The rapid decline in health of Australian sporting icon Ian Thorpe has shocked the athletics world. Although his withdrawal from the Commonwealth Games has been officially blamed on a bout of bronchitis, his recent involvement in library politics is a more likely cause for his condition - fatigue, depression and lethargy.

Only a few days had elapsed since Thorpe launched the new Australian Reading Challenge, leaving Thorpe looking and feeling like heck. Or worse.

The Challenge aims at promoting reading whilst raising book-purchasing funds to address literacy deficiencies.

Apart from his significant medal tally from various competitions, the production of his own range of signature clothing, and a few other minor notable achievements, Thorpe nearly achieved true immortality when he agreed to an exclusive interview with Warrior Librarian Weekly a while back. Except some klutz at WLW Central lost the contact details. Which we will continue to mention periodically, forever ...

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SCHOOL LIBRARIES

Passive resistance escalates

Teacher librarians (LMS) in at least three Australian states are poised to abandon their various states' Premier's Reading Challenges (PRC), in favor of supporting the Australian Readers' Challenge (see story above).

The move was initially prompted by poor financial and developmental support of government school libraries, then further fuelled by the PRC's sponsors requirement to pay for 'honors lists'. One teacher librarian noted that the sponsor, a major newspaper publisher, happily published the names of participants in fun runs and other sponsored events.

Whilst the sponsors have declared that the money raised (by charging schools and children for the privilege of seeing their names in print) would be used to "buy library books for schools", there has been no information as to how the money will be distributed, the quantity, nor the method of assessing need.

At this time, there has been no information as to whether Ian Thorpe's involvement was a factor in the decision ...

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LIBRARY MANAGEMENT

Refurbishment goes horribly wrong

In a continuing effort to remain controversial, plus make full use of completely irrelevant graphics, the success of this publication to achieve a 50% strike rate in its editorial goals continues to remain unchallenged.

The picture (pictured) could quite easily be the result of a low-budget library renovation, with partially collapsed walls and obviously rough brickwork and electricals.

However, this particular story will terminate at this point due to complete lack of interest on the part of those associated with the composition of such material ...

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TIP OF THE MONTH

Feng Shui equity

Sure, it's fine for those big fancy libraries with their cash endowments and their wealthy money-laundering patrons who lavish expensive gifts of monumental art and those oh-so-loverrrly displays. But for those other libraries trying to scrape by on a pittance that wouldn't keep a maggot in meat for a week (or however long it is that maggots live, which we guess pretty much depends on what they are the lavae of, but we didn't have time to look it up) reaping the rewards promised of 'running water' in the right quadrant of the workplace might have seemed like a pipe dream. No pun intended.

Although, for some the occassional leaking water conduit is about the only chance they'd have at the old running water number. Apparently dripping facets don't count. But we'd have to look that up as well, just to be sure.

Now, thanks to one wonderful WLW reader (who we won't name, and not just because the graphic they sent wasn't cited in any way), it seems that any library - no matter how small the budget - can create their own water feature ...

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HINDSIGHT INSTITUTE

UN left without excuse

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: March 10 2006. The United Nations no longer has an excuse for not providing funding) or at least a nice letter on official letterhead wishing the Institute well in it's future endeavours.

The Hindsight Institute now has an official postal address:
P.O. Box 433, Main Street, Blacktown 2148 NSW Australia.

A spokesperson for the Institute stated that non-refundable donations to the Institute can be accepted at any time. Unfortunately at the moment, such donations are not tax deductable ...

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Give me a break!

Whilst it seems OK for the suits to embrace the concept, it would appear to actually move beyond the rhetoric requires more than a mere hint of risk-taking. Real guts, in fact.

And this has nothing at all to do with the brilliant proposal that was made three weeks ago, where "the implications are still being considered". OK, it does. Whatever.

This week I achieved unprecedented levels of unverifiable productivity.

Dilbert

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George M. Eberhart has done a brilliant job of editing The Whole Library Handbook 4th Edition, for the American Library Association. For the first time ever, the handbook features an extract from Warrior Librarian.

ISBN 0-8389-0915-0; US$42.00 (US$37.80 ALA members)

Goth For a Week was indeed an interesting experience, particularly in crowded public places. The free and easy access through shopping malls and railway stations was nearly Moses-like, with crowds of great unwashed parting asunder as if by some unheard command. Work colleagues were slightly amused at the Gothesque apparel, but commented that I'd done much better than that without even trying.

For those what might be interested, rather than 'go' with any of the standard Goth modes, a Soph Goth persona was developed which hopefully aligned with the corporate strategic priorities and engaged all the stakeholders ...

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