A Collection of Daily Wisdom by Dennis Sylvester Hurd since September 2003.

I rather think of audio books as cassette tapes for people who have a long, boring, daily commute. I can still be so eighties.

Today, on this rainy morning, after returning from weekly grocery shopping, I explored something new for me: digital audio books. I had briefly played with free classic audio books years ago when I used my ancient iPAQ. I just never made much time for listening. Today, however, I accidental stumbled on real offerings though my public library. Many British Columbia libraries have banded together and are implementing new opportunities.



The system is quite interesting as one really checks out the digital files by using one's library card. It's due back in 14 days and due to Microsoft digital rights management, it will expire. There's software that needs to be downloaded for each computer by Overdrive. That company seems to be positioning itself well for a future in all aspects of digital media.

There's now 60-minutes of survival Czech playing. It'll probably be of little help when we spend a few days in Prague but gosh! Maybe I have to cave in and pick up a $50 mp3 player!

Labels: library, software

For decades, I've been doing school work on my home computer, but only recently have I been doing the reverse. I am logged onto the BCIT network now.

I first bought a $300 Radio Shack TRS-80 in 1980. I don't think that I would've even dreamed there'd be so much hardware on the planet in just two and a half decades. Bill talked about having one of these suckers on every desk, but it's obvious we surpassed that goal. How many personal computers are there per capita in North America? (That's a question I can probably answer in a matter of minutes after I exit www.blogger.com and get to a search engine.)

It is time again for my library exercise. I'm down in the COMPUTER COMMONS. I take every class for an hour-long project in the library on the Burnaby campus. As I generally teach 5-week, intensive courses, I find myself here nearly every month. I do like the atmosphere in libraries.

A few of my Communications students would never set foot in this building were it not for this assignment. At this point in my course, we hit materials that emphasize the use of comparative structures. They are here to observe a location that meets some criteria for successful studying. In this week's assignment, they will compare their notes written here with those from another studying location.

Labels: BCIT, library, students

Okay, it's hardly treason, but this morning I do feel a bit like I've run away from something important.

I've mentioned the word, library in no less than 26 unique weeks of my eJournal and images archives. I've often bragged about my municipal library as being the first in British Columbia. I have made mention of numerous books, CDs, and DVDs I've borrowed there. I've even taken a number of pictures of the New Westminster Public Library.

Yesterday, on the way home from BCIT, I stopped at the Edmonds branch of the Burnaby Public Library. It is easy to pull off and park there. I am eligible to use it as a long-time resident of a city in the InterLINK system. Rather than abandoning my local, little library, I should consider I'm just gaining another card for my wallet ...

Labels: library

One recent classroom assignment included a question where the students had to come up with criteria. They had to decide on a list of things one should consider when choosing an appropriate post-secondary institution.

One area that all groups considered important was a school's facilities.

Today, I gave a project which was completed in the BCIT library. I was thinking how the BCIT library had improved in recent years. Whereas, most people only attend a school several years themselves, they do continue affecting the public institutions. They, hopefully, find gainful employment. This allows them to continue contributing during their working years through taxes.

Eventually, the students who are currently making use of the facilities, will pay years of taxes for future improvements too. As long as the institution is successful, it will continue. That's a nice thought.

Labels: BCIT, library, money

Some people tuck them away as if embarrassed by their presence, but a PC belongs in the living room. That is where I can utilize the Internet`s 24-hour-a-day access to the world. I can painfully remember when I had questions, at a location where, or a time when, there`d be no way of investigating. It was not long ago but it sounds absolutely primitive!



This text was actually sitting on a high school web server in New York. As a student, I once memorized, The Cask of Amontillado. Isn`t it fairly easy to re-learn something you've once committed to memory? Perhaps I'll take an opportunity to save this short story as audio. I could use my best, announcer-type voice and post on my eJournal and images someday.

Labels: library, literature

I had a bit of extra time yesterday because my BCIT class was cancelled. One of the places I visited was the public library. New Westminster boasts of having had the very first library in British Columbia. Nowdays, it seems to always be quite busy. Even if it's closed; however, I can use the Internet to check the online catalogue and reserve a book, CD, or DVD.



The last time I included an entry with a photo of the building was last June.

Labels: library, New Westminster

During most of that decade and a half working the Gulf region, I was fortunate to work for organizations that either had a private or educational library. Still, at present, I am so very grateful for my city library. A place where any resident can come for reading and a/v materials is so worthy of funding. I love libraries. They combine my respect for education with a love of collecting. If I wanted to begin a new career ...

To read about the history of our library, please click this link.


Property taxes are due in a couple of days. We've already
paid and don't mind anting up for useful services such as our
excellent little, municipal library.

Labels: library, money, New Westminster

Here is a bit more downtown New Westminster history. I took this picture of water cascading down the fountain at the Law Courts building. On this site stood the former Carnegie Free Library. It was occupied from 1905 to 1958. The area is on Carnarvon Street and one block from this apartment.

The library moved to its present, up-town location at that time. However, it has a longer, and more interesting history. This information appears on the library's web site:

The Library holds the distinction of being the first public library in the province of British Columbia. It owes its existence to two events. In 1865, New Westminster was the capital of the mainland colony of British Columbia, recently carved from the forest on the banks of the Fraser River by the Royal Engineers. When the Regiment disbanded, it donated its collection of books brought from England to create a public library for the City. At the same time, Queen Victoria offered a copy of her late husband Prince Albert's speeches "to the public libraries of her more important colonies".

To continue reading about the history of our library, please click this link.

Labels: library, New Westminster