Custom spine labels on lending library books

Bright, catchy graphics paired with a brief phrase, affixed to the spine of a book: subject classification labels provide an immediate display of what a book is all about.

The UUCLC Lending Library has a special “chalice” symbol on the spines of particular books. These books specifically address our Unitarian Universalist beliefs and heritage.

A library supplier provided “Fiction” labels that adorn our fiction books. Look for other, non-fiction, labels to adorn other books as well. I’ve found, however, that unique characteristics of our lending library require a custom approach. Hence, the chalice labels affixed to several of our books.

Other labels draw upon heros of civil rights and the Unitarian tradition. The books that are labeled “Biography” bear the likeness of Margaret Fuller, whose Bicentennial is being celebrated this year by the UUA.

The labels designating “Civil Rights” bear the likeness of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Watch for other labels to debut that further highlight the unique character of our UUCLC Lending Library.

While it is true that a reader cannot always judge a book by its cover, the subject classification labels are purposely designed to say a lot about a book’s character.

Cross-posted from the UUCLC Lending Library’s WordPress blog.

Daniel J. Vance interviews me as editor with Asperger’s syndrome

Daniel J. Vance, author of “Disabilities,” interviewed me as an editor who has Asperger’s syndrome. We talked about my childhood experiences being bullied, food sensitivities and the benefits of a special interest (in my case, the Society for Creative Anachronism) as the basis for forming friendships. Read his columns at www.danieljvance.com.

Bartimaeus tells it like it is

Do you have someone in your life upon whom you can depend to always tell you the truth, even when the truth is something that you would prefer not to hear? It was that quality in one of the main characters that appealed to me when I read The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud.

The stories: The Amulet of Samarkand, The Golem’s Eye and Ptolemy’s Gate are set in present-day England but in a world where magicians rule the "commoners," or the non-magical folk.

As the story opens, the magicians' hold on power is increasingly threatened by the commoners' rebellion. There are also unknown traitors operating in the midst of the British government. The magicians' hold on power relies upon their use of otherworldly magical slaves like djinni, imps and foliots.

Toastmasters has policy of non-discrimination

As president of my local Toastmasters club, I am making a presentation to remind our club about Toastmasters International’s policy about maintaining member privacy, about its position of non-discrimination and about ethical conduct expected of us.