Great Resources: Book Spot, Academics Review;School Board Elections; & New Artist on display at the library

When you need a book suggestion at the middle of the night (and the library is closed) BookSpot.com is a place to try.  It has discussion questions, reading lists, and even recommendations on which e-reader to buy.  If you want help finding a new genre, author, or read-a-likes (because you already read everything by your favorite author), this is one place to start.  Other options are GoodReads and Shelfari, which have more social networking and splashier, newer graphics.  While these latter two request a login, you do not need an account to glean ideas for what to read next.

The next place I want to share is Academics Review.  Its mission statement:

"Academics Review is an association of academic professors, researchers, teachers and credentialed authors from around the world who are committed to the unsurpassed value of the peer review in establishing sound science. We stand against falsehoods, half-baked assertions and theories or claims not subjected to this kind of rigorous review. "  

In my opinion, Academics Review is Snopes.com with PhDs and credentials.  Both sites are a great first stop after receiving an email from a friend or a suggestion to watch a movie or read a book that sounds like fear-mongering.  Key phrases in the quote above are "credentialed authors" and "peer review."  When an idea, argument, or proposal--and its author(s)--can withstand the dynamic dialogue of other, widely-recognizable specialists in the same field, the idea gains merit and becomes more worth your while.  If you have checked out the DVD, Genetic Roulette, from the library, you might want to peruse a few responses at Academics Review:
http://academicsreview.org/reviewed-content/genetic-roulette/

Inform yourself from multiple perspectives, especially on these hot button topics.

As a public library, we present many different opinions to minimize the risk of presenting one biased view.  Part of life is learning how to recognize what information to question, when, and how.  If you can, read, or listen to the audio of, Daniel Kahneman's book Thinking Fast and Slow to help attune your brain to bias and spin.  In today's world, the flood of information, through the internet, on television, or radio, requires these new skills.  Librarians specialize in learning them. But more importantly, we specialize in teaching you or guiding you through.  Think of us as Sherpas to the mountain of information.

P.S. School Board Elections are Tuesday, February 5, at the Convention Center.

P.P.S.  Carla Lee Morrow's art is now on display at Ruidoso Public Library.  If you are not able to see her originals at the library, her website is DragonLadyArt.com.  You can view her touring schedule, too.