The e-newsletter of the American Library Association | November 13, 2013

President’s Letter: Innovating, one step at a time
Barbara K. Stripling writes: “Have you noticed a tidal change in public perception about the future of libraries? I certainly have. I rarely hear the gloom-and-doom question from a reporter, ‘Do libraries have a future in this age of technology?’ Now I am asked, ‘Libraries seem to be changing in interesting ways. What’s happening?’ ALA will be offering a series of webinars this winter that feature innovative transformational programs.”...
American Libraries column, Nov./Dec.

Treasurer’s Letter: ALA dollars and sense
Mario González writes: “This is my first column as ALA’s new treasurer, and I would like to use this opportunity to share with you my overall observations about ALA’s current financial situation. Despite the recession, ALA is a financially viable and financially solvent organization. While our membership numbers are slightly lower than they were at the beginning of the recession, membership continues to be steady and strong.”...
American Libraries column, Nov./Dec.

On My Mind: Start-up librarian
Cen Campbell writes: “Today’s librarian is a combination of traditional skills and advanced technological know-how. The things we learned in library school (bibliographic control, readers’ advisory, and outreach) are hot commodities in high-tech environments. Many new librarians have an aptitude for new technologies that make us the people who can bridge the gap between producers and consumers. But you probably won’t see any postings for these kinds of jobs because they may not even exist yet. You might have to create them yourself.”...
American Libraries column, Nov./Dec.

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

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ALA launches Policy Revolution!
The Office for Information Technology Policy has begun work on a national public policy agenda and action plan for US libraries with nearly $1 million in support from a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The three-year Policy Revolution! initiative includes three major components: establishing policy priorities, engaging decision makers and influencers to advance policy goals, and upgrading ALA advocacy practice and capabilities for long-term sustainability. One important activity will be to train library policy advocates to supplement the work of ALA staff....
District Dispatch, Nov. 12

Digital Inclusion Survey extended
Public libraries nationwide are encouraged to participate in the Digital Inclusion Survey. The deadline has been extended to November 22. The survey will highlight the unique attributes of public library service in the areas of digital literacy, economic and workforce development, health and wellness, civic engagement, e-government, and public access to the internet....
Office for Research and Statistics, Nov. 12

ALA urges swift action on e-rate reforms
ALA urges the Federal Communications Commission to swiftly reform the federal E-rate program so that our nation’s learners are connected to high-capacity broadband through libraries and schools. In reply comments (PDF file) filed with the Commission November 7, ALA reaffirmed its earlier call to increase available funding and simplify the application process....
Office for Information Technology Policy, Nov. 7

ALA, others oppose anti–public access language in FIRST Act (PDF file)
ALA, ACRL, and nine other organizations wrote a letter on November 8 to Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Research and Technology, to oppose language in the proposed “Frontiers in Innovation, Research, Science, and Technology Act of 2013,” or the FIRST Act. The language calls for access to articles reporting on federally funded research to be restricted for up to three years after initial publication....
Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition, Nov. 8

Thousands will play games on November 16
On November 16, communities across the US and around the world will celebrate ALA’s sixth annual International Games Day @ your library. This year there will be participants from all over the world on all seven continents (including Antarctica, see map) playing a wide variety of games. International Games Day allows communities to join together in play on a specified day each year at their library to combine their love of games with their love for libraries....
Games and Gaming Round Table, Nov. 12; International Games Day, Nov. 6

Southern Connecticut’s accreditation
At its meeting at the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, the Committee on Accreditation voted to withdraw accreditation from the MLS program offered by Southern Connecticut State University. The program had held conditional accreditation status since June 2010. On October 27, the ALA Executive Board concurred with a recommendation of an Appeal Review Committee to uphold the decision to withdraw accreditation....
Office for Accreditation, Nov. 11

Librarians learn tools for change at Public Innovators Lab
Todd Stephens (right), county librarian of Spartanburg County (S.C.) Public Libraries, participated in October in a three-day Public Innovators Lab in Washington, D.C. hosted by ALA and the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation. He writes: “Rich Harwood—the head of the institute—stood before 65 library leaders and challenged us to turn outward and engage the communities we serve in thoughtful conversations.”...
Harwood Institute: Redeeming Hope Blog, Nov.

The spirit of ALA’s Library War Service
Larry Nix writes: “In 1919 after the end of World War I, ALA published a small book titled Books at Work in the War during the Armistice and after, in which ALA tells the story in words and pictures of its role in providing library services to the US armed forces. One of the more dramatic illustrations in this publication is an image of a painting (right) by magazine illustrator Denman Fink (1880–1956) of one soldier reading to another soldier who is in a wheelchair and whose eyes are covered with bandages.”...
Library History Buff Blog, Nov. 11

2013 revision of RDA now in print
The newest print accumulation of RDA: Resource Description and Access is now available. RDA: Resource Description and Access Print—2013 Revision (includes July 2013 Updates) contains: a full accumulation of RDA, the most current RDA, and reworded RDA. This full-text print version of RDA offers a snapshot that serves as an offline access point to help solo and part-time catalogers evaluate RDA, as well as to support training and classroom use in any size institution. Sign up for information about free trials, special introductory offers, and product updates....
ALA Digital Reference, Nov. 12

Reinventing the library for online education
Have changes such as cloud computing, search engines, the Semantic Web, and mobile applications rendered traditional academic library services and functions unnecessary? Can the academic library effectively reimagine itself as a virtual institution? Frederick Stielow, who led the library program of the online university American Public University System, argues that it can in Reinventing the Library for Online Education, published by ALA Editions....
ALA Editions, Nov. 8

Measuring and improving library services
Summarizing specific tools for measuring service quality alongside tips for using these tools most effectively, The Quality Infrastructure: Measuring, Analyzing, and Improving Library Services, published by ALA Editions, helps libraries of all kinds take a programmatic approach to library service assessment. In this collection of case studies, editor Sarah Anne Murphy and her team of contributors describe how quality assessment programs have been implemented and how they are used to continuously improve service at a complete cross-section of institutions....
ALA Editions, Nov. 12

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How to fund a conference trip
Natalia Tabisaura writes: “You’re sold on the idea of going to the next ALA conference, but where will the funds come from? It’s easy to say you want to go, but with a place to stay, food, and transportation to consider, the price tag becomes daunting. You can find conference funding in a myriad of unexpected (and expected) places. Here are a few strategies for getting the financial support to get that well-educated tush of yours to the next conference.”...
YALSA Blog, Nov. 7

The 10 best books on Philadelphia
Christopher Wink writes: “Let me show you the 10 books you should read if you’re from, living in, or going to the Philadelphia region, including a handful that you should read regardless of geography. If you get tricked into believing there are no true must-reads from Philadelphia, then you haven’t scoured the shelves enough.” Wink’s longer list is here. GoodReads and Philly Fiction also have some suggestions....
Christopher Wink, Sept. 29, 2008; GoodReads; Philly Fiction

The Mummers Museum
The Mummers Museum, at 1100 South 2nd Street, opened in 1976 and is dedicated to the Philadelphia celebration of the new year, especially the city’s Mummers Parade, perhaps the oldest folk festival in the US. The museum houses a rich collection of mummers’ paraphernalia and memorabilia, including spectacular costumes, a few of which date back to the turn of the 20th century. In case you were wondering, “mummer” comes from the Old French momer, to wear a mask. The museum is about 25 minutes away from the Convention Center on public transportation....
Mummers Museum

Rittenhouse Square
Rittenhouse Square is one of the five original open-space parks planned by William Penn and his surveyor Thomas Holme during the late 17th century in central Philadelphia. Renamed in 1825 for astronomer, clockmaker, inventor, and first director of the US Mint David Rittenhouse, the square has been the centerpiece of the wealthiest area in the city since just after the Civil War and is a good place for outdoor people-watching. The park is just one mile southwest of the Convention Center....
Friends of Rittenhouse Square

Air-travel etiquette
Stephanie Rosembloom writes: “Forget paying extra for more legroom seats. These days I’d pay to sit next to someone who keeps his socks on. On recent flights I’ve had bare feet beside me, on the back of my armrest, on the bulkhead in front of me. Yet barefoot flying is merely one example of how public space, especially in airports and on airplanes, is rapidly transforming into more personal and intimate territory.”...
New York Times, Oct. 29

How to make your airport experience more fun
Alan Henry writes: “Those of us who have been flying for a while may remember when heading to the airport was definitely an adventure—it was a place you didn’t go often, and it was full of sights and sounds you didn’t get to experience frequently. Watching the planes take off and all of the food and gift shops were fun, not a chore to slog through on the way between security and your gate. It can be that way again, even if the odds (and the airlines themselves) are stacked against you.”...
Lifehacker, Nov. 13

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Nation’s school library leaders meet
As schools integrate technologies to meet college and career readiness standards, it becomes increasingly important for educational decision makers to recognize the value of school libraries and librarians in ensuring 21st-century literacy skills. School librarians from across the country will meet November 14–17, in Hartford, Connecticut, for AASL’s 16th National Conference to explore their roles as education leaders within a diverse academic landscape....
AASL, Nov. 12

All-stars coming to PLA 2014 Conference
The speaker slate is filled to the brim for the PLA 2014 Conference, March 11–15, in Indianapolis. Bookending the conference at the Opening and Closing Sessions are Bryan Stevenson and David Sedaris. New at PLA 2014 will be the Big Idea Series, with such thought-provoking speakers as Simon Sinek and Amy Cuddy. Author Lunches will feature Richard Ford, Jane Pauley, and John Green. Early Bird Registration ends January 10....
PLA, Nov. 12

Registration is open for ALSC National Institute
Registration for the 2014 ALSC National Institute opened November 11. The conference, themed “Expanding Our Worlds, Creating Community,” will be held September 18–20 in Oakland, California. Prospective attendees will enjoy significant savings when they register before May 30....
ALSC, Nov. 8

Registration opens for 2014 Día program registry
ALSC invites librarians to register their 2014 El día de los niños / El día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day) programs in the Día National Program Registry. By doing so, libraries build a searchable database that showcases all types and sizes of Día programming that will display in both the map and database format. The registry will allow libraries to share program information with each other and members of the public interested in learning more about Día programs happening around the country. Libraries that register will also receive Día stickers, buttons, and bookmarks (while supplies last)....
ALSC, Nov. 12

LITA Forum keynotes
LITA Forum 2013 concluded November 10 in Louisville, Kentucky. Archived streams of the three keynote presentations (by Travis Good, Nate Hill, and Emily Gore) are now available on Ustream....
Library Journal: InfoDocket, Nov. 10

Graphic Novel Reading Lists
ALSC has created a set of Graphic Novel Reading Lists intended for children from kindergarten through 8th grade. Three separate lists are available for students in kindergarten to 2nd grade, 3rd to 5th grade, and 6th to 8th grade. PDFs of the book lists are available online in full color or black and white and are free to download, copy, and distribute. Libraries can customize the lists with their own information and programs before printing and distributing....
ALSC, Nov. 11

PLA offers members-only webinar with Nancy Pearl
On November 20, PLA will host the fourth annual “Books That Make Great Gifts with Nancy Pearl,” exclusively for PLA members. This free webinar features readers’ advisory ideas that members can use for themselves and share with their patrons. During the hour-long presentation, Pearl (right) will share her selections of some must-read adult books. She’ll also provide a downloadable handout of the recommendations for easy sharing with patrons....
PLA, Nov. 8

Create engaged and motivated staff
Staff are the cornerstone of any successful library. Learn how to maximize this incredible resource with the upcoming webinar, “Creating Engaged and Motivated Staff: From Expectations to Excellence,” presented by PLA on December 11. Experienced and engaging instructors Brenda Hough and Stephanie Gerding will discuss successful models of competencies, setting expectations, and assessing staff skills. The deadline to register is December 9....
PLA, Nov. 8

Webinar on partnerships for literacy
When it comes to teaching children how to read, both libraries and schools are crucial educators. What happens when you combine the literacy power of libraries and schools? Find out during the one-hour webinar, “Partners in Literacy: How Schools and Public Libraries Can Work Together,” hosted by PLA on December 4. The deadline to register is December 2....
PLA, Nov. 8

School librarians and the Common Core
AASL, in partnership with Achieve, has released an action brief (PDF file) on the role of school librarians in the implementation of the Common Core State Standards. The brief was designed not only for school librarians who are supporting higher standards for student learning, but also for school leaders as they rethink and reenvision the role that the library can and should play in a major school initiative....
AASL, Nov. 12

How to start a school library Friends group
United for Libraries has made available a free toolkit geared toward school librarians looking to create a Friends of the Library group. “Friends Groups: Critical Support for School Libraries” (PDF file) offers tips on gaining school support; raising the profile of the school library; generating excitement; establishing a Friends group of parents, faculty, and community members; and creating a student Friends group....
United for Libraries, Nov. 12

Preservation activities survey
“A Survey of Preservation Activities in Cultural Heritage Institutions: FY2012” is a pilot survey coordinated by the ALCTS Preservation and Reformatting Section completed by 62 cultural heritage institutions with preservation activities. The report examines how these organizations are administering both traditional and digital preservation programs and chronicles their preventive measures. It also assesses trends in the preservation programs of academic and research libraries since 2007....
ALCTS, Nov. 8

ALSC, ALCTS, YALSA choose Emerging Leaders
ALSC announced Soraya Silverman-Montano of the Las Vegas–Clark County (Nev.) Library District as its representative in the 2014 Emerging Leader program. Katy DiVittorio, serials acquisitions specialist at Auraria Library in Denver, was selected as the ALCTS sponsored Emerging Leader for 2014. Dolly Goyal, teen services librarian at the Belmont branch of the San Mateo County (Calif.) Library, was chosen by YALSA....
ALSC, ALCTS, Nov. 8; YALSA, Nov. 14

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Gale Cengage Learning Financial Development Award
Do you know of a library that has had a successful library financial development program? Recognize this successful project with a nomination for the Gale Cengage Learning Financial Development Award. The award includes $2,500 and a 24k gold-framed citation. Nominations are due by December 2....
Office of ALA Governance, Nov. 11

Ken Haycock Award
ALA is currently accepting nominations for the Ken Haycock Award for Promoting Librarianship. The award honors an individual who has contributed significantly to the public recognition and appreciation of librarianship through professional performance, teaching, or writing. The deadline is December 2....
Office of ALA Governance, Nov. 11

United for Libraries Trustee Citation
United for Libraries is accepting applications for the ALA Trustee Citation through December 3. The ALA Trustee Citation honors the best contributions and efforts of the estimated 60,000 American citizens who serve on library boards. To apply, visit the United for Libraries website....
United for Libraries, Nov. 12

Ten Spectrum Scholars receive PLA travel grant
PLA has awarded 10 PLA Conference Travel Grants to Spectrum Scholars LaToya Devezin, Claudia Flores, Gloria Jertberg, William Langston, Sarah Hashemi Scott, Eimmy Solis, Victoria Thomas, Jade Valenzuela, Marco Veyna-Reyes, and Sophie Young. The grants provide $1,000 for travel and housing to the PLA 2014 Conference, March 11–15, in Indianapolis....
PLA, Nov. 8

Coretta Scott King Book Donation Grants
Underfunded libraries, schools, and nontraditional organizations that provide educational services to children are invited to apply to receive one of three Coretta Scott King Book Donation Grants. The grant program provides books submitted for consideration for the Coretta Scott King Book Awards to libraries and other organizations to expand their collections. Applications will be accepted through January 31....
Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, Nov. 12

Apply for a National Leadership Grant
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is accepting applications for National Leadership Grants for Libraries. The program supports projects that address challenges faced by the library and archive fields and that have the potential to advance practice in those fields. The funding range is from $50,000 to $500,000. The application deadline is February 3....
Institute of Museum and Library Services, Oct. 31

Karim Alrawi wins inaugural Best New Fiction prize
Playwright, author, journalist, and human rights activist Karim Alrawi (right) has won the inaugural Prize for Best New Fiction for his manuscript for Book of Sands, a novel about a young father forced to flee Cairo after mistakenly becoming involved in a political demonstration during the Arab Spring. The new annual prize awards the winner with a book deal from HarperCollins Canada, as well as literary representation from the Cooke Agency and is presented in partnership with the University of British Columbia’s creative-writing program....
Quill and Quire, Nov. 12

2013 Roy Rosenzweig Prize
A project of the Woodrow Wilson Center’s History and Public Policy Program, “Digital Archive: International History Declassified,” was selected as the winner of the 2013 Roy Rosenzweig Prize for Innovation in Digital History. The Rosenzweig Prize is awarded annually by the American Historical Association and the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media in honor of an innovative and freely available new media project that reflects thoughtful, critical, and rigorous engagement with technology and the practice of history....
Wilson Center, Nov. 5

Canada Reads Top 10
Memorable books by top Canadian writers Margaret Atwood, Joseph Boyden, Rawi Hage, and Cory Doctorow are headed for final Canada Reads consideration. CBC Books unveiled today a list of 10 novels chosen by Canadians for the coming edition’s theme: “One novel to change our nation.” The five yet-to-be-named Canada Reads panelists will chose one title from the 10 to defend. The Canada Reads 2014 competition will take place in March....
CBC News, Nov. 12

2013 Dylan Thomas Prize
American short story writer Claire Vaye Watkins has been named the 2013 winner of the £30,000 ($47,955 US) Dylan Thomas Prize for new writers. Judges said she was an “exceptional” writer and described her collection Battleborn as “infectious.” The collection of short stories in Battleborn examines some of the myths of the American west. The prize, based in Dylan Thomas’s birthplace of Swansea, Wales, is one of the largest literary cash awards in the world....
BBC News, Nov. 7

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Texas libraries face federal funding cuts
The federal government is threatening to cut about 70% of its annual funding for Texas public libraries, because it says the state has failed to pull its own weight in library funding. As a result, the Texas State Library and Archives Commission would have to cut the competitive grant funds that in 2014 gave more than $1.5 million to programs like “Seniors in Cyberspace” put on by the Bell/Whittington Library in Portland, Texas....
Texas Tribune, Nov. 7

New: EveryLibrary California
John Chrastka writes: “California now has an organization fighting for libraries at the ballot box. EveryLibrary California was launched in early November for statewide voter advocacy. The organization is specifically charged with working to win the proposition stemming from SCA7, a bill that would change the state constitution to allow libraries to win tax measures through a 55% margin instead of the current supermajority of 66%.” EveryLibrary has a roundup of recent referenda here....
EveryLibrary California, Nov. 12; EveryLibrary Blog, Nov. 13

Kanawha County in trouble after failed levy
The Kanawha County (W.Va.) Library System would have gotten $3 million if the excess levy had passed during the November 9 special election. Now, it’s trying to figure out how to find funding elsewhere to keep the doors open. Layoffs are expected. The library was hoping the levy would fill in the 40% of its budget that it will lose when the school district’s support goes away in June. The Kanawha County Republican Party Executive Committee actively campaigned against the measure, after Tea Party member Fred Joseph was elected chairman in July....
WCHS-TV, Charleston, W.Va., Nov. 12; Charleston (W.Va.) Gazette, Nov. 11–12

Can volunteers help keep school libraries open?
Samantha Melamed writes: “Principal Tracy Scott isn’t sure when Tanner Duckrey School in North Philadelphia last had a librarian or a functioning library. There hasn’t been one in her eight years working there. And a glimmer of hope that arose last year, when library services staff came by to offer improvements, quickly faded. When Scott called to check on that plan, she learned those staff had been laid off before it could be implemented. In the end, she says, the library ‘became sort of a dumping ground.’”...
Philadelphia City Paper, Nov. 7

Bankrupt library reopens after two-week shuttering
The public library in the western Chicago suburb of Maywood is going to open its doors once again November 12 after closing due to a lack of operating funds. Library board members say they were forced to close the facility two weeks ago. The library’s reopening is possible due to Seaway Bank’s approval of a 12-month extension on $512,000 outstanding on a loan owed to the bank by the library, and $300,000 in additional loans from Seaway....
WGN-TV, Chicago, Nov. 12; Maywood (Ill.) Village Free Press, Nov. 9

Fire at the Internet Archive
A two-alarm fire November 6 at the Internet Archive’s San Francisco scanning center has destroyed an estimated $600,000 of digitization and scanning equipment. The fire is believed to have started when a scanner sparked. Fortunately no one was injured in the blaze, but the property damage has ruined some physical materials that were yet to be digitized, and restricted the nonprofit organization’s ability to record the history of the web. The organization is seeking donations to replace its hardware and repair or rebuild the affected building....
The Verge, Nov. 9; Internet Archive Blogs, Nov. 6; San Francisco Chronicle, Nov. 6

Orland Park reviews its policy
The Orland Park (Ill.) Public Library will now check the identification of anyone accessing computers in the adult section, said library spokeswoman Bridget Bittman. Before the new measure, users could sign onto the computers with only their library card information. The library hasn’t changed its policy that allows adults access to any legal material. The new measure was put in place after the library’s policy came under fire at an October board meeting....
Chicago Tribune, Nov. 11

Neverwhere returns to Alamogordo High
The Alamogordo (N.Mex.) school district has decided to allow Neil Gaiman’s fantasy novel Neverwhere to be used once again in high school English classes. The district superintendent’s office made the announcement November 8 after a review of the book’s content. School officials found the book to be educationally suitable, balanced, and age-appropriate for high school students. The book had been removed in October following a parent’s complaint....
Associated Press, Nov. 9

URI’s library school turns 50
In a celebration that both honored its graduates and grappled with the challenges of the Digital Revolution, the Graduate School of Library and Information Studies of the University of Rhode Island marked its 50th anniversary on November 8. Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I., above), who is revered by the national library community for his sponsorship of major legislation supporting libraries, received a standing ovation from the crowd of 120 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel as he began his part in the speaking program....
The Rhode Island Library Report: The Library Line, Nov. 11

Alec Baldwin donates $1 million for children’s room
Actor Alec Baldwin announced on November 11 that he has donated $1 million to the East Hampton (N.Y.) Library for its new children’s addition on behalf of his family. The donation will be used to underwrite the completion of a Baldwin Family Lecture Room, which will be used for children’s programs, film screenings, poetry readings, historical lectures, and author and book events. The gift was made through his Alec Baldwin Foundation....
East Hampton (N.Y.) Press, Nov. 11; Long Island (N.Y.) Newsday, Nov. 11

Fundraising stunt involved duct tape
A countdown, then the chair was removed from under the feet of school librarian Stephanie Grable (right). The stunt left Grable stuck to a wall at Humboldt Elementary School in St. Joseph, Missouri, on November 6. She had agreed to let her students stick her to the wall with duct tape if they met a $2,500 fundraising goal during the fall book sale, which they did, so Grable lived up to her end of the bargain. Watch the video (0:45)....
KQTV, St. Joseph, Mo., Nov. 6

Man sold 2,471 stolen library books
Police said a man used the Sno-Isle Libraries system in Marysville, Washington, to steal and sell a couple thousand books bought with taxpayer money. According to court papers, Terrance Mitchell spent hours at library computers logged on to the book-buying website Cash4Books. He would find what was going for a good price, like cookbooks and auto manuals. Then he’d find the book on the shelf and peel off the barcodes. In all, 2,471 books disappeared from the Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, and Edmonds branches over three months....
KIRO-TV, Seattle, Nov. 8

OSU’s Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum
Rich Warren writes: “Ohio State University is hosting a Fiesta of Funnies on November 14–17, when it holds a grand opening of the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum coinciding with its triennial Festival of Cartoon Art. Actually grand opening is a slight misnomer since the cartoon library—the largest in the world—has existed for decades, albeit in an exceedingly hard-to-find place on the OSU campus. Now the museum will grandly reopen in its new home in the magnificently renovated Sullivant Hall at the gateway to the Columbus campus.”...
Cleveland Plain Dealer, Oct. 30

Pakistani private schools ban Malala’s book
Pakistani education officials said November 10 that they have banned teenage activist Malala Yousafzai’s book I Am Malala, cowritten with British journalist Christina Lamb, from private schools and their libraries across the country, claiming it shows insufficient respect for Islam and calling her a tool of the West. Yousafzai attracted global attention in 2012 when the Taliban shot her in the head in northwest Pakistan for criticizing the group’s interpretation of Islam....
Los Angeles Times: Jacket Copy, Nov. 11; Pakistan Today, Nov. 11

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White House would expand access to information
During last week’s Open Government Partnership meeting in London, the Obama administration released a preview (PDF file) of its US Open Government National Action Plan 2.0 (NAP). While the second NAP will not be finalized until December, six new commitments were announced. They include expanding open data, increasing fiscal and corporate transparency, advancing citizen engagement, more effectively managing public resources, and most significantly, modernizing the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)....
American Association of Law Libraries: Washington Blawg, Nov. 5

Presidents and libraries
Michael Sorkin writes: “Although the presidential library is now as natural a part of our national trove of civic rituals and commemorations as the Pledge of Allegiance, it is, like the pledge, a fairly new one. The first presidential library was FDR’s in Hyde Park, New York (right). Based on his own sketches, it opened in 1941, one year before the pledge was adopted by Congress, not long after the completion of the Lincoln Memorial, and while the Jefferson was under construction. The Roosevelt library established a series of precedents that have endured.”...
The Nation, Oct. 28

Do academic librarians need tenure?
Sydni Dunn writes: “When East Carolina University announced in early November that it will no longer offer tenure to its librarians, it joined a growing list of colleges that have tweaked their library models and, in turn, the job descriptions of library employees. It also provided new fodder for an ongoing debate over the value and purpose of tenure. At issue: Do librarians need long-term security to do their jobs?”...
Vitae, Nov. 12; ECU Daily Reflector, Nov. 7

A line in the sand
Kevin Smith writes: “Harvard Business Publishing recently decided to claw back some functionality for key Harvard Business Review articles that many libraries subscribe to on various EBSCO platforms and charge a separate licensing fee to recover that functionality. Properly viewed, I suggest, this is not a dispute between libraries, or faculties, and Harvard. It is a dispute between Harvard Business Publications and EBSCO over how to divide up the pie. And libraries should refuse to make the pie bigger just to settle that dispute.”...
Scholarly Communications @ Duke, Nov. 12

At least six kinds of Open Access
David Wojick writes: “The Open Access debate is a sea of confusion. These confusions take many forms, but the deepest by far is the large number of contradictory models that fall under the term. When different people use the same words to mean very different things, confusion is inevitable. Here is a short list of some of the many OA models that I have observed in the mix.”...
The Scholarly Kitchen, Nov. 11

UNH Harry Potter course prompts letter from Warner Brothers
A popular summer class at the University of New Hampshire by English professor James Krasner has generated a cease-and-desist order from a Hollywood studio. The class for 4th–8th graders uses the Harry Potter books to teach grammar and literature, which movie studio Warner Brothers supports. But the studio doesn’t like how the class was advertised and doesn’t want people to think it sponsored the class....
WMUR-TV, Manchester, N.H., Nov. 6

Copyright: A European perspective
Carrie Russell writes: “On November 7, I attended the Second Annual Peter Jaszi Intellectual Property Lecture at the Washington College of Law at American University where Prof. Bernt Hugenholtz (right) delivered the distinguished lecture. Hugenholtz talked about copyright law in ‘author rights systems’ in Europe and how these laws seemed to be evolving towards more flexible copyright exceptions.”...
District Dispatch, Nov. 12

The weeding war
John N. Berry III writes: “‘We have to weed the collection!’ Every librarian will tell you that, but a great many library users, including many of those unpredictable Friends of the Library, along with a lot of other citizens, simply don’t understand why it is necessary to throw away ‘good books.’ As a result, careless weeding of library collections has been the source of tremendous misunderstanding, disruption, bad publicity, and, all too frequently, the departure of library directors.”...
Library Journal: Blatant Berry, Nov. 7

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How to buy a wireless router
Samara Lynn writes: “Selecting the right wireless router can be a challenge. Businesses often spend thousands of dollars to hire wireless networking professionals to perform site surveys to determine the best equipment. To add to the confusion, router manufacturers now offer a new generation of wireless routers with the latest 802.11x technology. Wi-Fi is also fickle, and performance can vary from one location to another. Here is a checklist and some information to help you in your search for the perfect router for your networking needs.” And here is a comparison chart of the 10 best routers....
PC Magazine, Nov. 7

A simple 3D scanner
Chris Velazco writes: “We’ve seen more than a few startups cook up their own impressive 3D scanners (MakerBot, Occipital), but one of the oldest and biggest names in 3D printers is clearly itching to get in the game too. South Carolina–based 3D Systems recently outed a cheapish, consumer-friendly scanner called the Sense (right), and I swung by Engadget’s Expand show in New York this weekend to see the thing in action.”...
TechCrunch, Nov. 11

3D paint repairs metal powder
Jamie Condliffe writes: “3D printing might be exciting, but it’s only good for making new items from scratch. What if you want to repair something instead? Enter 3D painting, GE’s new product that can be used to fix up anything that’s made of metal. Formally known as ‘cold spray,’ the technique sprays metal powders at high velocities to add material to existing objects.” Watch the video (0:30)....
Gizmodo, Nov. 8; GE Global Research, Nov. 7; YouTube, Nov. 7

Meet the Mini Metal Maker
Signe Brewster writes: “The team in Pueblo, Colorado, behind the Mini Metal Maker wants to bring a limited form of metal 3D printing into maker and artist homes via their Indiegogo campaign. The machine prints metal clay, which is composed of metal flakes mixed with a binder and water. Like plastic filament, the metal clay is melted and then extruded out of a nozzle. It hardens as the nozzle builds up layers to create a 3D object. The Mini Metal Maker currently prints at a resolution of 500 microns, but the team plans to improve it to 200 microns before it ships.”...
GigaOm, Nov. 12

How long do hard drives last?
Sebastian Anthony writes: “Given our exceedingly heavy reliance on hard drives, it’s very, very weird that one piece of vital information still eludes us: How long does a hard drive last? Surprisingly, despite hard drives underpinning almost every aspect of modern computing (until smartphones), no one has ever carried out a study on the longevity of hard drives—or at least, no one has ever published results from such a study. Until now.”...
ExtremeTech, Nov. 12

The romance of vintage hardware
Leslie Johnston writes: “I spend a lot of time thinking about hardware that I have interacted with and managed over the years. Some of it was innovative and exhibited remarkable adaptive uses, yet is sadly forgotten. I cannot leave out the Telex (right), one of the earliest technologies to have a lasting effect on our practices today. Telex was networked telecommunications and teleprinting from 1933. How about the GRiD Compass laptop from 1982? It was the first laptop to go into space.”...
The Signal: Digital Preservation, Nov. 12

2013: The year in ebooks
Michael Kelley writes: “Public librarians have applauded the increased access to ebooks now being offered by the big five publishers. But the recent good news, librarians say, should not obscure the fact that the present system, with its plethora of licensing models and platforms, remains untenable. How are librarians feeling about ebooks overall? I decided to ask. What I found was mild optimism and lingering concern.”...
Publishers Weekly, Nov. 8

OverDrive Media Stations available to all libraries
OverDrive announced November 12 that its OverDrive Media Station ebook, audiobook, music, and video sampling and checkout terminal is now broadly available. Launched as a pilot program earlier in 2013 with 50 public library systems in five countries, the in-library ebook kiosks enable readers to browse ebooks, audiobooks, and other media on a touchscreen monitor in libraries or other locations....
OverDrive, Nov. 12

Calvin and Hobbes available as ebooks
Almost 30 years after Bill Watterson introduced the world to Calvin and Hobbes, one of the most beloved daily comic strips is finally available as a collection of ebooks. It’s not quite the full series, which is available as a giant multivolume book, but the three ebooks on offer cover a fairly large range of strips. Until now, the only way to legally get Calvin and Hobbes on a mobile device was through comic book apps like GoComics....
The Verge, Nov. 13

E Ink Carta vs. E Ink Pearl
Nathan writes: “Ever since I got the Kindle Paperwhite 2 I’ve been a bit skeptical about the so-called new and improved E Ink Carta screen technology. Right now the Paperwhite 2 is the only device using Carta screens; most other ebook readers use Pearl screens. Both are the same type of e-paper screen tech produced by the same company, E Ink. So are the new Carta screens a noteworthy upgrade? Or is it mostly just marketing hype?”...
eBook Reader, Nov. 11

2014 Midwinter Meeting and Exhibits, Philadelphia, January 24–28. Author, literacy champion, and one of the world’s bestselling authors, David Baldacci is Auditorium Speaker on Sunday, January 26, 10–11 a.m. Hear him talk about why “virtually none of the major issues we face as a nation today can be successfully overcome until we eradicate illiteracy.”

Reading for pleasure puts students ahead
Children who read for pleasure are likely to do significantly better at school than their peers, according to research from the Institute of Education in the UK. The study found that readers made more progress in math, vocabulary, and spelling between the ages of 10 and 16 than those who rarely read. Researchers found that reading for pleasure was more important for children’s cognitive development between ages 10 and 16 than their parents’ level of education....
Centre for Longitudinal Studies, Institute of Education, University of London, Sept. 11

Sometimes the tough kid is quietly writing stories
Matt de la Peña writes: “I write YA novels that feature working-class, multicultural characters, so I’m frequently invited to speak at urban schools. At a San Antonio school, the principal pointed out a particular student ‘instigator,’ Joshua. In my talk, I told how, even though I was a reluctant reader, I found myself writing poems in the back of class. Afterward, Joshua asked to speak with me in private. He wanted me to know that he wrote stories sometimes.”...
National Public Radio, Nov. 11

PW’s best children’s books of 2013
Selecting just 50 titles from the thousands of books published for children and teens in a given year is always a painful undertaking, and this year was no different. It’s also one of Publishers Weekly’s favorite end-of-year challenges as they try to determine which stories rose to the top of a field crowded with singular ideas, hilarious writing, and unforgettable characters. Read on for their picks of the year’s best picture books, middle-grade and YA fiction, and nonfiction....
Publishers Weekly, Nov. 8

New York Times 10 best illustrated children’s books of 2013
Since 1952, the New York Times Book Review has convened an independent panel of judges to select picture books on the basis of artistic merit. Each year, judges choose from among thousands of picture books for what is the only annual award of its kind. The 10 displayed here are the winners for 2013....
New York Times Sunday Book Review, Oct. 31; Ine Marits Blogg, Oct. 31

YA books for Veteran’s Day
Geri Diorio writes: “If you wish to learn more about the history of Veteran’s Day, the US Department of Veterans Affairs has a great website. Between World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Iraq wars, and with the war in Afghanistan entering its 13th year, many people have family and friends who are veterans. YA literature has many good novels about the experience of war; these seven titles are just a starting point.”...
YALSA The Hub, Nov. 11

Ethical science fiction
Alegria Barclay writes: “I can still remember the way I felt reading the last sentence of Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card some 20 years ago. Indeed, each subsequent reading has left me with a similar sense of profound sadness, self-reflection, and an inexpressible ache to make the world a better place. As Ender’s Game finds itself in the limelight again due to the recent movie adaptation, I thought that this would be a good time to celebrate other ethical sci-fi titles.”...
YALSA The Hub, Nov. 12

Harry Potter postage stamps
The US Postal Service has designed 20 Forever stamps with scenes from the Harry Potter movies. The Examiner has posted an image of one of the stamps (right). The remaining 19 stamps will be unveiled on November 19, the official sale date. The USPS only plans to print five million booklets with these limited-edition stamps....
GalleyCat, Nov. 13; The Examiner, Nov. 12

Vestiges of print publication in scientific journals
Bonnie Swoger writes: “The first scientific journals were published in the late 17th century, and these print publications changed very little over time. Then, the internet was born. Many journals started making articles available online, but little changed. Most current journals still have some vestiges of their print origins (even if they no longer publish a print edition), and many ‘born online’ journals try to mimic their formerly print competition.”...
Scientific American: Information Culture, Nov. 12

The Oxford University Press and the making of a book
To celebrate the publication of the first three volumes of The History of Oxford University Press on November 14 and University Press Week, Oxford University Press is sharing various materials from its archive, including a silent film (17:52) made in 1925 by the Federation of British Industry. The Oxford University Press and the Making of a Book highlighted the press’s work to audiences around the world. It also provides great insight into each step of the printing process....
OUPblog, Nov. 11; YouTube, Oct. 27

10 oldest surviving documents of their type
Alan Boyle writes: “Documents have literally changed the world, and some of them have survived for hundreds or even thousands of years. Every type of document provides a unique window into our shared heritage as human beings in ways that are both surprising and fascinating.” This list includes examples of what are probably the oldest surviving international treaty, medical document (above), poem, correspondence, printed book with a date, and set of laws....
Listverse, Nov. 10

THOMAS will soon redirect to Congress.gov
The free legislative information website, Congress.gov, is transitioning into its permanent role as the official site for federal legislative information from the US Congress and related agencies. The site, which launched in beta form last fall and features platform mobility, comprehensive information retrieval, and user-friendly presentation, will replace the nearly 20-year-old THOMAS on November 19....
Library of Congress, Nov. 8

Army special services librarians
Jessamyn West writes: “Here is a patch I did not know about: the Army Special Services librarian patch, which refers to the Army Hostess and Librarian Service. This was a special subclass of jobs set up in 1947 by President Truman after World War II at army posts. The colors on these patches indicated the nine different branches of the army, showing that the librarians (and hostesses) worked for the entire army.”...
librarian.net, Nov. 11; US Army MWR; Executive Order 9830

Recite the Gettysburg Address
Erin Allen writes: “On November 19, 1863, Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address at the dedication of the cemetery at the Civil War battlefield. To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the address, documentarian Ken Burns has launched a national effort to encourage everyone in America to video record themselves reading or reciting the speech. Among the notables participating in the project are the Librarian of Congress James H. Billington (1:56, above), all the living American presidents, Taylor Swift, Martha Stewart, Steven Spielberg, Uma Thurman, and Stephen Colbert.”...
Library of Congress blog, Nov. 12; YouTube, Nov. 4

Iraqi Jewish documents go on display
Hilary Parkinson writes: “In June 2003, the National Archives Preservation Programs received a call for help from Iraq. Sixteen American soldiers had found tens of thousands of documents and 2,700 Jewish books while searching in the flooded basement of Saddam Hussein’s intelligence headquarters. The historic material was soaking wet. And so Doris Hamburg and Mary-Lynn Ritzenthaler boarded a C-130 cargo plane and flew to Iraq.”...
Prologue: Pieces of History, Nov. 7

What librarians can learn from Reddit
Beth Sanderson and Miriam Rigby write: “Reddit dubs itself ‘the front page of the internet,’ and it often lives up to this claim. To a new user, Reddit may seem like a virtual Wild West, full of ducks who give advice, adorable cats, and plenty of less savory content. But there is far more to be learned from the Reddit community than what appears on the surface. Digging deeper, one will find interesting discussions about libraries, late-breaking research studies, fun facts, and long, thoughtful threads on virtually any topic imaginable.”...
College and Research Libraries News 74, no. 10 (Nov.): 518–521

Twitter lets users build timelines around news events
Sharath Bulusu writes: “Twitter has introduced the ability to create custom timelines in TweetDeck. Custom timelines, which were just announced, are a new type of timeline that you control by selecting the tweets you want to include. In this post, we’ll describe everything you need to know to create and share custom timelines.”...
Twitter Blogs, Nov. 12; Twitter Developers, Nov. 12

Social media dos and don’ts
Lizz Zitron writes: “Yes, we need to have this conversation. It’s a good reminder for myself as I tread the online world. Let’s tackle this issue from both the personal and professional angles. Your personal presence: First, it’s neither really personal nor is it private. If you need to say something truly private, make a phone call or talk in person. Do the following with your online presence.”...
The Outreach Librarian, Nov. 6

Gmail now lets you save emails to Google Drive
Peter Sawers writes: “Good news Gmail users, Google has just announced that you now no longer have to download email attachments to view them. With the update, you can peruse and save files directly through Google Drive without leaving Gmail, which essentially gives you access to the attachments on multiple devices—not just the one where it has been saved locally.”...
The Next Web, Nov. 12; Google Drive Blog, Nov. 12

Teach kids tech with these tools
Richard Byrne writes: “Ask anyone to share a favorite school memory, and it will likely involve making something from scratch. One of my standout experiences from elementary school was learning Logo, a graphic programming language. Logo’s still around—along with many new, excellent tools that teach kids basic programming skills. Other applications enable kids to build 3D models, which they can print, too.” Sovan Mandal recommends these 10 Android apps for teaching math to kids....
School Library Journal: The Digital Shift, Nov. 10; Good e-Reader, Nov. 10

Why it’s hard to find new podcasts
Scott Pham writes: “Podcasts have a serious discovery problem. Podcasts are building loyal and potentially lucrative communities around niche topics. But as a technology and an industry, podcasting has failed at connecting people with content in a dynamic and efficient way. Max Temkin has created a website that bridges the gap between word-of-mouth podcast discovery and lists like those on iTunes. Podcast Thing is a simple idea with a crisp, pleasant design.”...
Mashable, Nov. 12

10 resources for Geography Awareness Week
Richard Byrne writes: “November 17–23 is Geography Awareness Week. National Geographic Education has highlighted some of their activities for the week. I’ve put together a collection of other online activities to use during Geography Awareness Week. Those resources are summarized here.”...
Free Technology for Teachers, Nov. 11

Create tours with Google Earth Tour Builder
Richard Byrne writes: “In early November, Google released a great new tool for creating Google Earth tours. Tour Builder makes it easier than ever to create Google Earth tours in your browser. Tour Builder could prove to be a great tool for students to use to create geolocated book reviews, to tell stories from their own lives, or to develop geolocated research projects. In this video (9:14) I offer a demonstration of how to use Tour Builder.”...
Free Technology for Teachers, Nov. 13; YouTube, Nov. 13

Taking the library outdoors
Rebecca Cruz writes: “Most people do not connect the library with outdoor recreation. While we often hear talk about how everyone likes to read outside, the library tends to be thought of mainly as an indoor activity. A few years ago consultants who were working with us at the Pikes Peak Library District in Colorado pointed out that we weren’t addressing the popularity of the variety of outside activities that our community enjoys. This input spurred us to develop our Library Outdoors program, which debuted this past July.”...
Public Libraries Online, Nov. 11

The TLAM Project
Robin Amado and Jake Ineichen write: “Boozhoo (hello, in Ojibwe) from Madison, Wisconsin. We are members of the Tribal Libraries, Archives, and Museums Project (TLAM) at the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and today we’d like to talk a little bit about what we do and why we do it. The TLAM Project is designed to provide LIS students with service-learning opportunities in American Indian communities on projects that actually mean something to those communities.”...
Hack Library School, Nov. 12

Track your personal library
Dianna Dilworth writes: “Are you looking to create a digital list of all of the print books that you own? There are many apps that can help you create digital bookshelves based on the print books that you have in your home. Some of these tools let you scan the barcodes with your phone to be added to the list. We’ve put together a list of five of these tools along with a link to the app and the app’s description.”...
GalleyCat, Nov. 11

Where are the scriptoria?
Erik Kwakkel writes: “Many scribes in medieval art are depicted as individual copyists rather than scribes working in groups. Even when multiple scribes are presented in each other’s vicinity, such as the four evangelists in the Aachen Gospels of ca. 820 (right), we are still looking at multiple individual scribes. After all, they have their backs turned to each other and are separated by rock formations. Where are the scriptoria?”...
medievalfragments, Nov. 5

Princeton acquires collection of Mamluk coins
A comprehensive collection featuring coinage from the Mamluk Sultanate (1250–1517) has been acquired by Princeton University Libraries. The Undeland Collection of Mamluk Coins was purchased for the university’s Numismatic Collection by the Friends of the Princeton Library. This collection will continue the library’s goal of building a comprehensive collection of the coinage of the Mediterranean during the Middle Ages....
Trenton (N.J.) Times, Nov. 12

A Colonial goldmine
Corydon Ireland writes: “Historians and archivists know a secret that most of us do not: that vast stores of primary documents about North America’s Colonial era lie untouched and unseen in repositories throughout the US and Canada. Harvard is doing something about that by digitizing documents for its Colonial North America project. Taken as a whole, the university’s archival and manuscript repositories house more than 45,000 collections with some 400 million items, from single pages to folders.”...
Harvard Gazette, Nov. 12

The ultimate guide to the Invisible Web
The vast majority of the internet lies in the Deep Web, sometimes referred to as the Invisible Web. The actual size of the Deep Web is impossible to measure, but many experts estimate it is about 500 times the size of the web as we know it. Search engines like Google are extremely powerful and effective at distilling up-to-the-moment web content. What they lack, however, is the ability to index the vast amount of data that isn’t hyperlinked and therefore immediately accessible to a web crawler....
iLibrarian Blog , Nov. 11

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