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Category Archives: General
Librarian of Congress Nominee Announced
Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Carla D. Hayden as Librarian of Congress. Meet President Obama’s Nominee for Librarian of Congress
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The Data Dude on Post-Public Library Survey
Now that the deadline for the public library survey has passed, perhaps it might be beneficial to reiterate the importance of collecting this data. If, as you were collecting and reporting this data, you might have been thinking that this is all a complete waste of time, today the Dude will attempt to illustrate that not all of your work was done in vain. And please, while thoughts are fresh in your head, feel free to e-mail suggestions about how things might be better for next year’s survey. Are there questions that are no longer relevant in your opinion? Questions that were ambiguous? Edit checks that didn’t make sense (admittedly, the Dude got tired of looking at “we did not loan any items to other libraries”)? No suggestion is too trivial for consideration!
As many of you know, the public library survey is a requirement for your library if you are accredited, and if you aren’t accredited, there is candy dangled in front of you in the form of 200 bucks if you complete the survey. This program is called Dollar$ for Data. Now aside from these perceived bribes and threats to complete the survey, what are some of the other reasons for doing it? There certainly are some, aren’t there? Well, let’s first mention some of the national reasons, as every state (and U.S. territory) must collect and submit public library survey data to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (a/k/a IMLS). IMLS, in case you didn’t know, is an independent agency created by the U.S. federal government, and is responsible for the primary support of the libraries and museums in the nation (and U.S. territories). This involves many things such as the formulation of policies, research, and collaboration with state library administrative agencies (such as the Library Commission). But part of all this is that IMLS also distributes funding and grants to libraries and museums. Data collection and analysis is a part of the development and continuation of those federal programs.
At the state and local level, collecting this data is important for those same reasons. An example is that it would be hard to demonstrate funding requests for things like the Nebraska OverDrive consortium without having any data, statistics, or trend files that illustrate the use of electronic materials. What about strategic planning? Many of you might already know that every library in the state has what are called “peer libraries”. These are libraries that are identified as similar to your library. Most of the time this means that they are within a certain range of your legal service area (or LSA). At the local level, this is important because you can then compare things like your collection, staffing, budget, and other library services with your peers (a/k/a keeping up with the Joneses). Some of the peer libraries are Iowa libraries because there aren’t enough comparable libraries in Nebraska.
Finally, if you want data for your peer libraries (and after this year’s survey cycle is over, we will re-calculate your peer libraries – most likely this coming summer, so keep that in mind), you can contact the Dude and he will extract and send (E&S) those data files to you. There is also the IMLS compare public libraries tool, which allows you to pull comparable nationwide data. Keep in mind, however, that the data for the compare tool is usually a year behind the data that many states (including Nebraska) collect and publish. It might, however, be a good starting point to identify similar libraries. Finally, if you are looking for more current data from states other than Nebraska, the Colorado Library Research Service provides a page that has links to the data files for each state, if those are available. Shaka.
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What’s Sally Reading?
Bram Stoker Award Finalist Lists
The eleven finalist lists have now been announced on their web page. In the category Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel the finalists are: Jennifer Brozek for Never Let Me Sleep (Book 1 of the Melissa Allen Trilogy), Michaelbrent Collings for The Ridealong, John Dixon for Devil’s Pocket (sequel to Phoenix Island), Tonya Hurley for Hallowed (Book 3 of the Blessed trilogy), Maureen Johnson for The Shadow Cabinet (Book 3 of the Shades of London series), and Ian Welke for End Times at Ridgemont High. I have not read any of these titles, which shows me a gap in my effort to include all genres of books in my reading and recommendations to Nebraska librarians. (I did read The Diviners and Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray.) I promise to include more in my reading (and keep the light on at night).
We Forgot Brock! written and illustrated by Carter Goodrich shows the great friendship between Phillip and his imaginary friend Brock. One fun illustration shows Phillip’s parents in the foreground looking out the window and seeing only Phillip, when the reader knows Brock is there too. Life takes a turn when the family goes to the Big Fair. Phillip and Brock have a great time on the rides but Phillip is sleepy when it is time to go home. Brock, still at the Fair, looks but cannot find Phillip anywhere. Fortunately he is rescued by Anne and her imaginary friend Princess Sparkledust. Phillip and Brock struggle to go on without each other – until they run into each other again! Soon all four are friends. A fun picture book for preschool through grade 1.
(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)
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Free Webinar–“Grants.gov : Register, Find, Apply”
A live training webinar, “Grants.gov: Register, Find, and Apply” will be presented on Thursday, March 17, 2016.
Register today for “Grants.gov: Register, Find, and Apply”
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Start time: 2:00 p.m. (Eastern)
Duration: 60 minutes
Speaker: Judy Ceresa, Program Advisor, Grants.gov Program Management Office
Learning outcomes: Participants will learn how to register in order to submit Federal grant applications and how to use the Federal Grants.gov system to find and apply for grant funding.
Expected level of knowledge for participants: No prerequisite knowledge required
The webinar is free, however registration is required. Upon registering, a confirmation email will be sent to you. This registration confirmation email includes the instructions for joining the webinar.
Registration confirmations will be sent from sqldba @ icohere.com. To ensure delivery of registration confirmations, registrants should configure junk mail or spam filter(s) to permit messages from that email address. If you do not receive the confirmation, please notify GPO.
GPO’s eLearning platform presents webinars using WebEx. In order to attend or present at a GPO-hosted webinar, a WebEx plug-in must be installed in your internet browser(s). Download instructions.
Visit FDLP Academy for access to FDLP educational and training resources. All are encouraged to share and re-post information about this free training opportunity.
Throwback Thursday: Pawnee City Carnegie Library
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The Data Dude – Public Library Survey
For you procrastinators, it is now the moment of truth for the annual IMLS Public Library Survey. The deadline is February 19, 2016. The Bibliostat Collect portion of the data services section of the NLC website has a link to the login, instructions, tips, and other tidbits to help you complete the survey. Keep in mind that the survey is required for your library to receive state aid if you are accredited. If you aren’t accredited, you still have an incentive to complete the survey ($200), called Dollar$ for Data.
If you run into a bind and have special circumstances, please let me know. I am here to help you with the process in any way I can. Don’t hesitate to contact me. Thank you in advance for your participation and patience. Shaka
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IRS Phone Scams Are A Serious Threat
Aggressive and threatening phone calls by criminals impersonating IRS agents remain a major threat to taxpayers, headlining the annual “Dirty Dozen” list of tax scams for the 2016 filing season, the Internal Revenue Service announced today.
The IRS has seen a surge of these phone scams as scam artists threaten police arrest, deportation, license revocation and other things. The IRS reminds taxpayers to guard against all sorts of con games that arise during any filing season.
“Taxpayers across the nation face a deluge of these aggressive phone scams. Don’t be fooled by callers pretending to be from the IRS in an attempt to steal your money,” said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. “We continue to say if you are surprised to be hearing from us, then you’re not hearing from us.”
“There are many variations. The caller may threaten you with arrest or court action to trick you into making a payment,” Koskinen added. “Some schemes may say you’re entitled to a huge refund. These all add up to trouble. Some simple tips can help protect you.”
The Dirty Dozen is compiled annually by the IRS and lists a variety of common scams taxpayers may encounter any time during the year. Many of these con games peak during filing season as people prepare their tax returns or hire someone to do so.
This January, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) announced they have received reports of roughly 896,000 contacts since October 2013 and have become aware of over 5,000 victims who have collectively paid over $26.5 million as a result of the scam.
“The IRS continues working to warn taxpayers about phone scams and other schemes,” Koskinen said. “We especially want to thank the law-enforcement community, tax professionals, consumer advocates, the states, other government agencies and particularly the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration for helping us in this battle against these persistent phone scams.”
Protect Yourself
Scammers make unsolicited calls claiming to be IRS officials. They demand that the victim pay a bogus tax bill. They con the victim into sending cash, usually through a prepaid debit card or wire transfer. They may also leave “urgent” callback requests through phone “robo-calls,” or via a phishing email.
Many phone scams use threats to intimidate and bully a victim into paying. They may even threaten to arrest, deport or revoke the license of their victim if they don’t get the money.
Scammers often alter caller ID numbers to make it look like the IRS or another agency is calling. The callers use IRS titles and fake badge numbers to appear legitimate. They may use the victim’s name, address and other personal information to make the call sound official.
Here are five things the scammers often do but the IRS will not do. Any one of these five things is a tell-tale sign of a scam.
The IRS will never:
- Call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.
- Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
- Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.
- Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
- Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money, here’s what you should do:
If you don’t owe taxes, or have no reason to think that you do:
- Do not give out any information. Hang up immediately.
- Contact TIGTA to report the call. Use their “IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting” web page. You can also call 800-366-4484.
- Report it to the Federal Trade Commission. Use the “FTC Complaint Assistant” on FTC.gov. Please add “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes.
If you know you owe, or think you may owe tax:
- Call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS workers can help you.
Stay alert to scams that use the IRS as a lure. Tax scams can happen any time of year, not just at tax time. For more, visit “Tax Scams and Consumer Alerts” on IRS.gov.
Each and every taxpayer has a set of fundamental rights they should be aware of when dealing with the IRS. These are your Taxpayer Bill of Rights. Explore your rights and our obligations to protect them on IRS.gov.
$31,600 in Internship Grants Awarded to Nebraska Public Libraries
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 16, 2016
FOR MORE INFORMATION
JoAnn McManus
402-471-4870
800-307-2665
$31,600 in Internship Grants Awarded to Nebraska Public Libraries
The Nebraska Library Commission recently awarded Nebraska Library Internship Grants totaling $31,600 to twenty-six Nebraska public libraries. These internship grants will support public library interns, who will contribute to the scope and value of the diverse programs and activities in Nebraska’s public libraries. Funding for the project is supported in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the Nebraska Library Commission, in partnership with the Nebraska Library Systems.
“The internships are a great opportunity for students to get involved in library work. Beyond earning money and gaining valuable work experience, the student is exposed to the broad range of library services and programming. Internships provide an opportunity for the student to view the library as a viable and satisfying career choice. In addition, interns bring a fresh perspective and their own unique talents to the library” said Nebraska Library Commission Director Rod Wagner.
Student interns will learn about library work as they shadow and assist with day-to-day library operations and implement special projects. Some of the activities that students will participate in include: plan and implement programs such as summer reading programs, storytime, youth book club, and teen activities; assist with events such as the annual book sale, art show, photography contest, 3-D printing workshop, entrepreneurship camp, and Lego club; organize a “do-it” center; create book displays, design bulletin boards and craft activities; assist with outreach events outside the library; update the library’s website, Facebook page, and Pinterest site; assist with circulation activities and book selection; teach technology classes; create flyers and other promotional materials, and work with youth to produce a video; upload content to digital archives and assist in the creation of a volunteer training process for digital repository project; assist with verbal and written Spanish/English translations; assist in creating the library’s technology plan; and create tutorials for library customers.
The following Nebraska public libraries were awarded internship grant funding:
• Ashland Public Library
• Atkinson Public Library
• Bassett, Rock County Public Library
• Brunswick Public Library
• Clearwater Public Library
• Columbus Public Library
• Cozad, Wilson Public Library
• Elgin Public Library
• Genoa Public Library
• Grant, Hastings Memorial Library
• Kimball Public Library
• La Vista Public Library
• Lincoln City Libraries
• Nebraska City, Morton-James Public Library
• Norfolk Public Library
• Oakland Public Library
• Omaha Public Library
• Ord Township Library
• Orleans, Cordelia B. Preston Memorial Library
• Randolph, Lied Randolph Public Library
• Red Cloud, Auld Public Library
• Schuyler Public Library
• Ulysses Township Library
• Wilber, Dvoracek Memorial Library
• York, Kilgore Memorial Library
• Yutan Public Library
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As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, bringing together people and information.
Nebraska’s Regional Library Systems consist of four non-profit corporations governed by boards, representative of libraries and citizens in the region. The four systems were established to provide access to improved library services through the cooperation of all types of libraries and media centers within the counties included in each System area.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute’s mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov/.
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission home page, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/, search on News Releases.
President’s Day
On the third Monday in February, the state of Nebraska celebrates President’s Day. The name of this holiday varies across the United States. While we call it President’s Day the federal government officially calls it Washington’s Birthday. It wasn’t until I read the Wikipedia article about Washington’s Birthday that I realized how many different names this holiday has been given. Some states celebrate both Washington’s and Lincoln’s birthdays and have named the holiday to include both of their names. Even those states that call it President’s Day disagree on the spelling. It is spelled Presidents’ Day, President’s Day, or Presidents Day depending on the state. No matter how you spell it I thought this would be a perfect time to highlight the images of three US Presidents that are included in Nebraska Memories.
President Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President. He was in office from 1889-1893. If you would like to read more about President Harrison the White House website provides a nice biography on all of the Presidents. As you can see in the photo to the right, a large crowd of people turned out to see President Harrison on May 13, 1891 in downtown Omaha. If you would like to know more about this event, I suggest you do what I’m guessing many people did at that time and read about it in the newspaper. The Library of Congress’s project Chronicling America Historic American Newspapers provides access to many digitized newspapers from across the country. In the May 14, 1891 issue of the Omaha daily bee there are multiple articles telling about the six hours President Harrison spent in Omaha. You can read all about his visit on the Chronicling America website.
President Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th President. 
He was in office from 1901-1909. The picture at the left shows Roosevelt on October 1, 1900 in Holdrege. At this time, he was campaigning for the Vice Presidency. Roosevelt returned to Nebraska in 1912. The photos from Holdrege and Fremont both show Roosevelt standing on the back of a train car. I’m assuming these appearances were part of his campaign for the 1912 presidential election.
President William Howard Taft was the 27th President. He was in office from 1909-1913. 
We have two photos of President Taft in Nebraska Memories. In this picture, he is standing with a number of prominent Omaha gentleman. Unfortunately, the exact date and location of this picture was never documented so we don’t know it was taken. The other picture shows the President riding in a car as part of a parade. We know that this picture was taken on September 21, 1909 at the inters
ection of 20th and Davenport Streets in Omaha. If you would like to read more about Taft’s visit the Omaha daily bee covered his visit.
Visit Nebraska Memories to search for or browse through many more historical images digitized from photographs, negatives, postcards, maps, lantern slides, books and other materials.
Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information, contact Devra Dragos, Technology & Access Services Director
The Data Dude: Public Library Survey Reminder
Shaka. It is getting close to crunch time for the annual IMLS Public Library Survey. The deadline is February 19, 2016, a mere 9 days away. The Bibliostat Collect portion of the data services section of the NLC website has a link to the login, instructions, tips, and other tidbits to help you complete the survey. Keep in mind that the survey is required for your library to receive state aid if you are accredited. If you aren’t accredited, you still have an incentive to complete the survey ($200), called Dollar$ for Data.
As of yesterday, our response rates are still pretty low. If you run into a bind and have special circumstances, please let me know. I am here to help you with the process in any way I can. Don’t hesitate to contact me. Thank you in advance for your participation and patience.
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Important Information for Nebraska 2016 Presidential Elections
With the Presidential Caucuses, Primaries, and General Election coming up, here are important dates to remember:
The 2016 Nebraska Democratic Caucus is on Saturday, March 5th, 2016.
The 2016 Nebraska Republican Primary is on Tuesday, May 10th, 2016.
The 2016 Nebraska General Election is on Tuesday November 8th, 2016.
Any person who is eligible to vote in the State of Nebraska and will be at least 18 years old on Election Day, November 8, 2016, may participate in the Nebraska Democratic Caucus on March 5th, 2016, or the Nebraska Republican Primary on May 10th, 2016.
2016 Nebraska Caucus
The Democratic Caucus will take place on Saturday, March 5th, 2016 from 10:00 a.m-8:00 p.m. CST, and 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. MST. All 93 counties will have Caucus sites this year. Each County will set the time of their Caucus!
2016 Nebraska Primary
The Republican Primary will take place on Tuesday, May 10th, 2016 from 8:00 a.m-8:00 p.m. CST, and 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. MST.
CLICK HERE TO FIND YOUR PRECINCT (ALL VOTERS)
CLICK HERE TO VIEW YOUR DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS VOTING LOCATION
CLICK HERE TO VIEW YOUR REPUBLICAN PRIMARY VOTING LOCATION
What’s Sally Reading?
Gene Luen Lang Named Newest Ambassador for Young People’s Literature!
The purpose of the Ambassador is to “raise national awareness of the importance of young people’s literature as it relates to lifelong literacy, education, and the development and betterment of the lives of young people” (from their home page, link below). Lang’s theme for his two-year term is “Reading Without Walls.” Named in January by the Library of Congress and sponsored by The Center for the Book, the Children’s Book Council, and Every Child a Reader, the first Ambassador was Jon Scieszka for the 2008-2009 term. A selection committee reviews nominations and makes their choice. Visit their home page to see the criteria and read more about the newest choice. Previous Ambassadors, in term order, are: Jon Scieszka, Katherine Paterson, Walter Dean Myers and Kate DiCamillo.
The Sweetest Heist in History, Book 2 of the “Randi Rhodes, Ninja Detective” series by Octavia Spencer finds Randi visiting her aunt Gigi in Brooklyn, New York for Thanksgiving and bringing her new friends D.C. and Pudge with her. They soon uncover suspicious doings in her aunt’s apartment building and at the Brooklyn Museum across the street. Could there be a plot to steal some of the Fabergé eggs soon to be on display? Randi and her friends are determined to outwit any criminals and save the eggs. A fun mystery for readers in grades 4-6.
(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)
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Friday Reads: The Circus in Winter by Cathy Day
“When I was little, my mother told me there are basically two kinds of people in the world: town people and circus people. The kind who stay are town people, and the kind who leave are circus people.”
And neither are guaranteed happiness, which these stories make crystal clear. Spanning decades and connected by both the circus and the small Indiana town in which it spends the off-season, these tales present a dazzling array of characters—elephant trainers! Zulu queens! Driveway-paving Gypsies! But this is the circus in winter, when the lights have dimmed and the canvas has dropped. It’s not focused on public spectacle, but on the often heartbreaking private lives of these extraordinary people.
Wallace Porter assembles his circus to assuage his own broken heart. Over the years, he imports transient talent from all over the globe. The circus, like the Pequod (or like the United States), becomes a “big tent” which includes people of assorted backgrounds working together for common goals. But they’re also united by human experience—death, failed relationships, and the feeling of entrapment generated by familiar surroundings. This is a somber book, but it’s not really a tearjerker in the Nicholas Sparks style. It’s muted and plaintive, even in its humor (“They cried for a while, then went downstairs to make pancakes.”).
Structurally, Day’s book is reminiscent of Winesburg, Ohio and Olive Kitteridge. Midway between a novel and set of short stories, The Circus in Winter lacks a true central narrative, but is united by overlapping characters and overarching themes. And, of course, the circus looms over all of these tales, whether as the place where the clowns live or as a symbol of escape from snowy small towns.
“A depressing book about the circus, but only the backstage stuff” is probably one of Earth’s hardest sells. But this is a compelling work that deserves a wider audience and is perfect for bleak winter days.
Day, C. (2005). The circus in winter. Orlando: Harcourt.
New Nebraska State Agency Publications
New Nebraska State Agency publications have been received at the Nebraska Library Commission for January 2016. Included are Annual and Audit reports, Economic Development reports, Summer Reading programs for Libraries, and new titles from the University of Nebraska Press, to name a few.
Throwback Thursday: North Platte Carnegie Library
Interior photo of the North Platte, Nebraska Carnegie Library built in 1912.
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The Data Dude on Almost Constant Online Use
The Dude is hard at work reviewing surveys and like many of you is starting to suffer from data drudgery (a/k/a the DD’s). Thanks to all of you who are working on getting your survey submitted. Because of this, today’s post will regurgitate a recent report from the Pew Research Center. The title of the report says it all: One-fifth of Americans report going online ‘almost constantly’ (and nothing illustrates this more than a frog in a shopping cart next to a 1980’s PC). If you want a further breakdown of the demographics of these online addictions, take a closer look at the report. This is the first time that Pew included an “almost constantly” option on a survey. One of the takeaways from this is that in light of the “almost constantly” possibility, if you are either promoting your library or running your business (or running your library like a business) then you’d be better served to take things into account like the use of mobile devices and social media when you design your websites and promote your services. Because 20% of Americans are on those things “almost constantly”. Let your imagination guide you when considering that 20% and how that “almost constant” affects their daily lives.
And speaking of running things like a business (so much for that promise for a simple regurgitation), perhaps let’s clarify that and say let’s run things like a progressive 22nd Century business where the primary (or sole) focus isn’t just on maximizing profits at any cost. Profits aren’t everything, especially when real lives are trounced in the process. Try an empathetic business model, where all people (from the janitor to the department head) are treated with respect and valued. Trust me, you will feel much better when you choose quality over quantity, and they will too.
Another takeaway from this is the notion of being constantly connected and specific connections to social media. An extensive study, specifically about unrestrained Facebook use and subjective well-being was published not too long ago (2013). In case you can’t see this one coming, yes, what they discovered was that as FB use went up, life satisfaction went down. Two things should be noted, however. For one, we are talking about excessive use, and quite frankly this goes with the “almost constantly” theme of this post. Secondly, the researchers also asked questions about their perceived subjective well-being when they didn’t uncontrollably use FB but rather sought out direct social interactions with real life humans. Guess what? When the subjects had more direct social interactions and less online ones, they reported feeling better over time.
One point to mention here is to not underestimate the importance of a digital detox and reiterate the importance of moderation. First, the detox. Start today. You don’t have to go on a vacation to Angkor Wat or the North Shore of Oahu to make this happen. Disconnect to connect, so to speak, with real people. They are in front of you every day. Now, the Dude won’t get upset if you don’t; some people need a little alone time and that’s OK. Completely understandable. But there are times when you really don’t need to reach for that phone, tablet, or laptop. It can wait a little while later. Finally, the basic prescription here is good old fashioned hedonism. No, not the hedonism you’ve come to think of (such as Roman World from Westworld), but rather the prescription that we take into account both pleasure and pain. Maximize the pleasure, minimize the pain. Familiarize yourself with Bentham’s Hedonistic Calculus (or Felicific Calculus, if you prefer). Notably, while we are at it (and Bentham recognized this), let’s take into account the pleasure and pain of other people. It’s a complicated world but we all live in it. Let’s close with a quote from the Dali Lama that seems to transcend these notions:
Western civilization’s science and technology bring society tremendous benefit. Yet, due to highly developed technology, we also have more anxiety and more fear. I always feel that mental development and material development must be well-balanced, so that together they may make a more human world. If we lose human values and human beings become part of a machine, there is no freedom from pain and pleasure. Without freedom from pain and pleasure, it is very difficult to demarcate between right and wrong. The subjects of pain and pleasure naturally involve feeling, mind, and consciousness.
Shaka, Dali Lama.
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Friday Reads: Cinderella Ate my Daughter by Peggy Orenstein
Cinderella Ate My Daughter
by Peggy Orenstein
Have you ever noticed the increased abundance of princesses and pink in the youth section? Have you ever wondered how that came about?
Peggy Orenstein is an accomplished writer and cultural critic. When she has a daughter, she hopes to offer her a positive childhood experience that doesn’t revolve around her daughter being pretty or a “princess.” What she encounters is a consumer culture very different than the one she grew up in—and one that has surprising appeal for her daughter.
Orenstein takes a personal approach to the story, and her desire for her daughter’s happiness—even if it doesn’t look like the happiness she imagined for her—gives the book a very balanced and nuanced tone about complicated topics. Even when she visits a toddler beauty pageant, she doesn’t judge the families that are involved, but she does present an unvarnished look at the mechanics and effects of the child beauty industry. She writes honestly about moments when she doesn’t handle her frustration well—like when her four-year-old wants hyper-sexualized “bratty” doll/action figures on their trip to the store. In that sense, it’s a classic story of a child and a parent having different ideas about identity—and the parent having to learn how to let their child have their own ideas, in the safest environment they can provide.
What really stuck with me was the description of the processes companies use to market to children. You won’t forget the story about the branding shift at Disney, when the new head of the consumer products division realized that the firm demarcation between Disney vehicles—which was designed to protect narrative integrity—was getting in the way of selling products. Or his moment of clarity at a Disney on Ice show, when he realized all the little girls in the audience were wearing homemade costumes—and how his company could change that.
My paperback copy is covered with accolades and blurbs, and I like that People called the book “Funny,” while Vanity Fair called it “Blood-Chilling.” I read this as an assigned book for a class, but I’d recommend it to anyone who has children, or who works with children—or anyone who is curious about generational differences in attitudes towards gender and consumerism.
Orenstein, P. (2011). Cinderella ate my daughter: Dispatches from the front lines of the new girlie-girl culture. New York, NY: HarperCollins.
Throwback Thursday: North Platte Carnegie Library
Exterior photo of the North Platte, Nebraska Carnegie Library built in 1912.
Posted in General, Nebraska Memories
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The Data Dude – Wednesday Watch: Twin Peaks
In case you hadn’t heard, Showtime has announced a nine-episode revival of the Twin Peaks series that originally aired on ABC from 1990 to 1991. For those of you who are older, the mention of Twin Peaks conjures up the memory of the quirky TV show and not a symbol representing objectified women, inauspicious food (that’s an assumption since the Dude has no firsthand knowledge), and Sons of Anarchy posers flexing their biceps and engaging in fracases (or is it fracai?). Yes, youngsters, there is another Twin Peaks, one that existed before the name was soiled by yet another franchise that the world really does not need. This one is much more tolerant, much more haunting, and with much more enigma and intrigue. The Showtime episodes, set to take place 25 years after the original series ended, will be written by creators David Lynch and Mark Frost (Lynch temporarily bailed on it because of Showtime’s lack of support, but he got his way in the end). In Nebraska, only a couple of public libraries own the Twin Peaks DVD’s (the series lasted two seasons; the gold box edition contains all of them). For those of you who are fans, it might be time to revisit before the Showtime continuation airs; for those who have never heard of the Twin Peaks series, it is worthy of a thumbs up on today’s Wednesday Watch.
Twin Peaks has a bit of everything. Old fashioned mystery, humor (mostly dark), horror (it will likely cause you to look over your shoulder at times), offbeat-ness, huge amounts of characters that are difficult to keep track of (diagrams of how characters are interconnected is almost reminiscent of Hegel’s dialectic), complex plot lines, doppelgangers, ethereal music, and a gander into the paranormal or supernatural world. The original show aired a couple years before the X-Files, another show that has recently reappeared (and may be worth checking out), and with a number of similarities. One of the best parts of the show is main character FBI agent Dale Cooper (played by Kyle McLachlan), summed up by this blogger:
“I gotta say I was pretty psyched about Coop’s crime-fighting methods. Most case-solving on TV today relies heavily on Western science with microscopes, ‘enhanced’ security footage, and DNA. Coop solves murders by dreaming and throwing stuff. And no one seems to question him. Coop and Twin Peaks champion the belief that there are other ways of knowing beyond science …”
Nuff’ said. Shaka.
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