Notes from Libraryland

My favorite library linkspam blog brought me the following tidbits:

* The best novels you've never read, as listed by New York Magazine.

* Is it a PSA extolling the joys of reading, or is it an ad for a library self-checkout machine? You decide!

* More book banning madness: A Canadian library decides to ban the His Dark Materials series. On what grounds? Because Philip Pullman is an atheist. I guess a lot of other authors will have to go too, then. It'll pretty much decimate the science fiction session, but sometimes you have to break some eggs.

* How many copyright violations does an average user commit in a single day? A thought-provoking look at how broad interpretations of copyright laws could leave us all liable for billions each year -- and that's without behaviors like "illegal" downloading. (Or writing fanfic.) Somehow, I don't think this is what the framers of the Constitution had in mind...

* Cool new Internet tool: Browse the New York Times by subject.

* Short piece on managing various online identities hits a little bit on the aspect of this that interests me: how do you juggle public and private, personal and professional, when social networking tools start merging the spheres? I started writing a lot more about this and realized that it's an entry all it's own, so I'll get back to you on that later.