DLSLUG Library: new Right of Return model

[Greg Rundlett]

On 12/2/05, Bill McGonigle <bill at bfccomputing.com> wrote:
> The DLSLUG library:
>
>    http://dlslug.org/library.html

In terms of maintaining such a library, I have a couple of recommendations.

The first is that 'librarything' is a really cool site that makes it
ridiculously easy to add a book to your 'bookshelf', and offers a
graphical view as well as a list view.

See my librarything bookshelf for example:
http://www.librarything.com/catalog.php?view=freephile

GNHLUG could create a general 'user' account there for the purpose of
maintaining an online "card catalog" of what's in the library.

The other is that wikimedia (the wikipedia engine) offers automatic
recognition of ISBN, so at least it makes it easier to lookup a book
that is entered into the wiki page.  If anyone is interested, I would
be happy to make my wiki the virtual GNHLUG bookshelf (since anyone
could create an account and add/edit the wiki pages) See
http://freephile.org/wiki/index.php/Books_To_Read for example.

Finally, I would encourage the idea of people contributing reviews of
books they read (whether or not those books are available in the
library system).  Any wiki is suitable for this.  So the idea here is
to have the 'book review pages' and the 'library' piggy back off each
other in terms of attracting and serving the needs of the group.

Most of my books are not available for loan since I've recently given
away any duplicates.   However when I get a chance, I'm sure I could
find some that would be worth contributing.  Actually, there may be a
few books that I could get donated from OASIS, so I'll check.  It
would probably make the most sense geographically for me to create a
'branch' that lives at OASIS in Billerica, MA


>
> graciously hosted at Venix Corp at 1 Court St., Lebanon by our
> librarian, Lloyd Kvam, has grown nicely thanks to donations from
> O'Reilly and Prentince Hall/PTG/Adisson Weseley.  But there are some
> noticeable holes in the collection, and not everything a group member
> would be looking for is well represented.  We accept that good
> documentation is essential to running and promoting Linux.
>
> Now, we take that problem and add to it that most of us have several
> technical books on our bookshelves that we haven't touched in a year
> but aren't willing to part with because we might need them some day.
>
> Mix all that together and here's the new experiment: A Right of Return
> Library.
>
> Here's how it works:
>
> 1) Gather those books that you don't ever look at (no obsolete books,
> thanks) and bring them to Lloyd's office.  Write your name across the
> page edges or inside the front cover or somewhere easily identifiable.
> 2) If you ever want the book back, come get it.  Lloyd will remove it
> from the list of available books
>
> That's it.
>
> In the meantime, any of the DLSLUG or GNHLUG members are able to check
> them out according to the normal library rules.  Any books that are
> significantly damaged will be replaced by the borrower (or else!)
> according to our normal library rules.  We do expect these books to be
> used so the spine will likely be in somewhat worse shape than when you
> dropped it off if you ever want it back.  But in the meantime the group
> members will have benefited from your generosity.
>
> Please consider contributing a book or two (or more) to the cause.
>
> Thanks,
> -Bill
>
> -----
> Bill McGonigle, Owner           Work: 603.448.4440
> BFC Computing, LLC              Home: 603.448.1668
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>
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