Reading

As part of my job, I have been looking into Facebook and researching what it is. Which probably requires some explanation. No, I did not just crawl out of a cave, nor do I work in a cave. I work in an archive and my job is to save records of ALL types. Including digital ones, such as web pages. And social media. But, before I can save records, I have to know what the record is. So, what is Facebook? What can you strip away and still have Facebook? The ads? The banner? The background? Comments? Timelines? ???? That is what I'm researching, so I've been doing a lot of reading about social media and such and have found some really interesting articles. I've also been evaluating the extent of one of our web archive collections, to see how in depth our capture goes. Do we have all the pages, do they display the way we want them to, etc.

All my research and evaluating has cause me to think about the way the internet has changed how we read.

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When you pick up a book, you read a page. Then you turn it and read the next one. And the next. And the next. The pages aren't linked. You can skip around, but there is a limit to where you can actually go. Now, expand that to a library. You read a book. It refers to another book. You get that book. You read that book. Then you connect to another one. But there are still physical boundaries.

One of the things I love AND hate about the internet is that it is so non-linear. I read something on the internet. I click a link. Now I'm on a completely different site. I click another link. Another article, from another completely different site. It's messy. It's confusing. It's a giant maze, and there's no way to follow my trail back to the beginning. Of course, that can be said of the library experience, but it seems more possible to go back to the books I used two weeks later than to follow my internet trail two weeks later. When I search on the internet, I know I have to leave breadcrumbs somehow. (Yes, Hansel. Make a crumb of that link. And Gretel, email me that crumb). I mean, it's the internet. It's huge. Uncharted territory. Easy to get lost in. Sounds scary, right?

But there is something beautiful about the non-linear search. It's called serendipity, my friend. That beautiful "happy accident", where, through no planning of our own, we start at point A and end up at Number 929.* You know what I'm talking about. You sit down to find out the cost of new shoes and the next thing you know, you've learned that squirrels have tails specially constructed to protect them from the elements. It's like a conversation! (Oh, come on. You know you've had conversations like that). And maybe learning about squirrels isn't the most world changing discovery. But that same serendipity leads us to learn things that change the world.

So, to celebrate serendipitous discovery, I'm going to share with you an article I came across (which also talks about a book that I now want to read, so yes, it is relevant, even if it's a stretch) through serendipitous discovery. Enjoy!

*Archives do provide serendipitous experiences. Because an archive contains documents, not necessarily connected to one another, there is more of a non-linear approach to using archives. Archival collections aren't like books, where to understand Chapter 15, you probably need to have read chapters 1-14. A researcher in an archive can read documents from one folder, but skip other folders--or even documents--entirely. And, archival collections are only described at a very general, high level. Not every paper is mentioned in the catalog entry, or finding aid. So, the researcher has lots of opportunities to make their own discoveries. Go archives!

Literary Cuisine

Two weeks ago, I was opining about ebooks vs. printed books. Well, it just so happens that this letter appeared in my Google reader, and Harper Lee, who is obviously a more talented writer than me, expresses mutual sentiments about the printed page and reading in general much better than I do. So, read and enjoy. 

Other news in my reading realm: I'm a little bit excited because I have an ebook in the Apple iBookstore. It's not really all that amazing or anything. I got an offer through Blurb to upload an ebook for free, so I did. And then they gave me the option to send it to Apple, and I figured, what the heck, and what do you know, they approved it and put it in their store. And I do want to be published someday, so I guess this is a first step. But I want to be published by a publisher. 

I know that self-publishing can turn out some decent stuff, but I also know that there is value to having editors. Don't get me wrong--I've read some stuff that has gotten through a publishing house and wondered what on earth the editors were thinking. Still, there is something to be said for having professional editors. And somehow it feels more legitimate. Besides, I can't illustrate worth a darn, so that throws a kink into self-publishing. But we live in this technology age where the masses have a lot more say in things, and sometimes, that's not a good thing, because some people really like the fast food equivalent of literature. McDonald's is popular, but not necessarily good quality. 

At the same time, think about some of the classics. Why on earth are they classic? And some of the literature put out by the big publishers--I get that escargot is a delicacy, but that doesn't mean it's not disgusting. (I can't say I know from experience, never having eaten it, but it seems like there is some fine cuisine that is an acquired taste, and if you have to acquire the taste for it, it makes you wonder what you are doing to your taste buds in the process). 

Anyway, whatever your literary tastes are, don't be afraid to try something new. And I hope that someday, I write something that is at least of the nice, sit-down and dine quality. 

Ancient History

So, you know how people think history is a bunch of names and dates and is REALLY boring?  (Is that last part true? It seems to be the general stereotype). I personally don't find history boring, but I can see why a lot of people might. A history book can be awfully short on details and that personal touch. Which is one of the reasons for biographies and historical fiction. Case in point:

This week I read The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, by Jacqueline Kelly. [Warning: if you read the author's bio in the jacket of this book, you run a high risk of developing a temporary inferiority complex!] I think I stumbled onto this book through the Amazon recommender system, but I'm not entirely sure. The recommender system is a hit and miss approach to finding new books to read, but assuming that's how I actually found this book, it paid off this time.

As I think of it now, I'm kind of surprised that the turn of the century from 1899 to 1900 isn't more of a highlight in history classes. I mean, come on. Turn of the century. It's a big deal. And this is a time period that gets overlooked in general, which is pretty ridiculous. Just to give you a taste of the historically significant issues this book addresses: changes in women's position in society, evolution and Darwinism, the development of the telephone, the post-Civil War era, Southern society, and science.

Admittedly, historical fiction is going to have limitations. Because it is fiction, authors are going to take some liberties in their writing, and Kelly makes a note of this in the Acknowledgements. But, what it does accomplish is it generates interest in an audience that might otherwise not care. I mean, look at that list of topics! So many ways to connect! And once a child (or adult!) has read about Darwinism in a historical fiction work, they may be interested in knowing more. So they learn about Charles Darwin, and his theories. Then they will find that he was controversial, and they might wonder why. And maybe they'll learn about the social values and context of Darwin's theories. And before you know it, they have learned some history!

So, nutshell: This is a really good book, and it presents a unique perspective on a time in history that on the surface, seems pretty dull, but is really quite fascinating.

I, (not a) Robot

Now I've probably gotten your hopes up and you are expecting a review on I, Robot. I apologize, that is not what you are in for today. No, today I am going to weigh in on digital versus hard copy. Mostly because on my other blog I was reminiscing on the good old days of laying on the floor looking at maps and atlases. You know, back in the good old days, before Google maps existed and the internet was something only academia and government knew about. (Yes, there was a time like that, and no, it was not that long ago. Relatively speaking). Besides, my reading list this week has consisted of a lot of Terry Pratchett, because I've really been in the mood for some humor and whimsy, and the Discworld just fills that niche so beautifully. I should also mention, I finished Mao's Last Dancer. I highly recommend it, and at some point I will write about the value of (auto)biographies in studying history. I will say, I learned a lot about life in Communist China, it is an inviting read, and be sure to look for the more recent editions, because there have been additions since its original publication date.

Alright. Digital versus printed. I confess, I am old school and I am biased towards print. It isn't quantifiable, but there is something different about holding a book, turning pages, feeling the weight and size and shape of the book in your hands. It is a more personal experience. I don't know why, but turning pages is really important. It seems like I've heard that the more senses you can use, the more something sinks in (don't quote me on that, because I don't know if it's true, but it does make sense. The more of your senses you use, the more pathways you are making in your brain, something like that). With printed materials, you can use sight, but also touch. And there is the possibility of smell, too, especially with older books. Maybe the what makes the difference for me, I don't know. All I know is that holding a book is a very different experience from holding an e-reader, and I prefer the book experience, myself.

That being said, there are things I really like about digital books. It's true that you can carry a ton of them and space is not an issue, although I have found that that isn't a very compelling argument. The only time that would be helpful is if I'm travelling, and if I'm travelling, I don't need oodles of books, because I'm going to be doing other things. And I can carry the books I need for reading while en route. One exception: class readings. Apparently, textbooks are a thing of the past, and pdf's and online readings are the way to go these days. (I earned a master's degree and purchased roughly five textbooks, and half of those are really compilations of articles that were published by various professionals. So, it was incredibly useful to be able to put those readings on one device and take them with me, because who wants to bust out the laptop on the 20 minute bus ride? And printing them all? Let's talk expensive. I will also say that digital books tend to be less expensive than printed ones, which is another distinct advantage.

So, I'm not completely opposed to digital books, and I own quite a few myself. But, my preference will always be the good old-fashioned print copy.