#ala11 playlist

Below is my playlist for this weekend’s ALA conference.  I looked for a legal way to share this music but didn’t find anything satisfactory, so the list will just have to do with random YouTube links.  The song order is still being perfected, but here are my picks.  What will you be listening to?

1. TV on the Radio – Wolf Like Me
2. The Dodos – Don’t Try and Hide It
3. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth
4. Menomena – Wet and Rusting
5. Coconut Records – Back to You
6. Andrew Bird – Heretics
7. Radical Face – Wrapped in Piano Strings
8. Okkervil River – No Key, No Plan
9. The Arcade Fire – Keep the Car Running
10. Band of Horses – The Great Salt Lake
11. Flake – Mieke
12. Blind Pilot – The Story I Heard
13. Magnolia Electric Co. – The Dark Don’t Hide It
14. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes – Janglin
15. St. Vincent – Actor Out of Work
16. The National – Squalor Victoria
17. Loney, Dear – Saturday Waits
18. Man Man – Mister Jung Stuffed
19. The Rosebuds – Leaves Do Fall
20. Wilco – Heavy Metal Drummer

 

three fun (and free!) library/archives ipad apps

I’ve only had my iPad for a few months, but it’s interesting to see how I actually use it now versus how I thought I’d use it.  I definitely thought I would use a larger number (and variety) of apps than I actually do.  I blame this on lack of time due to grad school, but really it’s out of habit.  Just like when I go to my favorite restaurants, I can’t help but order the same few dishes — because I know what I like and I don’t want to “waste” my money on something that isn’t as good.  Or when a favorite band releases a new album — if it doesn’t capture me the first couple times I listen to it, chances are I’m going to choose the older tried-and-true albums over the new one every time (I’m talking about you, Iron and Wine).

But I’ve become more adventurous these days, so here are three very cool — and very free — iPad apps that I’ve been playing around with.  I can’t wait for more to come out!  Please share if you know of any other apps worth checking out.

Biblion: The Boundless Library
New York Public Library

Right now, the app is focused on the 1939-1940 World’s Fair, but I think future “issues” of Biblion will focus on a variety of other collections.

19th Century Historical Collection
British Library

Read (or skim) over 1,000 nineteenth-century books for free!  The book scans look great, and I foresee this app distracting me for many hours to come.  Later this summer, over 60,000 books will be made available for a not-yet-released price.

 

Today’s Document
U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

Also available on Android devices and iPhones, this app features a different archival document every day.  A few days ago, the featured document was the oath of allegiance signed by Marquis de Lafayette.  Later this week, it will be the Watergate building’s security officer log from June 17, 1972.

 

hyping links: tv edition

CC image courtesy of Darkangels on Flickr

When TV Became Art: What We Owe Buffy
This post is from late 2009, but I just read it again and couldn’t resist sharing.

this is when we talk about rayanne graff
I’ve been meaning to re-watch My So-Called Life, and Tavi Gevinson reminded me why.

Can a Show Change Its Endgame?
For the Gossip Girl fans out there, this piece discusses the Dan/Blair relationship and how other television shows successfully changed their romantic endgame.

Mad Men Gets a Deal to Make More Seasons, Blows Up Internet
It’s old news by now that Mad Men has officially been renewed for at least two more seasons, but this post from NPR’s Monkey See blog asks some great questions regarding how the new “director’s cut” will affect fans’ (over)analysis.

People take apart Mad Men like no other show currently on television. It’s the new Lost, in that regard. It’s the new show where every camera angle, everything seen in the background, every glance, every ice cube potentially has meaning. It’s also a show about which a significant population of viewers is meticulous about avoiding spoilers. They don’t want to know a single thing about what’s going to happen until it airs.