The e-newsletter of the American Library Association | May 15, 2013

Greetings from America’s National Park libraries
Maryann Hight writes: “Ken Burns called the National Parks ‘America’s Best Idea,’ but the libraries in these parks may be one of America’s best-kept secrets. As part of the NPS, the National Park libraries serve as both government and public libraries, house special collections, and in many cases double as museum libraries. The librarians, curators, and rangers who oversee them offer a way for visitors to connect with a place, an event, or local history that is unique. Here are a few for you to consider on your next national park visit.” (Read the entire May issue of American Libraries online.)...
American Libraries feature

A year in the life of Librotraficante
Phil Morehart writes: “Librotraficante has had a rollercoaster year. Led by Houston-based author and activist Tony Diaz, the organization (whose name means “book smuggler” in Spanish) formed in 2012 in response to Arizona House Bill 2281 (PDF file), signed into law in 2010, which outlaws teaching courses in Arizona public schools that promote the overthrow of the US government, foster racial and class-based resentment, favor one ethnic group over another, or advocate ethnic solidarity.” A similar effort in Texas (HB 1938 and its Senate counterpart SB1128) is now indefinitely stalled, thanks to the Librotraficantes....
American Libraries feature; Blogging Censorship, May 13

C2E2 goes crazy for American Libraries
American Libraries visited C2E2, the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo, on April 26–28, and found spacemen, superheroes, film and TV actors, comic book artists, authors, and library advocates who love American Libraries. Visit the full slideshow....
AL Focus, May 9

Defining “transformation”: Executive Director’s Message
ALA Executive Director Keith Michael Fiels writes: “Libraries of all types are currently undergoing changes that most agree are transformative in nature. But what do we mean when we talk about ‘transforming’ libraries? We mean that we are not just dealing with quantitative change—doing more, for instance—but with qualitative change. This means fundamental change in the very nature of what we do and how we do it.”...
American Libraries column, May

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Forbes blogger to ask the $84 question at ALA Annual
Branding expert David Vinjamuri (right), author of a two-part post this past January about libraries and ebooks on his Forbes.com blog that got more than 225,000 views, will be the speaker at the PR Forum on June 30 during the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. “The $84 Question: Why Libraries Matter and Can Do More in the Era of Ebooks, Social Media, and Branding” is sponsored by ALA’s Public Awareness Committee....
Public Information Office, May 14

Behind the scenes at the Robie House
There are still tickets available for a unique opportunity to tour the renowned Frank Lloyd Wright–designed Robie House and support the ALA Cultural Communities Fund. On July 1, toast the 10th anniversary of the CCF and explore the house, with tours available at 5–6:30 p.m. and 7–8:30 p.m. Tickets for this event are available as part of registration for the 2013 ALA Annual Conference or can be added to a previously completed conference registration by logging in....
Public Programs Office, May 14

GraphiCon at Annual Conference
For the second year, GraphiCon will inspire ALA Annual Conference attendees to innovate and raise the profile of graphic novels and comics in their libraries and schools. A range of programs and author events, plus “Artist Alley,” the Graphic Novel Pavilion, and Graphic Novel Stage in the exhibit hall will offer information and creative inspiration, as well as chances to ask questions and discuss ideas. To identify relevant events, look for the GraphiCon cluster in the conference scheduler....
Conference Services, May 8

ALA Virtual Membership Meeting 2013
ALA President Maureen Sullivan, Executive Director Keith Michael Fiels, and the Committee on Membership Meetings invite all ALA personal members to register for and participate in ALA’s annual online Virtual Membership Meeting on June 6. The meeting will begin with a “State of the Association” update and a recap of initiatives during Sullivan’s presidential year, an update about ALA’s 2015 Strategic Plan from Executive Director Keith Michael Fiels, and a financial update by ALA Treasurer James Neal. The webinar is limited to 1,000 registrants....
Member Relations, May 10

JobLIST Placement Center
As part of its continuing efforts to provide networking opportunities for employers and job seekers, the ALA JobLIST Placement Center will host an Open House on June 30 during ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. Representatives from various libraries and library-related companies can take advantage of the opportunity to talk with conference attendees about their specific work environments. Employers must apply (PDF file) by June 14....
Human Resource Development and Recruitment, May 14

Career Development Facilitator training
ALA will host Career Development Facilitator training sessions at its 50 East Huron Street headquarters in Chicago, June 26–27. Created by the National Career Development Association, this comprehensive training is designed to address career planning and job search, with a special emphasis on the role of the librarian in helping patrons and job seekers. The course will be taught by CDF Instructor Caitlin Williams (right). The deadline to register is June 14....
Human Resource Development and Recruitment, May 8

ALA officer candidates sought
ALA’s Nominating Committee is seeking nominees to run for ALA president-elect and councilor-at-large on the 2014 spring ballot. The committee will select two candidates to run for president-elect and no fewer than 51 candidates for the 34 at-large Council seats. Submit the nominee’s name, present position, institution, address, telephone, fax, and email address to any Nominating Committee member. Self-nominations are encouraged....
Office of ALA Governance, May 9

Volunteer as an ALA Ambassador
Tina Coleman writes: “Recruitment and placement of volunteers interested in joining the 2013 ALA Annual Conference Ambassador Program is now underway, and I’m hoping you will be interested in joining us. If you have already attended a minimum of three ALA Annual Conferences and will be at the Chicago conference June 28–July 1, please consider serving a shift as an ALA Ambassador, Concierge, or Mentor.”...
Leads from LLAMA, May 8

Are you a programming librarian?
Lauren Bradley writes: “Although the Public Programs Office is a wonderful resource for programming librarians, there is currently no formal space in the ALA structure for members to contribute to the world of library public programming. The members of the Public and Cultural Programming Advisory Committee are pushing forward to establish a new ALA Member Interest Group, to be known as the Programming Librarian Interest Group. The first step is to collect the signatures of 100 ALA members on an ALA e-petition.”...
Programming Librarian, May 14

Six elected to Freedom to Read Foundation board
Eva Poole, president of PLA and chief of staff of the District of Columbia Public Library, and Jim Neal, ALA treasurer and Columbia University librarian, were the top two vote getters in the Freedom to Read Foundation board of trustees election that ended May 1. Helen Adams, Robert P. Doyle, Chris Finan, and Herbert Krug were also elected to two-year terms....
Freedom to Read Foundation, May 8

UNESCO representative sought
ALA’s International Relations Office is seeking qualified applicants to serve as a representative on the National Commission of UNESCO, which is comprised of up to 100 members appointed by the Secretary of State. ALA representatives to the US National Commission of UNESCO will serve a two-year term, from September 1, 2013, to August 31, 2015. Apply by June 1 to Michael Dowling....
International Relations Office, Apr. 23

Represent ALA on the US Committee of the Blue Shield
Nominees are sought to serve as ALA Representative to the US Committee of the Blue Shield for a two-year term, from September 1, 2013, to August 31, 2015. The cultural equivalent of the Red Cross, the Blue Shield is the symbol specified for marking cultural property in the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. Apply by June 1 to Michael Dowling....
International Relations Office, Apr. 23

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ALA packing and survival tips
Bobbi Newman writes: “About two years ago I gave up on lugging around a big checked bag and started traveling with only a carry-on. I was tired of paying the extra baggage fees and waiting for my bag at the carousel; to be honest, I liked the challenge. But here are some things I can not live without at Annual Conference, along with some practical tips and some other must-reads.” More newbie tips here from Shelley Macon....
Librarian by Day, May 4; INALJ, May 14

Groupon deal on three-day CTA pass
Groupon has an online deal for a Chicago Transit Authority three-day pass that grants unlimited rides on buses and trains within the city and 40 surrounding suburbs. The cost is $9 (normally a $20 value). Passes are sent via mail (so a shipping address is required) and must be used by September 1 (well after Annual Conference). Allow 10–15 business days for delivery....
Groupon Chicago

The Field Museum of Natural History
The Field Museum sits on Lake Shore Drive next to Lake Michigan, part of a scenic complex known as the Museum Campus Chicago. The first thing you see when you enter the main hall is Sue, the largest specimen of Tyrannosaurus rex around. Exhibitions at the time of Annual Conference include the cave paintings of Lascaux, bioluminescence, and living with wolves. The museum library’s holdings include some 275,000 volumes of books and journals, along with significant special collections of archives, manuscripts, photos, and original illustrations. Some of its collections that are not on display are described here....
Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago Sun-Times, May 2

The Poetry Foundation Library
Katherine Litwin writes: “The Poetry Foundation Library at 61 West Superior Street is an unusual place. It is the only library dedicated exclusively to poetry in the Midwest, and one of a small group of poetry libraries around the world. Its collection of 30,000 items includes a children’s collection, individual author monographs, anthologies, journals, broadsides, chapbooks, audio works, criticism, and prose works by poets.”...
The Library As Incubator Project, May 9

Chicago bar named best in the country
The James Beard Foundation’s annual awards, widely considered the Academy Awards of the culinary industry, have named Chicago’s The Aviary (955 West Fulton Market) as having the country’s Outstanding Bar Program. More cocktail lounge than bar, The Aviary is owned and operated by Nick Kokonas and Chef Grant Achatz, the men behind acclaimed restaurants Alinea and Next, and sits right next to Next on Fulton Street, which in 2012 won the Beard for Best New Restaurant....
WGN-TV, Chicago, May 6; DNAinfo Chicago, May 6

Windy City is tops for tasty eats
According to the latest Munchies Awards announced May 8, Chicago is a food city that’s second to none. Foodie website The Braiser dubbed the prizes the “backyard version of the James Beard Awards.” The somewhat new Bar Toma won the hearts (or taste buds) of Munchies voters for best pizza, while Lincoln Park’s Butcher and The Burger came out on top for its patty perfection. Not only did Chicago beat out New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Portland for the distinction of America’s “Best Food City,” the city made a strong showing across several cuisine-specific areas, too....
The Huffington Post, May 9; The Braiser, May 8

See Chicago by bike
Bicycle rentals are available from Bike and Roll in Millennium Park, Navy Pier, and the Riverwalk. The company also offers bike tours in Lincoln Park, the Near North side, a Barack Obama Presidential tour in Hyde Park, a Bike @ Night tour, bike and eat tours, and Segway tours along the lakefront. Find Chicago bicycle route maps here and bike-riding encouragement from Mayor Rahm Emanuel here....
Bike and Roll Chicago; City of Chicago

Flying with an infant
Brett Snyder writes: “Last year, my wife gave birth to our first child. Naturally—being the airline dork that I am—it wasn’t long before we ended up on an airplane with him, but I wasn’t quite prepared for the incredibly vague rules that exist when it comes to infant travel. Here are some of the things I’ve learned.”...
Condé Nast Traveler, May 8

Yes, you might see goats at O’Hare Airport
As airplane travelers descend into Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, they will soon have more than just a skyline view to look forward to: A herd of goats could be visible from the window seat. The city’s Department of Aviation has awarded a contract to Central Commissary Holdings LLC—the operator of Lincoln Park restaurant Butcher and The Burger—to bring about 25 goats onto airport property, helping the airport launch its vegetation-management program. In June, the goats will be delivered to O’Hare to begin their task of munching away at overgrown greenery....
Chicago Tribune, May 8

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Reimagining libraries with Anythink
United for Libraries will present “Reimagining Libraries,” the United for Libraries President’s Program, on June 30 during the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. Learn how Anythink Libraries (Rangeview Library District, Adams County, Colorado) rebuilt the library system from the ground up and created a new brand that was relevant, represented the future, and inspired innovation. Speakers will be Ronnie Storey-Ewoldt, public services director, and Dot Lindsey, trustee for Anythink Libraries....
United for Libraries, May 13

Learn fundraising secrets at “Raising $” preconference
Peter Pearson (right) raises millions of dollars for the St. Paul (Minn.) Public Library, and he will reveal how other groups can too at “Raising $: Process and People,” a June 28 preconference cosponsored by LLAMA and United for Libraries during the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. Pearson, along with other renowned library fundraisers such as Cleveland’s Felton Thomas and Tulsa’s Gary Shaffer, will share fundraising secrets and successes, as well as tips for creating and working productively with library foundations....
United for Libraries, LLAMA, May 13

How YA services increase library value and impact
If you are looking for a way to add value to your public library, then expanding teen services may be the perfect solution. LLAMA and YALSA will present the webinar “Increase Your Library’s Value in the Community by Amping Up Teen Services” on June 12. Presenter Mary Hastler (right) will discuss making the case for teen services, YALSA’s national guidelines to evaluate your library’s overall success in teen services, and funding sources available for teen-focused programs and services. Registration is open....
LLAMA, YALSA, May 13

AASL advocacy archives
A series of three advocacy webinars, presented by the AASL Advocacy Committee in conjunction with School Library Month, is now available as part of AASL’s professional development archive, eCOLLAB. Presented in a new 20-minute format, these webinars focus on a single topic and explore advocacy tools attendees need to most effectively promote their programs....
AASL, May 13

Member manager sought for YALSA’s The Hub
YALSA seeks a member manager for The Hub, its teen literature–focused blog. The Hub provides a one-stop-shop to help teens and librarians locate high-quality audio, video, and text content related to young adult literature. Full details, including qualifications, duties, and honoraria, are available online. Email applications to Jaclyn Finneke by July 1....
YALSA, May 13

Karen Williams elected ACRL president
Karen Williams (right), associate university librarian for research and learning at the University of Minnesota, has been elected ACRL president for 2014–2015. Williams has served as a member of the ACRL Board of Directors, member and chair of the ACRL Leadership Nominations and Recruitment Committee, and member of the ACRL Scholarly Communication Committee. She also received the ACRL Special Presidential Recognition Award given to founding members of the Institute for Information Literacy and Immersion Program faculty in 2009....
ACRL, May 8

Terri Kirk elected AASL president
Terri Kirk (right), school librarian at Reidland High School in Paducah, Kentucky, has been elected AASL president for 2014–2015. She is currently the cochair of the AASL 2013 National Conference Committee, the Kentucky Chapter councilor on the ALA Council, and a member of the ALA Nominating Committee. Past leadership positions include the AASL Board of Directors as member-at-large and as the AASL division councilor....
AASL, May 13

Diane Bruxvoort elected LLAMA president
Dian Bruxvoort (right), senior associate dean at the University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries in Gainesville, has been elected LLAMA president for 2014–2015. After hearing of her election, Bruxvoort said, “I look forward to working with our membership to continue to build an organization that supports our profession individually and collectively.”...
LLAMA, May 8

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Stonewall Book Awards Brunch
Donald Weise (right), founder of Magnus Books, will keynote the 2013 Stonewall Book Awards Brunch, a celebration of the very best in LGBT literature on July 1 during the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. Weise is a veteran in the publishing industry, with more than two decades of experience with LGBT literature, including serving as publisher at Alyson Books and senior editor at Carroll and Graf Publishers. Register on the Annual Conference website with registration code GBT1....
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table, May 8

2013 LITA Library Hi Tech Award
Internet activist and digital librarian Brewster Kahle (right) has been named the winner of the 2013 LITA Library Hi Tech Award for Outstanding Communication in Library and Information Technology. Kahle has been an important advocate for digitization and increasing access to electronic information. He was instrumental in the creation of the Open Content Alliance and the Open Library that provides more than 1 million free ebooks online....
LITA, May 9

2013 LITA Ex Libris Student Writing Award winner
Karen Doerksen (right), MLIS degree candidate at the University of Alberta School of Library and Information Studies, has been named the winner of the 2013 LITA Ex Libris Student Writing Award. Doerksen’s paper, titled “A Sight to Be Held: Adapting Comics and Graphic Novels for Visual Impairment,” describes the vital role of graphics and pictures in the development of early literacy....
LITA, May 9

2013 AASL Frances Henne Award
Amy Jo Southworth (right), school librarian at Bay Shore High School in Sayville, New York, is the 2013 recipient of the AASL Frances Henne Award. The $1,250 award, sponsored by ABC-CLIO, recognizes a school librarian with five years or less experience who demonstrates leadership qualities with students, teachers, and administrators. As the award recipient, Southworth has the opportunity to attend her first AASL National Conference....
AASL, May 13

2013 Eliza Atkins Gleason Book Award
The Library History Round Table has named Christine Pawley (right) the winner of the 2013 Eliza Atkins Gleason Book Award for Reading Places: Literacy, Democracy, and the Public Library in Cold War America (University of Massachusetts, 2010). Presented every third year, the Gleason Award recognizes the best book written in English in the field of library history. Pawley retired in 2012 as professor and director of the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
Library History Round Table, May 13

Colorado Association of Libraries wins Advocacy Award
The Colorado Association of Libraries is the recipient of the 2013 ALA President’s Award for Advocacy, sponsored by United for Libraries, for its 2012 campaign “Literacy through Libraries: A Dollar Does It.” The effort resulted in state legislators appropriating $2 million to fund the State Grants to Libraries Act for only the second time in 10 years....
United for Libraries, May 13

AASL Innovative Reading Grant
“Found in ‘Translation’: Reading, Writing, Critical Thinking, and Metaphrasis,” a project by Panagiotis Stathopoulos (right), librarian of the De Paul School in Louisville, Kentucky, is the 2013 recipient of the AASL Innovative Reading Grant. Sponsored by Capstone, this grant of $2,500 supports the planning and implementation of an innovative program for children that motivates and encourages reading, especially with struggling readers....
AASL, May 13

10 libraries get Citizens-Save-Libraries grants
United for Libraries has selected 10 libraries to receive expert advocacy training in cycle one of the Citizens-Save-Libraries program, funded by the Neal-Schuman Foundation. Advocacy experts will provide onsite training to Friends of the library groups, libraries, directors, and trustees and help them develop blueprints for advocacy campaigns to restore, increase, or save threatened library budgets....
United for Libraries, May 13

$150,000 in grants for summer youth programs
A new grant competition will award $150,000 to libraries, museums, and other nonprofit institutions to provide hands-on learning opportunities this summer for youth across the country. The Project:Connect Summer Youth Programming Competition grants will support a series of hands-on events from July through September where young people collaborate and compete through such activities as hackathons, makerspaces, digital journalism, and mentoring workshops. Applications are due June 10....
MacArthur Foundation, May 9

2013 Horizon Award
Shannon Regan (right), licensed content librarian at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, has been awarded the 2013 North American Serials Interest Group Horizon Award. The award, sponsored by EBSCO, recognizes a promising new information professional and covers the cost of travel, registration, and lodging for three nights while the recipient attends the NASIG Annual Conference in Buffalo, New York, June 6–9....
North American Serials Interest Group, May 13

2013 Ondaatje Prize
Philip Hensher’s Scenes from Early Life (Fourth Estate) has won the £10,000 ($15,222 US) Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize for 2013. The book, a semifictional account of the childhood of Hensher’s Bengali husband, was praised as “an unostentatious tour de force” by prize judge Margaret Drabble. The annual prize looks to reward a work of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry that evokes the spirit of a place....
The Bookseller, May 14

2013 Independent Publisher Awards
The “IPPY” Awards, launched in 1996, are designed to bring increased recognition to the deserving but often unsung titles published by independent authors and publishers. This year’s 382 medalists will be honored at an awards ceremony on May 29 in New York, on the eve of BookExpo America. Gold, silver, and bronze medals are given in 77 national categories. The 2013 medalists represented 44 US states plus the District of Columbia, seven Canadian provinces, and 10 other countries....
Independent Publisher, May 2

2013 Agatha Award winners
The Agatha Awards were announced on May 5, honoring traditional mystery writing (no sex, no blood and gore, and nothing too hardboiled). Among the many well-known authors and publishers picking up awards, including Louise Penny who won Best Novel for The Beautiful Mystery (Macmillan / Minotaur), was small independent Dallas publisher Henery Press, winning Best First Novel with Lowcountry Boil by Susan M. Boyer....
Early Word: The Publisher | Librarian Connection, May 8

2013 James Beard Cookbook Awards
On May 7, the James Beard Foundation declared Gran Cocina Latina: The Food of Latin America by Maricel Presilla (W. W. Norton) the Cookbook of the Year. It has already won acclaim, appearing on several 2012 cookbook lists and winning the IACP Award for Best General Cookbook. Marcus Samuelsson’s Yes, Chef: A Memoir (Random House) won for Writing and Literature....
Early Word: The Publisher | Librarian Connection, May 8

2013 Green Book festival winners
Life Everlasting by Bernd Heinrich (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) is the grand prize winner of the 2013 Green Book Festival, which honors books that contribute to a greater understanding of the changing worldwide environment. The book focuses on the fascinating doings of creatures most of us would otherwise turn away from: field mouse burials conducted by carrion beetles; the communication strategies of ravens; and the inadvertent teamwork among wolves and large cats, foxes and weasels, and bald eagles and nuthatches in the cold-weather dispersal of prey....
Green Book Festival, May 11

2013 Children’s Choice Book Awards
The Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader have announced the winners of the sixth annual Children’s Choice Book Awards. The announcement, on May 13 at a charity gala in New York City, is part of Children’s Book Week (May 13–19). More than a million votes were cast by children and teens across the country at bookstores, libraries, and online. The choice for Book of the Year was John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars (Dutton/Penguin)....
Bookselling This Week, May 14

Little Rebels Children’s Book Award
The winner of the inaugural Little Rebels Children’s Book Award, given by the Alliance of Radical Booksellers and administered by the Letterbox Library, is Sarah Garland’s Azzi in Between (Frances Lincoln), a graphic novel that tells a powerful refugee story. The announcement was made May 11 at the first London Radical Bookfair. This new annual award recognizes radical and progressive fiction that promotes social justice for children up through 12 years old....
Books for Keeps, May 11

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The most social media friendly state libraries in 2013
Beth Parker writes: “Do libraries need social media? According to the ALA 2013 State of America’s Libraries Report, the answer is a resounding yes. To determine which state libraries are doing the best job of managing their social media presence, we gathered usage stats for each of the state libraries on the top social media platforms. Here are all 50 state libraries, ranked from highest to lowest for social media friendliness.”...
LibraryScienceList, May 6

New Jersey district nixes Middle School Survival Guide
A parent brought Arlene Erlbach’s Middle School Survival Guide to the May 8 Delanco Township, New Jersey, school board meeting, saying she thought the book provided too much information about sexual issues for middle school students. Board members took a look at the content and agreed to take it out of circulation. The board thought it provided too much information on such subjects as “making out,” oral sex, intercourse, pregnancy, and abortion for 6th–8th graders....
Burlington County (N.J.) Times, May 10

Batman comic retained in Nebraska
The Columbus (Nebr.) Public Library Board received its second materials challenge in five months and again rejected the protest. This time a patron objected to Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland. The patron referred to the DC Comics book as “very adult” and said in the challenge it “advocates rape and violence.” The board voted 3–0 to deny the materials challenge....
Columbus (Nebr.) Telegram, May 14

Wallflower pulled from suburban Chicago classroom
Copies of The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky have been removed from Glen Ellyn (Ill.) Elementary District 41’s Hadley Junior High School, where an 8th-grade literacy class’s independent reading group was perusing the title after having selected it. The daughter of complainants Jen Bradfield and her husband was not in class on the day students chose Perks. The school board overrode a reconsideration committee’s vote to retain the book....
Arlington Heights (Ill.) Daily Herald, May 10

Mother files ADA complaint over library incident
Linda Aase has spent much of her life helping disabled people navigate their daily routines—as a disability program manager with the federal government, as a board member for disability advocacy groups and, above all, as a mother. So when her 25-year-old daughter, who has Down syndrome and autism, had an emotional outburst at the Rust branch of the Loudoun County (Va.) Public Library, she was not surprised. But she was surprised, she said, at the library staff’s reaction....
Washington Post, May 10

Library director wins on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Allenstown (N.H.) Public Library Director Amber Cushing (right) walked away from the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? that aired May 13 with $25,250 after correctly answering six questions. She ultimately left when she missed a question involving math. Cushing graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Information and Library Science in 2012....
UNC Daily Tar Heel, May 13; Manchester New Hampshire Union Leader, May 1

Jeffrey Beall threatened with another lawsuit
Jeffrey Beall is a metadata librarian at the University of Colorado at Denver, but he’s known online for his popular blog Scholarly Open Access, where he maintains a running list of open-access journals and publishers he deems questionable or predatory. The OMICS Publishing Group, based in India, is now warning that Beall could be imprisoned for up to three years under India’s Information Technology Act, according to a letter from the group’s lawyer. Beall had been threatened with a lawsuit in February by a Canadian publisher on the list....
Chronicle of Higher Education, May 15; Inside Higher Ed, Feb. 15

Stolen historical documents returned to Maryland
At a table in the library of the Maryland Historical Society in Baltimore, an investigator with the National Archives pulls file folders from a cardboard box and hands them to Library Director Patricia Dockman Anderson. Until recently, the documents were evidence, some of the more than 10,000 items seized in a massive FBI investigation that ensnared a well-known collector of presidential memorabilia and his assistant. This week, however, they were returned to the society to become again pieces of history available to researchers....
Associated Press, May 14

Bonaparte documents to be returned to France
In the midst of the French Revolution in 1792, a worried Joseph Buonaparte (as the family spelled its name at the time) wrote a letter (right) insisting that his brother Napoleon was a patriot. Now the letter will join the annals of French history, thanks to a decision by Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, to repatriate the document and about 250 others to France in a ceremony in late May. The documents were discovered near the end of World War II by Jack McBride, an American entertainer in a USO troupe stationed in Corsica....
Chicago Tribune, May 12

Library find indicates Kilmer’s “Trees” was written in Mahwah
A Mahwah, New Jersey, researcher who founded the Joyce Kilmer Society says a notebook and letter (right) that were tucked away in the special collections department of Georgetown University library in Washington, D.C., contain the answer to a century-long question about where the author’s most famous poem was written. Researcher Alex Michelini announced the find May 10, which seems to prove that Kilmer wrote the poem in Mahwah, where he lived for five years during the early 1910s....
Mahwah (N.J.) Patch, May 11

A win for Ronan, Montana
John Chrastka writes: “Congratulations to the Vote Yes for a New Ronan Library District crew and the Ronan City (Mont.) Library on winning 873 to 545 on May 7. It is a big win for the entire School District 30 community, securing new operating funds and new districting authority for the library. This win increases the library budget from only $15,000 to over $200,000, allowing for new hires, more hours, and better collections, programs, and services.”...
EveryLibrary, May 8

Ex-director sues, claiming his firing was political
Former East Chicago Public (Ind.) Library Director Manny Montalvo (right) sued Mayor Anthony Copeland in US District Court May 8, claiming the new library board appointed by Copeland fired Montalvo for political reasons. Montalvo believes his firing was due to his political support of former East Chicago Mayor George Pabey instead of Copeland. This is the second suit Montalvo has filed over his firing; he is scheduled to go to trial June 10 on two charges of filing false federal tax returns....
Times of Northwest Indiana, May 9; Mar. 29, 2011

Lebanon National Library project delayed but on track for 2014
The Lebanon National Library in Beirut will be open to the public by the end of 2014, officials promised May 10, despite years of political obstruction, logistical setbacks, and missed deadlines. The process of repurposing the old Lebanese University Law School began in earnest in 2011 with a $25 million grant from the Emir of Qatar. The plans now call for four subterranean levels, three for stacks and one for parking, while the ground level will be replanted as a garden. The architect projects a completion date of July 28, 2014....
The Daily Star (Lebanon), May 11

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Serious DMCA reform introduced in the House
The Library of Congress sparked a firestorm in October 2012 when it issued new rules under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act that made it illegal to unlock a cellphone to switch to a new wireless carrier. A new bill introduced May 9, the Unlocking Technology Act of 2013 (PDF file), narrows the definition of “circumvention” to include only an action that infringes or facilitates the infringement of copyright. EFF’s Parker Higgins says that other proposals would only apply temporary “bandaid” fixes that fail to address the underlying problems, but this bipartisan proposal “gets to the root of the issue.” The Library Copyright Alliance like this one too....
Ars Technica, Jan. 25, May 9; Electronic Frontier Foundation, May 9; Public Knowledge, Mar. 22; ACRL Insider, May 14

In praise of public libraries
Economist Paul Krugman writes: “For complicated reasons, I’ve lately had to do a lot of hopscotching around central New Jersey, often with gaps of several hours in between and with lots of work to get done in the cracks. What to do? The answer is, libraries! Many of the towns near here have very nice libraries, some big and fancy, some modest, but all with quiet corners where you can sit and either access their Wi-Fi (if they have it) or use your phone as a hotspot.”...
New York Times: The Conscience of a Liberal, May 9

An answer to “What’s a Library?”
Ingrid Henny writes: “One thing you can count on in this world: Every now and then, a rich white dude will pen a wishy-washy article about how libraries are dead. The article in question, written by Michael Rosenblum, is an anecdotal testament to how he’s never been to the library that was near his house. Rosenblum adores Google and Dictionary.com for all his information needs. I mean, they’re free, right? I guess the real question is, why are these articles being written by the same kind of author over and over again?” Henny and Natalie Binder have created a Libraries Changed My Life Tumblr blog to answer Rosenblum’s question....
Magpie Librarian, May 12; The Huffington Post: Blog, May 8

North Dakota oil boom increases demand for library services
The oil boom has prompted the demand for library services in Williston, North Dakota, to quadruple, and the Community Library is changing to meet the needs of its new population. Job-seekers and oil boom workers often stand outside waiting for the library to open. They come to use the computers or free wireless internet to apply for jobs online, update résumés, or email loved ones back home. At peak times, the patrons, primarily men, fill nearly every seat in the library....
Dickinson (N.Dak.) Press, May 13

New documentary portrays Google as book stealer
Josh Constine writes: “Google and the World Brain is a new documentary about Google’s plan to scan all of the world’s books, which triggered an ongoing lawsuit heard May 8. The hair-raising film sees Google import millions of copyrighted works, get sued, lose, but almost get a literature monopoly in the process. It’s scary, informative, and worth watching if you recognize its biased portrayal of Google as evil. The film is getting wider release as Google continues to fight the Author’s Guild in court.”...
TechCrunch, May 8; CNET News, May 8

Obama: Reset the default on federal data to open and machine-readable
An executive order issued May 9 aims to make “open and machine-readable” data formats a requirement for all new government IT systems and those being modernized or upgraded. The order requires the Office of Management and Budget to issue an Open Data Policy within 30 days and set a three-month timeline to incorporate the policy into agencies’ performance goals. It also requires protection for individuals’ personally identifiable information and other sensitive data. The White House also issued a new memo, Open Data Policy: Managing Information As an Asset (PDF file). But LC’s Leslie Johnston comments: “What is open data? And how is it being preserved?”...
Ars Technica: Law and Disorder, May 9; District Dispatch, May 9; The Signal: Digital Preservation, May 10

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A very short history of big data
Gil Press writes: “The story of how data became big starts many years before the current buzz around big data. Already 70 years ago we encounter the first attempts to quantify the growth rate in the volume of data or what has popularly been known as the ‘information explosion’ (a term first used in 1941, according to the Oxford English Dictionary). The following are the major milestones in the history of measuring data, plus other firsts in the evolution of the idea of big data....
Forbes, May 9

Library RFID tag technology and smartphones
Lori Ayre writes: “If you haven’t signed that RFID contract yet, you may want to set down your pen and check one thing: Is the chip in your vendor’s RFID tag capable of locking and password-protecting your content as well as the AFI and EAS registers? If not, do not sign that contract. Here’s why.”...
Galecia Group blog, May 8

Wearable technology
Eric Griffith writes: “One of the main reasons everyone is writing stories about today’s wearable technology is because of Google Glass. It’s the high-concept wearable tech product of the year, perhaps of all time. But it’s not alone. Some tech, especially the camera, has moved naturally to using the body as a mobile base of operations. Here’s a look at the best available today, or at least, very soon.”...
PC Magazine, Mar. 13, May 13

Taking a trek with SCVNGR
Nicole Pagowsky writes: “Embedding the library in campus-wide orientations, as well as developing standalone library orientations, is often part of outreach and first year experience work. Using a mobile app for orientations can provide many benefits, such as increasing interactivity and offering an asynchronous option for students to learn about the library on their own time. We have been trying out SCVNGR at the University of Arizona Libraries and are finding it is a fun and engaging way to deliver orientations and instruction to students.”...
ACRL TechConnect Blog, May 13

Google offers one storage container
Paul Lilly writes: “A cloud of common sense just landed on Google. Instead of offering users separate storage caps for Google Drive, Gmail, and Google+ photos, the sultan of search has decided to offer up 15GB of unified storage for free. In doing so, users are in complete control of how much each of Google’s cloud services can hold, which is particularly great if you’re deeply invested in Drive and/or Google+ photos, two services that were previously limited to 5GB combined.”...
Maximum PC, May 14

How to buy a digital camera
Jim Fisher writes: “When it comes to shopping for electronics, digital cameras are among the more difficult products to purchase. Figuring out the type you want is the first order of business, so you need to ask yourself a few questions. There are five main classes of cameras to consider when shopping, and we’ll break them down here to help you decide which type of camera will best suit your needs and your budget.” These are the 10 best digital cameras....
PC Magazine, May 7–8

Do programmers improve with age?
Scott Amundson writes: “Many older computer programmers believe they are victims of discrimination. They think companies push them out in favor of younger IT hires who are perceived as more knowledgeable about the latest technologies. But a preliminary study conducted by North Carolina State University (PDF file) helps fight this perceived ageism: It found that older programmers may know more about emergent technology than their younger counterparts.”...
Government Technology, May 13

How to take a break from your technology
Nick Bilton writes: “Hello, my name is Nick, and this is my first time at Technologists Anonymous. I’m addicted to my gadgets. If Technologists Anonymous really existed, several of the people I spoke with this week would probably want to be members. Increasingly, some in Silicon Valley who build the technologies so many of us are addicted to are trying to wean themselves off a 24-hour tech diet. Here are a few tips on how to do this from people I spoke with.”...
New York Times: Bits, May 13

See ALA at BEA
Alan S. Inouye writes: “Going to BookExpo America in New York City, May 29–June 1? If so, come join ALA President Maureen Sullivan at two events. On May 30, Maureen will be on the panel “Ebooks from Libraries: Good for Authors?” On May 31, Maureen will be the special guest at the booth of Douglas County (Colo.) Libraries and Califa. Also of note is a May 31 program about the Douglas County Libraries (DCL) model that features our DCL colleague Rochelle Logan.”...
AL: E-Content, May 15

Book publicity in an ebook world
Lucinda Blumenfeld writes: “Every book that you could at one point feel in your hands has today become something you can instantly access on your cell phone. For authors, publicists, and publishers, this has meant that we’ve needed to rethink the traditional publicity tools—print reviews, radio, and television that once, in the gilded age of publishing, worked so well for hardcovers. More than ever, it may now be online marketing that makes the PR difference.”...
Digital Book World, May 14

Choice E-Collection adds Wesleyan, Ole Miss presses
The Choice E-Collection (CEC) is the first collection of ebooks made up exclusively of titles reviewed by Choice. Currently consisting of several hundred titles spanning the entire liberal arts and sciences curriculum, CEC recently added Choice-reviewed titles from the University Press of Mississippi and Wesleyan University Press to its list of participating publishers, which includes M. E. Sharpe, McFarland, and Vanderbilt University Press. A user-friendly interface allows searching by title, author, ISBN, publisher, or keyword, or browsing the collection by subject area....
ACRL, May 10

Vancouver discusses urban green space and ebooks
Michael Kozlowski writes: “The Vancouver (B.C.) Public Library is poised to do something quite innovative. In 2015, the library will gain control of its top two floors and convert them into a huge urban green space. There will be food vendors and people will able to quietly read books and ebooks nine stories above the city in a tranquil environment. No library has done this before and it will set a great precedent in urban planning. But when it comes to ebooks, Canadian libraries work in a very different way from US libraries.”...
Good E-Reader, May 14

Library-loved ebooks from Macmillan
Melissa Marin writes: “When Macmillan launched its ebook collection with OverDrive in March, there were cheers from our US library partners that love the high-circulating edge of seat thrillers, crime novels, and mysteries. With the success of the pilot program thus far, Macmillan has decided to expand its ebook offerings for libraries. Here are a few recommendations of Macmillan’s library-loved authors and titles to get you started.”...
OverDrive Digital Library Blog, Feb. 22, May 14

The best tablet for web reading and web browsing
Nathan Groezinger writes: “When you stop and think about it, there are many forms of e-reading. It’s not all about reading ebooks. One of the more overlooked aspects of e-reading is web browsing and reading online. If you really want a pleasant web reading experience, a tablet is where it’s at. Of all the tablets I’ve ever used, there is one that clearly stands out among the rest as the best tablet for web browsing and reading: the Apple iPad 3 (the 4th gen is just as good, but I don’t have that one).”...
The eBook Reader Blog, May 11

Depression Quest: An interactive story
Richard Byrne writes: “Depression Quest is a website that features an interactive story designed to educate people about depression. The story puts you in the place of a 20-something person who is struggling with depression. Throughout the story you are presented with choices to make that will influence the next phase of the story. The story has 150 different scenarios and five possible outcomes at the end, based on the choices you make as you read through the story.”...
Free Technology for Teachers, May 14

50 digital preservation activities you can do
Tess Webre writes: “Preservation Week 2013 might be over, but digital preservation must go on every week of the year. In truth, preservation is an ongoing, long-lasting process that requires active management. Don’t despair, though. I have some helpful suggestions to help keep you in the preservation-y mood until next year.”...
The Signal: Digital Preservation, May 9

ALA Annual Conference, Chicago, June 27–July 2. The Conference Scheduler is open. Use it to choose the programs and events that will inspire you, to get your personalized plan underway, and to help you keep track. (The mobile app is coming soon—we’ll let you know.)

Top 10 books about being different
Gillian Cross, the Carnegie-winning author of After Tomorrow, picks her top 10 books that throw everything you think you know upside down: “The more we open our minds to other cultures and other ways of understanding reality, the less we take our own for granted. And the more possibilities we see in our own surroundings. That’s how fiction begins, of course. Here is my list of 10 books that have made me think about what it would be like to live in a different place, or a different time, or a different body.”...
The Guardian (UK), Apr. 25

Diversity for teens and tweens
Barbara Binns writes: “I was one of those eager reader teens, picking up books from the adult section of the library back before there was a thing called YA. But even I rolled my eyes at some of the tomes put on school reading lists. I had to think: Hasn’t anything that portrays the same message been written in the last century? Fortunately, many modern YA books do provide complexity in characterization, strong plot structure, ethical dilemmas, and important morals. And many do it with a diverse cast and multicultural settings.”...
YALSA The Hub, May 8

Books for Haitian Heritage Month
Sharon Rawlins writes: “Haitian Heritage Month in May is a celebration in the United States of Haitian heritage and culture. Until I started compiling this list, I hadn’t realized I’d read so many YA books with Haitian characters, some written by authors with Haitian ancestry and some not. The most well-known Haitian-American author is probably Edwidge Dandicat, who writes for adults and older teens. Here are some other noteworthy YA books about Haiti.”...
YALSA The Hub, May 14

Books for Victory Day
Jessica Lind writes: “May 9 is Victory Day here in Russia, a holiday that commemorates the surrender of Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union during World War II. This is a huge holiday: a shut-down-the-city, parades-with-tanks sort of holiday. Since preparations for the celebration began weeks in advance, WWII has been on my mind quite a bit. I thought I would take this opportunity to highlight some YA fiction set during the war.”...
YALSA The Hub, May 9

10 forgotten fantastical novels
Emily Temple writes: “Fans of magical prose and magical worlds, take heart. Titan Books has recently released a special limited edition version of steampunk legend James Blaylock’s The Aylesford Skull, a classic from one of the genre’s trailblazers. To celebrate the release, Blaylock has put together a list of forgotten or ignored works of literature that have inspired his own writing, and should be must-reads for anyone interested in science fiction or the fantastic.”...
Flavorwire, May 14

Going commercial free
After a great deal of thought, the Georgetown branch of the Allen County (Ind.) Public Library made the decision to stop using copyright-branded puppets and stuffed animals in its play area or during storytimes. Sara Patalita, the children’s librarian at the branch, was a driving force behind this decision. She agreed to answer some questions about her reasoning....
ALSC Blog, May 14

The ultimate social media sizing cheat sheet
Dan Wilkerson writes: “In June 2012, we published an infographic listing all of the sizing information for images on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest. It was a wildly successful piece of content. Unfortunately, nearly every social network instituted changes to their image sizes, rendering most of the information on the infographic out of date. So here is the ultimate update. Save this sucker on your hard drive and never Google ‘Facebook cover photo size’ again.”...
LunaMetrics blog, Nov. 12, 2012

Get started with Google+
Ellyssa Kroski writes: “Have you been hesitant about jumping in to the Google+ social network? Well, now is the time. Google announced in December that its online community has reached more than 500 million members. I can think of a million ways that libraries could make use of Google+ Hangouts for live author chats, instructional sessions, or book groups. So how do you get started? Here’s a quick guide to get you going.” Phil Bradley suggests another reason to start using Google+....
iLibrarian, May 8; Mashable, Dec. 6, 2012; Phil Bradley’s Weblog, May 4

Google Reader gives way to an heir
David Pogue writes: “On July 1, Google will take away Google Reader. To the dismay of millions, that service will go the way of Google Answers, Google Buzz, iGoogle, and GOOG-411. Google hasn’t provided much in the way of a satisfying reason for this spring cleaning, saying only that ‘usage has declined.’ This column is intended to help two kinds of people: Those who used Google Reader, and those who never even knew what it is.”...
New York Times: Personal Tech, May 8

Use Excel macros to automate tedious tasks
Jason Faulkner writes: “One of the more powerful but seldom-used functions of Excel is its ability to create automated tasks and custom logic within macros. Macros provide an ideal way to save time on predictable, repetitive tasks as well as standardize document formats—many times without having to write a single line of code. If you are curious about what Excel macros are or how to actually create them, no problem. We will walk you through the entire process.”...
How-To Geek, May 14

Librarians and the era of the MOOC
Shannon Bohle writes: “The question of the librarian’s role in the development of MOOCs, which is still an emerging educational technology, is one rooted not only in technology but also in the fundamental questions of science and technology innovation policy. MOOCs, and the librarians wanting to support them, are currently struggling to find their place in, rather than disrupting, American education.”...
SciLogs, May 9

On librarians writing
Wayne Bivens-Tatum writes: “Trudi Bellardo Hahn and Paul T. Jaeger offer some specific advice for academic librarians wanting to publish research in their College and Research Libraries News article, ‘From Practice to Publication: a Path for Academic Library Professionals.’ As an experienced writing teacher who has managed to publish in a variety of formats, I thought I’d toss out my own thoughts. When you’ve done something for so long, it’s sometimes difficult to articulate how you do it, but I decided to try. Here are the activities that I think have had the most positive influence on my writing.”...
Academic Librarian, May 15; College and Research Libraries News 74, no. 5 (May): 238–242

Photo sleuth: When the evidence doesn’t add up
Pamela M. Henson writes: “What is a researcher to do when the historic caption contradicts the information in the historic photograph? Here at the Smithsonian Institution Archives, we encounter this occasionally in our work and have to remember that sometimes people in the past made mistakes. Just because something is written in beautiful 19th-century penmanship doesn’t mean it is correct.”...
The Bigger Picture, May 14

The last of the great chained libraries
Jenny Weston writes: “On a beautiful sunny day in early May, we decided to take a day off from the office to visit a spectacular chained library in the small town of Zutphen (located in the eastern part of the Netherlands). Built in 1564 as part of the church of St. Walburga, it is one of only five chained libraries in the world that survive intact—that is, complete with the original books, chains, rods, and furniture.”...
medievalfragments, May 10

User reactions to historical events
For a book on the history of the American public library, library historian Wayne A. Wiegand is looking for one-paragraph recollections of how users reacted in the library on the following days: the JFK assassination, Nixon’s resignation, the attempted assassination of Reagan, and the September 11 terrorist attacks. Email your paragraph by September 1.
Wayne A. Wiegand

Radical librarian resources
Jessamyn West writes: “I recently got an email from a library school student who is an anarchist librarian wondering what resources were out there for radical librarians. This is an amended version of the resource list I sent her. There are just a few people in the radical librarian niche, but many others have influenced me in many other ways.”...
librarian.net, May 9

Religion and libraries: Why do it?
Jacqui Milliern writes: “Religion is commonly grouped with politics as a topic libraries avoid programming with, bypass in reference interviews, and circumlocute in collection development. A knee-jerk reaction is to strike a strictly legalistic, mathematical stance: There shall be a list of approved terminology; only salaried MLIS holders shall take religious reference questions; collection development dollars will be spent exactly equally between all religions. But go legalistic, and your patron interactions will quickly become one-dimensional, robotic.” Read part two for tips on incorporating religion into teen programming....
YALSA Blog, May 13, 14

Ezra Jack Keats Bookmaking Competition winners
The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation, in partnership with the New York City Department of Education, announced the winners of the 27th annual citywide Ezra Jack Keats Bookmaking Competition for grades 3–12: We Are Not Alone, by Amelia Samoylov (Grade 6, The Bay Academy for the Arts and Sciences, Brooklyn); Shell, by Helen Lin (Grade 11, Stuyvesant High School, Manhattan); and Surviving Hurricane Sandy, written and illustrated by Ellie Hui and co-illustrated by Vincent Chen (Grade 3, P.S. / I.S. 229, The Dyker School, Brooklyn)....
Ezra Jack Keats Foundation, May 7

What your manager wishes you knew, part 2
Sarah Flowers writes: “Do you sometimes wonder what you could do to get more administrative support for teen services in your library? There are some relatively simple steps you can take to win friends and influence managers. This is a six-part series that shares some tips from managers that you can integrate into your worklife and maybe make some positive changes in your library. Last week, I talked about presenting yourself as a professional. This week, the topic is ‘speaking the language.’”...
YALSA Blog, May 8, 15

Free Library launches “Check Us Out” campaign
The Free Library of Philadelphia has launched a “Check Us Out” advertising campaign, created in partnership with ADLOOP, an arm of the American Association of Advertising Agencies. Aimed at raising awareness of the library and encouraging Philadelphians to get a Free Library card, the campaign ads will appear on various popular websites, buses, billboards, and subway placards....
Free Library of Philadelphia, May 8

Challenge your world knowledge with GeoGuessr
Miss Cellania writes: “GeoGuessr is a game that uses Google Street View. You’ll get an image, and you try to guess where in the world it is. It turns out that no matter how much you zoom into a sign, it will not enhance like in TV crime dramas. It also helps to zoom into the world map to make your guess, because even if you know the answer, you’ll be scored on how close you mark the spot. I finally busted 10K on my third try. This could be addictive.” (You can also move down roads and get on the other side of street signs before making your guess.)...
Neatorama, May 14

Call-for-help systems: From the ALA Think Tank
Sarah Houghton writes: “We’re looking for a security system at the San Rafael (Calif.) Public Library—some kind of remote way to indicate ‘Hey, something’s definitely wrong with staff member X who’s dealing with the public right now; go help!’ Instead of spending hours researching this topic, I put it out to the ALA Think Tank group on Facebook. Their suggestions are summarized here for anyone else seeking a similar solution.”...
Librarian in Black, May 10

Public libraries and first responders
The National Network of Libraries of Medicine, South Central Region, works with public libraries and first responders to ensure that emergency information needs are available. Public libraries are a vital part of the community and offer essential services during emergencies or disasters. This video (2:19) was produced to demonstrate to first-responder groups, city councils, and local governments the important role that public libraries can play....
YouTube, May 13

The Out-of-Work Librarian Blues
An LIS anthem for the 21st century? Let’s hope not! The “Out-of-Work Librarian Blues” (2:55) was written by Rory Litwin, publisher of Library Juice Press, and performed by Suzi Lindner, a singer-songwriter in New York City. “I’ve had my MLIS / For 17 months / I’ve yet to have an interview / No, not even once / I’m just the out-of-work librarian / With the out-of-work librarian blues.”...
YouTube, May 13

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