Try not to gloat

Surely, obviously, clearly, librarians will be among the many that will be, some openly, many covertly, gloating, saying, perhaps just thinking, I told you so.

Yet, let not sanctimony be thy refuge.

Wikipedia, one of the 10 most popular sites on the Web, was founded about eight years ago as a long-shot experiment to create a free encyclopedia from the contributions of volunteers, all with the power to edit, and presumably improve, the content.

Now, as the English-language version of Wikipedia has just surpassed three million articles, that freewheeling ethos is about to be curbed.

Officials at the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit in San Francisco that governs Wikipedia, say that within weeks, the English-language Wikipedia will begin imposing a layer of editorial review on articles about living people.

The new feature, called “flagged revisions,” will require that an experienced volunteer editor for Wikipedia sign off on any change made by the public before it can go live. Until the change is approved — or in Wikispeak, flagged — it will sit invisibly on Wikipedia’s servers, and visitors will be directed to the earlier version.

The change is part of a growing realization on the part of Wikipedia’s leaders that as the site grows more influential, they must transform its embrace-the-chaos culture into something more mature and dependable.

It is popular, and often the first result in a search. But ...

Although Wikipedia has prevented anonymous users from creating new articles for several years now, the new flagging system crosses a psychological Rubicon. It will divide Wikipedia’s contributors into two classes — experienced, trusted editors, and everyone else — altering Wikipedia’s implicit notion that everyone has an equal right to edit entries.

And for seven months beginning in November, The New York Times worked with Wikipedia administrators to suppress information about the kidnapping of David Rohde, a correspondent in Afghanistan, from the article about him. The Times argued that the censorship would improve his chances of survival. Mr. Rohde escaped from his Taliban captors in June, but the episode dismayed some Wikipedia contributors.

Who perhaps might have said, had he not escaped, or had his head been cut off, that it was the bad guys that did the horrible deed, not them.

Today's questions

Where to file tax forms 1040, and 1041 (Estate taxes)

The 8th Confession, James Patterson; not yet out.

Levittown called about a CD that only HWPL owns. Checked the shelf; not there. In transit. Levittown placed the hold, and the librarian had seen the OPAC message in transit, yet still asked me to check the shelf. Huh?

The seniora began to arrive, as usual, around 1.30, for today's film. Some come over to Information Desk to reserve books.

A Library Friend asked for The madonnas of Leningrad: a novel, by Debra Dean.

A patron wanted the New York Times

Mrs. Ochman (one of our regular callers, who often wants movie reviews from Newsday read to her) called for Brain surgeon: a doctor's inspiring encounters with mortality and miracles, by Keith Black with Arnold Mann. She said she saw him on Channel 13.


A senior asked for Safe passage: the remarkable true story of two sisters who rescued Jews from the Nazis / Ida Cook.

A senior who moves and talks really slowly asked about Sunday's movie, a special program sponsored by the National Council of Jewish Women; it will be A walk to beautiful. She asked to reserve it.

Right behind her a woman asked for tickets for Sunday's movie. "All out," I told her. "They're all gone?" she asked. "Yes," I answered. "No tickets left?" she asked. I nodded.

Tax forms: "do you have instructions books?" "Yes, one for 150, a handful for 203." "Do you think you'll have them later in the afternoon?" "I can't predict; I'm not good at forecasting." "Do you think other libraries have them?" "I have no way of knowing." Hesitating, he said thank you and hung up.

Tickets? No, to three people.

A patron asked for Jhumpa Lahiri's new book, Unaccustomed earth; it's out. Then asked for People of the book, by Geraldine Brooks (which has been very popular and in high demand, a welcome antidote to all the requests for Patterson, Roberts and Steel); it's out. Asked for The brief wondrous life of Oscar Wao, by Junot Díaz; it's out. Asked for Netherland, by Joseph O'Neill; here, took it. Asked for Dangerous laughter : thirteen stories, by Steven Millhauser; in, took it.

A patron asked for Before the Sabbath / Eric Hoffer.

It is now 2pm.

At 6.35 a young lady came in asking for materials on Fred Korematsu. A mother was in yesterday researching the same name for her daughter (8th grade). We have a book on WW 2 biographies, and electronic databases can provide additional materials.

Search power

It's easy to become jaded, or complacent, about the depth and volume of information available at the click of a button or the push of a key, yet, every once in a while, I am reminded that there is indeed an immense amount of digital information available.

I've been listening to a CD: Big Joe Turner's Greatest Hits. The listing of personnel for different tracks has some entries of "unknown", and I wanted to see if I could get deeper than that. I entered a search statement in Google: new york november 3, 1955 joe turner session. First hit was Atlantic Records Discography: 1955 - session index. It's part of the Jazz Discography Project.

Unfortunately, it does not include any further information than what the CD sleeve has; nonetheless, it is really neat that that information is online.