The e-newsletter of the American Library Association | June 5, 2013

American Libraries June issue
The ALA Annual Conference Preview issue of American Libraries is now available online. It highlights all of the conference’s must-see events, speakers, and forums, and dishes on the best places to eat in Chicago while visiting. Other June issue features include: tips on building audiobook collections for youth, a look at charter school libraries, and a guide to apps for kids with special needs....
AL: Inside Scoop, May 31

Newsmaker: A conversation with Alice Walker
Alice Walker is a remarkably prolific and versatile writer of conscience. She will always be remembered for her indelible and life-changing masterpiece, The Color Purple. Walker will be appearing at the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago as an Auditorium Speaker on July 1. On behalf of American Libraries, Booklist Senior Editor Donna Seaman reached Walker at her home in Mexico....
American Libraries column, June

2013 Annual Conference preview
ALA welcomes colleagues, vendors, and other attendees to Chicago for the Association’s 137th Annual Conference, June 27–July 2. From the first year Chicago played host—in 1893, during the World’s Columbian Exposition—to now, 120 years later, we remain as committed as ever to the profession. Here’s just a sample of the programs, special events, author appearances, award presentations, and other activities happening in Chicago. For a complete listing, visit the conference website....
American Libraries feature

Tastes of Chicago
While there’s no dearth of restaurant guides to help you maneuver your way around the city’s best eats, staff members at American Libraries magazine have compiled a sampling of some of our favorite spots. We hope you have a chance to try a few of them (as well as other equally fine establishments that we weren’t able to list here). At the end of the section is a public transportation guide to help you find—and sate—all your food cravings....
American Libraries feature

Make the most of Annual Conference
American Libraries Live, a free, streaming video broadcast that you can view from your home, library, or on the go, returns 2–3 p.m. Eastern time on June 6. An expert-led panel will offer suggestions for how they’re going to make the most of attending the ALA Annual Conference, highlighting a wealth of events and booths to add to your Conference Scheduler....
American Libraries, May 29

ALA at BookExpo America: Another good dialogue
Alan S. Inouye writes: “As previously reported, ALA President Maureen Sullivan participated on the panel ‘E-books from Libraries: Good for Authors?’ at BookExpo America in New York. The May 30 session, organized by the Association of Authors’ Representatives, was a win for libraries (thanks Maureen!), with a few notable things said. Turnout was strong, with perhaps 300 or more in attendance.”...
AL: E-Content, May 15, June 5

Will’s World: No more Mr. Nice Guy
Will Manley writes: “You’ve finally arrived: After 40 years of working your library gig, it’s your dreaded retirement party. You rise and mumble a few feeble words about having had the ‘good fortune to work with such a wonderful bunch of library folk.’ Only that’s not what you’re thinking. You’re thinking that you will not miss them at all. None of them. Not the chatterers, whistlers, or whiners. Not the staff-lounge lawyers. Not the grapevine gossipmongers. And most emphatically, not the ‘we are the real librarians’ catalogers.”...
American Libraries column, May

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Join VMM13 on June 6
Registration for ALA’s Virtual Membership Meeting is open until the start of the meeting at 3 p.m. Central time on June 6. The VMM is an online forum where ALA leaders present information about topics of interest to the general membership. All ALA personal members may register for and participate in the meeting. The meeting will begin with a “State of the Association” update, a progress report on implementing ALA’s 2015 Strategic Plan, and a recap of initiatives over the past year....
ALA Connect

People to People library tour to Costa Rica
For 50 years, People to People’s Citizen Ambassador Delegations have been providing rewarding professional opportunities by taking careers out of the office and into the world. People to People, in collaboration with ALA, is now offering a custom-designed library and information services delegation to Costa Rica, November 30–December 7, led by former ALA president Camila Alire. Apply by September 1....
International Relations Office, June 3

STEM at Annual Conference
Susan Brandehoff writes: “June is all about STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) here at Programming Librarian, and we’re kicking things off with a comprehensive list of STEM-related programming at the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. Just click on each link to find out more and add the event to your scheduler.”...
Programming Librarian, June 4

Serving immigrant communities
At ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, US Citizenship and Immigration Services will convene a panel discussion to explore the important role public libraries play in serving immigrant communities throughout the United States. The panel will be held on June 30 and will be moderated by IMLS Director Susan Hildreth. Panelists include Laura Patching, Brian Bannon, and John Szabo....
Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, June 4

Jamie Schleser selected for 2013 Google Policy Fellowship
Jamie Aurelia Schleser (right), a doctoral student from American University, will serve as the ALA 2013 Google Policy Fellow. She will spend 10 weeks this summer in Washington, D.C. working with the ALA Office for Information Technology Policy on technology and internet policy issues....
District Dispatch, May 30

The information society
Set against a broad historical backdrop, the new sixth edition of The Information Society: A Study of Continuity and Change, published by Facet Publishing, explores the information revolution that continues to gather pace as the management of information becomes even more important in a world where data can be transmitted in a split second. John Feather updates his standard work to take account of the changing landscape and technological developments since 2008, making it a fully relevant teaching text for LIS programs....
ALA Neal-Schuman, May 29

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The Chicago Picasso
The Chicago Picasso is an untitled monumental sculpture by Pablo Picasso. It was dedicated on August 15, 1967, in Daley Plaza (50 West Washington Street) in the Chicago Loop and stands 50 feet tall. The Cubist sculpture was the first such major public artwork in downtown Chicago and has become a well-known landmark. Although Picasso never explained what the sculpture was intended to represent, it may have been inspired by the French woman Sylvette David, now known as Lydia Corbett, who posed for Picasso in 1954....
Wikipedia; City of Chicago; Chicago Tribune, Aug. 15, 1967

Skyscrapers
Chicago has long been in the forefront of skyscraper design and development. The Chicago School guided architectural evolution from standard construction techniques with brick and concrete to the steel-frame structures that allowed the development of ever taller buildings. Architects such as Louis Sullivan and Mies van der Rohe are some of the famous architects based in Chicago who paved the way to the functional skyscrapers. Here are some famous ones....
A View on Cities

Lincoln Park Zoo
Lincoln Park Zoo is dedicated to connecting people with nature by providing a free, family-oriented wildlife experience in the heart of Chicago and by advancing the highest quality of animal care, education, science, and conservation. It was founded in 1868, making it one of the oldest zoos in the US. New zoo babies include two tiny takins, two gorillas, and a Moholi bushbaby (right) at Regenstein Small Mammal–Reptile House. Download the visitor’s guide (PDF file)....
Lincoln Park Zoo

Chicago’s unwritten rules
Leah Pickett writes: “Now that I live in Chicago I have noticed a particular set of rules to city life that most people follow without thinking, such as sitting in the window seat of a train or bus during peak travel times, or calling out ‘On your left!’ before passing other cyclists on the lakefront path. Here is my list of Chicago’s unwritten rules,” with more in the comments....
WBEZ-FM, June 3

Panoramic photos of Old Chicago
One of the great treasure troves of the Library of Congress is its collection of panoramic photos. Some of the best come from Chicagoan George R. Lawrence and his company. The photos begin with the Great Fire of 1871, then follow the city’s rebuilding through the 1893 Columbian Exposition, the growth of the lakefront, and the 1933 Century of Progress. It’s a city that might well have been a more entertaining place to live. At least, that’s the impression you get when you see these amazing images....
Chicago magazine: The 312, June 4

Budgeting for a conference
Jill Hurst-Wahl writes: “I, and others, preach the fact that we need to invest in our own professional development. In order to do that, we need to plan in advance and, often months in advance. Last week, I did my travel budget for the next 12 months, which led me to write this blog post and lay out some cost-cutting measures—and other things to consider—when planning for conferences.”...
Digitization 101, May 23

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LITA offers “Getting Started with GIS”
The newly redesigned course “Getting Started with GIS,” to be offered July 8–28, is presented by Eva Dodsworth, geospatial data services librarian at the University of Waterloo Map Library in Ontario, and is based on her LITA Guide of the same name. She will introduce students to GIS technology and GIS in libraries, and teach how to use GIS software programs, social mapping tools, map making, and digitizing and researching for geospatial data. The course will consist of weekly asynchronous lectures and modules in Moodle. Registration is open....
LITA, June 4

Self-publishing for public libraries
The advent of online self-publishing platforms presents libraries with a new resource to connect authors and readers in their communities. Learn more about the potential of this during PLA’s free webinar, “Publishing at the Public Library: Become a Community Publishing Portal,” on June 18. The webinar will feature Henry Bankhead, interim town librarian at Los Gatos (Calif.) Library, and Smashwords founder Mark Coker. Register online....
PLA, June 3

Wasylyshyn headlines ACRL/LLAMA Presidents’ Program
Join LLAMA and ACRL for their joint Presidents’ Program on June 29 during the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, featuring noted author, executive coach, and leadership consultant Karol M. Wasylyshyn (right). Her presentation is titled “Standing on Marbles: Ensuring Steady Leadership in Unsteady Times.”...
ACRL, LLAMA, June 4

ALSC President’s Program
ALSC invites you to the 2013 Charlemae Rollins President’s Program, “Think with Your Eyes!” which will take place on July 1 at the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. This free program, which will conclude the year-long Caldecott 75th Anniversary celebration, offers the latest research and replicable models supporting the value of training children’s eyes and minds to observe, think, create, and innovate....
ALSC, May 31

Erin McKean to speak at ALCTS President’s Program
Erin McKean (right), founder of Wordnik.com and the former editor-in-chief of American Dictionaries for Oxford University Press, is the featured speaker at the ALCTS President’s Program on July 1 during the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. Her talk is titled “Confessions of a Digital Packrat.” She has authored Weird and Wonderful Words and More Weird and Wonderful Words....
ALCTS, May 31

RUSA programs at Annual Conference
This year’s RUSA programs at the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago offer groundbreaking ideas and thought-provoking discussions in the areas of librarianship represented by the division: frontline reference, readers advisory, collection development, business reference and other specialized areas of reference, genealogical research, management of local history collections, interlibrary loan and resource sharing, reference and outreach to special populations, and emerging technologies in reference....
RUSA, June 3

Come to RUSA 101 at Annual
RUSA will host a networking and orientation event for interested and new and current RUSA members on June 28 during the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. The event agenda for RUSA 101 includes a brief presentation about RUSA, a raffle for fun prizes and significant time for networking....
RUSA, June 4

Rethinking the ACRL Information Literacy Standards
Steven J. Bell writes: “ACRL’s Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education were first adopted in 2000. Since then the standards have become one of the most essential documents related to the emergence of information literacy as a recognized learning outcome at many institutions of higher education. It is time for our association to engage in a process to rethink and reimagine them for the next generation of academic librarians, college students, and faculty.”...
ACRL Insider, June 4

Network at the AASL National Conference
The AASL 16th National Conference and Exhibition in Hartford, Connecticut, on November 14–17 will host events encouraging school librarians working in independent schools to network and build community. The conference, “Rising to the Challenge,” will feature an Independent School Section networking reception and two tours to local independent schools....
AASL, June 3

Moeller-Peiffer elected ASCLA president
Kathleen Moeller-Peiffer (right), associate state librarian at the New Jersey State Library in Trenton, has been elected ASCLA president for 2014–2015. She won the ASCLA Cathleen Bourdon Service Award in 2012. Learn a little bit more about Moeller-Peiffer with this fun Q&A put together by the ASCLA staff....
ASCLA Blog, June 3

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2013 AIA/ALA Library Building Awards
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the awards, ALA and the American Institute of Architects have selected six recipients to receive the 2013 AIA/ALA Library Building Awards. Biennially, representatives from the two organizations gather to celebrate the finest examples of library design by architects licensed in the United States....
LLAMA, June 3

Carnegie Medal winners to be announced June 30
The announcement and presentation of the second Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction (ALA’s awards for adult trade fiction and nonfiction) will take place during the ALA Annual Conference on June 30. The event—standing-room only in 2012—will be followed by a chance to celebrate over dessert and drinks with book-loving colleagues. All attendees will be entered for a drawing, and five lucky winners (who must be present) will receive signed copies of all six 2013 finalist titles. Tickets are available online....
RUSA, June 4

Inaugural CALA Outstanding Library Leadership Award (PDF file)
The Chinese American Librarians Association has selected Tze-chung Li (right)—CALA’s founder, an outstanding leader in library education, and a visionary library administrator—as the recipient of the 2013 CALA Outstanding Library Leadership Award. Li is one of the first Chinese-American pioneers in library science education in the United States....
Chinese American Librarians Association, May 30

Leicester B. Holland Prizes
The Library of Congress, in cooperation with the National Park Service and Architectural Record magazine, has announced the winners for the first two years of a new prize for the best single-sheet, measured drawing of an historic building, site, or structure prepared to the standards of the Historic American Buildings Survey, Historic American Engineering Record, or the Historic American Landscapes Survey. Architectural historian Laura Beth Ingle won the 2012 prize for her HABS measured drawing of the White Rock Lookout Tower (above) in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee....
Library of Congress, May 29

2013 Boston Globe–Horn Book Awards
The Horn Book Editor in Chief Roger Sutton and 2010 Boston Globe–Horn Book Award–winning author Rebecca Stead announced the 2013 winners of the prize at BookExpo America on May 31. Celebrating its 46th year, the awards are among the most prestigious honors in the field of children’s and young adult literature. Winners and two honor books are selected in each of three categories: Picture Book, Fiction and Poetry, and Nonfiction....
The Horn Book, May 31

The Audies 2013
The Audio Publishers Association announced the winners of the 2013 Audie Awards at its 18th Annual Audies Gala on May 30 at the New-York Historical Society. Here is a list of the 2013 winners with links to Booklist reviews when applicable. You might recognize some famous names among these narrators. The Award for Audiobook of the Year went to The End of the Affair by Graham Greene, published by Audible and read by Academy Award winner Colin Firth....
Audio Publishers Association, May 30; Booklist Online: Likely Stories, June 4

2013 Skipping Stones Honor Awards
(PDF file)
In its 25th year, Skipping Stones magazine has recognized 25 outstanding books and teaching resources with its Honor Awards. The books promote an understanding of cultures, cultivate cooperation, and encourage a deeper understanding of the world’s diversity. They also encourage ecological richness, respect for multiple viewpoints, and close relationships within human societies. The winners are in three categories: Multicultural and International, Nature and Ecology, and Teaching Resources....
Skipping Stones magazine, May, pp. 15–17

George Washington Book Prize
Stephen Brumwell has won the $50,000 George Washington Book Prize for his biography of the first president, George Washington: Gentleman Warrior (Quercus). A historian who was born in Portsmouth, England, and now lives in Amsterdam, Brumwell received the award at a May 21 ceremony at Mount Vernon. The Washington Book Prize, one of the largest cash prizes for a work of literature, honors the year’s best book for a general audience about America’s founding era....
Washington Post: The Style Blog, May 22

2013 Commonwealth Book Prize overall winner
The Death of Bees by UK author Lisa O’Donnell (Random House) was announced as the 2013 Commonwealth Book Prize overall winner at the Hay Festival at Hay-on-Wye, Wales, on May 31. This coming-of-age novel opens shockingly and ambitiously with two juvenile sisters, Marnie and Nelly, who bury their parents in their back garden. The jury called the novel “effortlessly fresh and original; it is fiction that provokes and shocks.”...
Commonwealth Writers, May 31

2013 Lambda Literary Awards
The winners of the 25th Annual Lambda Literary Awards were announced June 3 at Cooper Union in New York City. The Lambda Literary Foundation sponsors the awards, which honor published works that celebrate or explore LGBT themes. John Irving won the bisexual fiction award for In One Person, and Cheryl Burke took the bisexual nonfiction award for My Awesome Place: The Autobiography of Cheryl B....
GalleyCat, June 4

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5 year-old reads 875 books
“A lot of the days I read but it’s just a couple of days I don’t read,” said Sophia Moss, 5. Make that loves to read. In her kindergarten school year, she read 875 books, finishing most of the books in the kindergarten and 1st-grade section of the T. S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School Library in Lake Charles, Louisiana. “I told Sophia we would have to order more books, because she’s just read so many of them,” said librarian Mary Lanier. Sophia has gone from borrowing five books a week to 20....
KPLC-TV, Lake Charles, La., May 24

Some Maryland libraries, schools gain funding
The Prince George’s County (Md.) Council unanimously passed a $2.7 billion budget May 30 for fiscal year 2014, which begins on July 1. The largest slice of the budget went to the county board of education and the public school system, which will be receiving $1.68 billion, an increase of 1.4% over the current fiscal year. The budget also gave Prince George’s County Memorial Library System an increase of $2.5 million, which includes $500,000 to restore Sunday hours at three county libraries and purchase new computers. Anne Arundel County (Md.) Libraries also face a rosier future....
College Park (Md.) Patch, May 30; Baltimore Sun, June 3

Falcon hatchlings born outside Evanston Public Library
For the eighth year the same pair of peregrine falcons, named Nona and Squawker, has nested and bred outside the Evanston (Ill.) Public Library. Their latest brood of four hatchlings was banded and named (Shae, Gies, Platon Karataev, and Humphrey) on May 30 by staff from the Field Museum of Chicago. Field Museum Curator Mary Hennen noted the births are especially important, as only some 12 pairs of breeding falcons exist in Illinois. See their latest adventures on the falcon-cam and Facebook....
NBC Chicago, May 30

The East Hampton library’s mystery sculpture
East Hampton (N.Y.) Library Director Dennis Fabiszak has a mystery on his hands. It’s the bust of a woman mounted on a large piece of slate. The piece, which is cracking from age, was left behind the library building on a fountain at the construction site where a new children’s wing is being built. Fabiszak believes two people likely moved it between the time the library closed on May 4 and when it was first noticed by library employees the next afternoon. An inscription on it reads: “My Wife Forever Della Penna.”...
Long Island (N.Y.) Newsday, June 3

Philadelphia eliminates fines for kids’ books
The Free Library of Philadelphia’s plan to eliminate late fees for children—a move recommended by librarians to prevent cutting off poor kids from library services—is set to begin July 1 after a City Council committee defeated a bill that would have thwarted it on May 29. Councilman David Oh, the defeated bill’s primary sponsor, called the imposition of fines a necessary life lesson for children and said he did not understand how the system could forgo that money, given recent budget cuts....
Philadelphia Inquirer, May 30

Audiobook raises funds for Newark Public Library
Novelist Philip Roth recorded himself reading In Memory of a Friend, Teacher, and Mentor, an 11-minute eulogy for his high school teacher Bob Lowenstein, to raise funds for the Newark (N.J.) Public Library. Every time a reader downloads the free audiobook version, Audible will donate $1 to the library, up to $25,000. In an interview, Roth describes growing up in Newark and his experiences with the library....
GalleyCat, June 4; New York Times Sunday Review, Apr. 20; The Paris Review, June 3

Maine libraries’ BTOP expansion aids job-seekers
Expansion of broadband technology to more than 100 libraries in Maine was hailed May 31 for its potential to spark economic recovery by providing job-seekers the tools they need to land a job. The Maine State Library’s recently completed $1.9 million Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BTOP) aims to provide high-speed internet access to residents who lack the service and as a result are disadvantaged in their search for a job....
Portland (Maine) Press Herald, May 31

Former Washburn librarian files suit against dean
A former distance-education librarian at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, has filed a gender discrimination and sexual harassment lawsuit contending that Washburn Dean of Libraries Alan Bearman was abusive to her and other employees, even punching one in the face and head. Michelle Canipe’s lawsuit alleges that Bearman created a hostile and unhealthy work environment that caused her extreme depression, stress, and anxiety, for which she had to be prescribed medication. Canipe’s attorneys filed the suit May 13 in US District Court in Topeka....
Topeka (Kans.) Capital-Journal, June 3

A look inside Houston Public Library in 1937
In early 1937, the Houston Chronicle sent a photographer to the Central Library. These photos appeared in the paper’s art gravure section on March 21 that year. The accompanying text explained: “Each day brings to the Central Library, at 500 McKinney, according to a recent count, from 1,500 to 2,000 persons. Its collection of 180,000 volumes, plus a large information file, many pictures, and extensive periodical and newspaper files, answers many questions for the community, while the patron who seeks entertainment has a large collection of fiction, travel, biography, and literature from which to choose.”...
Houston Chronicle: Bayou City History, May 29

Folger Shakespeare Library to get renovated
The Great Hall of the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., where exhibits are usually staged, has just closed for the summer for a $1.5 million renovation. New windows will let natural light into the hall for the first time in decades, according to Garland Scott, head of external relations for the library. The renovation will also provide new exhibition cases and improved climate control to help preserve its priceless collection of books, manuscripts, and artifacts....
Washington Post: The Style Blog, May 31

Huntington Library receives gift for new visitor center
The Huntington Library has received a $32 million gift from investor and philanthropist Charles T. Munger to help build a new education and visitor center at the San Marino, California, institution. Library officials said May 30 that the contribution is the lead gift toward the $60 million project, which will have more than six acres of new gardens and about 43,000 square feet of space for educational facilities and visitor services. Construction is expected to be completed in 2015....
Los Angeles Times, May 30

Jefferson Davis Library reopens
Beauvoir, once the home of the president of the Confederate States of America in Biloxi, Mississippi, opened the doors of its new, $11.5-million Jefferson Davis Presidential library on June 3. The 24,000-square-foot library is the second presidential library built at Beauvoir. The first library, completed in 1996, was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Craig Fehrman offers some perspective....
Biloxi (Miss.) Sun Herald, May 30; Los Angeles Times, June 2

CILIP members demand halt to rebranding
Members of the UK’s Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) have demanded a general meeting to debate a halt to the body’s proposed rebrand. A survey on the proposed changes asked members for their opinions on a range of new names for CILIP, including “The Knowledge People.” None of the options available included the word “library” or “librarian,” causing some members to express concern. CILIP’s Phil Bradley explains the rebranding exercise....
The Bookseller, May 29, June 3; Tom Roper’s Weblog, June 3; CILIP: President Phil’s Blog, May 29

Innerpeffray Library given rare collection
Janet Burns Saint Germain, a wealthy American collector, has given Scotland’s first free public lending library an “astonishing” collection of more than 200 first editions of Scottish books valued at more than £650,000 ($993,500 US). Saint Germain first visited the historic Library of Innerpeffray more than 20 years ago and decided her collection, which includes works by Robert Burns, David Hume, and John Knox, belonged there. The library was founded in 1680 “for the benefit of all” by David Drummond, the third Lord Maderty....
The Scotsman (UK), June 3; STV News, June 3

The forbidden libraries of Qom Seminary
Ali Mamouri writes: “In the past 20 years, extensive funding by religious institutions to seminary libraries has turned the city of Qom, Iran, into a rich source for books on religion, humanities, and literature. But controversial books are kept hidden from most religious students and scholars in Qom. Students complain about the lack of proper access to some of these sources in the libraries of Darolhadith and the University of Religions; the books are listed in the catalog but are not findable on the shelves. This has resulted in a thriving online presence for many of the titles.”...
Al-Monitor, June 2

Occupy-style library rises in Istanbul
Protests erupted in Turkey on May 28 that were initially led by about 50 environmentalists who were against replacing Taksim Gezi Park with a reconstruction of the historic Taksim Military Barracks (demolished in 1940) that would house a shopping mall. The rallies soon widened into wider antigovernment demonstrations, but Taksim Gezi Park quickly became the nerve center for the protesters. In true Occupy fashion, a library has come together in less than a week, helped by donations from Sel Publishing House and other publishers....
Book Patrol, June 4; Hürriyet Daily News (Istanbul), June 4

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ESEA reauthorization bill introduced in Senate
The Strengthening America’s Schools Act, a bill that would reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), was introduced June 4 in the US Senate. The legislation would be a huge victory for libraries, as it creates a specific provision for school libraries and implements the Improving Literacy and College and Career Readiness Through Effective School Library Program. This program defines a school library as staffed by a state-certified or licensed school librarian. The bill is the first to recognize the role school library programs play in student learning since ESEA was first enacted in 1965....
District Dispatch, June 4; ALA Washington Office, June 5

It’s time to step up for school libraries
Rebecca T. Miller writes: “As I travel to the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago later this month, I will inevitably carry the baggage of an unresolved disconnect. Those of us inside Libraryland know what our K–12 peers deliver, yet that value is clearly not understood by administrators, who are cutting school librarian positions nationwide. I can’t help but think that a key resource is being squandered out of sheer ignorance.”...
School Library Journal, June 4

Time enough to read
Carrie Russell writes: “There’s one Twilight Zone episode that I am sure many librarians and people who love to read can relate to. It was called ‘Time Enough at Last’ and aired November 20, 1959, starring Burgess Meredith, whose character Henry Bemis (right) bemoans the fact that he doesn’t have enough time to read. Compare Henry’s predicament to the visually impaired. ALA is trying to advance an international treaty that would make it easier to make accessible copies for the visually impaired.” Strong interests are opposed to this treaty....
District Dispatch, May 30, June 5; Twilight Zone, Nov. 20, 1959

Publishers’ proposal to support open access
A group of scholarly publishers is proposing a publisher-run partnership to make it easier for agencies and researchers to comply with the federal government’s new open-access policy (PDF file) by an August deadline. The Clearinghouse for the Open Research of the United States would use publishers’ existing infrastructure to provide free access to peer-reviewed articles that are based on publicly supported research. But Heather Joseph of SPARC is skeptical because publishers would still control “the sole point of access to publicly funded articles.”....
Chronicle of Higher Education: Wired Campus, June 4

LCA supports HathiTrust Digital Library
On June 3, the Library Copyright Alliance (consisting of ALA, ACRL, and the Association of Research Libraries) filed an amicus brief (PDF file) in support of HathiTrust and its partners as they defend their district court victory on appeal in the Second Circuit. The brief argues that the HathiTrust Digital Library practices are fair use....
ACRL Insider, June 5

Seeking les mots injustes
Barbara Fister writes: “I have never taken to calling people who use libraries ‘customers.’ Though it is increasingly common usage, it has always seemed the seditious work of a linguistic fifth column that is trying to privatize public institutions one word at a time, or at least imply that nonprofit services are chronically inferior to retail operations. ‘Customer’ has so firmly been attached to the word ‘service’ you would think the only model for high quality service is great customer service.”...
Inside Higher Ed: Library Babel Fish, May 30

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Windows 8.1 unveiled
Sebastian Anthony writes: “At long last, and probably in response to the growing number of leaks, Microsoft has published an official first look at Windows 8.1. As expected, the Start button is making a return (but the Start menu isn’t), you can boot straight to the desktop, and you can now view multiple Metro apps side-by-side. However, if you are a Desktop user, don’t get too excited: The primary focus of Windows 8.1 is improving the Metro experience.” Watch the Microsoft demo video (4:31)....
ExtremeTech, May 31; YouTube, June 5

3D printing goes from sci-fi to reality
Mackenzies Chocolates, a confectioner in Santa Cruz, California, uses a 3D printer to pump out chocolate molds. Cornell University researchers used a 3D printer and injections of a special collagen gel to create a human-shaped ear. “We’re on the verge of the next industrial revolution, no doubt about it," said Dartmouth College business professor Richard D’Aveni....
Phys.org, June 2; CNN, Apr. 12

A look inside a hackerspace
You no longer needs loads of cash or exclusive access to certain technologies to see your vision become a reality. Sean Auriti, founder of the nonprofit Alpha One Labs, said, “You just need a few people, you all chip in, you pay rent. And then you buy cool tools, and you can all share the machines.” Projects range from an iPhone-controlled quadcopter to a 3D printer that replicates itself. Watch Auriti describe Alpha One Labs (3:19)....
PC Magazine, May 31

How to sign documents electronically
Chris Hoffman writes: “You are emailed a document and you have to sign it and send it back. You could print out the document, sign it, and then scan it back in and email it. But there’s a better, faster way. We’ll show you how to quickly add your signature to any PDF document, saving it as a standard PDF file that can be read anywhere. Electronic signatures are just like traditional ink signatures, but applied electronically to documents without any printing or scanning required.”...
How-To Geek, June 3

Cloud backup can save big bucks
David LaMartina writes: “Still squeamish about putting your files on the internet? You’re not alone. Even as educators turn to the cloud for productivity apps, graphics programs, and content-management systems, the majority of schools continue to keep their data onsite. But it may be time to reconsider that approach: The cloud can be just as useful and cost-effective for storage, backup, and disaster recovery. Equally important, quality cloud providers actually offer enhanced security compared with onsite solutions.”...
Campus Technology, June 5

How to buy a GPS
Wendy Sheehan Donnell writes: “It’s a great time to buy a GPS device. The category has fully matured, and competition from nav-equipped smartphones has helped drive prices way down. As a result, you can get a capable stand-alone GPS that can do much more than just help you find your way for a lot less than you would have paid last year. Should you even bother with a GPS, or can you just use your phone for directions? There are several factors to consider when choosing the right GPS.” Here are the top GPS devices....
PC Magazine, May 17

Why Google Reader died
Chris Hoffman writes: “Google Reader will be dead on July 1, but it has been dying for a long time. A declining user base, lack of innovation, and lack of mass appeal doomed it. People are using other types of services to stay up-to-date with their favorite websites. Google Reader itself hasn’t been innovative in a long time.”...
How-To Geek, June 3

I’m crazy for ebooks
Alan S. Inouye writes: “We have made progress. I know this because I now experience the condition of ebook derangement syndrome. In early 2012, the urgent questions revolved around why the Big Six wouldn’t do business with libraries or, for those publishers who did, why the terms were so unfavorable. We really focused on these issues last year and into 2013, and while we’ve made some headway, much more remains for us to do.”...
American Libraries feature

Use the Big Six Matrix to compare ebook licenses
Rob Maier writes: “Even for those of us actively trying to follow developments in ebook licensing, there is plenty to be confused about. A few weeks ago I started trying to sort this out and the result is this table (PDF file), which shows what is available to libraries from each of the Big Six, under what terms, at what price, and from which library vendor(s). A new focus is on whether the publisher and vendor offers their ebooks to library consortia as well as to individual libraries.”...
AL: E-Content, May 30

ALA, ebooks, and digital content: What’s next?
Come learn about ALA ebook activities and plans from the leadership of ALA’s Digital Content and Libraries Working Group at “ALA, Ebooks, and Digital Content” on June 29 (1–2:30 p.m. at McCormick Place S502) during the ALA Annual Conference. A distinguished panel will then provide views on libraries as publishers and stewards of America’s digital cultural heritage, and how ALA can best advocate for these important library interests....
AL: E-Content, May 30

New digital comics from DC
Seth Rosenblatt writes: “The high camp era of the 1960’s Batman TV show and video game–influenced choose-your-own-adventure stories will come to DC Entertainment’s digital comics this summer with new storytelling techniques to draw in readers. ‘DC2’ is what the company is calling the new digital comics. They are different from both its standard same-day digital and print publishing and its digital-first publishing in that the DC2 line has added some technological tricks to enhance the story.”...
CNET: Crave, June 4

Readmill adds book discovery
iOS reading app Readmill added a book discovery feature June 5 and announced three new partnerships with the Guardian, the Atavist, and ebook gifting site Livrada. The new “Explore” section of Readmill’s app lets users download free ebooks from directly within the app. For now, many of those books are in the public domain, but Readmill is also working with publishers and independent bookstores to run limited-time promotions....
paidContent, June 5

Apple price-fixing ebook trial
Department of Justice lawyers are set to face off against Apple in June in a Manhattan courtroom, trying to prove that the company conspired with publishers to raise prices in the ebook market. But the evidence in the case will not just determine whether Apple has violated antitrust laws. It will also tell a broader story of how the introduction of ebooks created upheaval in the publishing industry—with guest appearances by major players like Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Mathew Ingram thinks prosecutors have a slam-dunk case against Apple....
New York Times, June 2; paidContent, June 2

Ebook formatting and marketing guides for authors
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 with links to formatting guides for all the major ebookstores.”...
GalleyCat, June 4

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

The American Libraries ALA Annual Conference preview, as well as its popular dining guide, is now available. Get the Chicago insiders’ view, and find out what we’re recommending to feed your mind and soul as well as your stomach.

Does great literature make us better?
Gregory Currie writes: “You agree with me, I expect, that exposure to challenging works of literary fiction is good for us. That’s one reason we deplore the dumbing-down of the school curriculum and the rise of the internet and its hyperlink culture. Wouldn’t reading about Anna Karenina, the good folk of Middlemarch, and Marcel and his friends expand our imaginations and refine our moral and social sensibilities? Not nearly enough research has been conducted; nor, I think, is the relevant psychological evidence just around the corner.”...
New York Times: Opinionator, June 1

Mother Goose’s French birth and British afterlife
Christine Jones writes: “Unlike the Brothers Grimm, Charles Perrault’s name remains generally unrecognizable. Yet, his stories, first published in 1697 as the Histoires ou Contes du temps passé (Stories or Tales of the Past) are anything but. Most readers no doubt know these titles in English, not French, and are familiar not with Perrault’s stories in the healthy tradition of English translation, inaugurated in 1729 by Robert Samber’s publication of Tales of Passed Times by Mother Goose.”...
Public Domain Review, May 29

10 books that will send kids exploring
Mara Alpert says: “When I recommend books to kids or grownups, I can almost always get them interested if I add, ‘Oh, and after you read this book, you could go on a field trip to the museum, zoo, baseball stadium, library, or just take a little road trip!’ Spring 2013 has been a very good year for children’s books that spark the imagination and make kids (and grownups) want to do a little more exploring.”...
NPR: Morning Edition, May 31

Foster kids in YA literature
Carla Land writes: “I took a stab at finding some literature that a teenager in foster care might be able to relate to on some level. Imagine my surprise when I did a quick search and found a bunch of YA literature that lists ‘foster care’ as a main subject. The first thing I found was that books about teens in foster care are, fortunately, not necessarily about teens in foster care. The important thing is that the story shows that a teen in foster care can have a life.”...
YALSA The Hub, May 30

When the personal becomes political
Ellen Snoeyenbos writes: “I find that many books for teen readers set in a Jim Crow South of the 1940s, 50s, and 60s have all the subtlety of a two-by-four. The rightness of the Civil Rights cause is clear from the outset, and the segregationists are all framed as mean-spirited bigots who all have white robes in the closet. But wait a minute! Don’t roll your eyes again! I’ve read a couple of books lately that defy our worn-out moral expectations.”...
YALSA The Hub, May 31

10 best (and worst) titles in teen lit
Jill Guccini writes: “I’ve seen many an article about book titles that are so ridiculous they’re hilarious. I enjoy these articles, as I am always a fan of both the ridiculous and the hilarious. But what about book titles that aren’t necessarily so good because they’re so bad, but are just good because they are, well, legit good? Here are some of what I believe are the best of the best in the children’s and young adult realm. While a few of the titles actually move me, mostly they’re just funny or weird or both.”...
Book Riot, June 3

What to read after a breakup
Ashley Hamilton writes: “We’ve all been there: You’re curled up on the couch with a spoon of ice cream in one hand and a box of tissues in the other. In other words, you’re going through a breakup. Instead of pouring your heart out to Ben and Jerry, how about bonding with a few authors who can relate? Check out eight great books to read when you’re going through a breakup.” Among them is What Was I Thinking? 58 Bad Boyfriend Stories about “romances that took a nose-diving turn for the worse.”...
The Huffington Post, May 29

30 of the most beautiful sci-fi covers ever made
Emily Temple writes: “Science fiction cover art has a bad reputation, and not without reason. Much of it is pulpy, overly brash, or just plain scary. Yet there are also many science fiction novels and collections that buck the trend and manage to be not only palatable to those who (for instance) love the insides but hate that naked green woman on the cover, but downright gorgeous. Here is a selection of some of the best.”...
Flavorwire, June 4

Jimmy Fallon’s “Do Not Read” lists
Since 2010, comedian Jimmy Fallon, host of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on NBC, has had a recurring feature called the “Do Not Read List” in which he warns against reading real titles that sound less than appealing. This blog brings them all together, except for the most recent one, which aired June 3....
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon blog; YouTube, June 3

Genealogy apps for Android
Dick Eastman writes: “Some genealogy apps display data originally stored in a desktop or laptop genealogy program. In those apps, you must enter all new data on your desktop, then export it to your smartphone. Some apps allow you to access genealogy data that has been stored on a web server. Here are some of the more robust apps that allow you to store and retrieve your family tree information.”...
Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter, June 1

Library-related acronyms
This alphabetical listing of library acronyms includes ALA unit, division, round table, and committee acronyms; ALA unit publications known by acronyms; acronyms for other library and related organizations; and abbreviations commonly used in library literature. Pop quiz: What does UNO stand for? (Hint: It might appear in the Annual Conference scheduler.)...
ALA Library

Librarian job ad drinking bingo
Joe Hardenbrook writes: “A little end-of-the-day humor for my job-hunting librarian friends: Librarian Job Ad Drinking Bingo. It’s easy to play: Just scroll through the postings on the ALA JobList site. Every time you see one of these items—a buzzword, a litany of preferred advanced qualifications, or one of those bullet points that sets off your warning system—take a drink. If you get five in a row, shout out ‘Bingo!’” (Contains some cuss words.)...
Mr. Library Dude, May 22

How to spend your last summer before library school
Brianna Marshall writes: “Two years ago, I had just graduated from my undergrad program and was eagerly awaiting a move to Indiana to start library school. I read Hack Library School and anything else I could get my hands on that might provide some glimpse of wisdom. What should I do? How should I feel? I wasn’t exactly sure, and that made me nervous. If you are starting library school in the fall, here are some ideas for how to spend your summer.”...
Hack Library School, May 31

Cataloging questions and answers
In an effort to disseminate information about cataloging issues, the ACRL Subject and Bibliographic Access Committee initiated a series of monthly postings to ANSS-L. Each month the committee answers a different question on cataloging issues and policies. Here are the questions that have been answered to date, among them: What subject headings are used for ethnomusicology? What is FRAD? How does one search for exhibition catalogs?...
ACRL Anthropology and Sociology Section

Twitter lists newly improved
Phil Bradley writes: “You may have missed the news on May 30, but Twitter quietly announced that they have upgraded the list functionality. Many people don’t know much about Twitter lists, which is a shame, because they are an excellent way of racing through content. If you are still going ‘huh?’ I will take you briefly through list creation.”...
Phil Bradley’s Weblog, June 1

Yahoo gives its search a redesign
Terrence O’Brien writes: “Yahoo has been a busy little bee recently, updating its various properties and snatching up new ones. Now it is giving its Bing-powered search page a facelift. The redesign is actually quite subtle. The company has introduced a new Google-like navigation bar that sits glued to the top, providing shortcuts to the homepage, your mailbox, Flickr, and other Yahoo-owned properties. Now Yahoo just needs to figure out how to serve up useful results.”...
Engadget, June 5

Pinterest is expanding its search capability
Eliza Kern writes: “Pinterest users will now be able to search within their own pins, adding a new layer to the company’s existing search product and providing a nice benefit to heavy users of the service. Now if I’m looking for a salad recipe, for instance, I can search for ‘salad’ and then select the ‘just my pins’ option to search within my saved items.”...
GigaOM, June 4

The secret to online safety
Jon Brodkin writes: “It’s time to ask yourself an uncomfortable question: How many of your passwords are so absurdly weak that they might as well provide no security at all? Don’t worry, we’re here to help. We’re going to focus on how to use a password manager, software that can help you go from passwords like 111111 to 6WKBTSkQq8Zn4PtAjmz7 without making you want to pull out all your hair.”...
Ars Technica, June 3

Teens, digital media, and the Chicago Public Library
Today’s teens spend inordinate amounts of time on all kinds of media. The challenge is how to take advantage of networked and digital media to provide engaging learning opportunities for youth. YOUmedia Chicago, an innovative learning center at the Harold Washington Library Center in downtown Chicago, attempts to do this. Teens, Digital Media, and the Chicago Public Library (PDF file), a report by the University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research, answers key questions about YOUmedia that can help others plan similar initiatives....
University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research, May

Encouraging teens to linger
Amanda Erickson writes: “Some public spaces try to keep teenagers out, but the New York Public Library is trying something different. What if they designed a space specifically for teens? What would that look like? Their answer can be found on the third floor of Harlem’s Hamilton Grange branch. The 4,400-square-foot space is the NYPL’s first full-floor space dedicated to teens and just won an AIA/ALA Library Building Award.”...
The Atlantic Cities, June 4

Digging into Summer Reading
Sarah Lightsey-McDermott, a youth services paraprofessional at the Smyrna (Ga.) Public Library, encourages kids to “Dig Into Reading” with a huge excavator (digger) on loan from Smyrna Public Works. The digger was on display the last week of May to attract registrations for the library’s Summer Reading program....
Smyrna (Ga.) Public Library

Welcoming LGBTQ families to your library
Africa Hands writes: “In June, some libraries are celebrating Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Month. To get some perspective on how libraries are serving LGBTQ children and families, I interviewed Jamie Campbell Naidoo. Jamie, author of Rainbow Family Collections, shares his current research, programming tips, his favorite books for storytime, and insights on how librarians can provide a welcoming space for LGBTQ families.”...
ALSC Blog, June 1

Dane County’s Beyond the Page campaign
The Beyond the Page campaign is a joint effort of the Dane County (Wis.) Library Service and the Madison Community Foundation to create a permanent endowment that will support humanities programming in all 28 public libraries in Dane County forever. It began in 2011 with the receipt of a $350,000 precedent-setting challenge grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Wisconsin librarians will be on hand at ALA Annual Conference on June 29 to discuss the community partnerships involved in this effort....
Beyond the Page Campaign

Library murals: A pet peeve
Doug Johnson writes: “I was visiting one of our elementary libraries last week where I saw a sketch of a mural that was to be painted on one of the walls this summer. The main character was Mouse from Numeroff’s If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, illustrated by Felicia Bond. I asked the librarian if she had permission to use this character in the mural. She didn’t know. But what is the message about intellectual property use we are sending to students?”...
Blue Skunk Blog, June 4

How to organize your own Wikipedia edit-a-thon
Adeline Koh writes: “This spring saw a deluge of Wikipedia edit-a-thon events. Since these spring events, I have been approached by a number of people who are interested in organizing their own edit-a-thons both for students and faculty, and want to find out some tips and best practices. Here are my thoughts on what you need for an in-person edit-a-thon.” Join RUSA in the Uncommons area for an edit-a-thon June 30 at ALA Annual Conference in Chicago....
Chronicle of Higher Education: ProfHacker, May 30; ALA Connect, May 31

What students need from reference librarians
Trina J. Magi and Patricia E. Mardeusz write: “What does it take to be a good reference librarian today? Very little has been published about the skills and knowledge that librarians employ in providing individual research consultations, a reference service in which the librarian meets with a student in a scheduled session away from the reference desk. Some have suggested a renewed interest in consultations as an important complement to information literacy programs.”...
College and Research Libraries News 74, no. 6 (June): 288–291

Stereotank: The little free library in New York City
The Architectural League of New York has partnered with PEN World Voices Festival to bring a little free library to St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral School in Manhattan’s Nolita neighborhood. The Stereotank is built out of an inverted plastic tank and a wooden frame. Perforations allow visitors to peek inside and preview the interior configuration, which can be accessed by ducking under the yellow structure....
Designboom, May 29

Five cool things in the new Google Maps
Jill Duffy writes: “The updated version of Google Maps has been rolling out to users since it was announced in May. If you see a prompt to try the new Google Maps, take it! This article highlights some of the new features you must try out for yourself once you get access to the new Maps. The full version only works in Firefox or Chrome but not on mobile devices. You will also need Windows Vista or higher.”...
PC Magazine, June 3

Incredible reading rooms around the world
Alison Nastasi writes: “The Flavorwire editors are always in search of cozy, beautiful places to curl up with a good book, so when we saw that New York’s modern furniture company Vitsoe was opening a pop-up reading room in its downtown store, we went searching for other unique reading rooms around the world. Comfort, intimacy, atmosphere, and a great view play a big part in the design of these bookish spaces, many of which are in libraries.”...
Flavorwire, May 19

When you can’t get enough cats
Cats: You either love them or you don’t. Painters in the 17th century must have loved them. Have you ever looked at a painting and paid attention to the little kitten hiding in the corner, or to a cat eating its fish with a satisfied air? Try to find them in these stunning, public-domain paintings from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, or do a full search on “cats” in Europeana....
Europeana Blog, June 5

The six major anxieties of social media (satire)
Maureen O’Connor writes: “Because each social media network rewards different elements of human behavior, each gives rise to a different inferiority complex. Let us explore the unique forms of oppression we willingly subject ourselves to when we join and engage in Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Spotify. Some of the fears are wholly new. Others have real-life precedents from decades—even centuries—past.”...
New York Magazine, May 14

Seattle PL goes for book domino chain world record
The Seattle Public Library launched its 2013 Summer Reading Program on May 31 by trying to set a new world record for the longest book domino chain (3:01). Two college students teamed up with library staff for the event, which involved 2,131 books, 27 volunteers, five attempts at success, and 112 slices of pizza. All the books were discards and some will be sold in the Friends bookstore, especially if the world record is granted (confirmation is pending from RecordSetter.)...
YouTube, June 3; Seattle Public Library, June 3

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