Stephen J. Gertz

Eye-Opening Secrets From the World of Librarians

Sometimes the posts just write themselves. Here, for instance, I’ll let Kathleen Low, authoress of Casanova Was A Librarian (2007), tell the story in her own words, from her website; I can’t top this hot copy.Please provide your own wisecracks in the appropriate spots within the text; I’ve bitten my tongue so often I might as well just swallow it along with some sauerkraut and a Dr. Brown’s Cel-Rey soda.“They’ve been killed by angry mobs, knighted, and even canonized. Some have gained fame or infamy as politicians, inventors, revolutionaries, notorious lovers and even saints. In ancient Rome they were literally...

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Has The British Library Become a Brothel?

”All libraries are, of course, petri dishes of simmering lust, but the BL is extreme: its walls contain more erotic pressure than an oil rig, a North Sea fishing trawler and several series of Mad Men combined.”“The whole building sighs with hothouse groans, which swell and fade to muffle other sounds.”“When everyone is sitting around in silence, you can project what you like on to them and everyone remains a sexual possibility.”This is surely not the Queen’s library! Yet…“In 2006 a gay website exposed the British Library as a cottaging ground and the regular BL readers who I’ve discussed it...

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Them’s Fightin’ Words!

A bad July for fight fans as boxing greats Alexis Arguello, Arturo Gatti, and Vernon Forrest were murdered, Gatti by his wife, Forrest by thieves, Arguello by his own hand. Life was safer, calmer and more predictable in the ring.There is much drama to this sport in which the essence of its athletes is revealed as in no other human activity, save war. But, as with war, there is no romance to boxing despite what some writers (Hemingway) would have you believe. Trust me on this.Great books, though, and a ripe area for collection. The cornerstone volumes are:MILES, Henry Downes....

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Librarians To Ben & Jerry’s: “We Scream For Ice Cream!”

The population of librarians on Facebook has organized as People For a Library-Themed Ben & Jerry’s Flavor and is petitioning Ben & Jerry’s, the Vermont-based ice creamery famous for its multi-flavor mash-ups, for a taste sensation they can call their very own.Here are some of the current suggestions for a Ben & Jerry’s library-themed flavor:• Gooey Decimal System: Dark fudge alphabet letters with caramel swirls in hazelnut ice cream.• Sh-sh-sh-Sherbet!: Key Lime or a Chocolate/Vanilla combination.• Cookie Bookie: A combination of cookie bits!• Dusty Stacks: Layered ice cream with speckles of cocoa in every layer.• Li-Berry Pie: Lime sherbet mixed...

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Rock n’ Roll Public Library Opens in London

Mick Jones, lead guitarist for The Clash, the vanguard group of the punk rock movement, opened the Rock-n-Roll Public Library in London late last week.As reported by the U.K. Guardian, the library is temporarily on display at London's Chelsea Space gallery near Portobello Road, west London, not far from where Jones formed The Clash with Joe Stummer in 1976. The "guerrilla library" will include 10,000 items from the guitarist's private collection, including Beatles memorabilia, Clash artwork and items the band members wore on stage. The full collection has never been seen before by the public.Jones, 54, told The Guardian the...

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