Holly, Author at Awful Library Books

Dangerous Drug Interactions

May 3, 2021 Holly Health and Safety 5 comments

Dangerous Drug Interactions: The People’s Pharmacy Guide
Graedon
1999

Submitter: This was probably a good book for a library in 1999. It is definitely out of date now, plus the last circulation date was 2014. The book is a bit confusing because you would need to read very carefully about a specific drug on multiple pages and chapters to be sure you gathered all the information you needed. Just as an example, the drug Digoxin is found on at least 20 different pages and multiple charts. It would probably be safer for a doctor and/or pharmacist to review your drugs and supplements to make sure there is no potentially dangerous interactions. I can’t imagine a person even using a book like this today where it would be much easier to google for information about a particular drug anyway.

Changes to Email RSS Feed

April 29, 2021 Holly ALB Announcements 3 comments

Beginning in July, Google is making changes to its FeedBurner RSS service. Specifically, they will no longer have an RSS by Email service. If you subscribe to ALB by email, you will no longer receive our posts once they make those updates.

Don’t despair! We’ve added a new service to pick up the slack! It’s called Follow.It and all you need to do is click on either the Email RSS button at the top of the right sidebar (or toward the bottom of the page if you’re on a mobile device) or put your email address in the new “Subscribe by Email” form at the bottom of the right sidebar (bottom on mobile).

If you subscribe in a feed reader (like Feedly, The Old Reader, or even Follow.It, for example) there is nothing you need to do to continue receiving your semi-daily piece of collection management gold.

Now go back to your weeding!

Holly

Your LDS Neighbors

April 29, 2021 Holly Department of God 5 comments

How to Respond to the Latter Day Saints
Kaiser
1977

Submitter: Jaded me, read the cover and said “Turn the lights off and don’t answer the door? ” This book was published in 1977, one year before the church changed its viewpoints on some of its traditions and values.

Holly: Religion is a section that is easily overlooked because you think of it as having a longer shelf life than other subject areas, but many faiths make official updates to their doctrines over time! It’s actually a pretty complicated collection to manage if you’re not familiar with the timelines of different sects and denominations.

Side note: I wonder if the Mormons published a document on how to respond to the Lutherans about their “cult”?

Make-Up Art

April 28, 2021 Holly Craptastic Crafts and Hobbies 18 comments

Make-Up Art
Freeman
1991

Submitter: This book looked like a good choice back in 1991. However it has not circulated in some time. It’s pretty grubby with what I hope are just makeup stains. Some of the sketches are let’s say… Interesting.

Holly: Ummm…yeah. The Chinese Mask is definitely a no-go. Cultural appropriation is not cute. The back of the book (image below) says it’s the “most modern” on the subject. This is a series – I wonder what’s in the other volumes??

When Grandpa Died

April 26, 2021 Holly Feelings and Self Help 5 comments

When Grandpa Died
Stevens
1979

Submitter: Aside from the fact that the book cover is wearing out and the pages smell from 40+ years of age, the 70’s clothing made a book with a serious topic somewhat laughable because it looks so dated. Dad in particular is rocking some rad tight jeans, Beatles boots, and an epic ‘stache. Plus, note the photo where Dad comforts Mom as she cries about Grandpa. The book says it looks like Dad is about to cry too, but it rather looks like he’s taken comfort from the open beer bottle sitting on the floor next to him. Not the imagery you’d probably see in a realistic photo book published for kids today.

The Computer Revolution

April 19, 2021 Holly Bleeding Edge 4 comments

Computers in Society
7th Ed.
Schellenberg
1998

Submitter: Just when you think you have cleared out every out-of-date tech book in your collection, one shows up to flaunt its uselessness. Computer book from the last century? Off to the recycle bin.

Holly: I hate it when that happens! I’m sure half the URLs listed in the second image below don’t exist anymore (although I didn’t test them). I also like how the introduction talks about the “computer or information revolution” when we’re a few revolutions beyond that.

Friday Fiction: Overnight Cinderella

April 16, 2021 Holly Best of the Worst, Friday Fiction 8 comments

Overnight Cinderella
Garbera
2001

I usually grab any title that features a librarian so I am ready for our library themed posts for National Library Week. I was going to feature this one, but the librarian part of our heroine’s life was barely there. Evidently, our heroine, Cami, traded in her research librarian cardigan for a more glamorous job in event planning.

I think the author used librarian as a metaphor for virginal and shy. (Come to think of it, I don’t know too many librarians that give off the virginal and shy vibe. But I digress.) Anyway, she meets Duke, the corporate suit in charge of security for Pryce Enterprises. Of course Duke and Cami have to work together due to security issues for a big gala that Pryce was hosting.

Finger Frolics

April 14, 2021 Holly Parent/Teacher Collection 13 comments

Finger Frolics: Fingerplays for Young Children
Cromwell
1983

Submitter: [This] title caught my eye on a list of books that have not circulated in 10+ years. Funny title aside, if there is one thing I know about children’s books, it’s that young’uns don’t take kindly to incorrect depictions of dinosaurs. Trust me!

Holly: Points for diverse characters on the cover. Otherwise, this is full of words and phrases kids don’t generally understand or use (what does “nick, nick, nick new” even mean?? See last image below.) The images are boring too. The fingerplays themselves might not be too bad for seasoned performers, but I’m not sure they’re great choices for “young children” as the title implies.