The e-newsletter of the American Library Association | November 6, 2013

When bad things happen to a good library
“Sometimes libraries that are doing ‘all the right things’ pay a price for their excellence through uncivil attacks and attempts to dismantle their work,” Barbara Jones, director of ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, told American Libraries. She was referring to Orland Park (Ill.) Public Library (right) in south suburban Chicago, which has recently endured several intellectual-freedom challenges. The full story appears in Chicago newspapers. “It is unfair, but it happens and the library and community need to know how to respond,” Jones said. Here are some tips and tools to help you prepare for that time....
American Libraries: The Scoop, Nov. 5; Chicago Sun-Times, Nov. 5; Chicago Tribune, Nov. 4

Midwinter Meeting must-dos
The 2014 Midwinter Meeting provides several opportunities to share and engage with colleagues. Here are just some of the many activities on offer in Philadelphia, January 24–28. Experts give the latest updates on policy, research, statistics, and technology in the “News You Can Use” segment. Sponsors include ALA divisions and offices and the ALA Digital Content and Libraries Working Group....
American Libraries feature

Next AL Live: Tablets and mobile apps
Personal electronic devices are the topic of discussion in the upcoming episode of American Libraries Live, a free, streaming video broadcast that you can view from your home, library, or on the go. Tune in at 2 p.m. Eastern time on November 14 for this 60-minute discussion. Moderator Heather Moorefield-Lang will lead a panel that includes Bohyun Kim, David Lee King, and Katherine Messier....
American Libraries, Nov. 4

November/December issue
November marks the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. In the new issue of American Libraries, we go inside the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library for a look at the digitization of the late president’s archives. Also, a look at how academic libraries are preparing library students for the workforce, and a report on libraries using the Vine social media platform for promotions and advocacy....
American Libraries, Nov. 4

Bringing horror to the stacks
Phil Morehart writes: “If you hear shrieks and moans coming from your library’s stacks or see sinister apparitions floating through the children’s section, blame the Horror Writers Association. The nonprofit organization of horror writers and writing professionals, which currently touts more than 1,200 members worldwide, has been a leading advocate for literacy and horror/dark fantasy writing for more than 28 years.”...
American Libraries: The Scoop, Oct. 31

Editor’s Letter: Scoring points with sports and history fans
Laurie D. Borman writes: “On a clear autumn day, I sit on my balcony reading a book when I hear a muffled cheer and see fireworks erupt. Moments later, a slightly delayed TV signal repeats the same sounds from the Chicago Bears game at nearby Soldier Field. All day, people in orange and blue shirts parade down the streets, heading for the stadium or just to grab lunch and watch the game on TV.”...
American Libraries column, Nov./Dec.

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Matthew Quick introduces Girlbrarian at Midwinter
“Hello, Librarians—it’s me, Matthew Quick” (right). In this video (0:56), the bestselling author (also known simply as Q) of The Silver Linings Playbook thanks librarians for “all that you do for the community” and talks about his next book, The Good Luck of Right Now, in which he introduces a “Girlbrarian.” But Midwinter attendees can hear Quick live when he appears as an Auditorium Speaker in Philadelphia on January 25....
Conference Services, Nov. 1; YouTube, Oct. 23

OIF: Free access to information
Office for Intellectual Freedom Director Barbara Jones issued this statement November 4 regarding internet filtering practices in US libraries: “The ALA opposes any obstacle to library users’ access to constitutionally protected content, not only because such practices can violate the First Amendment, but because such practices hinder the library’s mission to provide free and open access to information.”...
Office for Intellectual Freedom, Nov. 4

Librarians speak out against Harvard’s publishing restrictions
As of August 1, all databases containing Harvard Business Review, a journal published by Harvard Business Publishing, became “read only” for 500 of its most popular articles. Campuses may pay a premium to restore full access to link, save, and print the affected articles, but the new restrictions affect researchers’ ability to access and use these articles. RUSA’s Business Reference and Services Section has issued a statement urging HBP and other publishers to work with libraries to find access and pricing models that honor our shared educational and scholarly missions....
RUSA Blog, Nov. 6

Emerging Leaders class of 2014 announced
ALA has selected 56 people to participate in its 2014 class of Emerging Leaders. The program is designed to enable library staff and information workers to participate in project planning workgroups, network with peers, gain an inside look into ALA structure, and serve the profession in a leadership capacity early in their careers. The program kicks off with a day-long session during the 2014 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia. Here is the full list of participants (PDF file)....
Office for Human Resource Development and Recruitment, Nov. 6

ALA welcomes USA Freedom Act
ALA is rallying librarians to support the USA Freedom Act, a bill that will improve the balance between terrorism prevention and personal privacy protection. Introduced by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Patriot Act author Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), the bill would place restrictions on bulk phone and internet government surveillance, and permit companies to make public the number of FISA orders and National Security Letters received....
Office of Government Relations, Nov. 4

Libraries and e-rate: Solid foundations
Alan Inouye writes: “The E-rate reform proceeding now being undertaken by the Federal Communications Commission continues to be one of the highest policy priorities of the ALA. The next development in this proceeding is submission of our reply comments by November 8. The reply comments build on ALA’s initial comments submitted in September.”...
District Dispatch, Sept. 17, Nov. 6

Webinar: The fiscal situation in Washington
According to a recent poll, Congress is less popular than cockroaches these days. But as the debate moves to the state and local level, the library community has a huge advantage. This November 13 webinar, “The Fiscal Situation in Washington and How It Gives Librarians a Huge Advantage,” will show you how to use that advantage to avoid setbacks and perhaps even make great strides forward....
District Dispatch, Nov. 5

ALA Financial Learning webcasts
In an ongoing effort to describe its financial practices and procedures, the Budget Analysis and Review Committee invites interested ALA members to view webcasts available on the Treasurer’s webpage in the “Financial Learning” section. Sessions include ALA organizational structure and decision making (above), the ALA Operating Agreement, the budget cycle and process, the ALA Endowment, and financial orientation for round tables....
ALA Treasurer

SCSU loses ALA accreditation
Southern Connecticut State University’s master of library science program is no longer ALA-accredited. In October, ALA heard SCSU’s appeal of a June decision to withdraw accreditation. But on October 28, the school was notified that the ALA Executive Board upheld the Committee on Accreditation’s original decision (PDF file). The program had been on conditional accreditation status due to several issues, including an outdated curriculum and faculty productivity....
Connecticut Public Radio, Oct. 31

FTRF opens nominations for trustees
Nominations are now open for the April 2014 Freedom to Read Foundation board of trustees elections. Five positions on the FTRF board of trustees will be filled in the election to be held April 1–May 1. Those elected will serve a two-year term on the board, beginning at the close of the 2014 ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas. Nominations should be sent by December 13....
Freedom to Read Foundation, Nov. 4

Poster sessions in Las Vegas
Share your best ideas and work with the library community by presenting a poster session at the 2014 ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas. Submissions may include a description of an innovative library program, an analysis of a solution to a problem, a report of a research study, or any other presentation that would benefit the larger library community. Proposals are due by January 17....
Conference Services

eContent Quarterly premieres
The premiere issue of eContent Quarterly, a new digital journal edited by Sue Polanka and Mirela Roncevic that offers practical, user-driven solutions and ideas for curating, developing, integrating, and managing content in rapidly changing digital library environments is now available. Among the topics covered in volume 1, no. 1, are supplying and collecting books and the importance of metadata. Subscriptions are available for purchase at the ALA Store....
ALA TechSource, Nov. 5

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Philadelphia City Hall
In the heart of downtown Philadelphia stands the largest municipal building in the United States, which has served the city’s government since 1901. Built on the area designated by William Penn as Centre Square in 1682, City Hall includes some 700 rooms and more than 250 architectural reliefs and freestanding sculptures, including the 37-foot bronze William Penn statue atop the clock tower. Building tours are given Monday through Friday at 12:30 p.m. and begin at the Tour Information Center; tours of the tower are available from noon to 4:15 p.m....
Philadelphia City Hall

A deep-fried Twinkie burger at PYT
Philadelphia burger joint PYT (1050 North Hancock Street, in the Piazza) unveiled its deep-fried Twinkie burger (right)—yes, that’s a burger housed between two deep-fried Hostess snack cakes—on October 29. This isn’t uncharted territory for the restaurant: It has offered crazy bun mashups like the spaghetti burger and fried-lasagna burger in recent years. But its newest “burger-meets-state-fair-food” creation may be the most over-the-top. The restaurant is a 15-minute subway ride from the Convention Center....
People, Oct. 29

Smith Memorial Arch
The Smith Memorial Arch is an American Civil War monument that serves as a gateway to West Fairmount Park, about a 30-minute bus ride from the Convention Center. Funded in 1891 by a bequest from Richard Smith, a wealthy Philadelphia electroplate and type founder, the ambitious project includes 14 separate figures (including Generals Meade, Reynolds, Hancock, and McClellan) by 12 artists. The last sculpture was completed and installed in 1912. Watch the video (3:38)....
Association for Public Art

James A. Michener Art Museum
A bit off the beaten track, but reachable from downtown Philly by the Lansdale/Doylestown train, the James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown houses the finest collection anywhere of Pennsylvania Impressionist painters. Edward Redfield, Fern Coppedge, Daniel Garber, and other artists of the Bucks County school are well represented. Midwinter early-birders may want to stop by before January 26 to see the traveling exhibition, “From Philadelphia to Monaco: Grace Kelly Beyond the Icon,” the only US venue for this comprehensive look at the Philadelphia-born princess of Monaco....
James A. Michener Art Museum; Uwishunu, Oct. 28

FAA loosens rules on gadgets
By the end of 2013, many airline passengers will be able to use their tablets, e-readers, and other gadgets during all stages of flight, the culmination of a decades-long process that brings the flying experience further into the digital age. The FAA’s decision, its first big shift on electronic devices since it restricted their use in flight in 1966, caps years of debate over whether electronic emissions from devices can interfere with cockpit instruments. However, policy changes will not happen immediately and will vary by airline. Brett Snyder and Joe Sharkey offer some clarifications....
Wall Street Journal, Oct. 31; Federal Aviation Administration, Oct. 31; The Cranky Flier, Nov. 4; New York Times, Nov. 4

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AASL launches two surveys on branding
AASL has launched two national surveys to examine the brands of the profession. The surveys will determine what the brands “school librarian,” “L4L,” and “@ your library” mean to current and future school library professionals and educational stakeholders. School librarians are not only encouraged to complete the profession-focused survey, but to ask members of their educational communities to take the stakeholder survey as well. The surveys will be open through December 2....
AASL, Nov. 4

Host satellite sites sought for AASL’s Fall Forum
AASL will once again host a hybrid presentation of its biennial national institute, the Fall Forum, in 2014. As part of the presentation, up to four satellite sites across the country will present a live broadcast of events taking place October 17–18 in St. Louis. Universities, school districts, intermediate education units, or similar locations are invited to submit a one-page statement to AASL describing their qualifications to host by December 10. More information is on the AASL website....
AASL, Nov. 5

Mobile app available for AASL13
Attendees of AASL’s 16th National Conference on November 14–17 in Hartford, Connecticut, can plan their conference schedule at home or on the go with the new AASL13 Mobile App. The app and companion registration dashboard syncs user data so updates to a schedule can be made and accessed via laptop or mobile device. Read more about features and how to download the app....
AASL, Nov. 5

Children and Libraries to go quarterly
ALSC has announced significant upgrades to Children and Libraries: The Journal of the Association for Library Service to Children. Beginning with volume 12 in spring 2014, the journal will be issued quarterly and delivered both in print and electronically. ALSC members and CAL subscribers will continue to receive a print copy in the mail; plus they will be able to access and read each new issue online. These modifications are in response to results of a 2011–2012 communications survey....
ALSC, Nov. 5

First module available for AccessAbility Academy
The first offering in ASCLA’s AccessAbility Academy, “Positive Interactions: Making the Library a Welcoming and Empowering Place for People with Disabilities,” prepares library staff to feel fully confident when communicating and interacting with people with disabilities. This recorded webcast is designed for all levels of library staff at academic, public, and special libraries....
ASCLA, Nov. 5

Submit proposals for the ACRL 2015 conference
ACRL invites proposal submissions for the ACRL 2015 conference to be held March 25–28, 2015, in Portland, Oregon. Contributed paper, panel session, preconference, and workshop proposals are due May 9. Poster session, roundtable discussion, TechConnect, and Virtual Conference webcast proposals are due November 3, 2014. Submit proposals via the online form....
ACRL, Nov. 5

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Last call for cutting-edge technology
As part of its ongoing effort to identify and recognize libraries that are delivering quality library services in new ways, ALA is accepting nominations for the best library practices that use cutting-edge technology through November 15. Winners will be announced at the 2014 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia....
Office for Information Technology Policy, Nov. 5

Deadline extended for NLW grant
There’s still time to apply for the 2014 Scholastic Library Publishing National Library Week Grant. The $3,000 grant is open to all types of libraries seeking to share their stories and raise public awareness using the 2014 National Library Week theme, Lives change @ your library. The application deadline has been extended to December 6....
Public Information Office, Nov. 5

National Friends of Libraries Week awards
Applications for National Friends of Libraries Week Awards are due December 2. Two awards of $250 will be given to Friends of the Library groups for activities held during National Friends of Libraries Week (October 20–26). Application materials are available online....
United for Libraries, Nov. 4

Student book club receives Illinois IF award
Looking back on the storm of controversy that erupted in March when the book Persepolis was banned from Chicago public schools and libraries earlier this year, Lane Technical College Prep High School senior Levi Todd said it was a “blessing in disguise.” But the 16-year-old couldn’t be more excited for the future after the banned book club he founded, 451 Degrees, was recently named winner of the Illinois Library Association’s Intellectual Freedom Award for their protests when the book was pulled....
Chicago Tribune, Nov. 1

Fyan Grant proposals due December 20
The ALA Office for Research and Statistics is now accepting applications for the Loleta D. Fyan Grant. The grant of up to $5,000 is to be used for the development and improvement of public libraries and the services they provide. Local, regional, or state libraries; associations and organizations, including units of the ALA; library schools; and individuals may apply by December 20....
Office for Research and Statistics, Nov. 4

Carroll Preston Baber grant proposals due January 8
The ALA Office for Research and Statistics is now accepting applications for the Carroll Preston Baber Research Grant. The grant is given to one or more librarians or library educators who will conduct innovative research that could lead to an improvement in services to any specified group of people. Any ALA member may apply for the grant of up to $3,000 by January 8....
Office for Research and Statistics, Nov. 5

Chicago wins Innovation Award for its Maker Lab
Chicago Public Library has been named the winner of the Social Innovator Award at the 12th annual Chicago Innovation Awards ceremony on October 30 for its experimental Maker Lab in the Harold Washington Library Center. The Chicago Innovation Awards honor the most innovative new products or services brought to market or to public service in the Chicago area each year. Watch the video (0:59)....
Chicago Innovation Awards, Oct. 30; YouTube, Oct. 31

Federal librarianship awards
The Federal Library and Information Network has opened nominations for its national awards for federal librarianship for fiscal year 2013. The winners will be honored for their contributions at the FEDLINK Spring Expo in Washington, D.C., in May 2014. For nomination materials, visit the Awards Working Group section of the FEDLINK website....
Library of Congress, Nov. 1

Edinburgh Festival First Book Award
Edinburgh author Angela Jackson was named October 23 the winner of the 2013 Edinburgh International Book Festival First Book Award for her compelling debut novel about life, relationships, and change, The Emergence of Judy Taylor (Canvas). The First Book Award showcases the best of the talented new writers to appear in the festival program each year. The book follows the title character as she steps off the path of least resistance to embark on an adventurous journey into a life unknown....
Edinburgh International Book Festival, Oct. 23

2013 Samuel Johnson Prize for Nonfiction
Lucy Hughes-Hallett’s The Pike (Fourth Estate) was awarded the £20,000 ($31,950 US) 2013 Samuel Johnson Prize for Nonfiction on November 4. The book explores the life of Gabriele D’Annunzio, the controversial Italian poet, artist, writer, philanderer, nationalist politician, and protofascist. Judges praised her biography but acknowledged what an odious subject D’Annunzio was. The prize is open to books in the areas of current affairs, history, politics, science, sport, travel, biography, autobiography, and the arts....
The Guardian (UK), Nov. 4

Taste Canada culinary award winners
Hosted by CBC TV’s Stefano Faita on November 4, Taste Canada honored the best in Canadian English- and French-language cookbooks and “culinary narratives” from the previous year. As voted by more than 100 visitors to the CBC Books website, the inaugural Taste Canada/CBC People’s Choice Award was given to editor Mairlyn Smith for The Vegetarian’s Complete Quinoa Cookbook: From the Ontario Home Economics Association (Whitecap Books)....
Quill & Quire, Nov. 5

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2013 library elections: A first look
John Chrastka writes: “For many public libraries in the United States, Election Day 2013 was the single biggest fundraising day for a generation. From January to November 4, EveryLibrary has identified at least 57 ballot measures for libraries. As of this writing, the vote is still out for many of the elections. So far, voters have approved and rejected both large and small measures. These mixed results point to a need for more direct voter engagement by library communities. Our analysis will continue to be updated as more results are certified.” See the ongoing roundup....
EveryLibrary Blog, Nov. 6; Library Journal: InfoDocket, Nov. 6

DCPL’s Ginnie Cooper retires
After seven years, the District of Columbia’s Chief Librarian Ginnie Cooper (right) is retiring and going back home to Oregon. She leaves behind a legacy that includes 17 new or renovated libraries. Cooper took a library system that was in decay in 2006 and tripled its circulation. The digital commons is now the most popular place in the downtown Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. She plans to move to Portland, Oregon, where she previously oversaw the Multnomah County libraries....
WJLA-TV, Washington, D.C., Oct. 30; Washington Post, Nov. 4

Nader activists still criticizing DC library partnerships
Plans dating back more than seven years to replace the West End Neighborhood branch (right) of the District of Columbia Public Library at no direct cost to taxpayers have languished despite the support of two mayors, a unanimous council, and numerous community groups. That is largely because a band of activists, backed by Ralph Nader, have assailed the project as a brazen giveaway of public assets to private interests....
Washington Post, Nov. 2

Queens Library to lend Nexus tablets
Queens (N.Y.) Library will begin lending library customers Google Nexus tablets on their library cards beginning November 20. The tablets are part of Google’s donation of 17,000 tablets to the New York State Community Action Association through the efforts of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York Department of State. Some 5,000 of the tablets will be loaned out in seven branches located in Hurricane Sandy–affected areas. Patrons may borrow them for a month with the option of three renewals for a total of four months....
MobyLives, Nov. 4

Arizona’s children’s literature library gets a facelift
The University of Arizona College of Education embarked on a $1.1 million project this semester to renovate a library space that houses 30,000 children’s books. The fourth-floor area in the education building, which was originally built as a library, is home to the Worlds of Words program, an international collection of adolescent and children’s literature....
Arizona Daily Wildcat, Oct. 31

Manuscript find shows Herbert Marcuse’s evolution
Laura Gardner writes: “The recent discovery of a draft of a classic text, One-Dimensional Man by former Brandeis University politics professor Herbert Marcuse (1898–1979), promises to spark the kind of heated debate among academics, students, and fellow thinkers for which Marcuse, a Marxist, was legendary. The draft manuscript was recently discovered after Patrick Gamsby, academic outreach librarian for the humanities, visited the Goldfarb Library’s archives in search of something Marcusian to help celebrate next year’s 50th anniversary of its publication.”...
BrandeisNOW, Oct. 9

Addition to Los Angeles Public Library’s menu collection
The Los Angeles Public Library is one of many public libraries in the United States to collect menus—restaurant, airline, banquet, steamer, railroad—as an archive and special collection. Melvin Schrier, a retired optometrist, has donated 30 boxes of menus and other restaurant ephemera to LAPL. With menus dating from the early 1940s, Schrier originally began his collection as a chronicle of his life—and later, travels with his family....
Los Angeles Public Library: Central Library Blog, Oct. 28; Los Angeles Times: Jacket Copy, Oct. 31

Report on Multnomah County Library use by homeless persons
A joint report released October 31 by the Multnomah County (Oreg.) Library and Department of County Human Services found that homeless people constituted 18.6% of the 1,028 library patrons in downtown Portland and Gresham who participated in a recent survey. Homeless people represent only 0.61% of the county’s general population. The report (PDF file) sheds light on how these patrons use library services and identifies a need for greater access to social services....
Portland Oregonian, Nov. 1

Seattle now allows guns
Danny Westneat writes: “In November, a new rule takes effect in Seattle’s public libraries: You’re free to bring your gun into the stacks with you. The board of the library system voted in mid-October to get rid of its long-standing ban on guns. The new rule says you can carry a gun, concealed or otherwise, into any Seattle library, as long as you don’t do it in a way that ‘demonstrates intent to intimidate another or that warrants alarm for the safety of other persons.’”...
Seattle Times, Oct. 29

Former librarian leaves $8 million gift
A former library director has left an $8 million gift to Livingston County Library in Chillicothe, Missouri, where she worked for 10 years. Lillian DesMarias (right), who died November 24, 2012, left a memorial contribution in excess of $8 million, the library announced October 31. The library board voted to establish the Livingston County Library Charitable Trust with the funds going to support library services and programs beyond the library’s annual budget of $500,000....
Chillicothe (Mo.) Constitution-Tribune, Nov. 1

Norfolk’s old Carnegie library is for sale
Paul Clancy writes: “For a cool $1.1 million, you can have one of the grandest, most literarily ostentatious buildings in Norfolk, Virginia, for an office or home. The city’s first free public library opened in 1904 in an extravagant Beaux Arts building. Above lion-head cornices in front and on both sides, the names of classical authors such as Homer, Virgil, Cicero, and Dante are chiseled, and the busts of eight of these writers surround the vaulted ceiling inside. William Shakespeare dominates the view at the top of the marble stairs.”...
Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, Nov. 3

Bacteria found in wells serving Virginia Beach library
Water from two wells used by the Pungo-Blackwater branch (right) of the Virginia Beach (Va.) Public Library has tested positive for E. coli bacteria three times in the past six weeks. The wells also serve a senior center and an elementary school. The library was closed periodically as officials tried to identify the source of the infestation and whether the bacteria were a pathogenic strain....
Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, Nov. 1

New children’s library in Monterrey, Mexico
Created by the design firm Anagrama, the new children’s library and cultural center in Fundidora Park, Monterrey, Mexico, was designed to encourage children to love reading and learning. Commissioned by the state of Nuevo León’s Regional Council for Culture and Art, the library is located in a former warehouse and features geometric reading platforms that double as storage for books and as space for children to play. The bookshelves are covered in carpeting so kids can clamber over them and have fun while playing, learning, or reading....
PSFK, Nov. 1

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NSA surveillance could fragment the internet
The industrial scale of online surveillance revealed by Edward Snowden is leading to the breakup of the internet as countries scramble to protect private or commercially sensitive emails and phone records from UK and US security services, according to experts and academics. They say moves by countries, such as Brazil and Germany, to encourage regional online traffic to be routed locally rather than through the US are likely to be the first steps in a fundamental shift in the way the internet works....
The Guardian (UK), Nov. 1

IFLA signs on to human rights and surveillance document
The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions has become a signatory to the International Principles on the Application of Human Rights to Communications Surveillance. The document is the product of a year-long negotiation process between Privacy International, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Access, Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders, and the Association for Progressive Communications. It consists of 13 principles that have now been endorsed by more than 260 organizations from 77 countries....
IFLA Committee on Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression, Oct. 30

We’re about to lose net neutrality
Marvin Ammori writes: “Net neutrality is a dead man walking. The execution date isn’t set, but it could be days, or months (at best). It won’t survive much longer if the DC Circuit Court strikes down the law, a rule adopted by the Federal Communications Commission in 2010. Despite eight years of public and political activism by multitudes fighting for freedom on the internet, a court decision may soon take it away.”...
Wired: Opinion, Nov. 4

Copyright trolling
Carrie Russell writes: “Copyright trolls can make every day scarier than Halloween for some people. Here’s how: Threaten a school or library by alleging copyright infringement. ‘If you do not cease the alleged infringing activity, the rights holder will have no other choice than to take the matter to court. It would behoove the school or library to pay a $2,000 fine instead.’ As a result, libraries settle the issue out of court by paying up and promising never to do the bad thing again.”...
District Dispatch, Nov. 4

Fair use checklist tool
Jill Hurst-Wahl writes: “The University of Minnesota Libraries have an interactive tool to help you discern whether a specific use of copyrighted material would be considered fair use. This tool allows you to think through your answers and create documentation that can be saved (and sent via email). The website does not keep any of the information. This is a tool that is worth bookmarking and using.” The ALA Office for Information Technology Policy also has a fair use evaluation tool....
Digitization 101, Nov. 4; University of Minnesota Libraries; Copyright Advisory Network

An academic assesses the arguments for open access
Kent Anderson writes: “I recently finished reading a long essay by Daniel Allington, a sociologist, linguist, and book historian living in the UK. He’s been following the debates about open access in the UK quite closely, and has written a well-informed piece detailing the hopes, limitations, and mandates associated with OA. His conclusion? OA is not the solution.”...
The Scholarly Kitchen, Nov. 5; Daniel Allington, Oct. 15

Libraries in the time of MOOCs
Curtis Kendrick and Irene Gashurov write: “A wave of disruptive technological changes has hit higher education, forcing us to rethink the way we teach, learn, and provide educational resources. For libraries, the growing reach and sheer numbers of massive open online courses (MOOCs) raise unprecedented challenges and opportunities. As we try to see our role within this new market, it might be worth reflecting on our readiness to operate in the increasingly complex online landscape.”...
Educause Review, Nov. 4

New literacies, learning, and libraries
Eveline Houtman writes: “Our notions of learning and literacy are in flux. We’re having our own discussions and debates in our workplaces, at conferences, online, and in the literature. In this article, I look at a number of conceptual frameworks from other fields that have something to say to us in the library world. Which frameworks we choose to draw on matters. Different frameworks raise different issues, lead us to different questions, and involve different bodies of research.”...
In the Library with the Lead Pipe, Nov. 6

The deep mission of public libraries
Emily Weak writes: “Why do we have public libraries? Many librarians today like to talk about themselves as information brokers or knowledge facilitators. We talk about our skill in finding and organizing information. And sure, we’ve got those skills. But what we really do is support literacy. This is our deeper mission.”...
MLISsing in Action, Oct. 28

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Google launches virtual field trips
Field trips generally venture only as far afield as the local heritage village. Google wants to offer a more far-reaching experience, with a new Connected Classrooms initiative that lets classes take “virtual field trips” using Google+ Hangouts. So instead of learning about pioneer times from a local drama student who has to keep the goat stables clean in addition to infotaining the kids, you’ll check out the Seattle Aquarium, Minnesota Zoo, or the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Watch the video (2:02)....
TechCrunch, Nov. 4; Official Google Blog, Nov. 4; YouTube, June 4

15 useful email addresses
Amit Agarwal writes: “If you have a basic mobile phone that doesn’t offer apps or even a decent web browser, you can still upload and publish content on to your favorite websites using just the email program on your phone. Here are some useful email addresses that you should save in your phone’s address book. These will also come in handy when you happen to be in a place where access to certain websites—like Twitter or Facebook—is restricted.”...
Digital Inspiration, Oct. 30

Let go of that laptop
Rick Broida writes: “The laptop killer of tablets has yet to emerge, but you can still configure a slate that puts your laptop out to pasture. With the tablet’s lighter weight, longer battery life, and near-instant boot-up, the building blocks of a productivity engine are already there. When it comes to getting things done, Microsoft’s Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 tablets have one big advantage over the iOS and Android competition: namely, the Office productivity suite. But for those of us who have iOS and Android tablets, other productivity options are available.”...
PC World, Nov. 1

Apple iPad alternatives
Sascha Segan writes: “Apple’s 9.7-inch iPad is the leading tablet in the US, but the competition is tougher than ever. Microsoft now has a genuinely competitive tablet in the ring with the Surface 2 (right), and Android tablets no longer look like amateurs. If you’re shopping for a tablet, especially if you have a Windows computer or Android phone, it’s time to look at models that might fit into your lifestyle better than an iPad.”...
PC Magazine, Oct. 31

How to buy a printer
Tony Hoffman and M. David Stone write: “Picking the right printer can be tough, with so many variations in features, and individual printers with almost any possible combination of those variations available. Here are some questions to help you home in on both the right type of printer, and the right printer within that type.” Here are the top 10 best printers and the 10 best wireless printers....
PC Magazine, July 17, Oct. 31

Kinect Sign Language Translator
Researchers in China have created the Kinect Sign Language Translator (right), a prototype system that understands the gestures of sign language and converts them to spoken and written language—and vice versa. The deaf person is shown signing, with a written and spoken translation being rendered in real-time, while the system takes the hearing person’s spoken words and turns them into accurate, understandable signs. The system was a joint project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing Union University, and Microsoft Research Asia....
Microsoft Research, Oct. 30

DCL ebook report for November
Jamie LaRue writes: “Two things jump out at me in this Douglas County (Colo.) Libraries report (PDF file) on libraries and ebooks. Between September 2012 and November 2013, we’ve gone from 30% to 80% availability of ebook titles to libraries. That is most definitely the result of the good work of ALA. But two areas remain dismal: price and ownership. The average library ebook price is $45–$50 per title, and libraries don’t own any of them, even at those prices.”...
AL: E-Content, Nov. 6

Kindle First offers new ebooks a month early
Eager readers have another good reason to jump into the Kindle ecosystem. With Amazon’s new Kindle First service, four books will be available for purchase exclusively on Amazon about one month ahead of their proper release date. Though multiple titles will be available each month, readers will only be able to choose one of them. Amazon Prime members will get their book for free, while everyone else can purchase theirs for just $1.99....
The Verge, Nov. 1

OCLC and ProQuest partner on ebook collection management
A new collaboration between OCLC and ProQuest automates the process to keep ebook holdings from ebrary and the Ebook Library up-to-date in WorldCat and library catalogs, and offers current links to library users for easy access to those titles. The initiative supports demand-driven acquisition workflow and ebook access. Libraries can now request that ebrary and EBL provide OCLC with holdings data for purchased collections and DDA repositories....
OCLC, Nov. 4

Time to experiment with new models?
Jack W. Perry writes: “The Book Industry Study Group recently released Report Two of Consumer Attitudes towards eBook Reading, Volume 4, which indicates that in the past year, ebook sales have flattened out at 30% of units and 15% of dollars. As with most industries, there is an initial period of hypergrowth and then it slows down to a natural pattern. The majority of ebook sales are still via traditional sites Amazon, B&N Nook, and Apple. As these markets flatten out, is it time to look at other models for further growth?”...
Digital Book World, Oct. 30, Nov. 3; Book Industry Study Group, Oct. 29

Five free ebook templates from HubSpot
Phi Tran writes: “Publishing your own ebooks can be a daunting task, especially if you don’t have layout ideas or know enough design software. To help you publish your ebook on a budget, we’re sharing this useful set of five basic ebook templates from the advertising gurus at HubSpot. They are perfect for those who don’t have the time or money to create a unique design for a new ebook.”...
Appnewser, Nov. 4

2014 Midwinter Meeting and Exhibits, Philadelphia, January 24–28. The excitement of the ALA Youth Media Awards at Midwinter is just one more reason to be there. Last year, 25,000 virtual viewers and 1,300 live attendees were there for announcements of the 18 awards honoring children’s and young adult authors and illustrators and producers of children’s audio and video materials. Watch the 2014 awards trailer (1:03).

Big books are still popular
Stuart Jeffries writes: “The young woman opposite me on the tube last week was lost in Donna Tartt’s new 771-page novel, The Goldfinch. She personified the truth that attention deficit disorder is a lie. She was about halfway through, and the covers kept springing back in defiance of her struggling fingers. Why didn’t she read Tartt as an ebook? The fact is, books are getting longer, even as articles moaning about our declining attention spans are getting more frequent.”...
The Guardian (UK), Nov. 5

A confession of faith in books
Barbara Fister writes: “Part one: Confession. I am a book person. I read a lot of them. I own a lot of them and give a lot of them away. I really like being in the stacks of my library, even though sometimes what I’m doing there is deciding which books shouldn’t be there. I am a book person who thinks it’s time libraries did something about the future of books, because I’m one of those weirdos who thinks books matter. The scholarship inside the books. Books that do something to help us understand this world better.”...
Inside Higher Ed: Library Babel Fish, Oct. 31

25 contemporary American novels
Elizabeth DiEmanuele writes: “Contemporary American literature is subversive. It contains an element of the surreal—bizarre names, plots, and consistent, biting commentary. Primarily postmodernist, these works not only question cultural inconsistencies, they allow such inconsistencies to unfold naturally within the narrative. As a result, contemporary American literature continues the pattern of highly politicized fiction popularized in the 18th and 19th centuries, along with the thought-provoking philosophical questions of the 20th-century Modernist movement.” And here is a list of 25 contemporary British novels....
Qwiklit, Oct. 31, Nov. 1

50 incredibly tough books for extreme readers
Emily Temple writes: “November seems like the time to take on the heftiest reading on your list. And let’s face the facts: Some books are only for the toughest readers on the block, the Sylvester Stallones of literature. So for those of you who count yourself tough, here’s a list of books for you: some absurdly long, some notoriously difficult, some with intense or upsetting subject matter but blindingly brilliant prose, and some packed into formations that require extra effort or mind expansion.”...
Flavorwire, Nov. 4

A guide to YA angels
Diane Colson writes: “In recent years, we’ve seen countless permutations of teen characters with paranormal qualities. Perhaps it was inevitable that angels, traditionally sacred creatures busy with the work of God, should be incorporated into YA fiction. Hierarchies of angelic responsibilities were created centuries ago by at least four major religions: Christian, Jewish, Islamic, and Zoroastrian. It’s interesting to see what sort of worlds are created for today’s teen angels.”...
YALSA The Hub, Nov. 4

New technologies and storytelling
The internet has changed (and keeps changing) how we live today—how we find love, make money, communicate with, and mislead one another. Writers in a variety of genres tell us what these new technologies mean for storytelling. For example, author Marisha Pessl writes: “The writer’s mandate is to dig deeper inside our wired world to find the mystery, the darkness and dislocation. The good news is that the core realities of our world have not changed: People are still impossible and strange.”...
New York Times: Sunday Book Review, Oct. 31

Dealing with death
Libby Gorman writes: “As for many other difficult topics, there are tons of YA books that look death squarely in the face. In many cases, it’s just by including the death of a beloved character or having the protagonist face the very real possibility of death (The Hunger Games, anyone?). However, if you, like me, sometimes need to wrestle with death beyond acknowledging that it’s part of life, consider one of the following.” There are also YA novels in which characters are haunted by the death of a friend....
YALSA The Hub, Nov. 1, 5

Young marriage in YA literature
Sarah Debraski and Mia Cabana write: “This is a joint post about marriage in young adult literature. Romance, problems, college, family drama, addiction, and identity are all pretty common themes in YA lit, but marriage is definitely not. The longer we reflected on this topic, the more we realized that we really couldn’t find many realistic stories about young adults preparing for their weddings or marriage. Then we started to wonder why.”...
YALSA The Hub, Nov. 1

Kid lit about American Indians
Debbie Reese writes: “At a conference held at the University of Wisconsin’s Cooperative Children’s Book Center in the early 1990s, James Ransome was asked why he had not illustrated any books with American Indian characters. His response, in short, was something to the effect of, ‘I haven’t held their babies.’ He captured what it means to really engage with a people whose history and culture are not one’s own. In this column, I’ve made an effort to include non-Native authors who have succeeded in forging the meaningful bonds to which Ransome alluded.”...
School Library Journal, Nov. 5

Tote bags for the bookish
Kelly Jensen writes: “I love a good tote bag. That’s all I carry my books in. When I moved across country a few years ago, I ended up buying about 50 reusable tote bags from the local grocery store and stored all of my books in them. Fortunately, there are tons and tons of awesome tote bags for the bookish. Check out these seven awesome literary tote bags to lug your to-read piles with you either to work or across the world.” See more bookish accessories on the American Libraries Library Fashionista Pinterest board....
Book Riot, Nov. 5

Libraries to the rescue
One year after Hurricane Sandy struck the northeast US, the Free for All Project has put together a short video (4:32) on how the Queens (N.Y.) Library stepped in to provide basic services for its devastated communities. People came to the library branches for information, food, clothes, power, and bookmobile service....
YouTube, Oct. 30

A parade of bookmobile images
Vincze Miklós writes: “There are few things that can match the pleasure of walking into a building filled with books. But these bookmobiles, book boats, and beasts of book burden have brought the joys of reading to people who couldn’t easily access brick-and-mortar libraries.” For example, on the right, this ca. 1950s Indonesian mobile library, courtesy of the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam. For more bookmobile pix, see the American Libraries Bookmobiles Pinterest board....
io9, Nov. 4

The first online bookmobile
Orty Ortwein writes: “In July 1985, the city of Westminster, Colorado, became the first in the country to have a bookmobile with an online computer. There was no internet as such, but the librarian could access the library’s mainframe from the bookmobile itself. This gave bookmobile patrons the ability to instantly access the library’s electronic catalog remotely.”...
Bookmobiles: A History, Nov. 3

Top 12 ways to be a bad selector
Marge Loch-Wouters writes: “Most of us love the collection development parts of our job. But sometimes it can also get overwhelming, and we make decisions that seem to work in the short run but have implications in the long run. The rabbit hole of poor selection decisions can get pretty deep. Are these some of your problem areas or models that management or coworkers expect for your department?” Don’t miss Part 2....
Tiny Tips for Library Fun, Nov. 1, 4

Another day, another bad deal
Jenica Rogers writes: “I had a brief email conversation with one of our vendor-service middlemen. What started as something that was presented to us as a classic Big Deal package became less clear and less acceptable. There were a ton of details, not all of which are relevant, interesting, or worth repeating. But one part is: We declined to resubscribe to Sage’s Premier or All Access packages because we do not have faith in the pricing model. When I vented about the experience to a group of librarians, one made a very good point: We brought this on ourselves.” Be sure to read Part 2....
Attempting Elegance, Oct. 30, Nov. 1

External and internal job candidates
Eva Davis writes: “I’ve noticed an increase in librarian job postings, which I think means that we are entering an economic recovery. Now that the hiring freezes are thawing somewhat, library workers are finally getting the opportunity to move up in their libraries. When we post, it is either an internal posting for a week followed by a wider external posting, or a simultaneous posting, inside and out.”...
Library Lost and Found, Nov. 6

Getting started with readers’ advisory
Beth Saxton writes: “Readers’ advisory (RA) is finding the right book for a patron at the right time. We can use the same methods to provide a similar service to the users of the library’s other collections including music and video (media advisory of all types is becoming more important as libraries focus on service and community building rather than physical collections), but to keep our examples simple I’m going to focus on books today.”...
Letters to a Young Librarian, Oct. 31

Juvenile ex-offenders need libraries too
Marybeth Zeman writes: “As a teacher, sometime librarian, and present-day counselor in a jail’s school program, I work with teenagers, ages 16 to 21, many of them only recently discovering that they like to read. Our jail school offers them a little rolling library on wheels with a limited selection that we hope will make it into next year’s budget. Even then, I know that I keep them busy and interested in reading. The public library can offer them so much more when they are released.”...
Public Libraries Online, Nov. 4

A wall of inspiring documentaries
Joyce Valenza writes: “If you know any high school teachers who regularly teach with film or work with learners on building media literacy, you’ll want to share Films for Action and its Wall of Films. This fascinating curation effort moves beyond mainstream film to gather a matrix of more than 500 documentaries, selected for their ability to shift awareness and inspire action. All are free to view online.”...
School Library Journal: NeverEndingSearch, Nov. 2

Give thanks for storytime
Abby Johnson writes: “It’s November, and Thanksgiving is definitely on the minds of our local preschool and daycare teachers. We always get requests for Thanksgiving storytimes this month, so I wanted to share some storytime ideas today in case you need a little inspiration. Turkey flannel activities (right) provide great practice with colors.”...
ALSC Blog, Nov. 6

Tips for organizing a library teen festival
Eleanor Guldbeck writes: “Young adult librarians all have experience putting together fun, quirky, and amazing programs for teens. The trick is to bundle these activities together on one day, make them bigger, better, and louder, and add a few extra special events. I want to share with you some of the tips we have learned over the years.”...
YALSA Blog, Nov. 5

I Like Big Bundts 2013
Mary the Food Librarian writes: “It’s that special time of year. Days are shorter. Leaves change color. But for me, it’s Bundt season. National Bundt Day is November 15 (I don’t know who made up this food holiday, but I thank them for it) and I like to celebrate. In 2009, 2010, and 2011, I posted 30 days of Bundts to get you in the mood. I had to take last year off, but this year I will do a lite version with 15 days of Bundts leading up to the awesome National Bundt Day on November 15.”...
The Food Librarian, Nov. 1

How to erase yourself from the internet
Andrew Tarantola writes: “If your growing weariness of being constantly tethered to the internet has become overwhelming, it might be time to scrub your personal presence from the social media sphere altogether. Here’s how you can become a ghost on the internet, by tracking down and eliminating your digital past. Start with the four largest social media sites on the planet—Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn.”...
Gizmodo, Nov. 2

Library markings from looted books
Mitch Fraas writes: “Here at Penn, the rare books cataloging team has been working for the past several years to put images of bookplates, bookstamps, and other provenance markings online in order to facilitate identification of former owners and libraries. Thanks to the project, I’ve become increasingly interested in how digital tools might help scholars reconstruct historical libraries and networks of texts.”...
Mapping Books, Oct. 10

Frankenstein manuscript now online
The New York Public Library teamed up with the University of Maryland’s Institute for Technology in the Humanities to digitize Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s two surviving notebooks that contain most of her classic 1818 novel Frankenstein—complete with edits by Percy Bysshe Shelley, her poet husband. Making this text click-accessible for a modern audience is only the first step for the Shelley-Godwin Archive, which hopes to digitize the entire oeuvre of Percy and Mary, as well as her parents, William Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft....
Gizmodo, Oct. 31; New York Times: Arts Beat, Oct. 30

The 10 largest libraries in China
Libraries are humans’ most successful attempt in democratizing knowledge and tend to be the epicenter of activity in every neighborhood where they are located. Here is a list of the 10 biggest libraries in China. The National Library of China is at the top, followed by the Shanghai and Nanjing (right) municipal libraries....
China Whisper, Nov. 3

Spooktakular Trunk or Treat 2013
The East Bank Regional branch of the Jefferson Parish (La.) Library held a Halloween event on October 26. Co-presented by Tulane Pediatrics, the event was designed to be a safe trick-or-treating event for kids. A haunted house in the meeting rooms provided endless fun, while cars and trucks in the parking lot provided many treats. Watch the video (4:12), hosted by JPL Information Specialist Daniel Gitlin....
YouTube, Oct. 29

It’s Library Time
Staffers at the Topeka and Shawnee County (Kans.) Public Library celebrated the opening of their new Kids Library on October 12 with a musical number (2:29), “It’s Library Time.” The lyrics were written by Jean Marshall (youth services), who also played bass. The other performers were Kyler Carpenter (youth services) on guitar and vocals, David Lee King (digital services) on drums, and Rob Banks (chief operating officer) on keyboard....
YouTube, Nov. 5

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