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A librarian’s primer on the debt-ceiling deal
Rich Stombres writes: “Now that the debate over raising the debt ceiling is over and the smoke is beginning to clear, the question remains: What does this really mean? And, more specifically, what does this mean for libraries? With little time to spare, Congress finally passed on August 2 the Budget Control Act of 2011, which allows the president to borrow more money to pay off our ever-increasing national debt. While there are no new taxes in this bill, there are plenty of spending cuts, but no specifics, and they are mostly well into the future. Here is an outline of the legislation.”...
American Libraries news, Aug. 10

Vonnegut Library offers banned book to Republic students
In response to a Missouri school board’s order to ban Slaughterhouse-Five from the Republic High School library and curriculum, the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library in Indianapolis is offering a free copy of the book to 150 of the school’s students. Julia Whitehead, executive director of the library, said the gift, funded by an anonymous donor, was part of an effort to raise public awareness of the school board’s decision to remove the antiwar novel, prompted by a complaint lodged by Missouri State University Associate Business Professor Wesley Scroggins....
AL: Censorship Watch, Aug. 9; Political Buzz Examiner, Aug. 7

Credit card hackers target library’s donation page
At the request of the FBI, Brighton (Mich.) District Library Director Nancy Johnson is spreading a cautionary word to library colleagues about a series of illegal attempts to hack credit card accounts by testing them on her library’s online-donation website. She explained to American Libraries that the offender tries to hack into individuals’ accounts by trying to make a small online donation to the library and masquerading as a person whose name the hacker has harvested elsewhere. In essence, he runs an algorithm that tests different credit card number combinations against the same name in hopes of hitting a valid account number....
American Libraries news, Aug. 10

First-class service for 1st graders
Becky Cothran-Nichols writes: “On eight school-day mornings every September, school buses pull into the Selma–Dallas County (Ala.) Public Library every hour starting at 9 a.m., unloading 40–50 bubbling 1st graders. They line up excitedly outside the door and then head in for one of the library’s best programs for kids. “Welcome to Your Library” has been welcoming 1st graders for eight years in an effort to bring reading into the homes of more than 700 boys and girls.”...
American Libraries feature

Step easily into the digital future
Kathy Anderson and Laurie Gemmill write: “Libraries know the future is digital, but how do we get there in these times of shrinking budgets and staffs? In a tough economy, a collaborative approach makes digitization possible for many libraries. The Lyrasis Mass Digitization Collaborative (MDC) is an example of a sustainable model that does not rely exclusively on grants or one-time funding; the collaborative works for libraries and cultural heritage institutions of all types and sizes.”...
American Libraries feature

Go the f**k to spam
George Williams, media relations manager for the District of Columbia Public Library, shared the following anecdote with American Libraries: “The D.C. Public Library hit a snag when fulfilling hold requests for Adam Mansbach’s book, Go the F**k to Sleep. A city government email filter designed to prevent abusive language or profanity inadvertently blocked messages containing requests for Mansbach’s book.”...
AL: Censorship Watch, Aug. 9

Technology in Practice: Tutorials that matter
Meredith Farkas writes: “Over the past decade, a large number of academic libraries have created online learning objects for their patrons. Whether it was a basic guide on doing research or a suite of tutorials for every database and topic, there has been growing recognition that learning objects are an important way to instruct patrons at their point of need. Many of these learning objects sit on the library website, not in online classrooms, and, as a result, many who would benefit never find them.”...
American Libraries column, July/Aug.

Dispatches from the Field: Automation systems
Marshall Breeding and Andromeda Yelton write: “For the last four years, Marshall Breeding has conducted an online Perceptions Survey to measure the satisfaction rate with multiple aspects of the automation products used by libraries. The data provides considerable insight into the dynamics of the library automation industry. The May/June 2011 issue of Library Technology Reports takes a deeper look at the survey data, exploring the differences that arise in comparing public versus academic libraries or those with differing collection sizes.”...
American Libraries column, July/Aug.

American Libraries IFLA international supplement
A special hard-copy version of the American Libraries International Supplement is being distributed to attendees of the IFLA World Library and Information Congress in San Juan, Puerto Rico, August 13–18. The full issue, along with IFLA conference coverage and additional material, will appear on the AL website in September....
AL: Global Reach, Aug. 4

New Google Apps workshop
ALA TechSource is offering a new workshop, “Using Google Apps for a More Efficient Library” with Suzann Holland, at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time, September 4 and 14. From calendars to communication, Google’s web-based tools are ideal for collaborating across different schedules and locations or accessing documents from multiple computers....
ALA TechSource, Aug. 9

District Days: The personal touch
Krista McKenzie writes: “District Days, August 8 to September 5, starts this week. The four weeks when legislators return to their home states are a great time to schedule a meeting with them to advocate for your library. Legislators really like to hear personal stories to go along with pleas for library support. So how do you get those personal stories? Here’s a few ideas I’ve had.” (Before you schedule your appointment, take a look at Capitol Hill Basics.)...
YALSA Blog, Aug. 5

Cathy Hakala-Ausperk tells you how to be a great boss
ALA Editions is offering a new 90-minute workshop, “Be a Great Boss: One Year to Success” with Cathy Hakala-Ausperk (right), at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time on September 21. Moving into a library management position or improving your management skills can feel daunting. Take charge of your development with the help of Hakala-Ausperk’s clear, focused, and programmatic approach....
ALA Editions, Aug. 9

Barbados and Taiwan join the campaign
The Library Association of Barbados (login required) and the Library Association of the Republic of China (Taiwan) recently became the newest members of the Campaign for the World’s Libraries. These associations join nearly 40 others that have previously joined the campaign and had the @ your library logo translated into their country’s languages. The @ your library logo is currently available in 32 languages and in the colors of each partner countries’ flag colors....
Public Information Office, Aug. 9

Bring your subject guides into the 21st century
ALA TechSource is offering a new workshop, “Creating Subject Guides for 21st-Century Libraries” with Buffy Hamilton (right), at 4 p.m. Eastern Time on September 20. Hamilton will show you how to revitalize the subject guide as a dynamic, customizable, social resource by integrating it into the web. Registration is available on the ALA Store....
ALA TechSource, Aug. 9

ALA’s guide to medical and health sciences reference
Published by ALA Editions, the ALA Guide to Medical and Health Sciences Reference provides an annotated list of biomedical and health-related reference sources, including internet resources and digital image collections. Readers will find relevant research, clinical, and consumer health information resources. The emphasis is on resources within the United States, with a few representative examples from other countries....
ALA Editions, Aug. 9

ACRL seeks standards training proposals
ACRL seeks proposals for the design, development, and delivery of a versatile and modular curriculum to support the use of the division’s forthcoming revised Standards for Libraries in Higher Education. The complete request for proposal, including details on deliverables and the application process, is available on the ACRL website (PDF file). The deadline for RFP submissions is September 26....
ACRL, Aug. 5

Banned Websites Awareness Day, September 28
In an extension of the observance of Banned Books Week, AASL will highlight censorship awareness by designating September 28 as Banned Websites Awareness Day. By doing so, AASL hopes to bring attention to the overly aggressive filtering of educational and social websites used by students and educators....
AASL, Aug. 9

AASL to screen Digital Media documentary
In conjunction with the appearance of closing general session speaker Mimi Ito (right), AASL will present two screenings of the documentary Digital Media: New Learners of the 21st Century at its national conference on October 27, as a complement to the conference Exploratorium. The documentary explores how mobile and digital tools are changing the ways young people learn and showcases ways digital media is being using in education....
AASL, Aug. 9

YALSA launches Teen Read Week photo contest
As part of Teen Read Week 2011, teens can enter a photo contest (judged by 2011 Teen Read Week Spokesperson Jay Asher) and win autographed books or an e-reader from Penguin Books for Young Readers. To enter, teens ages 13–18 must create a visual representation of their favorite book, upload the photo to Flickr, and tag it with “TRWcontest11.” The contest is open now through October 31. Entrants must also fill out an online entry form....
YALSA, Aug. 9

Help ALSC rename its newsletter
ALSC is looking for a new and unique name for the ALSConnect newsletter. Got any ideas? ALSC members are invited to send suggestions. Yours just might end up on the ballot for a member vote next spring. Send your suggestions to Laura Schulte-Cooper. The deadline for submissions is August 31....
ALSC Facebook Page, Aug. 9

ALSC fall online education schedule
ALSC has released its Fall 2011 online education course schedule of five courses, each of which begins September 26. Each of the courses addresses a different topic and includes ideas for librarians and children’s literature enthusiasts. The courses run four to six weeks long. ALSC is also offering two webinars in August....
ALSC, Aug. 9

YALS wins its fourth APEX Award
For the fourth year in a row, Communications Concepts awarded Young Adult Library Services (YALS), YALSA’s quarterly journal, an Award of Excellence, as part of the APEX Awards for Publication Excellence. YALS was recognized in the category of Journals and Magazines over 32 pages. The journal won for issues from its ninth volume, edited by Sarah Flowers....
YALSA, Aug. 9

Newbery/Caldecott Award mock election programs
Newbery and Caldecott Award mock election programs are an ideal and fun way to encourage children to read; enhance listening, discussion, and communication skills; teach book examination skills; and foster appreciation of fine art and literature. Just in time for end-of-year election program planning, ALSC is offering a toolkit and a live webinar on August 24 and October 5....
ALSC, Aug. 9

ALSC names 2011–2012 Spectrum Scholar
ALSC has chosen high school biology teacher and part-time youth service librarian Robina Button (right) as its 2011–2012 Spectrum Scholar. In September, Button will begin her first semester at the University of Illinois-Champaign. ALSC sponsors one Spectrum Scholar each year through the Frederic G. Melcher Endowment....
Spectrum Initiative, Aug. 9

APALA, FTRF support Spectrum Initiative
The Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (right) has given $5,000 and the Freedom to Read Foundation has donated $1,000 in support of the Spectrum Presidential Initiative. Through this initiative, ALA aims to meet the critical needs of supporting master’s-level scholarships, providing two $25,000 doctoral scholarships, increasing the Spectrum Endowment to ensure the program’s future, and developing special programs for recruitment and career development....
Spectrum Initiative, Aug. 9

University of Michigan hosts second Spectrum fundraiser
Librarians at the University of Michigan raised over $1,500 for Spectrum Scholarships at the 2nd Annual Ann Arbor Spectrum Presidential Initiative fundraiser. The July 13 event was organized and sponsored by Shevon Desai, Karen Downing, Helen Look, Martin Knott, Alexandra Rivera, and Sue Wortman, with venue space generously donated by librarian Ann Gladwin....
Spectrum Initiative, Aug. 9

IMLS awards grant to continue Spectrum Doctoral Fellowship
The Institute of Museum and Library Services has awarded a Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program grant to the ALA Office for Diversity for its project, “Spectrum Doctoral Fellowship Program: Building Change.” Under the renewed project, ALA will continue its efforts and recruit doctoral candidates from ethnically diverse backgrounds and work with over 20 participating academic programs to support Fellows’ education and the conferral of degrees....
Spectrum Initiative, July 21

Lynne McCay receives SLA Dana Award
Lynne McCay (right), an information professional who contributed tirelessly to both her workplace and her profession for several decades, was awarded the Special Libraries Association’s highest honor at its 2011 Annual Conference in Philadelphia on June 12. The John Cotton Dana Award is presented annually to an SLA member in recognition of a lifetime of achievement. McCay received the award in honor of her 40 years of exemplary work for the Congressional Research Service and her extensive record of leadership within SLA....
Special Libraries Association, Aug. 3

Anne Arundel County library wins international award
The International Association of Workforce Professionals has honored officials from the Anne Arundel County (Md.) Public Library system for its efforts to help job seekers in the area with an IAWP Group Citation Award. During a ceremony at the West County Area branch in Odenton on July 21, IAWP officials praised the library system for its role in creating a “Community Career Connections” program to supplement existing career centers in the county. Five branches are offering one-stop career centers developed with the help of the Anne Arundel Workforce Development Corporation....
Odenton (Md.) Patch, July 22

Gwinnett County gets a load of Dummies
One copy of every Dummies book in print is a lot of books—over 1,800 as Gwinnett County (Ga.) Public Library recently found out. As the winners of Wiley’s For Dummies 2011 Library Contest, the library won the full set of the books by creating a Dummies Fan Page on Facebook and gathering the most “Likes” (5,002). GCPL mascot Dewey the Dinosaur was assisted in unloading the books by The Dummies Man (right)....
Early Word: The Publisher | Librarian Connection, Aug. 9

2011 PEN Literary Awards
PEN American Center, the largest branch of the world’s oldest literary and human rights organization, announced August 10 the winners and runners up of the 2011 PEN Awards, the most comprehensive literary awards program in the United States. This year, PEN will present 17 awards, fellowships, grants, and prizes, and will confer nearly $150,000 in 2011 to some of the most gifted writers, editors, and translators working today. See the full list here....
Daily PEN American, Aug. 10

Armed library guards uncommon in Arizona
The controversy over whether libraries need armed security guards began in July after the Maricopa County (Ariz.) Library District reinstated security guards at the Southeast Regional branch in Gilbert. The decision to arm the guards followed complaints by staffers who were confronting rising incidents of theft and increasingly hostile encounters with irate patrons over late fees and other issues. Three other Maricopa branches also employ armed guards, but they are uncommon in libraries outside the district....
Phoenix Arizona Republic, Aug. 7

Homeless visitors prompt Bethlehem policy change
A significant influx of homeless persons who have been spending their days at the Bethlehem (Pa.) Area Public Library prompted Executive Director Janet Fricker to revise its acceptable patron-behavior policy. But some of the rules seem to target homeless patrons unfairly, according to William Kuntze, senior pastor at Bethlehem’s Christ Church United Church of Christ. Kuntze met with Fricker about his objections, who brought them up to the library board for discussion....
Easton (Pa.) Express-Times, Aug. 7

Prosser students to go without librarians
The Prosser (Wash.) School Board voted 3–2 on August 2 to reassign all of its librarians to classrooms to help plug the district’s $1.3-million shortfall. The librarians will fill teaching positions that were vacated by retirement, which will save the district $410,000. A public hearing before the vote drew a crowd of about 30 teachers, parents, and librarians. Rob Witcraft, the librarian at Prosser High who will now teach English, reminded the board that he also provided computer services and tech support for the entire high school in his now-former position. The teaching assistant who will replace him may not have those skills....
Kennewick (Wash.) Tri-City Herald, Aug. 3; KVEW-TV, Pasco, Wash., Aug. 3

Indiana University libraries lay off 10
Ten employees at Indiana University libraries have been laid off—the latest budgetary issue in a summer of pay raises, tuition increases, and financial cutbacks. Seven support staff and three professional staff were told August 2–3 their positions were being eliminated. The layoffs, which Dean of Libraries Brenda Johnson described as a difficult decision, are an attempt to reorganize the strengths of the libraries....
Indiana Daily Student, Aug. 3

Explore the earliest known map of medieval Britain
Oxford University’s Bodleian Libraries have made public the results of a 15-month research project on the Gough Map, the earliest surviving geographically recognizable map of Great Britain. The Linguistic Geographies project has helped to explain how maps were produced in the Middle Ages. A newly launched website features a zoomable and pannable digital version of the map, which is fully searchable and browseable by place name (current and medieval) and geographical feature. Clicking on a chosen location yields information such as that location’s geographical appearance, etymology, and appearance on earlier maps....
Bodleian Libraries, Aug. 2

Speeches stolen from FDR Presidential Library
With a published presidential historian accused of theft in Maryland, federal officials are trying to determine how he allegedly stole hundreds of historic documents, including seven signed speeches by Franklin D. Roosevelt taken from the FDR Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park, New York. Barry Landau faces charges of conspiring to steal documents from archives in several states. The thefts in Hyde Park allegedly occurred December 2, and Landau sold four of the speeches December 20 to a private dealer for $35,000, according to a federal indictment....
Poughkeepsie (N.Y.) Journal, Aug. 3

Kansas librarian talks about sacks
Nancy Jo Leachman, information services librarian at Salina (Kans.) Public Library, has a talent for reading old flour sacks. Valuable American history lessons are stitched into the simple pieces of cloth used to hold flour from the late 1800s through the 1960s. She gives presentations centered on her own flour sack collection, interwoven with fascinating tidbits about the history of Kansas. Sheets and pillowcases, towels, toys, dresses, and underwear were commonly made with the sacks, which were manufactured by more than 40 different companies....
La Junta (Colo.) Ag Journal, Aug. 5

Europe backs web privacy fights
The 90 Spaniards who complained to the Data Protection Agency all wanted information deleted from the web. Among them was a victim of domestic violence who discovered that her address could easily be found through Google. Another, well into middle age now, thought it was unfair that a few computer key strokes could unearth an account of her arrest in her college days. They might not have received much of a hearing in the United States, but in Europe an idea has taken hold—individuals should have a “right to be forgotten” on the web....
New York Times, Aug. 9

Vogue’s entire run hits the digital runway
Curt Hopkins writes: “Rag trade blog Fashionista reports that Vogue’s stealth website, currently under development for a December launch, will feature a digital version of every single number published since Arthur Baldwin Turnure started the magazine in the late 19th century. Whether or not you’re a fan of fashion, this is huge news. Vogue is, for better or worse, a prominent lens onto a substantial segment of our cultural mores and it helps to bring history alive when you can picture the details. Now there will be an archive of the sartorial side of those details.”...
ReadWriteWeb, Aug. 3; Fashionista, July 25

Poems bound in human skin
At first glance, its just an old book of poems, bound in slightly grubby beige leather with gold lettering and gold-edged pages. But open it up and you might want to drop it and recoil when you read the inscription on the first page: “Bound in human skin.” The book, owned by the National Library of Australia in Canberra, is one of only two known examples in Australia of anthropodermic binding, a practice that is described in book collecting circles as not rare, but uncommon....
Canberra (Australia) Times, Aug. 8

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