Just when one of the best web tools for librarians has been discovered, the latest news on the Metacritic website is that their "regular coverage of Books has concluded with the final Harry Potter instalment".

Typical, isn't it? Searchable, sortable, extensive, highly authoritative, current, and all that stuff library folk keep banging on about. So it had to go, right? Another one that can be chalked up to the Anti-Library lobbies?

Sure, the Metacritic webmaster has added a nice little recommendation to check out their 'friends' at The Complete Review, but they don't have the same quantity of data. How's 65 reviews of just the latest Harry Potter for a start? The Review doesn't do the white writing on a dark background either, so it can't possibly be as good as Metacritic.

This publication recommends that Stern Letters of Protest should be immediately written to anyone who cares (now that's a challenge in itself - finding someone who cares, that is) ...

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As consolation for the rejection by the Internet Librarian 2007 conference (to appear as a special guest speaker if all expenses were paid), The Warrior Librarian received an invitation to speak at MULLIT.

Macquarie University Library and Information Trainees [MULLIT] who are undertaking study programs originally formed the group, which has now expanded to include any staff member studying.

Loosely scheduled for November, the topic is to be 'breaking down the barriers' with a focus on working across the sectors and the 'invisible barriers' that seem to exist between academic, school, public and corporate library staff.

The invitation concludes with " ... I will leave with the hope that you will consider this as an opportunity to share your stories with our staff. . Probably not a view shared by the everyone ...

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Many thanks to Ben Vershbow for bringing our attention to the fact that Guttenburg didn't actually 'invent' (or be the first to use) movable type to produce a book.

Published at if:book, a project of the Institute of Future of the Book, Venshbow states "This is the oldest existing document in the world printed with metal movable type: an anthology of Zen teachings, Goryeo Dynasty, Korea... 1377. It's a little known fact, at least in the West, that movable type was first developed in Korea circa 1230, over 200 years before that goldsmith from Mainz came on the scene. I saw this today in the National Library of Korea in Seoul (more on that soon). This book is actually a reproduction. The original resides in Paris and is the subject of a bitter dispute between the French and Korean governments".

So that looks like yet another lousy 'fact' we'll have to change in all our notes, references, displays, books, journal writings, chatty little comments at informal events, where we desparately scramble to show how valuable we are to the community so we don't have to keep justifying our existance and the importance of the work we do so we can maintain at least subsistance budgets and staffing levels above Officially Pathetic. Although we may have digressed a little bit here ...

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According to the Decatur Tribune, Illinois libraries will be showcased at the Aug. 28-30 Farm Progress Show.

With the theme "Think Outside the Barn @ Your Library, Central Illinois librarians, under the sponsorship of Rolling Prairie Library System, will be running promotional activities that will include drawings for prizes such as a custom designed “Book and Barn” quilt."

Libraries across Central Illinois will also bring the “Think Outside the Barn@ Your Library” theme into their local communities through the use of yard signs and other promotional materials to emphasize the importance of rural libraries beyond the time frame of the Farm Progress Show. And presumably beyond their regular patrons.

Although it would clearly not have been politically correct to have asked the protesters (pictured) details of their beef, it seems that they did indeed get their message down pat ...

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