In my eyes, the Kindle provides a great reading experience.  I like the device and how it works.  I like the ability to highlight quotes, store them, and share them.  I like how it manages books.

It all boils down to happiness.  From now on, I will encourage patrons to buy the eReader that makes them the happiest.  DRM issues, cloud storage, who actually owns the book…all of that stuff has importance, but it should be secondary to happiness and a great reading experience.

To encourage patrons to the eReader that makes them the happiest, I highly suggest programs like this where there’s open discussion and the ability to play around with eReaders.

Being a librarian can be a really, really hard job.  There’s a lot to be expected from us…we’re community leaders, we’re experts on books/technology/social media/pop culture/history/etc, we’re managers, we’re performers, and so much more.  The list really never ends.

In my own personal journey in dealing with my professional identity as a librarian, I’ve turned towards many things to help me sort out who I am and who I want to be. But my recent obsession with The Beach Boys and their music and history has taught me so much about the journey I’ve taken to reach this point.

To sum up my posts, these were the points I highlighted:

• YOU NEVER LOSE YOUR GIFT.
• EVEN IF THINGS DON’T GO AS PLANNED, IT’S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD.
• EXPERIMENT AND PUSH BOUNDARIES BECAUSE WHO KNOWS, YOU MAY END UP CREATING SOMETHING AMAZING.
• ALWAYS REMEMBER TO LAUGH.
• ALWAYS PUT YOUR HEART INTO IT.
• FOCUS ON WHAT YOU DO BEST AND DO THAT.

When I re-read my posts, it dawned on me that all of the things I learned were very human things.  Going forward, I believe that this is where the libraries of the future will move ahead.  Human interactions are at the core of what we do.  They will trump any discussion on ebooks, content, materials, budgets, and more.

The patron that leaves with a smile are the best things we could have for us as we move forward.

1977 saw the release of one of the most unique records in the Beach Boys catalog. That album, titled Love You, was full of chirping synthesizers, barely played drums, croaking voices, songs about Johnny Carson and the Solar System, and more.  The highlight of the album was that it featured 14 songs, all of which were either written or co-written by Brian Wilson himself.

By this point, Brian had been through the ringer.  He had the highs of the Beach Boys early successes, the lows of depression in the mid 70’s, and much much more.  However, on Love You, I hear the sound of a person full of excitement.

My favorite cut has to be “Mona”, which stomps along for just over two minutes, repeating the same chords and melody.  There’s just something so simple and lovely about it.

“Ding Dang” is a burst of energy which lasts even less than a minute but it’s packed full of energy.  I always smile when I hear this song…and then put it on again, and again, and again….

All of Love You blows me away.  The songs may have simple melodies, cheesy lyrics, and not appeal to everyone, but Love You taught me that those kinds of things don’t matter.  The emotions you pass along to the people in life are the only thing that’s important.

No matter how hard things get in your life you YOU NEVER LOSE YOUR GIFT.

Brian Wilson was partially out of commission by the time that the Beach Boys reached 1973’s album Holland.  I say partially because he’s actually there for a moment or two.  His voice is only heard on one song (“California Saga: California”), and he also had a had in writing the two best songs on the album

(“Sail On Sailor” and “Funky Pretty”).

To me, the the real gem was hidden tucked away on a 45” single that was packaged with Holland.  Titled “Mt. Vernon and Fairway”, this standalone piece was a 12 minute musical fairy tale created by Brian Wilson.  Word has it that Brian wanted the whole piece to be featured on the album but the rest of the band vetoed him.  This action caused Brian to turn away from not only music but the real world.  He stayed away in his bed for many years, out of touch, depressed, and miserable.  Brian Wilson would never be the same.

“Mt. Vernon and Fairway” is not only a great marriage of music and story, but also a tale about when things don’t go as planned.  Brian’s vision for “Mt. Vernon and Fairway” didn’t play out as he wished, but it did get released and I know at least one person who was blown away by the story.  “Mt. Vernon and Fairway” taught me that EVEN IF THINGS DON’T GO AS PLANNED, IT’S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD.  If you follow through and at least get through to one person, you’ve still given something extraordinary to someone.

Think about your life as a librarian.  Sometimes you have a program that doesn’t go as well as you expected.  Sometimes you look back on what types of materials you collected and realized that they may not have been the best choices.  It’s easy to turn towards sadness and regret, but think about it this way: those decisions may not have been the best for you, but you may have changed someones life.

SMiLE could’ve been known the greatest album of all time.  Instead, it was never really finished, and Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys followed another path.  However, I’m not gonna focus on the fact that it was never completed due to (mental illness, peer pressure, drugs, emotional problems) but instead celebrate what it is.  SMiLE, even in its incomplete form, is a true masterwork, the sound of an artist pushing the boundaries and daring to try extremely radical new things.  SMiLE taught me to EXPERIMENT AND PUSH BOUNDARIES BECAUSE WHO KNOWS, YOU MAY END UP CREATING SOMETHING AMAZING.

*I must interject: this music may sound “normal” to us now, but think about it in the context of 1966, before the hippie movement, before Sgt. Pepper, and before any kind of musical freak out.  This was OUT THERE.*

As I listen to SMiLE, I hear a new type of music and an artist saying “ok, this is how we’re going to do it now.”  I see that in a lot of the work people are doing in libraries and what people are writing about on library blogs.  I feel a bit of “so, we didn’t do that before, but who cares, now we will!” in the air these days when it comes to libraries.  I like that.  It makes me think of this time when Brian Wilson was creating SMiLE.  Who cares what happened in the past?  Try somethig new.

Once SMiLE was aborted, focus turned towards a new album called Smiley Smile.  Don’t let the name fool you…Smiley Smile is not SMiLE, but at the same time has parts of SMiLE.  Confused?  Your best chance at understanding this is just listening to the two albums.

Smiley Smile may not be a great piece of work, but it reminded to ALWAYS REMEMBER TO LAUGH.  The Beach Boys sounded like they were sure having fun at these sessions.  Never take yourself too seriously.  Put a little bit of a giggle in everything you do.

And remember to SMiLE.

In 1964 Brian Wilson had a mental breakdown.  He was heading for another Beach Boys show when it all hit him.  He couldn’t go on any longer being the person who wrote, produced, and performed all of these songs.  He knew what he wanted to do, and that was writing and producing the band’s music.  He wanted to stay at home and hone his craft.

I was all over the place in regards to libraries in early 2011.  I was involved in way too many projects and was dipping my toes in way too many areas of interest.  I was cutting myself into little pieces trying to make everything happen and please everyone.  It didn’t work.

What did I get from these albums?
FOCUS ON WHAT YOU DO BEST AND DO THAT.

“When I Grow Up To Be A Man” and the whole second side of Today are  the best examples of why focusing on what you do best can lead to great things.  When I listen to these selections, I hear the sound of a songwriter really understanding what he can do and where he wants to take this.  Looking at what Brian Wilson did with music over the next few years, it’s easy to trace his movement towards a more spiritual form of music.

Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)is, to me, the ultimate “summer” album.  It has all the elements of fun, sunshine, the smell of cotton candy, roller coasters, and more.  It reminds me of my own summer vacations on at the Jersey shore as a child.  The song “California Girls”, with its pop orchestral introduction is one of the most recognizable and beautiful pieces of music ever created.Left to focus on what he wanted to do, Brian was able to create some of the most recognizable songs of his generation.  That’s why I am stressing the importance of every librarian finding out what they do best and focusing on that.  It may look great to be on every ALA committee, have tons of library programs under your belt, and do all of these other library related things, but in the end you’ll get worn out.  Take a step back, breathe, and look at what you really want to accomplish.For me, I wanted to focus on people….seeing the goodness in everyone, connecting with people, and making sure my community came first before everything else.  I’m just starting my journey, but I’m refreshed.  I’m ready to be the librarian that I always wanted to be.

I leave you with this great performance of “California Girls” from 1965.

It was in these months that it dawned on me why I liked the Beach Boys so much.  Their story is both tragic and successful, alternating between utterly horrible choices and some of the most amazing, soul warming music to ever be heard.  Their story was so very human.

I couldn’t help but think about libraries during this time no matter how hard I tried.  There’s something about these institutions that keeps calling me back.  They’re both tragic and successful, and at most times can be some one of the most amazing, soul warming places a person can HEY WAIT A SECOND I NOTICE SOMETHING.

It may be far fetched to you, but I saw some kind of connection in each step of the Beach Boys career with where libraries were/are now/are heading.  Why?  Because there’s a thread that runs through every story and every institution.  It’s a tale of happiness, sadness, and the journey through it all.  Each moment brings a new experience.  Each new experience is part of a specific era. The Beach Boys worked in singles, albums, and tours.  We in libraries work in programs, collections, and people.  Each of these things tell our stories.

The journey will be bizarre and not always make a lot of sense to the reader, but I feel like this is something I have to write in order to make sense of all the things swirling around in my head.  All of the pieces are there but nothing’s not solid just yet.  I’m hoping this writing journey makes some sense out of everything in my head and along the way gives something back to the reader.

So, here we go…