ASSOCIATES (2005, November, v. 12, no. 2) - associates.ucr.edu
*From the Editor*
The last issue of Library Mosaics in November/December 2005 is the end of a special era of print journals dedicated to library support staff. The rising cost of paper and postage and decreasing revenues for print journals has forced Library Mosaics publisher Raymond Roney to cease publication of his bimonthly journal. Library Mosaics has continued as a bimonthly publication since vol. 1, no. 1 (Sept./Oct. 1989). I am saddened by the end of Library Mosaics, but Raymond, Charlie Fox as Editorial Director, Edward B. Martinez as Consulting Editor, and the editorial staff should be proud of their accomplishments as leaders in the explosion of information for and about library paraprofessionals. I wish the best to our friends at Library Mosaics and we all thank the people at Library Mosaics for their excellent publication.
This issue of Associates includes an array of contributors with interesting articles and topics. The regular column contributors wrote about a variety of subjects: Carol Borzyskowski, Winona Public Library, Minnesota, discusses change in libraries and what you can do to embrace the coming change. Frank Exner, Little Bear, North Carolina Central University, begins his series called "Bear Thoughts," with an introduction to S.R. Ranganathan who was an innovative librarian from India. Katie Buller Kintner, still seeking library employment, ponders the cold in Winneconne, Wisconsin. Michael D. Brooks, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, reviews a website that provides news and information about our “digital rights” and technological freedom.
The feature articles delve into different subjects. Lisa Adams, Richland Public Library, Washington, writes an amazing account of a fund raiser for her library--inviting the public to sumo wrestle with a librarian! Brenda Block from OCLC Quality Control Section in Dublin, Ohio, describes the responsibilities of maintaining the quality of records in OCLC's WorldCat database. Michael D. Brooks (Associates' website reviewer) has provided an online list of charity relief organizations as a guide to help with the recent worldwide natural disasters. Diane David, University of California, Riverside, describes balancing her dual life as music cataloger in addition to performer and production stage manager. Jim Jackson, University of Exeter, UK, and Lydia Collins, California State University, Stanislaus, have designed a survey/questionnaire to poll staff in the issues desk/circulation departments about the design of the work area and if the design is causing health concerns--please take a few minutes to participate in the survey so your responses can be incorporated into a future article for Associates.
Two product reviews by Jean Turner Weiss, University of California, Riverside, focus on library-related calendars for 2006. One calendar presents six librarians in Wisconsin with clever and artful photos in their libraries--with naked librarians (well, almost). The other calendar contains 12 beautiful photographs of world-wide library interiors.
And, more fiction is offered. Jim Jackson, Associates' Contributing Editor, has written "The Heart Break Library," featuring his character Kelly Bourne. Tinker Massey begins part one of "The Hand Beyond," which will conclude in the March 2006 issue.
With this issue, the "Calendar of Events" feature of Associates has been replaced with links to library associations that lead to lists of more encompassing information about events than have been included in Associates. Please contact me if you wish to add websites to the "Events Link" page in Associates.
Another interesting, entertaining, thought-provoking issue to enjoy.
Happy Reading!
Wendee Eyler
Editor
rivwe@ucr.edu