Comments on: The Library’s “Readable Non-fiction”? http://system13.org/2008/08/16/the-librarys-readable-non-fiction/ Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:48:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Josh http://system13.org/2008/08/16/the-librarys-readable-non-fiction/#comment-49356 Josh Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:46:16 +0000 http://system13.org/?p=611#comment-49356 Hey Horace, Fair points. I'm always a bit sad to see most of the people in the public library running for the DVDs rather than the books. While I still thought the sign was a bit humorous, I do see its point. And agreed - I have tried to read my fair share of unreadable stuff. I even own a few copies of such specimens! ;) Hey Horace,

Fair points. I’m always a bit sad to see most of the people in the public library running for the DVDs rather than the books. While I still thought the sign was a bit humorous, I do see its point. And agreed – I have tried to read my fair share of unreadable stuff. I even own a few copies of such specimens! ;)

]]> By: Prof. Horace Worblehat http://system13.org/2008/08/16/the-librarys-readable-non-fiction/#comment-49013 Prof. Horace Worblehat Tue, 09 Sep 2008 03:44:43 +0000 http://system13.org/?p=611#comment-49013 Hey, I'm a librarian. Cut my brethren some slack. The "readable" is intended to mean "reads like a novel," i.e., not like a textbook or something you were forced to endure in school. There are lots of good non-fiction books aimed at a literate audience uninterested in the latest John Grisham. "Guns, Germs, and Steel," referenced elsewhere on this blog, is one example. "Devil in the White City" (terrific book) is another. Want another? Try "Mawson's Will," about the toughest SOB who ever lived. Librarians for the most part are dedicated souls, doing yeoman duty in an arguably losing cause: trying anything they can to get people to turn off the boob tube and actually sit down to, um, READ. Does "unreadable nonfiction" exist? Darn right it does. Tons of it. What your local librarians are trying to do is point folks in the direction of some of the better stuff. Thank them. They will bloom. Prof. Worblehat Hey, I’m a librarian. Cut my brethren some slack.

The “readable” is intended to mean “reads like a novel,” i.e., not like a textbook or something you were forced to endure in school. There are lots of good non-fiction books aimed at a literate audience uninterested in the latest John Grisham. “Guns, Germs, and Steel,” referenced elsewhere on this blog, is one example. “Devil in the White City” (terrific book) is another. Want another? Try “Mawson’s Will,” about the toughest SOB who ever lived.

Librarians for the most part are dedicated souls, doing yeoman duty in an arguably losing cause: trying anything they can to get people to turn off the boob tube and actually sit down to, um, READ.

Does “unreadable nonfiction” exist? Darn right it does. Tons of it. What your local librarians are trying to do is point folks in the direction of some of the better stuff. Thank them. They will bloom.

Prof. Worblehat

]]> By: Zeitlos http://system13.org/2008/08/16/the-librarys-readable-non-fiction/#comment-47740 Zeitlos Fri, 22 Aug 2008 19:56:45 +0000 http://system13.org/?p=611#comment-47740 Great picture! Perhaps this is a warning: "Here are the books you like to read. All the other books are thos you are forced to read." And what a clever way to get that handy "Handy" information into the text... Great picture! Perhaps this is a warning: “Here are the books you like to read. All the other books are thos you are forced to read.”

And what a clever way to get that handy “Handy” information into the text…

]]> By: uncannyman http://system13.org/2008/08/16/the-librarys-readable-non-fiction/#comment-47688 uncannyman Fri, 22 Aug 2008 04:45:58 +0000 http://system13.org/?p=611#comment-47688 hahaha I wonder if they have NON-readable fiction! even if it's two separate signs, putting a sign like that in the library is akin to displaying a sign in the washroom that says "No peeing here" It just doesn't make sense hahaha I wonder if they have NON-readable fiction!

even if it’s two separate signs, putting a sign like that in the library is akin to displaying a sign in the washroom that says “No peeing here”

It just doesn’t make sense

]]> By: Josh http://system13.org/2008/08/16/the-librarys-readable-non-fiction/#comment-47631 Josh Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:27:58 +0000 http://system13.org/?p=611#comment-47631 MsTechLady: I hadn't thought of it in that way. Perhaps that's it. As an aside, I've never been able to get into audiobooks. Podcasts, sure. But not audiobooks. I'm not sure why. MsTechLady: I hadn’t thought of it in that way. Perhaps that’s it.

As an aside, I’ve never been able to get into audiobooks. Podcasts, sure. But not audiobooks. I’m not sure why.

]]> By: MsTechLady http://system13.org/2008/08/16/the-librarys-readable-non-fiction/#comment-47603 MsTechLady Thu, 21 Aug 2008 03:41:08 +0000 http://system13.org/?p=611#comment-47603 I'm the network tech in the IT department of a public library, so I have a little knowledge of libraray jargon. I've seen lots of confusing and misleading signs in the library, so I'm not sure what the intended message is, but it could mean "readable" non-fiction as opposed to "listenable" non-fiction, as in recorded books on cd/dvd, downloadable audio books, Playaways, etc...these type of audio "books" are very popular at my library. I’m the network tech in the IT department of a public library, so I have a little knowledge of libraray jargon. I’ve seen lots of confusing and misleading signs in the library, so I’m not sure what the intended message is, but it could mean “readable” non-fiction as opposed to “listenable” non-fiction, as in recorded books on cd/dvd, downloadable audio books, Playaways, etc…these type of audio “books” are very popular at my library.

]]> By: Josh http://system13.org/2008/08/16/the-librarys-readable-non-fiction/#comment-47431 Josh Mon, 18 Aug 2008 02:10:35 +0000 http://system13.org/?p=611#comment-47431 I'm not really sure if it was meant to read as such, or if it was meant to be 2 signs. I'm leaning towards the latter, though, as they seem to be from one design - take a look at the orange on the left side of "readable", and the orange on the right side of "non-fiction." The green sign below lends some weight to it being intentional: "Take a look at these readable true crime books!" And afterwards, check out our unreadable true crime books! I’m not really sure if it was meant to read as such, or if it was meant to be 2 signs. I’m leaning towards the latter, though, as they seem to be from one design – take a look at the orange on the left side of “readable”, and the orange on the right side of “non-fiction.”

The green sign below lends some weight to it being intentional: “Take a look at these readable true crime books!” And afterwards, check out our unreadable true crime books!

]]> By: Tom http://system13.org/2008/08/16/the-librarys-readable-non-fiction/#comment-47414 Tom Sun, 17 Aug 2008 22:31:07 +0000 http://system13.org/?p=611#comment-47414 LOL. That's really funny. Was the poster supposed to say "Readable non-fiction" or is it two signs? LOL. That’s really funny.

Was the poster supposed to say “Readable non-fiction” or is it two signs?

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