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The e-newsletter of the American Library Association | January 16, 2013

Solutions & Services

LC Cataloger's Desktop

AL Buyers Guide

American Libraries Online

Maureen SullivanPresident’s Message: What you can do about ebooks and libraries
ALA President Maureen Sullivan (right) writes: “I wanted to share ideas about what you can do to help solve the problem of publishers who will not sell ebooks to libraries. Here are eight steps to start (and continue) the conversation regarding library ebook lending.”...
American Libraries column, Jan./Feb
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Lightbulb on chalkboardExecutive Director’s Message: Reenvisioning ALA
ALA Executive Director Keith Michael Fiels writes: “Over the past few months, the ALA Executive Board has been involved in a range of discussions that reflect some of the more urgent issues facing libraries, and the Association’s strategic priorities. Because the Association, like libraries, must change and evolve to best serve our communities, a series of brainstorming meetings this fall asked both the ALA Executive Board and the division leadership to rethink ALA.”...
American Libraries column, Jan./Feb.

A book vaultUnlocking the riches of HathiTrust
The constitutionality of digital fair use was upheld in October, when US District Court Judge Harold Baer summarily dismissed the Authors Guild’s year-old lawsuit against the HathiTrust library collaborative to block the use of its growing repository of full-text book scans. An appeal is pending. Meantime, blogerati Karen Coyle, Barbara Fister, and James Grimmelmann shared with AL how they see this decision shaping the future of sharing digitally preserved print materials....
American Libraries feature

Wash your hands, suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and PreventionFlu preparedness (updated)
Q. One of our regular library visitors asked what the library’s plan for preventing the spread of the flu is. He has asked whether we wipe down the books daily, or otherwise clean them to prevent transmission. Does ALA have information to help libraries on this subject? A. ALA has not prepared detailed guidelines for a response to seasonal influenza (“flu”), other than as part of general disaster-readiness guidelines. That being said....
AL: Ask the ALA Librarian, Jan. 16

AL Live: Landing your ideal library job
On January 10, we had a phenomenal discussion during Episode 2 of American Libraries Live, “Landing Your Ideal Library Job.” If you weren’t able to attend live, check out the recording. The Q and A during the event was so active that participants requested a way to continue the discussion afterwards. We’ve created a blog post that includes a list of questions from the event and our Twitter feed. You can continue the discussion with our panelists either through the blog comments or Twitter....
American Libraries Live, Jan. 10–11

Credo Reference's Literati interfaceCredo Reference aids Columbia’s writing program
Columbia University’s Undergraduate Writing Program is a first-year seminar-style course that challenges new students to read, write, and think as critically as established academics. Columbia has partnered with Credo Reference on various customizations in the past. In fall 2011, Credo approached Undergraduate Services Librarian Anice Mills and Digital Humanities Librarian Bob Scott to pilot a new project that could enhance the role librarians play in university writing instruction....
AL: Solutions and Services, Jan. 15

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AL Live

ALA News

Screenshot from Maureen Sullivan videoA message to all ALA members
ALA President Maureen Sullivan writes: “As we mark the halfway point of the 2011–2015 ALA Strategic Plan, I am encouraged by where ALA has positioned itself. Though there has not been enough progress with publishers and distributors, ALA has made many contributions to library advocacy. As we head into the 2013 ALA Midwinter Meeting, I thought it would be useful to share highlights from the past year, say something about some next steps, and invite you to join our efforts.” Watch the video version (3:38)....
AL: E-Content, Jan. 15; YouTube, Jan. 15

Camila AlireAlire appointed to National Council on the Humanities
Camila A. Alire (right), ALA president in 2009–2010 and dean emerita at both the University of New Mexico and Colorado State University, was one of three individuals appointed to the National Council on the Humanities. The council is the 26-member advisory body to the National Endowment for the Humanities. The three new appointees were nominated by President Barack Obama in May and June 2012....
National Endowment for the Humanities, Jan. 14

"Don't Forget to Be Awesome @ your library," says John Green's "Reading Is Awesome" posterALA Midwinter Store features new and popular products
Stop by the ALA Store (Booth #1670 in the Exhibit Hall) during Midwinter for new and popular items including posters and bookmarks featuring The Hobbit, Origami Yoda and Darth Paper, and John Green’s Reading Is Awesome (right); and new titles hot off the press such as the long-awaited third edition of Kay Ann Cassell and Uma Hiremath’s Reference and Information Services: An Introduction....
ALA Publishing, Jan. 15

Money Smart Week 2013 logoOrder your 2013 Money Smart Week materials
If you want to purchase bookmarks and posters to participate in Money Smart Week, April 20–27, a national initiative between ALA and the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago to provide financial literacy programming to help patrons better manage their personal finances, ALA needs your order form by February 6. You may view the bookmarks and posters on the 2013 Money Smart Week order form....
ALA Membership Blog, Jan. 10

Sweater vests and reporting challenges go hand in vestJanuary 27 will be Sweater Vest Sunday
Take a stand for the freedom to read (and for fashion) by participating in Sweater Vest Sunday. All day on January 27, help spread the word about the importance of reporting challenges to library materials by wearing a sweater vest to your meetings, lunches, programs, and special events. On site in Seattle, Office for Intellectual Freedom staff and volunteers will pass out stickers and postcards to Midwinter attendees. You can also participate virtually by tweeting photos of yourself in a sweater vest to @oif using the #sweatervestsunday and #alamw13 hashtags....
Office for Intellectual Freedom, Jan. 10

Spotlight on Adult Literature
United for Libraries, along with Conference Services, will sponsor a Spotlight on Adult Literature (PDF file) on January 26 in the Exhibit Hall at the 2013 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Seattle. Participating publishers will host book and galley giveaways and author signings....
United for Libraries, Jan. 15

Book display at the Citizenship Corner in the Los Angeles Public LibraryEngage with USCIS at Midwinter
Mary Herrmann, chief of the Public Engagement division of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, will facilitate a discussion on digital access to immigration resources and benefits on January 27 at the 2013 Midwinter Meeting in Seattle. The hour-long session will be an opportunity for attendees to discuss potential citizenship-education partnerships between USCIS and public libraries....
OLOS Columns, Jan. 11

Walk the Exhibit Hall like a pro
The Exhibit Hall at an ALA Midwinter Meeting can be overwhelming, especially if it’s your first time at an ALA conference. Here are some tips on how to handle the exhibits like a pro....
YALSA Blog, Feb. 21, 2012

ALA 2013 Annual Conference logoAnnual Conference registration and housing now open
Key issues that will be covered at 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, June 27–July 2, will include digital content and ebooks, technology in libraries, innovation, books and authors, transformation, leadership, library advocacy, community engagement, and library marketing. Visit the 2013 ALA Annual Conference website to register and reserve housing....
Conference Services, Jan. 15

Program proposals for the 2013 Virtual Conference
Have you launched a new project that has transformed service at your library? The 2013 ALA Virtual Conference will focus on important issues for “Mapping Transformation” on July 24–25, and you can be part of it. Submit your proposal for an engaging 45-minute program by the end of the day on February 17....
Conference Services, Jan. 10

Image from Muslim JourneysSites will receive “Muslim Journeys” bookshelf
The National Endowment for the Humanities, in collaboration with the ALA Public Programs Office, announced that 840 sites nationwide will receive a copy of the “Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys.” Sites have been selected in all 50 states, D.C., and the US Virgin Islands, including 545 public libraries, 259 academic and community college libraries, and 36 state humanities councils. These sites may now apply online through March 29 for a $4,500 programming grant that will be awarded to 125 of them....
Public Programs Office, Jan. 10, 15

Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.)Congressman objects to NEH “Muslim books” grant
“It makes zero sense for the US government to borrow money from China in order to promote the culture of Islamic civilizations,” Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C., right) stated January 10 regarding Craven Community College in New Bern receiving a “Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys” grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. In a letter (PDF file) to the college’s board of trustees, he recommended “equal exposure to resources that deepen the public’s understanding of Christianity and America’s rich Judeo-Christian heritage.”...
Office of Congressman Walter Jones, Jan. 10

News Know-how logoNews Know-how library winners named
Three public libraries have been selected to receive more than $50,000 in training and support under the News Know-how initiative that helps 10th–12th graders learn skills that will help them distinguish fact from opinion, check news and information sources, and distinguish between propaganda and news. The winners are: San Antonio (Tex.) Public Library System, San José (Calif.) Public Library, and Iowa Library Services/State Library of Iowa....
Office for Intellectual Freedom, Jan. 14

Ebooks eCourse with Mirela RoncevicEbooks: What librarians need to know
ALA Editions has launched a new facilitated eCourse, “Ebooks: What Librarians Need to Know Now and for the Future,” with Mirela Roncevic. This four-week eCourse wiill begin on March 4. Roncevic will give you the foundation you need to make ebooks work for your library, exploring issues ranging from file formats to delivery mechanisms and lending policies and what they mean for libraries both now and in the future. Registration can be purchased at the ALA Store....
ALA Editions, Jan. 11

Two popular eCourses return
ALA Editions has announced new sessions of two popular eCourses on building websites in WordPress and Drupal. Amanda Goodman and Polly-Alida Farrington will serve as instructors for a six-week facilitated eCourse, “Using WordPress to Build Library Websites,” starting on March 6. And Ken Varnum will serve as the instructor for the six-week facilitated eCourse, “Using Drupal to Build Library Websites,” also starting on March 6....
ALA Editions, Jan. 11

Learn how to plan and prepare for RDA
A new session of the facilitated e-course “Planning and Preparing for RDA” will begin April 1. It will be taught by Magda El-Sherbini of Ohio State University Libraries, who was an active participant in development of the RDA instructions....
ALA Editions, Jan. 15

Cover of Managing in the MiddleHow to manage Managing in the Middle
Fully a third of all library supervisors report to top-level managers while managing teams of peers or paraprofessional staff in some capacity. Editors Robert Farrell and Kenneth Schlesinger present a practical guidebook for those supervisors with Managing in the Middle, which assists middle managers as they navigate through the challenges of multitasking and continual gear-shifting....
ALA Editions, Jan. 14

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Booklist Online banner

Booklist Online logo

Cover of The Twelve Tribes of HattieFeatured review: Adult fiction
Mathis, Ayana. The Twelve Tribes of Hattie. Jan. 2013. 256p. Knopf, hardcover (978-0-307-95942-3).
This was not the life that smart and lovely Hattie expected to live after fleeing Jim Crow Georgia in 1923 and settling in Philadelphia. Two years later, married (at 16) to an irresponsible man, she is poor, cold, hungry, and desperate as her twin babies sicken with pneumonia. Writing with stunning authority, clarity, and courage, debut novelist Mathis pivots forward in time, spotlighting intensely dramatic episodes in the lives of Hattie’s nine subsequent children (and one grandchild to make the “12 tribes”), galvanizing crises that expose the crushed dreams and anguished legacy of the Great Migration. Mathis writes with blazing insight into the complexities of sexuality, marriage, family relationships, backbone, fraudulence, and racism in a molten novel of lives racked with suffering yet suffused with beauty....

Screenshot of author Ayana Mathis being interviewed by Oprah Winfrey, who selected Twelve Tribes of Hattie for the Oprah Book Club. Viewing bonus: Watch (1:11) Ayana Mathis (on the left), whose Twelve Tribes of Hattie was selected for the Oprah Book Club 2.0, single out as her favorite book review (above) that of Booklist Senior Editor Donna Seaman for the turn of phrase “complexities of . . . backbone.”

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

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Midwinter Meeting 2013

Seattle Update

Seattle's light railGetting around town
Buses are $2.25 a trip, $2.50 during peak commute hours: exact change only, pay when you enter. New since ALA was last in Seattle, light rail currently links downtown with SeaTac Airport. The trip takes 40–60 minutes and costs $2.75. As with all public transit, plan for extra travel time. The last stop downtown, Westlake Center, is located only a couple blocks away from the Convention Center. Taxis have a $40 flat rate in effect for trips to and from the Downtown Seattle hotel district and SeaTac Airport. If you are walking, beware steep hills two blocks east of the Convention Center....
YALSA Midwinter wiki

Seattle's districtsSeattle’s districts
Seattleites usually describe Seattle locations in terms of “neighborhoods.” This is partly because of a potentially confusing system of street addresses. The breakdown into neighborhoods is informal and mutates over time, and while there are often signs on major arterial roads to let you know that you are entering a particular neighborhood, the placement of these signs is arbitrary. See the map (right) of Seattle districts on the new Wikivoyage Seattle page, which offers other destination tips....
Wikivoyage

Archie McPhee storefrontArchie McPhee
Archie McPhee is a Seattle-based novelty store that opened in 1983. The company’s line has expanded from rubber chickens to glow-in-the-dark aliens, bacon-scented air freshener, and hula-girl swizzle sticks. Its kitsch appeal received national attention with the Librarian Action Figure in 2003, a hard-plastic doll modeled after Seattle librarian Nancy Pearl with “amazing push-button shushing action.” The store remains a popular countercultural tourist destination and is currently located at 1300 N. 45th Street in the Wallingford neighborhood....
Archie McPhee; Wikipedia

Volunteer Park Water Tower (the "poor man's Space Needle"). Photo by Lolia S.Volunteer Park
Located in the Capitol Hill area, Volunteer Park includes a conservatory completed in 1912; a water tower (right) with an observation deck (106 steps to the top), built by the Water Department in 1906; a fenced-off reservoir; the dramatic Art Deco building of the Seattle Asian Art Museum; a statue of Secretary of State William H. Seward; and a sculpture by Isamu Noguchi, Black Sun (colloquially referred to as “The Doughnut”), around which a scenic view of the Seattle skyline, prominently featuring the Space Needle, can be seen....
Wikipedia

Bruce and Brandon Lee gravesite. Photo by Trip AdvisorBruce Lee’s gravesite
Martial arts star Bruce Lee is buried in the Capitol Hill Cemetery, just north of Volunteer Park, at 1554 15th Avenue East. His son Brandon is right beside him. The gravesite is near a flagpole towards the top of the hill behind a large heart-shaped tombstone. In addition, the view of the Cascades on a clear day is photo-worthy....
Trip Advisor

Grizzly bear, up close at the Woodland Park ZooWoodland Park Zoo
For more than 110 years, Woodland Park Zoo has been a cherished community resource and a unique urban oasis in Seattle’s Phinney Ridge neighborhood. The zoo manages the largest live animal collection in Washington State, with 1,000 animals, representing more than 300 species. Daily activities include penguin feeding, bird feeding, and behind-the-scenes tours. From downtown, take Metro Transit #5 northbound to the zoo’s West Entrance at Phinney Avenue N. and N. 55th Street....
Woodland Park Zoo

Klondike Park in the Cadillac HotelKlondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
The Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park is mostly in Skagway, Alaska, but there is a visitor’s center in Seattle in the Pioneer Square Historic District. It functions as an interpretive center and museum and is located in the Cadillac Hotel at 319 Second Avenue South. The Cadillac Hotel building was a major point of outfitting and departure during the gold rush stampede in 1897–1898....
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park

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Division News

Jonathan KozolJonathan Kozol to keynote AASL program at Annual
Best-selling author and student advocate Jonathan Kozol (right) will speak during the AASL President’s Program at the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. Kozol has devoted his life to the challenge of providing equal opportunity to every student in the nation’s public schools, and won the 1968 National Book Award in Science, Philosophy, and Religion for Death at an Early Age, which chronicled his first year of teaching. The AASL website has more information on the division’s lineup for Annual....
AASL, Jan. 15

PLA 2014 Conference logoProposals welcome for 2014 PLA National Conference
PLA is now accepting preconference, program, and ConverStation proposals for the PLA 2014 Conference, to be held March 11–15, in Indianapolis. Broad session topics include: administration/management, collections/tech services, facilities, leadership, marketing/advocacy, serving adults, serving youth, staffing, and technology. Proposals are only being accepted online....
PLA, Jan. 15

Apply to host a scholarly communication workshop
ACRL will take its popular scholarly communications workshop on the road to five locations in 2013. The day-long workshop, “Scholarly Communication: From Understanding to Engagement,” is led by two expert presenters at locations across the country. This year, the ACRL-subsidized workshop will focus on themes of access, emerging opportunities, intellectual property, and engagement. The host application deadline is February 5....
ACRL, Jan. 14

Cover of January College & Research LibrariesC&RL moves to online-only publishing
College & Research Libraries, ACRL’s official scholarly research journal, will adopt an online-only publication model beginning in January 2014. The November 2013 issue will be the final print issue of the journal. C&RL is freely available as an open-access online publication. The decision was the result of thoughtful study undertaken with input from a survey of the ACRL membership....
ACRL Insider, Jan. 14

2011 Academic Library Trends and StatisticsAcademic library trends and statistics, 2011
ACRL has published 2011 Academic Library Trends and Statistics, the latest in a series of annual publications that describe the collections, staffing, expenditures and service activities of academic libraries in all Carnegie classifications. The three-volume set includes Associate of Arts institutions, Master’s Colleges and Universities or Baccalaureate Colleges, and Research or Doctoral-granting Institutions....
ACRL, Jan. 15

New faculty status guidelines from AAUP/ACRL
The American Association of University Professors has updated guidelines for librarians to reflect their changing roles as teachers and researchers. The Joint Statement on Faculty Status of College and University Librarians now includes language on technology in the library and recommends that institutions adequately compensate librarians for the 12-month cycles in which they typically work. The new statement was approved by the ACRL board of directors in October 2012....
Inside Higher Ed, Jan. 14; ACRL

Cover of Library Resources and Technical ServicesALCTS needs authors
ALCTS seeks authors for its publications. These include the peer-reviewed journal Library Resources & Technical Services (right), ALCTS Monographs (formerly Paper Series), ALCTS Newsletter Online, and z687: Creating the Future of Technical Services. The ALCTS Publications Committee has compiled a list of topics for potential publication....
ALCTS, Jan. 15

Nuts and bolts for Friends and trustees
United for Libraries will present “Nuts and Bolts for Friends and Trustees” on January 25 during the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Seattle. The popular program will feature speakers addressing topics of interest to Friends, trustees, and advocates, including effective communication, board development, advocacy, and organizing author events at your library. Those planning to attend should RSVP....
United for Libraries, Jan. 10

Thomas PerryThomas Perry and others at the Gala Author Tea
United for Libraries will host the Gala Author Tea, sponsored by ReferenceUSA, on January 28 at the 2013 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Seattle. Featured authors will be J. A. Jance, Erica Bauermeister, Roger Hobbs, Amanda Hocking, Phillip Margolin, and Thomas Perry (right). Register through the Midwinter Meeting registration page....
United for Libraries

Workbook on School Librarian EvaluationPrepare for school librarian evaluations
Writer Patricia Owen will discuss AASL’s newest publication, A 21st-Century Approach to School Librarian Evaluation, in a January 31 webinar. Owen will walk participants through the workbook’s suggested readings, action tips, and evidence collection to help school librarians engage in rigorous self-evaluation. Register on eCollab....
AASL, Jan. 15

30 Second Thought Leadership logoPodcasts on graphic novels
AASL presents its newest set of podcasts in the 30 Second Thought Leadership: Insights from Leaders in the School Library Community series. The newly released set focuses on the January/February 2013 Knowledge Quest issue, “Getting to Know Graphic Novels,” and explores the question, “How can school librarians convince naysayers of the value of graphic novels and convert them to yaysayers?”...
AASL, Jan. 11

John RoccoJoin John Rocco at Caldecott Medal Facebook Forum
John Rocco (right) will participate in a Caldecott 75th Anniversary Facebook Forum on March 6. Rocco won a Caldecott Honor in 2012 for his picture book Blackout (Disney-Hyperion). To participate in the free event, access ALSC’s Facebook page....
ALSC, Jan. 14

Explore the “secrets” of the Printz Award
Join YALSA for an exploration of the Printz award, its origins, history, criteria, and its past and present winners in a new online course, “Secrets of the Seal: The Michael L. Printz Award.” Taught by Brenna Shanks, teen materials selector at the King County (Wash.) Library System, the course will include ideas for book talking the Printz books and how to build programming around them. Registration is open for the self-paced course, which begins February 4....
YALSA, Jan. 14

CEUs now available for ASCLA e-course
ASCLA is now offering 1.2 Continuing Education Units to participants who complete all coursework for “Improving Library Services for People with Disabilities,” an online course that aligns with one of the division’s core values: access to library services and information for all. The course begins February 18....
ASCLA, Jan. 15

LITA offers two web courses in February
“Getting Started with GIS,” presented by Eva Dodsworth, will provide participants with an introduction to the both online and desktop GIS currently being used. The three-week course will run February 11–March 4. “Inclusive Gigabit Libraries” will help libraries identify ways to lead in building next-generation internet applications and services. It consists of two, two-hour live lectures on February 21–22. Visit the LITA website for registration and additional information on both courses....
LITA, Jan. 15

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Awards & Grants

Notable Books, Outstanding Reference Sources to be unveiled at Midwinter
RUSA will unveil the winners of its annual adult reading and reference awards on January 27 during the 2013 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Seattle. The awards include the Notable Books List for fiction, nonfiction and poetry, the Reading List for top genre fiction, the Listen List: Outstanding Audiobook Narration, and the Outstanding Reference Sources List. The winners will be announced at the Midwinter Book and Media Awards Reception sponsored by NoveList....
RUSA, Jan. 15

AASL 16th National Conference, Hartford, ConnecticutTravel grants for AASL conference
AASL is offering 30 grants for travel to its 16th National Conference and Exhibition, to be held November 14–17, 2013, in Hartford, Connecticut. The $750 grants for first-time attendees of the conference are sponsored by Bound To Stay Bound Books. Those interested in applying can access the application online. The deadline to apply is March 11....
AASL, Jan. 15

2013 “American Dream” grant recipients named
ALA has selected 44 public libraries in 21 states to receive one-time grants of $5,000–$15,000 to add or expand literacy services to adult English-language learners in their communities through the “American Dream Starts @ your library” grant funded by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation....
Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, Jan. 15

Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard (left) presented the Leadership in Diversity Award to Jackie Nytes, Indianapolis Public Library CEOLeadership in Diversity Award
The Indianapolis Public Library has received Mayor Greg Ballard’s Leadership in Diversity Award for excelling in strategies that support diversity. The award was presented on January 8. The library was cited for its long, rich history of recognizing and responding to cultural change, as well as taking a proactive approach to the community’s ever-changing population....
Inside Indiana Business, Jan. 9

USBBY Bridge to Understanding Award
The Bridge to Understanding Award acknowledges the work of adults who create programs that use children´s books to explore cultures around the world in order to promote international understanding among children. The United States Board on Books for Young People is seeking applicants for the 2013 Bridge to Understanding Award. To be considered, a program must have occurred in 2012. The deadline for submissions (PDF file) is January 31....
United States Board on Books for Young People, Jan. 14

Big Read logoApply for a Big Read grant
The Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. Managed by Arts Midwest, The Big Read provides competitive grants to support innovative reading programs in selected communities. Approximately 75 organizations in communities of varying sizes across the country will be selected to participate in The Big Read from September 2013 through June 2014. The application deadline is February 5....
National Endowment for the Arts

Cover of Each Kindness2013 Charlotte Zolotow Award
Jacqueline Woodson’s Each Kindness (Putnam, 2012), illustrated by E. B. Lewis, was named the 2013 wniner of the Charlotte Zolotow Award, given annually for outstanding writing in a picture book published in the United States in the preceding year. Established in 1998 by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, the award is named after a distinguished children’s book editor who worked for 38 years with Harper Junior Books....
Cooperative Children’s Book Center

Cover of Stag's LeapSharon Olds wins T. S. Eliot Prize for Poetry
Sharon Olds has won the 2012 T. S. Eliot Prize for Poetry of £15,000 ($24,077 US) for the best new collection published in the UK and Ireland. Her winning book is Stag’s Leap, a series of poems that describe the sharp grief of divorce and the slow, painful, incremental creep of recovery. Olds is the first American woman to win the T. S. Eliiot Prize, which is administered by the Poetry Book Society....
The Guardian (UK), Jan. 14; Poetry Book Society, Jan. 15

2012 National Jewish Book Awards
The Jewish Book Council has named the three-volume City of Promises: A History of the Jews of New York, with a Visual Essay by Diana L. Linden, edited by Deborah Dash Moore, as the 2012 Everett Family Foundation Jewish Book of the Year. Altogether, JBC announced more than a dozen literary awards....
Jewish Book Council, Jan. 15

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Libraries in the News

Yes for Spokane Libraries campaignEveryLibrary backs tax levy for Spokane libraries
EveryLibrary, the first national Political Action Committee for libraries, announced its support January 14 for the library community in Spokane, Washington, as it campaigns for Proposition 3, a library levy on the February 12 mail-in ballot. The measure would dedicate much-needed funds to the daily operations of the city’s main library and its branches. EveryLibrary pledged $5,000 in financial support to the “Yes for Spokane Libraries” committee for voter education and get-out-the-vote activities....
EveryLibrary, Jan. 14

Cover of In Our Mothers' HousePolacco book goes back on the Utah school shelves
A children’s book about a family with lesbian mothers is back on Davis (Utah) School District library shelves more than eight months after a committee first decided to restrict access to it. The district reinstated the book, In Our Mothers’ House by Patricia Polacco, in four school libraries January 14 in response to a lawsuit over the issue filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Utah in November on behalf of a Kaysville parent. Now children may check out the book without parental permission, although parents can override that. The Freedom to Read Foundation issued a statement on the outcome....
Salt Lake Tribune, Jan. 14; The FTRF Blog, Jan. 15

Cover of When It HappensChallenge fails in Effingham
A book challenged at the January board meeting of the Helen Matthes Library in Effingham, Illinois, will not be moved out of the teen section anytime soon. Rosina Esker of Teutopolis requested that When It Happens by Susane Colastani be moved out of the teen section for content that is too explicit for the age group. But the board agreed to keep the book in place....
Effingham (Ill.) Daily News, Jan. 15

Rural Librarians Unite protest at the St. Johnsbury (Vt.) Athenaeum Library. Screenshot from WCAX-TV newscastProtest over St. Johnsbury layoffs
A large crowd gathered January 12 to speak out against the decision to lay off 11 employees at the St. Johnsbury (Vt.) Athenaeum Library. Rural Librarians Unite, organized in part in response to the layoffs, rallied Vermonters to speak out against the Athenaeum board of trustees and join hand-in-hand, hugging the building. Trustee Bill Marshall said there were concrete reasons for the decision. While the layoffs are not in effect until February 1, protesters hope the board will reconsider....
WCAX-TV, Burlington, Vt., Jan. 12

Workers sue Anne Arundel library system
After a year of failed talks between the NAACP and Anne Arundel County (Md.) Public Library over claims of workplace discrimination, the first of two lawsuits is set to go to trial on January 29. Three African-American men sued in May 2012, claiming they were denied promotions because of their race. Executive Director Skip Auld said that since the talks were held, the libraries have worked diligently to make diversity a key component in daily operations....
Annapolis Maryland Gazette, Jan. 15

Eyebeam digital media salvaged from Sandy floodingHow archivists salvaged digital art from Hurricane Sandy floods
Joshua Kopstein writes: “Hard-drive crashes and corrupted files repeatedly instruct us on the importance of keeping media backups. But when data loss looms as the result of massive physical damage from a major natural disaster, finding better ways to digitally archive our history suddenly becomes a moral imperative. In Manhattan, nonprofit art and technology lab Eyebeam’s space became completely submerged, leaving its archive to drown in three feet of floodwater.”...
The Verge, Jan. 15

Brooklyn branches slowly recover from Sandy
Brooklyn’s library branches are slowly returning to Sandy-ravaged neighborhoods, with the longest waits stretching close to 2014. The Sheepshead Bay branch reopened January 15 after a massive cleanup, but the water damage in the Coney Island branch was so severe it will be nearly a year before it reopens. Residents can check out the Brighton Beach branch on January 22 and the Gravesend branch on January 28....
New York Daily News, Jan. 14

Scholastic President Greg Worrell. Screenshot from WCBS-TV newscastScholastic donates books to Sandy-damaged school libraries
More than two months after Superstorm Sandy, most children have returned to their damaged schools, many of them no longer with adequate libraries. So publishing giant Scholastic has decided to help replace the collections by donating 1 million books to schools and libraries that suffered damage during the storm. The first school to receive delivery of 7,000 new books was Our Lady of Czestochowa School in Jersey City....
WCBS-TV, New York City, Jan. 8

Books Heal Hearts logoGrief books overwhelm Newtown library
Four days after a gunman killed 20 schoolchildren and six others inside Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, boxes of books showed up at the public library. Staff at the Cyrenius H. Booth Library accepted 620 copies of Ellen Sabin’s The Healing Book from a life-insurance manager at Aetna headquarters in Hartford. The library staff didn’t know at the time that his donation would be only the first in a flood of donated grief-counseling books, numbering in the thousands. Children’s librarian Alana Bennison created the “Books Heal Hearts” project, where all donated books are given away free of cost to the community....
Religion News Service, Jan. 10

Former Uniontown staffer sues library, director
A former Uniontown (Pa.) Public Library employee has filed a federal lawsuit against the library and its director, alleging political discrimination and violation of the state whistleblower act. A Pittsburgh attorney filed the suit against Lynne Santoliquido Singer Tharan on January 14 on behalf of Vicki Leonelli of Uniontown. The suit claims Tharan brought her Republican politics, her political views, and prejudices to the library....
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Jan. 16

Boulder library reconsiders children-under-12 rule
Boulder (Colo.) Public Library officials have walked back a policy change that would have barred children under the age of 12 from the city’s libraries unless they were with a parent. Parents of older children who had been using the libraries on their own for years objected to the new policy. On January 8, the library commission voted unanimously to replace the rule with wording that says children in need of supervision must be accompanied by a parent....
Boulder (Colo.) Daily Camera, Jan. 8

Portrait of Barack Obama by Steve MusgraveObama portrait presented to Chicago Public Library
A painting of President Barack Obama was presented to the Chicago Public Library January 15 as part of the city’s celebration that his political roots began here. Along with featuring Obama, it showcases the connections to his work on the South Side before he entered politics. Library Commissioner Brian Bannon and artist Steve Musgrave presented the portrait at the West Pullman branch, where the portrait will hang....
Crain’s Chicago Business, Jan. 15

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington (right) joins Carnegie Corporation of New York President Vartan Gregorian, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, and US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at the January 10 presentation to President Karzai of a framed copy of a rare Afghan manuscript from LC’s collectionLC donates digitized treasures to Afghanistan
In a January 10 ceremony (right) at the US State Department with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, joined by Librarian of Congress James H. Billington and Carnegie Corporation of New York President Vartan Gregorian, announced the gift of a collection of digitized treasures from the holdings of the Library of Congress relating to the culture and history of Afghanistan to libraries and universities in Afghanistan. The gift was made possible by a $2 million grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York in support of the World Digital Library, a cooperative international project led by the Library of Congress....
Library of Congress, Jan. 10

Alan Lowe, director of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and MuseumBush Library unpacks after recent move
Boxes of papers and artifacts from former President George W. Bush’s archives are moving from their temporary home in Lewisville, Texas, to the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, which is slated to open this spring on the campus of Southern Methodist University in University Park, an inner suburb of Dallas. Director Alan Lowe (right) offers some details (0:58)....
Associated Press, Jan. 15; Dallas Morning News, Jan. 14

Artist's conception of the Bexar County all-digital libraryBexar County officials excited about all-digital branch
Elected officials, including school board members, are hailing the January 15 approval of an all-new digital library in Bexar County, Texas, that would provide free electronic access to thousands of ebooks starting this fall. Called the BiblioTech, the county expects to pay $250,000 for the first 10,000 titles, although the plan calls for dealing with ILS vendors like Polaris Library Systems and 3M rather than with publishers. The library, which would apparently be unaffiliated with the San Antonio Public Library, will also lend out e-readers (no brand named). The prototype is to be housed in an existing county building in San Antonio....
San Antonio (Tex.) Express-News, Jan. 11, 15; Information Week, Jan. 15

Case worker based in Tulsa library
A case worker from Family and Children’s Services will be on hand at Tulsa (Okla.) City-County Library’s Central branch in an effort to assist the homeless and indigent who visit the downtown location. Yvonne Woodfin, a case manager with the agency’s homeless outreach team, works four hours a day, five days a week out of the library helping anyone who comes in with questions about community resources....
Tulsa (Okla.) World, Jan. 14

Saugus staffer sentenced for stealing
Linda Duffy, a former Saugus (Mass.) Public Library administrative assistant convicted of stealing more than $850,000 intended for the library, was sentenced January 10 to five years in prison for her actions. US District Court Judge Douglas Woodlock also directed Duffy to make restitution totaling $965,742 to the town of Saugus for the thefts. In October, Duffy pleaded guilty to four counts of mail fraud, 10 counts of money laundering, and aggravated identity theft....
Saugus (Mass.) Advertiser, Jan. 10

Library at the Capitol Hill HotelMore hotels are featuring libraries
The newly revamped Art Deco–style Capitol Hill Hotel near the Library of Congress recently converted its old management offices into a library (right). It’s not fancy or particularly extensive, but book lovers and history buffs might like to sit on the tufted couch to flip through classics or old law books. Hotels in New York, Dallas, Chicago, London, Philadelphia, and even a Caribbean resort are increasingly making books a vital part of their atmosphere....
USA Today, Jan. 11

UK could lose 300 more libraries in 2013
Library campaigners are forecasting a grim 2013 in the UK, predicting that 300 libraries could close or be lost from local authority control in the next 12 months. 2012 saw 200 libraries shut, but Chartered Institute for Library and Information Professionals President Phil Bradley thinks this year could be even bleaker. However, he said there were bright spots, with a possible increase in e-lending boosting reading and book buying....
The Bookseller, Jan. 13

One of the mobile libraries in Taipei City, Taiwan. Photo courtesy of Taipei City governmentTaipei City will expand movable library service
The Taipei City Government plans to expand its “movable library” program, through which 10,712 loans have taken place since the program’s launch December 3. The government plans to place more bookshelves on public buses and to add them to trains and train stations so more passengers can borrow books. The program already provides books on 62 city buses, and allows passengers to borrow them without a library card. People can return the books on the bus or at any of the city’s public library branches....
Taipei (Taiwan) Times, Jan. 11; Taipei City government, Dec. 4

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Issues

The growing scholarly digital divide: In memoriam, Aaron Swartz
Jonathan Rochkind writes: “The digital revolution, which could make access to the world’s information universal, is instead widening the access gap between the information haves and have-nots. Aaron Swartz shared the presumed values of libraries on open access. In January 2011, he was arrested for setting up a system to bulk download as much of the well-regarded JSTOR aggregator’s content as he could get. I know that few other libraries or librarians were standing with Swartz, and we all should have been, and we largely did not, and it’s a shame. On January 11, 2013, he killed himself.”...
Bibliographic Wilderness, Jan. 13

Screernshot from Buffy vs. Edward remix by Jonathan McIntoshModel fair-use video removed by Lionsgate in YouTube fail
Jonathan McIntosh writes: “It has been three and a half years since I first uploaded my remix video ‘Buffy vs Edward: Twilight Remixed’ to YouTube. The work is an example of fair-use, transformative storytelling that serves as a visual critique of gender roles and representations in modern pop culture vampire media.” Then, on October 9, Lionsgate struck. Although it was reinstated January 10, here is what McIntosh has had to go through since. There is also a popup version....
Ars Technica, Jan. 9; rebelliouspixels

Copyright Office seeks comments on orphan works
The Library Copyright Alliance (LCA) (whose members are ALA, the Association of Research Libraries, and ACRL) filed comments (PDF file) with the US Copyright Office on January 14 in response to its October 22, 2012, Notice of Inquiry about the current state of play with orphan works and mass digitization. LCA encourages librarians and libraries to submit comments as well by February 4....
District Dispatch, Jan. 14

Don’t blame video games for real-world violence
Christopher J. Ferguson writes: “After the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting, the scientific community generally remained responsible in not rushing to claim links between video games and the shooting. Not so after the awful Sandy Hook event this past December. Even though we know little yet about Adam Lanza’s media use, and despite an absence of research linking video-game violence to societal violence or mass shootings, a number of scholars have drawn direct links between video games and the Sandy Hook event specifically.”...
Chronicle of Higher Education: The Conversation, Jan. 10

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Tech Talk

Drexel University's laptop dispenserDrexel library dispenses laptops by vending machine
Jake New writes: “The new vending machine in Drexel University’s main library doesn’t dispense soda or study-time snacks. This kiosk lends out 15-inch MacBooks free, with the swipe of a Drexel ID card. Danuta A. Nitecki, the university’s dean of libraries, said the administration was already talking about expanding laptop access in its libraries, particularly late at night.”...
Chronicle of Higher Education: The Wired Campus, Jan. 14

Seven qualities of effective technology trainers
Doug Johnson writes: “Most teachers see technology as a sometimes helpful thing that should occupy about 1% of one’s conscious thinking time. Good trainers who can remember what it was like before there were computers tend to be more empathetic. Here are some attributes of people who can effectively teach others to use technology.”...
The Blue Skunk Blog, Jan. 16

Contacts+ logoFive apps for actually staying in touch
Ki Mae Huessner writes: “As the number of contacts we amass through social networking grows, several apps have popped up claiming to bring the address book up to speed with the rest of our digitally connected lives. Until now, I’ve resisted. But one of my New Year’s resolutions is to be a better correspondent, including with pals from years gone by whom I only see on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. So, I’m finally giving a few of these address-books-on-steroids a try. Here are some notes on what I’ve learned so far.”...
GigaOM, Jan. 12

You can't avoid the occasional 404 not found page, but you can customize how your browser displays it to soften the blow.Six types of page-loading errors and what they mean
Chris Hoffman writes: “You’re guaranteed to stumble into an occasional error page while browsing the web. This guide will help you understand exactly what each error page means and what to do when you see them. Each browser displays and words its error pages differently. A certificate error or malware warning looks different in each browser, but the different categories of error pages mean the same thing.”...
How-To Geek, Jan. 13

Typhoon Upload demo videoThe best free ways to send and share large files
Lori Kaufman writes: “Last week, we published a list of websites for sharing photos other than Facebook. Of course, you can also share your photos by emailing them, but many email services impose a limit on the size of files you can send. For example, TyphoonUpload allows you to quickly and easily send files up to 2GB in size without the hassle of email attachments or the burden of FTP.”...
How-To Geek, Jan. 5, 12

File-naming conventions
Meghan Frazer writes: “As a curator and a coder, I know it is important to employ a consistent approach when naming digital files or software components such as modules or variables. However, when a student assistant asked me recently why it was important not to use spaces in our image file names, I struggled to come up with an answer. So I set out to answer this question and to see if I could develop an ‘elevator pitch’—a short spiel on the reasoning behind file-naming conventions.”...
ACRL TechConnect Blog, Jan. 14

Sony Xperia Z waterproof Android phone10 new gadgets you can’t live without
Julia Pugachevsky writes: “At the Consumer Electronics Show, consumers were introduced to an assortment of new and exciting products, ranging from Razer Edge, a PC-gaming tablet, to Fitbit Flex, a comfortable rubber bracelet that helps you track your fitness goals. While these are all great, there are a lot of new gadgets that seem more like necessities. Here are our top 10 technological picks. Like this waterproof Android phone.”...
Flavorwire, Jan. 15; Mashable, Jan. 7

Webroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus 2013Best antivirus software for 2013
Neil J. Rubenking writes: “The antivirus field is huge; I currently track more than 40 products. In a field that big, there’s room for multiple winners. Three products share the Editor’s Choice honor for best overall antivirus: Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2013, Norton Antivirus (2013), and Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus 2013. Webroot tied for top score in my malware removal test, with 6.6 points. Bitdefender, with 6.4 points, wasn’t far behind.”...
PC Magazine, Jan. 10

Codecademy teaches coders to build with APIs
With 10 partners, including YouTube, NPR, SoundCloud, Bitly, and the Sunlight Foundation, Codecademy is launching a new track of lessons on using APIs to help students create projects and websites that have real-world, concrete applications. Wannabe programmers can plug into the APIs of several popular websites and services to build apps around YouTube videos, NPR newscasts, and congressional records....
GigaOM, Jan. 9

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E-Content

Wordcloud from 2009 IMLS report, Opportunity for AllWhy public libraries matter: And how they can do more
David Vinjamuri writes: “From one standpoint, public libraries seem like a small thorn in the side of embattled publishers. They account for a small percentage of book sales, but bleed off more sales by lending bestsellers promiscuously. Publishers, anxious to discover the next Fifty Shades or Hunger Games, have little time for their nattering and would prefer that the current fight over ebook pricing quietly disappear. But there is another side to public libraries in America: They are dynamic, versatile community centers.”...
Forbes, Jan. 16

Why do ebooks cost so much?
Stacy Johnson writes: “The lion’s share of the retail price of a book, whether in digital or physical form, is going to the publisher. And what’s good news for him is bad news for you. But the publishing industry—the gatekeeper between writers and readers—is collapsing under its own weight. I no longer need to surrender up to 90% of the price of a book to the publisher. Today I can self-publish an ebook, put it on Amazon, spread the word on the web, and price it however I like. And I’m about to do exactly that.”...
Christian Science Monitor, Jan. 12

Cover of Scholastic's Kids & Family Reading ReportMost kids have never read an ebook
Scholastic released its biannual report on children and reading January 14. The Kids & Family Reading Report (PDF file), conducted in partnership with the Harrison Group in fall 2012, surveyed 1,048 US children ages 6 to 17 and their parents about their families’ reading habits. Among the findings: 54% of children have never read an ebook, although many of these—especially 57% of the girls—want to, and about half also claim they’d read more for fun if they had more access to ebooks....
paidContent, Jan. 14

Ebook statistics are hard to interpret
Mike Shatzkin writes: “Stats are often hard to interpret in our business. The reported data comes after the fact (you can’t report things before they happen) and is often aggregated in ways that don’t tell us what we really need to know. So I tried an exercise last week of asking a few agents for their impressions of the evolving ebook marketplace. Here is the picture I got from nine smart and well-informed agents.”...
The Shatzkin Files, Jan. 13

Smashwords Style Guide, by Mark CokerFree ebook formatting guides for writers
Jason Boog writes: “As self-published authors enter the ebook market, formatting has become more important than ever. Indie authors don’t have the same support as a major publisher, so we’ve assembled a list linking to formatting guides for all the major ebookstores. Follow the links below to access these free style guides.”...
GalleyCat, Jan. 15

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2013 Midwinter Meeting logo

ALA Midwinter Meeting, Seattle, January 25–29. The Exhibits alone make Midwinter worth the trip! Explore solutions, connect with more than 400 vendors, examine and choose new products and services, meet dozens of authors, and enjoy live events like Meet the Authors and PopTop Stage. The Grand opening reception is on Friday, 5:30–7:00 p.m., and Wrap Up/Rev Up is on Monday (including the 501st Legion storm troopers).


Innovative Interfaces Sierra III


Urban Libraries Council


University of Alabama


Midwest Tape


Simmons GSLIS


Project MUSE


Daisy READ poster

Dog lovers and readers of all ages will adore this poster featuring Daisy from the 2012 Caldecott-winning picture book, A Ball for Daisy. Daisy’s story about love and loss is told with breathtaking artistry by Chris Raschka, who also received a Caldecott Honor in 1994 for Yo! Yes? and the Caldecott Medal in 2006 for The Hello, Goodbye Window. Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the prestigious Caldecott awards with this original illustration created in its honor. NEW! From ALA Graphics.


AL Live


Great Libraries of the World

Shanghai Library, China

Shanghai Library, China. At 24 stories and 348 feet tall, Shanghai’s public library is said to be the tallest library in the world. The building, with 32 reading rooms, opened in 1996 after the library merged with the Institute of Scientific and Technological Information of Shanghai to form a joint public services/sci-tech business information center. Founded in 1952, the library had merged in 1958 with the city Library of Science and Technology, the city Library of Historical Documents, and the Shanghai Newspaper Library to become the second largest public library in China.

Asiatic Society of Mumbai Library, Mumbai, India

Asiatic Society of Mumbai Library, Mumbai, India. Housed in the north wing of the neoclassical Town Hall since 1830, the library has a high ceiling, teak-paneled walls, and elegant cast-iron balustrades. Founded by James Mackintosh in 1804 as the Literary Society of Bombay, the society’s collections include more than 3,000 manuscripts in Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian, Urdu, and Prakrit on both paper and palm leaf; a leather-bound, richly illustrated 15th-century codex of Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy; a Greek grammar by Constantine Lascaris, printed by Aldus Manutius in 1495; a 13th-century Sanskrit text on the life of the Jain Swami Vasupujya; and a valuable numismatic collection of 11,829 coins.

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.

JobLIST Direct ad

Career Leads from
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Poudre River Public Library logo

Outreach Services Manager. Poudre River Public Library District in Fort Collins, Colorado, is looking for an outreach professional to lead the Outreach Services Department in delivering offsite library services to underserved groups and outlying areas of the Poudre River Public Library District. Determines information and literacy needs of culturally diverse and underserved residents throughout the District, and develops strategies for delivering materials and services to them. Manages the District’s volunteer engagement efforts and coordinates offsite programs for children, teens, and adults....

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Digital Library of the Week

Image from the cover of the Aparimitāyudhāraṇīsūtra, a sūtra containing a dialogue between the Buddha and Mañjuśrī

The Cambridge Digital Library, University of Cambridge, UK, is an ongoing project to digitize the treasures held by the university library. The first phase of the work is the Foundations Project, which runs from mid-2010 to early 2014 and was made possible through a gift by Leonard Polonsky. This generous support will enable the library to develop its technical infrastructure and create significant content in the areas of faith and science, two areas of particular strength within the collections. The Foundations of Faith Collections will include important works from many religious traditions, particularly Judaism, Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism. They include some of the earliest Qur’anic fragments on parchment, the first known Qur’anic commentary written in Persian, an important selection of devotional works and mystical treatises, and an outstanding collection of theological works including the unique extant copy of the Kitāb al-Tawhīd by al-Māturīdī. The Foundations of Science Collection will focus on original scientific manuscripts, beginning with the papers of Isaac Newton and his contemporaries.

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

“Netflix will roll out its first batch of original series, movies, and miniseries between February and May.... It’s rather like the library getting into the book-publishing business because it can tell what people like to read. Great idea, but fraught because the public’s taste is fickle and the public is so easily distracted.”

—John Doyle, “Is Netflix TV’s Game Changer?Toronto Globe and Mail, Jan. 12.

“If you can read, thank a teacher. If you love to read, thank a librarian.”

—Southeastern Vo-Tech Principal David W. Wheeler, “Have a Question? Ask a Librarian,Brockton (Mass.) Enterprise, Jan. 14

@ More quotes...


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Charlie Brown and Company and the Career of Charles Schulz

Snoopy (Charles Schulz cartoon character)as World War I flying ace

Great Films: 'Ace in the Hole' and the Career of Kirk Douglas

Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Reducing Teen Dating Violence

Alabama-Notre Dame Blowout Highlights Complaints About BCS Selection Process

The Entrepreneur's Starter Kit: Were You Thinking This?

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Calendar

Feb. 6–9:
Special Libraries Association,
Leadership Summit, Crowne Plaza Dallas Downtown Hotel, Dallas, Texas.

Feb. 9:
National Libraries Day,
the culmination of a week’s worth of celebrations in school, college, university, special, and public libraries across the UK.

Feb. 24:
Polish American Librarians Association,
Annual Meeting, Polish Museum of America, Chicago.

Mar. 16:
Southwest Florida Reading Festival,
Harborside Event Center and Centennial Park, Fort Myers.

Mar. 18–22:
Innovations in Education,
a study tour to the early childhood centers of Pistoia, Italy, sponsored by the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.

Apr. 3–5:
Oklahoma Library Association,
Annual Conference, Ardmore. “Be the Change.”

Apr. 10–13:
Association of College and Research Libraries,
National Conference, Indianapolis. “Peer Revered.”

Apr. 17–19:
New Mexico Library Association,
Annual Conference, Albuquerque Sheraton Uptown. “Libraries: Connecting New Mexico and the Global Community.”

Apr. 17–20:
Museums and the Web,
Marriott Downtown Waterfront, Portland, Oregon.

Apr. 17–20:
Montana Library Association,
Annual Conference, Hilton Garden Inn, Missoula. “Homegrown Inspiration.”

May 17–22:
Seminar on the Acquisition of Latin American Library Materials,
Annual Meeting, Westin Colonnade Hotel in Coral Gables, Florida.

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Contact Us
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Books & Reading

McDonald's DK promotionMcDonald’s to give away books with Happy Meals in the UK
Following a pilot in 2012, which saw 9 million books by Michael Morpurgo given away to children, McDonald’s has now committed to a new, long-term campaign backed by the National Literacy Trust. By the end of 2014, the chain says it will have handed out at least 15 million fiction and nonfiction books to families in the United Kingdom, starting with a five-week promotion in which a nonfiction book from DK’s Amazing World series will be given away with every Happy Meal....
The Guardian (UK), Jan. 9

Cover of Graffiti MoonCelebrating Aussie YA authors
Sharon Rawlins writes: “Australia Day is January 26, and what better way to celebrate the achievements of their country than by highlighting its many Australian YA authors. At the YA Literature Symposium in November, Australian speaker Adele Walsh mentioned Cath Crowley, whose book Graffiti Moon, a romance about disguised identity and art, was published in the US last February. Another Australian author who might be familiar to some is Gabrielle Williams (Beatle Meets Destiny, 2010), whom Walsh described as the Australian sister to John Green.”...
YALSA The Hub, Jan. 10

Cover of Echoes from the Dead, by Johan TheorinThe allure of Scandinavian crime fiction
Jeremy Megraw writes: “Maybe you’ve got the Nordic noir bug from reading Stieg Larsson’s Millennium series (we’ve all seen those ubiquitous neon paperbacks on the subway) or were enthralled earlier by Peter Høeg’s Smilla’s Sense of Snow or the Detective Wallander series. This is a selective guide to some notable authors and detective series from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and even some Nordic noir from Iceland. Even better, there is a guide to pronouncing their names correctly over cocktails.”...
New York Public Library Blogs, Jan. 14

Cover of Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln As Commander in Chief, by James M. McPhersonThe 25 best books about Abraham Lincoln
Richard Davies writes: “No one knows exactly how many books have been written about Honest Abe but in 2012 Ford’s Theater Centre for Education and Leadership in Washington, D.C., constructed a 34-foot pillar of unique titles about Lincoln and it contained more than 15,000 books. In recent years, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin has received a great deal of attention. Manhunt by James L. Swanson is a very readable book about the assassination and the search for John Wilkes Booth. Here are a few others.”...
AbeBooks’ Reading Copy, Jan. 10

Cover of Fighting Modern Evils That Destroy Our Homes, by Fred S. Miller (1913)Fighting modern evils with old, rare books
Stephen J. Gertz writes: “In the modern world each footfall is an opportunity to drop into an abyss and snowshoes won’t prevent you from sinking into perdition. There is, however, a rich corpus of vintage self-help, instructional, and inspirational literature to keep you from drowning in a pool of damnation. Here's a small selection, from Old New Age, the latest catalog from David Mason Rare Books.”...
Booktryst, Jan. 11

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Tips & Ideas

Getting ready for RDA without panicking
James Hennelly writes: “Day One for RDA implementation is March 31. Scary, I know. The date sounds so definitive and dread-inducing, as if the stroke of midnight that day will bring chaotic change and the end of AACR2. Of course, this is not the case at all. The March 31 date really means that the Library of Congress and a few other major libraries will be cataloging nearly exclusively in RDA, so you will be seeing a lot more RDA records.”...
RDA Toolkit Blog, Jan. 14

Twitter jailbirdLegal issues relating to social networking (PDF file)
Julie Tappendorf and Ancel Glink write: “Benefits of social media include a cost-effective means of communication with library patrons, offering both transparency and opportunities for public participation, greater awareness, and sometimes more meaningful engagement by library patrons. But the governing authorities of these libraries, particularly those of public libraries, also must be aware of the implications of using these media. Keep in mind the following possible legal consequences and develop policies to address them.”...
Illinois Library Association Reporter 31, no. 1 (Feb.): 16–19

ArtsEdSearch.org logoIMLS calls for research on arts education
The Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Arts Education Partnership have joined forces to expand the body of knowledge on how libraries and museums support youth development through their arts programs. IMLS and AEP are encouraging organizations to submit existing studies for consideration for inclusion in AEP’s ArtsEdSearch.org, the nation’s first online clearinghouse of research and policy information focused on arts learning....
Institute of Museum and Library Services, Jan. 15

Six mistakes the library staff are making
Rick Anderson writes: “A month ago, I posted ‘Six Mistakes Your Sales Reps Are Making,’ outlining what I believe are some of the more common errors that reps make in their dealings with library staff. At the end, I promised to follow up with a similar list of mistakes made by library staff in their dealings with vendor and publisher reps. What follows is a combination of things boiled down into six points. For the record, I will admit right up front that I’ve been guilty of each of them at some point.” Wayne Bivens-Tatum questions whether number 6 is a mistake....
The Scholarly Kitchen, Dec. 4, Jan. 10; Academic Librarian, Jan. 10

Neuroscientist David RoseLibraries as affective learning environments
Jennifer LaGarde writes: “For years, I’ve been saying that helping kids see themselves as readers, mathematicians, and as learners in general was just as important as helping them find the right answers, because I knew it was right. But recently, for the first time, I had neuroscientist David Rose (right) declaring to the whole world that science was on my side. Then last week, I ran across this article with practical suggestions on how to create learning environments that promote affective learning. These suggestions have libraries written all over them.”...
The Adventures of Library Girl, Jan. 10; Educational Leadership, Summer 2007

Ego, thy name is librarianship
Julie Jurgens writes: “Perhaps it is just my sensitive ego at work, but I feel like the librarian bloggers who work with children and teens and who write primarily about programs don’t get the recognition they deserve. If we blogged about hot-button topics like ebooks for babies or stripping our children’s departments down to look like futuristic lunchrooms filled with iPads, perhaps we’d get a ton of traffic. But we don’t. We write about our quiet successes and failures, about the simple craft of creating a flannel story, or about what rhymes will fit with certain themes.”...
Hi Miss Julie!, Jan. 13

How to get me to want you as a keynoter
Andromeda Yelton writes: “I’m on a conference planning committee (LITA National Forum 2013), and I spent a big chunk of time last fall thinking about who our keynoters should be. So let me tell you what I think about how to get people to make that offer. First, I’ll tell you how I got from my own personal longlist to my own personal shortlist; then I’ll tell you what people could have done to increase the odds of being shortlisted.”...
Andromeda Yelton, Jan. 13

10 ways focus groups enhance discovery
Brian Mathews writes: “Focus groups often get knocked because of three main things: Loud people dominate the discussion, people tend to tell you what they think you want to hear, and people can’t imagine breakthrough change. Those are all legit criticisms. However, if you plan accordingly you can neutralize those issues. Focus groups are for learning. Use them to uncover the unknown.”...
Chronicle of Higher Education: The Ubiquitous Librarian, Jan. 14

YFEP People's Choice AwardYouth Free Expression Project, People’s Choice Award
The National Coalition Against Censorship invites you to participate in its annual Youth Free Expression Project film contest in a new way, by casting your vote for this year’s People’s Choice Award. Pick out the video that you feel best exposes the dangers of book censorship and show your love by liking it on YouTube. Vote for one of the 12 amazing semifinalist videos by February 15. The video with the most likes will be declared the People’s Choice winner....
National Coalition Against Censorship, Jan. 16

Screenshot from Doodle 4 Google contest videoTime to Doodle for Google again
Google announced the sixth annual Doodle 4 Google contest (1:45) January 14. The theme for this year’s contest is “My Best Day Ever. . .” The contest is open to K–12 students in the United States. The winner will receive a $30,000 scholarship and a $50,000 technology grant for his or her school. Entries must be received by March 22. The complete contest rules can be found on the Doodle 4 Google contest page....
Free Technology for Teachers, Jan. 14; YouTube, Jan. 14

StoryTubes 2013 logoStoryTubes 2013 contest
StoryTubes is an online contest sponsored by schools and public libraries. Two-minute or shorter “my favorite book” videos from English-speaking young people in grades K–12 throughout the US, Canada, UK, China, and Malta will be accepted through February 24. Public library partners structure the contests, provide the staff time to review entries and manage the event, and secure prizes....
StoryTubes

The Wayback Machine logoThe Wayback Machine
Phil Bradley writes: “I think that by now most of us are aware of the Wayback Machine at archive.org, but just in case you’re not, it’s a service that has been around for well over a decade, and it archives websites and web pages. It allows you to browse through URLs that were produced from 1996 up to December 9, 2012. It contains about 5 petabytes of data. There are as many different ways to use this archive as there are users, but some basic ideas are as follows.”...
Phil Bradley’s Weblog, Jan. 14

Indiana offers free Information Visualization MOOC
Katy Börner, professor at Indiana University’s School of Library and Information Science and an international leader in information visualization, will offer a free massive open online course on the topic beginning January 22. The course will run seven weeks from the start date, with a target audience of graduate students able to work three to six hours per week. Participants who successfully complete the course will receive both a certificate and badge from the Cyberinfrastructure for Network Science Center at IU....
Indiana University News Room, Jan. 10

Patrons enjoy a sewing class at a Denver Public Library branchDenver patrons get sew excited
Becker Parkhurst-Strout writes: “With our limited budget dollars, Denver Public Library’s ‘Fresh City Life: My Branch’ adult programming tries to get the most out of what we have, whether partnering with local organizations or utilizing the talents of our own staff. We also try to look ahead and invest in equipment that can be used for years to come. While button makers have been popular, we were all very excited about the idea of getting our own sewing machines.”...
Programming Librarian, Jan. 15

Speed Racer Science in action at the St. Charles City-County Library District’s Corporate Parkway branch in Wentzville, MissouriSpeed racer science at the library
Amy Koester writes: “In my experience, children love things that go. The train set in my branch’s picture book area is always surrounded by choo-chooing kids; our race car books are perennially popular; and I’ve had to stop more than one pair of young friends from racing through the stacks to prove their speed. Thus it was a no-brainer for me to develop a ‘Speed Racer Science’ program for school-age children at my library. Here’s what we did—I highly encourage you to take it and make it your own.”...
ALSC Blog, Jan. 14

Screenshot showing David Loertscher from the WLMA videoWLMA: The library should be at the heart of the school
Joyce Valenza writes: “The wonderful teacher librarians of the Washington Library Media Association released this video, “Teacher Librarians at the Heart of Student Learning” (5:21). The video, partially funded by Mackin Educational Resources, is designed to present school libraries and teacher librarians as a vital resource for student learning and to highlight the essential role teacher librarians play in information and technology literacy instruction, reading advocacy, and information management.”...
School Library Journal: NeverEndingSearch, Jan. 12; YouTube, Jan. 9

Screenshot from Love With You music video by Baarregaard & BriemBookshelves feature in Icelandic music video
Michael Lieberman writes: “Welcome to the first music video (3:26) by noted Icelandic visual artist Harald Haraldsson, a visual feast for the song ‘Love With You’ by Baarregaard & Briem. Empty bookshelves become the backdrop for some amazing visual projections. The video was shot over the course of one night, using Random bookshelves from MDF Italia as a projection surface, emphasizing the sharp geometry of the well-known bookshelf design.”...
Book Patrol, Jan. 15; Vimeo, Dec.

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