Forming the nation’s first library PAC
The tweet announcing the formation of the EveryLibrary.org campaign came on September 4, a day earlier than intended, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Within four hours of Kate Tkacik’s post to Tumblr, donors had contributed $400. EveryLibrary is the first and only national political action committee (PAC) for libraries. Focused exclusively on local library ballot initiatives and measures, EveryLibrary is dedicated to helping libraries win at election time. Directed by John Chrastka, the 501(c)4 organization will fundraise nationally to support local library ballot committees and provide them with technical support and consultancy on how to run and win at the ballot box. It is conducting a $50,000 fundraising round from September 5 to November 7....
American Libraries news, Sept. 4; EveryLibrary blog, Sept. 4

Hey authors, wanna hear a secret?
Christopher Harris writes: “Guess what, authors? Librarians love you; authors are our rock stars. And it isn’t just us. We have shared our love with so many people that they have built whole museums to hold your works. (Let’s call them ‘libraries’ perhaps). And you don’t even have to pay for the privilege of being featured in our collections. In fact, we pay you for the right to have your books on display, to tell visitors why they would love your books, and to help make sure as many people as possible read your books.”...
AL: E-Content, Aug. 30

Youth Matters: Floor space is the new frontier
Linda W. Braun writes: “About 10 years ago I had an experience with a small group of teen girls at the Mount Holyoke College library. I wanted to show them the college’s information commons. To get there, we had to walk through the hushed, shadowy, austere reference area. I could sense that the girls were feeling intimidated by the environment. Then, reaching the end of a long hallway off of reference, it was as if the world opened up.”...
American Libraries column, Sept./Oct.

Will’s World: Is God really a librarian?
Will Manley writes: “I was reflecting the other day how throughout my library career, different parts of American Libraries magazine became important to me. Now that I am a retired sexagenarian, the first page I turn to is the obituaries. We boomers may not be retiring as expected, but we are dying. That’s why the library obituaries have become a main point of interest with me. As you might expect, the AL obituaries in print are indeed listed in alphabetical order, and while that is the librarianish thing to do, I would prefer the magazine make its list by age, from youngest to oldest.”...
American Libraries column, Sept./Oct.

The number of library card holders
Valerie Hawkins writes: “The most current federal statistics report on public libraries, Public Libraries in the United States: Fiscal Year 2009, was published in October 2011, conducted by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The report has numbers from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report found that for FY2009, there were more than 169.7 million people registered to borrow books at public libraries.”...
AL: Ask the ALA Librarian, Sept. 5

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ALA President’s Message: The year ahead
Maureen Sullivan writes: “I look forward to this year in which I have the privilege of serving as ALA president. To prepare for this important role, I acted on the very good advice of a number of our past presidents and took advantage of every opportunity in my president-elect term to lay a strong foundation for what I expect ALA to accomplish this year.”...
American Libraries column, Sept./Oct.

Slideshow: 60 Ways to Use Your Library Card
In celebration of September as Library Card Sign-up Month, ALA is making available a slideshow featuring “60 Ways to Use Your Library Card.” Libraries can embed a slideshow that scrolls through examples like “Learn how to write a business plan” and “Get help with homework” on their own websites or blogs. Additional tools to kick off the month include new Facebook cover photos that libraries can download for use on their own Facebook pages....
Campaign for America’s Libraries, Sept. 4

50-State Salute to Banned Books Week
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of Banned Books Week, the Office for Intellectual Freedom is coordinating a “50-State Salute to Banned Books Week” to consist of videos from ALA chapters (and other libraries, library-related organizations, and bookstores, even those outside the US) proclaiming the importance of the freedom to read. 29 states and the District of Columbia have signed on to participate so far. The deadline to submit a video is September 28. Only organizations (not individuals) may participate; individuals can share in the Banned Books Week Virtual Read-Out....
OIF Blog, Sept. 4

What attendees said about ALA Annual Conference
“One of the best ways to stay fresh in our profession,” said one of the thousands of Annual Conference attendees who took the time to give us their feedback about 2012 ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim in a post-conference survey. Attendee responses offer ALA critical input to ensure that the conferences continue to meet professional and personal goals and improve year after year. Keeping up with the profession remains the number-one factor in a member’s decision to attend....
Conference Services, Sept. 4

Booklist and Common Core State Standards
Continuing its commitment to finding new ways to support school and public librarians and educators, Booklist Publications is increasing content and guidance for implementing the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Across its publications, Booklist will provide ongoing resources, strategies, and proven practices from colleagues in the field for seamless, text-based integration of the standards while extending the mission of getting the best books for children into the classroom and into the hands of students....
Booklist, Aug. 30

A toolkit for library marketing
The Library Marketing Toolkit, available through Neal-Schuman Publishers, provides readers with everything needed to successfully market any library. Author Ned Potter offers expert coverage of every element of library marketing and branding for all types of libraries, including archives and academic, public, and special libraries, providing innovative and easy-to-implement techniques and ideas. Included are numerous case studies that highlight best practices and offer expert advice....
ALA Neal-Schuman, Sept. 4

Copyright for K–12 librarians and educators
School librarians and educators have specific copyright questions that are often glossed over in larger books on the subject. Now, thanks to copyright authority Carrie Russell, there’s a resource just for them. Complete Copyright for K–12 Librarians and Educators, published by ALA Editions, offers clear guidance for providing materials to students while carefully observing copyright law. Using whimsical illustrations by Jessica Abel, Russell offers detailed advice on the distinctive issues of intellectual property in the school setting....
ALA Editions, Sept. 4

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Get ready for National Friends of Libraries Week
“Kick Start Your National Friends of Libraries Week Celebration” is now available from United for Libraries. This free, 40-minute webcast gives libraries and Friends ideas and materials so that they can promote National Friends of Libraries Week (October 21–27) in their libraries and communities. Two awards of $250 will be given to Friends groups for activities held during National Friends of Libraries Week. Applications are due by December 3....
United for Libraries, Sept. 4

ALSC voters choose an eBadge design
The Friends of ALSC and the ALSC Membership Committee have announced the winner in the division’s eBadge Contest. Krista Welz, children’s librarian at the North Bergen (N.J.) Free Public Library, is the winner with her “ALSC Cloud” design, which received more than 175 votes on the ALSC Blog poll....
ALSC Blog, Aug. 31

Fall ALSC online courses available for CEUs
ALSC has released its schedule of online courses for the fall. Among them is a new offering by ALSC Past-President Thom Barthelmess, “ALSC Core Competencies: Serving Children with Distinction and Commitment.” Classes begin October 1, and registration is limited. Two CEU-certified courses are available this session....
ALSC, Sept. 4

AASL starts the year with new webinars
This fall, AASL will present three all-new webinars covering the topics of information literacy, intellectual freedom, and participatory culture. The webinars are open to both AASL members and nonmembers....
AASL, Sept. 4

AASL Fall Forum advanced registration ends soon
The deadline for advanced registration pricing for the AASL 2012 Fall Forum ends September 12. “Transliteracy and the School Library Program” will be held October 12–13 in Greenville, South Carolina. Registration and program information can be found online....
AASL, Sept. 4

New joint committee on metadata standards
ALCTS and LITA, with the support of RUSA, have created a new joint committee focused on a broad range of metadata standards. The committee’s expected outcomes include reviewing, evaluating, and recommending approval of proposed standards; and establishing mechanisms for their continued review. It will begin its work at the 2013 Midwinter Meeting in Seattle....
ALCTS, Sept. 4

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RUSA Lifetime Achievement Award: Statistical Abstract of the US
RUSA presented a Dartmouth Medal Lifetime Achievement Award to the Census Bureau for its Statistical Abstract of the United States to acknowledge the abstract’s role as one of the premier reference sources for the past 133 years. Jack O’Gorman (on the left), chair of the RUSA Dartmouth Medal Committee, presented the award to Census Bureau Deputy Director Thomas Mesenbourg at the office of the US Census Bureau....
RUSA, Sept. 4

OIF wins Consumer Excellence Award
Consumer Action has selected the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom to receive a 2012 Consumer Excellence Award for helping consumers understand and act on threats to their privacy. Its efforts with Choose Privacy Week and the Privacy Revolution website were specifically mentioned. The award will be presented in Washington, D.C., October 2 at Consumer Action’s 41st anniversary reception....
Consumer Action, Aug. 30

Best Apps for Teaching and Learning
AASL is now accepting nominations for its new Best Apps for Teaching and Learning recognition. Nominations are being solicited for apps that encourage student engagement in learning and reinforce innovative teaching. Nominated apps should also strengthen instruction, critical thinking skills, and inquiry. Use the online form on the AASL website....
AASL, Sept. 4

Winners of Teen Read Week mini-grants
YALSA has announced the 10 winners of its Teen Read Week mini-grants. The grants, funded by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, give each winning library $1,000 to use for events, programs, and services to encourage teen reading and celebrate Teen Read Week, October 14–20. Activities include a Maker Faire, a Zombie Prom, a teen book club, and filmmaking projects....
YALSA, Sept. 4

ALCTS seeks awards nominations
Nominations are being accepted for the 2013 ALCTS awards for innovation and collaboration, two awards that honor individuals and groups whose work represents the finest achievements and leadership in collaboration and innovation. Nominations are also sought for three awards for professional achievement, two publication awards, two awards for continuing resources, three preservation awards, and the Ross Atkinson Lifetime Achievement Award. If you are interested in nominating a candidate for any of these awards, contact the chair of that award jury. The deadline for nominations and supporting materials is December 1....
ALCTS, Aug. 29, Sept. 4

Van Buren wins 2012 O. James Werner Award
The American Association of Law Libraries’ State, Court, and County Law Libraries Special Interest Section has awarded Utah State Law Librarian Jessica Van Buren its 2012 O. James Werner Award. The award honors a member who has made a significant contribution to serving persons with disabilities. Van Buren was cited for her volunteer work with the Utah State Library for the Blind and Disabled, where she records books of Utah interest....
Mainstreet Business Journal, Aug. 30

2012 Hugo Awards
The World Science Fiction Society gave out the 2012 Hugo Awards and the John W. Campbell Award as part of this weekend’s Chicon 7 festivities in Chicago. The winner for Best Novel was Jo Walton for Among Others (Tor). The Campbell Award for the best new professional science fiction or fantasy writer went to E. Lily Yu. But the awards gala went awry when the live streaming was stopped by ill-programmed UStream copyright-enforcement bots....
io9, Sept. 2–3

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Fialkoff steps down as LJ editor
Library Journal Editor-in-Chief Francine Fialkoff has left the magazine, effective September 1. Fialkoff has had an extraordinary career at LJ spanning 35 years, with over 15 years at its helm (as editor and editor-in-chief). Under her leadership, LJ moved from a print magazine to a multiplatform entity. Fialkoff’s final editorial for the publication will appear in the September 15 print edition. LJ Executive Editor Michael Kelley has taken over as interim editor-in-chief....
Library Journal: infoDocket, Aug. 31

Settlement over Nooks in Sacramento
The US Justice Department announced August 29 that it and the National Federation of the Blind had reached a settlement with the Sacramento Public Library Authority to supply ebook readers for blind people. The settlement resolves allegations that the library violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by using “inaccessible” Barnes & Noble Nook e-readers in the library lending program. The settlement calls for the library to purchase 18 new accessible e-readers with text-to-speech functions or the ability to access menus through audio or touch options....
Sacramento (Calif.) Bee, Aug. 30; Cybercast News Service, Aug. 31

Texas library fires LSSI managers
San Juan, Texas, city commissioners voted August 28 to terminate the contract of the Maryland-based Library Systems & Services Inc. to run the city’s library. LSSI has managed the San Juan Public Library since 2007, including its move from a 2,500-square-foot trailer to a 16,000-square-foot building that opened in 2011. The commissioners declared that LSSI’s proposal for salary increases, additional teen programming, Sunday hours, more books, and a seventh employee was unacceptable....
San Juan (Tex.) Monitor, Aug. 30

Former Walmart converted into spacious library
When the Walmart in McAllen, Texas, moved to a larger location down the street, the city scooped it up and spent $24 million transforming the drab structure into a 123,000-square-foot main library that serves as a vibrant space for residents here. The library opened December 10, and the McAllen Public Library system says it “may very well be the largest single-floor public library in the nation.”...
New York Times, Sept. 1

Bordentown librarian sets up special needs section
Beverly Jacob said she knows what it is like to be the parent of a child with special needs, struggling to find answers: Her son was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when he was 19. Jacob, head of youth services at the Burlington County (N.J.) Library System’s Bordentown branch, was tasked with creating a special section of books on autism to help educate parents, teachers, and children. The section houses books, DVDs, and toys designed to help children with special needs develop better motor skills....
Trenton (N.J.) Times, Sept. 1

“California as an Island” private collection goes to Stanford
A new Stanford University Libraries acquisition of 800 maps from one of the nation’s top map collectors, Glen McLaughlin, proves the claim that California was portrayed as an island on maps for well over a century. Cartographers call it the greatest geo-mistake ever, persisting on a few Asian maps into the 1860s. The Glen McLaughlin Map Collection was developed over 40 years, from 1971 to 2011. The maps will be housed in Stanford’s Branner Earth Sciences Library....
Stanford University News, Aug. 30

University of Michigan video game collection
Systems such as the ColecoVision, TurboGrafx-16, and 3DO may have been ousted from most home entertainment centers long ago, but they still have shelf space at the University of Michigan’s Computer and Video Game Archive. Slashdot caught up with Engineering Librarian and Video Game Archivist Dave Carter and took a look inside the repository, which has curated around 35 classic and current-gen platforms and more than 3,000 different games. Watch the video (14:38)....
Engadget, Aug. 31; Slashdot, Aug. 28

Frank Lloyd Wright archive headed to New York
The Modernist architect Frank Lloyd Wright wasn’t a hoarder, but he did save just about everything. Since Wright’s death in 1959 those relics have been locked in storage at his former headquarters: Taliesin, in Spring Green, Wisconsin, and Taliesin West, in Scottsdale, Arizona. Now that entire archive is moving permanently to New York in an unusual joint partnership between the Museum of Modern Art and Columbia University’s Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library. The Art Institute of Chicago missed out on getting the material because it thought it could not house the entire collection....
New York Times, Sept. 3; Crain’s Chicago Business, Sept. 4

The Cedar Rapids skywalk glitch
A potential snag over the already-designed skywalk from the under-construction Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Public Library to a parking garage was averted August 31 when Union Pacific Railroad officials assured city leaders that a clearance requirement would not be an issue. The railroad reviewed the skywalk design and determined it was in compliance. Library Director Bob Pasicznyuk and trustees had been under the impression that the railroad had raised the track six inches, putting the proposed skywalk into the clearance zone by four inches....
Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Gazette, Sept. 1

Evanston to gain a Friends branch
Members of the Evanston (Ill.) Public Library board have given Director Karen Danczak Lyons the green light to begin formalizing relations with The Mighty Twig—a library run by EPL Friends volunteers that was launched after a former board voted to discontinue the city’s South branch. With an agreement, the library can begin committing staff and other resources, and as much as $103,000 in funds, toward the library’s operation in the next fiscal year....
Evanston (Ill.) Review, Aug. 31

Librarian runs 22 marathons in 22 days
A North Vancouver teacher-librarian has completed 22 marathons in 22 days to protest the British Columbia government’s Bill 22, which puts an end to teachers’ ongoing strike action in the province and delays contract negotiations for six months. Ian Cunliffe (right) isn’t a fan of Bill 22. In fact he opposes it so much that he ran 900 kilometers August 8–30, from Sparwood to Victoria. Cunliffe says the loss of funding has resulted in cuts to critical, essential services in public education....
CKNW-AM, Vancouver, B.C., Aug. 31; CBC News, Mar. 15

Bedbugs arrive in Michigan library’s mail
The St. Clair County (Mich.) Library got a little bit more than it bargained for with some returned materials. Library Director Allison Arnold said bedbugs caught a ride into the Port Huron branch of the library August 28 with a package of materials that had been borrowed through the state Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Arnold said the library was not infested. The package was kept in areas of the library used by staff only....
Port Huron (Mich.) Times Herald, Aug. 30

Library crossbow killer gets life sentence
Zhou “Peter” Fang was sentenced September 4 to life imprisonment with no parole for at least a decade for murdering his father Si “William” Cheng, 52, with a crossbow and a hammer in a crowded Toronto Public Library branch on December 2, 2010. At the sentencing, Justice John McMahon recited some of the horrific abuse endured by the killer and his mother at Cheng’s hands....
Toronto Sun, Sept. 4

Closures attract little sympathy from UK Culture Minister
Ed Vaizey (right), Conservative UK Minister for Culture, Communications, and Creative Industries, has been compared to Nero fiddling as Rome burns after declaring that the government is “not currently minded” to intervene and prevent library closures in Bolton, the Isle of Wight, and Lewisham. Amid widespread local protests, five out of 15 library branches have been closed by Bolton council, while five out of 11 branches in the Isle of Wight and five out of 12 in Lewisham have been transferred to volunteers....
The Guardian (UK), Sept. 5

Recovered Torah scrolls bought by Polish library
Two Torah scrolls, one complete and one incomplete, that were found in Poland’s Sokołów Podlaski district August 20 have a new owner. Malgorzata Piorkowska, director of the Węgrów Public Library, purchased the scrolls from the owner. The scrolls are thought to have belonged to a synagogue in Węgrów that was destroyed during World War II. Piorkowska said the scrolls would be located in a soon-to-be-launched museum dedicated to the history of the Jews in the town....
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Sept. 2

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Bundle registration for the 2013 ALA Midwinter Meeting (in Seattle, January 25–29) and the 2013 Annual Conference (in Chicago, June 27–July 2) opens September 10 and closes September 30.

The American Dream Starts @ your library: Welcoming Places for All People Art of George Bellows Reflects Social Change of the Era George Eastman House Collection: See Untold Stories Through Sept. 12 Tobacco Kills Six Million People Each Year How to Get a Great Job: The Follow-Up Interview Gerald Chertavian: 'I consistently sought refuge in the stacks' (video) Join Us on Facebook Subscribe to our Newsletter

The 20 most beautiful children’s books of all time
Emily Temple writes: “We think some of the loveliest illustrations have been in books (or maybe that’s just the association with a great story talking), so we decided to round up a few of the most beautiful children’s books—at least according to us. Keep in mind: We’re going for beauty, not iconic status, so Tenniel’s Alice drawings and a few other iconic, innovative illustrations, while dear to us, don’t make the cut. Leaf through our picks for the most mindblowingly beautiful picture books.”...
Flavorwire, Sept. 3

YA names of the future
Allison Tran writes: “In the wake of The Hunger Games, YA bookshelves are overflowing with novels set in the future. As a name enthusiast (okay, name nerd), I’m intrigued by the names authors choose for their characters. I find myself evaluating futuristic names according to current name trends, pondering the likelihood of these names being used decades or centuries from now. If we examine the rise and fall in popularity of some of these names over the past 150 years or so, what predictions can we make for the future?”...
YALSA The Hub, Sept. 4

The Rambler’s Magazine: A precursor to the tabloids
Valerie Hotchkiss writes: “I recently cataloged an eight-volume set of The Rambler’s Magazine, or, The Annals of Gallantry, Glee, Pleasure, and the Bon Ton (not to be confused with Samuel Johnson’s The Rambler), which was published from 1784 to 1791. The issues appeared monthly, with a supplement at the end of the year, and were each around 40 pages. These pages were packed to the gills with lectures, anecdotes, letters, poems, theatrical vignettes, songs, puzzles, rebuses (right), and general gossip—all of a very lowbrow nature.”...
Non Solus, Aug. 30

Bookshelf babes and hardcover heroes: Favorite librarians in romance
Wendy Crutcher writes: “It is not the easiest thing to suspend disbelief when a romance deals with an aspect of your life that you have intimate, day-to-day knowledge about. I know more than one lawyer who simply cannot read romances featuring lawyers. Same holds true for people who work in the medical field being unable to read romances featuring doctors and nurses. So you would think that I would have the same issue when it comes to reading books featuring librarian heroines. The answer is sometimes yes, and sometimes no.”...
Heroes and Heartbreakers, Sept. 4

Time-travel methods in YA literature
Jennifer Rummel writes: “Einstein’s Theory of Relativity states that although time appears to be constant, it is not and varies depending on how fast movement is occurring. If humans were able to travel at speeds close to the speed of light, theoretically they could in fact time travel into the future. Unfortunately, no present credible theory allows for travel into the past. Luckily, time travel in books can occur through a variety of means.”...
YALSA The Hub, Sept. 5

Seven novels that should be adapted into film
There are a ton of exciting book adaptations coming to the movies this fall: Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, Yann Martel’s Life of Pi, Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas, and of course, J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. Still, there are a few literary big-hitters that have yet to make their way to film. Check out this slideshow of seven books that Huffington Post would like to see adapted for the silver screen....
Huffington Post: Books, Sept. 5

Space as a service and full library discovery
Lorcan Dempsey writes: “I looked at the new Stanford University Libraries website just now. I only spent a few minutes there, but I was immediately and strongly struck by two things. Each makes so much sense that I imagine they will become routine. The first was the foregrounding of library space as a service. The second was what I might call full library discovery, the ability to discover the full capacity of the library, not just the collections, with a single search.”...
Lorcan Dempsey’s Weblog, Aug. 31

OCLC members can add metadata to Europeana
OCLC and Europeana, the provider of Europe’s digital library, have worked together on an approach that will enable OCLC member institutions to contribute metadata derived from the WorldCat database to the Europeana.eu portal in a manner that is consistent with OCLC’s WorldCat Rights and Responsibilities for the OCLC Cooperative. While OCLC makes no intellectual property claims to individual metadata records in WorldCat, it does assert a copyright claim over the WorldCat database as a whole....
OCLC, Sept. 4

Ukuleles and libraries: A natural combination
Tess Goldwasser (right) writes: “Making music can be one of the most empowering of all human experiences. If you can learn even two or three chords on a ukulele, you can play a literal multitude of recognizable tunes. I’m not a scientist, but I have read extensively about music and its effect on the brain. I’d like to speak now, in general terms, about how and why I think we can and should be using music in our libraries today.”...
ALSC Blog, Sept. 4

September ideas for teen services librarians
Hannah Gómez writes: “Even if you don’t work in a school media center, I’m guessing your life still tends to run on an academic schedule when you work with teens. So welcome to the new school year! Here’s what I think might be interesting, useful, or intriguing to you and your patrons this month.”...
YALSA Blog, Sept. 4

The Buffy Effect: We benefit from seeing strong women on TV
Lindsay Abrams writes: “150 male and female students at a university in the southern US attended screenings of one of six television shows that included both sexuality and violent content within the same scenes. After the screenings, participants were surveyed on their attitudes towards women and were evaluated for symptoms of depression and anxiety. The researchers found strong evidence of women responding positively to strong female characters, while men also responded more positively to shows with powerful women.”...
The Atlantic, Aug. 31; Journal of Communication, Aug. 27

How the US Poet Laureate is selected
Peter Armenti writes: “Since the presidential election season is upon us, I hasten to point out that there are no Poet Laureate primaries, no Free and Formal Verse National Conventions, and no national election. And despite what some people seem to believe, the Poet Laureate also is not selected like the Pope: There is no conclave of leading poets who gather at the Library of Congress to cast secret ballots. No, the selection process—which yielded Natasha Trethewey (right) as the latest Poet Laureate—is much simpler, and goes something like this.”...
Library of Congress: From the Catbird Seat, Aug. 30

Oklahoma’s Indian Territory records go digital
To make searching for historical documents easier the Oklahoma Historical Society and the Oklahoma Secretary of State’s Office has partnered to digitize and index Oklahoma and Indian Territories incorporation records. OHS Research Librarian Debra Spindle explained that the ledger books—dated 1890 to 1907—were created as new businesses and municipalities began operating. Spindle used the records to track down relatives who may have worked at a mill in the Taloga area....
Indian Country Today, Sept. 4; All My Ancestors, July 9

Oodles of librarian doodles go on exhibit
There’s good news for Jill Ellern, systems librarian at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina: Research suggests that people who doodle during meetings retain more information than nondoodlers. Ellern has doodled on whatever she could find—agendas, scrap paper, Post-it notes, and even a banana—during the thousands of hours of meetings she has attended in the past 25 years. Now, 133 of her doodles are featured in an exhibit that will be open through December at WCU’s Hunter Library. See some of her intricate work on Flickr...
Western Carolina University Reporter, Sept. 4

Looking for jobs in library school
Brianna Marshall writes: “I firmly believe that library jobs should always trump coursework, because if you do not work, you will not get a job in a library upon graduating. We could squabble about the particulars but I don’t think it’s contestable. The library job market is intensely competitive and the more library experience you have, the better off you will be. Here are a few tips I have for new students looking to work while in library school.”...
Hack Library School, Aug. 29

Good social media strategy:
Show, don’t tell
Marla Tabaka writes: “When Pinterest came onto the scene it instantly became more than a playground for scrapbooking fans. Business owners quickly learned the benefits of adding a visual component to their social media strategies. As a result, Pinterest has experienced astoundingly rapid growth, already passing Tumblr and Flickr. Facebook’s recent purchase of Instagram is another great indicator that it’s time to expand your social media content by adding photos, graphic images, and videos. David Lee King offers these five tips to help you get started.”...
Inc.: The Successful Soloist, Sept. 4

20 tricks to make Facebook better
Mike Wehner writes: “While Mark Zuckerberg has made plenty of great calls in its design, Facebook—and the way people use it—isn’t as streamlined as it could be. These 20 tips, tricks, and tools will take your Facebook experience to the next level. From simple settings options you may have overlooked, to browser plug-ins dedicated to making the social network even better, you’re sure to find something on this list that will make your Facebook time even more addicting than it already is.”...
Tecca, Sept. 4

Internet addiction: Causes at the molecular level
Researchers from the University of Bonn and the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim, Germany, compared the genetic makeup of 132 problematic internet users (all their thoughts revolve around the internet during the day, and they feel their well-being is severely affected if they have to go without it) with that of healthy control individuals. The study found that the addicts are more often carriers of a genetic variation that also plays a major role in nicotine addiction....
ScienceDaily, Aug. 29; Journal of Addiction Medicine (Sept.): 191–195

Wikipedia photo contest
Wikipedia has launched a photo contest that’s expected to be the world’s largest “by a large margin,” the online encyclopedia says. Wiki Loves Monuments 2012 encourages people to photograph monuments of historic and cultural relevance, upload them to Wikimedia Commons under a free license, and allow Wikipedia to use them. The deadline for uploading is September 30, and judges will narrow down submissions to the top 10 finalists by mid-October. An international jury will then select the grand prize winner....
Mashable, Sept. 5; Wikimedia Blog, Aug. 29

My reference desk conundrum
Jessica Olin writes: “The semester has just begun and already I’m thinking about how I answer reference questions. The analogy I’ve always used is teaching someone how to catch fish versus giving them a fish right now. It’s rare that I just answer questions at the reference desk; instead, I make students work for it. But I wonder how I would react if my mechanic said, ‘I know what’s causing that grinding noise when you turn left on hot days, but let’s see if you can figure it out for yourself.’”...
Letters to a Young Librarian, Aug. 28

100 years of bookmobiles
The Robi bookmobile, designed for the library in Heilbrunn, Germany, is pretty neat: from the outside, it seems like little more than a big blue bus. On the inside, however, it’s an ultramodern hangout with books galore. Inspired by its combination of books and wheels, here’s a quick tour through bookmobiles of the ages....
Los Angeles Times: Jacket Copy, Aug. 31

Improbables librairies, improbables bibliothèques
If you haven’t seen this book lover’s Facebook page, you are in for a treat. Hosted by Gérard Picot and Valérie Mathey, this French page features a healthy number of photos of bookstores and libraries, as well as artwork depicting books in odd settings or arrangements. If you don’t speak French, you can make use of the Bing translation link following many of the posts, or else have Google Translate handy. It now has more than 40,000 followers, and that many people can’t be wrong!...
Improbables Librairies, Improbables Bibliothèques

A conversation in books (literally)
Elizabeth Bird writes: “A couple months ago Candlewick was soliciting videos from average everyday folks for its campaign, ‘We Believe in Picture Books.’ That’s when I got a wild idea. What if you created a video conversation done entirely in picture book titles? Who better to join me in this video effort (1:45) than Travis Jonker of 100 Scope Notes, a man who has perfected the art of spine poetry. Candlewick chose this video to launch the campaign.”...
School Library Journal: A Fuse #8 Production, Sept. 1; Vimeo, Aug. 29

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