I guess that if I had thought of it before, it would make sense that the greatest number there are are school libraries. Though a community has one public library, it is likely to have multiple schools and therefore several school libraries. However, I did not have any deep epiphanies, so this blog is not to insightful.

Random Fact: In order to lessen his debt, Thomas Jefferson sold his personal library to the Library of Congress after it had burned. Jefferson was in the habit of owning every book ever printed.

Start of a new semester

Disclaimer: To tell you the truth I always blank when I sit down to write a blog. All these good ideas were there before; and they just disappear. So if this post seems a bit disjointed and, well, crappy; I am sorry to those of you who read it.

This past week was the start of my first semester at Syracuse University in my journey to become a librarian. I started it off with IST 618 - and lets just say that all the technical stuff was daunting. However, in IST 511 I was able to feel more at home. Dave Lankes seems to know just how to empower you into getting excited about the field. And all we talked about was the history of Librarianship. I left the class so excited to be a librarian that is not defined by where I work, but by the work that I do.

Random Fact: (This will be the lesser known facts that I got from the lecture that I feel are just fun to know) Dr. Pepper started the first Free Library in Philadelphia. Take that Ben Franklin