Frank Wilson, the book review editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer and one of the few truly wired book editors was driving home from a Elmore Leonard/ Chuck Palahniuk doubleheader at the library last night when he was struck by this musing on the Palahniuk reading:"I kept thinking on the way home how newspapers are desperate to attract younger readers, but haven't a clue as to how popular this guy is with just the people they're looking for. Never have I had a greater sense of just how out of touch newspapers have become."300 people showed up for Leonard and an...
Counterpoint Comes Home
Publishers Weekly reports that the Counterpoint imprint has been purchased by a small group the includes its founder Jack Shoemaker. The imprint had been owned by Perseus who has been busy trying to incorporate their newest bankrupt prize Publishers Group West into their mix. It will now live with Winton, Shoemaker & Co. a newly formed group that includes two of Shoemaker's cornerstone authors Gary Snyder and Wendell Berry.Originally called North Point Press then Counterpoint and finally Shoemaker and Hoard the press has always published with a social conscience and with integrity. Two attributes that tend to get compromised when...
Librarian Couture
Amsterdam's new Central Public Library is set to open in less than two months.The goal of the new Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam is to become a 21st century "island of knowledge"They are guided by this beautiful principle:"The right to information is enshrined in law and in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is part of the library's purpose to make these rights a reality. By facilitating the free flow of information the library makes its contribution to a democratic and humane society."and are well aware of how things work:"In the 21st century information is synonymous with power. You will notice...
The EPA Library Crisis Returns
On April 26th Congress sent a letter to the EPA to check in on them. They wanted to follow up and make sure that they are complying with their "commitment not to close any additional EPA libraries and not to dispose of any additional EPA materials"Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), a non-profit national alliance of local state and federal resource professionals and the premier watchdog group on this issue, issued a press release on May 2 titled "EPA Quietly Resumes Dismantling Library System,"They cite an 'interim policies' document released by the EPA on April 10th which lays out procedures...
Typography of the Flesh
According to a poll done in 2003 by Harris Interactive 16% of all adults have at least one tattoo.The younger you are the greater the chance you will have one:25 to 29 years - 36%30 to 39 years -28%If you live in the West you are 20% more likely to have tattoos andand if you are gay there is a 31% chance you have one.and for the politico's the breakdown is:Democrats 18%Republicans 14%Independents 12%You wonder if the tattooed independents will ever become a crucial swing vote?I would also tend to believe that these numbers have risen in the last 4...