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The e-newsletter of the American Library Association | September 26, 2012

Solutions and Services

ALA Mobile Commons text alerts

AL Buyers Guide

American Libraries Online

An open letter to America’s publishers
The following open letter was released September 24 by ALA President Maureen Sullivan regarding the refusal of Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, and Penguin to provide access to their ebooks in US libraries: “If our libraries’ digital bookshelves mirrored the New York Times fiction bestseller list, we would be missing half of our collection any given week due to these publishers’ policies. The popular Bared to You and The Glass Castle are not available in libraries because libraries cannot purchase them at any price.” The Association of American Publishers issued a response to the letter on September 25. David Rothman offers some insight at TeleRead....
AL: E-Content, Sept. 24; Association of American Publishers, Sept. 25; TeleRead, Sept. 25

Clinical psychologist Gayle K. Porter talks about workplace stress at JCLCDiversity, advocacy, stress, and technology addressed at JCLC
Sanhita SinhaRoy writes: “Diversity, leadership, and community engagement were the three main themes at the plenary all-conference session at the Joint Conference of Librarians of Color, September 19–23, in Kansas City, Missouri. While each leader of the five ethnic caucuses discussed how these three topics play a role within their associations, a few other common themes surfaced: branding, membership, and advocacy.” Other sessions covered the topics of welcoming new immigrants into your library, combating workplace stress, and all things digital. NPR’s Tell Me More program interviewed Loida Garcia-Febo about service to Spanish-speakers and mentioned the JCLC conference....
AL: Inside Scoop, Sept. 20–22; NPR, Sept. 26

Jay LuckerCurrents
Jay Lucker (right), 82, former director of Massachusetts Institute of Technology Libraries in Cambridge, died September 2. While at MIT, he oversaw the renovation and expansion of the Rotch Library of Architecture and Planning. He served as a nationally renowned library building and planning consultant to numerous libraries, universities, and museums. On November 1, Lisa Von Drasek will become curator of the Children’s Literature Research Collections at the University of Minnesota Libraries in Minneapolis. Effective December 31, David Tate will retire as director of Van Buren District Library in Decatur, Michigan....
American Libraries column

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ALA Editions

ALA News

Screenshot of Bill Moyers from The Bane of Banned BooksBill Moyers calls out book censors
Award-winning broadcast journalist Bill Moyers (right) discusses book banning and the harms of censorship in a new video essay (3:12) to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Banned Books Week, September 30–October 6. In the video, titled “The Bane of Banned Books,” Moyers talks about how libraries provided his first opportunity to indulge his love of reading and learning, and shares his dismay over efforts to remove books from schools and libraries in modern times....
Office for Intellectual Freedom, Sept. 26

Screenshot from The Arrest video50-State Salute to Banned Books Week
The 30th anniversary of Banned Books Week, held September 30–October 6, is just a few days away. As ALA gears up for this exciting week, celebrated with local read-out events and online videos from people around the world that proclaim their freedom to read, we are excited to feature the first video that is part of the 50-State Salute to Banned Books Week. Titled “The Arrest” (2:09), it was produced by the Alabama Library Association and the Gadsden (Ala.) Public Library. Organizations can still submit a video by September 28....
OIF Blog, Sept. 25; YouTube, Sept. 25

Cover of Who's in My Family?, by Robie HarrisLife on the Banned Books list
Year after year, Robie H. Harris’s book It’s Perfectly Normal can be found on the ALA frequently challenged books list. The book explores changing bodies and growing sexual awareness, and so, year after year, parents and schools try to restrict who can read her books. Jessa Crispin spoke with Harris about whether a writer ever gets used to having her books taken off of library shelves and labeled obscene, and if she’s expecting a fight over her latest children’s book, Who’s In My Family?, which tells the story of changing family structures, from biracial to gay households....
Kirkus Book Blog, Sept. 25

Screenshot from Books on Trial videoBanned Books Week: Books on trial
The Mentor (Ohio) Public Library put together a dramatic video (1:08) showing a stern judge finding certain books guilty of being bad and are sentenced to banishment. Stand up for your right to read them and look out for Banned Books Week 2012, September 30–October 6....
YouTube, Sept. 12

Banned Websites Awareness Day 2012Banned Websites Awareness Day
AASL has designated October 3 as the second annual Banned Websites Awareness Day. To raise awareness of the overly restrictive blocking of legitimate, educational websites and academically useful social networking tools in schools and school libraries, AASL designates one day during Banned Books Week as Banned Websites Awareness Day. AASL asks school librarians and other educators to promote an awareness of how overly restrictive filtering affects student learning. The Freedom to Read Foundation and the ACLU are also supporters....
AASL, Sept. 25; FTRF Blog, Sept. 25

Library 2.012 badgeALA partners in Library 2.012 virtual conference
ALA has joined the Library 2.012 Worldwide Virtual Conference, October 3–5, as a partner. During this unique global conversation on the current and future state of libraries and celebration of innovation, ALA staff and members will share expertise and content in several sessions of the program, covering ebook models for public libraries, what libraries can learn from e-reading data, restoring contemplation, and models for collaboration. Five sessions appear as “ALA Presents.”...
ALA Marketing, Sept. 26

Free webinar series on makerspaces
ALA TechSource and Library Boing Boing are making available an exciting new series of free webinars, “Makerspaces: A New Wave of Library Service.” In this series of four 60-minute webinars held October through January, registrants will have the opportunity to learn about a fast-growing library phenomenon from librarians who have been ahead of the pack. Registration for these free events is available online....
ALA TechSource, Sept. 25

College students playing Humans vs. ZombiesIdeas for International Games Day
Did you know that ALA is posting one programming idea a day for International Games Day, November 3, on its Facebook page? Here’s number 20: Humans vs. Zombies! Can you imagine how much fun a library version of Humans vs. Zombies would be? For the uninitiated, Humans vs. Zombies is “a game of moderated tag played at schools, camps, neighborhoods, military bases, and conventions across the world. Human players must remain vigilant and defend themselves with socks and dart blasters to avoid being tagged by a growing zombie horde.”...
International Games Day @ your library

Drawing from Experience workshop. Photo by Josh MillisCreative aging in our communities
Mary Davis Fournier writes: “The field of creative aging focuses on the beneficial and powerful role of the arts in enhancing the quality of life for older adults, and is increasingly recognized as an important contributor to positive aging efforts. Libraries are experiencing a growing need for valuable programming to address patron needs and interests. As an investment in building this area of library service, ALA is partnering with Lifetime Arts, a nonprofit that promotes the ‘creation, expansion, and sustainability of professionally conducted arts programs for older adults.’”...
Programming Librarian, Sept. 20

Cover of Picturing the WorldThe best nonfiction picture books for children
An ideal tool for enriching library collections with outstanding books that children really want to read, Picturing the World: Informational Picture Books for Children, published by ALA Editions, is an invaluable aid to librarians and educators. This annotated resource by veteran children’s book reviewer Kathleen T. Isaacs surveys the best nonfiction and informational titles for ages 3 through 10, helping readers make informed collection development and purchasing decisions....
ALA Editions, Sept. 19

Cover of The New Professional's ToolkitA toolkit for new professionals
Newcomers to the library and information field face an exciting future but also the challenge of distinguishing themselves professionally while keeping up with an ever-changing landscape. The New Professional’s Toolkit, available through Neal-Schuman Publishers, is a practical guide to help new professionals in their career development as well as prepare current LIS students for the road ahead. Editor Bethan Ruddock draws together case studies from several different countries....
ALA Neal-Schuman, Sept. 20

Cover of Essential Law for Information ProfessionalsEssential law for information professionals
As the world of information law grows in complexity, it becomes increasingly difficult for librarians and information professionals to understand how courtroom decisions should guide day-to-day choices. The third edition of Essential Law for Information Professionals, written by Paul Pedley and available through Neal-Schuman Publishers, offers up-to-date and easy-to-follow practical advice, cutting through the legalese to provide answers in an easily digestible format....
ALA Neal-Schuman, Sept. 20

Cover of Collection Development in the Digital AgeCollection development in the digital age
Chronicling the recent rapid changes in library collection development and management, Collection Development in the Digital Age, edited by Audrey Marshall and Maggie Fieldhouse, is available through Neal-Schuman Publishers. This topical collection is international in scope, drawing together the perspectives of practitioners and academics at the forefront of contemporary collection development in all types of settings....
ALA Neal-Schuman, Sept. 25

Cover of Managing Research DataSustainable research data management
There is increasing pressure to provide plans for the sustainable management of data, and Graham Pryor’s Managing Research Data, available through Neal-Schuman Publishers, brings together leading figures in the field from the UK and around the world, providing an introduction to all the key data issues facing the higher education and information management communities....
ALA Neal-Schuman, Sept. 25

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Booklist Online banner

Booklist Online logo

Cover of Secrets of a Wedding NightFeatured review: Adult romance
Bowman, Valerie. Secrets of a Wedding Night. Oct. 2012. 352p. St. Martin’s, paperback (978-1-250-00895-4).
That dratted pamphlet is ruining Devon Morgan’s life. Immediately after his fiancée, Amelia Templeton, receives a copy of the anonymously written “Secrets of a Wedding Night,” she cancels their engagement. And she is not the only one reading it. The pamphlet is all the rage in London, and the publisher can hardly keep up with the demand from ladies who wish to know more about what to expect from their husbands. Although the widowed Lily Andrews, Countess of Merrill, claims to know nothing about it, Devon knows that she’s the author of the scandalous tract....

Top 10 Romance FictionTop 10 romance fiction
Donna Seaman writes: “Wit and fortitude distinguish the smart women protagonists in the best romances of the last 12 months as authors ingeniously spin new gold out of classic themes in vivid and compelling tales set in the past (Bedding Lord Ned), in the present (The Night Is Mine), on city streets (Forever and a Day), and on the open road (The Great Escape).”...

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

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Division News

New AASL dues category for unemployed school librarians
The AASL board of directors has approved the addition of a nonsalaried or unemployed dues category to its membership rates. The new category, which includes librarians earning less than $25,000 per year or not currently employed, allows those eligible to pay a discounted rate of $25 for division membership....
AASL, Sept. 25

Rod Barker and Kathy L'Amour unveil the Literary Landmark plaque for Louis L'AmourStrater Hotel designated a Literary Landmark
United for Libraries dedicated Room 222 of the Strater Hotel in Durango, Colorado, as a Literary Landmark August 25 in honor of Western author Louis L’Amour (1908–1988). For more than 10 years L’Amour, and often his family, spent the month of August staying in that room, which was directly above the Diamond Belle Saloon. He said the sounds emanating from the saloon inspired him to write....
United for Libraries, Sept. 24

Linda W. BraunLinda W. Braun appointed editor of YALS
YALSA has named Linda W. Braun (right) as the member editor of Young Adult Library Services (YALS). Braun replaces Megan Honig, who stepped down from the editor position earlier this year. Among Braun’s accomplishments are her recently published book, Being a Teen Library Services Advocate, her past service to YALSA as president in 2009–2010, and winning the WISE Excellence in Online Teaching Award....
YALSA, Sept. 25

Lauren BrittonPLA hosts makerspace webinar
On October 17, PLA will host a live, hour-long webinar, “Make Way for Makerspaces at the Library” with Lauren Britton (right), transliteracy development director at the Fayetteville (N.Y.) Free Library and creator of the first public library makerspace, the Fayetteville Fab Lab. Britton will share project and programming ideas and examples of current library makerspaces....
PLA, Sept. 25; Forbes, Nov. 15, 2011

October webinars from ALCTS
Now is the time to register for the October webinars from ALCTS. Priced at $39 for ALCTS members and $49 for others, these webinars cover demand-driven acquisitions, digital content, RDA, and classification....
ALCTS, Sept. 25

AASL Fall Forum advanced registration extended
The deadline for advanced registration pricing for the AASL 2012 Fall Forum has been extended to September 28. “Transliteracy and the School Library Program” will be held October 12–13 in Greenville, South Carolina....
AASL, Sept. 24

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Awards & Grants

YALSA receives IMLS grant
YALSA was awarded grant funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services in the amount of $99,937. The funds will be used to host a yearlong National Forum on Teens and Libraries, which will include face-to-face and online meetings and conversations about the status of library services for and with teens. The result will be a white paper that YALSA envisions will provide a plan on how libraries can best design and implement teen services in the years to come....
YALSA, Sept. 20

ACRL awarded second IMLS grant
ACRL has been awarded a National Leadership Demonstration Grant by the Institute of Museum and Library Services for the project “Assessment in Action: Academic Libraries and Student Success.” The grant funding of $249,330 will support ACRL, in partnership with the Association for Institutional Research and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and build on their IMLS 2011 Collaborative Planning Grant, which convened two invitational summits....
ACRL, Sept. 24; ACRL Value of Academic Libraries

Grants to provide advocacy training
United for Libraries has secured $75,000 from the Neal-Schuman Foundation to support library advocacy at the local level for libraries with troubled budgets. The Citizens-Save-Libraries grants will send expert advocates to 20 locations over the course of two years to help Friends groups, library directors, and trustees develop individual blueprints for advocacy campaigns to restore, increase, or save threatened library budgets. Applications will begin in January....
United for Libraries, Sept. 23

ACRL offers e-Learning scholarships
ACRL has announced e-Learning scholarships to help librarians, library staff, and library school students stretch their professional development dollars. Twelve e-Learning scholarships will be awarded: seven covering the registration cost of a webcast, and five covering the cost of an online course. Complete details are available on the ACRL e-Learning website. The application deadline is October 12....
ACRL, Sept. 25

Salman Rushdie (left) and Los Angeles City Librarian John F. Szabo2012 Los Angeles Public Library Literary Award
British-Indian novelist Salman Rushdie (on the left) and Los Angeles City Librarian John F. Szabo hold the Tiffany-designed multifaceted crystal that Rushdie just accepted as the winner of LAPL’s 2012 Literary Award. The Library Foundation of Los Angeles’s September 23 gala in honor of the acclaimed author raised $1 million for the library. Rushdie told celebrants that “libraries have been at the center of my life.”...
AL Focus, Sept. 25

Lubuto Library Project wins an USAID grant (PDF file)
The Lubuto Library Project announced September 20 that it was one of 32 winners of a grant supported by the US Agency for International Development for LubutoLiteracy, an innovative program that supports child literacy. LLP President Jane Meyers said the grant will allow the project to improve and extend throughout Zambia, providing an effective model for other countries....
Lubuto Library Project, Sept. 20

Cover of The Fifth Witness2012 Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction
On September 20, Kenneth Randall, dean of the University of Alabama School of Law, presented author Michael Connelly with the second annual Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction for The Fifth Witness, a legal thriller that features Connelly’s recurring character, lawyer Mickey Haller. Haller represents a woman accused of killing a banker after her home was threatened with foreclosure. The prize is given to a book-length fictional work that “best exemplifies the role of lawyers in society, and their power to effect change.”...
In Custodia Legis, Sept. 25

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Libraries in the News

I support our Georgia ArchivesLibrarians press Georgia to keep its archives open
Jennifer Howard writes: “October has been proclaimed Georgia Archives Month by the state’s governor, Nathan Deal. It could also be the last month that researchers have reliable access to the Georgia Archives. At a September 19 public ceremony to mark Archives Month, Gov. Deal said he would find a way to keep the archives open. But neither the governor nor Secretary of State Brian P. Kemp has provided details so far about how that might happen. Seven of the archives’ 10 staffers have already been told that they’ll lose their jobs come November.”...
Chronicle of Higher Education, Sept. 21

NYPL shifts its library plans
Responding to objections raised by scholars, writers, artists, and others, the New York Public Library has revised its plan to remove most of the books from its flagship Fifth Avenue research center to make room for a circulating library. Library officials said that an $8 million donation by trustee and attorney Abby S. Milstein and her banker husband Howard Milstein would help pay for enough new storage space to keep even more (3.3 million) of its 4.5 volumes at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building at 42nd Street. The change, approved by the library board on September 19, marks a significant shift in its Central Library Plan....
New York Times, Sept. 19; New York Public Library, Sept. 19

If a picture is worth 1000 words, let's make this picture worth 1000 booksPittsburghers rally to replenish a school library’s shelves
If it weren’t for a sign on the door, it would be hard to tell that the library at Pittsburgh Manchester PreK–8 is in fact a library. But when a picture of the feeble fiction section went viral—seen by thousands and shared by hundreds—on social media networks in mid-September, the library’s restoration received a dramatic boost. Nearly 400 books have been purchased off the library’s Amazon wish list by community members and complete strangers....
Pittsburgh (Pa.) Post-Gazette, Sept. 24; Yinzercation, Sept. 23

San Antonio library honors a girl who loved books
Ana Lucia Macias died of bone cancer in 2011 at age 16. Ana’s Nook, a new space in the Parman branch of the San Antonio (Tex.) Public Library, memorializes the teen, who loved books and the power of reading. Library officials dedicated the children’s area at the branch in her honor on September 20. The Macias family and friends raised $15,000, matched by the library foundation, to enhance the space....
San Antonio (Tex.) Express-News, Sept. 21

¡Celebrando La Herencia Hispana!Bronx Library Center emphasizes Hispanic heritage
A tiny room tucked away on the Bronx Library Center’s fourth floor transports visitors to a different, simpler time and place. The room is home to the New York Public Library’s Latino/Puerto Rican Heritage Center. Over the last several months, librarian Linda Caycedo has transformed this small room from a collection of books into something more—a space flush with literature, artifacts, and works of art that celebrate Hispanic and Puerto Rican culture....
DNAinfo (New York), Sept. 25

New Dover (Del.) LibraryDover opens a new main library
Hundreds of eager readers waited outside the Dover (Del.) Public Library on September 20 to get a look at the new 46,000-square-foot facility. Delaware First Lady Carla Markell cochaired the library’s fundraising campaign, and she says the new library will be an anchor for downtown Dover. Library Director Margie Cyr said the new library has more meeting space to accommodate group activities, a teen loft aimed at keeping kids off the streets, and an expanded job search and training center....
Wilmington (Del.) News Journal,
Sept. 20; WBOC-TV, Salisbury, Md., Sept. 20

California residents rally against Arizona book ban
Anne Ewell was one of the members of the Conejo Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship who gathered at the entrance of the Newbury Park branch of the Thousand Oaks (Calif.) Library on September 21, touting the value of the books confiscated by school officials in Arizona after the Tucson Unified School District dismantled a Mexican-American studies program. The group wanted to raise awareness of the situation in Tucson and collected books they considered were banned by school officials....
Ventura County (Calif.) Star, Sept. 21

The library statue could look like this Gettysburg Address statue shown on Stan Watts's websiteGettysburg library to get a Lincoln statue
After more than three years of uncertainties, it appears that a long-anticipated Abraham Lincoln statue finally has a home. The seven-foot, bronze statue of the United States’ 16th president will likely stand on the marble steps of the Adams County (Pa.) Library System in Gettysburg. Director Rob Lesher said he hopes it will make it before the 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address in 2013. Built by Salt Lake City–based sculptor Stanley J. Watts, the statue will be donated by an anonymous New York City businessman....
Gettysburg (Pa.) Times, Sept. 21

Section of the 1926 zoning map of Birmingham, Alabama. Photo by Birmingham News, Hal YeagerBirmingham Friends help preserve Jim Crow–era zoning map
A 1926 zoning map of Birmingham, Alabama, that specifies where whites and blacks could live is being cleaned, restored, and digitized for the Birmingham Public Library. Its Friends group donated $1,500 for the restoration of the map, which is one of only two copies extant. Charles E. Connerly, author of The Most Segregated City in America: City Planning and Civil Rights in Birmingham, 1920–1980, said the map is an important artifact of the city’s Civil Rights history....
Birmingham (Ala.) News, Sept. 24

Los Angeles librarian is all over the maps
Tall and affable, he has helped preserve a street-by-street history of Los Angeles. “I love to answer map questions,” said Glen Creason, who has worked at the Los Angeles Central Library for 32 years and became map librarian in 1989. The maps inspired several exhibits and eventually led to his book, Los Angeles in Maps, which includes Edward Ord’s 1849 survey, a photographic map of a model of the city as it was in 1881, and Jo Mora’s elaborate, whimsical 1942 map of the city and its history, which is one of Creason’s favorites....
Los Angeles Times, Sept. 20; KPCC-FM: Patt Morrison, June 1

Seneca branch of the Neosho-Newton County (Mo.) Library System. Screenshot from KODE-TV newscastSeneca branch to close
The board of the Neosho–Newton County (Mo.) Library System voted 4–2 on September 18 to close its Seneca branch (right) in early November because of flat revenue and increasing operational costs. The decision came as a shock to many library users and prompted the Seneca Chamber of Commerce to circulate a petition to present to the library board. Earlier this year, Newton County voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposed 15-cent levy increase that would have raised nearly $7 million annually for the library system....
KODE-TV, Joplin, Mo., Sept. 21; Joplin (Mo.) Globe, Sept. 21

Former St. Elmo director sentenced for theft
The support of the library she stole from and ill effects of medication led to a milder sentence for a former director of the St. Elmo (Ill.) Library District on September 21. Terri Gillespie received a 30-day jail sentence despite recommendations from both state and defense attorneys and medical professionals she not be incarcerated. Gillespie was sentenced after she pled guilty to a Class 1 felony theft charge for stealing $50,548 between 2009 and 2011....
Effingham (Ill.) Daily News, Sept. 24

Tintin comics in a bookstore in Helsinki, FinlandTintin will stay in Stockholm cultural center library
Following a storm of media criticism, officials at the Kulturhuset library in Stockholm, Sweden, have reversed their decision to remove Tintin comic books from the shelves, saying the move happened “too fast.” The reversal comes after a report in the September 25 Dagens Nyheter newspaper in which Youth Department Director Behrang Miri said the library planned to remove Tintin comics from its shelves because of their racial stereotyping of Africans, Arabs, and Turks. Tintin was created by Belgian artist Georges Remi and revolves around Tintin, a young investigative journalist who travels the world solving mysteries....
The Local (Sweden), Sept. 25; Dagens Nyheter, Sept. 25; Bleeding Cool, Sept. 25

Hernando Guanlao's library for the public, ManilaA one-man library for the public in Manila
Kate McGeown writes: “Hernando Guanlao is a sprightly man in his early 60s, with one abiding passion—books. Guanlao, known by his nickname Nanie, has set up an informal library outside his home in central Manila in the Philippines to encourage his local community to share his joy of reading. In the 12 years he’s been running his library (or, as he calls it, his Reading Club 2000), he’s found that his collection has grown rather than diminished, as more and more people donate to the cause. To help the poorest communities, Guanlao rides to them on his ‘book bike,’ which has a large basket piled high with books.”...
BBC News, Sept. 19

The opening ceremony was held at the library with Choe Kwang-shik, minister of culture, sports and tourism, in attendanceNew Korean library for people with disabilities
South Korea opened a national library on September 24 that will better serve the country’s 250,000 people with disabilities. Located within the National Library itself in southern Seoul, the new library will represent 38 smaller libraries for people with disabilities around Korea. The library will also collect, produce, and distribute alternative formats, including audio and Braille books, on behalf of the other libraries....
Yonhap News Agency, Sept. 24

Library and information center, Hanoi National University of EducationLibraries in Vietnam are struggling
Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam has 24 public library districts and many academic libraries, but a lack of funding and poor management has strained the library system. Most librarians are concerned that, with shortages in new books and periodicals, they can no longer attract young readers. A librarian at Ho Chi Minh City Technical Teachers’ University said “most of our books are out-of-date, with many published in the 1980s or even earlier.” A survey conducted at the three biggest universities specializing in social science training in late 2011 showed that schools do not pay much attention to upgrading libraries simply because they lack the funding....
News VietnamNet, Sept. 21, 23

National Library of Ireland seeks digital help
The National Library of Ireland in Dublin is seeking a partner to digitize its collection of genealogical and other material in a move that may mean the institution will put its digital collections behind an online paywall. The library has sought requests for proposals from potential commercial partners as well as the nonprofit sector. A contract with a commercial entity would almost certainly involve charging for online access to records, particularly genealogical records....
Irish Times, Sept. 24

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Issues

Rep. Zoe LofgrenTwo new online privacy bills introduced
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif., right) introduced two new bills to the US House on September 21. The bills are designed to protect innovation, user privacy, and free speech on the internet. The ECPA 2.0 Act of 2012 (H.R. 6529) seeks to reform the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), which was enacted in 1986. The Global Free Internet Act of 2012 (H.R. 6530) seeks to establish a formal process for the US government to evaluate policies that “pose threats to internet users and online services.”...
PC World, Sept. 26

Why isn’t the internet breaking?
David Newhoff writes: “During the squabble over SOPA and PIPA, one of the PR bullets coming out of Silicon Valley was that the actions called for in the bills would ‘break the internet.’ The other consistent complaint was that they would chill free speech. But in the wake of violent protests against The Innocence of Muslims, there is suddenly room for discussion about both speech and algorithmic solutions to thorny problems in an otherwise ‘free and open internet.’” Somini Sengupta analyzes Google’s decision to block access to the video in some countries....
Illusions of More, Sept. 24; New York Times, Sept. 22

Felony terms-of-use violations? Lessons for all
Nancy Sims writes: “On September 12 a new criminal indictment was filed against internet activist Aaron Swartz for his alleged activities downloading large numbers of journal articles. These charges are mostly based on violations of use agreements for JSTOR and the MIT campus network. But if the use agreements had been written differently, there might not have been any basis for criminal prosecution. This isn’t an entirely new issue, but it’s one that libraries have been ignoring.”...
Copyright Librarian, Sept. 18; Wired: Threat Level, Sept. 18

Cover of HowOpenIsIt?How open is it?
David Knutson writes: “Not all open access is created equal. To move beyond the seemingly simple question of ‘Is it Open Access?’ PLOS, SPARC, and OASPA have collaborated to develop a resource called HowOpenIsIt? (PDF file).This resource identifies the core components of open access and how they are implemented across the spectrum between Open Access and Closed Access. We recognize there are philosophical disagreements regarding OA and this resource will not resolve those differences. We are seeking input on the accuracy and completeness of how OA is defined in this guide by October 8.”...
Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition

Open Access logoNot so fast on open access
Scott Jaschik writes: “The movement toward open access publishing is taking off without consideration of the impact on humanities scholarship, says a statement released September 24 by the American Historical Association. It was prompted by several developments, including moves by faculties of major universities to create repositories where all professors would put their published works, in effect bypassing journal paywalls.” Many disciplinary organizations outside the sciences depend on subscription revenue from their journals....
Inside Higher Education, Sept. 24; American Historical Association, Sept. 24

Complications of the US public domain
Peter B. Hirtle writes: “It can be very difficult to determine the public domain status of a work in the US, even with the copyright chart in hand. Whether a work is in the public domain in the US depends on a host of factors: its age, but also its publication history (if it even was published); the nationality of its author; and the circumstances of its creation. There are simple and clear-cut answers for many works, but a project that relies upon the public domain status of works still being exploited by a presumptive copyright owner would do well to consult with an intellectual property lawyer.”...
Searcher 20, no. 6 (Sept.)

Who are the 47%? Some are library assistants
Ron Scherer writes: “In a secret video, Mitt Romney said 47% of Americans don’t pay federal income taxes—and he was right. Half of that 47% don’t owe anything because they can claim deductions; but the other half are workers who hold jobs that don’t pay enough for them to owe income taxes to Uncle Sam. And one category of worker with low median earnings is the library assistant.”...
Christian Science Monitor, Sept. 19

How much is a library worth (in Queensland)?
For every $100 invested into local libraries, a return of $230 is received by the public, a recent Queensland, Australia, library report has found. The Queensland Library Dividend Report found that $207 million invested into local libraries by state and local governments over a 12-month period resulted in $476.1 million worth of value to the community. SGS Economics and Planning considered 2.3 as a “sound and conservative estimate of annual benefit.”...
Brisbane (Qld.) Times, Sept. 21

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Tech Talk

Tablets in library workflows
Nicholas Schiller writes: “Tablets and mobile computing have been the subject of a lot of internet hype. A quick search for ‘tablet revolution’ will confirm this, but if we’re appropriately skeptical about the hype cycle, we’ll want to test the impact of tablets on our libraries ourselves. Investigations can tell us how and how often tablets are being used, but they don’t tell us how or if tablets are revolutionizing library use. In order to better answer this question, I started a little project.”...
ACRL TechConnect Blog, Sept. 25

Nook HD and Nook HD+Two new Nook HDs
Paul Lilly writes: “Feeling the heat from Amazon’s new Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD models, Barnes & Noble responded September 26 by announcing a pair of next-generation tablets of its own, the Nook HD and Nook HD+. The Nook HD is a 7-inch slate with 8GB and 16GB versions, while the Nook HD+ sports a 9-inch display with 16GB and 32GB models. B&N is pitching the Nook HD as the lightest and highest-resolution 7-inch tablet in the world.”...
Maximum PC, Sept. 26; Nook Blog, Sept. 26

Berlin in Antarctica, according to iOS 6 MapsThe iOS 6 disaster
Ed Oswald writes: “For the first time in iOS’s five-year history, the operating system is a mess. While some of the enhancements are wonderful and much needed (Siri especially), there’s a lot wrong with iOS 6. And it’s not just Maps, which just about every tech pundit known to man has thoroughly trashed. The problems extend to the tighter social integration, iMessage, and even Passbook. In reality, a good portion of iOS 6 doesn’t work. How could Apple have such a historic miss? Pretty simple: It’s doing too much, too quickly.”...
ExtremeTech, June 12, Sept. 21

Amazon Prime and Netflix InstantNetflix Instant vs. Amazon Prime
Jill Duffy writes: “My first exploration into Amazon Prime revealed that nearly everything I was watching on Netflix Instant was also available on Amazon. Similarly, most of the shows and movies I couldn’t get in Netflix Instant were also absent from Amazon…sort of. It took a lot more digging than I expected to find a qualitative difference in selection. But in several other areas, such as recent releases and pricing, the two services differ drastically. How do the two measure up, and which is better?”...
PC Magazine, Sept. 26

Vidyo logoEnhancements to school video
Thanks to new advancements in video technology, students and teachers can hold live, face-to-face conversations with scientists in remote areas of the globe from whatever device they might own. Teachers can choose from a variety of free or low-cost tools to prepare video-based lessons that let them “flip” their classroom. And schools can use any number of products that make video editing and production more accessible for students....
eSchool News, Sept. 20

Brandes radio headphones, circa 1920Listen up: A brief history of headphones
Fran Berkman writes: “During the past century, human ears have enjoyed more music than ever before, thanks to the invention of headphones. In 1910, Nathaniel Baldwin invented headphones in the kitchen of his Utah home, forever subjecting our ears to the shackles of small speakers. Here is a timeline of how we’ve gone from Baldwin’s ‘Baldy Phones’ to Apple’s EarPods and Beats by Dre.”...
Mashable, Sept. 26

Gmail hidden passwordA simple way to see your hidden passwords
Amit Agarwal writes: “Say you are on the Gmail login page and the web browser, as always, has autofilled the username and passwords fields for you. All web browsers, for security reasons, mask the password fields in login forms behind asterisk characters thus making it impossible for passersby to see your secret string. However, there is an easy workaround that will let you convert those asterisks into the actual password and you don’t need any external utilities or bookmarklets for this. Here’s how.”...
Digital Inspiration, Sept. 25

Norton Internet SecurityThe best security suites of 2013
Neil J. Rubenking writes: “Almost 10 years ago the security suite industry began a pattern of releasing new editions in the fall and naming them using the coming year, just like carmakers (although Norton has dropped the year). We’ve identified three security suites that merit the honor of being named Editors’ Choice, each for different reasons. As you can see in the following chart, Norton Internet Security 2012 excels in every area. If you’re looking for a traditional security suite, with essential features like antivirus, firewall, antispam, parental control, and phishing protection, it’s a great choice.”...
PC Magazine, Sept. 19

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E-Content

Going public
Talks between librarians and publishers are set to continue this week on the long-simmering ebook issue, including a discussion sponsored by the Association of American Publishers that will feature ALA President Maureen Sullivan on September 27. Frustrated by a lack of progress—and in some cases regression—on the ebook issue, ALA officials are taking their case beyond the boardrooms, directly to their patrons and supporters. In an open letter, Sullivan raised the stakes in the debate, asking readers: “Which side will you be on?” Sullivan said she was looking forward to addressing the AAP gathering—although she confessed some mild apprehension....
Publishers Weekly, Sept. 24; AL: E-Content, Sept. 24

Highlighting and taking notes on Google Books for AndroidGoogle Books for Android gets handy updates
Richard Byrne writes: “Google Books for Android has become my go-to reading app on my Nexus 7 and on my Galaxy Tablets over the last year. The wealth of free public domain books that I can find on Google Books appeals to my cheapskate frugal nature. I also like that I can search for and synch books across my computers and tablets. On September 24, Google released a couple of great updates to Google Books for Android.”...
Free Technology for Teachers, Sept. 25; Official Android Blog, Sept. 24

Macmillan ready to test library ebook pilot
Nate Hoffelder writes: “Macmillan has long been on one the major publishers who has completely refused to sell ebooks to libraries, but it looks like that might have changed. News is breaking that the publisher is working on some type of pilot program that will finally bring Macmillan ebooks to US public libraries. Details are vague, but that will not stop many from reading too much into it.”...
The Digital Reader, Sept. 24

UK government wants ebooks in public libraries
A clear strategy is needed if more libraries are to adopt e-lending across England, Culture Minister Ed Vaizey said September 26 as he launched a review of the best ways to make ebooks available on loan to the public. Vaizey has asked William Sieghart, founder of Forward Publishing, to lead a review of e-lending to help ensure that libraries, readers, authors, and publishers can all benefit as the service grows....
UK Department for Culture, Media, and Sport, Sept. 26

How libraries can reduce ebook piracy
Phil Bradley writes: “This is a really interesting article on why people pirate ebooks. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend it. The article links to various comments and explanations as to why people pirate ebooks, and I’ve included them below and then provided a librarian’s take on them.”...
Phil Bradley’s Weblog, Sept. 25; GalleyCat, July 28

Piracy and book sales
Joseph Esposito writes: “Whether or not piracy hurts book sales is hotly debated in some circles. For publishers, this is a no-brainer, but the evidence for this is not always clear. I have been sifting through the arguments about this for some time now and have concluded that at least in one area, college textbooks, piracy hurts sales. I am not yet persuaded that this is the case for other areas, trade books in particular.”...
The Scholarly Kitchen, Sept. 25

Title page of first issue of the Annual Register, 1758ProQuest and ebrary collaborate on the Annual Register
Since 1758, the Annual Register has been used by librarians who value its year-by-year record of both major and minor world events. The complete archive of the reference became available as an online tool through ProQuest in 2007, enabling researchers to scan the full text of every edition in a single search. Now ebrary is enabling libraries to make contents of the last 10 editions available as ebooks, supported by its rich features and functionality....
ProQuest, Sept. 24

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2013 Midwinter Meeting logo

Steven Johnson, bestselling author, founder of influential innovation-related websites, and writer for Wired, the New York Times, Time, and Wall Street Journal, will speak at the 2013 Midwinter Meeting in Seattle, January 25–29. More details to come. And don’t forget that cost-effective Bundle Registration for 2013 Midwinter and Annual closes at midnight on September 30. (Midwinter-only registration opens at 9 a.m. Central time on October 1.)


Simmons GSLIS


Midwest Tape


Cover of Introduction to Information Science

Introduced by leading international scholars and offering a global perspective on the discipline, Introduction to Information Science is designed to be the standard text for LIS students worldwide. David Bawden and Lyn Robinson offer a concise introduction and expertly chosen further reading and resources. NEW! From ALA Editions.


Great Libraries of the World

Duke Humfrey's Library, University of Oxford

Duke Humfrey’s Library, Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, United Kingdom. When Humphrey, duke of Gloucester, donated more than 281 manuscripts to the Bodleian in the 1430s, this facility above the Divinity School was completed in 1488 to accommodate the library’s growing holdings. Purged of all its Roman Catholic books in 1550 by a law passed by King Edward VI, the reading room is now used by scholars to consult manuscripts and papyri, rare book collections, local history, and Oxford University theses. The library served as the Hogwarts library in the first two Harry Potter films.

Durham Cathedral Library

Durham Cathedral Library, Durham, United Kingdom. The library originated in the collections of the monastery founded on Lindisfarne by St. Aidan in 635 A.D. The community moved to Durham in 995. After the dissolution of the monastery in 1539, the cathedral was reestablished under a dean who inherited what survived of the priory’s collection of manuscripts and printed books. A Shakespeare First Folio stolen from a glass case in 1998 was finally returned in 2010 after British book dealer Raymond Scott was convicted of attempting to sell it to the Folger Shakespeare Library.

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. Some will be featured 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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Coordinator of Collections, Auburn University Libraries, Auburn, Alabama. Responsible for leading and managing a program to provide a 21st-century research library collection advancing transformative teaching, learning, and research at the university. Exercising collaborative leadership, the coordinator is responsible for advising library and university faculty, and creating processes, programs, and projects for Auburn University’s diverse and extensive print and licensed electronic collections. This position reports to the associate dean for public services/head of reference and instruction services....

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Digital Library of the Week

House of the Great Fountain (Pompeii) VI 8, 22, the peristyle, Pompeii. Photo by John Henry Parker, 1871

The Photographic Archive of the American Academy in Rome consists of several valuable and specialized collections of photographs on archaeology, architecture, and art, as well as landscape architecture and gardens. It also includes special collections important to the history of the Academy.

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.


Noted and Quoted

“In today’s world of cynicism and materialism I don’t hear much about investing in the future or making sure children are literate and well-educated as an expression of patriotism. Our children will compete for jobs with people whose communities provided the educational support available from an adequate library.”

—Ron Mitchell, “Funding the Library Is Also a Form of Patriotism,” letter to the editor, Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune, Sept. 22.

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The American Dream Starts @ your library: Services that Empower

Berwyn (Ill.) Public Library ESL student

Curious about History of 'Curious George'? Here's How the Creators Escaped from Nazis

Romare Bearden: A Black Odyssey

Voter Suppression: Long-Time Tactic Used by Both Political Parties

New Laws May Discourage Up to 10 Million Hispanics from Voting

Steve Sheinkin: 'I use it like an office sometimes' (video)

How to Pay for College: Types of Jobs

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Calendar

Oct. 24–26:
Books in Browsers Conference,
Internet Archive, 300 Funston Avenue, San Francisco.

Oct. 26:
Brick and Click: An Academic Library Symposium,
B. D. Owens Library, Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville.

Oct. 30–
Nov. 3:

Association for Educational Communications and Technology,
Kentucky International Convention Center, Louisville. “Learning in the Age of Globalization.”

Oct. 31–
Nov. 2:

Conference of the Library and Information Community of Quebec,
Palais des congrès de Montréal. “Creating, Sharing, and Transferring Know-How.”

Nov. 1–4:
American Society for Theatre Research / Theatre Library Association,
Sheraton Nashville Downtown Hotel. “Theatrical Histories.”

Nov. 2–4:
YALSA 2012 Young Adult Literature Symposium,
Hyatt Regency at the Arch, St. Louis. “The Future of Young Adult Literature: Hit Me with the Next Big Thing.”

Nov. 6–9:
Educause,
Annual Conference, Colorado Convention Center, Denver, and online.

Nov. 7–10:
National Association for the Education of Young Children,
Annual Conference and Expo, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta. “Developmentally Appropriate Practice in the 21st Century.”

Nov. 15–18:
National Council of Teachers of English,
Annual Convention, MGM Grand Hotel Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. “Dream, Ignite, Connect.”

Dec. 7:
Greater New York Chapter of the Association of College and Research Libraries,
Annual Symposium, William and Anita Newman Vertical Campus Conference Center, Baruch College, New York City. “Cultivating Entrepreneurship in Academic Libraries.”

Dec. 11:
Hot Topics in Big Data: What You Need to Know Now!
Workshop, Mumford Room, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Cosponsored by National Federation of Advanced Information Services, FEDLINK.

Jan. 14–16:
8th International Digital Curation Conference,
Mövenpick Hotel, Amsterdam City Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. “Infrastructure, Intelligence, Innovation: Driving the Data Science Agenda.”

Jan. 22–25:
Association for Library and Information Science Education,
Annual Conference, Seattle. “Always the Beautiful Question: Inquiry Supporting Teaching, Research, and Professional Practice.”

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Books & Reading

Author Tayari Jones gives a talk in the National Book Festival's Poetry and Prose PavilionNational Book Festival featured many authors
Thousands of book lovers from around the region flocked to the National Mall September 22–23 for the National Book Festival, organized by the Library of Congress and designed to celebrate all that is wonderful about the printed word. Now in its 12th year, the two-day festival has become a must-attend event for book aficionados. The 125+ award-winning authors included John Green, Junot Díaz, Walter Isaacson, Patricia Cornwell, Christopher Paolini, Tayari Jones (above), and Poet Laureate Philip Levine. One couple even got engaged in the book-signing line for graphic novelist Craig Thompson. LC presents the festival highlights....
Washington Post, Sept. 22; Library of Congress blog, Sept. 24; Library of Congress, Sept. 23

Photo by Annie Schutte: My view of the Lois Lowry presentationA National Book Festival battle plan
Annie Schutte writes: “The National Book Festival has always been an emotional experience for me. The librarian in me can’t help but get choked up at the sight of thousands of people crowding into overstuffed tents and waiting in hours-long lines to see their favorite authors. But the DC local in me takes one look at the crowds and wants to scream and run away. I decided that this year would be my learning year. Here’s what I came up with.”...
YALSA The Hub, Sept. 24

Changes in book-buying habits, Bowker Market ResearchBook discovery gets more complicated
Reader behavior is in flux, according to data from Bowker presented at the Digital Book World Discoverability and Marketing Conference, September 24–25, in New York City. Food for thought: In 2011, nearly half of consumers changed their book-buying behaviors; 39% of books are sold online, 26% in stores, and the rest in nearly a dozen other ways; and people discover new books in up to 44 different ways....
Digital Book World, Sept. 24

Cover of The Lonely Hearts Club, by Elizabeth EulbergGirls’ friendships in YA literature
Jennifer Rummel writes: “The month of September celebrates women’s friendships, which led me to think about friendships within books and some of my favorite books dealing with friendships. Teen literature is full of strong female friendships. The books that stand out the strongest in my mind are the books about true best friends. Some of these books don’t start out with the main characters as best friends. Instead, something throws the girls together.”...
YALSA The Hub, Sept. 25

YA books in large print
Suzanne Neumann writes: “Based on the US Census Bureau’s report Americans With Disabilities: 2002 (PDF file), 189,000 children aged 6–14 have difficulty seeing words and letters in ordinary newsprint, even when wearing glasses or contact lenses. More than 7.8 million Americans over age 15 are similarly afflicted. Many of these people would love to read YA books. This is the audience that Thorndike Press targets with their large print young adult books.”...
YALSA The Hub, Sept. 26

Cover of The One and OnlyThe One and Only
Laurie D. Borman writes: “Vivian Ann Davidson Hewitt’s memoir, The One and Only, gives the reader a firsthand account of an ever-changing world through the eyes of a local librarian. Her life spans many milestones: She was the first African-American librarian in Pittsburgh and the first African-American president of the Special Libraries Association. She even organized a boxing match with Joe Louis at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Homewood branch.”...
AL Focus, Sept. 24

The Days' Doings, Dec. 3, 1870How a rare books cataloger became an expert on a 19th-century tabloid
Ellen Williams writes: “My task was to create a finding aid for The Days’ Doings, a sensationalist illustrated weekly newspaper from the 1870s. The four issues of The Days’ Doings I was working with are part of the extensive collection of Mark Twain materials our library owns. Like everything else about this finding aid, it had seemed relatively simple. But the paper I had in front of me claimed that it was published in London by a man named W. D. Waller. An article I found about the newspaper said it was published in New York by the infamous newspaperman Frank Leslie.”...
Rare Book Cataloging at Penn, Sept. 25

John Taylor, Great Britaine, all in blacke For the incomparable losse of Henry, our late worthy prince (London, 1612)The art of black mourning pages
Whitney Trettien writes: “Inventive visual design and typography have made Laurence Sterne’s Tristram Shandy a canonical favorite among all sorts of ‘material book’ types, with the black page after Yorick’s death typically cited as one of the book’s enduring innovations. But in fact, Sterne is drawing on a 17th-century tradition of including mourning pages or all-black prints, sometimes with a coat of arms or other insignia etched out, in printed funeral sermons and memorial verse.”...
Diapsalmata, Sept. 17

B&w cover of Nausea, by Jean-Paul SartreBlack-and-white book covers
Julie Oreskovich writes: “No matter what you call it—monochromatic, void of color, black and white—these covers are anything but stark. The use of black and white has been widely used in a variety of media, and book covers in particular have seen a resurgence of this type of design aesthetic. All the titles shown here are minimalist when it comes to color, but all pack a big punch when it comes to pleasing the eye.”...
AbeBooks, Sept. 25

Ise monogatari 伊勢物語 (Tales of Ise). Kyoto-fu (Saga): Suminokura Soan, with Nakanoin Michikatsu and Hon’ami Kōetsu, 1608The first illustrated Japanese book
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has added its 13 millionth book, maintaining its status as the largest public university library in America. The volume is the Ise Monogatari of 1608, the first illustrated Japanese printed book. It is also the first printed edition of the oral Tales of Ise. Published by Suminokura Soan (1571–1632), a wealthy entrepreneur, scholar, litterateur, and art connoisseur, it is also one of the earliest Japanese books printed with moveable type....
Non Solus Blog, Sept. 24

Japanese-themed titles were removed from the shelves at Wangfujing Bookstore, one of Beijing’s biggest bookshops, including Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84, a bestseller in ChinaBeijing ban on Japanese books could spread
Books by Japanese authors and titles on Japanese topics have been removed from bookshops in Beijing, and authorities are pressuring Chinese publishers not to translate and publish Japanese content as tensions escalate between the two countries over a territorial dispute. On September 14, Japan renewed its claims to the Senkaku Islands, known as the Diaoyu Islands in China, a string of small, uninhabited islands off China’s eastern coast. Some Japanese publishers have reported that the banning of content has spread outside of the Chinese capital....
Christian Science Monitor: Chapter & Verse, Sept. 25; The Bookseller (UK), Sept. 25

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Tips & Ideas

South Carolina school librarians Tamara Cox, Monique German, and Kristen Hearne give a presentation on Common Core standardsCommon Core standards: An opportunity for school librarians
Catherine Gewertz writes: “Like most school librarians, Kristen Hearne at Wren Middle School in Piedmont, South Carolina, has been trained both as a teacher and a librarian, a combination she thinks is perfectly suited to helping students and teachers as the Common Core State Standards presses them into inquiry-based modes of learning and teaching. She helps them find a range of reading materials in printed or online form and collaborates to develop challenging cross-disciplinary projects.”...
Education Week, Sept. 12; Librarian in the Middle, Sept. 12

Common Core State Standards InitiativeCommon Core in the public library
Kiera Parrott writes: “As it is something primarily affecting school curricula, public librarians may not immediately be taking too much notice of Common Core. But we are all connected—if only through our users—and the implications of the new educational standards may provide interesting opportunities for public and school librarians to collaborate. From collections to online resources, there may be simple ways that public librarians can market their services and help both teachers and students get the most out of what they have to offer.”...
ALSC Blog, Sept. 25

SQRsolutions.com logoOhio libraries are eligible for a technology facelift
Educational technology company SQRsolutions.com has launched its first-ever library “Techlift” giveaway. Ohio public libraries are invited to submit their entries to win a technology facelift for their children’s media department. The goal is to give the winner a unique tech space where children can interact with the latest educational tech products. The application deadline is October 15....
SQRsolutions.com, Sept. 19

Tekventure outside Allen County Public LibraryFab Labs at the library
Pat Newcombe and Nicole Belbin write: “There’s something unusual sitting in the parking lot of the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Pay a visit to the 50-foot trailer and you might be surprised with what you find. Inside are various tools for cutting and shaping wooden objects, an electronics work bench, an injection molding machine, and a 3-D printer. Allen County is one of just a handful of public libraries that have set up workshops for patrons who want to share and collaborate in order to create and build things.”...
Government Technology, Sept. 25

Ferry Tales program, Kitsap Regional LibraryWords on the water
Audrey Barbakoff writes: “Kitsap (Wash.) Regional Library is taking to the water. Our flagship program is a book group called Ferry Tales. Once a month, I ride the Puget Sound ferry between Seattle and Bainbridge Island. In the direction of the commute, a group of regulars discusses one title each month; in the other, I host a drop-in, ask-a-librarian session. I love helping our community of commuters get to know each other, expand our reading horizons, and just share an incredibly enjoyable ride.”...
Boing Boing, Sept. 20; Kitsap (Wash.) Sun, Apr. 14

Make it happen @ Library 2.012
Join the conversation about “Make It Happen—Take Action” during the Library 2.012 virtual conference, sponsored by the School of Library and Information Science at San José State University, on October 4. For more information on how to participate and prepare your computer, visit the Library 2.0 website. Presenters will be Loida Garcia-Febo, JP Porcaro, and Patrick Sweeney....
Information New Wave, Sept. 25

Thoughts on library programming for adults
Andy Woodworth writes: “Programming is a lot like juggling. You have to keep a multitude of objects aloft at the same time. Like the plethora of items that people juggle, each has its own need to remain aloft and can require a certain level of care in doing so. How you catch and toss a tennis ball doesn’t matter as opposed to a bowling ball, knife, or chainsaw. Likewise, programs can either be an easy booking with not much setup or a series of protracted steps to arrive at the final product you want.”...
Agnostic, Maybe, Sept. 24

Yes, LC collects video games
Trevor Owens writes: “Video games represent one of the most difficult challenges for digital preservationists. Despite being one of the most challenging forms of content, there is little doubt that games have become one of the biggest parts of American and global culture. I was excited to have the opportunity to chat with David Gibson, a moving image technician at the Library of Congress who is working on the acquisition and preservation of games.”...
The Signal: Digital Preservation, Sept. 26

Washington heart playing card from the Cary CollectionThe Beinecke’s playing-card collection
Michael Lieberman writes: “One of the most extensive collections of playing cards ever assembled resides at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University. Known as the Cary Collection, it consists of over 2,600 packs of cards, 460 sheets of uncut card papers, and 150 wood blocks for printing cards. The collection contains standard cards from 16 European countries and six countries in the Western Hemisphere, and its content represents over 500 years of cardmaking.”...
Book Patrol, Sept. 20

Twitter launches disaster search feature
Twitter has unveiled a new tool intended to help users during moments of crisis, like a natural disaster. The company’s new Lifeline feature will first roll out to users in Japan and allow them to find critical information when they need it the most. With Lifeline, people can search for their postal code on twitter.com, and find details from other tweeters....
PC Magazine, Sept. 24; Twitter Blog, Sept. 21

Screenshot from Toute la memoire du monde, a film by Alain ResnaisLibraries and librarians as literary themes
María Teresa Vilariño Picos, a comparative literature instructor at the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, explores in several languages and genres (literature, cinema, television), the image of the library and the librarian. She focuses on the works of Elias Canetti, Jorge Luis Borges, Umberto Eco, and David Lodge in literature; Alain Resnais in film; Manolo Valdés in art; and video games and TV series as well....
CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 13, no. 5 (Dec. 2011)

A librarian’s guide to webcast wrangling
Nikki Dettmar writes: “I started hosting (leading the technology of) and/or presenting (leading the content delivery of) a regular webcast series within months of starting my first library job in May 2008. With the increase of both embedded librarianship and online education, especially in academia, chances are good you will be asked about presenting on a webcast at some point in your career. Here are some tips to help you not just prepare for but enjoy giving a webcast presentation.”...
Letters to a Young Librarian, Sept. 20

Snag Learning logoSeven places to find documentaries online
Richard Byrne writes: “As a teacher I think that a good documentary video when used in the right setting can be valuable to students. Quality documentary videos can provide students with useful explanations or demonstrations of concepts. Unfortunately, documentary DVDs can be expensive acquisitions for some school departments. Here are seven places where you can find and watch documentaries online for free.”...
Free Technology for Teachers, Sept. 24

Screenshot from AALL conference videoThe impact of technology on law librarians
Find out in this LexisNexis video (2:45) what real law librarians across the country feel about the way their profession is affected by changing technology and how they are keeping pace with the transformation. It was shot on location at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Association of Law Librarians in Boston, July 21–24. The LexisNexis Real Law Editorial Team expands on the topic here....
YouTube, Sept. 14; This Is Real Law

The Alphabet LibraryThe Alphabet Library
As expected, Zaha Hadid’s latest completed project—the Pierres Vives building for Department de l’Hérault in Montpellier, France—has been receiving a fair amount of press. The building combines an archive, library, and sports department and includes interior components that must contend with Hadid’s architecture. One such space is the Alphabet Library, designed by Stephane Hof; a good choice, given that he was the project architect for the whole building....
A Weekly Dose of Architecture, Sept. 17

For reporters: How not to write about libraries
Jessamyn West writes: “We get it. Times are tough. The public library system belongs to everyone. There is a lot to talk about. You have a 24-hour news cycle, with pages or screens to fill. At the same time, you look like people who haven’t done your research or who go for the easy cliché, and we look like people who can’t take a well-meaning joke. Here are some suggestions. I hope this list, ‘How Not to Write about Libraries,’ is helpful.”...
librarian.net, Sept. 20

For vendors: Tips for training librarians
Deborah Fitchett writes: “In theory, I love the idea that vendors will send a rep halfway around the world to visit libraries and give us a training session on their products. In practice, I kind of dread these sessions because the number of such sessions I’ve found both useful and enjoyable I can count on one finger. Maybe two. Here are my personal tips, for folks who visit libraries on behalf of vendors, on ways you can immeasurably improve at least my own experience.”...
Deborah Fitchett blog, Sept. 19

Screenshot from pencil videoThe right way to sharpen a pencil
David Rees, author of the book How to Sharpen Pencils, shares his equipment and technique in this instructional video (6:02), using Palomino Blackwing pencils. Artisanal Pencil Sharpening is part of the Blackwing Experience, an interactive exhibition and event celebrating this iconic tool of the creative fields, held at the Art Directors Club in New York City on April 17, 2012....
YouTube, Apr. 11

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