...And a Happy New Year!

Because of my nice, long Christmas break (one of the perks of working in a school), I won't be posting until the New Year.

So I thought I'd leave you with a multitude of links and wishes for a happy holiday and a happy New Year!

Oh, I plan to open this thing up for comments, too, in January...so I look forward to seeing if anyone's reading!

Enjoy...

http://www.google.com/librariancenter/newsletter/0612.html

http://www.indiana.edu/~libcirc/lcwww/lc.html

http://www.cs.state.ny.us/testing/test_guides/AccountAuditor.pdf

http://www.acpl.lib.in.us/hr/test.html

http://www.fvrl.org/aboutus/jobs/testing_overview.pdf

http://www.state.mi.us/census2000/d-222_1.pdf

http://www.mtsu.edu/~vvesper/dewey2.htm#Dewey

http://amby.com/tests/clerical/pract_a.html http://shelving.lib.vt.edu/call-number/index.html

http://www.pitt.edu/~ford29/SatchLCall/linking.html

Top Tens

The proper weather for December is finally here! It was nice and chilly this morning, and temperatures are supposed to be dropping through the day. With that in mind, I thought I'd let you know the top 10 things I like (and don't like) about cooler weather.

After getting started, I couldn't help myself and just kept on with the lists. I thought, in case you're snowed in, you could use some book/movie suggestions. So I'll send along my top 10 Christmas/winter picks for those genres soon.

Enjoy!

Top 10 things I like about cold weather...

10.) Peppermint hot chocolate

9.) Hot cider

8.) Excuse to drink plenty of coffee and other hot beverages (see #9 and #10)

7.) Cashmere sweaters

6.) Heavy wool coats

5.) Hats--let's just say...prettier clothes in general

4.) Cold weather ushers in my Christmas vacation

3.) Excuse to stay inside and drink above-mentioned hot beverages as well as read/watch forthcoming books/movies

2.) Blankets--on the couch, on the bed, in the car...anywhere you might want a blanket

1.) For those days when I don't like Winter...I remember that they're fairly short in Tuscaloosa!

Top 10 things I don't like about cold weather...

10.) Usually too short to kill any of the monster-bugs we have around here

9.) It's too hot inside and too cold outside!

8.) I have to walk Fred--no matter how cold it gets.

7.) I have to buy a new calendar, but I'm too cheap to pay full price, so that means going a couple of weeks without one. Twisted logic, I know.

6.) Having to start the car before I'm ready to leave

5.) In the event of snow/ice...having to drive in it

4.) Again, in the event of snow/ice...having to miss/make up a school day

3.) The hats mess up my hair.

2.) The gloves mess up my rings.

1.) It's too cold to drink Icees!

Censorship Suit and Christmas Books

Thought this would be an interesting read. I couldn't find a link, so the article is just reprinted here.

Also, my top 10 list of books to read over Christmas. Enjoy!

SAF SUES LIBRARY SYSTEM OVER INTERNET CENSORSHIP OF GUN WEBSITES
BELLEVUE, WA

The Second Amendment Foundation and three Washington State residents have filed a federal lawsuit against a north-central Washington regional library system for denying them access to websites that include information on firearms and publications dealing with guns.

SAF and its co-plaintiffs are challenging the constitutionality of the library district's policy of using internet filters on publicly-available computer terminals to block access to constitutionally-protected speech, including publications such as Women & Guns magazine, which is owned by SAF.

The library refuses to unblock such access even at the request of the plaintiffs.

"The NCRL's policy of refusing to disable its Internet filters upon requestis restricting the ability of speakers, content providers and patrons of the NCRL's public library branches to access the contemporary marketplace of ideas," the lawsuit states."We entered this lawsuit because citizens are being denied access to our website and information about our organization and publication," said SAF founder Alan M. Gottlieb. "That clearly violates both the First Amendment ofthe U.S. Constitution and the Washington State Constitution."

The lawsuit seeks to permanently enjoin the library system from blocking adult access to information upon their request, even though the material they want to view or research is constitutionally protected.

"The library system should not have the authority to censor information on a wide range of topics, including gun rights," Gottlieb stated. "This lawsuit is a warning to other library systems around the country against doing the same thing."

Hmm...interesting issue. Kind of a reverse-discrimination principle.

Now...onto more enlightening material...

My Top Ten List of Christmas Books!

10.) A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

9.) The Gift of the Magi by O'Henry

8.) Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

7.) The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

6.) Eloise at Christmastime by Kay Thompson

5.) A Christmas Story by Jean Shepherd

4.) The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

3.) Junie B., First Grader: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells by Barbara Park

2.) How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss

1.) The original Christmas story (also an excellent version in Matthew)

Happy Holidays, and happy reading!