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American Libraries Online | ALA News | Booklist Online
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Anaheim Update | Division News | Awards & Grants | Libraries in the News
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Issues | Tech Talk | E-Content | Books & Reading | Tips & Ideas
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Great Libraries of the World | Digital Library of the Week | Calendar

The e-newsletter of the American Library Association | March 21, 2012

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AL Buyers Guide

American Libraries Online

Ebook talks continued: ALA meets with distributors
ALA President Molly Raphael prepared this summary of the meetings of members of the ALA Digital Content and Libraries Working Group with ebook distributors at the PLA Conference in Philadelphia, March 13–17, as well as a panel she moderated at the Association of American Publishers annual meeting. She writes: “We explored possibilities for collaboration to conceptualize and develop business models and improve everyone’s understanding of how library ebook lending advances the marketability and availability of titles for all.”...
AL: E-Content, Mar. 20

Palo Alto (Calif.) City Library signageDirections to library wayfinding
Donald A. Barclay and Eric D. Scott write: “The word ‘wayfinding’ has multiple meanings, but the one that really matters to librarians comes from the field of architecture and is concerned with how human beings orient themselves and choose paths within a built environment. While architects typically have control over building identification and regulatory signage, library staff should have considerable control over directional and informational signs. Three considerations stand out when it comes to directional signage.”...
American Libraries feature

The tragic death of Willis and Sallie Skinner, who froze to death within a half mile of the summit of Pikes Peak in 1911, was captured on this postcardQR codes extend library programming
Tim Blevins writes: “The macabre postcard on the right depicting Willis and Sallie Skinner, prostrate among some rocks and covered by snow, is in fact an invitation to a film premiere from Pikes Peak (Colo.) Library District. The invitation also contained a QR code that, when scanned with a smartphone with the installed code-reader app, connected a user to a film trailer promoting the event. Although statistics indicated that only 2% of the nearly 2,000 postcard recipients scanned the QR code, PPLD’s Information Technology and Virtual Services Officer Carolyn Coulter didn’t consider the experiment a failure.”...
American Libraries feature

Karla ShaferMerritt Fund aids a colleague in distress
John W. Berry writes: “As director of Hooper (Nebr.) Public Library, Karla Shafer (right) worked to transform the institution into a vital place in the community for six and a half years. Those efforts ended abruptly in 2010, however, when controversy erupted over Shafer’s teaching of English classes to immigrants in a nearby town on her days off. She resigned her position as the work environment became intolerable and then turned to ALA’s Merritt Humanitarian Fund for help.”...
American Libraries feature

The Royal Danish Library’s Black Diamond buildingEditor’s Letter: Of design, Danes, and daffodils
Laurie D. Borman writes: “What is your favorite library space? Perhaps a school library reading nook, or the august reading room from your university days, or maybe the balcony stacks in your hometown? The architectural design—and of course, a facility’s resources—draws you to these places and encourages you to stay awhile. That’s why American Libraries features new and newly renovated library buildings in our 2012 Library Design Showcase—to give you ideas to consider for your facility.”...
American Libraries column, Mar./Apr.

Screenshot from video, showing Françoise Beaulieu-Thybule, director of the Haitian-American InstituteLibraries rising slowly in Haiti
Two years after a devastating earthquake, Leonard Kniffel visited Haiti to see how the rebuilding of libraries has progressed—and what still needs to be done. This video (4:54) summarizes what he found there. To contribute to the rebuilding efforts, visit the Haiti Library Relief website....
AL Focus, Mar. 19

American Libraries on Pinterest
American Libraries staffers have set up a Pinterest page that currently has four boards: Great Libraries of the World, some favorite Digital Libraries of the Week, segments of our 2012 Library Design Showcase, and selected magazine covers from both the print American Libraries and its digital supplements. Feel free to repin....
American Libraries Pinterest page

AL Direct sections revamped
As of this issue, the two general news areas in AL Direct, Seen Online and Actions & Answers, have been broken into three different topical sections: Libraries in the News (featuring articles about specific libraries and librarians); Issues (with stories covering such broad topics as copyright, privacy, legislation, and intellectual freedom); and Tips & Ideas (for practical advice, suggestions on programming and software, useful lists, and fun videos).

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ALA News

Vote2012 ALA elections are open
Voting in the 2012 ALA elections is now open. Through March 21, ALA will send emails to voters, providing them with their unique passcodes and information about how to vote online. The polls will close at 11:59 p.m. Central time on Friday, April 27....
Office of ALA Governance, Mar. 19

J. R. MartinezJ. R. Martinez to speak at Closing General Session
Long before J. R. Martinez won legions of fans as the 2011 winner of Dancing With the Stars, he was inspiring audiences of all kinds with his remarkable story. Martinez will help end the 2012 ALA Annual Conference on a high note as the speaker at the Closing General Session on Tuesday, June 26, in the Anaheim Convention Center. His new book Full of Heart: My Story of Survival, Strength, and Spirit is scheduled to for publication in November....
Conference Services, Mar. 19

Fireworks at Magic KingdomRaise scholarship funds when you visit Disneyland
ALA Annual Conference attendees can indulge their desire for some fun with friends in the Magic Kingdom June 21–26 and at the same time support ALA scholarships. ALA is sponsoring special discounted tickets for attendees to enjoy some evening hours at both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Parks. A portion of the money raised from these discounted tickets will provide scholarships for LIS graduate students, including Spectrum....
Conference Services, May 20

Denim and Diamonds Gala Dinner and Dance
The first annual Denim and Diamonds Gala Dinner and Dance to benefit the Reforma Educational Foundation will take place June 22 during the 2012 ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim. The foundation provides scholarships for Latino LIS students. The gala will take place at the Anaheim Plaza Hotel. Tickets are available through the Reforma website....
Office for Diversity, Mar. 20

OIF Assistant Director Angela Maycock explains how to report a challengeReporting challenges: A how-to video
The Office for Intellectual Freedom produced a short video (2:30) that explains the process of reporting challenges to library or school materials, and answers some common questions about what information OIF collects and what kind of assistance it provides. To report a challenge or download free “Defend the Freedom to Read” artwork, visit the ALA Challenges page....
OIF Blog, Mar. 20

National Library Workers Day: Libraries work because we doNational Library Workers Day, April 10
Since 2003, National Library Workers Day has been celebrated on the Tuesday of National Library Week. The day recognizes the contributions of all library workers, including librarians, support staff and others who make library services possible. The ALA–Allied Professional Association encourages those who will celebrate the day to nominate “star” library employees for public recognition....
ALA–Allied Professional Association, Mar. 16

Clay White, Matthew White, and Dalton Suits (left to right), three 7th-grade students from rural Bennett Elementary School, volunteered to conduct a book drive that netted almost 200 booksEast Carolina LIS students share the gift of literacy
Between Thanksgiving and the last days of December 2011, students in East Carolina University’s Department of Library Science, in Greenville, North Carolina, gathered 239 books and materials to donate to homeless shelters, after-school programs, hospitals, and libraries in communities throughout the state. This was the students’ sixth year participating in the ECU-ALA Student Chapter Holiday Book Drive....
ALA Student Membership Blog, Mar. 19

Learn to build a website with Joomla!
ALA Editions is offering a new facilitated eCourse, “Using Joomla! to Build Library Websites.” Jon Fackrell, a librarian, web developer, and Joomla! expert, will serve as the instructor for this six-week facilitated eCourse that begins on May 7. Fackrell will introduce you to Joomla!, teach you how to set up and configure a site, and give you the foundation for learning more....
ALA Editions, Mar. 20

ALA TechSource workshop logoWhat is WordPress and what can it do?
ALA TechSource is hosting a new 90-minute workshop, “WordPress Basics: What WordPress Can Do for Your Library” on June 14. Ideal for librarians curious about WordPress or those just getting started, this workshop features web developers and WordPress experts Polly-Alida Farrington and Amanda Goodman. Registration is available on the ALA Store at both individual and group rates....
ALA TechSource, Mar. 20

Cover of Academic ArchivesPractical guidance on academic archives
Modern academic archivists require new sets of skills and training. Academic Archives: Managing the Next Generation of College and University Archives, Records, and Special Collections from Neal-Schuman Publishers, offers valuable guidance for archivists of all levels, helping them start or manage archives and remain current on new and future trends. Aaron D. Purcell, an experienced archivist and director of special collections at Virginia Tech, examines every facet of academic archives in this exhaustive book....
ALA Neal-Schuman, Mar. 20

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Cover of Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen KellerFeatured review: Youth fiction
Lambert, Joseph. Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller. Mar. 2012. 96p. Disney/Hyperion, hardcover (978-1-423-11336-2)
The latest graphic-format book to come out of the Center for Cartoon Studies (which has done books on Satchel Paige, Harry Houdini, Amelia Earhart, and Henry David Thoreau) opens yet another fascinating page into history. The relationship between Helen Keller and her teacher, Annie Sullivan, is a well-documented and celebrated one: Sullivan, who was visually impaired herself, bridged the seemingly insurmountable communication gulf for the deaf and blind Keller. But it’s one thing to know the story and a whole other thing to actually experience it. In a brilliantly conceived and executed maneuver, Lambert uses a dynamic interplay between words and images to convey how someone could learn to communicate without access to either....

Top 10 graphic novels for youthTop 10 graphic novels for youth
Ian Chipman writes: “This eclectic bunch of the best graphic novels reviewed in Booklist during the past year provides ample proof that the format is up to just about any task.”...

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

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Anaheim Update

Matterhorn ride under scaffoldingDisneyland’s Matterhorn to reopen by June 15
The Matterhorn Bobsleds went down early this year for a six-month refurbishment, which looks like it will be worth it when the 53-year-old ride reopens on June 15. The facelift includes a new set of bobsleds with more legroom, a new boarding station, and a newly painted exterior for the 147-foot-tall ride. Watch this short video (1:31) on the refurbishing. Fun fact: Disney used to hire mountain climbers (including one dressed as Mickey Mouse) to scale the structure in the mid-1990s....
OC Weekly, Feb. 29; YouTube, Feb. 24; Orange County (Calif.) Register, Feb. 8

A view of the flight simulatorFlightdeck Air Combat Center
For those who have always wanted to pilot a jet fighter, this nearby attraction is the place to go. Experience the challenge of aerial maneuvers at 500 knots, aircraft take-offs and landings, and the thrill of air-to-air combat. Up to 10 people can fly at the same time, each in their own authentic F-16 flight simulator. Check in at the front desk at 1650 S. Sinclair Street, put on your flight suit, then pay attention in your 20-minute classroom briefing before you go on a 45-minute (or longer) simulation....
Flightdeck Air Combat Center

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2012 ALA Election

Division News

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Nancy Pearl hanging out in Philadelphia at PLA 2012PLA 2012: Powerful advice, practical solutions
Laurie D. Borman writes: “Admit it: You snag free books and party at receptions. But who would come to PLA 2012 if there weren’t also meaningful programs, new products, great speakers, and networking opportunities? At the PLA Conference in Philadelphia March 13–17, more than 6,000 attendees packed meeting rooms and the exhibit hall for all of the above. The 180 continuing education programs ranged from e-content and community engagement to building successful programs and websites.”...
American Libraries feature

Warren GrahamTo catch a library thief: Black belt security
Laurie D. Borman writes: “Warren Graham (right) is a very suspicious guy. The author and library security consultant probably has seen more dangerous characters than Sandy Stern in a Scott Turow thriller. But being suspicious makes Graham effective, and he recently shared his best tips and more at the PLA Conference in Philadelphia. Graham peppered his talk with anecdotes as he described how to create and maintain safer libraries.” Graham is the author of The Black Belt Librarian (ALA Editions, 2012)....
American Libraries feature

PLA attendee wins $1,000 shopping spree
Quality Books has announced that Mary Soucie, director of the Three Rivers Public Library District in Channahon, Illinois, is the winner of its drawing at the PLA Conference for a $1,000 shopping spree on its website....
Quality Books, Mar. 21

PLA 2012 Virtual Conference logoDoing the PLA Conference virtually
Pamela Goodes writes: “Participants logged in from as far away as Alberta, Hawaii, Oregon, and California to chat and interact with program presenters and authors during the two-day PLA 2012 Virtual Conference, March 15–16, held in conjunction with the division’s national conference in Philadelphia. I joined a group of more than 100 participants both days for two programs, which included handouts, instant polling, and downloadable videos.”...
AL: Inside Scoop, Mar. 16

Dan RatherALTAFF President’s Program to feature Dan Rather
ALTAFF President Donna McDonald will welcome award-winning journalist Dan Rather during the ALTAFF President’s Program at the 2012 ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim on June 25. Rather anchored the CBS Evening News for decades and is the author of Rather Outspoken, which looks back over his storied and sometimes controversial career. A book signing will follow the program....
ALTAFF, Mar. 30

CLIPP logoACRL launches CLIPP
ACRL’s College Libraries Section has launched CLIPP: College Library Information on Policy and Practice, a reconceptualization of its CLIPNotes publication series. Offering the same high-quality policy and procedure documents that CLIPNote readers have relied on for more than 30 years, this monographic series will provide richer context and more sophisticated analysis of current trends and issues from a college and small university library perspective. To submit a proposal, visit the CLIPP website....
ACRL, Mar. 16

School Library Month 2012 logoCelebrate School Library Month
Recognizing school libraries as the centers of the school community where learning, research, and collaboration happen and technologies and information resources are available 24/7, AASL invites everyone to celebrate School Library Month in April. The 2012 theme, “You belong @ your library,” will highlight the role strong school libraries play in a student’s educational career. More information and resources can be found online....
AASL, Mar. 20

Books for Teens logoSupport Teen Literature Day
On April 12, people across the United States will join YALSA in celebrating Support Teen Literature Day by hosting a Booze for Books fundraiser to benefit the Books for Teens initiative. Books for Teens aims to give libraries funds to purchase age-appropriate, high-quality recent materials for teens in low-income communities....
YALSA, Mar. 20

The Hub logoBest of the Best Reading Challenge
The Hub, the teen literature blog published by YALSA, will host the Best of the Best Reading Challenge for three months beginning April 1. Participants will be challenged to read as many titles as they can from YALSA’s 2012 award winners and honor books and selected lists (including Amazing Audiobooks, Best Fiction for Young Adults, Great Graphic Novels, Popular Paperbacks, and Quick Picks) through July 1....
YALSA, Mar. 21

Apply for YALSA’s virtual mentoring program
YALSA will accept applications for its virtual mentoring program through April 30. The program will pair an experienced librarian (five years’ experience or more) with a new librarian (fewer than five years’ experience) or an LIS graduate student. This is a virtual mentoring program, so there is no requirement to meet face to face. The program runs from August 1, 2012, to July 31, 2013....
YALSA, Mar. 20

YALSA award books for the middle school
The middle school librarian faces a unique challenge of building a collection that is appropriate for both teens and tweens. In light of the 2012 YALSA book award announcements, what winners and honor books have middle school appeal? Join Megan Fink for “Finding a Place on the Shelf: YALSA Book Awards and the Middle School Library,” a March 22 webinar....
YALSA, Mar. 16

Nearly 1,400 libraries celebrated Teen Tech Week
Thousands of school and public libraries throughout the country joined YALSA in celebrating Teen Tech Week 2012, March 4–10. Some 1,400 libraries embraced the theme, “Geek Out @ your library,” by hosting an array of events and programs that encouraged teens to take advantage of the many free technological resources available at the library....
YALSA, Mar. 20

AASL seeks researcher for survey analysis
AASL is looking for a researcher or team of researchers to assist in a data analysis of its national longitudinal survey of school library programs, School Libraries Count! The data to be analyzed runs from the survey’s inception in 2007 through 2011. View the RFP here. Submit an application to the AASL office by May 25....
AASL, Mar. 20

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Awards & Grants

Rep. Zoe Lofgren2012 James Madison Award winner
ALA President Molly Raphael presented Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) with one of the Association’s highest honors, the James Madison Award. Lofgren received the award March 16 during the National Freedom of Information Day Conference held at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. Lofgren was recognized both for her commitment to sponsoring legislation that strengthens the public’s right to access information and her opposition to legislation that impedes First Amendment rights....
Office of Government Relations, Mar. 16

Carole Rose2012 Francis Joseph Campbell Award
Carole Rose (right), who recently retired as a librarian at the Indiana Talking Book and Braille Library, is the 2012 winner of the ASCLA 2012 Francis Joseph Campbell Award. The award is presented to a person or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of library service for blind and physically handicapped people. Rose was selected for her significant contributions over 46 years to the advancement of library service for blind and physically handicapped people throughout the state of Indiana....
ASCLA, Mar. 20

Kathleen Moeller-Peiffer2012 Cathleen Bourdon Service Award
Kathleen Moeller-Peiffer (right), associate state librarian at the New Jersey State Library, is the 2012 recipient of the Cathleen Bourdon Service Award, an annual achievement award given by ASCLA. The award is presented to an ASCLA personal member for exceptional service and sustained leadership to the division....
ASCLA, Mar. 20

Cyril Oberlander2012 Virginia Boucher Award
Cyril Oberlander (right), interim director of the Milne Library at the State University of New York, Geneseo, is the winner of RUSA’s 2012 Virginia Boucher–OCLC Distinguished Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Librarian Award. The award recognizes an individual for outstanding professional achievement, leadership, and significant contributions to the fields of interlibrary loan and document delivery. Oberlander was cited for the scope of his work with the Information Delivery Services Project, a resource-sharing cooperative within New York State....
RUSA, Mar. 20

Job Center at RCPL logoRUSA Award for Excellence in Reference and Adult Services
The Richland County (S.C.) Public Library Job Center is the 2012 RUSA Gale Cengage Award for Excellence in Reference and Adult Library Services winner. The award recognizes an outstanding, imaginative, and unique resource developed by a library to meet users’ reference needs. The center’s Employment Search Portfolio and Searching for a Job Online materials provide comprehensive assistance for the entire job-seeking process....
RUSA, Mar. 20

Natalie D. BeamTravel grant for new ILL practitioners
Natalie D. Beam (right), head of access services at University of Hawaii at Hilo, is the 2012 winner of the RUSA STARS-Atlas Systems Mentoring Award—a competitive ALA Annual Conference travel grant for librarians new to the field of interlibrary loan. The grant provides $1,250 in travel funds to a candidate who is involved daily in ILL, document delivery, or resource sharing....
RUSA, Mar. 20

Cover of The Book of Everything2012 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award
Celebrated Dutch author Guus Kuijer has won the world’s richest children’s book prize, the Astrid Lindgren memorial award. Worth 5 million Swedish kronor ($744,200 US), the prize is for a body of work in the spirit of Pippi Longstocking creator Astrid Lindgren. The international jury said the award-winning author combined “serious subject matter and razor-sharp realism with warmth, subtle humor, and visionary flights of fancy” in his writing. His Book of Everything was translated into English in 2006....
The Guardian (UK), Mar. 20

2012 Hans Christian Andersen Award winners
The International Board on Books for Young People announced the winners of the 2012 Hans Christian Andersen Awards at the Bologna Book Fair on March 19. María Teresa Andruetto from Argentina has won the Author Award and Peter Sís from the Czech Republic has won the Illustrator Award. The awards are given every two years to a living author and illustrator whose complete works are judged to have made lasting contributions to children’s literature....
Publishers Weekly, Mar. 19

Children’s Choice Book Awards voting is open
The Children’s Choice Book Awards is the only national book awards program where the winning titles are selected by children and teens. Launched in 2008 by the Children’s Book Council and Every Child A Reader (the CBC Foundation), the program was created to provide young readers with an opportunity to voice their opinions about the books being written for them. Teachers and librarians can vote on behalf of their students here through May 3....
Children’s Choice Book Awards

Cover of Please Look After Mom2011 Man Asian Literary Prize
South Korean author Kyung-sook Shin has become the first woman to win the Man Asian Literary Prize. Please Look After Mom details a family’s search for their mother who goes missing in Seoul Station. The award recognizes novels written by Asian authors, either written in or translated into English. The book was translated by Chi-Young Kim....
BBC News, Mar. 15

Kids reading at the first Lubuto library in Lusaka, ZambiaLubuto Library Project receives Soros grant (PDF file)
The Lubuto Library Project has received a grant from one of philanthropist George Soros’s foundations, the Open Society Initiative of Southern Africa, that will enable them to conduct an evaluation of the impact of the Lubuto Library model and make plans for bringing Lubuto Libraries to other African countries. The Lubuto project, with offices in Zambia and Washington, D.C., has since 2007 created high quality, open-access libraries to serve African street kids and other vulnerable children and youth....
Lubuto Library Project Newsletter, no. 22 (Mar.)

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Libraries in the News

Cover of Mexican WhiteBoyRacial lens used to cull curriculum in Arizona
Michael Winerip writes: “Tucson High School Junior Ana Verdugo is a fan of Matt de la Peña’s young adult novels; she read his Mexican WhiteBoy in two days. But on January 1, after a new state law targeting Mexican-American studies courses that are perceived as antiwhite was upheld, it became illegal to teach Mexican WhiteBoy in Tucson’s classrooms. State officials cited the book as containing ‘critical race theory,’ a violation under a provision that prohibits lessons ‘promoting racial resentment.’ Yet the novel’s story is pretty much the American dream.”...
New York Times, Mar. 19

Library workers on strike in Toronto
More than 1,200 library workers were picketing outside Toronto’s city hall March 19, after talks collapsed between the 2,300-member library union and city officials over the issue of job security. Many of the workers who picketed said they are unhappy with what they said is an ongoing shift toward part-time work. The strike will close 98 branches. A recent poll shows that the public is overwhelmingly on the side of the workers....
Toronto News, Mar. 14, 19

Library tentatively settles with whistle-blower
For making noise about a billing scandal and other problems at the Sacramento (Calif.) Public Library Authority, Accounts Clerk Diane Boerman said officials stripped her of job responsibilities, froze her pay, and tried to force her to quit. She sued. The library’s maintenance superintendent and its security chief and his wife were charged, convicted, and jailed as a result of her allegations. On March 16, a judge ordered the former superintendent to pay back the agency $824,097 in restitution....
Sacramento (Calif.) Bee, Jan. 28, Mar. 15, 17

USC Sidney Harman Academy for Polymathic Study logo$10 million donation to USC Polymathic Academy
The Harman Family Foundation has made a gift of $10 million to help fulfill the extraordinary vision of Sidney Harman by endowing the center that will bear his name, the USC Sidney Harman Academy for Polymathic Study, located in the Doheny Memorial Library. The academy, a unit of the University of Southern California Libraries, supports the study of the interrelatedness among academic disciplines. Its programs encourage critical and integrative thinking, the study of history’s great polymaths, and intellectual investigation that crosses the boundaries of traditional academic specialties....
University of Southern California, Mar. 20

Howard DodsonRestoring one of the world’s largest collections of African-American culture
“Antiquated.” “Depleted.” “Grossly underfunded.” Those were a few of the harsh words Howard Dodson (right), the recently retired chief of New York’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, used to describe Howard University’s library system in a December 2011 consultant’s report. The Washington, D.C., university recently lured Dodson out of retirement to become director of its undergrad and graduate libraries and Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, one of the world’s largest collections devoted to the history and culture of people of African descent. Now it’s up to him to fix these problems....
New York Times, Mar. 14

Jailed library director resigns
Pelham (N.H.) Public Library trustees confirmed March 15 that they have accepted the resignation of jailed library director Robert Rice Jr., who pleaded guilty in December to stealing more than $200,000 from his former employer, the Revere (Mass.) Public Library. Rice will spend six months in jail and has been ordered to pay restitution of $260,000. He was accused of taking items purchased with Revere library funds, such as a Rolex watch and collectibles, then keeping or selling them in online auctions....
North Andover (Mass.) Eagle-Tribune, Mar. 16

Jailed First Folio dealer found dead
A UK antiques dealer who was jailed after being convicted of handling a stolen edition of Shakespeare’s First Folio was found dead in Acklington Prison in Northumberland March 14, an apparent suicide. Raymond Scott, 55, was sentenced to eight years in 2010 after being convicted of transporting the book, which had been stolen from a display cabinet at the Durham University library in 1998....
BBC News, Mar. 14

Library reunites backpacker with missing bag
Jonathan Smith lost his backpack while he was vacationing in Central America. But within several days Smith was reunited with the backpack and all its contents, thanks to the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library in the UK, 5,000 miles away in his hometown. The intriguing detective story involved transatlantic phone calls and emails sent across two continents and three countries. The global drama unfolded on a packed chicken bus in Guatemala, when a French girl hopped off with Jonathan’s backpack instead of her own....
The Telegraph (UK), Mar. 19

National Library of Jamaica, KingstonJamaica wants to boost its National Library
As part of its rebranding, the National Library of Jamaica is looking to boost its customer base, especially outside Kingston. Executive Director Winsome Hudson said many of its users are from business, and this is the wrong image for the institution. A March 14 open house was held to support the Book Industry Association of Jamaica, which was celebrating Book Week, and to celebrate the library’s recent separation from the Institute of Jamaica’s corporate structure....
The Daily Gleaner (Kingston), Mar. 21

National Library of Egypt. Photo by Al-AhramBig plans for Egypt’s National Library
The Egyptian National Library and Archives recently announced plans to modernize the administration of the National Library (right) and improve access to information countrywide. First, the NLA aims to bring all libraries under the National Library umbrella within a four-year period and standardize regulations governing all operations. The agency is also expected to issue new regulations aimed at improving the exchange of documents and manuscripts....
Al-Ahram (Cairo), Mar. 13

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Issues

Bill calls for video game warning labels
US Reps. Joe Baca (D-Calif.) and Frank Wolf (R-Va.) on March 19 once again proposed a bill that would require the vast majority of video games to bear a warning label about content they consider “potentially damaging.” Under the Violence in Video Games Labeling Act (PDF file), packaging for all video games except those rated “EC” for Early Childhood would be required to prominently display a message reading “Warning: Exposure to violent video games has been linked to aggressive behavior.” The proposed label would be required even if the video game in question is not violent....
Ars Technica, Mar. 20

How to protect copyright was a key topic at AAP meeting
Jennifer Howard writes: “Legislation is not the way to fight online piracy—at least not right now. That was the message broadcast at the annual meeting of the Association of American Publishers, held March 14 in New York. But the publishing executives who gathered at the McGraw-Hill headquarters in midtown Manhattan also heard that the need to protect copyright is as critical as ever, and that one challenge is to overcome the ‘disinformation’ spread by reformers who want to loosen or do away with copyright restrictions.”...
Chronicle of Higher Education, Mar. 14

Volunteer storytime at a Belgian libraryBelgian rights group wants to charge library storytellers
Robin Wauters writes: “People with a healthy interest in fundamental freedoms and basic human rights have probably heard about SABAM, the Belgian collecting society for music royalties that has become one of the global poster children for how outrageously out of touch with reality certain rightsholders groups appear to be. The Belgian media reported March 13 that SABAM is spending time and resources to contact local libraries across the nation, warning them that they will start charging fees because the libraries engage volunteers to read books to kids.”...
The Next Web, Mar. 13; De Morgen (Brussels), Mar. 13

Storytime goes on the road
It would be nice if all the children who need to read—or be read to—came to the library. But the truth is they don’t. So the libraries are trying to go to them. Armed with new research that validates what many have thought for years about the urgency of early literacy, libraries in recent years have beefed up collections geared toward babies between 6 and 18 months old, and they are developing programs designed to teach parents and caregivers the most effective ways to read to children....
Washington Post, Mar. 18

Screenshot from February 10, 2012, episode of Parazit, with English subtitlesTwo SXSW programs push the censorship envelope
OIF Director Barbara Jones writes: “Two SXSW programs about free speech were especially provocative and very controversial. In both cases, the projects use humor to present the impact of censorship in closed societies. They both experiment with how far they can push the limits to free expression—one in Iran, the other in Sharjah (United Arab Emirates). Parazit (meaning ‘static’) is a popular TV show broadcast on the Voice of America’s Persian service.”...
OIF Blog, Mar. 14; YouTube, Feb. 14

Four leadership qualities that are key for rural librarians
John D. “Danny” Hales writes: “In my 35 years as a library director of a multicounty rural library system, I believe being engaged, setting an example, being enthused, and embracing the community are all key elements of being a successful library leader. In small towns, a vast majority of the public knows (or knows of) the library director. One must engage and accept, even relish that position.”...
OLOS Columns, Mar. 20

Library of Congress Digital Archivist Trevor Owens presents at WebWise 2012Notes from Webwise 2012
WebWise 2012, the free conference held February 29–March 2 by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, is both a showcase of IMLS-funded projects and an excellent opportunity to spot emerging trends, tools, and services in libraries and museums. If one theme emerged from this year’s session, it was an emphasis on creating a more unmediated user experience by supporting evolving narratives, generative storytelling, and a deeper level of interaction between patrons and collections....
The Signal: Digital Preservation, Mar. 20

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Tech Talk

Browser logosChrome vs. IE9 vs. Firefox
Michael Muchmore writes: “These days, the default OS browsers are all fast, have clean interfaces and helpful features like bookmarking. And they are all compatible with nearly any site you’d care to visit. The biggest differences are in support for the forward-looking HTML5 web markup standard, hardware acceleration, and privacy tools. In HTML5 support, Google’s Chrome is the clear leader. At the back of the pack in this measure is Internet Explorer, though the upcoming IE10 significantly narrows the gap.”...
PC Magazine, Mar. 14

eBay for AndroidThe iPad wins because Android tablet apps suck
Sascha Segan writes: “I just gave the new iPad an Editors’ Choice award for large tablets, but frankly it was a foregone conclusion. The iPad doesn’t get the award because of its hardware, lovely as the hardware is. It gets the award because its apps are generally better than the apps available for Android tablets. The assertion is hard to test, but I wanted to try.”...
PC Magazine, Mar. 17

Eliminating the password
Imagine sitting down at your work keyboard, typing in your user name, and starting work right away—no password needed. That’s a vision that the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, part of the US Defense Department, wants to turn into a reality. It will distribute research funds to develop software that determines, just by the way you type, that you are indeed the person you say you are....
New York Times, Mar. 17

Microsoft gaming helmetMicrosoft patent points to virtual reality gaming
Kyle Orland writes: “We’re unreasonably excited that a new Microsoft patent for a ‘laser-scanning virtual image display’ could actually point to plans for the company to jump into the world of virtual reality gaming. The document describes both a helmet and a set of eyeglasses, using two laser-based, ‘dilation optic’ displays to project what appears as a 21-inch diagonal, 16:9 ratio image viewed at arm’s length.”...
Ars Technica, Mar. 20

Integrate iPads and tablets into library services
In light of Apple’s recent rollout of the new iPad, you may be interested in integrating iPads and tablet computers into library services. Check out these sample policies, sample library user agreements, and other relevant resources from a recent TechSource workshop....
ALA TechSource Blog, Mar. 15

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E-Content

Working Group rolls up its sleeves at PLA
Larra Clark writes: “Several members of the Digital Content and Libraries Working Group are taking advantage of the vibrant PLA gathering in Philadelphia to continue vendor meetings and increase awareness of the issues at stake. DCWG Cochair and PLA Past President Sari Feldman started things off at the Opening General Session by calling for wider engagement across ALA to further advance the goal of increasing access to digital content through our libraries.” See ALA President Molly Raphael’s report on meetings with ebook distributors at the PLA Conference....
AL: E-Content, Mar. 14, 20

Libraries need ebooks too
Publishers and libraries are at odds over how to satisfy the public’s craving for electronic books. Fearing potentially crippling losses, publishers are withholding ebooks from libraries, charging them more than other customers, or limiting how many times a library can lend an ebook. That bumps into librarians’ unwavering commitment to promote literacy, preserve culture, and make books accessible....
Philadelphia Inquirer, Mar. 19

FIU bookmark for use in stacks to show availability of Jonathan Franzen's Freedom in a Kindle versionMaking library ebooks visible
Bohyun Kim writes: “Like many libraries, Florida International University Library started an ebook reader lending program. Each reader comes with more than 100 titles that have been selected by subject librarians. But how can a library get users to notice the ebooks on library ebook readers? How can a library help a user identify the books available on a library Kindle device when those are specifically what the user is looking for? Here are some ideas.”...
ACRL Tech Connect, Mar. 21

The book reader of the future (April 1935 issue of Everyday Science and Mechanics)The ebook of 1935
Matt Novak writes: “The April 1935 issue of Everyday Science and Mechanics included this nifty invention that was to be the next logical step in the world of publishing. Basically a microfilm reader mounted on a large pole, the media device was supposed to let you sit back in your favorite chair while reading your latest tome of choice. Additional text accompanying the illustration reads, ‘You can read a book (which is a roll of miniature film), music, etc., at your ease.’”...
Smithsonian: Paleofuture, Mar. 7

What the big ebook publishers should do
Mike Shatzkin writes: “The reluctance of most big publishers to make ebooks available through library lending is a topic of widespread concern. The more I think about it, the less I accept the notion that total withdrawal from the library market is necessary to create a clear advantage for the retailer as a destination for ebook readers. In fact, it is possible that putting ebooks into libraries, in the right ways, could increase sales at retail. And the only way for publishers to find that out is to do some controlled experimentation in that marketplace. To my knowledge, that’s not taking place.”...
The Shatzkin Files, Mar. 18

E-lending and ILS vendors
Michael Kelley writes: “Even as anxious publishers are hoping to increase friction in the ebook lending experience, librarians have been clamoring for vendors of integrated library systems to make e-lending a unified, sleek experience. Rather than navigating their patrons away from the library’s web presence to Balkanized, often commercial, third-party platforms, each with a different discovery and delivery experience, librarians have been demanding a single, easy-to-use, easy-to-search platform—an integration of the ILS with ebook vendor platforms.”...
Library Journal: The Digital Shift, Mar. 20

Neil Burgess. Screenshot from TED TalkEbooks and our evolving brains
Andy Woodworth writes: “I came across two ebook-related articles I wanted to share. The first is written by evolutionary neurobiologist Mark Changizi, which discusses the lack of spatial navigation cues for our brains to latch onto. The second article comes from Time magazine health writer Maia Szalavitz and builds on Changizi’s argument. Combined with a TED talk (9:03) by neuroscientist Neil Burgress (above) about how our brains tell us where we are, it gave me a moment of pause. I wonder if and how our brains will adapt to this kind of container change.”...
Agnostic, Maybe, Mar. 20; Psychology Today, Feb. 7; Time, Mar. 14; YouTube, Feb. 6

Libraries as community publishers
Peter Brantley writes: “I got to thinking about how public libraries could turn the tables on publishers who obviously feel that their digital books are too precious to share with libraries. Increasingly with digital tools, libraries are places where people can come together and learn how to write their own stories. There is no reason why libraries can’t be the place where those stories are also published. Using authoring tools like Pressbooks, it’s possible for libraries to get community works into the hands of retailers quite easily.”...
Publishers Weekly: PWxyz, Mar. 16

Ebrary DiversifyEbrary announces a new approach
Ebrary announced a strategic new approach to library ebook acquisition based on three steps: Transition, Diversify, and Streamline. Libraries that transition a greater percentage of their budgets from print to electronic, diversify their acquisition models, and streamline their ordering processes will see a much greater and faster return on their ebook investments. Similar to a stock portfolio, libraries that diversify their acquisition models can see a better return on investment, the company said....
Ebrary, Mar. 21

British, US college students diverge on ebook use
While the majority of the UK’s undergraduate students are now using ebooks, none are yet relying on them as a primary source of information. Print continues its hold as a key resource for at least two-thirds of students. In the US, the trend appears to be going in the opposite direction, with almost 6 in 10 college students preferring digital over print when reading books for fun or textbooks for class—a reversal from last year, when more US college students preferred print over digital....
Bowker, Mar. 15; Pearson Foundation, Mar. 14

The case for ebooks
Dwight Garner writes: “The case against electronic books has been made, and elegantly, by many people, including Nicholson Baker in the New Yorker a few years ago. But the best case I’ve seen for electronic books, however, arrived in February, on the website of the New York Review of Books. Novelist Tim Parks proposed that ebooks offered ‘a more austere, direct engagement’ with words. What’s more, no dictator can burn one. His persuasive bottom line: ‘This is a medium for grown-ups.’”...
New York Times, Mar. 17; New Yorker, Aug. 3, 2009; New York Review of Books, Feb. 15

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Get the latest highlights, details, and inspiration from the Annual Conference Preliminary Program, which showcases the huge range of events and sessions that can help you expand your network, build your knowledge, and participate actively in the transformation of libraries.

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The program is also available as a mobile version, an accessible version, and a PDF.


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Cover of The Readers' Advisory Guide to Mystery

Something sinister is afoot out there—and this second edition of The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Mystery has all the clues to help librarians solve the mystery of which titles readers should check out next. Equally useful for novice librarians and seasoned gumshoes, this handbook summarizes the history of mystery fiction, highlighting key figures in its development and offering examples of how library staff can help readers move back and forth from fiction to nonfiction. NEW! From ALA Editions.

Solutions and Services column

Great Libraries of the World

Biblioteca Palatina, hall of letters

Biblioteca Palatina, Palazzo della Pilotta, Parma, Italy. Primarily serving the students and faculty of the University of Parma, the library was founded in 1761 by Philip, duke of Parma. It has a large selection of incunabula, a substantial collection of music manuscripts, and Spanish and Hebrew collections.

Ceiling and Pinturicchio frescoes in the Libreria Piccolomini

Libreria Piccolomini, Duomo, Siena, Italy. This cathedral library features numerous frescoes painted in 1502–1507 by artist Pinturicchio that tell the story of the life of Pope Pius II. Cardinal Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini, who later became Pope Pius III, commissioned the library in 1492 as the repository for the books and manuscripts of his uncle and predecessor. The library ceiling also contains paintings by Pinturicchio of scenes from classical mythology. Beneath the frescoes, the choir books from the sacristy are in display cases carved by Antonio Barili in 1495–1496; these exquisite illuminations by Liberale da Verona and Girolamo da Cremona were executed between 1466 and 1478.

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 in 2013 by ALA Editions. There is also a Great Libraries of the World Pinterest board.

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Library Science and Archives Internship, Longwood Gardens Inc., Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Longwood Gardens Library and Archives seeks an MLS student or recent graduate to gain experience in the operations and management of a horticultural special library and institutional archives. Interns work in each section of the unit—Library, Digital Gallery, and Archives—to develop projects aimed at furthering the professional interests of the student while working to achieve unit goals. The position extends one full year, full time, 40 hours per week. This is a paid position with optional free housing (a taxable benefit)....

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Digital Library of the Week

A section of a map of Italy, circa 1500-1566, by Jacobo Gastaldi

The broadest single collection of historical maps from around the world is now available online. Old Maps Online, described by its creators as like Google for old maps, will act as a central repository to a vast collection of maps held by institutions across the globe. The service, hosted by the University of Portsmouth in the UK, launched in late February with more than 60,000 maps, which will double in collection size by the end of 2012. The site incorporates access to collections at the British Library, the National Library of Scotland, the Moravian Library in the Czech Republic, and the David Rumsey Collection in California.

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, Check out our Featured Digital Libraries Pinterest board.


Public Perception
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“Since the future is already here, we can see that many publishers are placing bets on a declining library market. I think that’s the prudent thing to do. The evidence for this is that librarians keep telling us that their budgets are shrinking. I sometimes wonder if librarians understand that they are making a strategic mistake: By talking about their money woes, they reduce their clout with publishers. Librarians tend to argue on moral grounds, publishers on economic grounds. Most of the time, the money wins.”

—Joseph Esposito, “Predicting the Present,” in The Scholarly Kitchen, Mar. 19.

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Connect with your kids: Financial Education for Preschoolers @ your library

librarian Alexa Hamilton teaching children about finances

Queens Library Preserves Area's Collective Memory

Jerry Pinkney: 'Get involved - visit your local library.'

Connect with your kids: A Hunger Games 'Tribute' @ your library

Celebrating the 200th Anniversary of Charles Dickens's Birth

How to Get a Great Job: Crafting Effective Cover Letters

A Sense of Our Future: Cokie Roberts, Journalist, Radio and Television Political Commentator

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Calendar

Apr. 4:
Coalition for Networked Information,
Workshop, Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel, Baltimore. “The Management of Scholarly Identity.”

Apr. 11–13:
Kentucky Library Association Academic Library Section / KLA Special Library Section / Special Libraries Association Kentucky Chapter,
Joint Spring Conference, Lake Cumberland State Resort Park. “Become the Library They Need: Understanding User Expectations.”

Apr. 20–26:
Slovenian Book Days,
Castle Square, Maribor, Slovenia.

Apr. 23–25:
Center for Information Development Management,
Content Management Strategies/Darwin Information Typing Architecture North America Conference, La Jolla, California.

Apr. 24–28:
Chinese American Librarians Association / Tingji University,
International Conference on Leadership and Innovative Management in Academic Libraries in the Age of New Technology, Tingji University, Shanghai, China.

Apr. 26–29:
Alberta Library Association,
Annual Conference, Jasper Park Lodge. “iLibrary: Tag, You’re It!”

May 18–23:
Medical Library Association,
Annual Meeting and Exhibition, Seattle. “Growing Opportunities: Changing Our Game.”

May 21:
University of North Texas Symposium on Open Access,
Gateway Center, Denton.

May 25:
Oregon Libraries Network,
Oregon Virtual Reference Summit, Salishan Inn and Resort, Gleneden Beach.

May 30–
June 2:

Canadian Library Association,
National Conference and Trade Show, Ottawa Convention Centre.

May 30–
June 1:

Society for Scholarly Publishing,
Annual Meeting, Marriott Crystal Gateway, Arlington, Virginia. “Social, Mobile, Agile, Global: Are You Ready?”

June 7–10:
North American Serials Interest Group,
Annual Conference, Sheraton Music City, Nashville.

Aug. 3:
Indiana University Libraries Information Literacy Colloquium,
Southeast Conference Center, New Albany. “Learning Out Loud: Information Literacy Pedagogy for the Non-Shushing Librarian.”

Aug. 23–26:
International Board on Books for Young People,
International Congress, Imperial College, London. “Crossing Boundaries: Translations and Migrations.”

Oct. 9–11:
Illinois Library Association,
Annual Conference, Peoria Civic Center. “Bouncing Higher.”

Oct. 10–12:
Iowa Library Association,
Annual Conference, Grand River Center, Dubuque. “We’re All In This Together.”

Oct. 18–20:
Colorado Association of Libraries,
Annual Conference, Keystone Resort. “Ready, Set, Go! Innovating Colorado Libraries.”

Nov. 8–10:
Arizona Library Association,
Annual Conference, South Mountain Community College, Phoenix. “Beyond the Box.”

Nov. 12–14:
Indiana Library Federation,
Annual Conference, Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis. “Stepping Forward, Digging Deeper.”

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Books & Reading

Cover of the first edition of The Hunger GamesThe Hunger Games by the numbers
Annie Schutte writes: “The Hunger Games has had quite a journey since it first came out on September 14, 2008. From the humble beginnings of a 200,000-book first run, it has become one of the bestselling books in recent years. Read on to find out everything you need to know about the books and movie, from how many movies there will be in the series to how much Jennifer Lawrence made for her role as Katniss to how long you’ll have to wait for the second movie to come out.”...
YALSA The Hub, Mar. 19

An illustration of the brainYour brain on fiction
New support for the value of fiction is arriving from an unexpected quarter: neuroscience. Brain scans are revealing that stories stimulate the brain and even change how we act in life. In February, a team of researchers from Emory University reported in Brain & Language that when subjects read a metaphor involving texture, the sensory cortex—responsible for perceiving texture through touch—became active. Metaphors like “The singer had a velvet voice” and “He had leathery hands” roused the sensory cortex, while phrases matched for meaning, like “The singer had a pleasing voice” and “He had strong hands,” did not....
New York Times, Mar. 17

The trouble with books
Maura Smale writes: “I recently had the opportunity to participate in a conversation with library faculty and other academic departments about undergraduate research assignments. We discussed some of the stumbling blocks that our students seem to face, especially as they search for sources for their papers. We don’t want them to use Wikipedia as research sources, but many students are just not ready to tackle the scholarly research articles they’ll find when they search JSTOR or even Academic Search Complete.”...
ACRLog, Mar. 18

Book art, Alicia Martín, BiografiasThe art of exploding books
Judy Berman writes: “There’s book art, and then there’s extreme book art. The exhilarating work of Madrid-based artist Alicia Martín clearly falls into the latter category. In her dramatic Biografias series, thousands of books explode out the windows of three buildings, evoking such forces of nature as waterfalls and tornadoes. To us, these massive sculptures symbolize the boundary-busting, life-changing power of literature.”...
Flavorwire, Mar. 19

Building the ultimate Summer Reading app
Nate Hill writes: “The summer reading program is probably the most ubiquitous public library program in the United States. The Digital Public Library of America has been hosting a conversation about what it would mean to scale summer-reading software up to the national level. There is great potential in using the emerging DPLA platform as a foundation upon which a digital summer-reading application might be built.”...
DPLA Blog, Mar. 13

Page from Charlotte Brontë's juvenile novelTiny Brontës
On the right is a page from a miniature manuscript book, written with a sharp eye and a steady hand and stitched together in 1830 by Charlotte Brontë (1816–1855). It is the beginning of a novelette Brontë called, “An interesting passage in the lives of some eminent personages of the present age.” The author, she alleged, was one “Lord Charles Wellesley.” Charlotte and her siblings wrote a series of plays based on the adventures of their toy soldiers. Harvard’s Houghton Library has nine of these hand-sewn, two-inch tall miniature books, given by the poet Amy Lowell....
Harvard Magazine, Jan./Feb.

Ex-Mistress, by Anonymous (1930), a romance novel featuring a love triangleBooks by Anonymous
The author known as Anonymous has been prolific over the centuries. A quick search on AbeBooks reveals 2.2 million listings where the author is listed as Anonymous. This selection of rare books showcases anonymously published titles that deserve to be remembered. The most interesting books are the ones where the author’s identity remains a mystery decades after the book was published. It’s a hard secret to keep, considering the social and complicated nature of book publishing....
AbeBooks, Mar. 19

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Tips & Ideas

Library terms that users understand
John Kupersmith writes: “This document is intended to help library web developers decide how to label key resources and services in such a way that most users can understand them well enough to make productive choices. It compiles data from usability studies evaluating terminology on library websites, and suggests test methods and best practices for reducing cognitive barriers caused by terminology. Terms most often cited as being misunderstood by users include: database, library catalog, e-journals, and resource.”...
University of California, Berkeley

Librarians out of the library and into the rain at the 2006 Boston Pride Parade. Photo by Lana ThelenOut of the library and into the wild
Lana Thelen writes: “Librarians and library school students have a lot to gain by sharing their skills with groups outside of the library, such as community organizations, social justice groups, and nonprofits. By building coalitions and offering support to different groups, librarians lend their particular expertise and advance the roles of these groups. When we leave the library and enter the wild, we build our professional and personal relevance and bridge connections with socially and politically minded groups.”...
In the Library with the Lead Pipe, Mar. 21

Gillian Anderson as Miss Havisham in Great ExpectationsGet ready for Great Expectations
In honor of the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens’s birth this year, Masterpiece on PBS will air Great Expectations, a BBC production starring Gillian Anderson (right) as the iconic Miss Havisham, in two parts on April 1 and 8. Watch the trailer (1:28). Three video-based lessons will be posted in April on the PBS free educator resource, PBS LearningMedia, so that teachers and librarians can get some ideas to pass on to students about Dickens, the novel, and the times....
Public Broadcasting Service

A teacher team on the Morgan Book Project makes paint with natural pigmentsTeaching children the value of pre-web pages
Ida Owens’s 6th grade art class at the Gordon Parks School for Inquisitive Minds in Queens, New York, is part of the Morgan Book Project, which aims to instill in children of the digital age an appreciation for books by providing authentic materials to write, illustrate, and construct their own medieval and Renaissance-inspired illuminated manuscripts. Institutions like the Morgan, with collections drawn from the printed word, are balancing the digital and physical worlds with their offerings and finding ways to embrace both....
New York Times, Mar. 14

Pinterest logoPinterest is the new black
Brian Herzog writes: “I’ve only been hearing about Pinterest for the last couple months, but already it seems to have spread far and wide in libraries. For those who don’t know (like me until yesterday), Pinterest is visual social bookmarking. It’s similar to Delicious, in that you set up bookmarks to interesting things online to create a curated web directory—but it has images, so it’s extremely visual and engaging.”...
Swiss Army Librarian, Mar. 21

RDA tips
James Hennelly writes: “We get lots of email, and we do our best to answer each of them. In order to enlighten all our users to some common and very pertinent questions, it seems useful to address some of those questions here.” These are some tips on opening links in a new window or tab, recent changes to the database, and access for LIS cataloging courses....
RDA Toolkit Blog, Mar. 20

Beyond Proficiency @ your library logoKentucky goes Beyond Proficiency
Studies indicate that today’s students require multiple literacies—including digital, visual, textual and technological—in addition to information literacy to succeed. In order to guide students down a path toward academic success, the Kentucky Department of Education created Beyond Proficiency @ your library. The guide is a web-based tool designed to help school librarians create and maintain effective library media programs for the 21st century....
Campaign for America’s Libraries, Mar. 20

Leaf 1r of what has now been identified as a 15th-century Lombardic copy of the Pseudo-Augustinian Sermones ad fratres in eremo (St Andrews msBR65.A9S2)A conundrum solved, collectively
Daryl Green writes: “In January we posted a plea for help in identifying a motif found in one of the medieval manuscripts in the University of St. Andrews Special Collections: msBR65.A9S2, a Pseudo-Augustinian Sermones ad fratres eremo. This manuscript had been cataloged and thought of for quite some time as a 14th-century Italian manuscript. What followed was a largely profitable discussion conducted through emails, blog comments, and Twitter enquiries that resulted in us finding out much more about this manuscript.”...
Echoes from the Vault, Jan. 11, Mar. 12

Title page of the third edition of the first book printed in English, The recuile of the Histories of Troie (1553)Why was the first English book printed in Bruges?
Adam Douglas writes: “We recently acquired a rare and splendid 16th-century book, The recuile of the Histories of Troie, published by William Copland in London in 1553. The first edition of this text, published in Bruges in 1473 or 1474 by William Caxton, was the very first book printed in the English language. Caxton himself is famous as the first printer in England. But why was his first English book printed in Bruges?”...
The Cataloguer’s Desk, Mar. 16

E=mc2Einstein’s papers digitized
David Pescovitz writes: “The Hebrew University of Jerusalem is scanning and posting more than 80,000 documents from the University’s Einstein Archives and the Einstein Papers Project at Caltech. Seen here is a snip from a manuscript titled “E = mc2: The Most Urgent Problem of our Time,” published in a 1946 issue of Science Illustrated.” The project launched March 19 with 2,000 images and will continue to include more images throughout the year....
BoingBoing, Mar. 20

The decision to completely redesign and refurbish Manchester’s historic Central Library created the huge task of packing, moving, and storing more than a million booksDesigning Libraries, the UK way
With its many examples of inspiring and functional library buildings, Designing Libraries has long been an important and well-used source of information for anyone planning a new library or a library refurbishment in the UK. Its database forms a current and permanent record of design development and innovation for both public and academic libraries; and its recently revamped website will expand its reputation as a collaborative resource by providing more online resources and the addition of school library design developments....
Designing Libraries, Mar. 20

South Africa Library Week 2012 posterSouth Africa celebrates its Library Week
In his 2011 State of the Nation address, President Jacob Zuma of South Africa indicated that his number-one priority is job creation. The Library and Information Association of South Africa is tying its objectives to that of the government’s agenda by placing libraries at the forefront of the development of the country. During South Africa Library Week, March 17–24, libraries are emphasizing their roles in job searching and computer training. The theme is “Develop @ your library.” ...
Library and Information Association of South Africa

So you want to be a medical librarian
Alison Aldrich writes: “Nine years ago, I was wrapping up graduate school and looking for my first professional librarian position. I was thrilled to find out I’d been granted an interview at an academic health sciences library, but I was at a loss for how to prepare. The career services office put me in touch with a helpful alumna who emailed me what amounted to a crash course in medical librarianship. It worked and I got the job. Here is my advice to those of you who are considering medical librarianship today.”...
Letters to a Young Librarian, Mar. 15

Do you really want to go into library management?
Will Manley writes: “Yesterday’s rather detailed discussion about how to give bathroom directions to a patron of indeterminate gender brought back memories of my days as a library administrator and city manager. Who would have thought that such a simple matter as the proper procedure for answering the question ‘Where’s the bathroom?’ could get so complicated? We take advanced courses in cataloging, reference, and personnel law and then discover in the real world that you can spend hours on the following bathroom issues.”...
Will Unwound, Mar. 14–15

Screenshot from Domino Topple installationBook domino chain reaction
The artistic collaborative group Responsible Fishing UK took over the public library in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, on March 19, 2011, and created this spectacular “Domino Topple” (1:58) using deaccessioned library books. The music is by Jon Ashton....
YouTube, Apr. 27, 2011

Screenshot from I Am a Librarian video showing t-shirt, "Librarians: The thin blue line between you and the FBI"I Am a Librarian
LIS grad student “minidaffodil” created this YouTube video (1:34) in 2008 to show why many people choose to become a librarian and to challenge what the general public knows about librarians. The music track is “Funkytude” by laMundial.net....
YouTube, Aug. 10, 2008

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