How Overdue Books Caused The Civil War

That's the title of my article, just published at the American Libraries magazine website.  It is a true story of the House of Representatives, the New York Times, the Dred Scott Decision... and overdue library books.

a few words on libraries, from Mr. Lane

I love the British comic mystery series New Tricks, about retired cops trying to solve cold cases.  The episode I saw this week struck close to home in a lot of ways.  University library budget cuts, book theft, etc.  This video shows the opening with ex-copper (and obsessive/compulsive) Brian "Memory" Lane and his wife visiting their local library.  The first minute is too good to miss.

National Jukebox

My friend and colleague Peter pointed out the coolest government website I have seen in some time: the National Jukebox from the Library of Congress.   It plays a selection of historical recordings: ragtime, choirs, gospel, etc.  Very neat.

The smartest thing anyone said today

From S.J. Rozan, mystery writer and lifetime New Yorker:
Killing Bin Laden is a good thing, the right thing.  But the very fact that it is, is a dark fact, not the occasion for a street party.

Just another day in Bellingham, WA 6

Today was the first Summer Ride organized by Everybody Bike.  About 100 of us met at Woods Coffee downtown and rode through the trails and Taylor Dock to Fairhaven.  It was great fun and the weather cooperated for once.  Only problem was no one knew what to do when we got to Fiarhaven.  Ride back?  Meet somewhere?  

To make things more complicated, this was Dirty Dan Days in Fairhaven, celebrating the founder of the small town which is now the southwest corner of Bellingham.  (Dan made his money transporting goods between Fairhaven and Victoria, BC - by rowboat.  If that doesn't amaze you, pull out a map.)

It was fun to hear the Gallus Brothers on the Village Green, but I can't bear the idea of standing in a line of 20 people for a free sample so we skipped the Chowder Festival, much as I love it (there were lines like that in front of every booth.)  Instead we visited two new stores in the neighbordook: Papa's Sweets and Drizzle Oils and Vinegars.  My wife's comment: the lemon vinegar was a perfect salad dressing all by itself.  

Then we rode away.  Lovely day.