The e-newsletter of the American Library Association | May 29, 2013

Youth Matters: Nonfiction programming
Abby Johnson writes: “Almost every state in the US has adopted the Common Core State Standards, which emphasize that students read literary nonfiction. A great way to stimulate students’ curiosity and encourage youngsters to pick up informational books is to include nonfiction in your library programs. The many new narrative nonfiction titles on your shelves are just waiting for you to incorporate them into your programming.”...
American Libraries column, May

Outside/In: Libraries as content creators
David Lee King and Michael Porter write: “Content creation may seem like a novel function for libraries, but it’s nothing new. If you think back to the traditional library of yesteryear (or even traditional services in today’s library), you will notice many examples of content being created: pathfinders, book reviews, newsletters, programming. Here are some other ways libraries create content for customers, including a video (1:15) from the Edmonton (Alberta) Public Library’s YouTube channel.”...
American Libraries column, May; YouTube, Jan. 9, 2012

Last call for Library Design Showcase submissions
This is the final week to submit your library for American Libraries’ 2013 Library Design Showcase, our annual feature celebrating the best new and newly renovated or expanded libraries of all types. To be eligible, projects must have been completed between January 1, 2012, and April 30, 2013. The deadline for submissions (PDF file) is May 31....
American Libraries news, May 24

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Interactive sessions at the Advocacy Corner
Interactive advocacy workshops, discussions, and presentations on critical advocacy topics are the focus of the Advocacy Corner, June 29–30, in the Membership Pavilion at the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. Topics range from political action committees, budget negotiations, and using Library Snapshot Day data in your advocacy efforts to updates from ALSC, the Washington Office, the Office for Library Advocacy, and the Campaign for America’s Libraries....
Office for Library Advocacy, May 24

Adventures of a grassroots lobbyist
Penny Markey writes: “Earlier in May, more than 100 librarians and supporters gathered in Washington for Library Legislation Day. The goal was to remind members of Congress and White House staff of the impact that library services make on education and the well-being of individuals. We were also there to ask for their support for library legislative issues. So what was it like to be a lobbyist for a day? I felt like I was a cast member of The West Wing.”...
ALSC Blog, May 29

Interviews with federal librarians at Annual Conference
Careers in Federal Libraries is hosting “A Day in the Life: Federal Librarians on the Job,” live interviews with federal librarians June 29–30 at the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. Interviews will be conducted by current LIS students who will ask federal librarians to describe their careers, their agencies, opportunities for LIS graduates, the top skills needed, and job-seeking strategies. The interviews will be webcast live and archived for later listening....
Federal and Armed Forces Libraries Round Table, May 29

Protect the right to read
Ted Wegner writes: “ALA supports the Treaty for the Blind (PDF file) by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), which would allow international book lending to print-disabled people by promoting an exception to copyright law. Negotiations are reaching a fever pitch, with powerful corporations opposing the treaty. Sign this petition to let the Obama Administration and the US delegation to WIPO know you support the right to read for all.” Several obstacles have arisen in recent months that compromise the passage of the treaty....
District Dispatch, May 23; American University Intellectual Property Brief, May 29

Archival preservation, fully updated
Archivists in all types of organizations face questions on how to plan a preservation strategy in less than perfect circumstances or deal with a sudden emergency. The new second edition of Preserving Archives, available through ALA Neal-Schuman, considers the causes of threats to the basic material, outlines the preservation options available, and offers flexible solutions applicable in a variety of situations. Authors Helen Forde and Jonathan Rhys-Lewis thoroughly update the text with new material....
ALA Neal-Schuman, May 23

New edition of ALA Glossary
Featuring thousands of revised and new entries, the fourth edition of the ALA Glossary of Library and Information Science, published by ALA Editions, is a thorough guide to the specific words that describe the materials, processes, and systems relevant to the field of librarianship. Editors Michael Levine-Clark and Toni M. Carter, with a panel of experts from across the LIS world, have thoroughly updated the glossary to include the latest technical terms, covering metadata, licensing, electronic resources, instruction, assessment, readers’ advisory, and electronic workflow....
ALA Editions, May 28

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Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate, a public sculpture constructed between 2004 and 2006 by British artist Anish Kapoor, is the centerpiece of Millennium Park. Even before it was given an official title, Chicagoans were quick to dub the reflective steel sculpture “The Bean” after its peculiar shape and the name stuck. However, its official name is Cloud Gate, as it represents a gate to the city it reflects. Said to have been inspired by liquid mercury, the sculpture’s surface reflects and distorts the city’s skyline. Visitors are able to walk around and under Cloud Gate’s 12-foot-high arch....
Wikipedia

Chicago’s nature museum
The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum at 2430 North Cannon Drive is operated by the Chicago Academy of Sciences. It focuses on the natural history of the Chicago region and includes the popular Judy Istock Butterfly Haven with more than 75 species of native and exotic butterflies. A special interactive exhibit on “Food: The Nature of Eating” will be on display during Annual Conference. The exhibit is divided into three sections: land, market, and table....
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

Chicago’s unique museums
Karla Zimmerman writes: “Several of the Windy City’s big-name museums recently raised their ticket prices. Puh-leez. Who needs to pay to see American Gothic and German U-boats when there are antique hemorrhoid surgery tools to be seen for free? Here are 10 museums ranging from the peculiar to the excellent to the peculiarly excellent where you can get your museum fix without handing over the cash.”...
Lonely Planet, Apr. 4

Skydeck Chicago
Step onto a glass ledge near the top of the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) at 233 South Wacker Drive, the second tallest building in the United States (One World Trade Center in New York just went higher on May 10) and the 10th tallest skyscraper in the world (1,451 feet and 108 stories). On the 103rd floor, at 1,353 feet in the air, four retractable glass balconies extend out more than four feet from the Skydeck observation platform and allow visitors an unobstructed view of the city for up to 50 miles as well as the traffic below their feet....
Skydeck Chicago

Chicago’s Read/Write Library
Amanda Meeks writes: “This year, as you plan your busy schedule for the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, be sure to squeeze in a visit to the Read/Write Library (formerly known as the Chicago Underground Library) located on Chicago’s west side at 914 North California Street. The library aims to be an all-inclusive, open archive of Chicago-specific media, produced by and for the community.”...
The Library As Incubator Project, May 29

The Magnificent Mile
Chicago’s North Michigan Avenue, one of the city’s most prestigious commercial and residential thoroughfares, extends northward from the Loop to Oak Street and the Drake Hotel. Named the Magnificent Mile in the 1940s by developer Arthur Rubloff, it includes the Wrigley Building, Tribune Tower, the Chicago Water Tower (right), Palmolive Building, and the John Hancock Center. It also encompasses the historic Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable homesite and the site of Fort Dearborn....
Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Chicago

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Free consulting sessions
ASCLA and PLA are teaming up to offer “Consultants Give Back” at the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago on June 30—an opportunity for libraries to receive free 30-minute consultation sessions from professional library consultants. It’s an excellent opportunity for public and other types of libraries to test-drive library consulting services....
ASCLA, May 28

Business Reference 101
New business librarians and reference generalists won’t want to miss “Business Reference 101: Core Competencies for Business Librarianship,” a preconference hosted by RUSA on June 28 in conjunction with the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. The preconference will feature presentations from Rhonda Kleiman, Chris LeBeau, Leticia Camacho, and Jared Howland. Registration closes June 21....
RUSA, May 28

Explore YA at “Crossing Over”
United for Libraries will present “Crossing Over: Teen Books for Everyone!” on June 29 at the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. Join writers Tod Davies, Anton DiSclafani, Darynda Jones, Richard Kadrey, and Amanda Sun, who will discuss their new books. Library Journal’s Barbara Hoffert will moderate. A book signing will follow, with some books given away free and others available for purchase at a generous discount....
United for Libraries, May 23

Jumping off a fiscal cliff
United for Libraries will present “Jumping off the Fiscal Cliff into Federal Advocacy!” on June 30 at the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. Jeffrey Smith (right), director of public affairs for Humanim and president of the Foundation for Baltimore County (Md.) Public Library, will discuss federal advocacy and how Friends, trustees, and foundations can learn how to contact elected officials to advocate for libraries on a national level....
United for Libraries, May 28

Newly accredited NCATE programs
Twelve school librarianship programs were recently granted AASL and National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) recognition. National recognition is awarded to education master’s programs in school librarianship that have been reviewed and approved by AASL’s program reviewers using the “ALA/AASL Standards for Initial Programs for School Library Media Specialist Preparation” (2003) or the “ALA/AASL Standards for Initial Preparation of School Librarians” (2010)....
AASL, May 28; Prism 21, no. 1 (Spring)

ASCLA leadership preconference
ASCLA is hosting a leadership preconference, “Servant Leadership at Your Library,” at the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago on June 28. Professional library trainer Linda Bruno will demonstrate how servant leadership can change the dynamics of a library by cultivating strong loyalty from both employees and library users. Servant leaders focus outwardly and work in partnership with their staff and communities. Register by June 1. RUSA members qualify for a significant discount before May 25....
RUSA Blog, May 13

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2013 Norman Horrocks Scarecrow Press travel grant
The Retired Members Round Table has selected Jennifer Gallant (right) to receive the Norman Horrocks Scarecrow Press Annual Conference Award. The $1,000 grant helps retired members of the RMRT defray the costs of attending an ALA Conference. Prior to her retirement, Gallant was associate director of the Elyria (Ohio) Public Library....
Retired Members Round Table, May 23

Bound To Stay Bound travel grants
Thirty AASL members have been awarded a $750 travel grant to attend their first AASL national conference. Sponsored by Bound To Stay Bound Books, the grants will allow recipients to secure housing, transportation, and registration for the AASL 16th National Conference and Exhibition, November 14–17, in Hartford, Connecticut....
AASL, May 28

Beverly Lynch named Illinois Library Luminary
Beverly Lynch (right)—librarian, library educator, and library leader—has been named the 28th Illinois Library Luminary. Luminaries, comprising the Illinois Library Association’s roll of honor, are individuals who have made a significant contribution to Illinois libraries and have been recognized by their peers. Lynch was university librarian at the University of Illinois at Chicago from 1977 to 1989. Her tenure at the University of California, Los Angeles includes serving as dean and professor in the Department of Information Studies and founding director of the California Rare Book School. She served as ALA president in 1985–1986....
Illinois Library Association, May 24

School librarian wins leadership award
Shauna Yusko (right), librarian at the Evergreen Middle School in Redmond, Washington, may lack a fancy costume (except for her collection of brightly colored wigs), but many in her community see her as a real-life superhero. In 2010, she founded the nonprofit organization Pantry Packs, which provides meals and snacks to more than 500 hungry children in 30 Lake Washington School District schools. Seattle’s Center for Ethical Leadership honored Yusko this year with the 2013 Bill Grace Leadership Legacy Award....
Sammamish-Issaquah (Wash.) Patch, May 28

Ezra Jack Keats minigrants
This is the 25th year that the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation has awarded minigrants to teachers and librarians at public schools and libraries across the United States. This year, a total of 59 grants were awarded to educators in 29 states with each recipient receiving up to $500 for specific programs. One recipient, the Bad River Public Tribal Library in Odanah, Wisconsin, is using the funding to teach Ojibwe children how to make traditional dance outfits....
Ezra Jack Keats Foundation, May 29

2013 Man Booker International Prize
Lydia Davis (right), an American writer known for her short stories, was awarded the fifth Man Booker International Prize at a May 22 award ceremony at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The £60,000 ($90,177 US) prize is awarded for achievement in fiction on the world stage. Davis’s achievements are writ large, despite her use of startlingly few words. (Some of her longer stories only stretch to two or three pages.) The judges said her work has the brevity and precision of poetry....
Man Booker Prizes, May 22

2013 Helen Bernstein Book Award
Journalist and author Katherine Boo has won the New York Public Library’s 2013 Helen Bernstein Book Award for Behind the Beautiful Forevers, the story of families striving toward a better life in 21st-century Mumbai, India. The $15,000 award goes to “journalists whose books have brought clarity and public attention to important issues, events, or policies.”...
GalleyCat, May 23

2013 Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Awards
The Hugh M. Hefner Foundation has announced the winners of the 2013 Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Awards, which honor individuals who have made significant contributions in the vital effort to protect and enhance First Amendment rights for all Americans in the fields of journalism, government, book publishing, and education. Marjorie Heins received the publishing award for Priests of Our Democracy: The Supreme Court, Academic Freedom, and the Anti-Communist Purge (New York University)....
Hugh M. Hefner Foundation, May 15

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Lexington Public Library must pay Imhoff $927K
The Lexington (Ky.) Public Library must pay $927,491 to Kathleen Imhoff, its former chief executive officer, because of the way it terminated her employment in July 2009, an arbitration panel ruled in late May. The arbitrators said Imhoff had a four-year employment contract that allowed the library board to fire her for cause and not be obligated to continue paying her $137,035 annual salary and benefits. However, the library board instead dismissed Imhoff without citing a cause....
Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader, May 23

Truce ends custody tussle over Bill of Rights
For years, historians have disagreed whether the New York Public Library’s original copy of the Bill of Rights is the one that went missing long ago from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. On May 22, the state and the library called a truce after agreeing to share custody of the 223-year-old document for the next century, at which point the agreement must be renegotiated or extended. The pact ends five years of discussions between Pennsylvania and the library. The document will go on public display alternately at NYPL and in Pennsylvania beginning in fall 2014....
Wall Street Journal, May 21; New York Public Library, May 22

Oldest known Torah scroll identified
What is being described as the oldest Torah scroll known to exist has been discovered in the library of the University of Bologna, Italy. The parchment scroll, 36 meters long and 64 centimeters high, had been erroneously cataloged as dating from the 17th century. Paleographic and radiocarbon examinations of the scroll determined it had actually been copied sometime in the years 1155–1225. The discovery was made by Hebrew Professor Mauro Perani as he was compiling a new catalog for the library’s collection of Hebrew manuscripts....
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, May 29; Melbourne (Vict.) Age, May 29; Corriere della Sera (Milan), May 29

Buffalo man charged with stealing documents
A Buffalo, New York, man has been arrested and charged with stealing and attempting to sell historical documents from the Buffalo History Museum. Daniel Witek is accused of taking at least five historical letters related to businessman A. Conger Goodyear from the museum and trying to sell them to Lion Heart Autographs, a New York City dealer. Witek had volunteered at the museum as well as at libraries in Buffalo, Albion, Barker, and Middleport....
WBFO-FM, Buffalo, New York, May 28

New York librarian on display to showcase budget cuts
An Upper East Side librarian is putting on a display at the New York Public Library’s Webster branch. Actually, she’s putting herself on display. Kristy Raffensberger (right) spends about an hour every day inside a glass case in an effort to raise awareness about a proposed $47 million budget cut that would affect the library. She demonstrates library resources by reading a book, and she waves to patrons and encourages them to write a letter to their city council member. So far the display has resulted in more than 500 letters....
WCBS-TV, May 24

Tampa library soaked in rainwater
Heavy rains dumped 30,000 gallons of water into the Jimmie B. Keel Regional branch of the Hillsborough County (Fla.) Public Library Cooperative. As a result, the branch was closed for most of a week while workers pumped it out and made repairs. The library is in the midst of a $2.9 million expansion, and during a major storm May 21, water ran off the roof and onto the expansion’s slab, then flooded under a temporary wall into the building. Little or no printed material was lost, but the carpet was soaked and electrical and computer lines were affected....
Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times, May 26

New librarian on IMLS board
The University of Nevada, Reno’s Jacquelyn Sundstrand (right) was sworn in May 8 as a member of the National Museum and Library Services Board, the advisory body for the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Sundstrand, manuscripts and archives librarian in UNR Special Collections since 2001, took the oath of office in Washington, D.C., administered by Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, along with four other new appointees....
Nevada Today, May 17; Institute of Museum and Library Services, May 9

UCSD libraries to be further consolidated
The University of California, San Diego’s discipline-based libraries, which include the Biomedical Library and academic collections within Geisel Library, will be eliminated beginning June 30 as part of further internal restructuring. Following these transitions, the Arts, Science and Engineering, and Social Sciences and Humanities libraries within Geisel, in addition to the Biomedical Library, will become part of a single cohesive library structure in efforts to centralize the UCSD libraries, according to a plan announced May 23....
UCSD Guardian, May 28

John Lennon letters and lyrics given to British Library
Manuscripts handwritten by John Lennon of the lyrics to the hit songs “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “She Said She Said,” and “In My Life” were donated May 22 to the British Library by Beatles’ biographer Hunter Davies. The collection of tattered scraps of paper, some picked up half a century ago from the floor of the Abbey Road recording studios before they were thrown away as rubbish, are now valued at just under £1 million ($1.5 million US)....
British Library, May 22; The Guardian (UK), May 22

UK libraries must remain community hubs
Public libraries will have to cope with technological advances yet remain the hubs of community life, Arts Council England reported May 23. In a major research report titled The Library of the Future, the organization set out four priority areas for development: placing the library as the hub of the community, fully exploiting digital technology, ensuring libraries are resilient, and ensuring librarians have the right skill set....
Local Government UK, May 23

How Timbuktu’s manuscripts were saved from jihadists
Sudarsan Raghavan writes: “It was 7 o’clock on a hot night in August 2012 and Hassine Traore was nervous. Behind him were 10 donkeys, each strapped with two large rice bags filled with ancient manuscripts. The bags were covered in plastic to shield them from a light rain. Radical Islamists had entered Timbuktu in Mali four months earlier, and they had set about destroying everything they deemed a sin.”...
Washington Post, May 26

Turkish manuscripts in Balkan libraries to be preserved
The Yunus Emre Institute in Ankara, Turkey, has embarked on a project to classify and digitize Turkish manuscripts and documents in libraries in the Balkans. The Turkish Central Bank has allocated $1 million for the project. Many Turkish manuscripts in Bosnia, Kosovo, Albania, Croatia, and Serbia are in poor condition and need to be restored. More than 200 Turkish manuscripts in Bosnian libraries have already been digitized. Bosnian library officials will also be sent to Turkey to receive training in manuscript restoration work....
Cihan News Agency, Istanbul, May 28

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It’s not about predators, it’s about journal quality
Bonnie Swoger writes: “Librarian Jeffery Beall has put together a list of the worst journals of all, the so-called ‘predatory publishers.’ But this term can be misleading. I worry that Beall is making a stronger connection than necessary between predatory practices and open access. If you are considering publishing your work in a journal you’ve never heard of before, here are just a few of the many things to consider.”...
Scientific American: Information Culture, May 24

Vine, hip-hop, and the future of video sharing
Jeff John Roberts writes: “What does video tool Vine have in common with iconic rappers like the Beastie Boys and the Notorious BIG? More than you think. Like hip-hop, Vine is a way to sample and collect culture—and it may have to run the same legal gambit that rappers did a decade ago.”...
GigaOM, May 25

The cases that define obscene or protected speech
Betsy Gomez writes: “Much of the groundwork for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s mission was laid in a series of pivotal legal cases, many of which predate CBLDF’s founding in 1986. These cases helped define what constituted obscene speech and what types of speech are granted First Amendment protection, and they influence our work today. Let’s take a look at some of the cases that defined protected speech.”...
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, May 27

The battle over net neutrality
David Talbot writes: “This fall, Verizon will try to persuade a federal judge to throw out US Federal Communications Commission regulations requiring net neutrality—the idea that all content and applications must get similar treatment on wired and wireless networks. But even beyond the court fight, the concept is under a diffuse and broad assault. Experts warn that the end of net neutrality would mean that deep-pocketed content providers could squeeze others out.”...
MIT Technology Review, May 28

Shifting the focus: Fostering academic integrity
Elise Ferer writes: “As a new librarian at my institution, I was asked to work on the annual report on our online academic integrity tutorial that all incoming students are required to complete. My partner on the project brought up the idea of shifting the focus from an accusatory nature, which concentrates on complying to rules and negative consequences, to a tone that emphasizes personal responsibility and integrity. It did not take much argument to convince me.”...
ACRLog, May 27

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Calling all hackers
Susan Hildreth writes: “On June 1–2, the Institute of Museum and Library Services will take part in the first-ever National Day of Civic Hacking. The event will bring together people with many skills—techies, entrepreneurs, developers, and activists—who will use publicly available data to develop innovative solutions to civic problems. Hacking events will take place at more than 90 sites in communities across the US, where citizen hackers will use more than 37 data sets, including library and museum data sets, to create computer or mobile platform applications.”...
UpNext, May 22

How crackers ransack passwords
Dan Goodin writes: “We asked three cracking experts to attack a list of 16,449 passwords converted into hashes using the MD5 cryptographic hash function and recount the results in all their color and technical detail. The results, to say the least, were eye-opening because they show how quickly even long passwords like ‘qeadzcwrsfxv1331’ with letters, numbers, and symbols can be discovered. The password team included a developer of cracking software, a security consultant, and an anonymous cracker.”...
Ars Technica, May 27

Twitter adds two-factor authentication
Roberto Baldwin writes: “Twitter has launched two-factor authentication for its accounts. Two-factor authentication uses your password plus an additional method to verify your identity. Google’s two-factor authentication, launched in 2010, texts a code to your mobile number when a new device or app initially accesses your account. Bank of America has a similar system. Two-factor is becoming table stakes for any online service that wants to call itself secure.” Parker Higgins shows you how to enable two-factor authentication on Twitter, Google, Facebook, Dropbox, Apple, and Microsoft....
Wired: Gadget Lab, May 22; Twitter Blog, May 22; Electronic Frontier Foundation, May 28

Best free stuff, 2013 edition
PC World editors write: “What makes the internet the extraordinary resource that it is? Some people say it’s the way the web seamlessly connects all of us; others value its role as a limitless data repository; still others are just there for the cute animal pictures. (Grumpy Cat doesn’t count.) All of these points are valid, but when you drill down to nuts-and-bolts usefulness, one thing trumps them all. The internet is full of free stuff. Here is a virtual smorgasbord of the very best no-cost programs, apps, and services available online.”...
PC World, May 27

How to buy a projector
M. David Stone and Tony Hoffman write: “Projectors have come a long way from the days when the most useful way to categorize them was by their weight class. Today there are any number of more meaningful kinds of categories, including intended use, technology, and throw distance. Here are some questions that will help you to find a projector with the right features and performance for your needs.” These are the 10 top-rated projectors reviewed by PC Magazine....
PC Magazine, May 23

Share multiple links on one page
Nancy Messieh writes: “URL shortening has become an absolute necessity when it comes to sharing links on social networks that limit your character count like Twitter. But rather than simply shorten URLs and present them in neat little shortened URLs, it’s also possible to do exactly the same thing to share multiple links. There are several services that make it easy to share a bundle of links together as one shortened link.”...
MakeUseOf, May 29

Citation manager roundup
Margaret Heller writes: “In April, the two most popular free citation managers, Mendeley and Zotero, both underwent some big changes. On April 8, TechCrunch announced that Elsevier had purchased Mendeley, which had been surmised in January. Just a few days later, Zotero announced the release of version 4, with a number of new features. Just as with the sunsetting of Google Reader, this has prompted many to consider what citation managers they have been using and think about switching or changing practices.”...
ACRL TechConnect, May 29; TechCrunch, Apr. 18; Zotero Blog, Apr. 11

Digital Library Champions contest
OverDrive is running a new contest for libraries participating in its digital ebook lending service. The company is looking for innovative ways for libraries to promote their ebook collections to their communities and to provide unique marketing angles that draw traffic to their websites. Digital Library Champions contest winners receive $500 in ebook credits, an e-reader, and promotion on the OverDrive website. Submit an entry form (PDF file) by June 11....
Good E-Reader, May 25; OverDrive Digital Library Blog, Apr. 30, May 23

Amazon’s plan to commoditize fan fiction
Amazon is once again shaking up traditional publishing models. This time, it’s giving fans a chance to add their own personal touches to their favorite fiction and get paid in the process. On May 22, Amazon announced “Kindle Worlds,” which offers aspiring writers an opportunity to pen their own takes on franchises in books, TV, movies, games, and comics. The company plans to license content, then accept submissions online that may then be sold through its Kindle ebook store. Author John Scalzi offers some insight....
Reuters, May 24; Amazon, May 22; Whatever, May 22

The First-Sale Doctrine and digital works
Joseph Esposito writes: “We take first-sale for granted in the print world, but with digital materials things get more complicated. Most publishers insist that first-sale does not apply to digital works. But in my view, publishers are making a big mistake in not addressing the interests of librarians about lending rights. When publishers hesitate in making ebooks available to libraries, librarians naturally act to preserve their interests. Instead, publishers should imagine what the world would look like if first-sale becomes the standard for digital media.”...
The Scholarly Kitchen, May 28

EBSCO to index Gale metadata
EBSCO and Gale have agreed to make Gale databases and archives discoverable through EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS). The agreement allows EBSCO to index Gale metadata from such databases and archives as Gale Virtual Reference Library, Eighteenth Century Collections Online, Nineteenth Century Collections Online, Infotrac, and In Context databases. Libraries using EDS will benefit from easier access to their Gale databases, ebooks, and archives....
EBSCO, May 28

ALA Annual Conference, Chicago, June 27–July 2. ALA Annual Conference is just weeks away—and registration rates increase soon. Be sure you don’t miss the June 21 advance registration deadline so you save and get the full benefit of the best face-to-face professional development and array of fun events you’ll ever find.

Rousing Reads: Reading the Carnegie longlist
Bill Ott writes: “Helping launch the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction was one of the most exciting things I’ve ever done in my many years at Booklist. This year the pace isn’t quite so frenetic, which will give us time to promote not only the winners and the finalists, but also books featured on what we’re calling the longlist: 50 selections from the Booklist Editors’ Choice list and RUSA’s Notable Books list, from which the finalists and winners will be drawn. I don’t need to read these 50 books on a deadline, but I’m going to try to read them all anyway.”...
American Libraries column, May

Five magical books by women
Johann Thorsson writes: “I don’t choose books based on the gender of a writer, at least not consciously. I am, however, prepared to accept that a bias toward buying books written by men exists. In the spirit of that sentiment, I’d like to shine a light on a few great books I’ve read recently by women. These are fantasy novels or short-story collections of the highest quality, since my go-to genre tends to be fantasy, or at least fiction with a supernatural slant.”...
Book Riot, May 24

Pairing books and tabletop games
Carli Spina writes: “This year while attending PAX East, Penny Arcade’s annual gaming convention in Boston, I started thinking about how certain games would be perfect for fans of certain books. Some are obvious and intentional. More and more tabletop games are being created based on books or series, often only after the books have been made into a movie or TV series. But I am interested in thinking about what books and games pair perfectly even though they are completely unrelated.”...
YALSA The Hub, May 24

Reality TV readalikes
Colleen Seisser writes: “There is a strong connection between reality TV and YA literature; we have seen how authors use the premise of reality TV taking over the world in their works. However, I think there is also a connection between reality TV and teen lit because the subjects expressed in both are similar—subjects like love, family, survival, and undiscovered talent. Here you will find some of my pairings of teen novels and reality TV shows.”...
YALSA The Hub, May 23

Illuminated manuscripts
Beth Carswell writes: “An illuminated manuscript is any manuscript whose text is accompanied by decoration. It originally referred only to silver or gilt adornments, but came to be acceptable terminology for any manuscript with drawings, paintings, or decorations such as ornate initials, borders, or floral accoutrements. The luxury of illuminations present in a book creates another level of enjoyment; not only the information, entertainment, and fascination in reading, but also the pure pleasure of beauty, art, and attention to detail.”...
AbeBooks, May 24

10 books that had far-reaching effects
Matt J. Alba writes: “You wouldn’t know it from the way they’re treated today, but books used to be a pretty big deal in the cultural landscape. And not just your Bibles and Manifestos and Mein Kampfs, either—there are plenty of under-the-radar works that had a significant effect on something, somewhere. Sometimes lots of things, and lots of wheres. Here are 10 books from back in the day that didn’t change history, but at least deserve to be noted in it.”...
Listverse, May 27

Five tools for creating visual book reports
Richard Byrne writes: “This afternoon someone emailed me asking for some suggestions for tools for creating book-trailer videos. It has been two years since I last wrote about the topic, so I created a new list of tools for creating book trailers, which are short videos designed to spark a viewer’s interest in a book. Having students create book trailers is an excellent alternative to traditional book report projects.”...
Free Technology for Teachers, May 26

Seattle’s new library on a bike
Cienna Madrid writes: “The Seattle Public Library launched a new pilot program May 21 called Books on Bikes, which sounds exactly like what it is: a small, portable library hitched to the back of a bicycle. Throughout the summer, librarians will pedal around to parks, block parties, outdoor concerts, and other neighborhood events around the city. Each place they go, they will tailor their shelves to suit the needs of the community. The program was the brainchild of Montlake Branch Librarian Jared Mills.” Watch the video (12:00) of Mayor Mike McGinn and Seattle Public librarians at the launch....
Slog, May 21; Seattle Channel, May 21

The messy world of work-life balance
Meredith Farkas writes: “Being a parent is a lesson in giving up control and learning to roll with things. Over the past few months, I’ve been trying to apply that to my work life. I’m trying to let go of expectations or agendas and simply try each day to do the best I can for the people I’m supposed to be serving—whether that’s my direct reports, my colleagues, the faculty in my liaison area, or students. Instead of continuing to run this hamster wheel, I’ve begun to question why I need to do something.”...
Information Wants to Be Free, May 28

Dressing to lead
Sarah Houghton writes: “An interesting discussion occurred May 24 on Twitter about clothing and librarianship. A smattering of conversation involving a dozen people then followed, with several themes coming out that I feel are worth commenting on. First, style counts. Above all, stay true to who you are. Don’t dress a certain way because you think someone else expects it or you believe it will somehow make you seem more authoritative.”...
Librarian in Black, May 24

Literary Lots: The library as place maker
Kauser Razvi writes: “In my city view, libraries are central anchors in neighborhoods. I thought, what about bringing the library outside and bringing other organizations into the library? So the idea came to me of a Literary Lot as a way to bring children’s books to life by recreating images, scenes, and ideas from those books in tangible, visible, and physical ways over a few weeks of summer.”...
The Library As Incubator Project, May 23

Intergenerational programming at your library
Claire Moore writes: “Libraries are one of the few community spaces where people of all ages commingle. Since libraries are often seen as the heart of the community, offering intergenerational programming can only help to reflect that image. The EPA lists some of the benefits of intergenerational programs, with many being relevant to libraries. Serving multiple needs, collaborating with local organizations, and building social skills for both children and seniors.”...
ALSC Blog, May 25

RDA around the world
RDA has now well and truly arrived. In the last few months, the CILIP Cataloguing and Indexing Group has received many requests for information about the new standard. Here is a list of freely available training materials that we hope you will find useful if you are providing RDA training at your institution, about to start learning yourself, or just looking for more information....
Catalogue & Index, May 27

Do teens . . . ?
Linda W. Braun writes: “Have you ever noticed the number of posts on Twitter, Facebook, or blogs that pose the question, ‘Do teens [use Facebook, use Tumblr, read horror, etc.]?’ These questions have started to annoy me, because I think that we should connect directly with teens in our own communities and ask them how they are spending their time, what technology they use, and what they like to read. One key to getting good answers from teens is by asking more than simple yes-or-no questions.”...
YALSA Blog, May 23

Start reading job ads now
Nicole Helregel writes: “It is never too early to start reading library job ads (especially if you’ve already started library school). Of course the library hiring process is not so lengthy that you need to start actually seeking jobs if you aren’t within a few months of graduation. Rather, looking at job ads is a great way to discover many things about yourself, your library school, your career goals, the job market, and the field that you have entered.” Victoria Collie describes a few places where you can find those ads....
Hack Library School, May 24; Public Libraries Online, May 27

What I gained from my MLIS
Rebecca Halpern writes: “In the last few weeks, I’ve seen a lot of criticism of the MLIS curricula, and for good reason. Education is expensive and job outlooks are bleak; it makes sense that we need to reevaluate this investment. But as I’ve read many posts questioning the value of our degree, I’ve considered how some of my more theoretical courses have made me a better librarian. In other words, theory matters; having a strong foundation in theory is one of the things that separates librarians from other library staff.”...
ACRLog, May 23; Library Journal, Apr. 29

Google finds new stuff 500 million times a day
Julie Bort writes: “There are nearly 500 million new things (or 15% of all queries) per day being asked of Google that the search engine has never seen before. Part of the reason is that the internet is growing so fast, it’s hard even for Google to get its arms around it. Google says it has found 30 trillion ‘unique addresses’ on the web, meaning websites, web apps, and other stuff connected to the internet.”...
Business Insider, May 13

Swindles and spam lurk in search results
Azadeh Ensha writes: “Most of our ventures onto the web still begin with a search—a fact readily exploited by spammers and swindlers who rely on excessive use of keywords, link exchanging, and other manipulation techniques to push their content higher in the list of search results, hoping you will click on them. Here are some ways to avoid search spam.”...
New York Times: Personal Tech, May 22

Google voice search vs. Siri
Phil Bradley writes: “If you’re using Google’s Chrome browser, you can search just by asking Google something, as long as you have a microphone. At least, that’s the theory of the conversational search. I tried some searches, asking twice if it didn’t get something the first time. Given that it gave different answers, I don’t think that it’s quite there yet. I tried the same questions on my iPhone with Siri. I’ll give a good solid B+ to Siri, but Google Chrome limps in with a C–.”...
Phil Bradley’s Weblog, May 25; CNET News, May 22

Retired librarian goes on fishing expedition
Shelley Walchak (right), of Denver, is a retired librarian who has worked as a consultant for the Colorado State Library and the Colorado Library Consortium. Recently she decided she would travel to a number of rivers in the western United States and write a book about her experiences. Walchak wants to encourage people to follow their dreams. She had fallen in love with fly-fishing and wants to fish in 52 rivers in 52 weeks. Follow her journey on her blog, 52 Rivers....
Billings (Mont.) Gazette, May 23

Free audiobooks for NLS
Hachette Book Group announced May 28 that it will provide unabridged audiobook recordings free of charge to the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, a part of the Library of Congress. By the end of 2013, HBG will begin making select backlist and new titles available, including new releases, through the NLS’s popular Talking Books program....
Hachette Book Group, May 28

Describing archives
Describing Archives: A Content Standard (PDF file) is an output-neutral set of rules for describing archives, personal papers, and manuscript collections, and can be applied to all material types. It is the US implementation of international standards for the description of archival materials and their creators. This second edition was officially adopted as a standard by the council of the Society of American Archivists in January....
Society of American Archivists, May 28

Free tools for creating digital exhibitions
Ellyssa Kroski writes: “Many libraries and museums have taken their special collections and digitized them to create digital assets that can be displayed online through a digital exhibition. Digital exhibits offer unprecedented access to organizational treasures that might never be seen otherwise. A new breed of open source and free software tools has emerged that makes it possible to catalog and manage digital collections with robust online narratives.”...
iLibrarian, May 28

Eight things to love about the new Flickr
Michael Muchmore writes: “Flickr had been losing ground in recent months to the mobile-focused Instagram. To reinvigorate the site, Yahoo recently relaunched the photo-sharing site, not just with a more modern and fluid display, but with an unbelievably generous free account storage allowance. The new home page highlights top photos from your contacts in a beautiful justified, scrolling view, while still giving you access to all the site tools you need.” Read the full review....
PC Magazine, May 24

Libraries changing the world
This video (8:05) details a retired trauma surgeon’s relationship with Cecil County (Md.) Public Library, the vital business information the library provided, and how library services inspired humanitarian efforts in Africa. Dr. Robert F. Buckman Jr. and his wife were motivated by a library book, Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, to help save lives of mothers and babies by creating a revolutionary model to teach C-section surgeries in third world countries....
Vimeo, May 8

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