Contents
U.S. & World News
ALA News
Booklist Online
Chicago Update
Division News
Round Table News
Awards
Seen Online
Tech Talk
Publishing
Actions & Answers
Calendar

Ohio governor’s budget would slash library funding
Public libraries throughout Ohio have altered their landing pages (see Dayton, Cleveland, Columbus, and Toledo) to alert patrons about Gov. Ted Strickland’s draconian June 19 proposal to slash a total of $227.3 million over the next two years from the state’s Public Library Fund. The messages emphasized the urgency of contacting state lawmakers on the conference committee before June 30 when they must finalize the FY2010–11 budget. The Ohio Library Council’s Lynda Murray said enacting the budget would effectively cut library support in half for some 70% of the 251 public libraries that are funded solely by the state. Follow the news in the Save Ohio Libraries blog and Facebook page....
American Libraries Online, June 23

Court strikes down Contra Costa worship ban
A federal district court barred Contra Costa County (Calif.) Library from enforcing its ban on religious services in its meeting room June 19, overturning a 2006 decision by the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that allowed the library to bar the Faith Center Church Evangelistic Ministries from holding services there. Judge Jeffrey White, who granted the 2005 injunction against the library’s ban on religious services, ruled this time that the county could not legally prohibit prayer services while allowing religious discussion because it did not have a way to distinguish between the two....
American Libraries Online, June 24

Jim Rettig on the proposed Ohio library cuts
Since January 2009, Ohio public libraries have lost approximately 20% of their state funding. Currently Gov. Ted Strickland has proposed an additional 30% reduction. ALA President Jim Rettig released a statement in response to the proposed library budget cuts: “What will happen to the people of Ohio if their right to free access to information is taken away?” Rettig asked. “The governor’s drastic proposed library budget cuts are the largest in history and will impact more than 8 million registered library card holders.”...

Arne Duncan and Jon Corzine visit Fanwood Library
Summer reading programs like the one offered at the Fanwood (N.J.) Memorial Library play a critical role in a child’s educational development, according to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. On June 22, Duncan joined New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine at the library to launch a national campaign called United We Serve, promoting volunteerism and community involvement....
Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger, June 22

Chatting with Arne Duncan
American Libraries Editor-in-Chief Leonard Kniffel writes: “Fresh from the launch of United We Serve at the Fanwood (N.J.) Memorial Library, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan took time to do a Newsmaker interview for American Libraries June 22. I chatted with him for about 20 minutes, and he talked with conviction about the value of libraries and the threats to funding they are facing. He noted ironically that budget cuts are in inverse proportion to the rising demand for their services, which are essential to solving America’s financial and social problems.”...
AL Inside Scoop, June 23

Public libraries and e-government
In the fourth of a series of reports regarding technology access in U.S. public libraries, the Office for Research and Statistics is highlighting how public library technology supports the use of e-government information and resources. U.S. Public Libraries and E-Government Services (PDF file) describes the increased use of online government information and services, the critical role of public libraries in helping provide access and assistance using them, and the challenges that must be addressed to improve e-government at the local, state, and federal level....

Many Voices, One Nation
The ALA Office for Diversity will showcase the diverse voices of our world at the “Many Voices, One Nation” program, an evening of literature and performance July 10 during Annual Conference in Chicago. This year’s theme is “Changing Communities through Literature and Activism.” The program will feature novelist Nami Mun, spoken word artist George Watsky, children’s author Janice Harrington, writer Ed Bok Lee, and poet Rachel Zucker....

Annual Conference exhibitor coupons
Print out these PDF coupons and bring them to Chicago to get a head start on drawings, gifts, discounts, previews, and hot tips from exhibitors at Annual Conference. The coupons will also be in the ActionAd Easy-To-Use Guide to the Exhibits in your conference bag....
ALA and Library Journal

Grassroots Programs at Annual Conference
This year’s ALA Annual Conference in Chicago will feature 10 “Grassroots Programs” selected by a jury of library school students and practitioners from 118 proposals. The programs are part of ALA President Jim Rettig’s presidential initiative to increase opportunities for members to participate in, contribute to, and benefit from their Association. They will be identified in the conference program book with a distinctive grassroots logo....

Discover poetry in Chicago
Poetry-minded attendees of the 2009 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago will be pleased to discover a series of conference offerings to delight and inspire the lyrical librarian. The ALA Public Programs Office, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, will present a slate of poetry programming July 9–15....

Be an Emerging Leader
ALA is now accepting applications for the 2010 class of Emerging Leaders. The program is designed to enable approximately 100 library workers to get on the fast track to ALA and professional leadership.  Participants are given the opportunity to work on a variety of projects, network with peers and get an inside look into the ALA structure and activities. The deadline to apply is July 31....

Emerging Leaders poster session
The ALA 2009 class of Emerging Leaders will showcase their final projects at a poster session July 10 during ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. Since the Midwinter Meeting, the groups have been working virtually on projects related to ALA or a professional concern that they will showcase in the session.... 

Go green with the Conference Materials Archive
Last year we inaugurated the ALA Conference Materials Archive wiki. It includes links to materials from earlier conferences, along with links to similar material from some of ALA’s units. The goal is for all collateral conference material to be linked in some way from this wiki. So, if you are a speaker at the ALA 2009 Annual Conference in Chicago, this is the place for you to upload your handouts, or to publish links to your material, if it is resident on another site....
ALA Marginalia, June 24

Usability testers needed at conference
A number of usability tests of division websites are scheduled at Annual Conference in Chicago. Interested members should contact their division web content managers to volunteer. Members are also needed to help with ALA Connect testing....
ITTS Blog, June 17

Chicago festivals
A street fair or festival is usually going on somewhere in the city throughout the summer. During Annual Conference, there will be a free outdoor showing of Sunset Boulevard in Grant Park on July 14, a Thai Festival in Daley Plaza July 8–10, an Irish-American Heritage Festival in North Park July 10–12, the Chicago Tribune Magnificent Mile Art Festival July 10–12, the Chicago Folk and Roots Festival in Lincoln Square July 11–12, and much more....
Metromix Chicago

CCF fundraiser at the Steppenwolf Theatre
There’s still time to purchase tickets for an evening in support of the ALA Cultural Communities Fund on July 10. The ticket includes a cocktail reception, a performance of 500 Clown and the Elephant Deal at Chicago’s renowned Steppenwolf Theatre, and talk-back with cast and creatives following the show. Purchase tickets through an order form (PDF File) or by contacting Amanda Rychener at (800) 545-2433, ext. 5287....

New TSA Secure Flight program
Since May 15, when purchasing tickets, airline passengers are required to provide their name as it appears on the government-issued ID that they plan to use when traveling. This is the first phase of a new TSA program called Secure Flight. Make sure the name on your ticket matches your name as it appears on your driver’s license or passport. For the near future, small differences between ID and reservation information (such as the use of a middle initial, instead of a full middle name or no middle name or initial at all) should not cause a problem for the passenger....
TSA Blog, May 15; Transportation Security Administration

Paula Poundstone to toast ALTAFF
Author and comedian Paula Poundstone (right) will help ALTAFF celebrate its first official ALA Annual Conference with a champagne toast at the ALA Membership Pavilion, July 12, at 4:00 p.m. ALTAFF was formed in early 2009 when Friends of Libraries U.S.A. and the Association for Library Trustees and Advocates joined to become the new voice for America’s libraries. The celebration is free and open to all. Listen to ALTAFF Executive Director Sally Gardner Reed discuss ALTAFF in this podcast....

ALTAFF program
Attend the ALTAFF program July 11 at ALA Annual Conference in Chicago and meet two speakers who have been a force for advocating change statewide—Illinois Rep. Emily McAsey (District 85) and Illinois Sen. Arthur Wilhelmi (District 43). In addition, meet and listen to Pierette Simpson (right), author of Alive on the Andrea Doria, who will have you riveted as she shares her amazing story of being part of the greatest sea rescue in history and her pursuit to find the truth of what happened that night....

Nick Taylor rounds out RUSA Literary Breakfast
Nick Taylor, author of American-Made: The Enduring Legacy of the WPA, will join Mark Harris (Pictures at a Revolution), Toby Barlow (Sharp Teeth), and Peter Manseau (Songs for the Butcher’s Daughter) as presenters at the RUSA Literary Tastes Breakfast July 12 at ALA Annual Conference. The authors will read from their work, ruminate on writing, and sign books while attendees enjoy a scrumptious breakfast....

LITA’s electronic participation task force
A new toolkit is available to help ALA members who want to bring remote participants into a meeting or who want to stream a session’s audio or video to a remote audience. The LITA Electronic Participation Implementation Task Force has been working for the last few months by email and on the LITA wiki to create the EParticipation Task Force Recommendations....
ALA TechSource Blog, June 17

Patricia Martin to speak at LLAMA President’s Program
Author and consultant Patricia Martin (right) will speak at the LLAMA President’s Program on July 12 at ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. Martin is one of the nation’s foremost authorities on the emerging marketplace created by the convergence of art, entertainment, education, and technology....

ALCTS events at Annual Conference
The ALCTS President’s Program on July 13 will feature James Cuno, president and director of the Art Institute of Chicago, discussing his book, Who Owns Antiquity? Museums and the Battle over Our Ancient Heritage....

ALSC programs at Annual Conference
ALSC is hosting a number of great programs and events at ALA Annual Conference this year, including ALSC 101, the ALSC Charlemae Rollins President’s Program, the Newbery Caldecott Wilder Banquet, and the ALSC Happy Hour. Other things to keep your eyes out for at Annual Conference include ALSC’s new Born to Read materials and the launch of phase two of the Kids! @ your library public awareness campaign....

ACRL’s summer e-learning schedule
ACRL is offering a variety of timely live webcasts addressing hot topics in academic librarianship this summer. Webcasts last from an hour and a half to two hours and take place in an interactive online classroom. Group discounts are available. Full details and registration information are available on the ACRL website....

What makes Tango so scary?
The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Round Table is sponsoring a program July 12 during the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago that will focus on the issues of intellectual freedom, child development, and censorship of children’s books with LGBT themes, called “What Makes Tango so Scary?” The program will feature the authors of And Tango Makes Three, Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell (above)....

NMRT résumé review service
Have your resume reviewed and updated during the 2009 ALA Annual Conference. On July 11–12, in the Grand Ballroom of McCormick Place-South, the New Members Round Table Résumé Review Service will offer an opportunity for you to have your résumé reviewed by knowledgeable fellow professionals. Volunteer greeters will answer any questions you may have....
ALA Student Member Blog, June 24

CLENE events at Annual Conference
The Continuing Library Education and Networking Exchange Round Table has a lot of wonderful stuff going on at ALA: programs, sold-out preconferences, a discussion group, and more. They hope to see you at one of their programs and you are invited to join them at their board meetings....
CE Buzz, June 20

Doyle receives Freedom to Read Foundation Roll of Honor award
Robert P. Doyle, executive director of the Illinois Library Association, is the recipient of the 2009 Freedom to Read Foundation Roll of Honor Award. Doyle is also editor of the Banned Books Resource Guide, a compendium of thousands of books that have been subject to censorship challenges. Prior to joining ILA, he served as director of ALA’s International Relations Office and before that as deputy director of the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom. The Roll of Honor was established in 1987 to recognize and honor those individuals who have contributed substantially to FTRF....

Stonewall awards presentation
The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Round Table will honor the 2009 winners and honorees of the Stonewall Book Awards on July 13 during the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. Evan Fallenberg, winner of the Gittings Literature Award, will be present to receive the award for Light Fell (Soho Press). William N. Eskridge Jr., winner of the Israel Fishman Non-fiction Award for Dishonorable Passions: Sodomy Laws in America, 1861–2003 (Viking) will make a video presentation....

EBSCO ALA Conference Sponsorship Award winners
ALA and EBSCO Information Services have announced 10 winners of the 2009 EBSCO ALA Conference Sponsorship awards. The awards, each in the amount of $1,000, are presented annually to 10 ALA members to enable them to attend the ALA Annual Conference....

Apply for the 2010 National Library Week grant
Libraries are invited to apply for the $3,000 Scholastic Library Publishing National Library Week Grant, which will be awarded to a single library for the best public-awareness campaign incorporating the 2010 National Library Week theme, “Communities thrive @ your library.” The grant is sponsored by Scholastic Library Publishing and administered by the ALA Public Awareness Committee. The application deadline is October 16. National Library Week is April 11–17, 2010....

Susan Luevano is 2009 Trejo Librarian of the Year (PDF file)
The first woman elected to the presidency of Reforma has been selected by the organization to receive its 2009 Arnulfo Trejo Librarian of the Year Award. Susan Luevano, an anthropology, ethnic, and women’s studies librarian at California State University, Long Beach, will accept the award at the Reforma National Conference this July in Chicago....
Reforma, June 18

2009 Pritzker Military Library Literature Award
Historian Gerhard L. Weinberg has been selected to receive the 2009 Pritzker Military Library Literature Award for Lifetime Achievement in Military Writing. The $100,000 honorarium, sponsored by the Chicago-based Tawani Foundation, will be presented at the library’s annual Liberty Gala on October 24 at Chicago’s Palmer House Hilton Hotel. The award recognizes a living author for a body of work that has profoundly enriched the public understanding of American military history....
Pritzker Military Library, June 22

Two libraries receive NLS awards
The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped at the Library of Congress presented awards June 19 to the Perkins Braille and Talking Book Library of Watertown, Massachusetts, and to the Miami-Dade (Fla.) Public Library System’s Talking Books Library Service of Florida. The Watertown library received the Network Library of the Year Award for outstanding accomplishments in 2008, and the Miami library received the third annual Network Subregional Library of the Year Award....
Library of Congress, June 19

21st Century Librarian Program grants
The Institute of Museum and Library Services June 17 awarded 33 institutions Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program grants totaling $20.4 million. With these grants, library students and staff will assist very young children in achieving early literacy, support libraries in rural communities, increase the number of school library media specialists, and enable other recruitment and education programs....
Institute of Museum and Library Services, June 17

Big Read grants total $3.7 million
The Institute of Museum and Library Service, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, awarded Big Read grants to 269 arts, culture, and science organizations, libraries, and municipalities on June 23. The communities and institutions will use the grants, totaling $3.7 million, to host Big Read celebrations that bring communities together to read, discuss, and celebrate one of 30 selections from U.S. and world literature....
Institute of Museum and Library Services, June 23

Final installment of IMLS Bookshelf program ends
907 museums, libraries, and archives have been selected to receive the Institute of Museum and Library Services Connecting to Collections Bookshelf. This is the third and final installment of the Bookshelf program, which has distributed 2,751 sets of books, online resources, and a user’s guide to institutions in every part of the country....
Institute of Museum and Library Services, June 17

2009 Library Technology Excellence Award
Publishing company IGI Global has awarded its first Library Technology Excellence Award to Chia-Wen Tsai, assistant professor of information management at Ming Chuan University in Taiwan, for his work on enhancing the computing skills of low-achieving students through online learning. The award honors an individual for an extraordinary commitment to using and understanding technological resources within the academic and research community....
IGI Global, June 23

David Gemmell Legend Prize for fantasy
The David Gemmell Legend Prize, established to lend dignity to the fantasy genre, is awarded to Andrzej Sapkowski’s bestselling tale of dwarves, elves, gnomes, and humans, Blood of Elves. Over 10,000 fans from 75 countries voted in the prize, with Sapkowski eventually emerging triumphant from a shortlist of five authors. He wins a battle axe—named Snaga—that featured in David Gemmell’s fiction....
The Guardian (U.K.), June 19

Scottish Book of the Year
Acclaimed writer James Kelman has won Book of the Year 2009 in the Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust Book Awards for his novel Kieron Smith, Boy. Managed by the Scottish Arts Council, the award nets the author a prize of £30,000 ($49,133 U.S.). Kelman was presented his award June 19 at the Borders Book Festival in Melrose, Scotland. His novel charts the life of a young boy in postwar Glasgow as his family moves from a traditional tenement to a new housing facility on the outskirts of the city....
Scottish Arts Council

2009 Dundee Picture Book Award
At a June 9 ceremony, 500 of the children in Dundee, Scotland, who participated in the process of voting for the winning picture book had an opportunity to see the authors and illustrators who have given them so much enjoyment. This year’s winner is Fleabag, written and illustrated by Helen Stephens. The award, which carries a £1,000 ($1,638 U.S.) prize, recognizes excellence in storytelling for children and encourages youngsters to read....
Dundee Library and Information Services

Rallies for Ohio libraries
A large crowd gathered outside the Cleveland Public Library July 24 in one of the first of many public rallies protesting Gov. Strickland’s massive proposed budget cuts to libraries. Cleveland Plain Dealer columnist Regina Brett’s editorial reflects the sentiments of many Ohioans as library services, hours, and staff are about to be lost unless the legislature rejects this measure on June 30. According to reports, the governor’s office has fielded nearly 14,000 emails from angry constituents over the proposed cuts. His phone line seized operation on June 22 because of the influx of calls. If you are tweeting on the situation in Ohio, add the #saveohiolibraries hash tag to help make this a Twitter Trending Topic...
WKYC-TV, Cleveland, June 23; TwitPic; Save Ohio Libraries; Cleveland Plain Dealer, June 23; Cleveland Leader, June 24

Pittsburgh’s money woes
As the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh continues to serve more people and renovate its aging branches, it anticipates a sharp decline in government support, including a $1.6-million cut in 2010 with more to follow, library leaders warned June 22. Speaking beneath the “Free to the People” inscription at the library’s Oakland headquarters, Llibrary Board Chairwoman Jacqui Fiske Lazo and Library President Barbara Mistick warned of tough financial times over the next four years....
Pittsburgh (Pa.) Post-Gazette, June 23

Arch dedicated to first black librarian in Montana
The life and accomplishments of civil rights pioneer and library advocate Alma Jacobs were celebrated outside the Great Falls (Mont.) Public Library June 20 during a dedication of a new plaza fountain in her memory. Jacobs was the first black librarian in Montana and later served as head librarian in Great Falls from 1954 to 1973. One of Montana’s most prominent black leaders, she also served as the state librarian from 1973 to 1982. Watch the news video (2:20)....
Great Falls (Mont.) Tribune, June 21; KFBB-TV, Great Falls, June 20

Detroit library money diverted to city employee fund
The city of Detroit has been spending property tax money intended for Detroit Public Library employees’ benefits on city operations instead, according to Library Commissioner Jonathan Kinloch. Library staff learned in mid-June that the city spent $6.2 million in property tax money that was supposed to go to the library, dating back to July 1. The city still owes the library the money....
Detroit Free Press, June 20

Chinese internet strike on July 1
On July 1, the Chinese government will be rolling out censorship software on every new computer sold in the country. The software, called Green Dam Youth Escort, is intended to block pornography and possibly filter politically disruptive material, all while quietly gathering private user data. Beijing artist and prominent political critic Ai Weiwei (right) is calling for everyone in China to abandon the internet on the day the new rule takes effect....
ReadWriteWeb, June 23; Global Post, June 23

Washington court hears library filtering case
The Washington State Supreme Court heard arguments June 23 over whether an internet filter at the North Central Regional Library System in Wenatchee violates freedom of speech. The American Civil Liberties Union sued the regional library system in 2006 on behalf of three residents and a pro-gun organization who say the library’s internet filter policy violated their state and federal freedom of speech rights....
Wenatchee (Wash.) World, June 24

A literary legend fights for the Ventura County library
Science-fiction author Ray Bradbury, 88, ventured to the Ventura College Theatre June 20 for a benefit for the H. P. Wright branch of the Ventura County (Calif.) Library, which like many others in the state’s public system is in danger of shutting its doors because of budget cuts. Property tax dollars have fallen precipitously, putting the library system roughly $650,000 in the hole. Almost half of that amount is attributed to the H. P. Wright Library, which serves roughly two-thirds of Ventura....
New York Times, June 19

Son of Stinky erupts, briefly
The build-up was impressive, but the actual event felt as if it was over in a flash. The Huntington Library’s corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanum) bloomed June 17 in an event that people have been talking, texting, and tweeting about for weeks in giddy anticipation. The plant, famous for emitting a powerful stench as it reaches prime pollination hour, has been tracked on the Huntington’s website around the clock. No sooner had the unpredictable “Son of Stinky” bloomed than it began to wilt less than two days later. Watch the timelapse video (0:26) from the last bloom in 1999....
Los Angeles Times, June 19; Huntington Library; YouTube, June 15

Legal concerns force BYU to shelve Kindles
Brigham Young University’s Harold B. Lee Library is suspending a short-lived pilot program using Amazon.com’s electronic book, the Kindle, as a substitute for interlibrary loans. The program, which has been available to faculty members for about a month, created some buzz on library-related blogs for breaking ground in the uncertain area of lending books on the Kindle. Although BYU had verbal permission to proceed with the program, Roger Layton, library communications manager, said the program is on hold until the university has a clearer picture of Amazon’s legal concerns....
Salt Lake City Deseret News, June 20

Nazareth library error rectified
A 7-year-old boy from Tatamy, Pennsylvania, who was told last week that his Nazareth library card was invalid now can use the card until the end of the year. Lynn Snodgrass-Pilla, director of the Memorial Library of Nazareth and Vicinity, said June 22 that Dominick Philip would be permitted to use the card through year’s end. Melissa Philip, the boy’s mother, mistakenly received a Nazareth library card for her son about a year ago—an error that was revealed after Dominick’s photo was published in the Allentown Morning Call June 18....
Easton (Pa.) Express-Times, June 22

Historic library reopens as Literary Landmark
Nearly 11 months after being closed for repairs from an electrical fire, the Eudora Welty Library in Jackson, Mississippi, reopened June 22 with fanfare—readings, refreshments, and a declaration as a Literary Landmark. A July 25, 2008, fire caused nearly $1 million in damages to the library’s mechanical and electrical systems. Pulitzer Prize–winning author Welty was a daily visitor to the library, which was named after her when the building was replaced in 1986....
Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger, June 22

Wauconda unveils memorial to woman killed in Iraq
It has been nearly a year since Nicole Suveges died in Iraq while working as a political-science adviser for defense contractor BAE Systems, but her memory lives on outside the Wauconda (Ill.) Area Public Library. A 200-square-foot memorial garden featuring rose bushes, begonias, day lilies, a cobblestone walk, and sitting area now honors Suveges’s life and work. She had been supporting the 3rd Brigade Combat Team in Sadr City in “political, cultural, and tribal engagements.”...
Arlington Heights (Ill.) Daily Herald, June 22; CNN, June 26, 2008

Fee waiver lures the lax back to the stacks
People from all over the San Francisco Bay area came up with some decent, or at least inventive, explanations for their tardy tomes under a recent San Francisco Public Library amnesty program for overdues. Posters and video promos by local celebrities including airline pilot Chesley B. Sullenberger (right) were used to raise awareness of the program and add some fun to the process. In all, 29,000 overdues were returned during the two-week May amnesty program, including about 3,100 that were more than 60 days late and assumed lost....
Associated Press, June 18

Bat removal at University of Central Florida
A contractor hired to remove bats from the University of Central Florida Library in Orlando believes they got into the building to escape the rainy weather. The bats, 75 in all, were transferred to the university arboretum. A spokesman for the university said the bats were in administrative offices in the library and not in the public areas....
United Press International, June 18

Go back to the Top

Digital collections on DukeMobile iPhone app
Duke University Libraries now offer the most comprehensive university digital-image collection specifically formatted for an iPhone or iTouch device. DukeMobile 1.1 includes thousands of photos and other artifacts that range from early beer advertisements to materials on San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury scene in the 1960s. Although a growing number of scholarly institutions provide images and other material online, Duke is the first to offer collections that take advantage of the iPhone’s design, navigation, and other features. Watch the video (3:06)....
Duke Today, June 16

Should you upgrade to the Palm Pre...
Jenny Levine writes: “While it’s quite clearly a first-generation device, I love it. This post will explain why, but it won’t be a comparison of the iPhone versus the Pre. I’ve only played with an iPhone a couple of times, so it wouldn’t be fair. So instead, this will be a review of the Pre from the perspective of a Treo/Centro owner wondering if she should upgrade, because that’s the question I’m getting asked the most.”...
The Shifted Librarian, June 17

...or the Apple iPhone 3G S?
Sascha Segan writes: “If you like apps or the internet, go buy the iPhone 3G S right now. The new model’s improved processor and graphics chipset significantly boost the speed of everything from web browsing to games, cementing the iPhone’s role as the nation’s most flexible handheld computer. No, it still isn’t the world’s best phone. But that’s never been the true goal of the iPhone line: Apple is devoted to bringing handheld computing to the masses. And it’s succeeding brilliantly.”...
PC Magazine, June 22

Top 10 Firefox 3.5 features
Kevin Purdy writes: “Firefox 3.5 is a pretty substantial update to the popular open-source browser, and it's just around the corner. See what features, fixes, and clever new tools are worth getting excited about in the next big release.”...
Lifehacker, June 20

Book-reading robot
Japanese researchers have developed a literate, child-sized robot capable of reading old-fashioned paper-printed books. Ninomiya-kun, a one-meter-tall, 25-kilogram, aluminum-framed robot developed at Waseda University’s Information, Production, and Systems Research Center, was unveiled June 11 at a robot trade fair in Kitakyushu, where it entertained onlookers by reading fairy tales from a book. Character recognition software installed on a computer in the robot’s backpack translates the text into spoken words, which are produced by a voice synthesizer. Hear the robot talk here (0:26)....
Pink Tentacle, June 12; Daily Yomiuri, June 12; YouTube, June 12

The private life of J. D. Salinger
Poor J. D. Salinger—literature’s most famous oddball recluse. What exactly was his crime? He wrote one of the most influential novels of the 20th century, then decided he hated publishing. People always want more—another book like The Catcher in the Rye please—but Salinger wants less. He just wants to write and be left alone in Cornish, New Hampshire. He’s a solitary soul but no oddball. Here are some of the many faces of The Catcher in the Rye....
Abebooks

An exclusive look at local and regional history
Electronic publisher Alexander Street Press and local-history book publisher Arcadia Publishing have released Local and Regional History Online: A History of American Life in Images and Texts. The collection includes hundreds of thousands of images and corresponding texts from every region and state in the U.S. and from many areas of Canada. Alexander Street is offering AL Direct readers a free, exclusive preview of the collection at this URL through July 31 (name and email address required for sign-up)....
Alexander Street Press, June 23

Change or die?
At the annual meeting of the Association of American University Presses in Philadelphia June 20, press directors received an overview of why they can’t count on book orders anymore from Beth Jacoby, collection development librarian at York College of Pennsylvania. She opened by talking about formats of communication that are dead (the 8-track), on life support (print), and those that are thriving (e-journals, e-reference books, databases). Students, she said, “don’t know how to use a print phone book.”...
Inside Higher Ed, June 22

Literary archives of the future
Robert McCrum writes: “What, I wonder, will the literary histories and biographies of the future look like? Will the great libraries store and catalog computer disks? Archives are already logging entries for film and video; where once it was essential to be able to read the chancery script of Elizabethan and Jacobean manuscripts, will it now be necessary to have a master’s degree in the decoding of Microsoft Word? A Ph.D in email correspondence techniques?”...
The Guardian (U.K.), June 22

Arabic e-books extend borders
Chip Rossetti writes: “Most of the difficulties faced by Arabic-language book publishing stem from two basic problems: government censorship and very limited distribution. But with e-books, Ramy Habeeb, founder of the Egypt-based publisher Kotob Arabia, has managed to bypass both seemingly intractable problems. As the first e-publisher devoted exclusively to Arabic-language titles, Kotob Arabia now offers more than 8,500 books in 31 subject categories.”...
Publishing Perspectives, June 18

Surprising facts about 15 bestselling authors
Ethan Trex writes: “Heading to the beach this summer? You can’t lounge around on the sand without a book, so it’s time to hit the bestseller list for a paperback that can get a little wet and sandy. How well do you know the authors of your favorite bestselling beach fare, though? We did some digging and came up with a few surprising facts on some of the literary world’s biggest cash cows.”...
Mental Floss, June 23

NYPL’s successful online campaign
The New York Public Library successfully used an online fundraising and advocacy campaign to fight the city’s plan to slash its municipal support by $28 million this year—and now it has won back $23 million in subsidies. Key to the library’s success was an urgent alert message that the institution used to replace what viewers typically see when they visit its main website....
Chronicle of Philanthropy, June 22; New York Public Library

Geek the Library campaign goes live in Iowa, Georgia
Although aimed at consumers, librarians will also have fun looking through OCLC’s Geek the Library campaign site and then adding in what you geek. The campaign, made possible by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, highlights what people are passionate about and how libraries can support them, in an effort to heighten awareness about the critical funding issues public libraries face. Kick-off events took place in Savannah, Georgia, and Des Moines, Iowa....
It’s All Good, June 23

June 16 was Anne-Imelda Radice Day in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York, Mayor Byron Brown recognized the contributions of IMLS Director Anne-Imelda Radice for her leadership to the nation in support of cultural heritage collections and for her representation of her home town. A proclamation naming June 16, 2009, Anne-Imelda Radice Day was read during the opening session of a conference held in Buffalo, “Stewardship of America’s Legacy: Answering the Call to Action,” attended by 300 museum and library professionals....
Institute of Museum and Library Services, June 23

100+ alternative search engines
When it comes to searching for something specific, Google may churn out results that are too general. For instance, a search for a song in Google may return the singer, the lyrics, and even fan sites—depending on the keywords you entered. Niche-specific search engines are more focused and their results tend to be more accurate. This massive list offers links to search engines focusing on e-books and PDF files, audio and music, video, and the Rapidshare file-hosting site....
Hongkiat, June 16

New features on Google Books
Google Books rolled out a handful of new features in June. A new toolbar option allows you to embed a preview in any of your websites or blogs—all with a simple HTML snippet. For public domain and partner books, Google Books shows more context around search terms, including an image from the part of the page on which it appears. A new thumbnail view button in the toolbar provides an overview (above) of all the pages in a public-domain book or in a magazine. Other features include a contents drop-down menu and plain-text mode....
Inside Google Book Search, June 18

Google translates Persian
Google has added Persian (Farsi) to Google Translate. This means you can now translate any text from Persian into English and from English into Persian—whether it’s a news story, a website, a blog, an email, a tweet, or a Facebook message. The service is free. Understanding Persian is particularly important now, given ongoing events in Iran. Mark Liberman reviews the tool....
The Official Google Blog, June 18; Language Log, June 21

How to upload photos to Twitter
Mike Wesely shows you how to add pix to your tweets using TwitPic in this YouTube twit-torial (4:11). You can post pictures to Twitter from your phone, the TwitPic API, or through the site itself. If you have a Twitter account then you already have a TwitPic account....
YouTube, May 10

Are you a Twitter quitter?
Amy J. Kearns writes: “Even to those who already use other social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter can be a really tough sell. Recently a lot of the attention has focused on the large number of Twitter quitters—those who join Twitter and never go back. I am not saying that everyone absolutely has to twitter. However, I do suggest that you download Tweet Deck (if you use Windows) or Tweetie (if you use a Mac), selectively add some people, and try it regularly for longer than a month and see if you’re actually a Twitter quitter or not.”...
Library Garden, June 19; Computerworld, April 29

25 ways to sabotage your job search
Granted, we are in tough times and there are many factors out of your control that can keep you from getting hired. But that’s all the more reason to do everything within your power to be the best job seeker you can. With that in mind, look over these 25 ways you might be unknowingly sabotaging your job search....
CNN, June 15

A compilation of competencies
A Competency Index for the Library Field has been published by WebJunction. It is a compilation of competency statements that address a broad spectrum of library practice and service. WebJunction aggregated 12 leading competency sets from the field and subjected them to a vigorous review by subject-matter expert practitioners. The resulting publication can be downloaded for free, remixed, and reinvented in whatever way best serves your library’s size, structure, and personnel development needs....
WebJunction, June 23

21st-century skills movement grows
Illinois, Louisiana, and Nevada became the latest states to join the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21), a national effort to integrate 21st-century skills into teaching and learning to prepare students for a global, information-based economy. P21 made the announcement at the end of a recent Cyber Summit, which ran online June 1–9. The summit featured a series of nine webinars that gave educators a chance to collaborate and learn from colleagues who have implemented 21st-century skills programs....
eSchool News, June 22

Paper vs. plastic
Do you give out paper, plastic, or reusable bags at your library book sale? Nothing is simple in the push to protect the planet. There is growing evidence that the production, use, and disposal of plastic bags put less burden on natural resources than paper bags. Meanwhile, a knock against plastic bags—that they can’t be conveniently recycled—is becoming less persuasive as more cities start accepting plastic bags in curbside recycling programs....
Wall Street Journal, June 12

Getting boys to read
Holly Jennings writes: “Getting Boys to Read is a website dedicated to supporting parents, teachers, and librarians who want to help boys learn to love reading. The site was founded by Mike McQueen, a teacher-librarian at McLain Community High School in Lakewood, Colorado. The site provides informative articles, interviews, and a forum for discussion about all topics related to boys, reading, writing, and other literacy-related topics. It tackles national issues, like the serious literacy gap between boys and girls in the United States, strategies to help get boys reading, information about Jon Scieszka’s Guys Read Group, and informative book reviews.”...
Rochester (N.Y.) Examiner, June 21

Programming for children with special needs
Tricia Bohanon Twarogowski writes: “Efforts to provide special-needs programming are an important aspect of library service that results in numerous rewards for families, communities, and libraries. Here are some tips for those providing storytimes for children with special needs and their families for the first time.”...
ALSC Blog, June 23

Museums of children’s literature
Betsy Bird writes: “The other day I cooed, gurgled, and generally fell into fits of unmoderated bliss when I read about Seven Stories (right), ‘the first museum in the UK wholly dedicated to the art of British Children’s Books.’ I said I wanted to go to there. Then someone pointed out that there are plenty of lovely museums dedicated to the same darn thing right here in America. Why not take a quickie tour with me around and about the states?”...
A Fuse #8 Production, June 23

The 15th-century Apocalypsis Sancti Johannis
In this first episode of the Chicago Newberry Library’s podcast series, Curator Paul Gehl tells us about an early example of a graphic novel from the 15th century, the Apocalypsis Sancti Johannis, a visual retelling of St. John’s apocalyptic visions from the Book of Revelations. This rare book tries to make St. John’s vision accessible to those who can’t read and poses interesting questions about print and media that resonate today. Special guest appearance by comic artist Jeffrey Brown. Watch a related video (2:00)....
Newberry Library; YouTube, June 6

Cataloging Service Bulletins online for free
All 123 issues of Cataloging Service Bulletin (Summer 1978 through the current issue) are now available online at no cost. CSB is a quarterly bulletin that includes current, new, and revised information about Library of Congress cataloging and classification practices and policies. The entire 31 years of CSB are made available by LC as a free service to the worldwide library community....
Library of Congress, June 15

Download free audiobooks to your iPod
Mary Burkey writes: “Public libraries using OverDrive as their download service for audiobooks, e-books, music, and video just expanded their offerings—and made quite a few patrons much happier. In the past, iPod users were frustrated with the Windows MP3 device–only compatibility with OverDrive’s file format. But the release of OverDrive’s no-cost Media Console version 3.2 for Windows or version 1.0 for Mac solves many of those issues.”...
Audiobooker, June 23

Wikipedia gets ready for a video upgrade
David Talbot writes: “The organization behind Wikipedia is close to launching an editable online video encyclopedia. The hope is to goad content providers—from public broadcasters to the music industry—into allowing more video to enter the public domain. Within two to three months, a person editing a Wikipedia article will find a new button labeled ‘Add Media.’ Clicking it will bring up an interface allowing her to search for video—initially from three repositories containing copyright-free material—and drag chosen portions into the article.”...
Technology Review, June 19

Phoenixville Library ghost investigation
The Scared! paranormal investigators look into the haunting activity at the Phoenixville (Pa.) Public Library, a recently renovated 1902 building, in this teaser trailer (1:00). Books have been seen flying off the shelf, and the attic plays host to a female apparition in old-fashioned clothing. The Chester County Paranormal Research Society also conducted an investigation there in 2006 and took photos of orbs and discolorations....
YouTube, June 22

What is a browser?
This video (2:33) shows why people still need librarians, whether they know it or not. Scott from Google asked more than 50 passersby, all different ages and backgrounds, the question “What is a browser?” in Times Square in New York. Part of the reason was to identify market penetration of the Google browser Chrome. Here are the results....
YouTube, April 30

Go back to the Top

ALA Annual Conference, Chicago, July 9–15.

Locate Literature Programs and Author Events at conference with this handy brochure (PDF file) prepared by the Public Programs Office.

AL on Twitter. Follow American Libraries news stories, videos, and blog posts on Twitter.