"You've got to have a broader vision, & a bigger dream." -Bill Withers, on getting out of a small town. https://t.co/L2SaLfHxMS @Bullseye

🗣️The people have SPOKEN! Time after time, the question from my escalator talk audiences is: "A book? When is this going to be a book?" (Wednesday, one added, "'Cause I would read the HECK out of this!") I've got a proposal out; 🤞that we can make our wishes come true! 📚

Speaking tonight at the Site of the Future Jay-Z Memorial Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library™️. —Closest I've been to the old neighborhood in a while.

I don't have any reasons I've left them all behind

4. Ironically, as the tentacles of Macy's (under Federated) expanded/swallowed up Wannamaker's, Kaufmann's, and other regional American retailers, similar—if not older—escalators were, at some point, also at a Macy's, before cutbacks replaced the units, or shut those stores down.

Why am I not taking Macy's escalator questions at this time? 1. The wood-tread escalators at Herald Square aren't the oldest in the world, or even the store, 2. Yes, I know about them; they were in my 1st thesis in 2007, 3. The #1 question I get is about Macy's wooden escalators,

Beyond thrilled and honored to give a talk on escalator history to experienced NYC sightseeing guides next week! What questions would you ask me (other than something about the escalators at Macy's Herald Square)? 📷: Marjory Collins. Escalators at Penn Station, NY, 1942.

#EscalatorHistory

Oh, what's this I found (at work)? n.b.: Other than "a manuscript, that mentions two of America's first four presidents," I honestly don't know. My Library has no record of it, and no confirmed provenance. It was with some other documents.

—Now, there's a Master's-level thesis in there, somewhere, but this isn't the time. Instead, imagine a transit system with built-in pauses, and then think about how different that could make cities.

So, what's the contradiction? Escalator manufacturers actually want you to stand—and not walk—but most of us don't know that. And this is important ...? If you think about it, why would designers want users to slow down in a space that's about getting from Point A to Point B?

Why am I documenting these? Contradiction! Escalators are in airports everywhere. Why? To provide brief rest for travelers, and control traffic in busy areas. But a lot of people don't stop; they walk or run. And the thing is: that's not safe, and it can break the escalator.

Howdy! Dallas-Fort Worth, I sped through you so quickly I didn't catch the brand (maybe Kone, which is Schindler?)! This is exactly the kind of advertising that would be great for a book about escalators! Balustrade advertising, treaded aluminum steps and risers. DFW ➡️ SNA

A travel day, through escalators. 1. Pittsburgh International: Schindler. Metal cleated treads and risers; width capacity: single; glass balustrades; three-sided caution painting. PIT ➡️ DFW #RBMS24

Oh, hello! (And a big thanks to ACRL & my anonymous nominator!)💝

Thrilled to announce that @SHG1970 and Kadin Henningsen are the 2023/24 APHA awardees! Join us for the annual meeting on Jan. 27!

I guess it really happened.

🐅 bebbehs!

It's time for this classic. #SpookySeason

🐦‍⬛🦆🐦 migration news, everybody! Opens to Hamilton County (OH), but you can easily check any other place in the US! n.b. Apparently, different birds migrated over my house than my mom's, just a wee south of here!

This is interesting: An estimated 90k birds flew over Hamilton County last night: