The University of Utah's main library has installed the largest automated book retrieval center in North America. The new robotic book storage and retrieval system holds 2 million books and frees up 80,000 square feet of prime library space.Machine Details:-Rail-mounted robotic retrieval cranes move up and down four aisles. -Each aisle is 130 feet long, 35 feet tall, and holds 19,181 bins.-Has its own heating and air-conditioning system-Built by HK SystemsBook Details:-"Older and less used materials" are stored in the Automated Retrieval Center (ARC)-The books are stored by size not call number and it takes between 5 to 10 minutes...
Goodreads Rising as the Year Ends in the Book Social Networking World
2007 will go down as the year book social networking got shot out of the canon and as the year comes to a close we see Goodreads rising, Shelfari stumbling and LibraryThing coasting along.Goodreads ended the year with an estimated $750,000 infusion via a group of angels consisting of "six influential Internet pioneers." Murmurings could be heard back in October when Marc Hedlund at O'Reilly Radar commented on how he and a bunch of his friends were corralled into joining Goodreads. Hedlund confessed his love for LibrayThing's blog but admits he isn't very fond of its product. Hedlund ended the...
The Book Wizard of Salt Lake City
In their latest issue, SLUG (SaltLakeUnderGround) magazine profiles one of my favorite booksellers, Ken Sanders. The piece written by Erik Lopez is titled Ken Sanders: Pimp of the Printed Word and provides us a glimpse into the rich world of Sanders.Sanders, who is celebrating the 10 year anniversary of his bookshop, has also achieved success as a publisher, his Dream Garden Press has published a Robert Crumb illustrated version of Edward Abbey's environmental classic Monkey Wrench Gang, and more recently has become an expert in the field of stolen books. His recent tenure as head of the Security division of...
Fill ‘er up at Job Koelewijn’s ‘Sanctuary’
Dutch conceptual artist Job Koelewijn's new work Sanctuary includes this life-size gas station made entirely from the covers of books.Is it a telling omen that in the future both gas stations and books will be extinct? A homage to the divergent sacredness of books and gasoline. Books and gasoline, two essential elements of Western Civilization, joined to form a sort of surreal 22nd century filling station where one can go and pump the world's creative output into their vehicle of choice, whether it be a computer, e-reader, i-pod or quite possibly by then directly into our own bodies!In 2005 Koelewijn...
James Lackington: 18th Century Bookseller Extraordinaire
William Wallis (fl.1816-1855) after Thomas Hosmer Shepherd (1793-1864), Temple of the Muses, Finsbury Square. London: Jones & Co., 1828. Etching and aquatint with added hand-coloring. James Lackington was the most successful bookseller of the 18th century.His legendary shop at Finsbury Square in London was named "The Temple of the Muses" and when the flag was raised on the huge dome outside it meant Lackington was inside and ready to do business.Lackington revolutionized the book trade by becoming the first bookseller to refuse to sell books on credit. His cash only approach allowed him to offer books less expensively. Lackington also...