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Acceptable-use policies go mobile in Delaware
A new Delaware law is enabling public libraries to get their internet use policies ready for the inevitable influx into their facilities of patrons wielding wireless devices. HB 340 extends public libraries’ acceptable-use policies to any mobile devices that individuals bring onto library premises, and specifies that, while in the library, what patrons access on their personally owned devices is subject to the Delaware Children’s Internet Protection Act....
American Libraries news, Sept. 21

Fit libraries are future-proof
Steven J. Bell writes: “Even though libraries have survived for thousands of years in one form or another, the past year has demonstrated that none of us should take the future for granted. I’ve come to think that managing our uncertain future is about achieving library fitness: a combination of strategies that, like personal fitness, involve consistent behaviors, discipline, commitment to change, and having fun while shaping up. What follows are a dozen actions librarians can take that can lead to fitter, future-proofed libraries.”...
American Libraries, feature

Relax, AARP Bulletin readers
Leonard Kniffel writes: “I was tickled to death when I opened my September issue of AARP Bulletin and saw a full-page article about Banned Books Week. That was before the emails and calls flooded into the Office for Intellectual Freedom, demanding to know what business the ALA had banning books. Turns out the article, titled ‘Banned!,’ says ‘the list of books banned by American schools and libraries includes many of the classics.’ Here’s my idea of the upside of this unfortunate misunderstanding.”...
AL: Inside Scoop, Sept. 15; AARP Bulletin, Sept. 1

Technology in Practice: Nurturing innovation
Meredith Farkas writes: “I’ve heard countless stories about innovative new services that failed. I always ask people why they think the initiative didn’t work and the answer has always been about the culture—whether it was because of controlling IT staff, managers who wouldn’t give staff time to experiment with new technologies, or administrators who were deathly risk-averse. Here are some things managers can do to support staff in building successful and innovative services.”...
American Libraries column, Oct.

Solve the pen puzzle
Laura Bruzas writes: “Everywhere I turn, whether at home or at work, there are disposable pens stuffed in drawers and lying on desks, tables, and countertops. And while the subject may seem trivial, it’s not: Bic sold its 100-billionth disposable ballpoint in 2005. That averages out to 57 pens every second since the product was launched in 1950—enough pens to stretch 40 times the distance from the earth to the moon if laid end to end.”...
AL: Green Your Library, Sept. 16

Libraries and photos of patrons
Q. My library board would like to know if ALA has a policy in relation to taking pictures of children or adults in the library and then using them for promotional purposes, including posting them to Flickr. A. The short answer is that ALA does not have a policy in this area, though our Communication Handbook for Libraries does suggest using photographs to increase the visual impact of a news story. Using photographs requires adherence to procedures to protect the rights of the photographer as well as the privacy of the subject of the photographs, particularly if you are photographing children....
AL: Ask the ALA Librarian, Sept. 22

Confront censorship during Banned Books Week
From coast to coast, libraries and bookstores will battle censorship and celebrate the freedom to read during Banned Books Week, September 25–October 2. Thousands of participants will read from banned or challenged books and will discuss the impact censorship has on civil liberties. This year’s 29th annual observance will kick off in Chicago on September 25, as best-selling banned authors participate in a “Read Out!” event. If you are tweeting, use the #bannedbooksweek hashtag....
Office for Intellectual Freedom, Sept. 21; OIF Blog, Sept. 21

2010 Banned Books Week in Second Life schedule
Sunday, September 26, on the ALA Island Main Stage, Banned Books Week kicks off with SL Saxophonist Trowzer Boa. Known as Dave Renz in real life, he has been playing professionally since the 1990s. Backed up by an interesting array of robot buddies, you will find this performance innovative and exciting. On Monday, there is a Book Challenges Panel Discussion. And don’t forget the Banned Book exhibits....
Virtual Presence, Sept. 19

Banned books in Texas
The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas has compiled a report on books challenged and banned across the state. Twenty books were banned and 87 challenged in Texas public schools during 2009–2010. The list of banned books ranges from older titles, including Forever and Then Again, Maybe I Won’t by Judy Blume, to newer books, such as Cecily von Ziegesar’s Would I Lie to You: A Gossip Girl Novel. Among the notable literature challenged: Flowers for Algernon, The Catcher in the Rye, and The Kite Runner....
Houston Chronicle, Sept. 21

12 books guaranteed to turn (almost) anyone into a censor
Nancy Mattoon writes: “ALA’s Banned Books Week has a new ally this year. Public libraries in the city of London have produced a traveling exhibit of 50 books that are ‘Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Read.’ All have been challenged at, or removed from, public or school libraries in at least one country. For British journalist Boyd Tonkin, literary editor of The Independent, the London list plays it way too safe. He responded by creating his own list of 10 additional titles. The list is reprinted here, with annotations, two additions, and some historical context added by Booktryst.”...
Booktryst, Sept. 20; Banned Books; The Independent (U.K.), Sept. 17

Library Card Sign-Up Month around the country
The State Library of North Carolina is following the lead of libraries all across the country in September by reminding parents and children that a library card is the smartest school supply of all. This year’s campaign features North Carolina poet laureate Cathy Smith Bowers. Public libraries in Mount Prospect, Illinois; Winfield, Kansas; Bismarck, North Dakota; and Norfolk, Virginia, are also holding promotions. Take your photo with your library card and add it to the Flickr pool....
Public Information Office, Sept. 20

ALA institutional member libraries will get Freedom
As a benefit of membership, ALA institutional members—including public libraries, middle and high schools, community colleges, and prison libraries—as of September 30 will receive 2–10 free copies of Freedom by Jonathan Franzen, the Fall 2010 selection from the Oprah Book Club. See more about the book and learn how the Oprah Book Club will be experiencing it....
ALA Membership Blog, Sept. 17

Will there be contemplation in future libraries?
OITP Director Alan Inouye writes: “When I’m not occupied with urgent matters (aka firefighting), my preoccupation is the future of libraries. Here, this topic is known as ‘America’s Libraries for the 21st Century,’ a formal OITP program. The digital revolution currently taking place challenges the services, content, organization, staffing, funding, and every facet of libraries. Indeed, the investigation of these topics is addressed in recent OITP policy briefs: Fiber to the Library (PDF file), Checking Out the Future (PDF file) , and There’s an App for That! (PDF file)”...
District Dispatch, Sept. 22

Nominations for IFLA section committees
The U.S. associations of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions are calling for those interested in seeking the endorsement of the associations for either president-elect or at-large member of the Governing Board for 2011–2013. If you are interested in seeking the endorsement of the U.S. associations, please send a nomination request letter noting your qualifications, along with your resume or CV, to Michael Dowling by October 15....
International Relations Office

Volunteering in the West Bank
Ashley Sands writes: “A second way that I combine my love of archaeology and libraries is as chair of the World Archaeological Congress’ Global Libraries Program. The program works to enhance the literary collections of archaeological and cultural heritage research institutions around the globe. During the summer of 2009, I attended an archaeological conference in the Palestinian town of Ramallah in the West Bank. There, we began collaborating between the Global Libraries Program and the Institute of Archaeology at Birzeit University.”...
ALA-UCLA Student Chapter blog, Sept. 14

What they don’t teach you in library school
ALA Editions has released What They Don’t Teach You in Library School by Elisabeth Doucett. MLS programs do a good job of teaching the basic skills of being a librarian—how to catalog books, how to clarify a reference request, how to run a story hour. But as any working librarian can attest, that’s not the half of it. For MLS graduates just entering the job market, Doucett offers the inside scoop on what else a librarian really needs to know....
ALA Editions, Sept. 20

New ALA Editions online magazine
Stephanie Zvirin writes: “Finding a good story is easy; building a successful storytime isn’t. Whatever your situation, Children’s Programming Monthly, a new online magazine from ALA Editions, will put you a step ahead. Each themed issue, available in easy-to-download PDFs, is packed with creative art and craft projects, music and book lists, and ready-to-use storytimes to fit your programming needs. You can find out more about the magazine and download a free issue here.”...
ALA Editions blog, Sept. 13

YALSA’s competencies in action
ALA Editions has released Young Adults Deserve the Best: YALSA’s Competencies in Action by Sarah Flowers. It is the first book to thoroughly expand on “Young Adults Deserve the Best: Competencies for Librarians Serving Youth,” a document developed by YALSA that outlines areas of focus for providing quality library service in collaboration with teenagers. Included are guidelines that can be used to create evaluation instruments, determine staffing needs, and develop job descriptions....
ALA Editions, Sept. 15

Apply for ACRL e-Learning scholarships
Submit an application for an ACRL e-Learning scholarship. Twenty scholarships, each covering the registration cost of one ACRL e-Learning webcast, will be awarded. Applicants must be ACRL members. Complete the online scholarship application form and submit a 300-word written statement that describes how participation in an ACRL e-Learning webcast meets your professional needs and goals. The deadline is October 22....
ACRL Insider, Sept. 21

Advanced registration for YA Literature Symposium
Librarians, educators, authors, and fans of young adult literature won’t want to miss YALSA’s biennial Young Adult Literature Symposium, November 5–7, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. To take advantage of the advanced registration rate—a $25 savings over onsite registration for ALA members—register by October 8....
YALSA, Sept. 21

Earn graduate credit for attending AASL Fall Forum
AASL 2010 Fall Forum attendees can now receive graduate credit through Portland State University. “In Focus: The Essentials for 21st-Century Learning” will be held November 5–6 in Portland, Oregon. Individuals will receive one graduate credit hour if they attend the Fall Forum in its entirety and submit a short paper to be graded. Registration will only be available in person....
AASL, Sept. 20

AASL launches online planning and advocacy tool
AASL, in collaboration with Britannica Digital Learning, has launched an online, interactive school library program planning module that will change school library program development and implementation. A Planning Guide for Empowering Learners will ensure that program planners go beyond the basics to provide goals, priorities, criteria, and general principles for establishing effective library programs. The guide includes a revised “School Library Program Rubric,” a tool that allows school librarians to assess their program on 16 different sets of criteria....
AASL, Sept. 21

Stretch your dollars with YALSA’s budgeting class
Join YALSA for “Growing, Managing, and Defending the YA Budget,” a new online course held October 4–November 1, aimed at helping you stretch your budget dollars, apply for grants, and make the case for funding to your management and your community. Registration closes September 27....
YALSA, Sept. 16

Collaborate with teens for better library services
Incorporating teen input into library services offers challenges, but you can reap many rewards, including a collection that flies off the shelves, an active teen advisory board, and packed programs that engage teens week after week. Find out how in “Tapping Youth Participation to Strengthen Library Services,” a new online course from YALSA held October 4–November 1. Registration closes September 27....
YALSA, Sept. 16

Two ALCTS symposia at Midwinter
Dynamite topics and great speakers will come together before the ALA Midwinter Meeting in San Diego for two outstanding symposia from ALCTS. On January 6, you will hear about RDA, its impact on libraries, and how it might affect the future catalog. January 7 brings together building architects and digital architects to talk about the impact of digital infrastructure on libraries....
ALCTS, Sept. 17

Learn how to make the ultimate teen-friendly library
How do you build a library experience that appeals to teens and turns them into regular library users? And how do we, as teen services librarians, get the entire library to help us do that? The answers to these important questions can be found at YALSA’s pre-Midwinter workshop, “Teens and the Whole Library Experience,” on January 7, prior to the ALA Midwinter Meeting, in San Diego....
YALSA, Sept. 17

YALSA opens Table Talk applications for Annual Conference
YALSA will host a Table Talk session at the 2011 Annual Conference in New Orleans, June 23–28, and is now accepting applications from presenters (Word file). YALSA’s Table Talk session consists of a series of mini-sessions that cover new, engaging, and timely topics of interest on teen library services. Applicants should propose a 15–20-minute session that they will repeat approximately two to four times during the table talk. Proposals are due to Nichole Gilbert by October 29....
YALSA, Sept. 16

Apply for a Carnegie-Whitney grant
The ALA Publishing Committee provides a grant of up to $5,000 for the preparation of print or electronic reading lists, indexes, or other guides to library resources that promote reading or the use of library resources at any type of library. Applications must be received by November 5....
ALA Publishing, Sept. 17

Apply for a Great Stories CLUB grant
The ALA Public Programs Office and YALSA are now accepting applications for the next round of Great Stories CLUB grants. Electronic applications for the reading and discussion series will be accepted through November 19. The Great Stories CLUB (Connecting Libraries, Underserved teens and Books) is a book club program designed to reach underserved, troubled, teen populations through books that are relevant to their lives....
Public Programs Office, Sept. 15

Medical Library Association awards and grants
Michelle Kraft writes: “’Tis the season to be nominating your deserving colleagues for the various MLA Awards and applying for the grants. Some of these awards and grants have had no winners in the past. I know there are great people out there, so start nominating people or applying for them. They can’t award it if they have no submissions.” Visit the MLA website for details on their awards (deadline November 1) and grants (deadline December 1)....
The Krafty Librarian, Sept. 21

Frank O’Connor Award
Ron Rash’s “bleak” collection of short stories set in Appalachia, Burning Bright, has won the American author the world’s richest prize for the short story form, the Frank O’Connor Award. The collection was named winner of the €35,000 ($46,750 U.S.) award in Cork, Ireland, September 19. He beat a lineup of five other authors to take the prize, which honors renowned short story writer Frank O’Connor....
The Guardian (U.K.), Sept. 20

2010 PEN USA Literary Award winners
(PDF file)
PEN USA, the West Coast center for the renowned writers’ organization International PEN, has announced the winners of its 2010 Literary Awards competition. The awards honor outstanding work by writers in 11 separate genres, including a new award for Graphic Literature, which was given to Matt Fraction for his outstanding body of work. The winner in the Fiction category was Victor Lodato for Mathilda Savitch (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux)....
PEN USA, Sept. 8

The tenuous state of Los Angeles public libraries
Carolyn Kellogg writes: “On July 19, the Los Angeles Public Library system kept its doors locked because of city budget cuts. It was the first day of a reduction to an indefinite five-days-per-week schedule. This week, the L.A. Weekly’s cover story is a long report on the tenuous state of the public library system in Los Angeles. It’s a must-read for anyone concerned about the viability of big-city libraries in an economic downturn, and in the literary life of Los Angeles. Admittedly, the story is tainted by hyperbole. It also glosses over the severity of our city’s budget crisis.”...
Los Angeles Times: Jacket Copy, Sept. 17; L.A. Weekly, Sept. 16

Chicagoans want field house saved for a school library
A group of about 30 parents and community members staged a sit-in at the Whittier Elementary School field house in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood on September 15–22 to protest plans to demolish the dilapidated structure. The parents, who said they have been asking local officials for a school library for years, refused to move when police forced the doors open. They said the school’s classroom libraries are too small and lack substantial book collections. One of the parents, Araceli Gonzalez, explains her viewpoint in this blog post. The sit-in has continued as plans move closer for a meeting between the parents and Chicago Public Schools CEO Ron Huberman....
Chicago Tribune, Sept. 20; WBBM-TV, Chicago, Sept. 17; Revision Street: America, Sept. 19; Chicagoist, Sept. 21

Donor gives Seattle Public Library $500,000 in matching funds
An anonymous donor has given $500,000 to the Seattle Public Library Foundation if it can raise a matching amount. On September 22, the foundation kicked off its “Help Us Make $1 Million for the Library” campaign and is confident the match will be made. Foundation Director Jonna Ward said the donation came in a mysterious phone call this spring. Someone had been reading about the financial problems facing the library and decided to make the anonymous donation....
Seattle Times, Sept. 22

Frank Zappa fans rock Enoch Pratt tribute
There was a lot of hero worship going on in the Highlandtown neighborhood of Baltimore September 19, where a crowd massed at the corner of Eastern Avenue and Conkling Street to cheer the unveiling of a bust of legendary musician and free-speech activist Frank Zappa. The bust will rest forevermore atop an imposing pedestal outside the Southeast Anchor branch of the Enoch Pratt, Zappa’s hometown library, and is a gift from the people of Lithuania, who replicated the Zappa bust installed in Vilnus in 1995. “Welcome back to Baltimore, Frank,” shouted Carla Hayden, Enoch Pratt Free Library CEO. Watch the video (1:55)....
Baltimore Sun, Sept. 19; WJZ-TV, Baltimore, Sept. 19

Free expression victory in Oregon
On September 20, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that two Oregon statutes that criminalize the distribution of sex education and other non-obscene materials to minors are unconstitutional in violation of the First Amendment. The court found that the statutes also applied to titles commonly sold at general bookstores, such as The Joy of Sex, Judy Blume’s Forever, and Margaret Atwood’s A Handmaid’s Tale. A similar statute in Alaska is being challenged by the Alaska Library Association, booksellers, and the ACLU....
Bookselling This Week, Sept. 20; Alaska Dispatch, Sept. 15

Teen banned for proselytizing
A 16-year-old boy has been banned from all branches of the Chattahoochee Valley Regional Library System in Columbus, Georgia, for six months for proselytizing. According to a letter from Kirsten Edwards, acting manager of the North Columbus branch, Caleb Hanson (right) repeatedly asked patrons “about their religious faith and to offer biblical advice.” Hanson said he was given several warnings since June. He began talking to people outside the library, but patrons continued to complain. Library System Director Claudya Muller said he “prevented people from simply using the library.”...
Columbus (Ga.) Ledger-Enquirer, Sept. 21

Missouri State professor decries “filthy books” in schools
Wesley Scroggins (right), an associate professor in the Missouri State University College of Business Administration, wrote in an editorial that certain books in the libraries and curricula of the Republic (Mo.) School District should be “classified as soft pornography.” He singled out Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak, Kurt Vonnugut’s Slaughterhouse-Five, and Sarah Ockler’s Twenty Boy Summer. Anderson responded with a countering editorial. Scroggins had submitted a complaint (PDF file) to the school board on June 21 that listed much more, including books that teach evolution. A Twitter hashtag, #speakloudly, has been set up for discussion....
Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader, Sept. 18, 22; KSPR-TV, Springfield, Sept. 20

USF library bustling, but not with books
University of South Florida Libraries Dean William Garrison hears a lot about how much students need. “Anywhere, anytime, any-device access,” he says. That’s why the library is now open 24 hours a day, from noon Sunday to 6 p.m. Friday, and why it recently doubled the number of computers in the first-floor Learning Commons and got rid of 100,000 volumes of printed journals to create more study space....
Tampa (Fla.) Tribune, Sept. 13

Jackie Kennedy’s 1960 campaign tweets
The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library is using Twitter to recreate Jacqueline Kennedy’s weekly glimpses into the life of a presidential candidate’s spouse. The first tweets, expressing her dismay at not being able to campaign in person, were posted September 17—50 years to the day that her first syndicated newspaper column, “Campaign Wife,” was published. Jackie’s Twitter feed is a companion to the JFK Library’s ongoing JFK Twitter feed....
Associated Press, Sept. 17

More controversy around Redding school librarian
A Redding (Calif.) School District union official says a school librarian received rehire preferences in May while allegations she had embezzled money from a parent club and stolen from the school district were being investigated. Wanell Stolz’s husband, who was president of the district’s board of trustees, also voted in June to rehire his wife and lay off four other librarians at the same meeting, according to board minutes....
Redding (Calif.) Record-Searchlight, Sept. 18

Illinois library toes the line on shoe policy
The Reddick Library in Ottawa, Illinois, gave the boot September 14 to a local man’s request to allow people to go barefoot in the library. Matthew McNatt (right) had asked the board at its August 9 meeting to change its policy prohibiting bare feet. Library Director Kathy Clair said she had called the library’s insurance carrier and was told allowing patrons to go barefoot would lead to “heightened liability exposure.” However, Bob Neinast, who unsuccessfully sued the Columbus (Ohio) Metropolitan Library over its no-bare-feet policy in 2001, pointed out some discrepancies in the policy....
Ottawa (Ill.) Times, Sept. 14; Society for Barefoot Living, Sept. 18

City can’t afford to pay for Reading library roof repairs
A city administrator told the Reading (Pa.) Public Library’s board of directors September 20 that it will cost more than $400,000 to correct problems associated with roof leaks and damaged ornate plaster work at the Main Library. Mayor Tom McMahon’s Chief of Staff Frank Denbowski said that although such a project could be financed through 2011 community development funds, the deadline for applying had passed. “We never realized the magnitude of this project,” he said....
Reading (Pa.) Eagle, Sept. 21

Northwestern library death blamed on drug overdose
A Northwestern University student who was found dead in the library on May 30 died of an accidental opiate overdose, according to results of an autopsy released in mid-September. The body of Northfield, Illinois, native Brian Tsay, a 25-year-old School of Continuing Studies student, was discovered by a library employee in a men’s bathroom. Meanwhile, a student death in the Ridgewater College library in Hutchinson, Minnesota, on June 9 has been attributed to a family history of sudden death....
Daily Northwestern, Sept. 20; Minneapolis Star Tribune, Sept. 15

Evanston library board sets zero-tax guideline
Members of the Evanston (Ill.) Public Library Friends group stormed out of a library board meeting September 15, charging that the board’s action to adopt a zero-tax-increase guideline would in effect undermine months of work the group put in trying to save the city’s two branch libraries. Group members showed their disgust with the action, leaving the downtown library’s community room as the board finished its 5–3 vote in support of the proposal....
Evanston (Ill.) Review, Sept. 16

Director’s retirement follows ouster threat
The director of the Marathon County (Wis.) Public Library told the library board September 20 that she will retire in January 2011, amid apparent calls by employees for her resignation. Phyllis Christensen’s announcement came three days after local media received an email that unionized library workers “will try and oust” Christensen. Union President Christine Luebbe denounced the anonymous message, but noted employee concerns about two layoffs. “Mutual understanding ultimately benefits our customers,” Luebbe said....
Wausau (Wis.) Daily Herald, Sept. 21; WSAU-AM, Wausau, Sept. 20

Vermont’s Digital Newspaper Project
The Vermont Digital Newspaper Project, funded through a $391,552 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, will make available online a wealth of historical and genealogical resources contained in microfilmed archives. A collaboration of the Ilsley Library in Middlebury, the University of Vermont Libraries, the Vermont Department of Libraries, and the Vermont Historical Society, the project will focus on the period 1836 to 1922 and plans to have 100,000 pages completed by July 2012....
Addison County (Vt.) Independent, Sept. 16

Bank steps in to support high school library
At the Moorhead (Minn.) High School, Gate City Bank is underwriting the cost of keeping the library open after school until dinner time. It costs more than $1,000 daily to staff and keep the doors open. The last time the high school library added extra hours, more than 1,200 students took advantage of it....
WDAY-TV, Fargo, N. Dak., Sept. 16

Music videos trigger a literacy boom in India
Every Sunday in villages across India, groups of people gather around old television sets to watch their favorite Bollywood film stars sing and dance in song videos culled from movies. Nine years ago, India’s national television network decided to introduce karaoke-style subtitles to these programs—not in a foreign language, but in Hindi, the same language the stars were singing in. People began paying attention to the moving strip of lyrics at the bottom of the screen, and reading levels began to improve remarkably....
Boston Globe, Sept. 19

Stamford library reaches deal with union
The Ferguson Library in Stamford, Connecticut, has reached an agreement with its union that will reduce costs by $400,000, but library officials said they will still need to shorten hours to close a yawning budget gap. In a tentative deal reached September 13, the union agreed to give up a 3.25% pay increase that went in effect in July, take two-week furloughs, and increase the work week to 40 hours in exchange for eliminating nine planned layoffs....
Stamford (Conn.) Advocate, Sept. 16

Schiphol Airport, an unlikely sanctuary for books
The traveler’s serendipitous discovery of the new Schiphol Airport Library near Amsterdam in the Netherlands is precisely the experience that Dick van Tol, the project’s coordinator, said he hoped to engender. Opened with little fanfare over the summer, the library—the first ever at a major international airport—has 1,200 books in more than two dozen languages, all by Dutch authors or on subjects relating to the country’s history and culture. ALA President Roberta Stevens praised the Dutch initiative and said she hoped one day to see the idea replicated in the United States....
New York Times, Sept. 15

Southampton librarians strike over threatened closures
City councilors have agreed to mediation talks with unions in a bitter row over plans to close libraries in Southampton, England, and replace librarians with volunteers. Unions handed over a 4,500-name petition on September 15 demanding reconsideration of closures in the districts of Millbrook and Thornhill as library staff went on strike for a fourth time....
Southampton (U.K.) Southern Daily Echo, Sept. 16

Go back to the Top

Google’s Eric Schmidt faces off with Stephen Colbert
Joshua Topolsky writes: “On September 21, the man behind the Keep Fear Alive campaign sat down with one of tech’s luminaries—Google CEO Eric Schmidt (left)—for a frank discussion about just exactly what it is that his company does. While the focus was on Google’s precarious relationship with our personal data, it would be hard to sum up the entirety of the conversation in a quick post. Put aside the next few minutes and do yourself a favor: Watch the thing (5:35).”...
Engadget, Sep. 22; Colbert Nation, Sept. 21

How to buy photo-editing software
Michael Muchmore writes: “Everybody has some kind of camera these days, whether it’s a cell phone or a DLSR. Hardware isn’t the only thing required for great pics, however; you also need a great photo-editing app. Here is how you can pick the one that suits your needs. The good news is that unless you demand lots of image-editing power, you can do a lot with your pics for absolutely no cost.”...
PC Magazine, Sept. 16

Five tips for keeping track of your passwords
Christina Warren writes: “Time and time again, we’re warned of the importance of having strong, secure online passwords. Phishing scams are bad enough when a scammer is able to compromise one account, but the result can be many times worse if you use that same password for a number of online accounts. Fortunately, there are some great tools and services available to users to not only keep your passwords secure, but to also make them accessible and usable from multiple computers or web browsers. Here are five of my favorites.”...
My Life Scoop, Sept. 20

Facebook to make games less annoying
Stan Schroeder writes: “‘John wants to share some level seven Energizing Lotion in FarmVille!’ How many times have you seen a similar sentence in your Facebook news feed? Now Facebook has devised a plan to make games less annoying to non-users and more engaging to gamers at the same time. The first part is relatively easy: Facebook will simply be showing application stories only to users who are already engaging with the application.”...
Mashable, Sept. 22

Top 10 ways to organize and streamline your workspace
Whitson Gordon writes: “The most important thing you can do to your office is optimize it for productivity. Whether your workspace needs a complete overhaul or you just need to make the most with what you have, these are some of the best workplace upgrades to help you organize and streamline your workspace.” Tip number 5: Make your own PVC storage system....
Lifehacker, Sept. 18

How to recover broken MP3 files
Simon Slangen writes: “There are a lot of audio applications that are essentially flawed. Luckily, many of these errors stay below the radar, and these files will continue to play as if nothing were wrong. Most applications don’t rely too heavily on a particular MP3 tag. But if a file suddenly has choppy sound or doesn’t play at all, and if a collection of songs can’t be added to iTunes, then you know what’s happening. Here are some apps that will help you detect the fault.”...
MakeUseOf, Sept. 21

10 usability tips based on research studies
Cameron Chapman writes: “We hear plenty of website usability tips and techniques from an incalculable number of sources. This article discusses usability findings of research results such as eye-tracking studies, reports, analytics, and usability surveys. You’ll discover that many of these tips are common sense but are further supported with numbers; however, some might surprise you and change your outlook on your current design processes.” Tip number one: Forget the Three-Click Rule....
Six Revisions, Sept. 15

ALA Midwinter Meeting in San Diego, California, January 7–11, 2011. The San Diego Convention Center welcomes ALA. Find out some timely tips on what to do and how to get around.

“Like” American Libraries on Facebook.

Did you know that you can text ALA with a question? Text AskALA to 66746. We answer member service questions and library reference questions.

Filming Flipped: An interview with director Rob Reiner The Man Who Sold America Get Your Game Face On - At the Library! Louis Armstrong showed the world how to swing - Part Two Author Yuyi Morales on public libraries Remembrance, Freedom, and Discussion Donna Seaman interviews Ann Patchett Scam Alert: Protect yourself against telemarketing and e-mail fraud Renovating an historic home: ‘How the library helped me during tough economic times’ Meet Dr. Margaret "Gigi" Lincoln, a 2008 winner of the I Love My Librarian contest

Printed books with digital enhancements
Now even print books are getting into the digital act. The Search for WondLa by Tony DiTerlizzi, the beginning of a fantasy trilogy for kids starring a 12-year-old girl raised by a robot on an alien planet, includes three symbols that link to digital maps of the girl’s quest for other humans. Readers with a webcam can see 3-D interactive maps of the girl’s search. Readers without a webcam but access to the internet can link to a regular map and a video....
USA Today, Sept. 20

IDEO’s future of the book
Jason Griffey writes: “Take a look at design firm IDEO’s video examination (4:54) of the future of the book. Which would you rather have: Nelson, Coupland, or Alice? What new experiences might be created by linking diverse discussions, what additional value could be created by connecting readers to one another, and what innovative ways we might use to tell our favorite stories and build community around books?”...
AL: Perpetual Beta, Sept. 21

Harris Poll: E-readers are on the rise
Right now, less than one in 10 Americans (8%) uses an electronic reader device of some kind, but that may soon change. Here are some of the results of a Harris Poll of 2,775 adults surveyed online between August 9 and 16. First, those who have e-readers do, in fact, read more, and they are also more likely to buy books. Among those adults who do not currently have an e-reader, 12% say they are likely to get one in the next six months....
Harris Interactive, Sept. 22

Why read books if you can’t remember them?
James Collins writes: “I have just realized something terrible about myself: I don’t remember the books I read. There are books on my shelf that I loved, but all I associate with them now is an atmosphere and a stray image or two, like memories of trips I took as a child. Nor do I think I am the only one with this problem. Anecdotal evidence suggests that most people cannot recall the title or author or even the existence of a book they read a month ago, much less its contents.”...
New York Times, Sept. 17

Best romantic novel of the past 50 years?
To celebrate 50 years of the Romantic Novelists’ Association in the U.K., readers of Woman’s Weekly were asked to vote for the best romantic novel of the last 50 years. After coming up with a shortlist of three—Barbara Taylor Bradford’s A Woman of Substance (1979), Trisha Ashley’s Every Woman for Herself (2002), and Linda Gillard’s Star Gazing (2008)—on September 16 they voted for Gillard as their winner....
The Guardian (U.K.), Sept. 16

EBSCO and John Carter Brown Library offer new history database
EBSCO Publishing and the John Carter Brown Library in Providence, Rhode Island, have collaborated to bring a new bibliographic database to libraries, scholars, and individuals interested in European works that relate to the Americas. European Views of the Americas: 1493–1750 is based on the authoritative bibliography European Americana: A Chronological Guide to Works Printed in Europe Relating to The Americas, 1493–1750 and is freely available online....
EBSCO Publishing, Sept. 16

The romance of pirate literature
L. D. Mitchell writes: “Because the field of piratical literature is far larger than most folks realize, a simple division between nonfiction and fictional titles does not even begin to do this literature justice. Accordingly, it will be necessary to examine piratical literature over the course of several consecutive posts. We begin with a definition: Piracy usually refers to criminal acts (robbery, violence) that are directed by private parties on vessels at sea against private parties aboard other vessels at sea.” Read subsequent installments 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7....
The Private Library, Sept. 14–22

Netflix in libraries and hypocrisy
Meredith Farkas writes: “According to Netflix, ‘The use of the Netflix service, including DVDs rented to you by us and the Netflix instant streaming discs is solely for your personal and noncommercial use.’ They are not saying that you can give this to others. They are not saying that you can use this in the classroom. They are saying that this is for your personal use and you can’t make any money off it. Netflix does not have institutional subscriptions. Therefore, what some libraries are doing is in violation of Netflix’s terms of services and opens them up to legal repercussions. And it’s not just one or two libraries doing this.” Peter Hirtle adds: “I think this has to go into the ‘easy, but not legal’ category.”...
Information Wants to Be Free, Sept. 18; LibraryLaw Blog, Sept. 18

Point-counterpoint: The value of academic libraries
On September 14, ACRL released Value of Academic Libraries: A Comprehensive Research Review and Report by Megan Oakleaf. The report lays out the current landscape of academic library assessment and seeks to provide strategies for libraries to demonstrate and quantify their value within the context of institutional missions and goals. Amy Fry and Steven Bell debate the uses and strategies of library assessment and the various efforts to demonstrate the academic library’s value to its own institution and higher education....
ACRLog, Sept. 17

Résumés are on the way out
Lukas Biewald writes: “Technology is making the résumé obsolete faster than we think. Some candidates send LinkedIn profiles in lieu of résumés. They’re better, in that they give extra pieces of information: recommendations, which often give some insight into the candidate’s personality, as well as the people we know in common professionally. The website Unvarnished takes LinkedIn recommendations to another level by making the reviewer anonymous. But sites like oDesk and Elance more closely reflect the future of résumés and how companies hire.”...
GigaOM, Sept. 19

Study: Access to print materials improves children’s reading
A new study commissioned by Reading Is Fundamental shows that children’s book lending and ownership programs produce positive behavioral, educational, and psychological outcomes. The study, Children’s Access to Print Materials and Education-Related Outcomes (PDF file), was conducted by Learning Point Associates, which rigorously analyzed 108 relevant reports to examine the link between access to print materials and a child’s educational development....
Reading Is Fundamental, Sept. 21

SMU theology library showcases banned heretical books
In time for Banned Books Week, the Perkins School of Theology’s Bridwell Library at Southern Methodist University in Dallas has launched “Heresy and Error: The Ecclesiastical Censorship of Books, 1400–1800,” an exhibition that will be on display through December 17 and online permanently. Of the 62 books and broadsides in the exhibition, 37 were prohibited, enduring either physical expurgation or the threat of destruction. The remainder are publications that assisted the Catholic Church in its battle against heresy and error....
Bridwell Library, Sept. 14

Challenged books in Canadian libraries, 2009
The most challenged author reported in the annual survey of Canadian libraries in 2009 was Charlaine Harris for her Southern Vampire Mysteries (Sookie Stackhouse) series of 10 adult novels. The entire series was reported on four separate occasions within the same library system. Two other series were each challenged once: Negima! Magister Negi Magi, by Ken Akamatsu, a manga series of 29 titles; and Cecily von Ziegesar’s Gossip Girl series, 15 titles that became the 2007 inspiration for the TV teen drama series. The full list is here....
Canadian Library Association, Sept. 16

Can censoring a children’s book remove its prejudices?
Philip Nel writes: “My ‘Censoring Children’s Literature’ course at Kansas State University has been examining two versions of Hugh Lofting’s Doctor Dolittle (1920, 1988) and three versions of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964, 1973, 1998) and addressing this question: Do bowdlerized texts alter the ideological assumptions of the original? The answer is more complicated than you might think.”...
Nine Kinds of Pie, Sept. 19

October 1 is Follow a Library on Twitter Day
What would happen if each person on Twitter would mention his or her favorite library there? Six Dutch librarians (2:05) have declared October 1 Follow a Library on Twitter Day. Michael Stephens and David Lee King are helping to promote the event. Read the #followalibrary blog, then on October 1, tweet what your favorite twittering libraries are. Use the hashtag #followalibrary....
#followalibrary blog; YouTube, Aug. 4

Downing named Diversity Research Center visiting scholar
Karen Downing, a researcher and advocate for diversity issues in libraries and higher education, has accepted an invitation to be the first visiting scholar in 2010–2011 for the new Diversity Research Center at Rutgers University. Downing is currently the university learning communities liaison and foundation and grants librarian at University of Michigan....
Rutgers University

Billy Ireland of the Columbus Dispatch
In 2009, the Elizabeth Ireland Graves Foundation gave $7 million to the Ohio State University in honor of Billy Ireland, cartoonist for the Columbus Dispatch from 1898 to 1935. In recognition of this generous gift, OSU established the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum, expanding the mission of the facility created in 1977 when Milton Caniff donated his papers to create a research library devoted to cartoon art. The library is celebrating its collection and its 10th Festival of Cartoon Art, October 14–17, with a special Billy Ireland exhibition through January 2. Watch a video (4:34) about the library....
Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum; WOSU-TV, Mar. 19, 2009

The wallet model of academic librarianship
Dorothea Salo writes: “Why should academic libraries divert staff and budgetary resources to open access if our mandate is to serve our local patrons? A lot of us academic librarians know that our faculty basically see us as wallets. We pay for the stuff they use. That’s pretty much all they know about us. If we just hang back contentedly being wallets, what will happen to us when the wallet function breaks, as we all know it’s breaking?”...
Book of Trogool, Sept. 16

Brutalist architecture and libraries
Lorcan Dempsey writes: “I was talking to Carole Moore, chief librarian of the University of Toronto Libraries, recently about Robarts Library, described by Wikipedia as one of ‘the most significant examples of brutalist architecture in North America.’ Curious, I followed the Wikipedia link to brutalist architecture and found several libraries mentioned there alongside Robarts. I suggested that there might be interest in a calendar of libraries in the brutalist style. There certainly seem to be enough to handsomely fill out all 12 months and more.”...
Lorcan Dempsey’s Weblog, Sept. 19

Upward mobility in librarianship
The In the Library with the Lead Pipe blog asked its readers what they would like to see covered in future issues: “Two commenters asked us to talk about upward mobility. Some of us took a literal approach to the topic and had knee-jerk negative reactions born from a strong aversion to management, some of us jumped in with practical advice, and others twisted the topic a little to discuss personal and professional growth without a focus on promotion. We figured since we had such strong and differing opinions, you might too.”...
In the Library with the Lead Pipe, Sept. 15

The shift towards online exhibition catalogues
Judith H. Dobrzynski writes: “Times are changing for the traditional exhibition catalogue, those weighty tomes with four-color images of the works, newly commissioned scholarly essays, a list of lenders, and all the other usual components. In the last few years, a confluence of several factors—including budget cuts necessitated by the recession, the high cost of producing catalogues, low demand for them, advances in technology, and the shaky publishing environment—has caused many U.S. museums to rethink their catalogue programs and forego some altogether.”...
Art Newspaper, Sept.

D.C. Public Library’s adaptive services
Steve Lilienthal writes: “Kathy Gosselin, who is completely blind, sits at one of the computers at downtown D.C.’s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. Suddenly, the JAWS’ screen reader’s metallic-sounding voice reads the text of a page about singer Tracy Chapman. A volunteer in the Adaptive Services Division of the DCPL system, Gosselin often helps the newly blind learn how to use software programs such as the JAWS screen reader.”...
Hill Rag, Sept.

Kids.gov “How Do I Become President?” Challenge
The U.S. General Services Administration is sponsoring a contest to teach kids about the electoral process. The Kids.gov “How Do I Become President?” Challenge asks children and adults to submit an infographic explaining the process. The best overall entry will be featured on Kids.gov, receive $2,500, and will be printed as posters for distribution to schools and libraries across the country. The deadline is November 3....
Kids.gov

Google fights censorship with Transparency Report
Stan Schroeder writes: “Google has launched Transparency Report, a set of tools—including an interactive map—that shows which governments have asked for information about users or requested Google to censor or take down content over a six-month time frame. From January to June 2010, the U.S. asked Google about user info on 4,287 occasions, and asked 128 times for Google to remove content. Other countries that have put in more than 1,000 similar requests during this time frame are Brazil, France, India, and the United Kingdom.”...
Mashable: Tech, Sept. 21

Teens online lack sense of global citizenship
Borrowing from the wisdom of Spider-Man’s Uncle Ben (“With great power comes great responsibility”), Carrie James, research director of the GoodPlay Project at Harvard, advocated at Mashable’s Social Good Summit September 20 for adults to mentor young people about their online decision making and their role as global citizens. James described young people’s online choices as an untapped opportunity and suggested a number of actionable steps to change how they approach and use social technologies. Watch the video (12:04)....
Mashable: Social Good, Sept. 21

What does the Facebook “not now” button really do?
M. G. Siegler writes: “A few days ago, Facebook made what seemed to be a small tweak to its Friend Requests area. Previously, you could either ‘Confirm’ or ‘Ignore’ (deny) a request. Now, ‘Ignore’ has been replaced by ‘Not Now.’ This new option takes some of the pressure off you having to reject people as it instead moves them into a state of limbo, where they’re neither accepted nor rejected. But it actually does a lot more as well.”...
TechCrunch, Sept. 20

In praise of the free webinar
Marianne Lenox writes: “Though sometimes derided, many of us have been involved, one way or another, in a webinar. Webinars are live, online educational presentations during which attendees can submit questions and comments, as opposed to a webcast that doesn’t offer chat or polls. Sessions are usually archived and registrants may view a recording of the event at another time. Whether we are presenting, producing, or attending, this professional, educational environment has given rise to a powerful collaborative, knowledge-sharing resource.”...
ALA Learning Round Table, Sept. 16

30 new youth learning labs
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services announced plans September 16 to create 30 new youth learning labs in libraries and museums across the country. Inspired in part by an innovative new teen space at the Chicago Public Library called YOUmedia (right), these labs will help young people become makers and creators of content, rather than just consumers of it....
Institute of Museum and Library Services, Sept. 16

40 places to find vital records information
Gena Philibert Ortega writes: “Genealogy is everywhere, but sometimes we get in ruts and don’t enlarge our scope of thinking about places to search for that piece of evidence that would point to the date of our ancestor’s birth, marriage, or death. Some of the documents listed here may not give you an actual date of the event, but they may give you a clue. Don’t forget to use the National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections (NUCMC) and the Periodical Source Index (PERSI) as you research.” Part two is here....
WorldVitalRecords Newsletter, Sept. 13, 16

The world of library signage
In August, the Smashing Magazine website held a contest for designers, artists, and photographers to go out with their cameras and shoot attractive typography and public signage. Many photos of library signs were submitted, but a winner was found in another category. Nonetheless, the site posted the library submissions that “with their tasteful but by no means understated designs remind one of the contemplation that takes place in those locations and their serene atmosphere.”...
Smashing Magazine, Sept. 16

Vatican Library commemorative stamps
Vatican Post issued two postage stamps to commemorate the September 20 reopening of the Vatican Apostolic Library after three years of renovations. The images are of a Crucified Christ (65 cents) and Sts. Cosmas and Damian (85 cents), from Latin and Greek manuscripts held by the library. The origins of the Vatican Apostolic Library go back to the fourth century, a time when there was evidence of the Scrinium of the Roman Church, which was both a library and an archive....
Philately News, Sept. 21

Columbia and Cornell collaborate on Slavic collections
Columbia and Cornell University Libraries announce an agreement to collaboratively support the Slavic and East European collection development activities of both institutions. The agreement promises to limit collecting overlap, allowing the two libraries to acquire significantly more material across the two campuses. East European Studies Specialist Robert Davis (right) will support East European Studies research activities at both universities....
Cornell University Library, Sept. 16

Library-scented perfume
Brooklyn perfumery I Hate Perfume has a scent called “In the Library,” a “warm blend of English novel, Russian and Moroccan leather bindings, worn cloth and a hint of wood polish.” Perfumer Christopher Brosius says, “To an avid reader and collector like myself, these smells are as magical as the bouquet of a great wine is to a connoisseur—a sort of literary terroir. These scents mean excitement, adventure, discovery, enlightenment, and knowledge.”...
I Hate Perfume

Librarians reinstate book burning (satire)
This week, the International Association of College Librarians voted unanimously to reinstate the long-denounced practice of book burning after Lauren Conrad announced the release of her third L.A. Candy Novel, Sugar and Spice. “Banning the books wasn’t enough,” said Carter College Librarian Anna Wellington. “People will just find other ways to read them. They must be burned.”...
Cronk of Higher Education, Sept. 21

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