The library connects us with the insight and knowledge, painfully extracted from Nature, of the greatest minds that ever were, with the best teachers, drawn from the entire planet and from all our history, to instruct us without tiring, and to inspire us to make our own contribution to the collective knowledge of the human species. I think the health of our civilization, the depth of our awareness about the underpinnings of our culture and our concern for the future can all be tested by how well we support our libraries.
— Cosmos
Carl SAGAN

I am intrigued by this new proprietary device called the Kindle.  Does the text really mimic an actual page of a book?  Has the product be tested for eye strain?  Will it stand the test of time?  How many people can find value in the $399 price point? Actually quite few, currently the product is out of stock. 

Jumper, a movie based on a book by Stephen Gould, filled my Saturday afternoon.  The movie is from the team who brought the Bourne Identity and Mr. and Mrs. Smith to the big screen.  The work performs well as an action flick.  I won’t give away the plot, though I can’t resist unleashing the fact that teleporting is central. 

I enjoyed the film’s pace.  Standard teen themes are blended in quick action sequences.  The fast action involved in the global teleportation process mimics hyperlinking on the web, the fast paced multi-tasking nature of teen lives and the video games they play.  I am sure a video game based on the movie is being developed as I type.  

Product placement is a long standing marketing tool in movies and the placement of the Ann Arbor Public  Library in this film is terrific.   I am always on the lookout for instances of library promotion  in pop culture and Jumper features the Ann Arbor Public Library in more than one scene. 

Is Jumper great film making?  I would say that depends on the evaluative standards.  The plot is lightly engaging.  The special effects and geographical work give Google Earth a run for its money.  The target market is definitely teens and for the market the product hits the mark, imho.  I really applaud the risk taken to couple FX and a public library setting.  Good or bad, featuring a library (or in this case a set depicting a library) provides positive library marketing in a current international movie release! 

If you plan to take a pass on this film, Ann Arbor News details the following… “David trudges onto the ice to retrieve the globe. When he falls through, he struggles to resurface, then finds himself soaking wet on the floor of a library aisle. He stares at an open book stamped “Ann Arbor Regional Library.” In that moment, David learns he can teleport himself - a power that will bring him wealth and freedom, but will also put him in danger.

The library scene wasn’t filmed in Ann Arbor. But like many moments in the movie, it’s supposed to be Ann Arbor.

Ann Arbor is mentioned fairly often in the film - surely thanks in large part to “Jumper” co-screenwriter David Goyer, who is a Huron grad. Beyond those mentions and visual cues, the only other moment the town actually appears on screen is when David teleports Millie’s whole apartment to Gallup’s pond. There you see more local extras.”  http://www.mlive.com/news/annarbornews/index.ssf?/base/news-26/120300364345120.xml&coll=2 

Shameless promotion …

February is Love Your Library Month at Barnes and Noble stores across New Jersey!  Stop by your local library to pick up a voucher to present when purchasing items at Barnes and Noble stores during the month and a portion of your purchase will support the New Jersey Statewide Summer Reading Program. 

Thanks to technology you can also download the voucher right here! 

Life in the library provides great opportunities to learn new things.  This is true for those who visit the library and those who are lucky enough to get paid to work in the library. 

Last week two library users shared some really cool web sites.

Kay Pierson uses http://www.birthdayalarm.com/ to keep track of birthdays for family members and special friends.  The site has birthday and general greeting offerings as well as a diverse selection of holiday greetings.  The highlight of the service is that it forwards email reminders to your inbox!
 

Joan Van Note asked me if I had ever visited http://www.freerice.com/ during an Excel computer training class.  You can visit yourself to find out about the details.  I will just share that the site provides a great way to hone your vocabulary while supporting global outreach efforts.  I must caution the game is addictive.  Why are humans motivated to see the rice add up in the bowl?  I believe there is more than one answer to the question.

Joan and I had so much fun that we compressed the Excel instruction and expanded the vocabulary lesson!