Girls & STEM

One of my biggest regrets is not having a computer science degree (yet). My high school had an award winning program, but I didn't understand what it was and it seemed really intimidating. Something for math majors only, which I didn't have any interest in. Reading articles like this about young girls promoting robotics to their peers is really encouraging.

No Office

My No Office Experiment is an interesting blog post about a campus administrator going without an office in order to be closer to his department. I applaud his desire for visibility and what he has learned as he traveled to the offices of colleagues around campus, but I'm not sure how it would work in the long run. I wholeheartedly believe that administrators need to be visible and move around campus regularly. How else are you going to get the pulse of the school? However, unless you can guarantee conference room space when you need it for meetings with outside vendors or confidential phone/Skype sessions, it seems to me that having your own office, even a small one, would be beneficial.

Kindle Unlimited

I tend not to buy books unless I NEED it, it is a children's book, and a really good deal. I download audiobooks from my public library web page. I'm not sure when the last time I was physically in the library, but my circulation stats are pretty high. I will be curious to see how Amazon's Kindle Unlimited works. I can't imagine new bestsellers will be on there.

Back to school shopping

It isn't August yet and stores are already having back to school sales. Remember when layaway was used for back to school shopping (and Christmas shopping)? I suppose this is the new version of that.

Mass producing education

This is a very interesting take on the mass production of education

Education Is Not Like Eating at the Olive Garden

Children and reading

I have been wondering for a long time how ereaders will impact reading in the home. My dad wasn't a big library user, but bought book and magazines that interested him. My mother, on the other hand, rarely bought books, but frequently took us to the public library when we were little. My parents always found extra money when it came to the monthly book club flyers that my brother and I would bring home from school. There was plenty for me to pick up and read around the house.

As a life-long reader I own quite a few books. Buying books seems like a good move until you have to move. I have begun switching to ebooks for many purchases and avoiding buying fiction titles that I will most likely only read once. Despite this switch in formats, I have invested in print children's books that never seem to go out of fashion and my daughter (due in the fall) already has an enviable library in her room.

Over the last few days I have been clearing out a massive pile of magazines that have been building up. My husband says I am a marketer's nightmare as my interests run quite a gamut, but we can't make their job easy, can we? The thought crossed my mind more than once that as I make the switch to ebooks and audiobooks for much of my reading (especially with the super cheap daily deals), what will be lying around the house for my daughter to pick up? We certainly aren't going paperless, but I will have to make a concerted effort to continue print magazine subscriptions in those topics that I may want her to stumble across (Popular Science, cooking, crafts) and may benefit from keeping others out of her hands at too young of an age (my fashion fix) by subscribing to the emagazine. I do intend on ordering the print children's magazines even if the digital version is available and look forward to her getting her first mail.

I suppose that we will have to address this issue down the road, but it makes one wonder how ereaders will change how children read in the home.

Little Free Libraries

My husband and I can't seem to pass one of those Little Free Libraries without taking a peek inside. It is always entertaining to see what titles are in there on that particular day. Unfortunately, not all of them are being well received.