<em>This week I was going to address that silly "libraries are government agencies" argument</em> If truth is silly to you, then where do false notions fit in?

Congress has already distributed two rounds of stimulus checks to citizens and will probably instigate another one soon. Didn't you get yours?

I'm not sure I understand the uproar about using other people's identities on this blog. If everybody is using pseudonyms anyway, why does it matter? If somebody starts using your pseudonym, then just pick another one. It's not like your posts are tied to your real identity anyway.

Why would anyone put their real name here? It is an anonymous 2.0 world. We don't have to have on-line morals or ethics or any of that boring real world stuff. And if you don't agree with me you are an asshole.

I take that back; I'm sorry. I'm such an asshole

Anonymity is a double-edged sword when it comes to an online community. While anonymity may allow people to feel more free and disinhibited to discuss otherwise embarrassing or stigmatizing topics, it can also be a community’s biggest enemy. Anonymity allows people to hide behind their computers while saying whatever they want with little ramification. Psychologists know that online community is far more disinhibited than face-to-face communications. Pair that disinhibition with anonymity and you have a recipe for potential disaster.
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Many internet users have a number of different identities they use online, to allow them to explore different aspects of their persona, interests or hobbies. But pseudonymity is also the key to membership systems as well, as it allows members of the community to learn to identify other members they like or dislike based upon their behaviors and personality. Pseudononymous systems strike a balance between people’s needs to obscure their identities online, while still allowing them to build reputations in those usernames. These systems have been shown to work very well for an online community.
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People build reputations in their usernames, and so their reputation becomes something they value and want to protect. Members who have an investment in something within your community are far less likely to blow that investment through inappropriate, negative behavior.

ALA is largely a failed organization, waiting to go down further, but maintaining a peppy front, holding meetings in places like Anaheim, with an
incoherant policy thrust. The current DC office is money wasted. I wonder if the Assn. of State, County, and Municipal Employees couldn't do better with something like this. They have other fish to fry, though. Indirectly, perhaps, SOME libraries will get a few crumbs in a few larger locales they represent, or from other lobbying by groups, NOT ALA. I don't hold out much hope for ALA having any real impact in D.C., when all is said and done. I was curious whether AL was going to verbally B+*CH Slap some of the impostors, etc., for the drivel they posted. Is this the best you can expect from alleged
"Professionals"? It's a comment on the state of the field, and its "leadership", and the alleged "standards" of diploma mill education hitting yet another low point. Some people will never "get it". It's like expecting a Long Island crowd to act civilized at a "Black Friday" sale, I'm afaid.

<em>Anonymity is a double-edged sword when it comes to an online community.</em><br><br>This post was plagarized from the Web site, A List Apart, written by John M. Grogol. www(dot)alistapart(dot)com/articles/identitymatters

Who cares?

Jesus H. Christ cares. You should know that, Dad.

And since librarians don't make a lot, direct handouts to librarians won't cause inflation either.

There is a direct correlation to the pay of librarians and the rate of inflation.<br><br>You could look it up, but that would require finding someone who knows how to ask the right questions and where to ask them.

If something is posted pseudononomously, is it really plagiarism since a real person isn't claiming to have written it? Just curious.

I don't want any sass from my kids, especially on-line. You may forgive and forget, but vengeance is mine!!!!

<b><I>"If something is posted pseudononomously, is it really plagiarism since a real person isn't claiming to have written it? Just curious."</B></I><BR><BR>I wrote that a couple of years ago in a copyrighted article. You owe me restitution, you rebel.

But how could you collect restitution from an entity that doesn't exist?

librarians are too efficient. we need a "whoops, I spent our entire budget on the 'world's most expensive magazine'- "KOHL - the newly-launched ITP Lifestyle magazine catering to Asian women -partnered with leading UAE-based jeweller Damas in April to create the world’s most expensive magazine covered in 91 grams of gold and encrusted with 622 diamonds." <br>If librarians can just show the federal government that we can waste money on a fantastic scale, maybe we can get that bail-out money. <br>p.s., the magazine was stolen because we forgot to take I.D.

Plagiarism only exists when the offended party can prove that an offending party gained an advantage by copying the offended party's work. I don't think this would apply in a pseudononymous environment.

Plagiarism only exists when the offended party can prove that an offending party gained an advantage by copying the offended party's work. I don't think this would apply in a pseudononymous environment.

"I'm not sure I understand the uproar about using other people's identities on this blog. If everybody is using pseudonyms anyway, why does it matter? If somebody starts using your pseudonym, then just pick another one. It's not like your posts are tied to your real identity anyway."
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This is of a piece with the foolish readers who claim the Annoyed Librarian is "anonymous." Posts and comments are linked to an identity and thus it is quite easy to participate in an online discussion. That identity is as "real" as it needs to be for this purpose. The people posing as others do seem too stupid to understand this or too vacuous to care. Their petty resentment leads them to try to derail discussions. It's hardly anything new, as the AL tends to bring out resentment from the inferior, but it's certainly not anything to dismiss. Most blogging programs take care of this by allowing people to choose online identities for those sites. This one doesn't yet because LJ wasn't ready for a blog that anyone commented upon.

As for my government check, I was some big bucks. I think a couple million per annoyed librarian would do wonders to stimulate the economy. It would certainly stimulate mine.

Sadly, what stimulates most librarians can't be printed here in a family blog.

It's obvious what is being done here and I don't think that any belittling of the Imposters' intelligence and etc is going to have any affect on them. In fact, I'm sure they're wetting their pants as I type.

That's a good point Soren's mom. Calling people stupid and inferior is usually reserved for people who have a limited vocabulary. It sounds like AL used questionable judgement in starting a blog on a site with such primitive capabilities. Sometimes when we sellout we have to accept the consequences.

Dumping more money into the dinosaur of public libraries would be a disaster. The one bright spot on the American economy is our ability to do something with information and make some money. <br><BR>Libraries--public, academic, etc--are huge failed social programs and need to be sent out on the next passing ice floe.

The world is moving in the direction of all information being freely available on the internet. It will happen one day. Where will libraries be when that happens? Most libraries today are becoming public computer labs. That trend will continue to grow. That MLS will someday be worthless.

AL, whatever you do, don't make your organization the same initials as that other much more ineffective organization. Duh!! ;)
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For those that don't understand Internet Handles and such, Soren's Imposter post though plagarized hits the nail on the head. Some of us have chosen specific pseudonames so that other regulars can recognize us as individuals when they read this blog. The Idiots are obviously too immature to understand this, since here they just see it as All Anonymous anyway so there's no difference between posting under anonymous, Mr. Kat, or Soren Faust. The world is dying waiting for you immature punks to grow up. The unfortunate part is that these imposters are likely in their mid thirties, still living in the basement, and just barely clinging to a part time Public Library job as a clerk. Since they can;t take their frustrations out on the real world, they do it here instead. Information super highway road rage?
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P.S. I do not have my own Blog becasue I do not see the purpose of one more blog cluttering up the web-bibliosphere. I am further to lazy to go and do it - and there is a community here. And that's what makes this blog so powerful: a community of no less then ten unique commentors contributing content to this blogger. I look forward to the blog that was SUPPOSED to have been posted today in the near future!!

How can people recognize you as an individual when you are not revealing your identity. If you want to be recognized, use your real name. Otherwise, you are just like all the other pseudononymous posters, and your lack of identity removes all credibility from your posts.

The above post was not done by the real Mr. Kat.

Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.

The above post was not done by the real Guybrarian. Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Mr. Kat spouted: "The unfortunate part is that these imposters are likely in their mid thirties, still living in the basement, and just barely clinging to a part time Public Library job as a clerk."
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I believe in a previous post you mentioned that you were currently employed at a rate of $13 per hour. And you feel qualified to question someone else's accomplishments in life?

Is that the real AL or a fake one? I can't tell anymore.

On the Internet, nobody knows if you are THE AL.<br><BR>woof

this is the most pathetic excuse for a comment section there is. it's poorly moderated as well. it's just sad.

Thanks for your insightful contribution.

I wonder if the snit over imposters posting has to do with a misconception by the people that are offended.

This is the Annoyed Librarian Blog, not the I socialize in the comments section blog. Of course, I like to read the comments and make judgements about the other posters. It makes me feel smart and smug, and takes less time than being a commenter myself.

Oh, I hope the ALA gets its payout because it will help better redistribute money from the folks who achieve to the under-achievers.

Some people get in a snit because they assume that people actually care what they think. They're trying to build some kind of reputation under a false name. Come on, get real. I believe one guy compared himself to Descartes earlier. That was funny.

ALA? Well...considering how much they charge to be a member of their erudite organization...and what you get for your money...you dare to compare the high cost of annual dues to the low real life salaries of real life librarians.

Joining ALA is not cost effective, therefore, small wonder they have not as much support as they might like.

But then again, being as erudite as they are...maybe the whole idea is to keep up low paid "

"the Annoyed Librarian Association" I'll drink to that! Great idea - sign me up.

Why doesn't congress make the ALA come up with a business plan so they can show how if they got their $100M, they wouldn't piss it all away on Guitar Hero classes? Seems like congress should set a standard for handouts. And I'm certain AL would be more for it if she/he were set to receive a couple of those million in severance. It's only fair.---

And I think the trick to these blogs with pseudos is to weed through the crap and take from it what you can. Simply because someone is using the wrong identity doesn't mean that they might have something important to say but are just too afraid to say it. Like the little skinny shy kid in class who knows the right answer but won't raise his hand. Then one day grows up to be an pseudo-anonymous blogging librarian.

Dr. Seuss built his entire career on a fake name. So did Marilyn Monroe. Mark Twain. Yep, another Faker!! Don't you idiots get it? Oh wait, no, you are idiots! AHA!
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Librarydude, touche, touche!! BUT that 13 an hour is stil the top of the bottom heap, which means - It's more then most jobs pay right now!!!! A part time library job pays only 8 to 10 dollars an hour, and it takes minimum of $11.00 to live in an apartment in my area - you can look that up on the center of housing policy website!! So a person working a library job in this city can't afford even a 1 room aparentment!
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I'm close - but not there yet!!

The Annoyed Librarian: Bringing old friends together.<BR>
This is sort of a tangent to the discussion at hand, but since it just happened I thought I'd pass it on. <BR>
I've just received an email from someone that I had known in a very distant - through time and space - past life, who identified me by my "eeeeeek" signature. So for those of you who have had a problem with it . . . . . ..... oh well. Life is supposed to be interesting. <BR>
"Hi PD."<BR>
eek

“That MLS will someday be worthless…………The unfortunate part is that these imposters are likely in their mid thirties, still living in the basement, and just barely clinging to a part time Public Library job as a clerk. Since they can;t take their frustrations out on the real world, they do it here instead. Information super highway road rage?” The MLS is essentially worthless already, especially if you are looking for an entry level job. I hate to suggest this, and it hits me about like handing a pack of matches to an arsonist, but why don't you basement dwellers go over to one of the other blogs on this site and give them the same treatment. This will at least give the folks on East Huron something to talk about when they eventually hold their convention in Des Moines....."V For Vendetta" [or is it "squeaky wheel gets the grease"?]. Maybe Reed will upgrade the software here, too. This is about as behind the curve as having 486 computers in your library.

Go over to the Library Insider blog on this site and fire away. The writer has an inflated opinion of an attempt at humor on another blog to wit. [get your rotten veggies ready]

P.S. In this "play" AL is a man.....Wonder if AL has seen it?

Just checked it out. Isn't that the guy who played the Scarecrow in the latest Batman movies? I think I'm little creeped out. Of course if you hadn't pointed the way, almost no one would have read it. It's an LJ blog, after all. Write about the AL and people take notice, I guess.

There is no one to imitate on the other blogs. There blogs are so dull no one with anything to say would have anything to say in response to their pap. I did kinda like the Lawson play. It at least wasn't pointless rant that most other bloggers have offered up against the AL

The MLS is already worthless. Paid more per credit hour than law school and didn't come out making as much. The people with masters (not an MLS obviously) are the only one in my firm that get the dollars and the respect.

And for the record, judgment only has 1 e in it.

Library Cynic said: "This is about as behind the curve as having 486 computers in your library."
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Who has enough room for 486 computers in their library?

It is pretty bad that the Library Journal does not even have some sort of a sign-in system for the blogs, so that people can have a constant username. Then again, the number of people immitating other users on here does seem to increase the number of comments, so maybe you should just keep it that way for the sake of making you appear even more popular than you are.

@ annoyed more often then not:<br></br><i>"And for the record, judgment only has 1 e in it."</i><br></br>If you want to play the I'm-better-than-you-because-I-noticed-a-misspelling game, you should spell your own name right. It's "more often THAN not."

Good job AL keeping this on target.<br><BR>Put yourself in for a raise.<br><br>As for the ALA, who cares.

If you come to the ALA and blog anonymously, we will get that big grant and can pay you what you are worth.

The AL liveblogging the ALA. Interesting concept. It might be even more boring than the blog regularly is.

The Barbarians are at the gate.

Please, AL, delete all comments that are off topic, thanks.

If she did that, this would just be a blank page. On the other hand, that might be an improvement.

Live blogging ALA would have something of a Kafkaesque [as in THE CASTLE] quality to it, crossed with "Mr. Rogers Neighborhood". Meanwhile, I'd like to put forth what I'll call the Des Moines quotient, regarding an ALA convention there. In the past ALA has had to book in only certain big cities because of size. It had to be a BIG city, too. The theory here is that eventually ALA will bore and exasperate enough people that membership will decline and they can move the annual meetings to smaller venues. Also, that they may endup having to either lease out or sell the property on East Huron to make ends meet and perhaps move their HQ. to Peoria. Some may, laugh, but after reading the blog with the library grad on the LJ site, I can't help but wonder. People thought the Soviet Union would be around a lot longer, not to mention LS programs at Univ. of Chicago, Columbia Univ. [founded by M. Dewey, no less], Emory, and others that went under in the 80's-90's. I think there are more people who are seeing that "The Emperor has no clothes" than they realize. Meeanwhile, I'd suggest ALA close the DC office, buy a Ford hybrid, and send the Pres. down periodically to lobby for the handout that they'll probably never get.

The AL is capricious with the editing mouse.

Unfortunately, I've had to go back to deleting comments, as I had to the first week. If the children leave, I'll go back to not moderating. I certainly don't mind a free play of discussion of library issues, but I'm certainly not going to put up with childish antics. I think sometimes people forget this is MY blog, and I'll delete whatever I please.

*I think sometimes people forget this is MY blog, and I'll delete whatever I please.*

We're not necessarily to this point here yet, but there's got be some sort of name for this phenomenon that happens to almost all comment-driven content on the web, i.e., "blog starts up/blog gets popular/undesirables flood blog/blog becomes unreadable/strongman author-owner has to come and crack skulls by banning posters & ip addys/blog cleansed/blog becomes boring echo chamber populated only by blog author and selected toadies who parrot the party line".

Obviously you aren't getting it. I've never deleted relevant critical comments. There is no party line to parrot. But I'm not going to leave up flatulence jokes just because some moron wants to post them. The morons can all go write their own blogs. Your comment is a weak attempt to make any moderation into the creation of an "echo chamber, " but there's no evidence to back that up. The very fact I left your comment up proves it's wrong. I think we can call that the Ridiculous Comment Complaint Paradox.

And anyone posting as "soren faust" will be deleted. I know the "real" "soren faust," and you ain't him.

I thought Soren was a girl

Whatever.

jmo has everything figured out. God, I wish I was him.

I thought jmo was a girl.

He is a girl. Don't you get it?

I think perhaps I'm a toady, because I suspect the only echo chamber is in jmo's skull. And just to show I'm no parrot, I don't think the Feds should bailout the Annoyed Librarian!

re: Obviously you aren't getting it. I've never deleted relevant critical comments.<br/> <br/>

This is a rather astounding claim in consideration of the plain evidence. Comments critical of or questioning AL's censorship in threads specific to censorship and anonymity have been deleted (cf the October 20th threads and wholesale deletion of critical posts relating to censorship) and gay marriage diatribes in threads specific to library business models still stand.

"Plain evidence." "Critical posts." Good grief. Anyone who equates comment moderation with "censorship" is obviously a bit thick, but I'll leave your comment on just so you don't get all steamed and whiny. The "gay marriage diatribes" criticism is a red herring, since NOT deleting them is unrelated to NOT deleting relevant criticism. Perhaps you can try again with a more logical criticism. Good luck. I think you're going to need it.

I think somebody struck a nerve.

And to think the posts raising all the dust are probably mostly by people with an ALA accredited MLS/MLIS. What does that say. I was musing the other day about a new series of "Young Adult" fiction along the lines of the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew, The Flying Boy Scouts, and such, published during the last century; THE GRABA**S KIDS GO TO LIBRARY SCHOOL, THE GRABA**S KIDS AS LIBRARIANS, THE GRABA**S KIDS AT ALA MIDWINTER, THE GRABA**S KIDS AND THE LIBARARY NETWORK, etc., etc.. You get the idea, with the same stilted dialogue and "Gee Whiz" tone
mixed with binge drinking and mind-boggling misbehavior, and cynicism by the powers that be. For instance, in THE GRABA**S KIDS AS LIBRARIANS, you have them inviting for an interview everyone that sends in a resume, at the applicant's expense, to fill an entry level position which has already been informally filled by the head librarian. Since municipal mandates stipulate a wide search, she turns the matter over to the "Selection Committee", consisting of guess who. In the background we have cynical politicians with a "you'll take it and LIKE it" attitude, and ego driven board members who haven't a clue as to how a library is run but act like they do.

AL, I thank you for not deleting that diatribe. At the heart of that issue is the same issue at the heart of collection development, the ALA BoR, and the fight between communities who are open to truely being for all people versus those communities who want to be only for one Type of people. Unfortunatley for the latter group, this is the US of A and we are no longer allowed to discriminate.
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At this point I know of no less then three blogs you can write if nothing else happens in libraryland, but like this blog demonstrated, there's always something going on in library land!!
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DA, I love your idea. Only because it is too true and too funny.

I woke up this morning and started musing about a roman-a-clef of library school. I'm still a bit groggy, but that could be a bit bizarre too. Maybe could be incorporated into the first GRABA**S KIDS title. It would feature a student who had a record for shoplifting making off with books on library security from the LS collection, bragging about it openly under the influence, and them finding his way to a legitimate job in the field, a lecherous instructor with a speech impediment, and a program head interested in Latin American libraries, who goes on to work as state librarian in a similarly politically charged environment. Of course that might need to be spread over several books in the series.

And perhaps the second title could feature a naive librarian who thinks that all librarians should be in favor of freedom of every type, no matter what.

AL, you have a peculiarly narrow definition of censorship that is at odds with common definitions in most dictionaries and the plain understanding of most people. It's easy to knock down your own straw man. It's also fairly transparent.

Not quite on point here, but possibly relevant. I stopped caring about ALA when I kept seeing past ALA presidents and Exec Board members pony up to the trough for ALA Council elections. I mean really - once you've had the big cheese seat why on earth would you go back to a Council chair? Seriously. These people need a life. Move on! ALA is really good at talking about succession planning, interest in new and younger librarians being involved EXCEPT when it comes time to let them run for office. I am so finished with ALA elections. I bullet vote. That is I only vote for people who've NEVER been on ALA council before and no names. No name recognition for me. Until COuncil changes and ALA gets some fresh new, creative faces in that club, they'll continue with their lame brain schemes like asking for bailouts. Maybe the ALA president can catch a ride to DC on the Chevrolet corporate jet next time she needs to show up at a bail out hearing.

*Your comment is a weak attempt to make any moderation into the creation of an "echo chamber, "*

Wow, someone sure is touchy. Please note that the very first sentence in the post that caused you such enormous grief plainly said "We're not necessarily to this point here yet". When it gets that way, it'll be plainly evident, trust me. I do like how all the fake sock puppets and wanna-be toadies started in after your post though--hilarity, I tells ya.

The last post was by an impostor. Maybe THE GRABA**S KIDS AS BLOG COMMENTERS?

I just don't think you understand satire AL, or if you do, you just don't write it well. You mistake mean-spiritedness for satire. As well, you make general statements without anything to back it up. This is why these blogs are useless--much like most self published books. You could use a good editor to focus your writing and make it more substantial. Then again, your ego appears to be as big as Montana, so I doubt that will happen.