All about the I Love My Librarian winners
Sally Chapralis writes: “Ten dedicated and passionate librarians were honored for their unwavering commitment to patrons, communities, and libraries when they received the 2012 I Love My Librarian Award, sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the New York Times, administered by ALA, and presented to the winners at a ceremony in New York City on December 18.” Read what each of them said about the honor and why they were nominated....
American Libraries feature, Dec. 19

NOPL celebrates the arts
On November 29 New Orleans Public Library welcomed musician Irvin Mayfield for the exclusive premiere of “Dust, Dirt, and Trees,” written by Mayfield and performed by the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. The concert, a tribute to literary legend Ernest Gaines, is part of a series titled The NOJO 10, which celebrates the orchestra’s 10th anniversary with 10 signature jazz events....
AL Focus, Dec. 17

Another Story: The wheel turns again
Joseph Janes writes: “And here we are, at my 100th column, which comes smack on top of my 10-year anniversary writing it; this double circle has given me an opportunity to reflect on what has been, what is, and what could be, and I’ve arrived at the conclusion that a column called Internet Librarian is no longer necessary. So, am I done here? No such luck.”...
American Libraries column, Nov./Dec.

Library Design Showcase moves to Sept./Oct.
American Libraries is now accepting submissions for itse 2013 Library Design Showcase, an annual feature celebrating the best new and newly renovated or expanded libraries of all types. In 2013, the showcase will be moving from the March/April issue to the September/October issue. Send a completed submission form (PDF file), along with color prints or high-resolution digital images, to American Libraries, Attn: Library Design Showcase, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. Submissions can also be sent via YouSendIt to ALShowcase@ala.org. View last year’s selections here....
American Libraries news, Dec. 19

No AL Direct for two weeks
AL Direct is taking two weeks off for the holiday season. Look for a new edition on Wednesday, January 9. Happy Holidays!

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Theoharis to keynote Dr. Martin Luther King Sunrise Celebration
Jeanne Theoharis, professor of political science at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, who has written on the black freedom struggle and the contemporary politics of race in the US, will keynote the 2013 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Sunrise Celebration on January 28, during the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Seattle. The Call-to-Action Speaker will be Sandra Hughes-Hassell, professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill SLIS, whose current research focuses on social-justice issues in youth library services and the role of school librarians in education reform....
Social Responsibilities Round Table, Dec. 18

23 chapters offer joint ALA student membership
Twenty-three ALA chapters (aka state library associations) partner with ALA to offer students the opportunity to join both a chapter and ALA for one low price of $35, now through August 31, 2013. If you join online, ALA Membership and the participating chapters each receive a receipt on the day you joined....
ALA Student Membership Blog, Dec. 14

How to educate your staff and patrons on copyright
As libraries move into the roles of publisher, platform-provider, or aggregator, making sure that your staff has basic knowledge of copyright is important. A new session of the four-week facilitated eCourse “Demystifying Copyright: How to Educate Your Staff and Community” will begin February 4, taught by copyright, licensing, and digital property lawyer Lesley Ellen Harris (right). Harris will show step-by-step how to develop a copyright education program for library staff and community. Registration is open....
ALA Editions, Dec. 18

Using WebDewey and Understanding DDC
Gain a comprehensive grounding in Dewey Decimal Classification principles and practice in a new session of the four-week facilitated eCourse “Using WebDewey and Understanding Dewey Decimal Classification,” which begins February 4. Expert cataloging instructor Cheryl Tarsala (right) will teach you how to assign DDC numbers with correct meaning in hierarchy, build numbers using tables, and apply numbers that help patrons browse your library. Registration is open....
ALA Editions, Dec. 18

Get babies into books with early literacy programs
Whether you’re preparing programs for babies in your library or community center, teaching early literacy skills to daycare providers, or providing support to new parents in an outreach program, “Getting Babies into Books with Early Literacy Programs” will make your work easier and more productive. Taught by children’s librarian Kathy Kirchoefer (right), the new four-week facilitated eCourse, which begins February 4, teaches how to plan a baby program from start to finish, including how to select the best books and music. Registration is open....
ALA Editions, Dec. 18

Learn how to create and manage metadata
A primer on information and knowledge organization, with particular reference to digital environments, Information Resource Description: Creating and Managing Metadata introduces the conventions and standards of contemporary document description and the principles and trends of professional practice. Employing the unifying mechanism of the Semantic Web and the resource description framework, author Philip Hider integrates the various traditions and practices of information and knowledge organization....
ALA Editions, Dec. 18

Silly Books to Read Aloud
Silly Books to Read Aloud is the ultimate guide to choosing fun and funny stories to read with and to children. Acclaimed children’s book authority Rob Reid offers a concentrated look at the content and appeal of different books, helping adults make informed decisions about what children read. More than simply a recommended reading list, books in this guide help children’s language development and encourage good reading habits, improved comprehension, and a broadened vocabulary....
ALA Huron Street Press, Dec. 13

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Chihuly Garden and Glass
This long-term exhibition at the Seattle Center provides a look at the inspiration and influences that inform the career of artist Dale Chihuly. Intended to function as a community gathering place, “Chihuly Garden and Glass” broke ground in August 2011. Its Exhibition Hall contains eight galleries and three Drawing Walls, offering visitors a comprehensive look at Chihuly’s significant series of work. The installation of artworks in the Gardens started March 2012, and then moved into the Glasshouse and Exhibition Hall....
Chihuly Garden and Glass

Best Seattle bakery, 2012
Gavin Borchert writes: “Pike Place Bakery keeps a low profile, even though it’s at the Market’s central crossroads, right where Pike Street bends into 1501 Pike Place. Tucked into a corner behind the fish-throwers (ah, that explains it), its glass cases are stuffed with rolls and breads, yes, but mostly old-school sweets. Their philosophy seems to be never to use one topping on a sweet roll when you can use more: cream cheese strawberry, chocolate-chip cream cheese, almond cinnamon caramel.”...
Seattle Weekly

Top 10 Seattle food trucks
New food trucks are opening in Seattle almost every week. And if the quantity isn’t crushing, the trucks’ overall quality is reason for mobile food fans to celebrate. But there are a few standouts. Jen says the following 10 trucks are the ones you ought to wish were permanently parked outside your office. And they are increasingly cooperating by forming “pods,” or spaces shared by a bunch of trucks, such as the one that opened November 8 on the corner of Second Avenue and Pike Street....
Seattle Weekly, Oct. 22; Puget Sound Business Journal, Nov. 1

On the waterfront
The Central Waterfront of Seattle is the most urbanized portion of the Elliott Bay shore. It runs from the Pioneer Square shore roughly northwest past Downtown Seattle and Belltown, ending at the Broad Street site of the Olympic Sculpture Park. Several century-old piers are now devoted to shops and restaurants. There are several parks, a ferris wheel, an aquarium, and one over-water hotel, the Edgewater. The piers are numbered from Pier 46, at the south end of the area, to Pier 70 at the northern end....
Wikipedia

Vashon Island, a trip across time
Unknown to the rest of us, the Washington State Department of Transportation has invented a time machine. Sure, it looks like a ferry, running the route between Seattle and Vashon Island dozens of times a day. But how else to explain what you find when you arrive on Vashon? The island has no bridge connecting it to the mainland, so it retains its Mayberry-meets-Burning-Man character, a place where Seattleites get a taste of small-town life—including a Food Preservation Tool Library and the historic Vashon Island Coffee Roasterie (a coffee musuem)....
New York Times, Mar. 30; Seattle Weekly, Aug. 22; Vashon Island Coffee Roasterie

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Check in for 2013 Teen Tech Week
The theme for Teen Tech Week 2013, March 10–16, is “Check In @ your library,” which was designed to encourage libraries to showcase the outstanding technology they offer for teens and their families, services such as online homework help, digital literacy–focused programs, ebooks, movies, music, audiobooks, and databases. Registration is open for a free webinar on makerspaces with Hilary Kolos from Dreamyard and materials from TTW Partners, such as database trials and books....
YALSA, Dec. 18

More Great Websites for Kids
Nine websites have been added to ALSC’s list of Great Websites for Kids. GWS features links to high-quality websites of interest to children 14 years old and younger, organized into diverse subject headings such as animals and dinosaurs, games and entertainment, history and science, and art and music. Each site entry includes a brief annotation and a grade-level rating. GWS users can also rate sites and save their favorite sites to access later....
ALSC, Dec. 18

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I Love My Librarian winners announced
Ten librarians have been recognized for service to their communities, schools, and campuses as winners of the Carnegie Corporation of New York / New York Times I Love My Librarian Award. More than 1,500 library patrons nationwide nominated a librarian. Each received a $5,000 cash award and was honored at a ceremony and reception in New York, hosted by the New York Times, on December 18. In their nominations, library patrons told stories of how their librarians make a difference in their communities....
Campaign for America’s Libraries, Dec. 18

Two new 75th Caldecott Facebook Forums
ALSC has announced two more 75th Caldecott Facebook Forums. On January 10, ALSC will host Melissa Sweet (illustrator of A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams), and on February 26, Laura Vaccaro Seeger (author and illustrator of First the Egg) will be the guest. As part of the forum, ALSC will interview Sweet and Vaccaro Seeger about their Caldecott experiences. This event is open to the public, and a Facebook account is not required to view the event, held on the ALSC Facebook page....
ALSC, Dec. 14

Call for United for Libraries trustee nominations
United for Libraries is accepting applications for the ALA Trustee Citation and the United for Libraries/Gale Outstanding Trustee Grant. The citation recognizes public library trustees for distinguished service to library development and the grant will enable a public library trustees to attend the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. Apply by December 31....
United for Libraries, Dec. 18

RUSA extends awards-nomination deadlines
The nomination deadline has been extended to January 15 for several annual awards offered by RUSA, with the exception of the BRASS Gale Cengage Learning Student Travel Award, whos deadline is January 31. Visit the RUSA Awards website for details about each award, including eligibility, criteria, submission guidelines, and committee information....
RUSA, Dec. 18

Nomination deadlines extended for ASCLA awards
ASCLA has extended the nomination deadline to January 31 for its 2013 awards, which recognize projects focused on library services to people with disabilities; the advancement of library services for the blind and physically handicapped; exceptional achievement in extension and outreach services; exemplary leadership and achievement in consulting, state library services, and library cooperatives; and service to ASCLA. Visit the ASCLA Awards website for more information....
ASCLA, Dec. 18

EMIERT 2013 Distinguished Librarian Award
The ALA Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table is seeking nominations for its 2013 Distinguished Librarian Award. The award recognizes significant accomplishments in multicultural library services that are national or international in scope and that include improving, spreading, and promoting multicultural services in libraries. Nominations will be accepted through January 21....
Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table, Dec. 14

RUSA represented on PROSE Award jury
RUSA member Dan Mack, deputy director for collection management and special collections at the University of Maryland Libraries, has been named to the 2012 PROSE Award jury as the subject matter expert for language and linguistics. The PROSE Awards, presented by the Association of American Publishers, recognize the very best in professional and scholarly publishing by bringing attention to distinguished books, journals, and e-content in more than 40 categories....
RUSA, Dec. 18

EBSCO scholarships awarded for ALA Midwinter
Five librarians have received $1,500 scholarships to attend the 2013 ALA Midwinter Meeting, January 25–29, in Seattle. They are: Susan H. Brown of Lawrence (Kans.) Public Library, Ariel Cummins of San Antonio (Tex.) Public Library, Liane Elizabeth Elias of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Jacqueline Keleher of Southern University at New Orleans, and Stacey Nordlund of Toronto (Ont.) Public Library....
Office of ALA Governance, Dec. 18

Ginnie Cooper wins architecture award for DCPL
Ginnie Cooper, chief librarian and executive director of the District of Columbia Public Library, has won the 2012 Thomas Jefferson Award for Public Architecture from the American Institute of Architects. Cooper was in the award’s third category, which recognizes the role of elected officials, public administrators, and institutional leaders who encourage the production of high-quality architecture. She is credited for D.C.’s recent renaissance in library construction and renovation of 14 branches since 2006....
American Institute of Architects; District of Columbia Public Library

Carole King wins LC’s Gershwin Award
Librarian of Congress James H. Billington announced December 13 that Carole King (right) is the 2013 recipient of the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. The singer-songwriter, known for such hits as “You’ve Got a Friend,” “So Far Away,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” and “I Feel the Earth Move,” will receive the prize in Washington, D.C., in the spring of 2013....
Library of Congress, Dec. 13

Booklist 2012 Top of the List selections
Booklist magazine has announced its Top of the List winners for 2012. The eight winning titles were chosen from the annual Editors’ Choice selections as the best books and media of 2012, and, as every year, the expert selections influence readers and book buyers in libraries, bookstores, and beyond. The Top of the List picks are featured in Booklist Online as well as in the special combined January 1 and 15 issue of Booklist, which includes the complete annotated Editors’ Choice lists for adult books, adult books for young adults, books for youth, reference sources, and media....
Booklist, Dec. 13

2012 Edublog Award winners
The winners and runners-up of the 2012 Edublog Awards were announced December 13. Sponsored by blogging service Edublogs, the awards are determined by a nomination process open to the general public, and winners are chosen by vote. The winner in the category of “Best Library/Librarian blog” was a Bulgarian-language site translated as “Educational Blog” by Iliana Ilieva-Dabova, who works in the Bulgarian School in Barcelona, Spain. Runners-up were Mighty Little Librarian, Bulldog Readers, Watch.Connect.Read, and The Adventures of Library Girl (right)....
School Library Journal, Dec. 14; Edublogs, Dec. 13

Is your school innovative?
With just three weeks remaining before the January 4 entry deadline for the 2012–2013 Follett Challenge, Follett has sweetened the deal by announcing it will throw a party for the contest’s two grand-prize winners at their respective schools. The contest will award $200,000 worth of Follett products and services to six K–12 schools that are aligning their curriculum to teach 21st-century learning skills. The challenge is open to all public and private K–12 schools in the United States and Canada. Apply by January 4....
Follett, Dec. 14

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Sandy Hook library staff saves 18 children
During the horrific December 14 shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, the quick thinking of school librarian Yvonne Cech and library clerk Mary Ann Jacob saved the lives of 18 fourth graders. Cech and Jacob locked themselves, two other library assistants, and the students inside a storage room used to house servers for the library computers. After barricading the door with filing cabinets, they tried to keep the kids calm by giving them crayons and paper. They were rescued by state police after about an hour. Jacob was interviewed afterwards by Fox News. AASL President Susan Ballard had some timely words to say about the event....
New York Times, Dec. 14; Daily Mirror (UK), Dec. 15; Fox News, Dec. 15; AL: Inside Scoop, Dec, 14

Probe centers on Detroit library’s IT contracts
A search warrant from a Detroit Public Library raid on November 20 shows that a federal grand jury is investigating Chief Administrative Officer Tim Cromer and his ties to two library technology contractors, Cubemation and Core Consulting and Professional Services. They also sought library records concerning Dacrotek, a company that Cromer formed in 2005, while he was director of the library’s information systems department....
Detroit News, Dec. 17

How CUNY libraries adjusted after Hurricane Sandy
Maura Smale writes: “Overall, most City University of New York facilities escaped serious damage from the hurricane and were able to reopen to students on November 2. We all returned to a semester that looked different from the usual, and in some cases, very different. Here my colleagues and I share our post-hurricane adaptations in some of the libraries across the CUNY system.”...
ACRLog, Dec. 14

Alec Baldwin helps out Central Falls library
The Adams Memorial Library in Central Falls, Rhode Island, has received an unexpected check for $5,000 from actor Alec Baldwin, his second donation in 12 months. “A year ago, Alec’s donation [of $10,000] helped us keep the doors open,” said board President Bruce Kaplan. “This year he’s helping us expand hours of operation and community programming.” The library was closed for several months in 2011 in the wake of Central Falls’s bankruptcy, until volunteers raised enough money to reopen it. The library was almost halfway toward its $40,000 fundraising goal....
Lincoln (R.I.) Valley Breeze, Dec. 18; New York Times, Sept. 30, 2011; WPRI-TV, Providence, R.I., Dec. 18

Meet the Labrary
Corydon Ireland writes: “Ever get the urge to print a few words on a graham cracker, with chocolate? No? Well, you only have until December 21 to sample that creation. That’s the last day the Labrary will be open on the Harvard campus. The student-designed pop-up space explores what libraries of the future might look like. The project originated in an advanced seminar called ‘Library Test Kitchen.’”...
Harvard Gazette, Dec. 12

The Russians love the Librarian of Congress
The Russian ambassador used Italian opera to honor the Librarian of Congress on December 11, part of a resplendent evening the Russians put together for James H. Billington (right). The official reason for the gathering was to celebrate Billington’s 25 years as head of LC. But there is much personal affection among the federation’s diplomatic and artistic set for Billington, a Russia scholar. The ambassador’s residence, where the soirée was held, is rarely used to fête individuals in such a manner, much less an American official....
Roll Call: Heard on the Hill, Dec. 12

Illinois GSLIS collaborates with French school
In December, University of Illinois Associate Professor Terry Weech (right) visited ENSSIB, France’s national school for information and librarianship in Lyon, to talk to students, staff, and faculty about an exchange program with GSLIS. The program, recently authorized by the board of trustees, is the formalization of a nearly 20-year informal collaborative relationship with l’École Nationale Supérieure des Sciences de l’Information et des Bibliothèques (ENSSIB), the premier LIS school in France....
iSchool at Illinois, Dec. 14

New town library in Maranello, Italy
A glazed reading room appears to float over the still waters of a shallow pool at this town library in Maranello, Italy, by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki and Italian architect Andrea Maffei. It opened to the public on November 19, 2011. The curving glass façade wiggles back and forth to form the building’s perimeter, while study areas behind the glass offer visitors a view out across the water towards the ivy-covered walls that bound the site....
Dezeen, Dec. 16

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ALA Midwinter Meeting, Seattle, January 25–29. Starting at 1 p.m. on January 28 with members of the 501st Legion (a Star Wars fan organization) in the Exhibit Hall and special discounts from exhibitors, Wrap Up/Rev Up will continue with bestselling authors Tom Angleberger and Chris Alexander hosting a Star Wars–themed party at 2–3 p.m., featuring the storm troopers, origami, and photo opps with characters. The exclusive READ posters and bookmarks featuring Origami Yoda and Darth Paper will be available at the ALA Store.

Meet the Winners of the 2012 I Love My Librarian Award Scott Hutchins: 'There would have been no option for books except for the library' (video) Asperger's Syndrome and the Journey Taken by One Family to Understand It Whistler's Changing London Animal Welfare Libraries Gordon Parks-- Humanitarian Journalist, Master of the Camera Join Us on Facebook Subscribe to our Newsletter

Welcome to government comics
Joe Sergi writes: “Throughout history, state and federal governments have utilized popular culture to spread their message. Given the effectiveness and popularity of sequential art, it should be no surprise that comics would be enlisted into the cause. And much like Marvel’s merry mutants, comics protected a world that feared and hated them. This was apparent in 1954, when the same government that made comics also held hearings that nearly destroyed the medium forever.”...
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Dec. 14

Beyond YA literature
Molly Wetta writes: “There has been much buzz in the world of young adult literature about a possible new category: new adult fiction. This is designed to bridge a gap between young adult fiction and adult fiction and is often characterized as featuring college-aged protagonists. I want to share books written for the adult market by popular young adult authors and books that are shelved in the adult literature section but that are about teenage protagonists and would appeal to fans of YA.”...
YALSA The Hub, Dec. 17

Clever ideas for wrapping books
Kit Steinkellner writes: “You went to all the trouble of picking out the perfect book (or books) for one of your favorite people. And now you’re going to wrap that book (or those books) in the most boring way possible? No, no, a thousand times no! Book Riot to the rescue, making sure your presents look as cute as a boot under the Christmas tree.”...
Book Riot, Dec. 18

YA covers that got it right in 2012
Annie Schutte writes: “Publishing companies aren’t putting out enough YA titles that feature protagonists of color. And when they do, some book covers try to obscure the characters’ race by showing them in silhouette or in shadow, or at times whitewashing them completely. However, some publishers have no problem putting people of color on the covers of their books. Here are some book covers that got race right in 2012.”...
YALSA The Hub, Dec. 17

20 books for the end of the world
Beth Carswell writes: “Well, it’s been a great 5,125 years, folks. Sure, we made some mistakes, but I like to think we’ve all learned a little, loved a little, grown a little. And now, according to some, we are in the end of days. Some of those inclined toward the prophecies believe that on December 21 the world will undergo catastrophic and catacylsmic events. We have you covered with this selection of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction—the perfect books for the end of the world.”...
AbeBooks’ Reading Copy, Dec. 18

Authors who pin
Joyce Valenza writes: “We’ve followed their blogs and tweets. Now many of us are following their boards. Through Pinterest, some of our favorite authors are sharing fan art, previewing book covers and chapters, allowing us a lens on the inspirations for their writing, illustrating the background and locations for their books, suggesting literary extension activities, and revealing their hobbies and interests and style preferences.”...
School Library Journal: NeverEndingSearch, Dec. 16

A critic’s tour of literary Manhattan
Dwight Garner writes: “Is Manhattan’s literary night life, along with its literary infrastructure (certain bars, hotels, restaurants, and bookstores) fading away? Not long ago I installed myself at the Algonquin, the Midtown hotel where Dorothy Parker, Alexander Woollcott, and others once traded juniper-infused barbs, and used it as a launching pad to crisscross the island for a few days, looking to see what’s left.”...
New York Times, Dec. 14

The best literary quotes ever tattooed
Emily Temple writes: “Some people choose to literally ink odes to their favorite books on their bodies, whether inspired by children’s books or by some of the incredible turns of phrase shown here, which we’ve chosen for their resonance as well as their beauty. Certain books tend to spark more tattoos than others—so we’ve simply chosen our favorites.” Mental Floss has 12 more literary tats....
Flavorwire, Nov. 1, Dec. 9; Mental Floss, Dec. 14

30 resources to help children cope with tragedies
Julie Greller writes: “As teachers, we go through lockdown drills on a regular basis, praying that we will never have a real life-and-death situation. If not for those practice drills, teachers in Newtown, Connecticut, would not have known what to do. Angela Maiers posted ‘There is No Lesson Plan for Tragedy: Teachers You Know What to Do’ on her blog. It is a must-read. Here are some resources to aid you and parents in helping kids deal with the violence.” Larry Ferlazzo offers additional resources....
A Media Specialist’s Guide to the Internet, Dec. 16; Angela Meiers, Dec. 14; Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day, Dec. 14

Library Zeitgeist
The Library of Congress was the most-searched library in the United States in 2012, according to Google’s annual “Zeitgeist report” (PDF file), which tracks internet search trends. The report does not indicate how many actual searches were done or whether the searches included both website hits and catalog searches. The four next libraries, in descending order, were Chicago Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library, New York Public Library, and Hennepin County (Minn.) Library....
Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Dec. 15; Google Zeitgeist 2012

LC adds 25 films to its National Registry
The excitement of national football, the first black star of an American feature-length film, the visionary battle between man and machine, and an award-winning actress born yesterday are part of a kaleidoscope of cinematic moments captured on film and tapped for preservation. Librarian of Congress James H. Billington on December 19 named 25 motion pictures that have been selected for inclusion in LC’s National Film Registry. These cinematic treasures represent important cultural, artistic, and historic achievements in filmmaking....
Library of Congress, Dec. 19

Metadata explained using a Christmas metaphor
Bonnie Swoger writes: “When I talk to most scientists and mention the word ‘metadata’ they look at me as if I’ve grown a second head. Despite the fact that these folks regularly use and create metadata (not to be confused with megadata or ‘big data,’ which is another subject), many have not heard of the term. The best way to understand metadata is to look at a few examples of metadata at work, using Santa Claus as the data creator.”...
Scientific American: Information Culture, Dec. 17

GPO moves toward RDA adoption
The US Government Printing Office has created a Resource Description and Access implementation team to ensure a smooth transition from AACR2 to RDA. GPO cataloging staff are continuing their training efforts, and are now working on sample record creation, the identification of local practices, and formal Program for Cooperative Cataloging review. Full implementation is expected in April 2013. The timeline is now available on the RDA project page....
FDLP Desktop, Dec. 18

Normalizing RDA capitalization with OCLC Connexion macros
One immediately noticeable difference in RDA records is capitalization that differs from the AACR2 standard. Depending on the cataloger, the same movie might have its title recorded as any of: Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf? Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Who’s Afraid of VIRGINIA WOOLF? Is this okay? If not, what can we do about it?...
Problem Cataloger, Dec. 14

IFLA call for papers
The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions is seeking papers that will be presented at its World Library and Information Congress in Singapore, August 17–23, 2013. The content of the IFLA conference program is organized by different professional groups (sections, core programs, and special interest groups). Most of the deadlines for proposals are in January and February, depending on the group....
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions

Citizen science in the library
Allison Scripa writes: “Citizen science is a method of conducting scientific research that uses people without formal scientific education or training to gather the data needed for an experiment. How does this fit into libraries? Well, we’re all about lifelong learning. Citizen science projects don’t just help the scientists running them; they provide an opportunity for people participating in them to learn something new about their world. Here are two examples of successful citizen science projects.”...
Letters to a Young Librarian, Dec. 13

SwipeSpeare, an interactive Shakespeare app
Shakespeare fans who have an iPad or iPhone now have an intuitive interface that lets them swap Elizabethan English passages for Modern English versions of the text and vice versa. SwipeSpeare, from Golgotha Press, is free and comes preloaded with a swipeable copy of Romeo and Juliet, a Shakespeare biography, and a dictionary of some of the more difficult Shakespearean words (additional plays are purchasable). Once the play loads, readers can swipe a passage to view either a Modern English or Elizabethan English version....
Golgotha Press, Dec. 17

Celebrating the season with a float
Megan Smith writes: “What do a trailer, a blow-up Santa Claus, and a giant inflatable SpongeBob SquarePants have in common? They all played a festive role in the float created by the Cumberland County (N.C.) Library Hope Mills branch for the annual city Christmas parade. Though the parade has been a beloved tradition for the town of Hope Mills, it is our library’s first experience with this holiday celebration. This incredible outreach opportunity has offered a wonderful way for our team to actively share our programs and services with those in our community.”...
ALSC Blog, Dec. 18

Reno has an NUC-tree: The largest ever?
The Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center at the University of Nevada, Reno has a giant and unconventional tree on display this holiday season, made up of National Union Catalog, Pre-1956 Imprints volumes. The tree is almost twice the size as the one it had last year, and according to research conducted by UNR librarians, the tree appears to be the largest book tree ever built, at nearly 14 feet tall. Watch a time-lapse video of its construction....
University of Nevada, Reno, Dec. 18; Flickr, Nov. 30; AL Focus, Dec. 19

NYPL adds video games to its discussion groups
Brian Crescente writes: “In his years at the New York Public Library, Senior Librarian Thomas Knowlton has led discussions about a confounding assortment of topics, from the influence of Ken Loach’s Kes on the films of Krzysztof Kieslowski to the ‘ecstatic truth’ of Werner Herzog’s movies. But earlier this year, he shifted his attention to video games. The NYPLarcade Game Club launched in May with an inaugural discussion about developer Jenova Chen’s game Journey and whether Chen’s interest in the Theory of Flow impacted the game’s design.”...
Polygon, Dec. 17

Automats featured in NYPL’s Lunch Hour exhibition
Glenn Collins writes: “It is a century since the first Automat opened in New York, and 21 years since the chain closed in Manhattan, but people still crave the recipes for its food served up from little glass doors at the drop of a few coins. Indeed, there is ‘an Automat recipe cult,’ said Laura Shapiro, cocurator with Rebecca Federman of the current ‘Lunch Hour NYC’ exhibition at the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue. The exhibit features the Horn & Hardart Automats, which began in Philadelphia and purveyed ready-made lunches to workers of all classes.”...
New York Times: Diner’s Journal, Dec. 17

New Hans Christian Andersen tale discovered
A fairy tale about a lonely candle that wants to be lighted had been languishing in a box in Denmark’s National Archives for many years. In October it was discovered by retired historian Esben Brage, who now believes it is one of the first fairy tales ever written by Hans Christian Andersen. Brage said on December 13 that he had unearthed the six-page manuscript of “Tallow Candle” at the bottom of a box while searching through the archives of the Plum family from Andersen’s hometown, Odense. The tale is one from Andersen’s youth, with the tone of the work reminiscent of his time at the Latin School in Slagelse and Elsinore from 1822 to 1826. Read the story in English....
New York Times: Arts Beat, Dec. 13; Politiken (Copenhagen): News in English, Dec. 12

DPLA and Europeana launch joint exhibition
To mark the beginning of a unique digital collaboration, the Digital Public Library of America and Europeana have launched “Leaving Europe: A New Life in America.” This all-new virtual exhibition tells the story of European emigration to the United States during the 19th and 20th centuries. Jointly curated by the two digital libraries, the exhibition uses photographs, manuscripts, broadsheets, paintings, letters, audio, and government documents to chart people’s journeys across the European continent and their settlement in the United States....
Digital Public Library of America, Dec. 18

Dead Sea Scroll fragments are digitized
Thousands of fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls went online December 18 with the launch of a new website by Google and the Israel Antiquities Authority, part of a move to make the famed manuscripts easily available to scholars and the public. The website provides access to high-resolution images of the famous scrolls, which were written some 2,000 years ago and first discovered at Qumran, on the shore of the Dead Sea, in the 1940s. Google is involved in the project as part of a broader effort to preserve world cultural heritage online....
Times of Israel (Jerusalem), Dec. 18; Official Google Blog, Dec. 18

Digital Images Collections Guide
Scott Spicer writes: “Here is a curated bibliography of quality digital image collections spanning around 85 subjects, including some 950 digital collections, that have been culled primarily from the LibGuides Community, and several subject areas have been further refined by 20 subject liaison librarians at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. The goal of the site is to share this work with the visual resources community, hopefully making the resource stronger through participation for others to repurpose.”...
ALA Connect, Dec. 18

How museum and library image policies undermine education
Beth Harris and Steven Zucker write: “Is the discipline of art history (together with museums and libraries) squandering the digital revolution? We have built only a fragmented system for distributing high-quality digital images—one that is failing our students, our discipline, and the public. If we want the best images available for our classes, we spend hours cobbling together a presentation from a frustrating array of sources, each with its own restrictions. No other discipline would accept this kind of ridiculous fragmentation.”...
e-Literate, Nov. 26

Practical first steps in digital preservation
Helen K. Bailey writes: “Libraries everywhere are seeing a constant increase in e-journals, ebooks, databases, and other electronic resources. Many larger institutions have digital preservation repositories in which they deposit and manage much of this digital content, but smaller institutions may not have the resources or may be searching for an interim solution until a repository is in place. Here are some simple steps that a digital content manager can take in such situations.”...
ALCTS Newsletter 23, no. 4 (Dec.)

Top 10 traits of great library leaders
Steve Matthews writes: “As we approach the end of 2012, I thought I’d get back to my theme for the year: Library Leadership. In order to be a great leader, a person must possess and demonstrate certain characteristics, or traits of leadership. Here are 10 that should be at the top of anyone’s list who is striving to become a great library leader.”...
21st Century Library Blog, Dec. 18

Book Cart Drill Teams: A retrospective
Rebecca Joines Schinsky writes: “These bits of awesome come to us by way of a librarian friend of mine who mentioned her book cart drill team in passing. It’s a brave lady who will wear sweatpants with words on her bum. It’s an awesome one who makes the word ‘books.’ Bonus points to the Round Rock (Tex.) Independent School District team (right) for the Sir Mix-A-Lot remix (5:37).”...
Book Riot, Dec. 16; YouTube, Apr. 19, 2010

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