Got Skunk? See This!

Dear Readers,
Last night Miss Bun's Terrible Terrier (aka, The Great White Land Shark) got himself embroiled in a bit of an altercation with a skunk. If you have never experienced ground zero skunk spray thank your lucky stars because, believe me, you don't want to!  It is now the next day but the smell is still upon us with a vengeance. So Miss Bun mustered all her mad librarian skills under fire and came up with this informative video to share with other victims of random skunk attacks. Watch it! (And be warned!)

Snail Mail Making A Comeback??? Will you be ready?

So, we know that most folks are not hot to put pen to paper these days to communicate with each other. We know this because it is impossible to find honest-to-goodness stationery anywhere.

In spite of that sad state of affairs, Miss Bun is going to go out on a limb and suggest that snail mail is not really dead.....it's just taking a nap!

At some point everyone will discover how cool it is to actually get real mail. Oh, sure, call it a silly case of nostalgia, but there is something very personal about snail mail .....for the sender and sendee alike. It says someone really cares. Don't you think so?

So when you are ready to take the snail mail plunge here is a cool little app that let's you print out a mailing envelope using Google Maps locations:

Map Envelope

You can add a message to your creation as well. (Who could ask for more?)

Go forth and have fun!

The Daily Yonder's take on rural libraries and more.....

What is the Daily Yonder, you may ask? (And you know that Miss Bun, small town librarian, encourages any and all questions.) Well, it looks like the Daily Yonder is a website that filling a void . . . read on.

If you are one of the 55 million people living in the rural U.S you may have noticed that mainstream TV and newspapers are retreating from small towns.  The Daily Yonder aims to be "your daily multi-media source of news, commentary, research, and features."

Check out their article on rural libraries The Backroad Librarian: Five Forwards to find out how rural libraries are faring these days and some points on keeping them people focused.

If folks in towns of fewer than 10,000 people "get" how important libraries are why is it taking the rest of us so long to acknowledge that one, small fact?

(Miss Bun would like to borrow the phrase "Libraries are people-centers, not warehouses for books!" and make it her battle cry. It just gives her chills!)

Bundle: Money Uncomplicated is their Motto!

Bundle is a pretty intriguing site that aims to help all of us "get smarter about money. Together."

So if you wonder how other people spend theirs and how it compares to how you spend yours or how other folks are dealing with a problem that you're having, get thee on over to the Bundle site.

 According to their FAQ's they update spending data every quarter, the people and stories you'll find there are real folks & situations, and Bundle promises
"to be an independent, unbiased source of money information and advice."

You might want to take a look at their 2010 Bundle Report: How America Spends to get started.

I wonder how many people actually own a piggy bank? Oh, and let's break that down by age, income, & gender.

One of Harrisburg's Best Kept Secrets!

If you are a bibliophile living in Central Pennsylvania and have not heard of the Midtown Scholar Bookstore & their Famous Reading Cafe  you are going to want to sit down for this.

The Midtown Scholar Bookstore is part warehouse (stocking over one million academic & general interest books) which you can browse & order from online. (Note: if you are local you can request to pick up your purchases at the retail store thus avoiding shipping fees.)

The retail store (all six floors of it!) houses over 100,000 used & rare books, a great coffee shop & art gallery, plus is host to regular contemporary folk concerts & other interesting programs.Check out the website for info on book groups, readings & signings, writing groups & more!

Be sure to sign up for their mailing list or keep track of Midtown Scholar on Facebook & Twitter.

The store is located at 1302 N. Third Street across from the Broad Street Market in what was once a 1920's theater.

In fact, Miss Bun spent a lovely Saturday afternoon lunching at the market and then browsing at the book store where she found all kinds of delightful surprises on the very well organized shelves!

Midtown Scholar has been voted the region's "Best Independent Bookstore" for seven years. When  you visit you will know why!

Enjoy!

Kindle for PC???

      


Those savvy folks at Amazon.com are now offering a FREE Kindle version for PC:  Kindle for PC
So now all of us who can't afford a new Kindle can still buy their ebooks (all 400,000 of them!)  and read them on our computers.

And even if you have a Kindle with this application you can access your library, notes, marks and more from your computer.

One can't add notes or highlight, search, or zoom & rotate images on a KindlePC (like you can on a bona fide Kindle)  but these are evidently upgrades coming in the near future.

Pretty sly, Amazon.com!

P.S. Miss Bun has had an opportunity to play with a Kindle and found the whole experience rather fascinating. (She is waiting for the price to come down though, given current public librarian salaries and all, before taking the digital plunge.)                                              

Goodreads anyone???

 

 

 

 

 Have you ever wanted a better way to:

• Get great book recommendations from people you know.
• Keep track of what you've read and what you'd like to read.
• Form a book club, answer book trivia, collect your favorite quote
  .........Then Goodreads if for you!

Just what is Goodreads, you may ask? 

Here is the answer direct from their "About" page:

"Goodreads is the largest social network for readers in the world. We have more than 3,100,000 members who have added more than 81,000,000 books to their shelves. A place for casual readers and bona-fide bookworms alike, Goodreads members recommend books, compare what they are reading, keep track of what they've read and would like to read, form book clubs and much more. Goodreads was launched in December 2006."

 Their mission?

To get folks excited about reading (on a global scale, no less)  & they do it by making reading fun again!

(What an amazing concept! Who would have ever thought that reading could be a pleasure?
[p.s. the sarcasm is all mine...A pox on all those reading-fun-suckers in the world!]


How it works:

Signing up for Goodreads is simple &  free.

"Imagine it as a large library that you can wander through and see everyone's bookshelves, their reviews, and their ratings. You can also post your own reviews and catalog what you have read, are currently reading, and plan to read in the future. Don’t stop there – join a discussion group, start a book club, contact an author, and even post your own writing."

Everyone starts out with three default shelves:  read, currently reading, and to-read but you can add other shelves as the spirit moves you.

If  you are at all intrigued you might want to check out their How It Works page for more in-depth info.

Take some time to explore what Goodreads has to offer. If you love books you'll be glad you did! Enjoy!

Another Cool Site: Vintage Printable!!! (And a Manifesto to Boot!)

 Need free vintage images? Then you will want to go here:

Vintage Printable


About Vintage Printable
"Vintage Printable provides public domain antique scientific, naturalist, and other images for you to print or download. The illustrations here are curated or, tossed as has been pointed out, by me, Swivelchair, an anonymous biopharma worker"

 Besides spending huge amounts of time feasting on the marvelous images to be found here, might I also suggest that you take a look at the site's About and Public Domain Manifesto page?

Swivelchair's take on the issues of copyright, public domain and who controls (or would like to control) access to information is important for everyone to know about. You may be surprised to find out who some of the players are in this game.

(Miss Bun is of the persuasion that Swivelchair ROCKS!)

A Brief "Just Hack Me" Public Service Announcement . . .

This just in from LISNews:

If Your Password is 123456, Just Make It HackMe

Kind of gives one pause, yes?

Be sure to check out the comments.

Librarian Chick Rocks!

Ok, Peeps, here is a good-to-know-about site that lists "links to the best of the Internet's FREE resources for those with big brains and small pocketbooks!".

Librarian Chick

There are 28 categories (like Books/ Audiobooks, College/Student Loans, Foreign Language, Lectures/Speeches/Podcasts) with tons of free educational resources to check out so don't delay!

The brain behind this site is Stacy Reed who, in her free time, reviews software and websites for Tucows. She also runs a sister site on free and open source software, web applications & resources: FOSSwiki; a blog: She Dreams in Digital & more! (Wow!)

Gotta love folks who like to share, right?

A Snowglobe for the Slightly Warped

Hey, Peeps! Check out this flash snowglobe from E-Tractions. It's a great way to get your holiday aggressions out in a safe & amusing way. Enjoy!

E-Tractions Snowglobe

A Blog for Self-Learners . . .

Self Made Scholar is a great blog posted by Jamie Littlefield who is a "self-education enthusiast and former teacher".

"This blog is all about self-education - people learning what they want to know without formal schools or classrooms."

Her take on self-learning is interesting so be sure to read the "Introduction to Self-Education" tab where you will also discover notable people who were/are self-learners.

A glance at the "Bio & Contact" link under About Me explains how she arrived at a passion for learning.

"The goal of SelfMadeScholar.com is to connect people to the resources they need to learn."

The "Free Classes" & "Self-Ed Resources" tabs contain a wealth of links and resources listed under headings such as Free Books Online,  University Open Courseware, Language Learning, Organizing Your Library, Educational Podcasts (and more!) for anyone who yearns to further their knowledge in any number of subjects or topics.

What a great site! Check it out!

A Nifty Resource for Local (Central PA) Folks . . .

Spotobe is the place to go to find out what is happening in our region.

This nifty site aggregates all the events—concerts, exhibitions, sporting events, festivals, parties and much more—so you can view all your options in one convenient place.

It is useful to register (it's free) so you will be able to save events for future reference. Items you save can be found under the "My Spots" tab.

All of the information on Spotobe is organized into three major categories: events, locations and performers. If an event features a local performer or band, it will also have a link to that band's performer page where you can find all of their upcoming gigs.

There is also a Spotoblog that is "updated four times a week with event recommendations, restaurant talk and local news & commentary. The Spotoblog is also a place where Spotobe users can make their voice heard. Feel free to tack on your thoughts on the topic du jour in the comments section of the latest post."

Be sure to click on the "Ongoing Events" tab as well as the "Upcoming Events" tab when checking out Events so you don't miss anything.

Frequently Asked Questions can be found under the "About" tab at the top of the page. This is also the place to go to find out how to list your events on the site.

What a useful site! Enjoy!

Know About FreeCycle???

Here is a pretty cool site that my sources in Maryland turned me on to that is pretty much like virtual dumpster diving or cyber bulk pick-up day. (Wahoo!)

Actually, all kidding aside, FreeCycle Network ("changing the world one gift at a time") is a grassroots, entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns.

Their Mission Statement: "Our mission is to build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources & eases the burden on our landfills while enabling our members to benefit from the strength of a larger community."

For local folks there is a Lebanon FreeCycle Group you can join. If you are elsewhere don't dismay. FreeCycle is made up of 4,801 groups with 7,207,000 members across the globe so there is likely one near you. (You could also start a group if you so desired.)

To get in on the Freecycle action you need to join a group. (Membership is free.) Each group has a moderator and there are a few (not many) rules to be followed. (For example, when they say "free" they mean "free".)

And just in case you think this is some fly-by-night outfit take a look at their organization chart. This seems a well thought-out, well organized enterprise.

So? What are you waiting for? Go forth and check it out!

Free is GOOD!

Shmoop is Just In Time for the Start of School!

So, what is this Shmoop thing?
This site is a pretty amazing, easily accessible, often entertaining yet not fluffy, resource that appears aimed at middle to high school (or above?) students. So far there are six categories to tap into: Literature, U.S. History, Poetry, Bestsellers, Civics, & Biography

According to their About Page: "Shmoop will make you a better lover (of literature, history, life). See many sides to the argument. Find your writing groove. Understand how lit and history are relevant today. We want to show your brain a good time.

Our mission: To make learning and writing more fun and relevant for students in the digital age."

For example, if you (or anyone near and dear to you) has been bitten by the Twilight bat be sure to check out the "Bestsellers" tab for more than you could ever want to know (into, summary, themes, quotes, study questions, characters, literary devices, did you know?, best of the web, & opinions) about this novel.

Schmoop is free to use but signing up for an account (also free) lets you have access to cool stuff like stickies, outlines, clippings, folders, sharing, citing, etc.

Who or what is behind Shmoop?

From the Schmoop for Professors, Teachers, & Librarians page:

"Shmoop is a labor of love from people who love to teach. Ph.D. and Masters students from top universities (including Stanford, U.C. Berkeley, Harvard, and Yale) have spent sleepless nights dreaming up Shmoop.

We love literature, history, and poetry and we want to help you use today's technology and culture to bring these subjects to life for students."

Miss Bun just loves the Schmoop teaching philosophy....especially the part where they vow to "convince students "why they should care" about each topic we cover". (A valid question often heard falling from the lips of long suffering students!)

FYI: There are some obvious commercial tie-ins to be found on this site but the benefits far outweigh the negatives.

Oh, and check out the Shmoop blog and their social networking opportunites too!

Brush Up On Your Knowledge of Body Parts With . . .

WebAnatomy from the University of Minnesota.

This site is "a collection of study aids for entry-level anatomy and biology students" that is available in four categories: self tests, timed tests, multiplayer games & image bank.

There are more than several topics to explore (such as cells, nervous system, endocrine system, etc.) within each category.


Some of the tests/games are fill in the blank, some are interactive and all give you feedback.

If you are serious (or not) about learning anatomy this is a great resource!

Have fun and learn mad skills!!!

P.S. Be sure to read the warning at the bottom of the home page.

THE place to go for free computer training & more!

GCFLearnFree.org comes highly recommended by our in-house computer tech/YA Librarian person, Vicki.

She uses this site when teaching our basic computer classes at the library and has had only good things to say about it.

This is from their About Page: "GCFLearnFree.org® is supported by the Goodwill Community Foundation, Inc. (GCF®) whose mission is "to create and provide education, employment, and life enrichment opportunities for people who desire to improve the quality of their lives".

GCFLearnFree.org exists to serve the educational part of the GCF mission. We create and provide quality, innovative online learning opportunities to anyone who wants to improve the technology, literacy, and math skills necessary for them to be successful in both work and life. We believe there's freedom in the ability to learn what you want, when you want, regardless of your circumstances. That's why we're 'GCFLearnFree.org.'

So if you are in need of basic computer skills (0r know someone who is) this is the place for you (them)! (The site also offers a Spanish language option as well.)

Under the category of Computer Training you will find several courses for getting started: Computer Basics, Windows, Internet Basics, Email Basics, Internet Safety, Mozilla Firefox, and Facebook 101.

There are also courses on using Office software: Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access, Office, OpenOffice.org, Outlook 2003, and Publisher 2003.

All the courses are free and it is beneficial to sign up for an account because GCFLearnFree will keep track of the courses you've taken & the progress you've made. Each class is self-paced so you can learn when you have the time.

Besides Computer Training they also offer classes in Everyday Life, Math & Money, Online Classes, & Work & Career.

There is a huge amount of good info to be found at this site so be prepared to take your time and check it out.

The Mother Ship For Link Lovers!

Populair.eu is the place to go if you're someone who likes to browse links for popular sites in subcategories under eleven topics. (Say that ten times fast!)

Topics include: "populair, webdesign, software, gadgets, news, social, music, video, book, iran, & travel."

Needless to say Miss Bun is very impressed with the book page! Bibliophiles should definitely check it out!

Nice layout, nice colors, great stuff!

What more can you ask for?

Have fun exploring!

P.S. There is no "About" info for this site which would be nice to know. However, it appears that the contact for it is Edward de Leau from the Netherlands. (FYI)

Papercrafting = Folding Trees....

I'm not sure why (Hmmm....what would Sigmund say?) but many "book people" I know also love paper crafts.

If you fall into that category you will love this site: Folding Trees - the best tutorials and paper creations online!

Here you will find all kinds of creative things to do with paper from bookmarks to boxes, to books & journals, to paper models, origami, papercutting, & tons more!

This obvious labor of love is a collaboration between two women: Eve in New Zealand and June in Canada who "aim ... to collect the best tutorials we have found on the net, inspire you by highlighting amazing paper creations from talented artists and crafters, and share our own paper crafts and tutorials."

Be sure to check out today's entry: Altered Book Art to see some totally amazing things some folks are doing with old books.

Find yourself in desperate need of some really cute bookmarks? Fire up your printer and go here: Chick Bookmark.



Well, Peeps, that should get you started. Welcome to the Wonderful World of Papercrafting!

P.S. If you really just must run with scissors at least put point guards on them first....ok?

Hey, Bibliophiles! Start A New Collection!

The Bookmark Collector is very cool blog about bookmarks by Alan Irwin (who is professionally a senior software engineer for a company in Santa Barbara, CA.)

What can you blog about bookmarks, you may ask?

Miss Bun says to keep reading and find out...

In each blog entry there are links to bookmarks in the news, links on making your own bookmarks, bookmarks for sale, and online bookmark collections.

There is also a Collecting Bookmarks Group in Yahoo groups you can join.


Mr. Irwin seems like a very interesting, well traveled, talented guy so also check out his other blog: Alan Irwin's Blog.

You'll be glad you did!