The e-newsletter of the American Library Association | April 17, 2013

State of America’s Libraries report, 2013
Libraries continue to respond to the needs of their communities, providing key resources as budgets are reduced, speaking out forcefully against book-banning attempts, and advocating for free access to digital content in libraries. These and other major library trends of the past year are detailed in ALA’s 2013 State of America’s Libraries report, released April 15 during National Library Week as an American Libraries digital supplement. The full text of the 2013 report is available both in a Zmags page-turning version as well as in HTML format on the ALA website....
American Libraries news, Apr. 15

Report from Manhattan: Navigating the digital revolution
Maureen Sullivan writes: “Last week I led an ALA delegation to New York to meet with a number of key players in the publishing ecosystem. Overall, I left town feeling a bit more optimistic, although I recognize that libraries are in the midst of a digital revolution that we will be navigating for years to come.”...
AL: E-Content, Apr. 16

A digital library for everyone
Megan Cottrell writes: “Two Italian kids, planting their feet in America for the first time on Ellis Island in 1913. What had they left behind? And what lay ahead for them? It’s this photo (right)—and others like it—that got Maura Marx into a bit of trouble. Marx is director of the effort to launch the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA), and the photos are part of its first exhibitions about emigrants leaving Europe to come to America. When DPLA launches its website April 18, it will already contain hundreds of collections from around the country.” The launch ceremony at the Boston Public Library has been postponed until sometime in the fall....
American Libraries feature; Digital Public Library of America

Lawsuits impact Kentucky libraries
Libraries across Kentucky face an uncertain future in the wake of recent court rulings against two libraries in the northwestern part of the state. On April 2, a Kentucky circuit court ruled that Campbell County Public Library has improperly raised its property tax rates since 1978. On April 11, a circuit court handed down a similar ruling against Kenton County Public Library, stating that it has improperly raised property taxes since 1967....
AL: Inside Scoop, Apr. 17; Cincinnati Enquirer, Apr. 4; Kentucky Enquirer, Apr. 11

A snapshot of our nation’s bookmobiles
Martha Buckner writes: “National Bookmobile Day, April 17, celebrated during National Library Week, is a chance for libraries and patrons to recognize and honor mobile services and the dedicated employees who ensure that patrons who are unable to reach brick-and-mortar libraries can still receive library services. Here are examples of several public libraries that offer bookmobile service and how they are helping their communities.” Watch the Aurora (Ill.) Public Library bookmobile in action (3:21). See more than 340 mobile libraries on the Bookmobile Pinterest board....
American Libraries news, Apr. 16; Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, Apr. 16; YouTube, Apr. 10, 2012

AL Live: The present and future of ebooks
American Libraries Live, a free, streaming video broadcast that you can view from your home, library, or on the go, returns on April 18, 2–3 p.m. Eastern time, with a new episode, “The Present and Future of Ebooks.” Sue Polanka (right), ebook expert and author of No Shelf Required, will lead an interactive discussion focusing on what ebooks and their exploding popularity mean for libraries and librarians. The episode will feature ebook pioneers Jamie LaRue and Scott Wasinger. Watch the preview (1:47)....
AL Live, Apr. 8; YouTube, Apr. 10

ALA staff honors “Letter from Birmingham Jail”
Mariam Pera writes: “On April 16, ALA staff gathered for a reading of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’ as part of a worldwide celebration marking its 50th anniversary. ALA was one of 207 sites around the world where King’s letter was being read aloud. The letter was divided up into sections for nine readers. ‘Because of the diversity of our readers, the delivery of the letter was more impactful,’ said Michelle Harrell Washington, director of ALA’s Office for Diversity, which organized the event.”...
American Libraries news, Apr. 16

Go back to the Top

The state of America’s school libraries
ALA President Maureen Sullivan (right) writes: “Providing our children with the best educational resources and empowering all our children to access, evaluate, and use information for academic and personal learning: This is the critical mission of school libraries and librarians. As an educator and ALA president, I am concerned that school administrators may not fully understand the critical role school libraries and their librarians play in fostering academic achievement and student success in a technology-driven world.”...
The Huffington Post, Apr. 15

National Library Week celebrates the role of libraries
Communities nationwide are celebrating the contributions of school, academic, public, and special libraries and library workers during National Library Week, April 14–20, sponsored by ALA. This year’s theme is “Communities matter @ your library.” Thousands of celebrations are taking place. NLW spokesperson Caroline Kennedy (right) appeared on The Colbert Report April 16....
Public Information Office, Apr. 15; The Colbert Report, Apr. 16

Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2012
On April 15, E. L. James’s bestselling erotic trilogy Fifty Shades of Grey placed no. 4 on ALA’s annual study of challenged books, works subject to complaints from parents, educators, and other members of the public. No. 1 was a not a story of the bedroom, but the bathroom: Dav Pilkey’s Captain Underpants series, followed by Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why. The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom received 464 challenges in 2012, a jump of some 25% from 2011, but still low compared to the 1980s and 1990s....
Associated Press, Apr. 15

Library workers will not be shushed
Tim Paschke writes: “Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter assumed office in January 2008 and by December he had slashed the Free Library of Philadelphia’s budget by $7.5 million. He originally proposed to close 11 branches, but massive pushback by the community and a lawsuit forced him to keep the branches open. First he laid off more than 100 of my colleagues. This National Library Workers Day, we don’t need flowers or balloons. We need library staff to be restored. We need our communities to have access to the services they deserve. We need a pay increase.”...
AFSCME Blog, Apr. 16; Library Worklife, Jan. 2009

Five great books about bookmobiles
Derek Attig writes: “I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate National Bookmobile Day (April 17) than to read some awesome books about bookmobiles. Except maybe reading them while moving. So hop on a bus or go for a stroll with one of these books in hand to get the full celebratory experience. Look for With a High Heart (1945), one of a surprising number of romance novels about bookmobile librarians published in the middle of the 20th century.”...
Book Riot, Apr. 17

The National Library Week song
Karl G. Siewert, Instruction Librarian/Resource Coordinator to the College of Education at the Northeastern State University Broken Arrow in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, penned these National Library Week lyrics and based the tune on Tom Lehrer’s “National Brotherhood Week.” An excerpt: “And during National Library Week / National Library Week / It’s National Everyone-Lend-a-Book-to- / One-Another-y Week / Caroline Kennedy tells us all / To come and have a ball / At the library in your college, town, or school.”...
NSUBA Library, Apr. 16

ALA 2013 election polls close April 26
The 2013 ALA election will close at 11:59 p.m. Central time on April 26. If you have not yet cast your vote, please do so. Information about the election and the candidates can be found in “Your Guide to the 2013 ALA Elections.” If you cannot locate your emailed voting credentials, contact the ALA Member and Customer Service Department or call (800) 545-2433 and press 5....
Office of ALA Governance, Apr. 16

Obama budget gives libraries a funding boost
On April 12, President Obama released the budget for the 2014 fiscal year, allocating $177 million for assistance to libraries through the Library Services and Technology Act, funding that is administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The budget request is approximately a 1.16% increase over funding enacted for the bill in the 2013 fiscal year continuing resolution (after sequestration). In response, ALA President Maureen Sullivan released a statement....
Office of Government Relations, Apr. 12

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar speaks for school libraries
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer and New York Times bestselling author, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (right), has been named the official spokesperson for the 2013 celebration of School Library Month. School Library Month is a national celebration in April of the essential role that strong school library programs play in a student’s educational career. School librarians are encouraged to create activities and events that involve their school and local community....
AASL, Apr. 15

Celebrate Preservation Week April 21–27
Preservation Week encourages libraries and other institutions to connect our communities through events, activities, and resources that highlight what we can do, individually and together, to preserve our personal and shared collections. Visit Preservation Week 2013 for more information or how you can get involved....
ALCTS, Apr. 16

IFRT’s 40th birthday
After 40 years of defending and upholding First Amendment rights, it is time for a party. Join the Intellectual Freedom Round Table on June 28 at the Chicago Cultural Center (78 East Washington Street at Michigan Ave.) for its 40th anniversary celebration. The event will be held in conjunction with the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. All tickets are available via ALA’s Annual Conference registration system....
Office for Intellectual Freedom, Apr. 15

Choose Privacy Week is May 1–7
In an era of “Big Data,” your daily activities are monitored, recorded, collected and stored, but all too often, you can’t tell by whom. ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom established Choose Privacy Week to help libraries work with their communities in navigating these complicated but vital issues. This year's observance will feature a week-long online forum with academics, librarians, and civil liberties experts who discuss current threats to personal privacy and how each threat impacts personal freedoms and civil liberties....
Office for Intellectual Freedom, Apr. 16

Diversity and Outreach Fair proposals wanted
The ALA Office for Literacy and Outreach Services is seeking proposals for the 2013 Diversity and Outreach Fair, to be held on June 29 during the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. The theme of this year’s fair will be “Removing Barriers to Service for All: Creating Meaningful and Integrated Library Experiences for People with Disabilities.” Applications will be accepted through May 17. For more information and to apply, visit the diversity fair website....
Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, Apr. 12

Librarians join 2013 World Book Night festivities
World Book Night seeks out reluctant adult readers, wherever they are. There will be 2,000 World Book Night host locations for this year’s celebration on April 23, with more than 900 libraries participating. Plans are set for 12 simultaneous World Book Night kick-off events around the country on the evening of April 22, featuring WBN authors, including honorary chairs Ann Patchett and James Patterson appearing together at Parnassus Books in Nashville....
Public Information Office, Apr. 16

Free e-government webinar for public librarians
To assist libraries in providing job-related e-government services to patrons, ALA will host a free webinar, “E-Government in Action: Matching People with Jobs,” on May 1. Register here. Speakers include Janice Collins, Betha Gutsche, Sheri Shafer and Tiffany McClary (above), and Jeff Scott....
Office of Government Relations, Apr. 15

National Library Week, Slovak style
ALA International Relations Office Director Michael Dowling writes: “What’s National Library Week like in another country? In Slovakia it means that everyone visiting the Nitra Public Library is welcomed as an honored guest with the traditional offering of bread and salt (chlieb a soľ in Slovak) with the bread placed on an embroidered towel (rsunik). Thanks to support from the US State Department, I was able to participate in Slovakia’s 14th annual National Library Week, March 18–22, which is modeled on the US National Library Week.”...
International Relations Office, Apr. 12

Nominations: Trustee for American Library in Paris
The ALA International Relations Committee is calling for nominations for ALA representative to the board of trustees of the American Library in Paris. This two-year appointment would begin in June with the appointee having to cover costs to attend two board meetings a year in Paris. ALA does not provide financial support for the representative. The ALA representative is a non-voting member of the board of trustees. The nomination deadline is May 20....
International Relations Committee, Apr. 12

ALA-APA recognizes City College of San Francisco graduates
The American Library Association-Allied Professional Association has completed an agreement with the City College of San Francisco that will allow its graduates who meet the established criteria from their Library Information Technology Program to receive the LSSC designation. The ALA-APA proposed this agreement after reviewing CCSF curriculum and finding that its graduates have completed coursework that meets the majority of LSSC’s competency requirements....
ALA–Allied Professional Association, Apr. 12

More on ALA’s 1893 Model Library
Larry Nix writes: “In response to my previous post about ALA and the 1893 World’s Fair, Tom Ray, collections management coordinator for the Library of Virginia, informed me that his library had recently acquired one of the actual books from ALA’s Model Library collection at the fair. The book is The Colonel’s Daughter by Charles King. The really neat thing about the book is that it has an example of the bookplate (right) used for the model collection.”...
Library History Buff Blog, Apr. 10, 12

The Whole School Library Handbook 2
A second edition of the ALA bestseller The Whole School Library Handbook 2, published by ALA Editions, remains an indispensable all-in-one resource for everything related to the school library media center. Edited by Blanche Woolls and David V. Loertscher, this handbook offers articles from dozens of respected authors and experts, culled from journals such as Knowledge Quest and School Library Journal, covering everything of interest to the contemporary school librarian....
ALA Editions, Apr. 16

Go back to the Top

Frank Lloyd Wright in Oak Park and Chicago
The Chicago suburb of Oak Park is home to the world’s largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright–designed buildings and houses, with 25 structures built between 1889 and 1913. It was here that Wright developed and perfected his signature Prairie Style architecture, emphasizing the use of interior light and open spaces in low, earth-hugging buildings. In Oak Park, tour the Wright Home and Studio at 951 Chicago Avenue or the Unity Temple at 875 Lake Street. In Chicago, don’t miss the Robie House (above) at 5757 South Woodlawn Avenue in Hyde Park and The Rookery at 209 South LaSalle Street in the Loop....
Historic Homes; Visit Oak Park; Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust

Water Taxi to Michigan Avenue
Need a fun way to get to Michigan Avenue from McCormick Place? Try the Water Taxi, a commuter service that takes you along the Chicago River. With the Red Line CTA station at Cermak-Chinatown closed to northbound traffic during Annual Conference, the Water Taxi from Chinatown is a good alternate route....
Chicago Water Taxi

Chicago magazine’s best new restaurants
Carly Boers writes: “After tasting our way through every remotely promising contender that opened in the Chicago area since last April—73, to be exact—we assembled this definitive list. Most of the 18 winners, ranked in order of greatness, are unglamorous by design, trading pomp and flash for fun and approachability. Beyond that, the one thing they have in common is the only thing that matters in the end: terrific food.” A few of them are in the relatively nearby neighborhoods of the West Loop (Grace, Little Goat, BellyQ) and River North (Bavette’s, Sumi Robata Bar, Boarding House, Siena Tavern)....
Chicago magazine, May

Seafood restaurants
Todd Roy writes: “Lake Michigan may be a freshwater lake, but that doesn’t stop Chicago’s restaurants from showing off their culinary chops with fresh seafood from all over the world. Chicago is well known as a destination for food lovers thanks to the city’s array of quality restaurants. The Chicago metropolitan area features a number of seafood restaurants that are worth a visit.”...
USA Today

Go back to the Top

Reflections on ACRL13
Wayne Bivens-Tatum writes: “Last week I attended the ACRL conference in Indianapolis and have had a lot of thoughts rambling around in my mind since then. One of the more interesting presentations was by Brian Mathews (right), the Ubiquitous Librarian, who did indeed seem ubiquitous on the program. His talk on ‘The Art of Problem Discovery’ (longer version here) was thought-provoking. He addressed technological and other disruptions to academic libraries and higher education while avoiding focus on specific trends, skills, or tools. Instead, he discussed broader approaches such as ways of thinking about problems.”...
Academic Librarian, Apr. 15

DIY vs. startup: Choose your flavor of change
Brian Mathews writes: “I attended an ACRL13 session titled ‘From the Periphery into the Mainstream: Library DIY Culture(s) and the Academy’ where the panel asked attendees questions about organizational culture. I was surprised by the attitude that the session generated. There was a lot of ‘damn the man’ talk, and being a library administrator I guess I’m part of the problem now. As I listened I kept contrasting their attitude with startup thinking. While both DIY and startup argue for change, they differ quite a bit. Here are a few quick notes.”...
Chronicle of Higher Education: The Ubiquitous Librarian, Apr. 14

Librarian Wardrobe at ACRL13
The Librarian Wardrobe stringers saw tons of creative fashions at the ACRL13 conference in Indianapolis last week. Here is Rita (right), looking so fashionable that some bet that she wasn’t a librarian at all. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Rita Vine, faculty liaison and information literacy coordinator at the University of Toronto Robarts Library: “This is how I dress for work every day.”...
Librarian Wardrobe, Apr. 16

College & Research Libraries archives freely available
As part of the division’s commitment to scholarly publishing and open access, the full archive of ACRL’s official scholarly research journal College and Research Libraries is now freely available online. The online archive now contains the complete contents of the journal from its beginnings in 1939 through the current issue. The content from 1939 through 1996 was digitized through the volunteer efforts of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library....
ACRL, Apr. 12

Teen Read Week website
YALSA has launched its Teen Read Week 2013 website. This year, Teen Read Week takes place October 13–19 with a theme that encourages teens to “Seek the Unknown @ the library” by reading for the fun of it. With the website now live, visitors can sign up to become members for free and access a variety of resources, including planning tools, the theme logo, grants, showcase, products, and forums....
YALSA, Apr. 16

YALSA instructional kits
YALSA is making its Young Adults Deserve the Best instructional kits available for purchase through the ALA Store. Young Adults Deserve the Best is a training initiative to help library staff successfully connect and work with teens in their public or school libraries. Two kits are currently available: Understanding Teen Behavior for a Positive Library Experience and Strengthening Teen Services through Technology....
YALSA, Apr. 16

ALSC program proposals
ALSC is now accepting proposals for innovative programs for the 2014 ALA Annual Conference and the ALSC National Institute, September 18–20, 2014, in Oakland, California. To submit a program proposal, please fill out the online ALSC program proposal form. All proposals must be submitted by June 7. The same proposal form is being used for both conferences....
ALSC, Apr. 11

Summer reading book lists available for K–8
ALSC has created three Summer Reading book lists, which feature recommended book titles for K–8 students. PDFs of the customizable book lists are available online in full color and black-and-white and are free to download, copy, and distribute with local libraries’ own information, including summer hours and summer programs for children....
ALSC, Apr. 16

Authors at AASL13
Libba Bray and Shane W. Evans are set to appear at a premier author event during the AASL 16th National Conference and Exhibition in Hartford, Connecticut. At the Author Banquet on November 15, conference attendees will enjoy a meal and learn about the inspiration behind Bray’s and Evans’s award-winning books. After dinner, the authors will sign copies. An additional registration fee of $55 is required for the Author Banquet....
AASL, Apr. 16

AASL flash webinar proposals
AASL is seeking proposals from personal members for a new series of monthly hot topic webinars. The webinars are designed to bring members tips and tricks from their peers in a fast format. Each will feature four presenters sharing five-to-seven-minute presentations. Proposals are currently being accepted for the introductory webinar taking place on May 9. The webinar will focus on beautifying the school library on a small budget. The deadline is April 26....
AASL, Apr. 16

New archived AASL webinar
Writer Margaret Sullivan builds library spaces for 21st-century learners in the archived webinar “Envisioning New Library Spaces,” now available as part of the AASL professional development archive, eCOLLAB....
AASL, Apr. 16

Learn about digital media labs at ALA preconference
On June 28, during the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, PLA will present “Digital Media Labs 101.” Attendees will learn how to sell the concept of a Digital Media Lab to library administration, set up a space that fits any budget, and offer programs and services that maintain public interest over time. Registration is open....
PLA, Apr. 16

United for Libraries at BookExpo America
United for Libraries and Algonquin Books will present “Journey of a Young Adult Book: From Writer to Reader” on May 30 at BookExpo America. Jennifer Brown, interim director of the Center for Children’s Literature at the Bank Street College of Education and children’s editor of Shelf Awareness, will moderate a discussion among the key people involved in the creation, publishing, and marketing of a book. Register at the BEA website....
United for Libraries, Apr. 15

Webinar on advocacy at the state level
United for Libraries will present a free webinar, “Library Advocacy at the State Level: 12 Steps to Success,” on April 30. It will be led by Jeffrey Smith (right), director of public affairs for Humanim and president of the Foundation for Baltimore County (Md.) Public Library. Participants will learn the basics of government and legislative advocacy and understand the 12 steps necessary to be an effective advocate for library issues. Register online....
United for Libraries, Apr. 15

Interlibrary loan online course
The next offering of “Interlibrary Loan (ILL) 101,” an online course offered by RUSA, will be held April 22–May 19. Registration is open through April 18. This online course will provide new ILL managers and practitioners with a broad overview of ILL policies, procedures, and practices, and a firm foundation in borrowing and lending protocols....
RUSA Blog, Apr. 15

Still time to sign up for a tour of France
The deadline for reservations and deposits for the ASCLA trip to southern France in October has been extended to May 1. Destinations for this Mediterranean adventure include Nice, Cannes, and Monaco (PDF file). The trip will run October 5–13. Those interested in making a reservation should contact Michael Stillwell at Lyceum Tours or ASCLA Executive Director Susan Hornung....
ASCLA Blog, Apr. 15

Improving services for people with disabilities
The next session of the ASCLA online course, “Improving Library Services for People with Disabilities,” will take place April 22–May 19. Registration is open through April 18. Participants will identify library users with disabilities at their library and the resources and assistive technologies available to assist them; and examine changes in attitudes, laws, and technologies that have affected people with disabilities....
ASCLA Blog, Apr. 15

Go back to the Top

2013 ABC-CLIO Greenwood Publishing Award
Carrie Russell (right) is the winner of the 2013 ABC-CLIO Greenwood Publishing Award for the Best Book in Library Literature for her Complete Copyright: An Everyday Guide for K–12 Librarians and Educators, published by ALA Editions. The award recognizes books that assist library professionals or information specialists in areas of management, technique, and education. Russell is director of the Program on Public Access to Information in the ALA Office for Information Technology Policy....
Office of ALA Governance, Apr. 12

2013 AASL Distinguished Service Award
Keith Curry Lance (right) is the 2013 recipient of the AASL Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding national contribution to school librarianship and school library development. A sociologist and prolific writer, Lance has devoted his statistical training to America’s children by working with libraries and library organizations, primarily those relating to school and public libraries....
AASL, Apr. 16

2013 Crystal Apple
AASL President Susan Ballard has selected Dollar General as the recipient of the 2013 Crystal Apple. The Crystal Apple honor is given at the discretion of the AASL president to an individual or group that has had a significant impact on school library programs and students. Since 2006, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has funded the AASL Beyond Words grant program, which provides relief to public school libraries affected by disasters....
AASL, Apr. 16

Pointer Public Library designated a Literary Landmark
United for Libraries, in partnership with Emily J. Pointer Public Library in Como, Mississippi, designated the library a Literary Landmark in honor of Stark Young on March 28. Young was a drama critic, novelist, playwright, and poet from Como. Often called the greatest drama critic in the history of American theatre, his creative ability found expression in fiction, translation, and autobiography. So Red the Rose, his best known work, was adapted to film in 1935....
United for Libraries, Apr. 12

2013 Justin Winsor Prize
The Library History Round Table has awarded Nicola Wilson the 2013 Justin Winsor Prize of $100 and a certificate for her outstanding essay embodying original historical research on a significant subject of library history. Wilson’s essay, “Boots Book-Lovers’ Library, the Novel, and James Hardy’s The Furys (1935),” will be considered for publication in Information & Culture: A Journal of History. Winsor, a distinguished 19th-century librarian, historian, and bibliographer, was also ALA's first president.....
Library History Round Table, Apr. 16

2013 John Philip Immroth Memorial Award
The ALA Intellectual Freedom Round Table has awarded the 2013 John Philip Immroth Memorial Award to Amnesty International USA, which has supported intellectual freedom for 52 years. The award honors intellectual freedom fighters in and outside the library profession who have demonstrated remarkable personal courage in resisting censorship....
Intellectual Freedom Round Table, Apr. 15

Innovative international library projects
The International Relations Round Table has announced three recipients of the ALA Presidential Citations for Innovative International Library Projects for 2013: the AUN e-Library Project at the American University of Nigeria Library, eBooks on Demand by the European Network of Libraries, and the Osu Children’s Library Fund for building the Accra College of Education Community Library (above) in Ghana. They will be recognized at the International Librarians Reception on July 1....
International Relations Round Table, Apr. 16

2013 Bogle-Pratt Travel Fund winner
Araba Dawson-Andoh is the 2013 recipient of the International Relations Committee’s Bogle-Pratt International Library Travel grant. The Bogle Memorial Fund and the Pratt Institute School of Information and Library Science will provide a $1,000 cash award for Dawson-Andoh, Africana Studies librarian at Ohio University Libraries, to attend her first international conference in Pretoria, South Africa....
International Relations Committee, Apr. 16

2013 Loleta D. Fyan Grant
The North Shelby (Ala.) Library’s animation and drawing program, “Animation for the Next Generation,” has been awarded the 2013 Loleta D. Fyan Grant. The library plans a six-week program with the goal of training community teens in 21st-century technologies that will increase their employability and assist them as they enter higher education. The program will culminate in a short film made by the participating teens....
Office for Research and Statistics, Apr. 15

Syracuse awarded NEH grant for Marcel Breuer digital project
The National Endowment for the Humanities has awarded the Syracuse (N.Y.) University Library a $280,000 grant for phase two of a project that created a digital scholarly edition of the works of Bauhaus architect Marcel Breuer. The new project, titled “Marcel Breuer, Architect: Life and Work, 1953–1981,” will unite source materials from the latter half of Breuer’s career, during which his services were sought by powerful business, governmental, and religious institutions....
Syracuse (N.Y.) University Library News, Apr. 10

LC wins special Grammy Award
The Library of Congress is being honored with a special Grammy Award in Washington for its work over the past decade to preserve historic audio recordings. The Recording Academy is presenting its Grammys on the Hill Award to the library on April 17. The Grammys on the Hill Awards are meant to connect the music industry with the world of policy and politics in Washington....
Associated Press, Apr. 17

2013 Pulitzer Prizes
The Pulitzer Prize in fiction, announced April 15, has been awarded to Adam Johnson for his book set in North Korea, The Orphan Master’s Son. The committee described the book as “an exquisitely crafted novel that carries the reader on an adventuresome journey into the depths of totalitarian North Korea and into the most intimate spaces of the human heart.” Other Pulitzer Prizes: The poetry award went to Sharon Olds for Stag’s Leap and the history award went to Fredrik Logevall for Embers of War: The Fall of an Empire and the Making of America’s Vietnam....
Los Angeles Times: Jacket Copy, Apr. 15; Pulitzer Prizes

2013 Walt Whitman Award
The Academy of American Poets announced April 10 that Chris Hosea (right) was selected as the recipient of the 2013 Walt Whitman Award. The award was established in 1975 to encourage the work of emerging poets and to enable the publication of a poet’s first book. Hosea’s manuscript, Put Your Hands In, will be published by Louisiana State University Press in 2014 and he will receive $5,000 and a one-month residency at the Vermont Studio Center....
Bar None Group, Apr. 10

2013 IACP cookbook awards
(PDF file)
The International Association of Culinary Professionals announced its awards for the best cookbooks at its meeting in San Francisco on April 9. Considered the gold standard among cookbook awards, the IACP awards have been presented for more than 25 years to promote quality and creativity in culinary writing. My Provence by Laurent Gras (available through Amazon) was honored with two awards: the Judges Choice Award and the Intriguing Use of Technology Digital Media Award for its unique HTML5 technology....
International Association of Culinary Professionals, Apr. 9

Jefferson Muzzle Award for 2013
Named among nine “winners” is the Annville-Cleona (Pa.) School Board, for removing from an elementary-school library the illustrated children’s book The Dirty Cowboy after one student’s parents feared drawings of the title character after his bath would teach children that “looking at nudity is okay and not wrong” and that “pornography is okay too.” The Muzzle Awards call attention to those who, in the preceding year, forgot or disregarded Jefferson’s admonition that freedom of speech “cannot be limited without being lost.”...
Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression; Lebanon (Pa.) Daily News, May 8, 2012

Go back to the Top

School librarian injured in Boston Marathon attack
Denise Richard, school librarian of the Neighborhood House Charter School in Dorchester, Massachusetts, her husband Bill, and their three children were observing the Boston Marathon April 15 when bomb blasts killed 8-year-old Martin Richard and seriously injured Denise and 6-year-old Jane. Bill and oldest son Henry were not physically injured. The school has expressed grief over Martin’s death and support for the family, who “represent the very best this city has to offer.” A “sea of people” spontaneously showed up in Garvey Park at a vigil in Dorchester on the evening of April 16 in support of the Richard family. ALA President Maureen Sullivan sent a letter of condolences to Denise Richard on April 16 to let her know that “the entire library community is thinking” of her and her family....
Neighborhood House Charter School; WHDH-TV, Boston, Apr. 16; Kathryn Sotnick; Dorchester (Mass.) Reporter, Apr. 16

Fire at the JFK Presidential Library
A fire and possible explosion at the JFK Presidential Library and Museum in Dorchester, Massachusetts, April 15 prompted a full-scale investigation by local, state, and federal authorities to determine whether the incidents were linked to the Boston Marathon blasts. The fire broke out shortly before 3 p.m.—around the same time as the Marathon explosions several miles away—in an HVAC system. Library officials emphasized the blaze appeared to be a “mechanical fire,” but the incident is still under investigation and the library is closed indefinitely. Rachel Flor, director of communications for the JFK Library, said there was “minimal damage” to the library’s collection, but added that there was “significant” damage to the archival wing....
Boston Globe, Apr. 15; Boston Herald, Apr. 16; New York Daily News, Apr. 17; Dorchester (Mass.) Reporter, Apr. 17

DPLA launch ceremony postponed
The festivities surrounding the launch of the Digital Public Library of America were scheduled to be held at the Boston Public Library on April 18–19. However, DPLA Executive Director Dan Cohen writes that “I no longer think it is possible to hold those events this week. The area around the BPL has been closed off, perhaps for several days, and it is not easy to relocate such a large-scale meeting.” DPLA is rescheduling a larger event for sometime in the fall. Meanwhile, the new DPLA website will still go live at noon Eastern time on April 18 as planned. DPLA is featuring StackLife DPLA, developed by the Harvard Library Innovation Lab, as an example of how the DPLA’s collection of books can be mashed up with other collections....
DPLA Blog, Apr. 16; Harvard Library, April 17

Free Library and Rosenbach Museum merge
The Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation would take over the Rosenbach Museum and Library under the terms of a letter of intent approved April 17 by their boards. The relatively small Rosenbach has an enviable collection of 400,000 rare books, letters, and art assembled by the late Rosenbach brothers, Abraham and Phillip. The Rosenbach would not become a library branch, but would share its collection and its governance with the foundation that controls the Free Library. After approval of the merger, the organization will be renamed the Rosenbach of the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation....
Philadelphia Inquirer, Apr. 17

Herbert W. Richardson v. the World
Jake New writes: “Herbert W. Richardson, founder of the Edwin Mellen Press, says his lawsuits would not be the last in his attempt to combat what he considers to be attacks on his press and its authors. In the last two decades, he has lost his job as a professor, his reputation among scholars, and his university. A man who dreamed of challenging the status quo of higher education now has his legacy tied to the continued success of the remaining element of that dream: his press.”...
Chronicle of Higher Education, Apr. 15

People and cats find safe haven in library
More than 50 apartment dwellers would have been left out in the cold the morning of April 5 if not for the quick thinking of Guelph (Ont.) Public Library staff. The library was closed when its neighbors across the street were evacuated due to a vehicle fire in the underground parking lot of the building. When Library CEO Kitty Pope saw the fire trucks, she spoke with the police, flicked on the lights, and unlocked the doors for the shivering evacuees, including their pets....
Guelph (Ont.) Tribune, Apr. 9

McGill may close two libraries
McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, is considering shutting down the libraries at two of its faculties, in the face of a $1.8 million budget cut. The Faculty of Education Library could be closed, and the Life Sciences Library (right) could be merged with the Schulich Library of Science and Engineering. Angella Lambrou, a life sciences librarian who has mounted a Facebook campaign to try to prevent the merger, said that her library is the oldest and largest medical library in Canada. The cuts also mean that McGill will cut 24-hour access to the McLennan-Redpath Library complex, Schulich Library, and the Nahum Gelber Law Library....
CBC News, Apr. 12; McGill Daily, Apr. 13

Closure of fisheries libraries called a disaster
The libraries are home to the 50 illustrated volumes from Britain’s Challenger expedition that sailed the seas in the late 1800s exploring the mysteries of the deep. The shelves heave with reports detailing the DDT pollution that wiped out young salmon in New Brunswick’s “rivers of death” in the 1950s—history that is being packed into boxes as the Department of Fisheries and Oceans “consolidates” its world-class library collection. Seven DFO libraries across Canada are to close by the fall, including two that have been amassing books and technical reports for more than a century....
Postmedia News, Apr. 14

School librarian wins role in movie
Ann Ayres, librarian and teacher in Bentonville (Ark.) Schools, was chosen to act in a feature film that a former student wrote and directed. Camp was written and directed by Jacob Roebuck, who attended school in Bentonville in the early 1980s. While a student at R. E. Baker Elementary School, Roebuck initiated a life-long friendship with Ayres. When he was casting for Margaret Summerfield, a wealthy oil heiress, he knew Ayres would be perfect for the role, as she could “light up the room with do-good optimism.”...
Fort Smith (Ark.) City Wire, Apr. 10

UNK library damaged in storm
The University of Nebraska at Kearney’s Calvin T. Ryan Library received significant damage during an April 8 storm. Parts of the roof were torn from the building by high winds, allowing rain to enter the building. About 6,500 books were damaged, carpet was saturated with water, and the wireless internet system was damaged, according to Library Dean Janet Stoeger Wilke. Repairs could take until the fall. Huge numbers of books were spread across the floor to dry....
Kearney (Nebr.) Hub, Apr. 11; Book Riot, Apr. 11

Former librarian charged in murder plot
A former New York City high school librarian was charged in a plot to kidnap, rape, torture, and kill women, children, and infants. Authorities said in court papers filed in US District Court in Manhattan on April 15 that Robert Christopher Asch, a former librarian at Stuyvesant High School in lower Manhattan, had conspired with Richard Meltz, chief of police at the Bedford Veterans Administration Medical Center in Massachusetts, since the spring of 2011 to attack multiple victims....
Associated Press, Apr. 15

Alaskan librarian fired after 28 years
For more than an hour on April 10, residents of Soldotna, Kenai, and Nikiski, Alaska, took turns castigating the Soldotna city manager and council for the surprise termination of Soldotna Public Library Director Terri Burdick. Several, including Burdick herself, questioned why the 28-year city employee was fired without being given a reason. Since Burdick’s dismissal on April 8, she said she has struggled with embarrassment and despair....
Kenai (Alaska) Peninsula Clarion, Apr. 11

Old card catalogs gone to seed
Two of the Hayward (Calif.) Public Library’s old card catalog cabinets have been brought out of storage, repurposed for a new seed lending library. It turns out that the wooden file cabinets are the perfect size to hold the seed envelopes, said Library Director Sean Reinhart. The library hosted a “Seed Read” on April 13 to launch a four-week-long “Book to Action” program that celebrates healthy living and seed saving....
Hayward (Calif.) Daily Review, Apr. 11

Field Museum mulls selling its rare books collection
This year, a committee of scientists and executives tasked with evaluating the financial situation of the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago suggested in a report that the museum’s rare book collection could fetch up to $50 million in an auction. The collection contains what some experts believe to be the best set in existence of John James Audubon’s Birds of America, hand-colored engravings the pioneering nature artist painted in the early 19th century. The collection documents the discovery, identification, and study of plant and animal species going back hundreds of years....
Chicago Tribune, Apr. 9

The philosophy behind the St. Louis library renovation
Emily Badger writes: “The Central Library in St. Louis has been a city landmark since the architect Cass Gilbert first designed it a century ago. But the 21st-century library primarily aspires to be something that Gilbert’s building was decidedly not: flexible—in programming, in mission, in space, in anticipation of a changing future. This contrast—between monumental architecture and the modern need for flexibility—touches many of America’s great urban libraries.”...
The Atlantic Cities, Apr. 12

Margaret Thatcher Library and Museum planned
Admirers of the late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher are planning to create a library and museum in London to celebrate her legacy. Backers, led by the Thatcherite group Conservative Way Forward, revealed on April 13 that they aim to raise £15 million ($23 million US) in private funding for the new institution, which would be based on the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. If built, it would be the second prime ministerial library in the UK: Gladstone’s Library in Hawarden, Wales, was created as a memorial to William Gladstone after his death in 1898....
Agence France-Presse, Apr. 14; BBC News, Apr. 15

Go back to the Top

FCC commissioner calls for e-rate overhaul
On April 11, FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel called for (PDF file) a thorough review of the e-rate program to ensure it meets the future connectivity needs of libraries and schools. The commissioner outlined her vision for e-rate 2.0, building on earlier statements from Senate Commerce Committee Chair Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) during a recent FCC oversight hearing....
District Dispatch, Apr. 15; US Senate Commerce Committee, Mar. 12

Congressional panel okays internet freedom bill
The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s communications subcommittee has approved a draft bill (PDF file) that would make it US policy to promote an internet “free from government control.” Democrats expressed concern that a person or company could use the law as a basis to sue to overturn regulations, such as the FCC’s net-neutrality rules. The bill, which is identical to that of HCR 127 (PDF file), is scheduled for markup by the full committee April 17....
PC World, Apr. 10, 11; The Hill: Hillicon Valley, Apr. 10, 11; Federal Communications Committee; House Energy and Commerce Committee, Apr. 11

New book on the history of music and copyright
Mike Masnick writes: “A new book by Alex Sayf Cummings, Democracy of Sound: Music Piracy and the Remaking of American Copyright in the Twentieth Century (Oxford University, 2013) reiterates many of the points that we’ve made before about music and copyright, but it does so with a strong historical basis, highlighting how these issues are not new. In fact, it shows how Congress was concerned that putting copyright on recordings would stifle creativity—and their fears were not out of line.”...
Techdirt, Apr. 12

White House petition to recast copyright law
The digital copyright class at Dominican University’s Library School has created a petition to recast copyright law for the digital era. It asks that the “language of the existing copyright law be changed to accommodate the way information is being created and consumed in our digital world.” It needs more than 99,100 signatures by May 14....
We the People, Apr. 14

Australia’s copyright reform may include fair use
Mike Masnick writes: “In 2012, Australia was beginning the process of copyright reform, and it appeared that the Australian Law Reform Commission was asking the right kinds of questions. Among the major concerns that some commenters raised was the lack of fair use under Australian copyright law. Thankfully, it appears that Australia is willing to go that extra step, according to revealing tweets from the Australian Law Library Association.”...
Techdirt, Apr. 12

What gamers can look forward to in 2013
Mark Hachman writes: “Rumors about the next-generation game consoles from Microsoft and Sony are in full force. But new controllers, peripherals, and other gaming devices from other firms are also being prepared for launch, making 2013 an exciting time to be interested in gaming. The most interesting rumors, of course, concern the Sony PlayStation 4, the next-generation Xbox, and the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset (right).”...
PC Magazine, Apr. 9

What will Google Glass do to our brains?
Todd Wasserman writes: “Humanity is about to undertake a bold experiment. If all goes as Google hopes, many of us will be strapping on Google Glasses later this year. The post-PC era in effect since the introduction of the iPhone in 2007 and the iPad in 2010 could give way to a wearable computing era prompted by Glass. But what will that do to society? What will it do to our brains?”...
Mashable, Apr. 16–17

Best video-editing software
Michael Muchmore writes: “You want to import video, stills, and sound to your PC from whatever source you have, easily join and trim what you shot, and maybe add some transitions and cool effects. You also need fast, crash-free performance on nonprofessional hardware and software. If that’s all you need, you could rely on the simple video-editing software that comes with Windows and Apple. The programs in this roundup let you go far beyond, offering multitrack production for advanced effects like overlays, picture-in-picture, and keyframe effect animations.”...
PC Magazine, Apr. 11

Bitcoin: What you need to know
Mitchel Hall writes: “You may be hearing a lot of chatter about Bitcoin lately and find yourself wondering what exactly it is, does, and means. Bitcoin is an open-source P2P digital currency, and a protocol that enables instant peer-to-peer, worldwide payment transactions with low or zero processing fees. Unlike typical currencies, Bitcoin operates with no central bank or authority; managing transactions and issuing bitcoins is carried out collectively by the network.” But Bitcoin isn’t the only cryptocurrency....
PC Magazine, Apr. 13; MIT Technology Review, Apr. 15

How to buy the best tablet
Wendy Sheehan Donnell writes: “Since 2010 when the original iPad was released, we’ve seen scores of manufacturers trying to snag a slice of the tablet pie, which so far, has been dominated by Apple. Growth is so rapid in the segment that some analysts claim tablet sales are set to outpace laptops in 2013. But which tablet is right for you? Whether you’re eyeing an iPad or one of the many Android tablets available, here are the key factors you need to consider when shopping.” Here are the 10 best tablets....
PC Magazine, Jan. 8, Apr. 10–11

Learn to love the command line
Eric Phetteplace writes: “The command line is intimidating. I’m sure when most computer users see it they think, ‘Didn’t we move beyond this already? Can’t someone just write an app for that?’ Up until about a year ago, I felt that way, but I’ve come to love the command line like Big Brother. And I’m here to convince you that you should love the command line, too.”...
ACRL TechConnect Blog, Apr. 15

Plan your digital afterlife
Andreas Tuerk writes: “We are launching a new feature April 11 that makes it easy to tell Google what you want done with your digital assets when you die or can no longer use your account. The feature is called Inactive Account Manager and you’ll find it on your Google Account settings page. You can tell us what to do with your Gmail messages and data from several other Google services if your account becomes inactive for any reason.”...
Google Public Policy Blog, Apr. 11

Simon & Schuster launches ebook pilot
Christopher Harris writes: “The last holdout from the major trade publishers, Simon & Schuster, announced on April 15 the start of an ebook pilot (PDF file) with New York City public libraries. The program, which launches April 30, will make all ‘frontlist and backlist titles that are available as ebooks’ available to libraries ‘simultaneous with their publication.’” ALA President Maureen Sullivan has commended Simon & Schuster’s long-awaited foray....
AL: E-Content, Apr. 15; Simon & Schuster, Apr. 15

Apple didn’t censor comic after all
Christopher Harris writes: “The kerfuffle spread quickly across tech and library blogs: Apple was censoring a comic because of some minor sexual content. But Apple didn’t censor anything. Comic book reader app maker ComiXology did the censoring. As CEO David Steinberger wrote the next day: ‘As a partner of Apple, we have an obligation to respect its policies for apps and the books offered in apps. Based on our understanding of those policies, we believed that Saga #12 could not be made available in our app, and so we did not release it today.’” More background here....
AL: E-Content, Apr. 11; Image Comics, Apr. 9; Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Apr, 17

Free access to ProQuest resources this week
Database publisher ProQuest is celebrating National Library Week with a rich assortment of resources for libraries and their patrons. Through April 20, the company will open some of its most popular databases found exclusively through library websites and help librarians fine-tune their marketing with free access to promotional tools and professional development....
ProQuest, Apr. 11

Despite copyright concerns, 1DollarScan grows
Launched in March 2011, 1DollarScan is an unusual business venture that allows anyone to send the company a physical book and they will scan it and send the customer a high-resolution PDF for $1—but the physical book will be destroyed and recycled in the process. 1DollarScan is marking its second anniversary and CEO Hiroshi Nakano said its business is growing quickly....
Publishers Weekly, Apr. 17

Seven strategies for ebook pricing
Beth Bacon writes: “Is there room for new thinking on ebook pricing strategies? The medium is still new, so customer expectations have not been set in stone. Now’s the time for publishers and authors to think strategically about the cost of ebooks. I’ve looked at ways businesses in other fields charge for their services, and this is a list of seven must-consider strategies for determining the price of your ebook.”...
Digital Book World, Apr. 17

Social media strips data from your digital photos
David Riecks writes: “Storing information about your images inside the image itself provides a number of useful benefits. It can’t prevent others from misusing the information, but it can help others know more about the image: who is pictured in a photo, what they are doing (and maybe why), and where and when it was taken. A recent test shows that some popular social media services strip this embedded information from images when they are uploaded or processed.”...
The Signal: Digital Preservation, Apr. 11; Embedded Metadata Manifesto

ALA Annual Conference, Chicago, June 27–July 2.

Octavia Spencer— veteran character actor, sought-after movie and TV star, and winner of numerous awards in 2012 for her role as Minny in The Help—will be the Closing General Session keynote speaker on Tuesday, July 1, 9:30–11 a.m.

National Library Week Honorary Chair Caroline Kennedy Visits School Library in Seattle National Library Week Book Spine Poetry Contest Librarians Matter to Their Communities 30 Reasons to Celebrate School Libraries Kat Richardson: 'I always felt they were the most magical place in the world' (video) How Advertising Had an Impact on American Culture During Second World War Great Films: 'Sunrise,' an Enduring Silent Masterpiece Libraries Help Spread the Joy and Love of Reading on World Book Night Bookmobiles: A Commitment to Community Join Us on Facebook Subscribe to our Newsletter

Books to help kids talk about Boston Marathon news
Jason Boog writes: “As news emerges about two explosions at the Boston Marathon on April 15, television news reports are filled with graphic images. To help parents, we built a list of books to help parents discuss traumatic events with children, grade-schoolers, and young adults. The Child Witness to Violence Project has a more complete bibliography.”...
GalleyCat, Apr. 15

Top 10 books on grieving
Helen Humphreys writes: “One of the remarkable gifts of reading is that it allows us to inhabit other people’s emotions without actually experiencing them ourselves. And the strange thing is that when we are in the grips of our own strong emotions—love or grief—we especially like to read about them. In this list I have included books that speak to multiple types of grief, not just the grief that is experienced when losing a loved one, since even without facing a death, we are often grieving.”...
The Guardian (UK), Apr. 10

10 illuminating books about North Korea
Timothy R. Smith writes: “Over the past several weeks, North Korea and the United States have been posturing in a sinister military checkers match. North Korea is a little-known country, isolated, secretive, and volatile. But the literature covering it is rich, with the most recent Pulitzer Prize for fiction set in the country. Here are 10 books—fiction and nonfiction—that shine some light on it.”...
Washington Post: The Style Blog, Apr. 5

10 great contemporary campus novels
Emily Temple writes: “An article in the Guardian calls for the ‘retirement’ of the campus novel. Well, we love campus novels, and though the classics—Lucky Jim, Pnin—hold extra-special places on the bookshelf of our hearts, we think contemporary versions are continuing the tradition in fine form. Here are 10 of our favorites, written in the last 20-odd years (our cutoff is 1990), that prove the genre is still relevant.”...
Flavorwire, Apr. 3; The Guardian (UK), Apr. 1

Choose a book by its cover
Colleen Seisser writes: “Creating a book display centered solely on book cover art is not a new concept, but it is a visually appealing way to successfully recommend some good books. What has been a surprise to me, though, is how popular some of our cover-themed displays have been with readers of all ages. They are eye-catching, they draw a browser in, and, as a result, we are constantly restocking these displays. Here are some of the more popular cover-themed displays we tried out at Mount Prospect (Ill.) Public Library.”...
YALSA The Hub, Apr. 15

Deaf characters in YA lit
Allison Tran writes: “YA books with characters who are deaf or hard of hearing, or who live with family members that are deaf, are few and far between but they are out there. These books have all the good stuff—first love, heartbreak, peer pressure, growing pains—but with the added perspective of teens who experience life in a diverse community.”...
YALSA The Hub, Apr. 15

Top seven favorite horror series
Dana Fredsti writes: “Most of the series I’ve read in recent years are a combination of genres: urban fantasy, paranormal romance, or techno thrillers with monsters. The most prevalent straight-up horror series these days are ones with zombies as the Big Bad. I will probably offend some horror purists by including some of these mixed genres in my list of favorites. And now onto my list, with the caveat that there are so many excellent writers out there, having to choose pains me.”...
The Huffington Post, Apr. 11

Holy humor
Diane Colson writes: “What does ‘holy humor’ mean to you? I confess that I immediately thought of Christopher Moore’s novel, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal, which covers Jesus’s adolescent years that are skipped in 21st-century Bibles. While Jesus is pure throughout the book, party-hardy Biff offers advice, protection, and intense loyalty to his friend. Here are some other novels that show unorthodox Supreme Beings or religious figures in a humorous context.”...
YALSA The Hub, Apr. 16

Made-up words for literary experiences
Rita Meade writes: “It’s one thing to not enjoy a book. That happens all the time. It’s another thing, however, to not enjoy a book that you had to wait a long time to read, for whatever reason, and find yourself totally let down. There should be a word for that experience. But since there isn’t, we tried to invent one, with some people on Twitter suggesting: Anticipression, Reader’s Avoidery, and Causal Vacancy. Of course, there are other reader experiences for which there are no hard-and-fast terms coined.”...
Book Riot, Apr. 11

Take a step toward the future
Laurie Putnam writes: “Brian David Johnson (right) is a futurist—for Intel, which makes computer chips that take years to design, build, and incorporate into everyday objects. When your next product won’t become viable for more than a decade, you have to think forward or you won’t survive. If you were designing a new library that wouldn’t open until 2025, you’d try to learn as much as possible about the world it would serve. Johnson calls this ‘futurecasting’—not predicting the future, but creating a vision of what tomorrow might look like.”...
Next Libraries, Apr. 10

Serving deaf or hard-of-hearing teens
Dena Little writes: “When a teen comes into the department with a guide dog or using a walking cane or wheeling himself in on a wheelchair, we get a pretty clear first impression of that patron’s potential needs and challenges. But what about when it isn’t so obvious? For deaf or hard-of-hearing teens, having their needs met in the library can be a struggle, simply because their needs aren’t initially obvious to us.”...
YALSA Blog, Apr. 15

Misleading bill names spotlighted on new website
Geoff Pender writes: “A new website, misleadinglaws.com, focuses on the misleading names and short titles of legislative bills and acts from Congress, state legislatures, and other countries. It seems that the naming of legislation appears to have become more about marketing than explaining what exactly the law really does.”...
Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger, Apr. 11

National Student Poets celebrate poetry month
At a time when the arts in schools are being cut across the nation, America’s inaugural class of National Student Poets, five teenagers who serve as literary ambassadors for poetry, are spending the month of April spreading the word about their craft. The students were selected by a panel of jurors in 2012 from a pool of outstanding writers, grades 9–11, who received a national Scholastic Art and Writing Award for poetry through the nonprofit Alliance for Young Artists and Writers....
Institute of Museum and Library Services, Apr. 12

Poem in Your Pocket Day
Celebrate national Poem in Your Pocket Day on April 18. Select a poem, carry it with you, and share it with others throughout the day. You can also share your poem selection on Twitter by using the hashtag #pocketpoem. Poems from pockets will be unfolded throughout the day with events in parks, libraries, schools, workplaces, and bookstores. You can find the perfect poem for your pocket by browsing the Poets.org website....
Academy of American Poets

Meet NYPL’s sleeping lions
After a worldwide naming contest, the stone lions snoozing outside the Riverdale branch of the New York Public Library in the Bronx have been officially named: River and Dale in a ceremony that took place April 12. The Riverdale lions, which weigh about 900 pounds each, were moved to the library in January after their previous home, the Loews Regency Hotel on Park Avenue, underwent renovations. James S. Tisch, chief executive officer of Loews, is also a member of the board of the New York Public Library....
New York Times: City Room, Apr. 4, 12

May is Asian American and Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month
May is Asian American and Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Find programming ideas and booklists for children and families at the Talk Story: Sharing Stories, Sharing Culture website. Talk Story is a joint effort of the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association and the American Indian Librarians Association; it is funded by a grant from Toyota Financial Services....
Talk Story, Apr. 3

OCLC and Yelp partner to promote local libraries
Libraries can now increase their visibility online by registering their basic local information with the OCLC Library Spotlight Program. Yelp is one of the first popular web services to partner with OCLC on the free program, which launched April 12. Initial location and contact information is taken from the WorldCat Registry, but libraries can add a variety of data, including pictures and links to services, social content, and collections. The initial phase will focus on US public and academic libraries. Watch the video (2:12)....
OCLC, Apr. 12; YouTube, Apr. 12

Free Pajama Party kits from Bedtime Math
The Bedtime Math Foundation seeks to partner with local public libraries to create a pajama party for children ages 3-9, using kid-appealing games, like DIY Dominoes and Twisted Tangrams, to teach basic math. Kids can show up in their PJs, play games, and take home Bedtime Math party favors. Participating libraries are asked to print the Bedtime Math instruction packet and activity pages for each attendee after ordering the free Pajama Party kit....
Bedtime Math, Apr. 15

Sisters in Crime library lottery is no mystery
Throughout 2013, Sisters in Crime is holding a monthly “We Love Libraries” lottery for US libraries. The grants of $1,000 must be used to purchase books, but are not restricted to the mystery genre. To enter, complete the entry form and upload a photo of one or more library staff with three books in the library collection by Sisters in Crime members, as did the March winner—the San Bernardino County (Calif.) Library System’s Barstow branch (above)....
Sisters in Crime

Aquarium feed enlivens Cesar Chavez Library
The Cesar Chavez Library in Salinas, California, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium are collaborating during National Library Week in a high-quality programming effort. Representatives from the aquarium are on hand to explain about internships, volunteer opportunities, and jobs. Since the library reopened in December, it has had an 80-inch television monitor with a live feed to the aquarium’s Deep Sea Tank. Each day, patrons get to see sharks, tuna, and schools of fish swim past the camera....
SPL News, Mar. 29

USCIS welcomes new citizens at Library of Congress
US Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Alejandro Mayorkas administered the Oath of Allegiance to 25 new citizens April 15 during a special naturalization ceremony at the Library of Congress to celebrate National Library Week. In addition, Mayorkas and Institute of Museum and Library Services Director Susan H. Hildreth announced a partnership to provide immigration and citizenship information at public libraries across the United States....
Institute of Museum and Library Services, Apr. 15

Most Google Reader users check it many times
Laura Hazard Owen writes: “As Digg prepares to launch its own alternative to Google Reader—which is set to shut down on July 1—the site surveyed about 17,000 Google Reader users to find out how they use the RSS service. Digg has gotten 8,000 responses so far, and the company posted some results on its blog. One stat that sticks out is that 80% of respondents check Google Reader “many times a day,” and 40% subscribe to over 100 feeds.”...
paidContent, Apr. 11; GigaOM, Mar. 13–14; Digg Blog, Apr. 11

Consumer health information services survey
You are invited to participate in a research study that is being conducted by Julia M. Esparza and other investigators at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport. The purpose is to identify the types of consumer health information services provided to consumers, patients, their families, and friends. The results may enhance our understanding of the types of services that are available. The survey takes 15–20 minutes to complete and will be open through April 30....
LSU Health Shreveport

Find out about the US House of Representatives
Laura Turner O’Hara writes: “What powers does the Constitution grant the House of Representatives? How many women Members of Congress are from Nebraska? What was the mood on Capitol Hill during the Bonus March? Why are there individual desks in old pictures of the House Chamber? Where can I find House committee records from the Civil War? The answers to these questions and more are on the History, Art, and Archives, US House of Representatives website.”...
In Custodia Legis, Apr. 16

Looking back at the library from 2054
The year is 2054, and an asteroid is heading straight toward the library. Two scientists in a nearby lab are the only ones who know. The scientists part ways—one in an effort to change a destiny written in the cosmos, the other to notify the top government officials. Is the library worth saving? This cartoon sequence, designed by library advocate Bryan Greenland, is brought to you by the Greene County Public Library in Xenia, Ohio....
Greene County (Ohio) Public Library, Apr. 15

Go back to the Top