X-Git-Url: https://pere.pagekite.me/gitweb/homepage.git/blobdiff_plain/164f8cb1046a8f2f9e810bc5b5896e15c101c47c..09989463cc3b5cc9ae6ba446d3845a975ccf879f:/blog/archive/2012/10/10.rss diff --git a/blog/archive/2012/10/10.rss b/blog/archive/2012/10/10.rss index a8f6b63130..4cdf8c1a6e 100644 --- a/blog/archive/2012/10/10.rss +++ b/blog/archive/2012/10/10.rss @@ -6,6 +6,52 @@ http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/ + + Why is your local library collecting the "wrong" computer books? + http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Why_is_your_local_library_collecting_the__wrong__computer_books_.html + http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Why_is_your_local_library_collecting_the__wrong__computer_books_.html + Wed, 3 Oct 2012 10:00:00 +0200 + <p>I just read the blog post from Tim Retout +<a href="http://retout.co.uk/blog/2012/10/02/the-library-challenge">about +the computer science book collection available in his local +library</a>, and just wanted to share my comment on his theory about +computer books becoming obsolete so soon. That is part of the reason +why the selection is so sad in almost any local library (it is in mine +too), but I believe the major contributing factor is that the people +buying books to the library have no way to know a good and future +computer classic from trash. And they need to know which one will +become a classic in the future, as they would normally buy one of the +recently published books.</p> + +<p>During my university years, I worked for a while at the university +library, and even there the person in charge of buying computer +related books (and in fact any natural science related book), did not +know enough about computers to make a good educated guess. Once, just +before Christmas, they had some leftover money on the book budget and +I was asked if I could pick out a lot of computer books in the +university book store, for the library to buy for their collection. I +had a great time picking all the books I dreamt of buying and reading, +and the books I knew were classics (like most of the +<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Richard_Stevens">Stevens +collection</a>). I picked several of the generic O'Reilly books (ie +documenting protocols, formats and systems, not specific versions of +products) and stayed away from the 'teach yourself X in N days' class. +I had a great time, and probably picked out more than a hundred books +for the library that evening.</p> + +<p>The sad fact is that there is no way a overworked librarian is +going to know that +<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Practice_of_Programming">The +Practice of Programming</a> is a must-have in any computer library, +and they will most of the time end up picking the wrong books to buy. +Perhaps you can help your local library make better choices by giving +the suggestions for books to get? I know they would love to hear from +you, even if their budget might block them from getting your favourite +book right away.</p> + + + + Ny utgave (v2.1) av den frie norske stavekontrollen gitt ut http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Ny_utgave__v2_1__av_den_frie_norske_stavekontrollen_gitt_ut.html