The Travelin' Librarian

I’ve made the pilgrimage to the site of the plane crash that ended the lives of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Vallens, The Big Bopper and their pilot. When people say that it’s out in the middle of a corn field, they’re not kidding. The small memorial is a half-mile off the road across what, today, was a plowed under, muddy field under very overcast and at times heavily rainy skies. Around the memorial you’ll find flowers and other mementos (some of very intriguing origin) as you’ll see in my photos of the site. Despite the rain, cold, and mud, it was worth the hike.

It seems that the SonicWALL filter doesn’t like ConvertIt.

I’ve posted two new albums on Ofoto. The first is Buddy Holly related locations in Clear Lake, IA. (just the Surf Ballroom as I post this but I’ll be adding photos of the crash site in the next 24 hours.) The other is photos from Mason City, IA including the Mason City Public Library and Marion Wilson-related locations.

On a really cool note, The Clumsy Lovers will be playing the Surf Ballroom on May 20th. Noticing that I’ll be teaching only 92 miles away in West Union that day, it looks like I’ll be able to attend that show. Iowa will be the third (or is it fourth) state that I’ve seen a Clumsy Lovers show in.

This morning I taught my “Librarians’ Internet Toolkit for Kids” workshop in which we discuss the Internet as it related to Millennials and libraries. Interesting enough, NPR’s Morning Edition had a report this morning on a new computer literacy test for college students from the makers of the SAT. You should listen. It starts with an interview of a third-year biology major at SUNY Albany (my alma matter) who is for the first time in his college career visiting the campus library. Maybe what we assume about what the next generation knows isn’t exactly right. Additionally, is this kind of test something that actually needs to be done?

It sounds like Lawrence Lessig has done it.

Why doesn’t weird stuff like this happen when I’m at the airport. Then again, maybe I should be glad it doesn’t as it probably held up the security line.

I’ve been everywhere, man
I’ve been everywhere, man
Crossed the deserts bare, man
I’ve breatherd the mountain air, man
Travel – I’ve had my share, man
I’ve been everywhere
— Johnny Cash