John McCain was in the Hamptons last weekend attending a fund-raiser at the home of real estate developer Bill Mack. The $2,300 a plate cocktail party was organized by a committee that included New York Republican heavyweights Henry Kissinger, Georgette Mosbacher, publisher Steve Forbes and former Senator Alfonse D’Amato.During the Q&A that followed his talk McCain was asked about his reading life.“I am a voracious reader. I read all the time,” said McCain who carries three or four books with him all the time.The three books currently on hand are:“Smyrna,” by Marjorie Housepian Dobkin, about the conflict between Greeks and...
The 25 Most Modern Libraries in the World
Library of Picture Books in Iwaki City. Designed by Tadao AndoThe folks at BestCollegesOnline.com have put together a list of the 25 most modern libraries in the world.The list is divided into three sections; architecture, technology and innovation, and digitial collections. The libraries are listed in no particular order.Here are their choices and comments:Architecture Library of Picture Books in Iwaki City of Fukushima Prefecture: This library challenges the old ideas of what a library space should be. Integrated into the landscape with beautiful views from almost everywhere, this library is bright, airy and free from the stodginess that infects many...
Print on Demand at Your Independent Bookstore
The American Booksellers Association (ABA) has teamed up with Applewood Books to provide print on demand services for independent bookstores. The deal was brokered by Ingram's Lightning Source.The new program will provide participating booksellers the ability to publish any title that is in the public domain or any book whose rights have reverted to the author. Though technically the program is open to all books in the public domain the focus seems to be on producing titles of local interest.How it works:Booksellers will sign a letter of agreement for each work and pay an advance fee of $250 for each...
A Payne in the Bush : Fundraising Scandal at the Bush Presidential Library
With no more campaigns to raise money for it seems that the Bush machine has set its sites on the Bush Presidential Library.In the spirit of Sacha Baron Cohen the Sunday Times of London arranged and recorded an interview between a leading GOP activist Stephen Payne and two men thought to be acting on behalf of the exiled former president of Kyrgyzstan.Payne, who also sits on the Homeland Security advisory board, is heard offering meetings with high-level officials of the Bush Administration in return for a hefty donation to the Bush Presidential Library. For somewhere between $600,000 and $750,000, with...
Bookmobile 2.0
Welcome to the all new Digital Bookmobile, the world's first bookmobile without books. This 18 wheeler is 69 feet long and packed with the latest digital technologies. It was created by Over Drive to be used as an outreach tool for public libraries to promote their digital offerings.How it works:"The Digital Bookmobile, developed inside a high-tech tractor-trailer, will present programs that promote the host library’s download digital media catalog and ‘virtual branch’ website. The vehicle is customized for each library event and equipped with broadband Internet-connected PCs, high definition monitors, premium sound systems, and a variety of portable media players....