American Libraries Direct
The e-newsletter of the American Library Association | August 17, 2011

Contents
American Libraries Online
ALA News
Booklist Online
Division News
Awards & Grants
Seen Online
Tech Talk
E-Content
Books and Reading
Actions & Answers
New This Week
Calendar

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AL Buyers Guide

American Libraries Online

Cover of first edition of A Study in ScarletSherlock Holmes novel vanishes from school reading list
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s first Sherlock Holmes novel, A Study in Scarlet, was removed from 6th-grade reading lists in Albemarle County, Virginia, August 11 after a parent complained about its anti-Mormon content. More than 20 former students from the Albemarle County Public Schools’ Henley Middle School turned out at the school board meeting to protest the action. The school board followed the recommendation of a committee commissioned to study the novel, which concluded it was not age-appropriate for 6th-graders....
AL: Censorship Watch, Aug. 16

ACLU files suit in Missouri over blacklisted LGBT sites
The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Eastern Missouri filed suit August 15 on behalf of four gay-rights organizations whose websites are blocked by the Camdenton (Mo.) R-III School District. The complaint contends that Camdenton’s custom-built filtering software blocks through its “sexuality” category all LGBT-supportive information, including many websites that are not sexually explicit in any way....
American Libraries news, Aug. 17; ACLU, Aug. 15

Fernando Picó at IFLA 2011. Photo by Ross Becker PhotographyIFLA opens with tears, text, and a lot of Puerto Rican heart
Leonard Kniffel writes: “At the IFLA opening session August 14, Fernando Picó (right), historian and professor at the University of Puerto Rico, set earphones ablaze with his erudite analysis of ‘The Afterlife of Texts: When Paradise Is an Internet Site,’ as translators struggled to convert his literary allusions and articulate rundown of the history of text from speedy Spanish into IFLA’s six other languages simultaneously. He named translation and censorship as two of the major factors in preserving text.”...
AL: Global Reach, Aug. 14

Taro Miura of Japan talks about the earthquake damage to librariesSpeakers recount tales of library disasters
On August 14 at the IFLA conference in Puerto Rico, representatives of stricken libraries in New Zealand, Chile, and Japan offered the 2,500 delegates an opportunity to hear firsthand accounts of the horror of earthquakes and tsunamis, and about how librarians coped during those dreadful days. Taro Miura (above) gave a stunning account of the magnitude 9.0 earthquake that hit Japan March 11....
AL: Global Reach, Aug. 15

Amro GhareebFAIFE, hope, and charity
Leonard Kniffel writes: “‘How to Fix the World’ was the provocative and cheeky title of a Sunday program sponsored by the Committee on Free Access to Information and Freedom of Expression (FAIFE) during the IFLA conference. Presentations by delegates from Egypt and Norway left many in the audience in tears. Shawky Salem asked for a moment of silence for Amro Ghareeb (above), a librarian who was killed in the Egyptian uprising that began January 25.”...
AL: Global Reach, Aug. 16

Mayra Santos-FebresNovelist dissects fear and awe of books in Puerto Rico
“Puerto Rico is a strange country, a colony of the U.S.,” said novelist, poet, and professor Mayra Santos-Febres of the University of Puerto Rico. “Because of this relationship, we have 60–70 libraries and many schools, but we have literacy issues and a situation where people do not read.” Santos-Febres was the August 16 plenary session speaker at the IFLA conference. She explained that “people are afraid of books but they respect them.”...
AL: Global Reach, Aug. 16

Luis Molina-CasanovaPuerto Rican filmmaker indebted to libraries
Luis Molina-Casanova, filmmaker and professor in the communications department of Sacred Heart University in San Juan, was the last plenary speaker at the 77th IFLA World Library and Information Congress on August 17. He has devoted his life to making educational films because of what he has discovered in libraries and archives—things he was never taught in school or saw on television and that were not in his textbooks....
AL: Global Reach, Aug. 17

IFLA delegates wave for emcee Mary Boone's camera at the American caucus meeting prior to the August 14 conference kick-offFor Americans, IFLA in Puerto Rico is international
Independence for Puerto Rico, an American territory, was the hottest topic you didn’t see on the agenda as some 2,500 librarians, archivists, and other information professionals from all over the world met at the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions 77th annual conference in San Juan. The American caucus of some 300 people (above) gathered August 13 to get the lay of the land and preview key programs....
AL: Global Reach, Aug. 14

On My Mind: Mentorship from both sides
Aniko Halverson Nijhoff writes: “Librarianship is a profession with a strong tradition of mentorship. At some point in grad school, every future librarian has the daunting assignment to ‘find a librarian and interview him or her about his or her job.’ You groan, you sigh, you poke around on the internet, you start sending emails or making calls, hoping to find someone who has time for you. My own mentor is someone I sought out before I decided to go back to school for my MLIS.”...
American Libraries column, July/Aug.

The number of YA books
Q. There’s been a discussion online about how many YA (young adult) books were published in the last few years. A. As this blog explained in its December 8, 2010, entry, Number of Children’s Books Published, we use the numbers provided in the annual Library and Book Trade Almanac, which includes a report on book title production. The 2011 (56th) edition was received here at the ALA Library just over a month ago....
AL: Ask the ALA Librarian, Aug. 17; Read Roger, Aug. 3

From the Editors: What you told us
George M. Eberhart and Beverly Goldberg write: “In April, we conducted an online survey of our readers, in order to find out what American Libraries is doing right and what we could be doing differently. Although this was not a scientific survey, we learned many things about how you read, what you want and don’t want to read, and how you prefer to receive information. In the summary that follows, we’ve identified some of your more frequent comments and preferences.”...
American Libraries column, July/Aug.


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ALA News

A page from the 1611 edition of the King James Version of the Bible40 libraries to host “Manifold Greatness”
The ALA Public Programs Office, the Folger Shakespeare Library, and the National Endowment for the Humanities have announced that 40 public and academic libraries will host “Manifold Greatness: The Creation and Afterlife of the King James Bible,” a traveling exhibition to America’s libraries. The 40 selected libraries are listed here. The year 2011 marks the 400th anniversary of the first printing of the King James Bible. Follow the celebrations on the Manifold Greatness blog....
Public Programs Office, Aug. 15

10 quick and painless steps to effective library advocacy
You’ve probably heard that big budget and policy changes are afoot in Washington and that constituent voices are more important than ever. In fact, advocacy is the buzz word du jour. But does the word itself resonate with library supporters who are not already engaged in grassroots activities? Join this August 30 webinar to learn about 10 easy actions you can take....
District Dispatch, Aug. 15

Step Up to the Plate logoStill time to Step Up to the Plate
All entries for the Step Up to the Plate @ your library program must be submitted by September 1, giving baseball fans of all ages their final opportunity for a chance to win the grand prize, a trip to the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. One grand prize winner will receive a trip to the Hall of Fame in October....
Campaign for America’s Libraries, Aug. 16

Council supports Out of School library programs
ALA Council passed a resolution June 26 encouraging members to tell their legislators, as well as local and national organizations and associations, about the value to their library of Out of School library programs. It also urged directors, trustees, school board members, and government bodies to ensure that libraries of all types dedicate the proper funding to maintain comprehensive Out of School library programs for children and teens....
Public Information Office, Aug. 16

Council continues opposition to Section 215
ALA Council passed a resolution June 28 continuing its opposition to the use of Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act and the use of National Security Letters to violate reader privacy. The resolution calls for continuing to support reforms that protect reader privacy and civil liberties, especially the freedom to read without fear of government surveillance....
Public Information Office, Aug. 16

Council urges confidentiality in hold practices
ALA Council, in a resolution passed June 28, urges all libraries that implement self-service holds to protect patron identity by adopting practices and procedures that conceal the user’s personally identifiable information in connection with the materials being borrowed. The resolution urged librarians to work with vendors to incorporate cost-effective identity safeguards....
Public Information Office, Aug. 16

United Nations logoCouncil endorses United Nations report
ALA Council passed a resolution June 28 endorsing the May 16 Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression (PDF file). The report emphasized that there should be as little restriction as possible to the flow of information via the internet, except in few, exceptional and limited circumstances prescribed by international human rights law....
Public Information Office, Aug. 16

ALA issues RFP for national salary survey
ALA seeks proposals to conduct a national web-based salary survey for the 2012 edition of the ALA-APA Salary Survey: Librarian—Public and Academic. The survey is sent to directors and human resources staff in a random sample of both public and academic libraries. The RFP can be downloaded in PDF format. Responses are required by September 15....
ALA–Allied Professional Association, Aug. 16

Student chapter questions answeredQuestions answered about ALA student chapters
Don Wood writes: “A new FAQ, ALA Student Chapters: Frequently Asked Questions, helps explain how the ALA and ALA student chapters partnership works and provides easy access to chapter resources. It also shows ways to get involved, how to start a new student chapter, and what the benefits are.”...
ALA Student Membership Blog, Aug. 10

One box of Melvil Dewey notesWayne Wiegand’s Melvil Dewey notes
Larry Nix writes: “Noted library historian Wayne Wiegand is making available to an institution or an individual an invaluable library history research resource, the voluminous notes he compiled in researching Irrepressible Reformer (ALA, 1996), his definitive biography of Melvil Dewey. All that is necessary to obtain this resource is to make a modest donation to the ALA Library History Round Table’s Ed Holley Lecture. Wiegand had intended that the note cards be auctioned off at a fundraising event last September, but that fell through.”...
Library History Buff Blog, Aug. 16

In defense of ALA
Will Manley writes: “The more library blogs I read, the more I see ALA being used as a punching bag. In the name of balance, therefore, I feel I have a responsibility to defend ALA. Here are 15 good things about the American Library Association.”...
Will Unwound, Aug. 17

Paul Signorelli eCourseRaise money through community partnerships
ALA Editions announces a new facilitated eCourse, Community Partnership: How to Raise Money and Build Relationships. Paul Signorelli (right), former director of staff training and volunteer services for the San Francisco Public Library system, will lead this four-week course, which begins on October 3. Signorelli will show how to build productive community partnerships that will help your library engage in meaningful projects while enhancing its standing in the community....
ALA Editions, Aug. 16

Radically rethink the library collection
ALA Editions is offering a new workshop, Patron-Driven Acquisition: Radically Rethinking the Collection with Rick Anderson, who invites you to step back and revisit fundamental assumptions about the purpose of the academic library collection. The concept of patron-driven acquisition is an attractive alternative: In a largely digital information environment, library users can find and identify desired content, which the library will then purchase for their use. The workshop takes place in two 90-minute sessions on October 5 and 26....
ALA Editions, Aug. 16

TechSource workshops logoLearn to integrate iPads into library services
ALA TechSource is offering a new workshop, Integrating iPads and Tablet Computers into Library Services, with Rebecca Miller, Carolyn Meier, and Heather Moorefield-Lang. Tablet computers offer major potential for library services, including the ability to increase productivity and improve your library’s programs. The workshop consists of two 90-minute sessions that take place on October 13 and 20....
ALA TechSource, Aug. 16

Cover of Cost Control for Nonpofits in CrisisControlling costs during fiscal crises
Libraries, like many other cultural institutions such as museums, art councils and theater groups, are looking for answers to the pressing problems of financial stability and, ultimately, survival. Published by ALA Editions, Cost Control for Nonprofits in Crisis by G. Stevenson Smith helps managers and directors tackle the harsh realities before them. Discover techniques for determining the most cost-effective methods of providing services to clients and patrons...
ALA Editions, Aug. 16

Booklist Online logo

Cover of Zone OneFeatured review: Horror fiction for adults
Whitehead, Colson. Zone One. Oct. 2011. 272p. Doubleday, hardcover (978-0-385-52807-8).
As different in focus and approach as each of Whitehead’s novels are, the dark lyricism of this jump-in-with-both-feet zombie apocalypse tale works in chilling contrast to the macabre plot and doomsday comedy. A zombifying plague has ravaged the land. New York City has been sealed off, the marines have eradicated the “pustulant hordes,” and now, as part of the much-diminished government’s propagandistic American Phoenix project, “sweepers” are eliminating the “stragglers,” lone, inexplicably bewitched zombies unable to leave their old haunts. Our guide through this ravaged world is sweeper Mark Spitz (he earns his ironic alias under harrowing circumstances), a self-identified paragon of mediocrity who possesses a surprising “knack for apocalypse,” which is actually a proclivity for compassion....

Graphic for Read-alikes: Zombie TimeRead-alikes: Zombie time
Donna Seaman writes: “Zombies are the new vampires, starring in movies, TV shows, commercials, and novels. What is the resurgent appeal of the undead? Could it be that zombies are lurching, gnashing metaphors for how stress, financial worries, disasters natural and political, and digital overload are making us feel—grotesquely numb, dumb, sluggish, and mindlessly devouring? In any case, these zombie epics are creepy and comedic, entertaining and provocative, and take fresh approaches to the genre.”...

Just do your reading, Miss BenderWhat it’s like to work at Booklist
Dan Kraus writes: “Decided last night to watch The Best of Everything (1959), a Valley of the Dolls-style movie about three young secretaries slaving away at a New York City publishing house and trying to work their way up to the vaunted position of Editor. I was dumbstruck by the movie’s unfaltering realism. Why, this is exactly how things play out at Booklist! When our esteemed Editor and Publisher Bill Ott makes a new hire (always in tuxedo, of course) these are the exact words he says (see dialogue above).”...

@ Visit Booklist Online for other reviews and much more....


Division News

Voting now open in Teens’ Top Ten
YALSA invites all teens to get out the vote for the Teens’ Top Ten. Teens can vote for their favorite books from the last year in the annual poll. The 25 nominees for this year’s Teens’ Top Ten are available online, along with a toolkit for librarians to promote the initiative to the young adults visiting their libraries. Voting is open now through September 15....
YALSA, Aug. 16

Webinar on teen information literacy
Social media has altered the information landscape by expanding the flow of information from books, newspapers, and journals to instant reports from Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. How can librarians help teens learn to separate the wheat from the chaff? Join YALSA for “From 140 Characters to 10 Pages: Teens, Social Media, and Information Literacy.” The live webinar will be presented by Laura Pearle at 2 p.m. Eastern Time on August 18....
YALSA, Aug. 15

RUSA’s fall online learning opportunities
The RUSA fall online learning schedule is now available and includes new courses on health reference and spatial literacy. Topics are relevant to a variety of library professionals and library types, including public, academic and special libraries. With the exception of Readers Advisory 101, all courses are asynchronous. Group discounts are available for two or more participants registering from the same library, library system or network....
RUSA, Aug. 16

Awards & Grants

Cover of AL's I Love My Librarian digital supplementI Love My Librarian! Award digital supplement
American Libraries’ digital supplement on the 2011 Carnegie Corporation of New York / New York Times I Love My Librarian! Award is now online. In addition to a call for nominations (open through September 12 at atyourlibrary.org), the supplement features photos of previous winners and excerpts from their nominations....
American Libraries / Public Information Office

A jubilant James Nguo accepts the Access to Learning AwardAfrican network wins $1-million Access to Learning Award
“It’s indeed hard to describe my pleasure in standing before you today,” said James Nguo (right), “to receive the 2011 Access to Learning Award on behalf of the Arid Lands Information Network and the people of East Africa.” Nguo was in San Juan, Puerto Rico, August 16 to accept the $1-million prize, bestowed annually by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to a library or similar organization outside the United States in recognition of its efforts “to connect people to information through free access to computers and the internet.”...
AL: Global Reach, Aug. 17

Suzanne Kaller. Photo by Liz MarkelRUSA Morningstar Public Librarian Support Award
Suzanne Kaller, business librarian at the Arapahoe Library District in Englewood, Colorado, is the 2011 recipient of the RUSA Morningstar Public Librarian Support Award, an annual award administered by the division’s Business Reference and Services Section. The $1,000 grant provides professional development opportunities at the ALA Annual Conference for a public librarian who has performed outstanding business reference service....
RUSA, Aug. 15

Gail Schlachter of Reference Service Press (center) with award winners Jenny Bossaller (left) and Denice AdkinsArticle on vernacular literacy practices wins RUSA award
The article “Describing Vernacular Literacy Practices to Enhance Understanding of Community Information Needs: A Case Study with Practical Implications” by Denice Adkins, Jenny S. Bossaller, and Kim M. Thompson is the 2011 Reference Service Press Award winner, an annual honor administered by RUSA. The award recognizes the most outstanding article published in RUSA’s Reference and User Services Quarterly during the preceding two years....
RUSA, Aug. 16

Hannah GomezYALSA’s 2011 Spectrum Scholar
As part of its commitment to furthering diversity in the profession, YALSA has chosen Hannah Gomez as its 2011–2012 Spectrum Scholar. She will attend Simmons College in Boston in the fall, pursuing an M.A. in children’s literature and M.S. in library science. Gomez cited her time working at a social service agency facilitating workshops for youths who had been arrested as her inspiration to go into librarianship....
YALSA, Aug. 16

Tim BlevinsTim Blevins wins 2011 Filby Award
The National Genealogical Society has presented Tim Blevins, manager of special collections at the Pikes Peak Library District in Colorado Springs, with its 2011 P. William Filby Award for Genealogical Librarianship. The award, which carries a $1,000 prize from award sponsor ProQuest, honors his significant work to support family history research. Blevins is a bit embarrassed by all the fuss, saying the award really belongs to his library colleagues, the Pikes Peak Genealogical Society, and volunteers....

ProQuest, May 24; Colorado Springs Gazette, Aug. 13

Cuyahoga County Public Library receives innovation award
Cuyahoga County (Ohio) Public Library has received the 2011 Organization Innovation Award, presented by the Mandel Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Case Western Reserve University, for its commitment to enhancing the quality of life for county residents through innovative materials, services, and collaborations. The library will be honored at an evening reception on October 10 at the Cleveland Botanical Garden....
Cuyahoga County (Ohio) Public Library, Aug. 11

Jay Jordan IFLA/OCLC Early Career Development Fellows
OCLC, along with the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions and the American Theological Library Association, named five librarians August 15 to participate in the Jay Jordan IFLA/OCLC Early Career Development Fellowship Program for 2012. The program supports library and information science professionals from countries with developing economies. The five are from Ghana, Kenya, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nigeria....
OCLC, Aug. 15

Stephen SondheimChicago Tribune literary awards
It is the breadth, impact, and influence of composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim’s (right) writing that have won him the 2011 Chicago Tribune Literary Prize for lifetime achievement. Sondheim will be honored at the Chicago Humanities Festival on November 6, the same day that the Tribune’s 2011 Heartland Prizes will be presented to Jonathan Franzen for fiction (Freedom) and Isabel Wilkerson for nonfiction (The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration)....
Chicago Tribune, Aug. 6


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Seen Online

Adams Memorial Library, Central Falls, Rhode IslandCentral Falls library reopens with all-volunteer staff
The Adams Memorial Library in Central Falls, Rhode Island, closed in July due to a $5.6-million budget deficit. But on August 1, with about two dozen volunteers, it opened for business again, though for three days a week instead of the old six. The chairman of the library trust and a former library director recruited a group of teenagers and senior citizens to staff the library. For now, the Adams Library Trust’s $200,000 building endowment is being used to cover operating expenses, but that money cannot be used for salaries. Hence the volunteer staff....
Providence (R.I.) Journal, Aug. 17

Sugar Grove Library loses its Friends
Now that the Friends of the Sugar Grove (Ill.) Public Library have disbanded, supporters say they do not know what will happen to the library’s ability to keep up programming and other services. Friends president Pat Graceffa told the library board in early August of the decision to disband as part of the continuing fallout of the board majority’s decision to fire longtime library director Beverly Holmes-Hughes in July. She said people could not separate supporting the library as volunteers from their anger at the firing. Trustee Bill Durrenberger said she was fired because of a difference of opinion over the direction of the library....
Kane County (Ill.) Chronicle, Aug. 13, 15

Beth Chase, Betsy Lewis, Debbie Hollrah, Katie Berger, and Rebecca Cramer take a brief break from sorting library books in Joplin on August 5School librarians help Joplin sort donated books
Two and a half months after an unpredictable tornado nearly destroyed schools in Joplin, Missouri, five Marshall school librarians heeded the call of Library Media Specialist Bonnie Turner without hesitation. Marshall School District approved the one-day trip they took on August 5 to assist Turner with organizing the busloads of 70,000 donated books. Throughout the day, they separated quality books from the rest, then divided them by grade levels....
Marshall (Mo.) Democrat-News, Aug. 12

A look at the flooding that took place July 23 at the Winnetka LibraryWinnetka library flood damage is costly
It will cost the Winnetka (Ill.) Public Library $200,000 to recover from damage following the torrential rainfall on July 22–23. David Seleb, executive director of the Winnetka-Northfield Library District, said a sub-grade door at the library gave way to the pressure of accumulated rain during the storm and water deluged the building’s basement, leaving two feet of standing water and forcing the branch to remain closed for two days. Six inches of rain fell within an hour during the 100-year storm....
Winnetka-Northfield (Ill.) TribLocal, Aug. 16

Former Yonkers library staffer denies stealing
A former Yonkers (N.Y.) Public Library worker pleaded not guilty August 8 to charges that she swindled $163,582 out of the public library system over more than six years. Margo Reed was arraigned in Westchester County Court on an 18-count felony indictment. She had worked in the library’s business office and was responsible for collecting fines and other revenue from the three branches. Prosecutors say she stole the money between July 7, 2004, and December 7, 2010....
White Plains (N.Y.) Journal News, Aug. 10

Academy Award-winning actor Russell Crowe stopped in Batavia. Here he is with Library Director George ScheetzRussell Crowe lunches at Batavia Public Library
A Batavia (Ill.) Public Library patron created a bit of a stir among staff August 16 when she mentioned she thought she had spotted A-list actor Russell Crowe in the building. Crowe has been seen throughout the area in recent weeks as he films the Superman movie Man of Steel. Then Library Director George Scheetz (right) spotted Crowe sitting in the courtyard with two other men and munching on a sandwich from the library’s café. The three had arrived on bicycles....
Batavia (Ill.) TribLocal, Aug. 17

Read to Feed guideGrafton summer readers sponsor a water buffalo
They came, they read, they bought a water buffalo. Grafton (Mass.) Public Library readers have now logged 3,012 reading hours to fill the library’s ‘Read to Feed’ guide all the way up to the top with beads measuring reader progress. As a result, the library will be able to purchase all the animals on their gift wish list at Heifer International: a flock of chicks, a flock of ducks, a hive of bees, two goats, two sheep, two llamas, and a water buffalo....
The Daily Grafton (Mass.), Aug. 15

Fatima Younus of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, in a screen shot from a film chronicling the reading lives of Brooklyn Public Library visitors currently on displayBrooklyn library art exhibit follows borrowers around
Follow the books out of the Brooklyn (N.Y.) Public Library and into borrowers’ homes. That’s what Brooklyn Heights artist Joey O’Loughlin did for her exhibit “Where Do the Books Go?” now at the main library. O’Loughlin scoured 15 borough library branches, seeking interesting people who have special relationships with their libraries. When she found them, she asked if she could follow them home to snap photos and learn more about where they do their reading and the role it plays in their lives. Watch the video (12:59)....
New York Daily News, Aug. 14; YouTube, July 7

At this library, check out the tomatoes
Robert Cox walked into the City Island branch of the New York Public Library in the Bronx to read the daily papers and grab a handful of cherry tomatoes from a bowl of fresh produce next to the checkout counter. Services at libraries can be vast and varied these days, but try finding a library whose staff grows fruit and vegetables for the patrons in a garden out back....
New York Times: City Room, Aug. 16

Sports memorabilia taken from school library
A pair of bronze-dipped running shoes and two medals, all belonging to former running sensation John Baker (1944–1970), have been stolen from the elementary school in Albuquerque, New Mexico, that bears his name. A librarian at John Baker Elementary first noticed on August 8 that the shoes and medals were missing from their case in the school library. The sliding metal lock that had secured the trophy case was also missing. Baker’s life story was told in A Shining Season by William Buchanan (1978)....
Albuquerque (N.Mex.) Journal, Aug. 14

The missing volume of the missal is dated to May 21, 1539John Rylands Library buys missing Colonna Missal
A Renaissance manuscript made for use in the Sistine Chapel has been reunited with six similar volumes to complete a rare collection in Manchester. Six parts of the 471-year-old Colonna Missal have been held at John Rylands Library since 1901. The seventh “missing” part recently came up for auction, allowing the library to buy it for £188,750 ($312,648 U.S.). Director Jan Wilkinson said it was the library’s “most important single-volume acquisition in the last 40 years.”...
BBC News Manchester, Aug. 16

Scream attempt at Weymouth Library in the U.K.World record scream attempt at Weymouth
Bookworms from Weymouth Library in the U.K. have an anxious wait to see if they will be crowned the loudest people in the world. The 30 youngsters recently attempted to beat rocker Ozzy Osbourne’s previous world record attempt for the longest group scream. They are now awaiting confirmation that their 63-second unbroken cry will make it into the Guinness World Records....
Dorset Echo (U.K.), Aug. 11

Bibliotaxi logoBrazilian bibliotaxis
Bibliotaxi, a new project launched in São Paulo, is Brazil’s latest version of a mobile library. The Bibliotaxi contains a number of books inside the vehicle. Passengers can read any of the available books during their trip or borrow the books by registering their names and returning them to the taxi or other city locations. The objective of Bibliotaxi is to promote reading and build a sense of community in the Vila Madalena neighborhood of São Paulo....
PSFK, Aug. 17; São Paulo Vila Mundo, Aug. 11

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Tech Talk

Millions of websites are malware landmines
Some 8 million web pages, published mostly by smaller merchants and professional firms, were hijacked this summer and set up to usurp control of the PCs of unsuspecting site visitors. That’s the latest development in a new style of hacking sweeping across the web, according to research by website security firm Armorize. A single criminal gang using computer servers located in the Ukraine is responsible for the latest twist in converting legitimate websites into delivery mechanisms for “driveby downloads.”...
USA Today, Aug. 11

Computer hacker9 ways to prevent identity theft by computer hackers
Tina Sieber writes: “In this digital age, where almost all of human knowledge is stored online, some of the most valuable information you possess is your own identity. Hackers have found many ways to come by this information, for example cracking email account passwords, introducing keyloggers that record your every keystroke, or intercepting their victim’s internet traffic and recording the transmitted information. Likewise, there are a multitude of steps you can take to protect yourself and your personal information from these attacks.”...
MakeUseOf, Aug. 16

Samsung BD-D5700, a PC Magazine Editors' ChoiceHow to buy a Blu-ray player
Wendy Sheehan Donnell writes: “If you want to make the most of your 1080p HDTV, you should upgrade to a Blu-ray player. There’s never been a better time to do it. The current crop of players offer stellar HD picture quality, fast disc-handling, and extras like integrated Wi-Fi, 3D support, and audio and video streaming. Here’s what you need to consider when choosing the right Blu-ray player.”...
PC Magazine, Aug. 2

Facebook for iPhoneManage your Facebook page from your iPhone
Brian Honigman writes: “Believe it or not, you can administer a Facebook page from your smartphone, to some extent. Scheduling posts ahead of time with a third-party tool often has the ability to hide your content in the news feed. You can contribute to conversations on your pages, while also giving you the ability to share content on your wall using a smartphone. We’re going to focus on how to use the iPhone in particular to manage a page.”...
All Facebook, Aug. 15

Flixtime logoFree tools for creating book trailer videos
Richard Byrne writes: “If you would like to add a new element to book reports, ask students to add audiovisual components and create book trailers. Book trailers are short videos designed to spark a viewer’s interest in a book. A great place to find examples of book trailers is Book Trailers for Readers. If you would like to have your students try to create book trailers, here are five free video tools that are well-suited to that purpose.”...
Free Technology for Teachers, Aug. 12

iPad storytime tools
Jennifer Hopwood writes: “E-book apps like Kindle, OverDrive, Nook, and iBooks can give us instant access to favorite stories. Interactive storybook apps can bring Winnie the Pooh and The Cat in the Hat alive in new ways. With the addition of an Apple VGA Adapter or the Apple Digital AV adapter, the iPad2 can mirror on a a VGA-equipped TV, monitor, or external projector exactly what appears on the iPad 2 screen for sharing with a larger crowd.”...
ALSC Blog, Aug. 13

E-Content

Pottermore website graphicA first look inside Pottermore
From flying letters to a 4,500-word discourse on wand woods, early access to J. K. Rowling’s move into the digital arena, Pottermore, reveals a richly-imagined, elaborately realized behind-the-scenes peek into the world of Harry Potter. Pottermore does not open to wider use until October, but has already been inundated by Harry Potter fans. The site is free to use—Rowling has said that she wanted to “give back to the Harry Potter readership” who number in their hundreds of millions worldwide—but it will be the only sales outlet for e-book versions of the seven Potter titles....
The Guardian (U.K.), Aug. 15

It’s iPad or nothing, survey says
Roger Cheng writes: “The tablet market continues to be summed up like this: the iPad and everything else. And everything else doesn’t amount to much, according to a recent survey conducted by Robert W. Baird. The study found that out of more than 1,100 potential tablet purchasers, an overwhelming 94.5% cited the iPad as a device of interest. Hewlett-Packard’s TouchPad was the second-most-cited device, garnering just 10.3% of the people surveyed, while Research in Motion’s PlayBook was a laggard.”...
CNET news: Wireless, Aug. 17

Nook Simple Touch e-readerThe unquiet Nook Simple Touch
Buffy Hamilton writes: “In 2010–11, we used our Kindle e-readers for recreational reading; for 2011–12, the library is purchasing sets of Nook Simple Touches to support literature circle studies in content area courses as well as whole class readings of specific texts. Students will have a choice as to whether they prefer to read a print copy of a text or read it on the Nook Simple Touch. As of August 11, we have submitted an order for 50 Nook Simple Touches, 50 covers, and 50 two-year warranties. So why are we going with the Nook Simple Touch?”...
The Unquiet Librarian, Aug. 11

Don't Panic screenNew app turns your iPad into Hitchhiker’s Guide
Charlie Jane Anders writes: “Finally, a reason to own an iPad. They’ve created an app that lets you access the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, that most indispensable resource, via your iOS device. It’s basically an interactive edition of Douglas Adams’s masterwork. To celebrate, we had a nice chat with Simon Jones, the original Arthur Dent, who told us how Douglas Adams predicted the iPad.”...
io9, Aug. 16

Alliance for Excellent Education logoFederal action needed to expand digital learning
Raishay Lin writes: “A new report by the Alliance for Excellent Education says more federal action is needed to encourage the effective use of educational digital technology. According to the report, ‘Digital Learning and Technology: Federal Policy Recommendations to Seize the Opportunity—and Promising Practices That Inspire Them’ (PDF file), the federal government should do more to help state and local education systems with this major transition in education.”...
eSchool News, Aug. 15

Invitation to read Alice in WonderlandShare your favorite books on Google+
Abe Murray writes: “Say you’ve found a hidden gem on auto mechanics for your grease monkey friends or want to hop down memory lane with Peter Rabbit and your family. Good news for monkeys and rabbits alike: You can now share info about any of the millions of books on the Google Books index worldwide with your circles on Google+. Simply click on the Google+ Share box on the About the Book page or in a Google Books preview, enter your message, then select which circles you’d like to share details with.”...
Inside Google Books blog, Aug. 11

Lawsuit alleges e-book pricing conspiracy
Michael Kelley writes: “A Seattle-based law firm filed a nationwide class-action suit on August 9 against Apple and five of the Big Six publishers alleging that the companies conspired to illegally fix e-book pricing in an effort to undermine Amazon’s ‘pro-consumer, discounted pricing.’ The suit, filed by Hagens Berman in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, claims that Apple, HarperCollins, Hachette Book Group, Macmillan Publishers, Penguin Group, and Simon & Schuster colluded to restrain trade and violated antitrust laws.”...
School Library Journal, Aug. 10

Graphic of shipment from the fictitious Acme CompanyAmazon cracks down on spammy e-books
Chris Foresman writes: “Amazon has begun to crack down on authors who upload copycat e-books via the Kindle Direct Publishing service. Amazon has emailed a notice that it will filter and delete ‘undifferentiated or barely differentiated’ e-books submitted for publishing on the Kindle store.” Such private label rights allows supermarkets to place their name on canned food even though another company unknown to the shopper produced the goods....
Ars Technica, Aug. 15; Warrior Forum, Aug. 9; New York Times, Aug. 12

Inside the OverDrive Digital Bookmobile in West VirginiaDigital bookmobile visits West Virginia
OverDrive’s Digital Bookmobile stopped by the Kanawha County (W.Va.) Public Library’s main branch August 9, giving patrons a look at the library’s digital offerings. “We want to introduce people to the world of downloading,” said KCPL Adult Services Manager Toni Blessing. Inside the 74-foot-long, air-conditioned trailer, visitors can browse the West Virginia Digital Entertainment Library Initiative website at computer stations, or see e-readers and other mobile devices in action....
Charleston (W.Va.) Daily Mail, Aug. 10; WCHS-TV, Charleston, Aug. 9

E-books now eligible for National Book Awards
Thanks to tablets and e-readers, the definition of a book is expanding. So much so that the National Book Foundation has accepted its first interactive e-book as a submission to the National Book Awards this year. National Book Foundation Executive Director Harold Augenbraum explained that the e-book did not fit into existing submission guidelines; however, the judges consider changing those rules every year....
GalleyCat, Aug. 11

Front page of the August 8, 1911, Washington Times from Chronicling America, Library of Congress collectionThe Library of Congress: Software developer
Leslie Johnston writes: “There are a number of groups at the Library of Congress that develop and customize software: the ILS Office, the U.S. Copyright Office, the Network Development and MARC Standards Office, and the central Library IT Systems department. I have the distinct pleasure of working with the Repository Development Center at the library, which is responsible for the development of a number of web applications and tools that support the acquisition, management, preservation, and delivery of digital collections.”...
The Signal: Digital Preservation, Aug. 16

Moonbot Studios appTwo great interactive picture books
Angela Alcorn writes: “Despite the obvious attraction of paper-based books, the digital world has begun to create some really special adaptations of great stories. These somehow blur the line between books, movies, and games by providing page-by-page format, interactivity, and audiovisual segments. They’re also usually highly customizable, enabling parents to choose how much glitz to add to an already-worthwhile story. Take a quick look at two prime examples.”...
MakeUseOf, Aug. 12

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Great Libraries of the World

Klosterneuburg Abbey Library

Klosterneuburg Abbey Library, Klosterneuburg, Austria. This 12th-century Augustinian abbey has the largest private research library in Austria. The library hall was completed in 1842 when the abbey was rebuilt. The library owns a prayer book and a 12th-century bible belonging to the abbey’s founder, St. Leopold III, margrave of Austria.

Kremsmunster Abbey Library

Kremsmünster Abbey Library, Kremsmünster, Austria. A library dates back to the founding of this Benedictine abbey in 777. The library was famous even in the Middle Ages, drawing eminent scholars to study and write at the abbey, where histories of the bishops of Passau, the dukes of Bavaria, and the abbey itself were compiled. The current facility was built in 1680–1689 by Italian architect Carlo Antonio Carlone. Its most famous manuscript is the richly decorated 9th-century Codex Millenarius, which contains all four gospels in Latin written in solemn Carolingian uncial script.

This AL Direct feature showcases 250 libraries around the world that are notable for their exquisite architecture, historic collections, and innovative services. If you find yourself on vacation near one of them, be sure to stop by for a visit. The entire list will be available in The Whole Library Handbook 5, edited by George M. Eberhart, which is scheduled for publication later this year by ALA Editions.

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E-Resources Cataloging Specialist, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois. This is an academic professional position for an entry-level librarian with the requisite skills or coursework, or for a non-MLS professional with appropriate experience and skills. The E-Resources Cataloging Specialist will work in the Content Access Management unit within the Technical Services Division of the Main Library in a team environment with those Division faculty and staff responsible for the management of e-resources and the delivery of metadata and cataloging services. The E-Resources Cataloging Specialist will provide support for the bibliographic control and metadata related to electronic resources of all types, with a focus on commercially produced resources. This position reports to the Head of Content Access Management....

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Digital Library of the Week

Cartoon drawing of central character being pulled in opposing directions by groups on either side of Civil Rights issues, drawn by Brooks Hays in 1949. Brooks Hays Supplementary Papers MS H334s

The University of Arkansas Library in Fayetteville launched a digital collection August 9 documenting the life and work of Brooks Hays (1898–1981), a leading Democratic congressman from Arkansas’s Fifth District from 1942 to 1959. The collection, titled “Principles and Politics: Documenting the Career of Congressman Brooks Hays,” includes more than 170 items, including articles, campaign materials, cartoons and drawings, correspondence, diaries, photos, poems, prayers, and speeches. Special Collections Department Head Tom W. Dillard notes that Hays worked to mediate the escalating civil rights conflicts during the 1950s and refused to join Gov. Orval Faubus in his efforts to prevent the integration of Little Rock Central High School in 1957.

Do you know of a digital library collection that we can mention in this AL Direct feature? Tell us about it. Browse previous Digital Libraries of the Week at the I Love Libraries site.

American Libraries' Solutions and Services column

Public Perception
How the World
Sees Us

At the very least, all library closures must now cease. Especially in inner-urban areas, buildings recently shut should reopen. Professional staff must provide the backbone of their service, although volunteers can and should play their part. All those turf-war squabbles about priorities—new books vs. new technology, pure reading vs. community outreach—should end. And central and local government could stop passing the buck.
   “Prevention always costs less than cure. The prospect of friendly, busy branch libraries diverting even a few of the disaffected or the dispossessed from crime and despair sounds like sheer fantasy. But every little helps, as the slogan on the looted supermarket has it.”

—Boyd Tonkin, “Not One More Library Must Close,The Independent (U.K.), Aug. 12.

“The library saved my life. If anyone in my family wondered where I was, they had only to drop by the reading room to find me. The librarian, Mrs. Anna Baker, was my first true friend—someone who listened carefully, responded truthfully, and gave me every scrap of knowledge she could muster through the books she controlled.”

—Songwriter and musician Janis Ian, speaking at a gathering of Nashville, Tennessee, school librarians, Aug. 9.

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Calendar

Sept. 19–21:
12th Interlending and Document Supply Conference,
Feinberg Theater, Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies, Chicago.

Sept. 20–
Oct. 17:

Rethinking Reference Collections,
Infopeople Online Learning Course.

Sept. 29–30:
Reaching Forward South Conference for Library Support Staff,
Northfield Inn, Springfield, Illinois. “Reflecting on 15 Years of Change.”

Oct. 2–5:
Pennsylvania Library Association,
Annual Conference, Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, State College. “Touchdown! Winning Strategies for Libraries.”

Oct. 10:
Association of Library Communications and Outreach Professionals, Inaugural Conference, Washington, D.C.

Oct. 14–15:
American Printing History Association,
Annual Conference, University of California, San Diego. “Printing at the Edge.”

Oct. 17–19:
Internet Librarian 2011,
Monterey Conference Center, Monterey, California. “Revolutionizing the Net with Content, Connections, and Conversations.”

Oct. 18–20:
Illinois Library Association,
Annual Conference, Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont.

Oct. 18–21:
Educause,
Annual Conference, Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia.

Oct. 19–21:
South Carolina Library Association,
Annual Conference, Embassy Suites / North Charleston Convention Center.

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Books and Reading

Screen shot from Last Gasp Summer Reading videoLast gasp summer reading suggestions for kids
Monica Edinger writes: “It is August and an odd time for kids. Wherever they are, they are probably doing a bit of reading, some because they want to and some because they have to. I asked my friend Betsy Bird, New York Public Library children’s librarian, if she’d like to join me in suggesting a few final fun reads. She did, and so here is an entertaining video (10:36) featuring the two of us, a bunch of books, and the occasional baby sound effects.”...
Huffington Post, Aug. 11; Vimeo, Aug. 9

Screen shot from Long Live the Book videoWe hate the “I Hate Reading” Facebook page
AbeBooks writes: “And to cap off a great week of plunging share prices and riots on the streets, there is an ‘I Hate Reading’ Facebook page with 444,198 likes. Somebody should set up the ‘I Hate the I Hate Reading Page’ page on Facebook. Here is the official AbeBooks.com reply. It’s a video (1:15) titled ‘Long Live the Book’ created by Lindsay Thompson, an account manager in our Victoria, B.C., office.”...
Reading Copy Blok Blog, Aug. 11; YouTube, Aug. 10

BookLamp logoBookLamp launches a Pandora for books
Sarah Kessler writes: “You don’t want a book recommendation from someone who hasn’t read the book. So why, asks a new project called BookLamp, would you want to rely on an electronic recommendation based on marketing data rather than book content? Much like Pandora assigns specific qualities to music, BookLamp measures the story components of a book (characteristics like history, domestic environments, physical injury) and how it’s written (density, pacing, dialog, description, motion) to suggest books you might like based on what you’ve liked in the past.”...
Mashable, Aug. 16

Infinite Jest, by David Foster Wallace, weighs in at 1,104 pagesIs it really the end of books?
Sam Leith writes: “Sci-fi author Cory Doctorow has called the internet ‘an ecosystem of interruption technologies.’ There are two main schools of thought. One is that modern culture is making us cleverer; the other is that the web is making us stupider. But if it really were the case that our attention spans are shortening, you might expect to see a wholesale revival of interest in short stories. Instead we’re seeing Wolf Hall, Fingersmith, The Crimson Petal and the White, The Corrections, Underworld, Infinite Jest, Tree of Smoke, and fat Stephen King after fat Stephen King.”...
The Guardian (U.K.), Aug. 14

Cover of Boston Public Library book by Catherine WillisNew book illustrates Boston Public Library history
The first pictorial history of the Boston Public Library has reached bookstore and library shelves. The author of Boston Public Library (in Arcadia’s Images of America series) is Catherine Willis, BPL technical services manager. Willis worked for months to research the project, selecting images and writing the text. Her research took her to archives few people had ever seen. The result is this 128-page book, which includes 201 images spanning the library’s 163-year history....
Boston Public Library, Aug. 9

New Spider-Man from MarvelThe best reasons to get excited about sci-fi comics this fall
Cyriaque Lamar writes: “Fall is right around the corner, and so is a veritable slew of intriguing new comics. What’s in store for you? A new Spider-Man, new Buffy tales from Joss Whedon, and an absolute deluge of DC titles. Let’s take a peek. First, in the course of overhauling their alternate universe Ultimate line, Marvel has tapped a new Spider-Man (one who isn’t Peter Parker), due out September 7.”...
io9, Aug. 16

Zombie by felix42 contra la censura, Flickr.comEverything’s coming up zombies
Maria Kramer writes: “Zombie-themed books, movies, graphic novels, games, and even zombie conventions are emerging like the unhallowed dead from their shallow graves. In fact, if you’re reading this, you’ve probably participated in a hypothetical ‘how I would survive a zombie apocalypse’ conversation at some point in your life. So what’s behind the amazing popularity of zombies? The Hub has put the finest minds of our generation to work answering this question, and the results are: The Four Pillars of Zombie Popularity.”...
YALSA The Hub, Aug. 17


Actions & Answers

Reforma National Conference IV logoReforma celebrates a milestone
Reforma (the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-speaking) will celebrate its 40th anniversary in Denver at its fourth National Conference, September 15–18. The conference inaugurates the first day of National Hispanic Heritage Month on September 15. Special galas and programs are planned to pay tribute to Reforma’s founding and active members....
Reforma, Aug. 7

ATLA seeks proposals
The American Theological Library Association is seeking proposals from librarians who specialize in theology and religion to present workshops, papers, or panel discussions at its 66th annual conference in Scottsdale, Arizona, June 27–30, 2012. The call for proposals closes on September 30....
American Theological Library Association, Aug. 15

An architect's rendition of the entrance plaza to Duke University's renovated Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections LibraryDuke Libraries receive $13.6-million gift
Duke University trustee David M. Rubenstein will give $13.6 million to the libraries in support of the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library (right), President Richard H. Brodhead announced August 17. The donation is the largest ever to the libraries. In recognition of Rubenstein's gift, the special collections library will be renamed the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library, following approval by the board of trustees....
Duke Today, Aug. 17

International Observe the Moon Night logoApply for a free Moon viewing kit
The Lunar and Planetary Institute invites public and school libraries to apply for a free Moon viewing kit. To qualify, applicants must commit to hosting an International Observe the Moon Night event on October 8. In addition, each successful applicant must commit to fulfilling reporting requirements. Each kit is valued at $400 and includes binoculars, children’s books, a lunar map, and other resources for families to enjoy. Apply by August 22....
Programming Librarian, Aug. 16

RDA vocabularies now published
The first group of RDA controlled vocabularies have been reviewed, approved, and their status in the Open Metadata Registry changed to “published.” This status change, from “new-proposed” to “published,” signals that the final steps have begun in reviewing the work of the DCMI/RDA Task Group and ensuring that the RDA vocabularies (both elements and controlled vocabularies/concepts) are available in a stable form for the builders of applications. The finished vocabularies can be viewed using these links....
Cataloguing Aids, Aug. 16

IMPACT Survey logoLibraries wanted for IMPACT Survey pilot
The University of Washington, with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is extending the benefits of the 2009 U.S. IMPACT Study web survey by making it available to all public libraries to use in their own data collection, evaluation, and advocacy efforts. The pilot will launch in August with approximately 400 library systems nationwide. Pilot libraries will receive support throughout their involvement and will be asked to provide feedback on the process and support materials. To register, visit the survey website. Participating libraries must begin their survey fielding period by September 12...
Impact Survey, July 5

Moving up the organization
Jamie LaRue writes: “I am annually reviewed by my bosses, a 7-person board. A few years ago one board member asked me what I was doing about succession planning. I thought, ‘Uh oh.’ Was this code for ‘Pick your replacement, bub, you’re outta here’? In fact, succession planning means something far broader and more significant. Here’s the idea in my own words, but very much derived from that board member’s deep professional experience in organizational development work.”...
LaRue’s Views, Aug. 25

Institutionalizing self-directed learning
Mary Beth Faccioli writes: “Many of us are familiar with the Learning 2.0 program started by Helene Blowers. This training program has been riffed on by many libraries, and some are now using the model to deliver other kinds of training beyond Web 2.0 tools. In early August I had the pleasure of talking to Missy Shock, training director at the Douglas County (Colo.) Libraries, on her development of this model. She and her trainers implemented Colorado’s version of Web 2.0 training with all the public service staff in her libraries.”...
ALA Learning, Aug. 16

ERIC Facebook page logoERIC gets social
Joyce Valenza writes: “While many of us weren’t watching, ERIC, the granddaddy of education research, has grown a lot more social. As we prepare for a fall filled with professional development, it might be a good idea to share some of ERIC’s new coolness with the faculty. ERIC, the Education Resources Information Center, is an online digital library of education research and information sponsored by the Institute of Education Sciences. So what’s new with ERIC?”...
School Library Journal: NeverEndingSearch, Aug. 13

The lost found: A scene at the police headquarters, Mulberry Street, New York. Harper's weekly, v. 10, 1866 Aug. 18, p. 525. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. LC-USZ62-118007Lost titles, forgotten rhymes
Locating a novel, short story, or poem without knowing its title or author can be very difficult. This guide by the Library of Congress Digital Reference Section is intended to help readers identify a literary work when they know only its plot or subject, or other textual information such as a character’s name, a line of poetry, or a unique word or phrase. It was created by Peter Armenti, digital reference specialist....
Library of Congress Digital Reference Section

Library school starter kit: The first term
Z. Frazier writes: “Here is a timeline that roughly follows my own experience in library school and what I have noticed other successful library students doing. Most of the activities are simple non–time intensive ways to help create opportunities to improve the quality of your library education. Day 0: Start a blog.”...
Hack Library School, Aug. 15

To the MLS Class of 2013
Andy Woodworth writes: “Most library science graduate programs around the country are now preparing for another year of instruction for a mix of returning students and new blood. For the fresh faces, I thought I’d offer some advice for their tenure in their graduate programs. While I am a relatively new person on the library scene (having graduated in 2006), I’d like to share some of things I’ve observed in my time and travels.”...
Agnostic, Maybe, Aug. 14

A quick guide to using Creative Commons images
Most guides for working with Creative Commons images are for those who want to pick a license for making their own work available. Even the CC site itself is geared toward Creative Commons license users, and not Creative Commons–licensed content users. So as a small public service announcement, here is a brief intro to CC image usage. First, Creative Commons licenses are divided up into six main license types, and each one can be tweaked to cover text, images, video, and other types of works....
Ars Technica: Law and Disorder, Aug. 9

Public domain calculator for the Czech RepublicEU group devises a public domain calculator
Determining whether a work has passed into the public domain in Europe and Scandinavia can prove very difficult—especially when attempting to determine the status of content in multiple jurisdictions. Thanks to new research, however, users can determine the copyright status of works in for 30 countries (the European Union plus Switzerland, Iceland, and Norway) by using a public domain calculator developed by Europeana Connect....
Open Knowledge Foundation Blog, Aug. 15; Europeana Connect

LinkedIn ad without the member photosLinkedIn reconsiders third-party ad policy
Steve Woodruff writes: “After two volatile days of negative user reaction, LinkedIn has reconsidered its plan to use the names and pictures of members in third-party advertising. I had no earthly idea, when putting up this blog post on August 10, that such a firestorm would be the result. While it’s too soon to fully gain perspective on all this, it’s not too soon to dispel misconceptions that may occur.”...
Connection Agent, Aug. 12; Technolog, Aug. 11; LinkedIn Blog, Aug. 11

Amazon.com now uses targeted advertising
Jay Habegger writes: “Amazon flew under the radar in late June when it announced it will now use its huge supply of data to pool consumers into buckets based on the products they looked at or purchased on the retailer’s website. The company will help advertisers reach these consumers with targeted media, using behaviorally targeted display ads to drive them to any URL.”...
Advertising Age: DigitalNext, Aug. 11

Foursquare venues, Gowalla spots, and Yelp pages are now linked on Facebook Places PagesRecent Facebook upgrades of interest to nonprofits
Heather Mansfield writes: “Facebook has been making a flurry of changes to the functionality of Facebook Pages, Facebook Community Pages, and Facebook Places Pages over the last few weeks. The good news is that the upgrades signal that Facebook is working towards merging these three types of pages (when possible), thus making managing your nonprofit’s presence on Facebook much easier.”...
Nonprofit Tech 2.0, Aug. 11

Student doing library researchTen skills every student should learn
Meris Stansbury writes: “What students should learn in school is at the forefront of education-reform debates. Ed-tech stakeholders for years have been touting the need for students to learn 21st-century skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, and media literacy to prepare for the new global, digital economy, while others are calling for students to have strong math and science skills. But what do educators and other school stakeholders think are the most important skills?”...
eSchool News, Aug. 11

Ten rules for law library management (PDF file)
Gail M. Daly writes: “When Earl Charles Borgeson passed away on Christmas Day, 2010, the law library profession lost one of its most prominent leaders. As Earl’s successor at Southern Methodist University, I was introduced to the management rules he had developed during his career and which he applied during his tenure at SMU. They have stood me in good stead, and are worthy of sharing.”...
Law Library Journal 103, no. 3 (Summer): 515–519

Professional journals fail to address LGBTQ issues
Elizabeth Koehler provides a look at the challenges faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning teenagers in the United States in “The Silent Message: Professional Journals’ Failure to Address LGBTQ Issues.” How well are professional journals supporting librarians in their efforts to include appropriate resources in their library collections and to serve LGBTQ teens? To find out, she performed a study on the representation of LGBTQ-themed articles in nine professional journals commonly read by librarians serving young adults....
Journal of Research on Libraries and Young Adults, Summer

How do academics feel about ratings?
Brian Mathews writes: “Netflix lets subscribers rate films. Wikipedia lets readers rate entries. This is nothing new. You see it everywhere online. User feedback sways our opinions. Perhaps we’re even timid to trust things that have not undergone (or received little attention from) this form of peer review. This got me thinking about academics and how they react to reactions of their work. They labor over a book or article. Do they care what the reaction is? Do they even pay attention to it?”...
Chronicle of Higher Education: The Ubiquitous Librarian, Aug. 10

Screen shot from Library Girl anime videoLibrary Girl anime
The music is from fictional Norwegian boys band Boyzvoice, but the anime is taken from the Japanese TV series Fushigi Yûgi, part of which features a mysterious book in a high school library. The video (3:01) was put together by YouTube user Johnnien....
YouTube, Apr. 24, 2007

Chocolate books bound in fruit leatherHow to make chocolate books
Beth Jackson Klosterboer writes: “I had been thinking of unique ways to make schoolbooks, and knew the white modeling chocolate could easily be cut into rectangles to form the pages of some edible books. To create the book covers, I knew I could have wrapped the white pages in a thin layer of colored modeling chocolate, but I wanted more texture and flavor. I once again went searching through my pantry and came across some bars of cherry fruit leather.”...
Hungry Happenings, May 31

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