3 Sites to Tickle the Inner Librarian

On the lighter side, you may want to explore one of these three sites when there's a lull at the desk:

The Onion. Hilarious takes on the topics of the day. Clever enough to make you wonder if the entries just might be true. Example: "D.C. Site of First Homeless Depot." Political, but non-partisan. Besides, it started in Madison, Wisconsin, as many wacky things do. (Go Badgers!)

Mental Floss. Not a humor publication per se, but if you don't find humor in its articles, layout or general attitude, your bun is wound just a little too tightly. More a print publication than a website, MF still has some interesting electronic content (Fact of the Day, Quiz of the Day). In the Current Issue: "6 Tricky Song Lyrics You'll Never Get Wrong Again" and "Essential Physics for Parties."

Cartoon Bank. For a more genteel chuckle, this site offers a wealth of classic New Yorker cartoons and covers. Content is searchable by topic or artist, but browsing is every bit as fun. You can even order framed reprints of your favorites, like Peter Steiner's "On the Internet, nobody knows you're a dog." Hours of enjoyment.