Your Brain on Music

One of the most important goals of libraries is to inspire the mind,  and one of the most powerful tools of inspiration is Music!

Research shows that music has great power to inspire creativity, sharpen the mind and soothe the soul.  Early childhood educators and childrens librarians will attest the the importance of music on language development.

Surrounding yourself and your family with music doesn't have to be expensive.  The Library has a great collection of music CDs for all ages.  If you prefer DVDs, Pickering Library also have some great music videos with everything from Eric Clapton Unplugged to the Wiggles.

The Library also subscribes to an online music library, called Naxos which contains over 45,000 music CDs which you can access from our website.  I listen to music constantly -  while I cook and do household chores, at work, and frequently I have music on in the background while I read.  Often I choose music based on my mood and energy level.  I frequently select books this way, too!

At the moment, I tend to like upbeat, positive music - my current favorite - Jack Johnson.

The Joy of Meeting an Old Friend

In 2007, I saw a boy of about 11 years old exiting the library with the latest and last of the Harry Potter books. He was grinning ear to ear and hugging the book to his chest. I imagined his anticipation - waiting until he reached home, finding a comfortable spot to open the book to discover the latest adventures awaiting a character that he had grown to know and love.

As an adult I still feel that anticipation of meeting an old friend - a new season of Mad Men with a divorced Don Draper; a new Sookie Stackhouse book (will she ever get back with Vampire Bill?); or the latest Ladies #1 Detective Agency. As a grown up, and CEO, I try for a little decorum when a new book or season of my favourite series arrives,  but inside ---- I'm grinning ear to ear!

Library Kiosk at the Pickering GO station?

The Toronto Public Library is considering installing an automated book dispensing kiosk at Union Station:

City library considering book-dispensing kiosk at Union Station - thestar.com

Pickering Library staff have been considering this service for a number of years. The start-up cost has always presented an issue - $200,000 K according to Toronto Public Library, although this could be done in a small community for about $110,000.

I would be interested in any feedback from our clients - Would you use this service while travelling the GO?

Please let me know your thoughts.

Cathy

How the Internet is Making us Stupid

Nicholas Carr's book, The Shallows, outlines the implications of using the Internet as an intellectual tool.

According to Carr, the history of human progress is one in which each new technology results in a significant reorganization of human activity and thought to fit the technology as well as a loss of other human technological skills.  Think of the changes that have arisen in response to the development of clocks.  We mechanized our daily routines - we eat at a certain time rather than when we are hungry.  We wake up and go to bed to a clock rather than in response to our bodily needs.

There are many such examples in the Shallows supporting the premise that while these changes have resulted in significant improvements and significant changes in support of the new technologies, there is always a corresponding loss.

The Internet has become a ubiquitous intellectual technology and more and more human activities have been transferred to this medium and optimized to this medium.  We now use the Internet to keep in touch with friends and family, watch movies and television, search for information, organize our activities, etc.  But at what price?

The price, according to Carr, is a loss of deep contemplative thought and the corresponding brain connections that support deep introspective reading and contemplative thought.  Reading online, is not the type of reading that allows for analysis and thought, but rather online reading has proven to be primarily a problem solving activity - quick decision making rather than integrating the ideas and words into our minds.  The Internet is a medium of distraction which does not support information retention.  The result, says Carr, will be a lack of human wisdom, long term perspectives and perhaps even cultural richness.