Oops?

The Internet never ceases to surprise me. Who could really predict what particularly data, information and websites will be discovered by various search tools.

For instance, it was a complete surprise that searching specifically for virtual chemical laboratories and simulations at molecular level of particular reactions would turn up a blog featuring glorious home libraries ...

Cote de Texas: Living with Books

Internet Footprints?

You've seen/read/heard that well-distributed piece about footsteps in the sand, right? And you know that saying about lines drawn in the sand? Well, this has pretty much nothing to do with either of those. It's morning tea time, and I'm just about coffee'd out.

So I thought I'd sign up for a few things, as one does at times like this. First cab of the rank was a new "fan" page over at ning.com. This will allow you to sign up to become a member of a very small, select - may I say even possibly elite - group, the Fans of Amanda Credaro. I don't know how long membership will be open for, but it IS free, which is really the most important thing, isn't it?

I signed up for something else too, but now that my loyal reader has rushed off to check out the possibilities at ning, I guess I'll save the other one for another day.

On a wing and a prayer?

I have been very, very slack with keeping the blog up to date; but trust me when I tell you that is hasn't been for lack of adventures in LibraryLand, particularly in the realms of Administrivia, Beaurocracy, and EgoManiacal Whatsits.

However, tonight's big news is that I just found out that a very kind (virtual) friend of the non-library variety had posted a prayer for me over at The People's Steeple (which will require you to log into Facebook to access). Was it a prayer for keeping what's left of my mind - I hope all those who have been given a piece of it are better human beings for that - in tact? Was it a prayer for a larger functional budget? An epiphany for those that control matters bibliotechnical?

The prayer for a speedy recovery from the March gum surgery was answered. Let no one doubt the power of the Internet.

Not too long ago, I was awarded a great honor - I was appointed the Mystic Archives Librarian of the Dark Brotherhood. Yet another honorary position; you don't get paid for having fun. Apparently.

If you're not a FaceBook subscriber, this (at the moment) may mean nothing to you. However, if you're a librarian, you will no doubt be shortly rushing off to research the Dark Brotherhood. If you're in the second group (the librarians), remember that I'm only the librarian, and not responsible for the Dark Brotherhood's past activities.

Part of my virtual duties includes regular interaction with the library's patrons. No, you can never escape, even in cyberspace. But the question was posed to the other members "What would you do if you were stuck in the Dark Ages?"

Geez ... as the Librarian of the Dark Brotherhood, obviously I'd use the time to catch up on the cataloguing backlog; I sure as heck don't have the time to do it at the moment, what with having to slave over a hot keyboard 24/7.

OK, I don't *have* to be 24/7 at the keyboard, but if I leave the 'net for anything other than the absolutely necessary, who knows what critical information I might miss out on? And THEN what am I going to do if a library user comes and asks me something - in my capacity as The Font of All Knowledge and The Keeper of the Toilet Key - what am I going to do? Break into a soft-shoe shuffle and hope they back quietly away and never come back again. Sure, that's always worked in the past, but eventually folk are going to expect a little service from The Librarian at some stage ...