My OPAC…blows? And that’s…good?
Fri 1 Sep 2006, 2:23 pm
The September 2006 issue of Computers in Libraries has an article on the problems with OPACs, and the “OPACs Suck” meme.
It might be a great article, but I haven’t read it yet. I’m too busy snickering like an adolescent over the title and the pullquote.
The title is “Making OPACs Blow.”
And the pull quote is “Everyone seems to be in general agreement that OPACs suck. Because the opposite of sucking is blowing, we wanted to make OPACs blow again–for everyone.”
Didn’t anyone run this copy past a seventh grader?
- License:
- File under: Professional reading
- Comments? 13
COME TOGETHER @ YOUR LIBRARY.
damn.
Comment by jessamyn — September 1, 2006 @ 6:13 pm
Say it ain’t so! Blow? Oh No!
Comment by Michael Stephens — September 1, 2006 @ 8:43 pm
“…we wanted to make OPACs blow again–for everyone.”
Bwah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!
In the words of Bart Simpson, “I didn’t think it was physically possible, but this both sucks and blows.”
Comment by joshua m. neff — September 1, 2006 @ 9:34 pm
People who write catch phrases should be REQUIRED to watch TV and movies (and not just PBS and G Rated movies, either), listen to songs (the ones on Sesame Street don’t count), and live near grade-schoolers and teenagers. (A college student or two added into the mix wouldn’t hurt either.)
Wow.
Comment by Iris — September 2, 2006 @ 10:05 am
Iris: YES.
Also, my wife insists I reference A Mighty Wind in these comments. “A mighty wind is blowin’ you and me…”
Comment by joshua m. neff — September 2, 2006 @ 12:31 pm
Hah!!! A mighty wind… Crank that comment up to 11. 10 just isn’t loud enough.
Comment by Iris — September 2, 2006 @ 9:07 pm
*dies and is dead*
Computers in Libraries, too, which always tries to be hipper than hip. Sheesh.
On the plus side, Evergreen ILS was formally released today, yay!
Comment by Dorothea — September 5, 2006 @ 7:15 am
Was the person who wrote the copy ever a seventh grader?
My illustrious alma mater 25 years ago had an athletic facility named after a Captain Blow. It was, to general hilarity even back then, “Blow Gym.”
Comment by Robin — September 6, 2006 @ 11:40 am
*wipes tears from eyes*
Ok, now I’ve stopped laughing I spose I’ll go and read the article :D
Comment by CW — September 6, 2006 @ 10:29 pm
Wow! Greatest article title ever!
Comment by dave free — September 7, 2006 @ 10:45 am
Made me think of this Simpsons moment from the 7th season episode, Lisa the Vegetarian:
Marge: [To Maggie] This is where the wolf blows down the pigs house.
Bart: [Sarcastically] He blows all right, he blows big time.
Marge: That’s it honey, get into the spirit.
Comment by Jason — September 7, 2006 @ 5:35 pm
“snickering like an adolescent” indeed! you crazy kids. to answer your questions, no, I don’t run copy past any seventh graders. I didn’t think anyone that young read CIL. seriously tho, the title & pullquote were specifically meant to grab people’s attention and get them to read the article. it’s called teaser copy, and it’s working like a charm!
yet, people still believe that librarians are shy and old-fashioned. HA! if only they saw this.
Comment by Kathy — September 14, 2006 @ 3:29 pm
Thanks Kathy, and thanks everyone. I think we have a new point of data for Walt Crawford who asked, at the end of his recent Looking at Liblogs something about what kinds of posts get the most comments.
Comment by Steve Lawson — September 14, 2006 @ 4:04 pm