The e-newsletter of the American Library Association | March 27, 2013

Women, mobility, and libraries
Beverly Goldberg writes: “As Women’s History Month draws to a close, American Libraries celebrates the library workers, most of them women, whose mobile devices for delivering literacy consisted of wagons and horses bearing books door-to-door in rural America. According to the Western Maryland Regional Library, the first bookmobile in the United States was introduced in Washington County, Maryland, in 1905. In the 1930s, FDR’s Works Progress Administration funded the Pack Horse Library Project, which enabled rural Kentuckians to have books delivered to them by women librarians who brought them in packed saddlebags (above).”...
AL: Inside Scoop, Mar. 27; Western Maryland Regional Library

Another Story: Making friends with research
Joseph Janes writes: “Did you know that about 95% of incarcerated people eventually reenter the general population? Neither did I. Nor did I know that a high proportion of them are high school dropouts. Given those circumstances, the importance of health literacy training for inmates seems pretty obvious. Solving that conundrum is the aim of a project led by Gail Kouame (right) of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine. She and her team built a sort of internet-in-a-box to simulate the experience of web browsing.”...
American Libraries column, Mar./Apr.

Youth Matters: Managing the managers
Linda W. Braun writes: “Sometimes relationships with those up the organizational chart are fantastic. Sometimes they are awful. Whether you work for an angel or a demon, you need to manage the relationship. Since what is required to accomplish that feat is not always obvious, I’ve put together these 10 tips for success. If you are clear about your vision for service to children or teens, you will have a greater chance to move forward with the services that the youth in your community deserve.”...
American Libraries column, Mar./Apr.

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Jaron Lanier to kick off Auditorium Speaker series
The bestselling author of You Are Not a Gadget, the father of virtual reality, and one of the most influential thinkers of our time, Jaron Lanier (right) has drawn on his expertise and experience as a computer scientist, musician, and digital media pioneer to predict changes in technology for decades. Lanier will kick off the Auditorium Speaker Series at the 2013 ALA Annual Conference on June 29. He will speak about his visionary reckoning with the effects that network technologies have had on our economy....
Conference Services, Mar. 25

Giada De Laurentiis at Annual Conference
Annual Conference attendees are likely to have a mouth-watering experience when Giada De Laurentiis (right)—the Emmy Award–winning star of the Food Network’s Everyday Italian, Giada’s Weekend Getaways, Giada in Paradise, and Giada at Home, and the author of more than six cookbooks—will be an Auditorium Speaker on June 30. Attendees interested in this program will also want to visit the What’s Cooking @ ALA cooking demonstration stage in the exhibit hall....
Conference Services, Mar. 20

IFRT to hold 40th anniversary celebration
After 40 years of defending and upholding First Amendment rights, it’s time for a party. Join the Intellectual Freedom Round Table on June 28 at the magnificent Chicago Cultural Center (right, 78 E. Washington Street at Michigan Avenue) for its 40th anniversary celebration, held in conjunction with the 2013 ALA Annual Conference. Proceeds from the event will benefit IFRT’s John Phillip Immroth Memorial Award....
Office for Intellectual Freedom. Mar. 25

Celebrate National Library Workers Day, April 16
National Library Workers Day is on April 16. It is a day for library staff, users, administrators, and Friends groups to recognize the valuable contributions made by all library workers. The ALA–Allied Professional Association established the event in 2003. NLWD is now celebrated each year on the Tuesday of National Library Week (April 14–20 in 2013). Download the NLWD poster (PDF file)....
ALA–Allied Professional Association, Mar. 25

The Washington Office seeks your input
Ted Wegner writes: “We need your help. We’re eager to know what concerns your library most, what stories you may have to share, and most importantly, what you need to influence your community more effectively. We’ve partnered with long-time ALA friend Stephanie Vance, author of The Influence Game, to help craft the specific resources you need to boost your efforts to convince others of the benefits of investing in library services. Please complete this short survey by April 8.”...
District Dispatch, Mar. 26

Putting libraries on the national stage
Starting March 21, a new national campaign is helping the public understand how vital digital literacy skills can harness the power of the internet. Public libraries, Connect2Compete, and the Advertising Council have joined together and are launching EveryoneOn, a campaign to empower people by giving them the tools and confidence they need to improve their lives through the internet. It encourages people who do not regularly go online to find free training opportunities already provided by libraries. Watch the PSA (0:32)....
District Dispatch, Mar. 21; YouTube, Mar. 21

ALA thanks FCC Chairman Genachowski
Larra Clark writes: “While it’s a tradition that many top administration posts will turn over in a president’s second term, ALA is sorry to hear that FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski (right) will step down (PDF file) in the coming weeks. From the National Broadband Plan to Universal Service Fund reform to digital literacy, the chairman, commissioners, and FCC staff have engaged ALA and libraries in a wide range of important proceedings. Among the most significant highlights are the chairman’s work around e-rate reforms, broadband adoption, and network neutrality.”...
District Dispatch, Mar. 26; FCC, Mar. 22

News Know-how helps students sift political fact from fiction
This past summer, the Obama and Romney campaigns issued numerous public statements that were picked up by the national news media. But were they accurate? A group of high-school freshman from Decorah, Iowa, in the News Know-how project determined that and presented their findings at the library, the Rotary Club, and eight high school classes in a presentation called “Campaign News Bias.” They also made a YouTube video (17:34). A news literacy program, News Know-how is sponsored by ALA and supported by the Open Society Foundation....
Office for Intellectual Freedom, Mar. 26; YouTube, Nov. 19, 2012

Apply for a Citizens-Save-Libraries grant
Applications for the Citizens-Save-Libraries grants from United for Libraries, made possible by a grant from the Neal-Schuman Foundation, are due April 15. The 20 grants will support advocacy at the local level for libraries with troubled budgets by sending expert advocates to library sites over the next two years. The expert advocates will help Friends groups, directors, and trustees develop individual blueprints for advocacy campaigns. Application details are here....
United for Libraries, Feb. 12

Henry Cavill joins Celebrity READ campaign
Actor Henry Cavill is the latest star to join the Celebrity READ campaign. Known for starring in such films as Tristan + Isolde and The Count of Monte Cristo, as well as the Showtime series The Tudors, the UK actor will appear as Clark Kent in the June release of Man of Steel. Look for Cavill’s poster on the cover of the new ALA Graphics summer catalog arriving in mailboxes beginning this week....
ALA Graphics, Mar. 21

Marketing your library’s electronic resources
Useful for librarians at any type of institution, Marketing Your Library’s Electronic Resources: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians, published by ALA Neal-Schuman, guides readers through every step of developing, implementing, and evaluating plans to market e-resources in an approachable and user-friendly way. Marie R. Kennedy and Cheryl LaGuardia show how front-line librarians can improve awareness of and demand for underutilized resources....
ALA Neal-Schuman, Mar. 25

How to answer any reference question
The new sixth edition of Successful Enquiry Answering Every Time, published by Facet Publishing and available through ALA Neal-Schuman, is a one-stop guide to answering all types of inquiries at the reference desk. Author Tim Buckley Owen guides readers through every stage of research, from finding out what the user really wants to providing a thorough response. Emphasizing how to make the best use of limited resources, Owen also offers a final chapter with practical advice on how to set up a reference desk from scratch or revive one that needs a fresh approach....
ALA Neal-Schuman, Mar. 26

A stand-up ALA Editions staffer
Based on an article he found through AL Direct, ALA Editions Marketing Coordinator (and author of Queue Tips) Rob Christopher built this ergonomic standing desk for his computer in less than half an hour from components he bought at Ikea for $20. It’s not exactly height-adjustable yet, since he has to move the keyboard and mouse when he wants to stand instead of sit, but he’s working on that. Sitting down for long stretches of time slows the body’s metabolism of glucose and lowers the levels of good (HDL) cholesterol in the blood (see also Public Libraries Online), so Christopher hopes to be much healthier than the rest of us....
Twitter: randomcha, Mar. 25; Colin Nederkoorn’s Blog; New York Times, Dec. 1, 2012; Public Libraries Online, Mar. 18

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Nerds a-go-go: ALA Annual Conference
Amy Martin writes: “So, it turns out there is more than one kind of nerdy convention I enjoy. In June I got to go to the 2012 ALA Annual Conference. It’s a big, bustling, baffling conference, and though I still found it far easier to navigate than Comic-Con, there was a lot I missed because I wasn’t in the know about how to find things, how to prioritize, and how to network your way into the Macmillan Dessert Party. Here are 11 lessons I learned from my first ALA Annual.”...
Amy Martin Comics, July 6, 2012

Chicago French Market
Featuring nearly 30 individual specialty vendors, the Chicago French Market in the West Loop inside the Metra Ogilvie Transportation Center (entrance at 131 N. Clinton Street) offers fresh ingredients for cooking at home, delicious grab-and-go options, light snacks, picnics, easy party planning, and meaningful gift ideas, all in one location. Highlights include Pastoral (for wine and cheese), Fumare (local cured meats and sausages), and City Fresh Market (produce and grass-fed beef). Open Monday through Saturday....
Chicago French Market

Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows, Navy Pier
The Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows is a permanent display of 150 stained glass windows housed in a series of galleries along the lower level terraces of Navy Pier. Open since February 2000, it is the first museum in the US dedicated solely to stained glass windows. It showcases both secular and religious windows and is divided by artistic theme into four categories: Victorian, Prairie, Modern, and Contemporary. All were designed by prominent local, national, and European studios and most were originally installed in Chicago area residential, commercial, and religious buildings....
Navy Pier

Theater in Chicago
Downtown Chicago has a specific theater district, referring to the cluster of theaters located close to the intersection of the Randolph and Dearborn streets inside the Loop. The stages offer such diversity that whatever you’re interested in will most likely be playing in one theater in or outside the district. Some shows that will be playing during Annual Conference will be Yellow Moon (Writers’ Theatre), Head of Passes (right, Steppenwolf Theatre), Brighton Beach Memoirs (Raven Theatre), Blood and Gifts (Timeline Theatre), and Bridge of Birds (Lifeline Theatre)....
Theatre Building Chicago, Nov. 22, 2012; Wikipedia; Theatre in Chicago

Gene Siskel Film Center
For almost 40 years, the Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (164 N. State Street) has presented world-class independent, international, and classic cinema and hosts at least one major retrospective per month. Renamed in honor of the late film critic in 2000, the Gene Siskel Film Center presents approximately 1,500 screenings and 100 guest artist appearances every year. Its current facilities, which consist of two theaters capable of projecting most formats, are considered state-of-the-art....
Gene Siskel Film Center

Eight reasons why you shouldn’t work during a flight
Keenan Mayo writes: “Leave your laptop in the overhead compartment, road warrior. You’re not at your best. In a 2007 study commissioned by Boeing, 500 test subjects reported fatigue, headaches, and malaise at normal flying altitudes. Incessant loud sounds, like the jet engine, can also throw you off your game. And at 8,000 feet, you have to think harder and can’t remember things as easily.”...
Bloomberg Businessweek, Mar. 21

Techniques for Electronic Resources Management
On June 28 at the 2013 ALA Annual Conference, ALCTS will bring you “Techniques for Electronic Resource Management (TERMS): Crowdsourcing for Best Practices.” This all-day preconference—presented by Jill Emery, Portland State University (Oreg.), and Graham Stone, University of Huddersfield (UK)—will introduce attendees to best practices in TERMS. Register through the 2013 ALA Annual Conference website....
ALCTS, Mar. 20

“RDA: Back to the Basics” preconference in Chicago
ALCTS brings you the “RDA: Back to the Basics” preconference on June 28 at the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. This all-day preconference will cover the transition of libraries and library staff to RDA: Resource Description and Access, and is for those new to RDA as well as those requiring refresher training. Registration is open....
ALCTS, Mar. 26

Learn how to make public library data work for you
On April 3, PLA is offering a free webinar, “PLAmetrics: How to Make Public Library Data Work for You.” This is a unique opportunity to explore and learn more about PLAmetrics, an online report database accessing more than 10 years of data from the Public Library Data Service (PLDS) Statistical Report and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The interactive webinar will offer insights into what kind of data is available, tips to navigate it, and how to create custom data reports....
PLA, Mar. 26

YALSA seeks service-trends proposals
YALSA seeks proposals for its “Trends Impacting Young Adult Services Paper Presentation,” which will be held during the 2014 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia. Sponsored by YALSA’s past presidents, the presentation’s winning proposal will be published in YALSA’s peer-reviewed Journal of Research on Libraries and Young Adults after Midwinter, and the presenter will receive up to $1,500 to defray travel and registration costs. Proposals are due by June 1....
YALSA, Mar. 26

Get Storied at ASCLA’s President’s Program
Michael Margolis, CEO of Get Storied, will offer strategies for crafting powerful stories about the value of libraries at the ASCLA President’s Program on June 30 during the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. “Storytelling Mojo: Creating the 21st Century Library Narrative” will focus on how we can think strategically about how we can communicate within and outside of our libraries more effectively. Through this engaging and interactive session, Margolis will provide simple ways to help design and deliver powerful messages....
ASCLA, Mar. 26

ASCLA seeks RFP on library standards
ASCLA has extended the deadline to receive responses for an RFP (PDF file) for a project director to work with ASCLA members and outside stakeholders in revising the current Standards for Libraries Serving the Incarcerated, which were last updated in 1992. Responses are due by April 8. Project deliverables include a library standards booklet and two webinars about the standards....
ASCLA Blog, Mar. 26

Concurrent sessions at AASL Conference empower school librarians
More than 130 concurrent sessions that will be offered at the AASL 16th National Conference and Exhibition will empower school librarian professionals to take charge during this pivotal moment in education and position themselves as the core component of 21st-century teaching and learning. Registration is open for the November 14–17 conference in Hartford, Connecticut, themed “Rising to the Challenge.”...
AASL, Mar. 26

Volunteer editor sought for School Library Research
AASL is seeking a volunteer editor for its peer-reviewed online research journal School Library Research (SLR). The responsibilities of the editor include setting the scope and tone of the journal, managing editorial activities and the refereeing process, and soliciting high-quality articles. Read more about additional information on responsibilities, qualifications, and the application process....
AASL, Mar. 26

Sign up for ALSC online courses
ALSC online courses are designed to fit the needs of working professionals. The courses are taught by experienced librarians and academics. Registration is now open for all courses, which begin April 8. The schedule includes courses that are eligible for continuing education units (CEUs), certified by the International Association of Continuing Education and Training....
ALSC, Mar. 21

Academic librarian position descriptions
In the fall of 2012, ACRL President Stephen J. Bell appointed a task force to work with the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources to review and revise as necessary current CUPA-HR academic librarian position descriptions. The task force has created a form that includes the current descriptions, proposed revisions, and space for comments. Feedback is due by March 31....
ACRL Insider, Mar. 26

Open communication on Common Ground
Common Ground at the Nexus of Information Literacy and Scholarly Communication, edited by Stephanie Davis-Kahl and Merinda Kaye Hensley, forges a new path that crosses boundaries between two vital areas of librarianship. Davis-Kahl and Hensley explore how librarians at a variety of institutions can engage students and faculty in discussing topics such as open access, copyright, fair use, publishing models, and the social and economic aspects of scholarship and publishing through the lens of information literacy....
ACRL, Mar. 26

Scholarly communication and information literacy
A new white paper, Intersections of Scholarly Communication and Information Literacy: Creating Strategic Collaborations for a Changing Academic Environment (PDF file), written by a working group of leaders from many areas of ACRL, explores and articulates three intersections between scholarly communication and information literacy: economics of the distribution of scholarship, digital literacies, and the library profession’s changing roles. After articulating these intersections and exploring core responses, the paper recommends four objectives, with actions for each, that could be taken by ACRL, other academic library organizations, individual libraries, and library leaders....
ACRL, Mar. 26

Choice E-Collection expands
The Choice E-Collection (CEC), the first ebook collection made up exclusively of titles reviewed by Choice Magazine, recently added Choice-reviewed titles from the University Press of Mississippi and Wesleyan University Press to its list of participating publishers. A user-friendly interface allows searching by title, author, ISBN, publisher, or keyword, or browsing by subject area. CEC provides libraries with the opportunity to expand or begin building their catalog of quality ebook offerings at a reasonable price....
ACRL, Mar. 26

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2013 RBMS Leab Exhibition Award winners
The ACRL Rare Books and Manuscripts Section has selected four winners and one honorable mention for the 2013 Katharine Kyes Leab and Daniel J. Leab American Book Prices Current Exhibition Awards. The awards recognize outstanding printed exhibition catalogs and guides and electronic exhibitions produced by North American and Caribbean institutions. The Division Two winner is the Hoover Institution Library and Archives at Stanford University for its catalog, A Century of Change: China 1911–2011....
ACRL, Mar. 25

Ilene F. Rockman Publication of the Year
Korey Brunetti, Amy R. Hofer, and Lori Townsend have been chosen as the winners of the ACRL Instruction Section’s Ilene F. Rockman Publication of the Year Award, for their article “Threshold Concepts and Information Literacy,” published in 2011 by portal: Libraries and the Academy. The award recognizes an outstanding publication related to library instruction published in the past two years....
ACRL, Mar. 25

2013 ACRL IS Innovation Award
Gregory (Mike) Hagedon, senior applications systems analyst, and Leslie Sult, instructional services librarian, both of the University of Arizona Libraries, have been selected to receive the 2013 ACRL Instruction Section Innovation Award for their work on the software Guide on the Side, which helps instruction librarians create tutorials for database instruction. The annual $3,000 award recognizes a project that demonstrates creative, innovative, or unique approaches to information literacy instruction or programming....
ACRL, Mar. 25

2013 Oberly Award
Jan Scholl and Amy Paster of Penn State University, along with their teammates, have been selected as the 2013 recipients of the ACRL Science and Technology Section’s Oberly Award for Bibliography in the Agricultural or Natural Sciences for their 4-H and Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) research databases. These three databases contain a collection of citations to 4-H studies from 1911 to present and the EFNEP database from the more than 40 years it has been in existence....
ACRL, Mar. 25

Carreño receives Coutts Innovation Award
Angela Carreño (right), head of collection development at New York University, is the recipient of the 2013 Coutts Award for Innovation in Electronic Resources Management. The award of $2,000 cites Carreño’s development and implementation of models for the selection, management, and integration of ebooks, including the negotiation of a consortia ebook model license agreement involving a university press, NYU, Columbia University, and New York Public Library....
ALCTS, Mar. 26

RUSA announces 2013 award recipients
RUSA has selected the winners of its 2013 achievement awards, and research and travel grants, which encompass the most outstanding librarians, libraries, and projects in the field, and also highlight the promising leaders of tomorrow....
RUSA, Mar. 26

Apply for Judith Krug Fund grants for Banned Books Week
Applications are now being accepted for the 2013 Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund Banned Books Week event grants, sponsored by ALA’s Freedom to Read Foundation. Grants in the amounts of $2,500 and $1,000 will be given to organizations in support of “Read-Outs” or other activities that celebrate Banned Books Week 2013, to be held September 22–28. Going forward beginning this year, organizations may only be awarded grants twice within a six-year period. Apply by April 30....
Freedom to Read Foundation, Mar. 26

2013 H. W. Wilson Staff Development Grant
The Scottsdale (Ariz.) Public Library has been awarded the H. W. Wilson Library Staff Development Grant for 2013, for the library’s “Leadership Skydiving” program. The annual $3,500 grant is given to an organization whose application demonstrates the greatest merit for a program in furthering its staff development goals. The library plans to create a workshop for supervisors founded on the book Strengths Based Leadership, a team-building retreat, and a final leadership presentation....
Office of ALA Governance, Mar. 25

Deadline nears for Innovations in Literacy Scholarship
There’s still time to apply for an Innovations in Literacy Scholarship grant of $1,000, given by PLA to recognize original literacy programs of all types in public libraries. Funded by the Cambria Estate Winery, grants will be awarded to eight winning applicants for registration and travel to the PLA Conference in Indianapolis, March 11–15, 2014. There’s also still time to share your expertise and experience by submitting a proposal to participate in the PLA Conference. Apply for a grant or submit a program proposal by March 29....
PLA, Mar. 26

Mexican library wins architectural award
The designers of the Modulo Prep Library in Tijuana, Mexico, have received the 60th Annual Progressive Architecture Award for their work. The building, designed by Adriana Cuellar and Marcel Sanchez of the New School of Architecture and Design in San Diego, California, is one of 10 from around the world to win the award for a design that engages people with architectural accessibility and relevance. The public library, which has a strong digital focus, is called the “House for Ideas.”...
U-T San Diego, Mar. 22; designboom, Mar. 20

2013 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize
The winners of the 2013 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize were announced at a ceremony at the flagship bookstore in London on March 21. The overall winner (and winner in the teen category) was Annabel Pitcher for her gritty novel Ketchup Clouds, in which a teenage girl reveals a dark secret in letters written to a prisoner on Death Row in a Texas jail. Pitcher collected £5,000 ($7,590 US) total prize money....
Waterstones Blog, Mar. 21

Former librarian wins L. Ron Hubbard Award
Stephen Sottong (right), retired science librarian at Pepperdine University, will be honored at the 29th Annual L. Ron Hubbard Achievement awards held April 14 at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles. The event will celebrate the annual winners of the L. Ron Hubbard Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contests, where Sottong was the 1st quarter, 3rd place winner for 2012. His winning story, “Planetary Scouts,” will be published in the science fiction anthology series, L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future, vol. 29....
Galaxy Press, Nov. 1, 2012

2013 Diagram Prize for oddest book title
A book titled Goblinproofing One’s Chicken Coop has been named the winner of the Diagram Prize for oddest book title of the year. The title won 38% of the public vote, enough to vanquish fellow contenders How Tea Cosies Changed the World and God’s Doodle: The Life and Times of the Penis. The book, published by Conari Press and written by Reginald Bakeley, offers practical advice on how to banish fairies from your home. The Diagram Prize celebrates its 35th year in 2013, after first being founded as a way to avoid boredom at the annual Frankfurt Book Fair....
The Bookseller, Mar. 22

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Stephen King offers Bangor library $3 million
Authors Stephen and Tabitha King have pledged $3 million toward renovations at the century-old Bangor (Maine) Public Library, as long as the library reaches its goal of raising another $6 million. The library has kicked off a $9 million fundraising effort in an attempt to modernize its building and to protect its more than 500,000 volumes. Earlier in March, Director Barbara McDade (above) announced the library’s dire need for a new roof after multiple leaks threatened stacks of books and caused the Bangor Room’s ceiling to sink three inches....
Bangor (Maine) Daily News, Mar. 19

Canadian Library Association responds to LAC code of conduct
The Canadian Library Association urges Library and Archives Canada to revisit its Code of Conduct: Values and Ethics in order to strike a more even balance between the duty of loyalty to the Government of Canada that all public servants have and the freedom of expression that is imperative to the work of librarians in a strong democracy. The LAC code unnecessarily restricts the ability of librarians and information professionals to perform key aspects of their work....
Canadian Library Association, Mar. 22

Library of Congress adds recordings
From Chubby Checker to Van Cliburn and Israel “Cachao” Lopez, the 2012 inductees to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry reflect the diversity and creativity of the American experience. Librarian of Congress James H. Billington announced the selection of 25 sound recordings to the registry, marked for preservation because of their cultural, artistic, and historic importance to the nation’s aural legacy. The selections feature a diverse array of spoken-word and musical recordings spanning the years 1918–1980....
Library of Congress, Mar. 21

Downed redwood could be library’s windfall
Officials at the Henry Miller Memorial Library in Big Sur, California, plan to sell off the valuable wood of a 500-year-old coastal redwood tree that toppled December 2 during a heavy rain. The tree just missed an outdoor stage and fell onto the parking lot. The rare wood and the tree’s historic significance could net up to $200,000. Magnus Toren, executive director of the library, got together with local millers who helped him realize the wood’s value. Sales of some 55 slabs (each about 12 feet long and 6 feet across) could sell from $2,000 to $4,000 each. Watch the video (0:51)....
Monterey County (Calif.) Herald, Mar. 18; YouTube, Mar. 11

Five workers file suit against Lebanon library
A federal civil rights lawsuit has been filed in Indianapolis by five workers who claim they were fired from their government jobs as part of a cover-up of crimes on the job. The employees said they worked for the Lebanon (Ind.) Public Library when they took information to the library board of directors regarding a coworker, who is the son of Library Director Kay Martin. In their lawsuit (PDF file), Jocelyn Lewis and her four former colleagues claim they uncovered information that Martin’s son had been falsifying his time cards....
WRTV, Indianapolis, Mar. 20

The Conjuring Arts Resource Center library
Ricky Smith works at a library full of magic secrets: the Conjuring Arts Research Center, located a few blocks from the Empire State Building in New York. The archive has more than 15,000 books, plus manuscripts and letters serving magicians, historians, and screenwriters. The documentation is all created by magicians for magicians. The center doesn’t allow browsers, but members of the public with specific interests can make appointments to seek out such volumes as Indian Rope Trick or Mnemonica (for memorizing cards).”...
Wall Street Journal, Mar. 20

History set to unfold at the Bush Presidential Library
After 2.5 years of construction and several years of planning, work on the George W. Bush Presidential Center on the edge of Southern Methodist University in Dallas is down to the finishing touches. Workers are busy arranging exhibits, beginning the last phase of landscaping, and addressing other final details before the center, a tribute to the 43rd president, is unveiled to an invitation-only audience April 25 and to the general public May 1. Few details are being released about the dedication ceremony....
Fort Worth (Tex.) Star-Telegram, Mar. 24

The incredible fight to save Iraq’s National Library
Zainab Bahrani writes: “In 2003 and 2004, while working on the preservation of cultural heritage in Iraq, I first encountered the destroyed remains of the National Library and State Archives, an institution that is equivalent to the Library of Congress. The war had induced in me a fixation, a type of archive fever that led me to Iraq in the first two years of occupation, where I had hoped to do whatever I could to save what remained of monuments, archaeological sites, and museum collections after the destruction of the 2003 ground war.”...
Document Journal, Spring/Summer

Volunteer-run libraries in the UK
Nearly half of the libraries on the Isle of Wight in southern England are now run by community volunteers, which is, according to the council, the only way of ensuring their survival. “For me, it was about saving libraries,” said Councilor Dave Stewart, explaining the policy of taking five of the island's 11 libraries out of direct council control. The Isle of Wight has saved £350,000 ($530,170 US) by transferring the five libraries to volunteers. Most other councils are having to make savings....
The Guardian (UK), Mar. 25

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Cellphone unlocking: A legal primer
Carrie Russell writes: “On March 4, the Obama administration commented on one of the most wacky parts of copyright law—the Digital Millennium Copyright Act’s anticircumvention provision and its mandated triennial rulemaking proceeding—by agreeing with the signers of a White House petition that ‘consumers should be able to unlock their cellphones without risking criminal or other penalties.’ You may be wondering what your cellphone has to do with copyright law, so here’s a primer (PDF file) on the issue prepared by ALA’s Copyright Legislative Counsel Jonathan Band.”...
District Dispatch, Mar. 22

Journal of Library Administration editorial board resigns
The editor and the entire editorial board of the Journal of Library Administration have resigned in response to a conflict with the journal’s publisher over an author agreement that they say is “too restrictive and out of step with the expectations of authors.” The licensing terms set by the publisher, Taylor and Francis Group, were scaring away potential authors, the editor who resigned, Damon Jaggars, told The Chronicle....
Chronicle of Higher Education: Wired Campus, Mar. 26

Bills would ban guns in Michigan libraries
The Baldwin Public Library in Birmingham, Michigan, isn’t backing down in its attempt to lobby Michigan lawmakers to ban guns in the state’s public libraries. In mid-March, the library board made plans to aggressively court lawmakers in the State House and Senate and advocate for House Bills 4104 and 4105, both introduced by Rep. Andy Schor (D-Lansing). Both would ban both concealed and openly carried guns in libraries....
Birmingham (Mich.) Patch, Mar. 25

Stratification and losing faculty status
Meredith Farkas writes: “I was surprised when I read a couple of weeks ago that the University of Virginia was taking faculty status away from its librarians. I’ve seen first-hand that the way librarians are seen by faculty is more of a cultural issue than one mitigated by librarian status. In my view, the best thing to come from our faculty status is the fact that we are much more plugged into what is happening in the university and can thus better align library priorities to the direction in which the institution is going.”...
Information Wants to Be Free, Mar. 25; The Cavalier Daily, Mar. 7

BYOD to the library
Doug Johnson writes: “Schools that recognize the necessity of constant connectivity for students are looking for creative means of supplying it. BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) is a popular buzzword in technology circles. BYOD programs don’t just allow, but encourage, students to bring and use their personally owned computing gizmos in school. This approach is appealing to schools that choose not to support 1:1 computer-to-student programs but still want to increase kids’ ready access to digital resources.”...
Doug Johnson, Mar. 24

Seven signs you’ve got malware
Neil J. Rubenking writes: “Computers are complicated enough that they don’t always do precisely what we expect. Sometimes an unexpected behavior is just a fluke; other times, it’s an outward and visible sign of an inward and terrible malware infestation. If you notice any of these security warning signs, your system may well be compromised.”...
PC Magazine, Mar. 20

Anyone can benefit from Windows accessibility options
Mark Wilson writes: “The accessibility options that are available in Windows have been designed to help people that have difficulty using a computer because of a condition or impairment, but there are plenty of interesting options that could prove incredibly useful to everyone. We will reveal how the Ease of Access Center, located in the Control Panel, could help you.”...
How-To Geek, Mar. 26

How I became a password cracker
Nate Anderson writes: “At the beginning of a sunny Monday morning earlier this month, I had never cracked a password. By the end of the day, I had cracked 8,000. Even though I knew password cracking was easy, I didn’t know it was ridiculously easy—well, ridiculously easy once I overcame the urge to bash my laptop with a sledgehammer and finally figured out what I was doing.”...
Ars Technica, Mar. 24

Erasing saved website passwords
J. D. Biersdorfer writes: “In Mozilla Firefox for Windows and Mac OS X, go to the Tools menu in the menu bar and select Options. In the Options box, click the Security tab and click on ‘Saved Passwords.’ Click on ‘Remove All’ to dump all the saved passwords, or click ‘View Saved Passwords’ to selectively eliminate information.” Other browsers use different methods....
New York Times: Gadgetwise, Mar. 26

Holograms on your smartphone?
Katherine Bourzac writes: “A new kind of three-dimensional display developed at HP Labs plays hologram-like videos without the need for any moving parts or glasses. Videos displayed on the HP system hover above the screen, and viewers can walk around them and experience an image or video from as many 200 different viewpoints, like walking around a real object. Researchers hope these 3-D systems will enable new kinds of user interfaces for portable electronics, gaming, and data visualization.” Watch the video (1:11)....
Technology Review, Mar. 20; YouTube, Mar. 20

Does piracy impact sales?
Christopher Harris writes: “Those dirty thieves pirating digital music are killing the whole music industry—or at least that is the reality that the music industry would have you believe. But can the music industry back up those claims with evidence? A new study by the European Commission Joint Research Centre suggests that the claims of piracy-driven doom and gloom in the music industry (even as digital revenues grew 8% in 2011) are really just a swashbuckling tale.”...
AL: E-Content blog, Mar. 21

UK review of library e-lending
A report commissioned by the UK government, An Independent Review of E-Lending in Public Libraries in England by William Sieghart, was released March 27. The free lending of ebooks by public libraries will enhance library services for users, but the interests of booksellers and publishers must be protected too, Culture Minister Ed Vaizey said. Those protections would be “through ‘frictions’ that limit the supply of ebooks in the same way that physical book loans are controlled,” the report contends....
UK Department for Culture, Media, and Sport, Mar. 27

E-lending and its discontents
No country has a settled policy on e-lending. Britain ordered a review; the results have just been released. Other governments are waiting for publishers to set their terms. In America, each of the Big Six publishers has a different policy. Canada is planning a national e-lending platform, so libraries would not have to have their ebook collections hosted by third parties. In Denmark, libraries used to pay around 17 Danish kroner ($3) per digital loan, but even with a price as high as that the country’s largest publisher pulled out....
The Economist, Mar. 23; UK Department for Culture, Media, and Sport, Mar. 27

iPads get cool reception in Brooklyn
The Park Slope branch of the Brooklyn Public Library wowed readers with 20,000 new books when it reopened in September, but its collection of iPads and children’s computers hasn’t been sitting well with some parents, who say their kids are already drowning in a sea of screens. Head librarian Stephanie Brueckel said she got a flurry of negative feedback about the iPads, one of which was stolen just weeks after the branch’s reopening.”...
DNAinfo.com, Mar. 26

OverDrive Read eases the check-out process
Christyna Hunter writes: “OverDrive Read eliminates the need to download apps or install software in order to read library ebooks on smartphones, tablets, PCs, Macs, or any device with a modern web browser. Once they’ve checked out an ebook via OverDrive Read, users can access that book offline (by saving the book’s URL to their browser’s bookmarks). Also, OverDrive Read syncs between devices.”...
Public Libraries Online, Mar. 25

Why ebooks are a different genre from print
Stuart Kelly writes: “There are two aspects to the ebook that seem to me profoundly to alter the relationship between the reader and the text. With the book, the reader’s relationship to the text is private, and the book is continuous over space, time, and reader. Neither of these propositions is necessarily the case with the ebook.”...
The Guardian (UK), Mar. 26

Bookless library is thriving at UT San Antonio
Since it opened in March 2010, the first completely bookless library on a US college or university campus is thriving. The Applied Engineering and Technology Library at the University of Texas at San Antonio caters to the research needs of its College of Sciences and College of Engineering and has become an essential resource for its students and faculty. The AET Library subscribes to approximately 50,000 e-journals and 470 databases providing students and faculty with full-text access to millions of articles, databases, videos, and conference proceedings....
UTSA Today, Mar. 26

Open Access ebook collection from Brazil
SciELO, a major indexer and publisher of Open Access online journals, announces SciELO Books, a collection of quality peer-reviewed Open Access and commercial ebooks in the humanities, social sciences, and public health from selected university presses and other academic publishers in Brazil. The scope of the collection will progressively broaden as university presses and academic publishers from other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean join....
No Shelf Required, Mar. 15

ALA Annual Conference, Chicago, June 27–July 2. Celebrate the Medals: 75 years (Caldecott Medal) or just 2 years (Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence). And attend award-related events including the Newbery-Caldecott-Wilder Awards Banquet, the Coretta Scott King Book Awards Breakfast, the Stonewall Book Awards Brunch, the Margaret A. Edwards Luncheon, and the Michael L. Printz Program and Reception.

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What is the business of literature?
Jon Evans writes: “If you love books, read this magnificent essay by Richard Nash on their past, present, and future. For the past five years, the publishing industry has been caught in a tawdry and depressing spiral of denial and decay, constantly attempting to reject new media, new technologies, and new business models until it can fight back no more. That’s why Nash’s essay is such a breath of revolutionary air. The publishing industry will never be the same, but why can’t it be better?”...
TechCrunch, Mar. 23; Virginia Quarterly Review, Spring

Rousing Reads: Visiting Two Medicine Country
Bill Ott writes: “In 1978, when I first read Ivan Doig’s This House of Sky, I was a librarian at Timberland Regional Library in Washington State. Doig’s memoir of growing up in the Montana high country as the third member, along with his father and grandmother, of an unconventional but loving family struck me as a very special book. When I came to Booklist in 1980, I made sure that Doig’s books continued to land in my hands, and I’m happy to say I’ve reviewed all 13 of them (11 novels and two memoirs) over the past three decades.”...
American Libraries column, Mar./Apr.

The history of American women through books
Jennifer Rummel writes: “March is National Women’s History Month. This year is the centennial of the 1913 women’s suffrage parade in Washington, D.C. As a tribute and celebration to all the previous women who have challenged rules, broken rules, and changed the world, here’s a list of books throughout America’s history from a woman’s perspective.”...
YALSA The Hub, Mar. 27

The Great Gatsby: Digging a bit deeper
Deborah Bryan writes: “I’m sure there are many things you could get out of reading The Great Gatsby, but as I read it I was entranced by all of the objects it mentions. The clothes, jewelry, telephones, perfume bottles, and other items are a visual treat for those who like to collect items from another era. Learning more about these artifacts is a good way to enter Gatsby’s world, and for that I turned to the many books in our collectibles section.”...
Topeka and Shawnee County (Kans.) Public Library, Mar. 1

The top 10 most influential travel books
Tony Perrottet writes: “For more than two millennia, travel books have had enormous influence on the way we have approached the world, transforming once-obscure areas into wildly popular destinations. A detailed selection of the best would fill a library. So what follows is a brazenly opinionated short-list of travel classics—some notorious, some barely remembered—that have inspired armchair travelers to venture out of their comfort zone and hit the road.”...
Smithsonian, Mar. 20

10 books on the Iraq War
Ron Charles writes: “This week marks the 10-year anniversary of the start of the Iraq War. Like all wars, this one has produced a library of great books. If not solace, they offer at least a measure of wisdom for those of us who have the responsibility of remembering and understanding what happened. Here’s 10 of the best in fiction and nonfiction, several by current or former writers for the Washington Post.”...
Washington Post: The Style Blog, Mar. 19

March Madness: College basketball books
Emily Calkins writes: “It’s March! You may have noticed a sudden boom in tournaments in the last few weeks, and that’s not a coincidence. Behind all of these tournaments, though, is the daddy of all March Madness: the NCAA Men’s Division Basketball Championship. For the next three weeks, people all over the country will be talking basketball as the 68 best college teams face off in a single elimination tournament. Check out this list of YA fiction and nonfiction titles about college basketball and the NCAA tournament. After all, you need something read between the games, right?”...
YALSA The Hub, Mar. 21

Outsider books for teenage girls
Emily Temple writes: “We came across Darren Shan’s list of ‘essential reads for teens about those who exist outside the boundaries of the established norms.’ But we did notice that each of his choices was written by, and is largely concerned with the exploits of, a straight white male. As a response, we’ve put together an alternate essential reading list of outsider lit for teenage girls—or teenage boys willing to read outside the mold.”...
Flavorwire, Mar. 14; The Guardian (UK), Mar. 14

Girls-being-awesome books
Erin Bush writes: “Right now it’s Women’s History Month, but I love reading about strong female characters any time of the year. I think it’s important to show that girls and women can be physically tough and emotionally stoic, and I love Katniss and Alanna of Trebond as much as the next person. But since this is a column where I highlight less buzzed-about books, I also want to talk about some less obvious ways to be a ‘strong female character.’”...
YALSA The Hub, Mar. 26

35 bookplates belonging to famous people
Curious how famous people laid claim to their personal libraries? These lovely inserts not only indicate a book’s provenance, but they often reflect the owner’s personality. Ranging from silent movie stars to presidents, here are examples of ex libris from the historical elite. Interested in collecting bookplates? Lew Jaffe has some excellent suggestions on how to get started....
BuzzFeed, Mar. 17; Confessions of a Bookplate Junkie, Mar. 25

Celebrate National Poetry Month
Jennifer Benka writes: “Reading poems not only builds literacy skills, it lights the imagination. In April 1996, the Academy of American Poets, the largest membership-based nonprofit poetry organization, launched National Poetry Month to introduce more readers to the art form. Today it’s the largest literary celebration in the world. April is right around the corner, but it’s not too late to get involved. Here are some simple ways to celebrate National Poetry Month 2013.” The poster (above) appeared as an insert in the March/April issue of American Libraries....
Programming Librarian, Mar. 26

17 types of academic library with growing circ stats
Walt Crawford writes: “People seem to love lists, so here’s one: 17 categories of academic library (some of them overlapping) where most libraries (with any circulation at all) had more circulation in 2010 than in 2008. (I’m leaving out an 18th, ‘all of them’—but that would also be a true statement.) For more information, including circulation per capita changes, read the March 2013 Cites & Insights (PDF file).”...
Walt at Random, Feb. 25; Cites & Insights (Mar.): 5–34

Public and prison libraries: Overlooked partners in reentry
Steve Lilienthal writes: “Public and prison libraries are becoming aware of how they can better help people released from prison integrate more successfully into their communities. For instance, Glennor Shirley, retired prison library coordinator for Maryland, recalls having public librarians visit prison libraries to provide early literacy training to fathers. But corrections officials supervising parole and probation, librarians, and the prisoners themselves often give libraries little thought.”...
Corrections Connection Network News, Mar. 25

DDC in the light of Common Core
Christopher Harris writes: “School librarians remain deeply divided over Dewey, but for most, its staying power is a matter of practicality. While the system is flawed, a complete overhaul of all those call numbers and spine labels is simply impossible. And yet, given Common Core’s requirements around informational texts, it makes sense for us to consider whether or not our current classification system best serves students’ interests.”...
School Library Journal: The Digital Shift, Mar. 25

Urban Librarian volunteers to bring services to the streets
Two Brooklynites have teamed up to bring the printed page to the street. Lauren Comito and Christian Zabriskie of Urban Librarians Unite will train and dispatch Volunteer Library Brigades with mobile library carts to the sidewalks, parks, farmers markets, ferries, and subway stations of New York City. They will look facts up, hand out books, run storytimes, offer directions, and advocate for libraries. The carts (donated by Demco) will be stocked with reference books, maps, giveaways, Wi-Fi, and free ebook downloads. Volunteer training starts April 13, in case you’d like to sign up....
Urban Librarians Unite, Mar. 21; Gothamist, Mar. 26

Indie Authors for Hurricane Sandy Libraries
Author and photographer K. S. Brooks set up Indie Authors for Hurricane Sandy Libraries in November 2012 to help damaged public and school libraries in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut by providing them with new books at no charge. To date more than 60 authors are on standby to send books as soon as the libraries are able to receive them, and the organization has provided more than 750 books to libraries in need. If your stricken library needs books, contact K. S. Brooks....
Indie Authors for Hurricane Sandy Libraries

For the undecided: How to become a 21st-century librarian
Meredith Schwartz writes: “Before deciding librarianship is right for you, make sure you understand what today’s librarians do all day. If you want quiet and lots of time to read, think again. Today’s libraries are full of collegial, and sometimes even downright noisy, collaboration, creation, and community activities, and are as much about technology as print on paper. Modern librarians need to be comfortable and conversant with technology, be willing and able to speak in public, and possess people skills and a commitment to lifelong learning.”...
Library Journal, Mar. 20

18 news, reference, and factoid websites
The PC World staff is a curious bunch and its interests stretch way beyond the world of computers, Windows, and machinations at Microsoft. In these 18 slides, they present the websites they visit most to learn more about the world, and find answers to our most esoteric (and random) questions. For example, Lapham’s Quarterly, which compiles historical writings on topics relevant to today. Or Science Is Awesome, a Facebook page that showcases the funny, playful side of science.”...
PC World, Mar. 27

Beware the high cost of free online courses
Steve Lohr writes: “The MOOCs movement has been greeted with equal parts enthusiasm and angst. The MOOC champions predict a technology-fueled revolution in education. The MOOC skeptics have a variety of qualms, but especially about what is lost in the retreat of face-to-face teaching. Michael A. Cusumano (right) raises a different issue in an essay (PDF file) published this week: the economics of MOOCs and the implications.” Joseph Esposito also offers up some MOOC ruminations....
New York Times: Bits, Mar. 25; Communications of the ACM 56, no. 4 (Apr.): 1–4; The Scholarly Kitchen, Mar. 26

Facebook enhances its search tool
In January, Facebook began testing its new search tool, an enhanced version of the search box at the top of the site. The tool, which Facebook calls Graph Search, gets its name from “social graph,” a technical term for the giant network of connections among friends. Graph Search lets a user concoct short phrases, instead of stand-alone search keywords, to search Facebook; for example, “books my friends like.”...
New York Times, Jan. 15, 28, Mar. 20

10 other uses for Google Translate
Saikat Basu writes: “In 2012, Google announced that the Google Translate service was being used 200 million users monthly. The figure perhaps blows away the notion that Google Translate doesn’t get the limelight it deserves. Perhaps most of us don’t use the service so much because our comfort zone is English. But there are many interesting uses of Google Translate other than turning a love to an amour. Here are 10 of them.”...
MakeUseOf, Mar. 27

Programming ideas for Autism Awareness Month
Renee Grassi writes: “April is only a few short days away–and what an important month it is. National Autism Awareness Month is recognized each year during the month of April to highlight the growing need for concern and awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorder. If you are looking for program ideas, consider this first. Illinois State University has developed a list of 10 guiding principles to consider when developing programming for youth with autism.”...
ALSC Blog, Mar. 26; Autism Spectrum Institute

Created Equal programming grants
To mark the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, the National Endowment for the Humanities has developed a special project as part of its “Bridging Cultures” initiative: Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle. Up to 500 communities will receive a packaged set of NEH-funded films on Civil Rights history, accompanied by programming resources and up to $1,200 in support. Libraries may apply by May 1....
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Team building for everyone
Holly Hibner writes: “I’ll be honest. When I hear the phrase ‘team-building exercises’ I absolutely cringe. But as a library leader in my organization, I’ve been asked to come up with team-building exercises and I tried to be sensitive to the kinds of things that some people find fun (role playing, for example) and the kinds of things that others find horrifying (role playing, for example). This post will give suggestions for team-building exercises that won’t fill people like me with dread.”...
Library Lost & Found, Mar. 26

My three favorite playlist tools
Joyce Valenza writes: “A newish subgenre of curation tools—the playlist—allows us to carefully select, annotate, and sequence all types of media resources for learning. I tell my students that looseleaf notebooks no longer cut it as containers for research. Reading lists no longer cut it as containers for learning. We need to be able to remix and sequence all sorts of learning artifacts, regardless of their platform or media. Let’s take a look at my current favorite instructional playlist tools.”...
School Library Journal: NeverEndingSearch, Mar. 24

Shots of color: A school library transformed
Susan Grigsby writes: “I came to Elkins Pointe Middle School in Roswell, Georgia, in August 2007. What I found was gray and beige carpet, gray shelves, beige walls, generic ‘team building–feel good’ framed posters, and an expansive open steel beam domed ceiling (beige). The lighting was a collection of cans with weird halogen bulbs. Over the last six years I have transformed the space to bring in color; a variety of spaces conducive to both individual, small-group, and large-group work; and reconfigured both library computer placement and teaching space.”...
Library As Incubator Project, Mar. 27

Bibliocide: Burning the Britannicas
Realizing he must discard his childhood set of now-moldy Encyclopædia Britannica, Julian Baggini decided to burn it. He writes: “Like any funeral, this blaze was essentially about showing respect. . . . If any secular object deserves the status of the sacred, surely it is the book, which aside from all those practical innovations that feed, clothe, warm and heal us, is the most important human creation of all time.” Watch the video (8:33), in which the conventional “ashes to ashes” becomes “the secular sacred liturgy of the spine: Arctic to Biosphere. Birds to Chess.”...
Aeon, Mar. 6

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