Hi, everyone.

Here at SpookyLibrarians HQ, we like the number 13, which is probably not surprising. We are not triskaidekaphobics; we think 13 is a great number, and nothing to fear.

However, 2013 has been one really tough year. We’ve been thrown off course by unforeseen circumstances, and by some circumstances which were foreseen but still tricky to navigate. There’s been loss and uncertainty and a wide array of technical difficulties, as any reader has seen over the erratic postings this year. We are fine and everything is okay, but it’s been a crazy time.

We’re taking December off and hope to be back in 2014, reorganized, rejuvenated, and refreshed. Thanks to everyone for your patience!

It's Friday, and time for links from others! Thanks for your patience and your links!

From Julie: Driverless cars are coming to the UK, be warned.

Also from Julie: Napoleon's will is auctioned off. Man, they'll put anything up for auction these days, won't they?

From Cassandra: Allie Brosh of Hyperbole and a Half talks about her new book, and her life, and her recent struggles with depression, in a raw, honest, hilarious way. Go Allie!

From Bunny, some wonderful news: The Mystery Science Theatre 3000 Turkey Day Marathon is BACK!

Have a spiffy weekend, everyone. See you next week.

November brings a lot of history with it this year. Here we go.

Researcher extraordinaire Bill Lucey talks about the 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination by asking journalists to tell their stories.  He also has a post in honor of "Mozart Month" and the composer behind it.

The University of Cincinnati has launched a website commemorating astronaut (and UC professor) Neil Armstrong, full of interactive data and images from earth and space.

It's the end of an era: the Scripps-Howard News Service is going dark after 96 years.

And finally, here's something which may influence the future: Senators Franken and Durbin have introduced the Affordable College Textbook Act.

Better late than never: a roll call of haunted courthouses in Ohio.

Reading the news, one might be justified in believing that our world is falling apart. While that may be true, it's also true that the world is much better for much of humanity than it was a hundred years ago.

Along similar lines, cities are forever changing, and New York City has a website documenting its transient nature.

Due to our ongoing technical difficulties, you might not have known that we're still giving books away over at the Steampunk Librarian. But we are! And here is the news of our latest winner!

Hola! Please pretend that it is Monday, and these are your Monday links!

The LA Review of Books has a long and fascinating article about the reenactors of Concord, Massachusetts. Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne and Alcott are all alive and well there! (In all my time running around Massachusetts, I don't think I've ever been to Concord. I should remedy that.)

Behold, the opera of the future! This looks like all levels of awesome.

"Upcycling vintage luggage into portable audio devices" is what RetroSonic is all about. Its only presence on the web at the moment is via Facebook, but definitely worth a look.

Hi! Still here, just struggling with logistics (the running theme of 2013). Back with links very soon.

Lou Reed AND Mrs. Krabappel? This is truly a tough year.

Folderol will be erratic this week, as we are more or less officially on vacation through Halloween. See you soon!

Happy Friday! Today is our tenth wedding anniversary. Crazy how time flies, isn't it?

From Bunny: An evening with Edgar Allan Poe, starring Vincent Price. Spooky goodness abounds!

From Cassandra: Gorgeous photographs of abandoned buildings and areas.

From Julie: Are you related to Isaac Newton? A new search is afoot!

Have a spiffy weekend, everyone! See you next week.

First up today, we have the history of libraries, as seen through an architectural lens.

The power of books, as seen through prison reading groups in the UK.

History, as seen via the amazing Public Domain Review.

Climate change, as seen through archaeology.

And finally, a 13th-century volcanic eruption in Indonesia, the Pompeii of its time and place.

It's no longer 1985 or 1885, and not quite 2015, but you can still go back to the future, thanks to these genius people who went back to find most of the scenes from the original movie and photograph them in 2007.

Because it's almost 2015, you can now interact with people in Sicily in real time, thanks to a robot walking the streets.

Did you know there are actual dead bodies (well, parts of them) in Disney's Haunted Mansion? It's...possible! Disney's dark side is hard to find, but it's there.

Whether or not you end up at Disney after death, you can now use QR codes for memorials.

In Berlin, nearly thirty former train stations will be converted into homes. How cool is that?

Kazakhstan may not be a world power, but their currency is beautiful.

A journalist's trip to Ohio in search of Dave Chappelle leads to a meditation on racism, fame, and the gorgeous town of Yellow Springs.

Happy Full Moon Friday, all!

From Cassandra: Latin America is digging up the dead to put the past to rest.  Also from Cassandra: The Myers-Briggs personality test tells you what book you should be reading.

From Julie: A fantastic piece by Neil Gaiman on the value of libraries, daydreaming, and more. Also from Julie: letters from historic personages sell for more than expected, and the rules for students at Cambridge these days are just a wee bit different than those in the 17th century.

From Bunny: a Kepler telescope estimates that we are far from alone in the universe. Very cool.

Also from Bunny, a link to end our week: Brides Throwing Cats. You're welcome! Have a spiffy weekend, and see you next week.

If you're trying to find government-related information during the shutdown, libraries have come to the rescue. Mississippi State has a page with status updates, workarounds, and alternative sources.

Also, Google has changed some of its algorithms so that it can handle long questions (such as, for example, "Where should we go on vacation now that the Smithsonian has closed and even if it opens back up soon the original plan is now all screwed up and we don't have much time to think of an alternative?" Ahem).

The Shanghai Metro has a library!

Mandatory Thursday reading: The bookshop of the future is coming. It's...rather bright, if the photos are anything to go by. Also, libraries are still important.

If it's October, that means it's time for the fantastic Halloween-themed Retroist!

The Walking Dead is back on the air, and it's been a boon for the Georgia town in which it's filmed.

If you're making vacation plans for next year, consider Helsinki - the Ambient Music Conference looks fascinating. (Thanks, Bunny!)

 Tired of making subpar Black & Tans? Try this dual glass! Good for all sorts of concoctions!

We are back at it, giving away books over at Steampunk Librarian! Deadline for the first giveaway (The Osiris Curse by Paul Crilley) is this Friday, so hop on over if you'd like a free book.

Have you seen the work of James Turrell? Particularly his work with light? It's worth a look.

Jonathan Franzen has doubts about the internet, and wants to tell you about it, and also about Karl Kraus. These two subjects are related.

From Zazoo: Israeli puppets take on the issue of gay marriage, sort of. These guys need to visit Bert and Ernie on Sesame Street some day.

Many thanks to the Sparkle Queen for pointing toward Rust Belt Chic, a Cincinnati anthology in the works. Submit your Cincinnati story or art!

While my country is bickering and threatening dire catastrophes, Canada is spearheading a change in the words of its anthem back to "all of us" rather than "all our sons." This is why the world likes Canada better.

Musicians think more accurately, says a recent study.


Free music for YouTube videos!

If you think ballet is difficult, imagine a ballet comprised of shopping carts.

 Did you know Jim Henson almost opened an amazing-looking futuristic nightclub? It's true! But instead, he went with the Muppets. So it all worked out okay.

Well, between the government shutdown and struggles with various computing machines, this week was a little erratic. But it's Friday, and here are a slew of links from others to make up for it! Thanks to everyone for sending in links, and for reading.

From Cassandra: Behold, Cat Island!

From Julie: Have you been challenged to a duel? Worry not, here's how to win.

Also from Julie: They're always digging up strange things in England. This week it's a collection of skulls from the Roman era!

From Zazoo: Rough Trade (the record label, that is) is opening a record store in Williamsburg!

From Bunny: The lives of teenagers in 1994, 2014 and 2034. I'm looking forward to the music in 2034!

Also from Bunny: An abandoned Wizard of Oz theme park? Wow! (Only open once a year.)

Making the rounds on Facebook: Incredible vintage Halloween costumes. The suit of clubs seems to be especially popular. We're particularly impressed by Chicken Man and Silver Biplane Woman.

Have a spiffy weekend, everyone! See you next week (sooner or later).

I'm back! Here are some photos to document my travels.

Speaking of photos, Chinese children endure a high amount of embarrassment, apparently.

National Ice Cream Month has come and gone, but it's not too late to peruse this list of book-inspired flavors!

If you like science fiction, and you've ever wondered if an author has a presence on the web...wonder no more.

Happy Friday, everyone! I am off to New York for a few days to gad about the Maker Faire. Folderol will return sometime next week.

From Zazoo:  a clown is terrorizing a British town.

From Julie: Behold the ugly blobfish!

Also from Julie: Do you lie about reading books? Most of us do!  Also, some itty bitty books are going on display.

And finally, from Bunny: A performance artist...at the Eiffel Tower...with a chicken...and...well.

Have a spiffy weekend, everyone! See you next week.

The latest edition of Cites & Insights has a section on public library sayings. Good stuff!
 
Ravel is really interesting -- a visual search engine for law-related information.

Remember studying taxonomies in library school? They're still useful!

MOOCS (Massive Open Online Courses) and libraries have a lot in common, and now there's a weblog dedicated solely to that connection.

The Lloyd Library has a current exhibit exploring the world of the "Wounded Home" in America after the Civil War.

If you want to be part of Pinterest but don't like following the crowd, consider the Pinterest Skeptics board!

This tarot set based on the Lord of the Rings characters is gorgeous.

Do you have a great name for a planet or other celestial body? Here's your chance!

Paranoid delusions connect to the contemporary world in fascinating ways.

If you stand in Times Square and hear strange sounds, however, it's not a delusion -- it's an art installation.

Attention, steampunks! Will you be at the New York Maker's Faire this weekend? I will -- say hello if you see me.

A look at steampunk cosplay delves into the details.

Irish steampunk!

Circling back to the Maker Faire: please examine this lovely (and functional) remote control.

Today's theme: strange combinations that make art. Like Reese's peanut butter cups, in a way.

Example 1: Salvador Dali illustrates the zodiac.

Example 2: Book cover designs made by embroidery.

Example 3: Breaking Bad in LEGO form!

Happy Friday the 13th!

From Julie: The Star Trek theme song has lyrics?!? Does Wil Wheaton know about this?

From Cassandra: The Little Free Library, and the value of empathy.

From Tony: Free the 14 Squirrels!

Have a spiffy weekend, everyone! If you're near Cincinnati, the Comic Expo is going on this weekend, complete with a LEGO scavenger hunt. See you next week!

Remember all the fantastic words added to the OED back in the '90s? How are they holding up?

Look, a new frontier for libraries! Thanks, Birmingham!

No more bizarre rubber suits for Japanese monster movies? Say it ain't so!


(more soon. It's an interruption-filled sort of day.)

If you're anywhere near Lincoln (UK) this weekend, do check out their steampunk celebration!

Isaac Asimov thought that 2014 would be...well...actually, pretty much like it is in 2013.

Considering some steampunky decor? Here's a nice round-up of what people have done.

Morse Code has disappeared from modern society (recent mention from Ylvis notwithstanding), but if you'd like to use it, fear not; here's a handy decryptor for a web page!

Monday arts!

Music: Composing with tape recorders.

 Fine art: Kasimir Malevich's grave was just discovered.

Architecture: What do we think of modern prisons?

Industrial design: How the Heinz ketchup bottle got to market.

Crafts: Make your own Beaker paintbrush puppet!

Happy Friday!

Today's Links From Others post is brought to you by Julie. (Many thanks, Julie! If we ever make it to Brighton, we owe you several drinks.)

Overdue library books are nothing new. But one that's been overdue for almost sixty years?

I would like to think that Richard III is pleased that his remains have been found and verified, and his reputation is improving. He would probably not be terribly thrilled that the newest headlines about him trumpet his affliction from roundworm.

Remember Richard Marsh? No? Well, you're not alone. But here's why you should be interested.
(Hint: he outsold Bram Stoker.)

Gorgeous museums end this week's allotment of links. Have a spiffy weekend, everyone! See you next week.

Has anyone tried RebelMouse yet? It looks intriguing, from a social media standpoint.

In the midst of war talk, here's something a little less dire: people are using drones in search and rescue teams. And archaeologists are using them to search out ancient ruins! 

Archaeologists have also calculated that Egyptian civilization is much older than previously thought.

How many babies were born with your name recently in England and Wales? Now you can find out instantly! (My name is not very popular these days - it was beaten out by Khaleesi, even. Seriously?)

Okay, people, you have a week in which to schedule your trip to attend the 2013 Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony and Webcast (and Lectures). It promises to be an extraordinary evening!


Here's something quite useful for anyone traveling on the Tube in London: an app which tracks the position of trains, live.

At Spooky Librarians HQ, we are big fans of abandoned areas and empty buildings. In that vein, this list of abandoned theme parks is quite lovely/bleak/intriguing.

Over at Slate, there's a photograph of Lovecraft's doodles and notes for "At the Mountains of Madness." Graphologists and armchair psychologists, have at it!

Lovecraft lived in the era of typewriters. That era is mostly gone, but one industry -- funeral homes -- is, ironically, keeping the old technology alive.

Happy September! Keep up to date on steampunk happenings with Tor's calendar.

Cue the ideas for Roman-era steampunk. Rompunk? Latinpunk? At any rate, the Romans were using nanotechnology.

I am a little unsure about the accuracy of this list of top American steampunk cities, but I can't really complain since I am apparently living in one of the top ten most steampunk environments.

Gail Carriger lists some truly excellent resources for writing Victorian-era steampunk stories.

Did you know Disney had planned a land of discovery, with dirigibles and crystal train stations? It's true, and we can all look at what might have been.

And finally, from Germany, here is a lovely steampunk computer station.

Happy Friday!

From Cassandra: The TED Radio Hour.

From Julie: Life on Earth may have started on Mars! We are all really Martians, we just don't realize it yet.

From Bunny: A crash test between a 1959 Chevy and a 2009 Chevy, with somewhat surprising results.

From Zazoo: Pete Burns is back in the studio with Pete Waterman! This can only lead to good things. Er. Right?

From Metafilter: Streamer! Or, Pooh Sticks gone hi-tech. Or, Paddle-to-the-Sea gone hi-tech. Or...

From Cinemassacre: The evolution of game consoles, in one high-def infographic.

Have a spiffy weekend, everyone! We're not going to Burning Man, but I'm going to be watching the live webstream over the long weekend. Back on Tuesday!

Did you know there's a radio show devoted to librarians? It's true! Lost in the Stacks features not only cool librarians, but spiffy music as well.

Here's a brilliant development: an abandoned Wal-Mart in Texas is now America's largest library. Let's start a trend.


Al-Jazeera America is, so far, pretty excellent.

And with all the government intrigue of late, the FOIA Machine seems like a better and better idea.

The NecronomiCon Providence event went off last weekend, Eldritch Ball and all, and the world is still in one piece! Let's hope they try it again next year, so we can attend!

Speaking of Lovecraftian horrors, here are some lovely, detailed maps of Arkham in colonial days.

Even ghosts suffer from inflation, as the people in Hong Kong have discovered.

Have clowns always been terrifying? Signs point to yes.

When discovering ancient civilizations, archaeologists still have to contend with tomb raiders.

The Bradley is a watch designed for the blind, but works for everyone, and is futuristic in a streamlined sort of way. Very cool. (The video is inspiring, too.)

Simplicity has sewing patterns for steampunk clothes. I did not know this!

Surrealist etiquette is a must. Dessert knives at dawn!

English Russia has been posting some wonderful entries lately. Look at the 1900s public transportation options in St. Petersburg.

Lance Oscarson makes incredibly intricate steampunk paper sculptures. Look and be amazed!

If you happen to be on the route for the Station to Station art tour next month, do try to see it -- it looks amazing. Plus, trains and art seem like a fascinating combination!

When strangers pose for photographs together, some amazing results occur.

Outsider art is the best source of art these days, I think.

Good news for outsider artists: Getty has made thousands of images available for public use!

Did you know James Joyce wrote a children's book about a cat and a devil? It's true!

Happy happy Friday! Many thanks to everyone who's been sending in links during the hiatus.

From Cassandra: Maria Mitchell, comet discoverer.

From Julie: the "halls of the dead" are uncovered in Herefordshire, and a ten-year-old discovers a mummy in his grandmother's attic. Both stories sound like the beginning of horror movies, don't they?

From Tony via Holly: all the Pixar movies are connected. See the evidence!

From Zazoo: behold the new coaster at Kings Island, which looks terrifyingly amazing (and amazingly terrifying).

And lastly, from Bunny, a gallery of photos which is safe for work, regardless of the title: adult movie stars show what they look like before and after makeup. Some makeup jobs are incredible.

Have a spiffy weekend, everyone! See you next week.

So much for the idea that no one uses libraries: a recent Pew study shows that young people use libraries and librarians much more often than you might think.

Granted, the libraries serve different roles these days...such as a gaming center.

And while it's still summer, check out Seattle's books-on-bikes program!

Want to find a library or museum near you? Fortunately, some enterprising people have mapped all of them out in America.

Meanwhile, across the sea, a badger has discovered a tomb from medieval times. Go badgers!

David Lynch hates "It's a Small World After All" so much that he gave an entire interview about it...and the interviewer couldn't even mention the title of the song. Ha!

What was it that brought ghosts to western New York in the 1800s? The Smart Set has a fascinating piece about the spirituality of the times.

Meanwhile, today's spiritual seekers of the Buddhist monk variety can shop in a huge supply store which caters just to them.

Google has a lovely surprise for those of us who follow the Doctor through time and space. Step into the phone booth and see what happens.

British archaeologists are exploring a graveyard of WWI submarines....but the clock is ticking.

In more steampunk-era transportation, English Russia has a wonderful post (the second in a series) on WWI-era motorcycles.

Attention, Chicago citizens! Have you met the time-traveling Jean-Paul Brunier, recently arrived from Victorian-era Paris?

One of steampunk's prevailing description is that it's a time which never was. In that vein, we direct you to the Never Built Los Angeles exhibition, which is awe-inspiring.

Kickstarter raises more money for artists than the NEA these days. It's a weird world in which we live.

It's a futuristic world, too: they're using lasers to clean the frescoes at Pompeii.

Wall Therapy is a fantastic annual art project in Rochester.

Shakespeare meets heavy metal, and it's all kinds of fun.

Hi there. This has been an eventful summer, with family stuff going on and Blogger refusing to cooperate with the old normal, thus forcing us to go on a  brief hiatus and create a new normal. It’s also going to be an eventful fall, with some traveling. However! We’re going to give Folderol another go, and Steampunk Librarian will be back as well. Onward to the links!

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Hola! Please ignore. Just testing.

So. The latest updates to Blogger don't play well with the manner in which Folderol usually gets updated. Changes may be afoot, either in posting schedule or posting content or just...posting, I guess! In the meantime, updates may be erratic while I figure out my next move.

(2013: The Year of the Unexpected. Gah!)

Directly from the Steampunk Librarian site:
Greetings, everyone. I’m so sorry about the lack of updates (and with giveaways to do, no less!) – life has gotten hectic and online access was limited for a while.  The winners for both giveaways will be up later this week, and then we shall refrain from doing more until we’re more organized!

On the brighter side, Goodyear has embraced its steampunk roots and is designing a new zeppelin!

July 15 2013

I’ve always liked working in coffeehouses, and apparently I’m not alone. Coffitivity is an app which simulates the sounds of a coffeehouse!

Thom Yorke doesn’t want to be on Spotify anymore. No one is really sure how to make money in music these days.

Food as art? Yes! The Somerset House has a must-see exhibit.

Singing is good for you. It can even slow your heartbeat!

July 12 2013

Happy Friday, and happy Malala Day! 

From Julie:

They keep finding things in Britain. The newest discovery is a group of medieval buildings in Somerset. 

If you’re in Britain and want to continue this trend of finding things, you can volunteer to map forts, or maybe even work with SETI. 

What is time? What is a second? An alternative atomic clock could redefine our understanding.

From Brendan: Airpunk! It’s lovely.

Have a spiffy weekend, everyone. See you soon.

July 11 2013

Hi there. I am sort of kind of back; updates may be a little spotty for a while, due to some family health stuff going on. (The Spooky Librarians themselves are healthy, however – just preoccupied!)

Law librarians are reinventing themselves as research gets redesigned. (Note the multiple use of “re” in that sentence.) The Cleveland Law Library, for example, is trying out a "borrow a librarian" project. I am not sure I’d make a good borrowed librarian. It makes me think of The Prisoner.

By the way, all that texting and whatnot is bad for your posture, and apparently bad for your self-confidence!

And, for something completely different, consider Shakespeare taking the bar exam. Hee.

July 3, 2013

Happy early 4th of July! Life has gotten complicated this week and I'll be gone for a few days. Have a spiffy weekend and we'll see you back here next week.

July 1, 2013

Happy Canada Day!



The Washington Post asks why we haven’t outgrown fairy tales.



In completely unrelated news, the Duct Tape Festival is still going strong!



The Bread and Puppet Theatre is celebrating 50 years. Bonus quotes from Paul Zaloom of Beakman’s World!

Happy Friday!




Many thanks to Julie, who sent in some terrific links this week:



-- An Egyptian statue is moving. By itself. Oooweeeooo! (Also, the shelf might be unstable.)



-- Let them eat cake in the shape of an express train!



-- The British Film Institute prepares for “The Dark Heart of Film,” a tribute to gothic and horror celluloid which looks amazing. (Note to Bunny: This is why you have to get a passport.)



What has the Snowden scandal done for international relations? Bill Lucey investigates.



Have a spiffy weekend, everyone. See you next week!

This morning, we talked about Blekko (is it capitalized?) and this afternoon I found an article about the search engine’s recent innovations. And no NSA involvement as of yet!




Kids still like libraries, evidently. Good to hear.



Yale is preparing for the arrival of a stellar collection of historic British law materials.



And for the geeks among us, here’s a guide to the alignment of the Supreme Court.

This has been quite the week, hasn’t it? Texas filibustering, Australia prime ministers, Nelson Mandela, U.S. Supreme Court rulings, celebrities being…celebrities…




Happily, the pride celebrations this weekend are going to be EPIC. Hooray!

More giveaways over at the Steampunk Librarian! I think this is the longest title ever.

Finally, some support for those of us who like the dark: Dim lighting sparks creativity.




Mental Floss lists some words which only survive today through their use in idioms.



Was your dad in a band? Join the fun!

Happy Summer Solstice! Get ready for the Supermoon coming your way this weekend. (Thanks to Cassandra for the link.)



From Zazoo: “Finally! The biggest gay conversion therapist organization is shutting down.” Huzzah!



From Julie: Remember that William Blake poem about two sunflowers and a yellow room? No? Well, good, because it’s not a William Blake poem at all! A school librarian has the proof.



Also from Julie: Elizabethan theatre was a hive of scum and villainy, with exploited and kidnapped child actors. No exploitation of child actors happens these days, thank goodness. Er. Um.



And also from Julie: dance performances which incorporate books!



From the Sparkle Queen: a librarian turns catalog cards into art. See, librarians are saving the world, one tiny bit at a time.



Have a spiffy weekend, everyone. See you next week.

I’ve been immersing myself ion genealogy research lately, and using the National Archives, so it’s great to see they’re commemorating the 150th anniversary of U.S. Colored Troops with a wealth of digitized information.




In slightly more recent history, summer means it’s time for roller coaster riding, and the Library of Congress links to newspaper articles celebrating the great coasters throughout the years .



In news that will delight my husband, the Encyclopaedia Britannica website has begun posting “classic videos” from the Britannica archives.



If you can’t make it to any library conferences this year, fear not – SLA has 60 websites in 60 minutes worth a look!

Demonstrators in Brazil are calling their movement the “Salad Uprising” because many of them bring vinegar in order to neutralize tear gas. There’s a Tumblr dedicated to pictures and stories of the demonstrations.




Meanwhile, the summer solstice is almost here, and there are events practically everywhere. In England, there’s Stonehenge, of course; over here in America, New York has quite a few things planned.


Also going on in New York this weekend: the Craft Renegade Fair in Brooklyn!

It's time for summer giveaway season over at the Steampunk Librarian! We start with copies of Vintage Tomorrows. Go and enter the contest!

It’s Monday, and the streets are alive with the art of Steven Ball (well, in England, anyway).




Are video games art? The evidence increasingly points to yes.



Save the tungsten lights!

Happy Friday!




Arlo Guthrie and the Muppets? Yes, it’s true! I missed this amazing collaboration somehow.



Did you know that Jane Wiedlin can marry people? Sister Reverend Go-Go is ready and willing!



From Julie: Red phone boxes become mini-libraries!



Also from Julie: Behold, the first book of fashion. Also, some good souls are trying to preserve a tavern which may have hosted Shakespeare, among others.



Have a spiffy weekend, everyone! See you next week.

I envy those going to the Sonar Festival in Barcelona this week. Kraftwerk! Pet Shop Boys! Also Skrillex and about a zillion others.




If you can’t make it to Barcelona, you could swing by the Oregon Divisional Chainsaw Sculpting Championships (really!). Or see dulcimers in Ohio. Or party with pirates in Florida!

Was there a real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Mad Hatter? The Times Literary Supplement is on the case.




In 1893, the Imperial Institute was amazing, glorious…and sort of empty. Take a tour!



In August, Steamworld Dig debuts, and you can see a sneak preview of the game now.



Steampunk has met Star Wars before, many times over, but this is the first time I’ve seen a steampunk AT-AT liquor cabinet. Maybe the Sith aren't so bad after all.

Today is action day!




Experience today’s Google doodle, dedicated to Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are!



Listen to the voice of Virginia Woolf!



Ponder the durability of Sylvia Plath’s work!



Marvel at architecture designed for the harsh climate of Antarctica!

Friday mini-post! Thanks to Julie for sending in this link about art historians using face-recognition software to identify people in paintings. It's nice to see a good use of Orwellian technology!

Have a spiffy weekend, everyone. See you next week.

Hey, look, a bookless library!




Want to know where the books are? They’re on planes, because Qantas is offering them to travelers. (Good idea!)



For kids, however, Smart PJs will call up bedtime stories at the touch of a…scanner, I think.



How one pronounces the words in these stories depends mainly on where you live. (Speaking as someone who grew up in Ohio as the child of someone from New England and someone from Chicago, my pronunciations are all over these maps. I just realized I pronounce "caramel" two different ways, depending on the context.)



Benjamin Franklin thought all this would be much easier if we’d only have adopted his phonetic alphabet. I’m tempted to use it as code, if nothing else.

International Steampunk Day is June 14th. Make your celebration plans now! There are all sorts of events this month.




Also, steampunk now has its own category on TVTropes. We’re officially part of the mainstream!



However, the original Victorians were probably smarter. Out of necessity, I would think.



Watchmaking is intricate, gear-filled, steampunk-friendly, and still thriving.



Retech uses old materials to make new things.



And for those of you into history and baseball, Shoeless Joe Jackson is now on Twitter.

Cassette tapes are making a comeback! I knew there was a reason I was holding onto all those old mixtapes!




Via the Guardian: The International Museum of Women is holding a special exhibit featuring art by Muslim women.



I had not seen the work of Eric Ravilious before this week, and it’s gorgeous.



Folderol is part of an experiment! We’re honored to be a part of Michael Dekel’s journey into Dadaist, surrealist writing.

Happy Friday!




From Julie: Behold, the world’s tiniest library has appeared in New York City, courtesy of Stereotank!



Also from Julie: New information about the sunken Mary Rose, with sketches based on the skeletons found (including a dog!), and news about the current museum strike in the UK.



From Cassandra: an absolutely fascinating article about elephants. It’s long, but worth it.



Have a spiffy weekend, everyone! See you next week.

A new stamp in Ireland contains an entire short story. How cool is that?




Look out for stealth performance art in libraries in New York. In Australia, on the other hand, they’re right out front doing live performances.



How do you organize your books? I’m always intrigued by the color idea, but I think it would look pretty boring on my shelves.

The latest from Strange Maps is the perfect combination of my interests – naming and geography!




Another fascinating combination: hairstyling and archaeology.



The Cincinnati Fringe Festival begins this week. If you can’t make it to that, perhaps you can make it to Uncle Billy’s Day Festival in Virginia instead?

It’s officially summer now, which means the Steampunk Librarian Summer Book Giveaway will start soon! Here’s a sneak preview of what we’ll be giving away in June:




Vintage Tomorrows (we got some more copies from the good folks at O’Reilly!)



The Secret of Abdu El Yezdi (Burton and Swinburne are back for more!)



In Thunder Forged: Iron Kingdom Chronicles, Book One (espionage and battles in a steam-filled universe!)



We may have more soon. Stay tuned!

Happy Friday! Be safe out there, everyone. Best wishes to Tim Curry, who suffered a stroke last night; they say he’s recovering well.




From Zazoo: The Village Voice laid off Michael Musto (really?!?); Captain Picard rescued a bird in Brooklyn; and a modern speakeasy operated out of a derelict water tower. Just another week in New York City.



From Julie: Art made from books goes on exhibit, and Gandhi’s sandals (and will?) go up for auction!



From Satori: The Art of the Brick is coming! I hope to see this while it’s around.



From Bunny: An amazing, huge, and very blue crab made from stained glass.



Also from Bunny: The awesome news that the Museum of the Moving Image is creating a permanent gallery dedicated to the works of Jim Henson.



Have a spiffy weekend, everyone! Back on Tuesday.

This Day in the Life of the Internet infographic is pretty wild.




Also wild, in its own way, is the last chained library.



Harvard’s law library produces some great exhibits; this summer, they’re focusing on research itself.

I just found out today is World Goth Day. Huh, that’s nice, I thought. Then I found that, among other observations, Time has done a photographic slideshow in honor of World Goth Day. Who knew we’d be so mainstream one day? Huzzah!




I’ve been playing GeoGuessr with some success (I’ve discovered the secret, for me at least, is to guess Canada when in doubt). This topographic map of Titan looks like all sorts of fun to explore, and BLDGBLOG’s post on Victorian-era mountain exploration looks like a Lovecraft movie just waiting to happen.



In unrelated findings, I’m going to check out Test My Brain soon, especially the quiz in which you have to see faces in images. That’s my specialty!

Many thanks to Satori for pointing me toward the fascinating story of Weeksville. Both the past and the future of this place is amazing!

Bollywood is 100! They’re celebrating at Cannes.




Buffalo’s grain elevators have gotten a new life as art pieces.



Did you know Dali did watercolors of fruit? He did, and they’re a bit surreal, as you might expect.

Happy Friday! Many thanks to everyone who sent in links for this week's edition of Links from Others.




From Julie: Trying to censor Anne Frank’s diary has never worked out for the would-be censors.



From Cassandra: The internet has done awful things to the middle class, and colleges are doing awful things to poorer students.



From Nicole: What makes you a bad driver? Apparently, being a Libra is on the list.



From Zazoo: Coney Islands across the country, from New York to Cincinnati and beyond! (Also, I didn’t know that’s how the food got its name.)



From Beth via Facebook: GeoGuesser! I have not tried this yet, only because I know I will spend hours on it.



Have a spiffy weekend, everyone! See you next week.

The National Library of Finland is jaw-droppingly gorgeous.




The Dictionary of Numbers sounds like a fun way to get a grasp on figures. Randall Munroe of XKCD has some examples!



Also, using certain numbers can make figures sound less or more impressive. Good tips for budget season!

A hundred years ago, a huge flood came through the part of America where I live. Historical Natural Disasters is focusing on the 1913 flood, with some amazing photographs.




Meanwhile, Strange Maps is focusing on the wacky names of Shetland and Orkney.



And while looking around for more links, I came across Accidental Mysteries, which posts about all sorts of weird and wonderful stuff.

It's Ay-leen the Peacemaker's birthday today! Stop by Beyond Victoriana and celebrate!

It’s International Arts Day here on Folderol!




In Chile: Pablo Neruda’s body has been exhumed and it turns out that he did indeed have advanced cancer. But was that the actual cause of death? The answer still is unknown.



In India, the latest bestsellers are about Hindu mythology.



In Germany, archaeologists are beginning to explore execution sites.



And in Westeros, aka the Game of Thrones world, it turns out that everyone is pronouncing “Khaleesi” wrong.

Happy Friday!




From Cassandra: the powerful pull of writing, the messiness of psychiatric definitions, and the last sunset for three months in Antarctica.



From Julie: Librarians, being awesome!



From a Canadian steampunk on Facebook: Behold, an illustration of a steampunk librarian. Woot!



Have a spiffy weekend, everyone. See you next week.

It’s another work-related links day!




I know it’s shocking, but not everything is online yet.



Also shocking: CEOs like to speed-read their information.



The big buzzword right now in law firms is “legal project management.”



Yahoo and Dropbox are working together; now you can use Dropbox straight from Yahoo Mail.



A new book on Casanova, the world’s most famous librarian, fixes a lot of transcription and translation errors. Bonus gratuitous pic of David Tennant as Casanova in the article, too.

Very interesting, but sad: Photos of soldiers before, during, and after active duty, from LaLage Snow.




Very interesting, and goofy: Wrestler Mick Foley loves Tori Amos. And hey, he and I have the same favorite Tori song!

This week, I point you to other websites which are chock-full of historical and/or steampunk information!




The Edwardian Promenade always has something interesting.



The Smithsonian’s “Paleofuture” weblog is fantastic. Here, a link to Tesla’s predictions for the 21st century.


The British Newspaper Archives has a blog now, huzzah.



Mrs. Daffodil Digresses can be about many things; here’s a post on “murderabilia” collectibles in the 1910s.

Diana Rigg (aka Mrs. Emma Peel) is on Game of Thrones! How awesome!




Technology and typography: how one influences the other.



A book about daily rituals of creative people shows that there is no established successful method. That’s why they’re creative, I guess…

Happy Friday!

Bill Lucey talks about The Great Gatsby.

From Julie: F. Scott Fitzgerald's handwritten records have gone online.

Also from Julie: UFO in Glasgow and early America settler cannibalism.

From a few people: The World Wide Web is twenty years old, and CERN has recreated the first web page.

From Nicole: The Bloggess has the final word on the Keep Calm meme.

From Cassandra: Misconduct is epidemic these days. That's why you should hire introverts instead of extroverts! (Note: introverts are not necessarily neurotic.) And lastly, a bit of fun, as a cat interrupts a LEGO video. Hee.

Have a spiffy weekend, everyone! See you next week.

Today is a professional “links from others” day; all of the following were sent to me by co-workers!




The Magical Law Library Staff is just as powerful, albeit invisible, as it was in 2011.



Reading paper versus reading screens: where are we headed?



There are alternatives to Google Alerts when it comes to tracking people, places and things.



What’s the deal with researchers and c-level positions?



The act of literally thinking outside a box actually makes a person more creative. I think this is an excellent impetus for building forts.



I missed the petition to start a World Football Caucus of the Special Libraries Association, but it looks as if they got approved! And they have a Twitter account! Huzzah!

Happy May Day, Walpurgisnacht, and Beltane! You can see the celebrations and/or protests around the world.




(Wikipedia also tells me this is the founding date of the Illuminati. Man, this is an eventful day in history.)

It’s convention season! The Steampunk Empire Symposium just wrapped up, and the Steampunk World’s Fair is fast approaching.




Steampunk Art Supplies. Does what it says on the tin!



The Kickstarter project for A Study in Emerald has been funded, so keep an eye out for some spooky steampunk goodness.

Today's food for thought: Is Doctor Who a statement about post-imperial Britain? Some think so!

Happy Friday, and thank God April is almost over, because it has been one meat grinder of a month.




Folderol turned 13 last week, I think, and has broken out of its surly preteen sulk to offer a massive links from others Friday! Many thanks to everyone who has sent in links, emails, and been a supporter since 2000. (Eeep.)



From Julie:

• Queen Victoria’s silk stockings are up for auction!

• Also up for auction: the first book printed in the United States.

• The National Library of Scotland is hiring a full-time Wikipedia editor. Awesome future job possibilities!

• “A British man who spent four years designing and building an enormous diesel-powered hexapod robot admits it has no purpose.” I love people like this so much.

From Tim in Sussex, whom I am guessing works with Julie: Canes were the muscle cars of the 19th century. Pimp my walk, indeed!



From Cassandra:

• Mars needs women…sci-fi writers!

• There are new guidelines for medical exams in sexual assault cases.

• A woman turns being bullied into a powerful statement via photography.

• Does alcohol help or hurt writers? The answer seems to be yes.

From Zazoo: “Mysterious Bronze Age structure discovered underneath an ancient lake!”



Have a spiffy weekend, everyone! Thanks again. See you next week.

Hi there. Not dead, not abandoning the weblog, just busy with assorted life stuff. Back soon!

Wow, this week is...pretty rough, isn't it?

On a positive note, the Digital Public Library of America went live today!

Today's lovely moment.



You go, New Zealand. Here's some information about the song they're singing.

It's National Library Week, so here's a minute-long look at what I work with every day. (Paper cutouts and classical music are optional.)

Things you can do today:

1. Behold Ali and all his fantastic outfits!

2. Learn how to make a paper umbrella. You never know when this might come in handy!

Happy Friday!




From Julie: An amazing archaeological dig is going on in the middle of London, discovering Roman constructions.



Also from Julie: a different dig in South Africa is going much further back in human history.



From Cassandra: The power of talking to your baby! Just imagine!



From the good people who bring you Retronaut: Behold Anywhen, a site you can curate yourself.



Have a spiffy weekend, everyone! See you next week.

Oh, Thursdays. It usually rains (which is not a bad thing) and I work weird hours (also usually not a bad thing) and it’s the day for library-related posts on Folderol (which can be inspiring or depressing, depending on what’s going on in libraryland).




For instance, I discovered a wonderful thing to do with our barcode scanners.



The United Nations has a page full of resources; there is some great stuff there for researchers.



Going electronic? Want to know what to do with all those books? Consider the expanding world of book insulation! With proper methods and precautions, you can use this for an entire house!

Today marks the beginning of the Action Auction here in town! Get those bids in! (This is a scaled-down version of the Auction. It used to run ten days and take over one’s life.)




Elsewhere around the world…



Skis plus snowmobiles equal Arctic Man in Alaska.



In Washington, meanwhile, they’re celebrating daffodils with parades and queens and all sorts of crazy shenanigans.



In Arkansas, the Scottish Festival begins.



In Texas, Galveston’s FeatherFest takes wing.



In South Carolina, it’s all about the grits.



And in Cambridge, the spring literary festival takes place this weekend. Festival season has begun!

This website on antique Japanese dolls is extensive and amazing.




Also amazing, but in a different way, is this slideshow of architectural photography.

It's been a long time coming, but today the answer is yes!

Happy Friday!




From Bunny: The members of the Cincinnati Reds have some weird choices in the music played when they come to bat. I love this sort of thing.



From Nicole: Kentucky libraries may be in serious pain if this decision holds.



From Cassandra: Amazing views of our solar system.



From Zazoo: “Call from any pay phone in Manhattan to hear what that block was like 20 years before!”



From They Might Be Giants, who now have a Tumblr: A wacky leaflet that could just maybe save your life.



Have a spiffy weekend, everyone! I discovered that RapGenius is also doing poetry, so I’ll be reading the annotated version of The Wasteland. See you next week.

How much do you know about cereal? Mental Floss has a video quiz, and you can click on the answer (in the video) to be taken to the next video! Neat technology.




Kate Beaton supports Project Bookmark, and you should, too – if you donate today, you’ll be put in the drawing for her Hark, a Vagrant! book. I have the book and can guarantee it is great.



In Secret Door, you open a door and are taken to…somewhere on the globe. Sometimes you’re told where you are, more or less, and sometimes you have to guess. I ended up in a weird store in Sussex, with a Dalek and old suits. Then I clicked the door again and ended up in Antarctica, I think. Good for deductive reasoning!

If you can, take a moment today to honor Jane Henson, who has just died, and for being part of the joy of the Muppets.

Hello! The drawing for Vintage Tomorrows will be held either tonight or tomorrow, and will be posted sometime this week. Then it’s a break from giveaways for a short while. Thanks to everyone who participated, and there will be more in the future!



So while we were occupied with book-wrangling, a lot happened in the steampunk world. For instance, the papal conclave was held, and Business Insider (!) did a story on the “steampunk contraption” used by the conclave in selecting a new pope.


Jim Butcher, author of The Dresden Files series, signed on for a new series in the world of steampunk.


Armor Games came out with Steampunk Tower, another fun (and free!) steampunk-themed game. I got to Level 4 before falling apart, strategy-wise.


Have you seen the Cryptohistorians yet? They are all sorts of awesome, and deserve huge amounts of attention.


Gears and Steam moved from LiveJournal to Tumblr. And speaking of Tumblr, the beautiful Nowhereland posts gorgeous Art Deco images, and also photographs such as this beauty from the 1880s and this rebel from the 1890s. It’s definitely worth a look!

Today, being April 1st, is a day to be very wary of the internet.




The Guardian is compiling a best-of web pranks page – not sure if this study on mobile usability is there yet, but it should be. (Hint: cats are involved.)



Metafilter, as usual, is great on this day. Welcome to Metafiltrest! (And check the drop-down menu at the top for some variations.)



The annual Peeps diorama contest has ended, and the entries just get better every year.