Marvel iPad App

For all those early adopters, Marvel have recently launched their content in the form of a free iPad app, although each comic costs $1.99 each to download. It'd be nice if Overdrive could make some deals with some of the big graphic novel publishers to provide free downloaded content through public libraries.. Overdrive's own iPad app is soming soon, apparently!

The Fuck-Up by Arthur Nersesian

For the past week or so, the looped presentation that displays on the public TV screen in our library has been publicising the covers of a selection of new books. Included is Frankie Boyle's autobiography, "My Shit Life so Far". Given the usually prudish nature of our patrons, I'm pretty surprised that no-one's commented.. or maybe I'm the only person who's actually noticed? Either way, it slightly puts paid to my conviction that one of the best ways to create an eye-catching display is to pepper it liberally with foul language.

From this point of view, Arthur Nersesian's "The Fuck-Up" should be a godsend, and sure enough it's been a pretty steady issuer for us. Nersesian's slice of 80s New York lowlife was an enjoyable enough read: in the space of a few weeks the nameless narrator lies and cheats his way through a series of glamorous sexual liaisons, gets a job in a gay porn theatre and becomes a published poet, only to see everything crash to earth as he ends up wandering the streets alone as a vagrant. It's all a bit of a silly romp to start with, with not enough character development or vivid prose - the best part of the book comes at the end with Nersesian's flinchingly real description of the character's physical and emotional pain as his shattered body is unceremoniously dumped back to the lowest rung of New York society.

Creative commons

I suppose I'm likely to be talking to myself for an initial period, as is usually the case with new blogs. For now, here's a handy video all about the Creative Commons movement. This is something fairly close to my heart, as in my spare time I produce music which I release under a CC license. Hopefully this video will illustrate some of the ways that CC's framework for facilitating the free sharing of creativity can have an impact on all types of LIS-related activities.

http://creativecommons.org/

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This is my first attempt at a library blog. I am a 26-year old ILS graduate, currently doing an "unqualified" library assistant job in a public library in South London (hence the blog title). Obviously, my initial career plan involves getting a professional post (at 26, the word "career" still sends slight shivers up my spine), although I am seemingly reluctant to leave where I am now and the dubious prospects of career development. People always seem a bit surprised when I tell them where I work, and similarly people I meet through work are surprised to find out I hold a professional qualification. As a young male languishing somewhere near the bottom rung of the ILS chain of command, perhaps I have a moderatly interesting take on industry goings-on, government shenanigans and everyday comings and goings in our little corner of South-West London. My particular interests include: Social media, "Library 2.0", knowledge management, graphic/display design, e-literacy, adult and community education, american literature.