“weapon of mass instruction”

In honor of World Book Day 2015 (March 5), Argentinian artist Raul Lemesoff created an “Arma de Instruccion Masiva” (weapon of mass instruction), a tank-like vehicle full of free books. He drove it around the city of Buenos Aires, giving books to anyone who promised to read them. Thanks, Geordie Lishman!

Sad Metadata Kitty

I only get about half of these, but I’m guessing some of you will get them all. And they take submissions! I know some of you are talented LOLcat-makers. Thanks, Lynne M. Thomas!

Flight of the Conchords plays a gig at a public library in New York City (“The Tough Brets,” Flight of the Conchords, Season 2, Episode 3). We find out at the subsequent band meeting that there were some complaints at the library about their loudness.

happy Halloween from Truro!

The Truro Public Library in Truro, Massachusetts may be responsible for this excellent jack-o-lantern. Thanks, Esau Katz!

ghost books

Not sure where or when this photo was taken, but with Halloween coming up it seems apropos. Thanks, Emily Lloyd!

“roots libraries” diagram poem

Now and then I myself perpetrate a library shenanigan. I’ve been making a lot of diagram poems lately, using images from old library books and other things. Ohio Edit recently published my “roots” series, which includes a diagram showing my library roots. (It also includes one for my book roots.) The illustration is from: William Austin Cannon. The Root Habits of Desert Plants. Washington, D.C.: Carnegie Institute, 1911 (full text available from Google Books). If you’d like to make a similar diagram poem showing your own library roots, email me the image (jessyrandall@yahoo.com) and I’ll collect them in a separate post.

US/Canada sports rivalry … library vs. library

The Kansas City Royals and the Toronto Blue Jays are facing off in the American League Championship Series, so Libraries in Kansas City, Toronto are waging a Twitter war using photographs of books. (It’s kind of like this, but with baseball.) Thanks, Joan Petit!

weddings in libraries

Weddings in libraries, bookstores, and other bookish places. I suppose it’s not really a shenanigan if the library makes money by hosting weddings — but it might feel like a shenanigan to the brides and grooms and their guests! I wish BuzzFeed had found some photos of same-sex weddings in libraries, though. They do happen.

way, way overdue books

Many libraries have stories of overdue books being returned decades after they were borrowed. Portland State recently received a book 52 years overdue. This beats Colorado College’s figures: in 2005, we received books 25 and 45 years overdue. (See the full story in the Winter 2006 issue of the library newsletter.) But we’re nowhere near the record: 221 years. The perpetrator? George Washington. I kid you not. See the full story here.

book drop shenanigans

These signs are genius. Location: Los Angeles Public Library (I’m not sure which branch, does anyone know?). Thanks, Gabriel Biel! No, not THAT Gabriel Biel, THIS Gabriel Biel.

Update, April 2017: lots more funny library signs are collected together here. Thanks, Suzie DeGrasse!