The e-newsletter of the American Library Association | September 18, 2013

Bexar County’s new BiblioTech
Megan Cottrell writes: “What’s a library without books? That’s the question many people were asking even before Bexar County, Texas, opened its all-digital BiblioTech on September 14. The bookless facility serves an unincorporated area outside of San Antonio, offering more than 10,000 titles available for digital download and 100 e-readers on loan, as well as 48 iMac desktop computing stations, digital literacy classes, and a coffee shop.” The facility is also equipped with 200 enhanced e-readers preloaded for children, nine Mac laptops, 40 iPads, four interactive touch-screen tables, and an Xbox gaming system hooked up to two large screens. Ebooks are available through the 3M Cloud Library and Project Gutenberg. Watch the video (1:02)....
American Libraries feature; San Antonio (Tex.) Express-News, Sept. 14; GeoBeats News, Sept. 17

Will’s World: Par for the course
Will Manley writes: “I am a firm believer in the value of libraries because I have always enthusiastically accepted the axiom that you can learn how to do anything from a book, even the most difficult of all human endeavors: how to swing a golf club. At the public library, I would find a seemingly endless collection of ‘how to’ golf books and videos. It was just a matter of finding the right one. It all reminded me of my career in management. Like any good librarian, I had to keep up with the times and read the management book du jour.”...
American Libraries column, July/Aug.

In Practice: Libraries as publishers
Meredith Farkas writes: “It seems only natural that libraries are examining how to make scholarly publishing accessible to content creators and consumers alike. Through activities such as educating patrons about new publishing paradigms, archiving the work of faculty and students, offering self-publishing platforms, and becoming an actual publisher, libraries are helping to disrupt traditional publishing and make their communities’ intellectual products more accessible.”...
American Libraries column, July/Aug.

Did you miss last week’s AL Live?
Watch the archived episode of “Digging into New Databases” on the AL Live website....
American Libraries: AL Live, Sept. 12

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Farrell, Feldman seek ALA presidency
Maggie Farrell (on the left), dean of libraries at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, and Sari Feldman, executive director of the Cuyahoga County (Ohio) Public Library, are the candidates for the 2015–2016 presidency of the American Library Association. Farrell and Feldman will engage in a candidates’ forum on January 25 during the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia. Ballot mailing for the 2014 ALA Election will begin on March 19. The election will close on April 25....
Office of ALA Governance, Sept. 17

Freedom to read still under fire
Attempts to ban books frequently take place in our schools and libraries. According to the Office for Intellectual Freedom, there were 464 reported attempts to remove or restrict materials from schools and libraries in 2012 and more than 17,700 attempts since 1990. During this year’s Banned Books Week, September 22–28, Twitter parties will help promote the message. Use the hashtag #bannedbooksweek. The Mansfield Library at the University of Montana is planning a series of videos featuring UM faculty, administrators, and staff sharing their favorite banned books and why students should read them. A new video will be posted to the UM library website each day of Banned Books Week....
Office for Intellectual Freedom, Sept. 17; University of Montana News, Sept. 17

Banned Books Week Virtual Read-Out
Readers from across the US and around the world will demonstrate their support for free speech by participating in a Virtual Read-Out of banned and challenged books during Banned Books Week, September 22–28. Participants, libraries, and bookstores can upload videos for posting to the Banned Books Week YouTube Channel. Contributors are encouraged to share a reading, discuss the significance of their favorite banned book, or mention a local book challenge....
OIF Blog, Sept. 18

ALA calls for a leap forward in e-rate goals
On September 16, ALA provided comments (PDF file) to the Federal Communications Commission, asking it to accelerate deployment of the high-capacity broadband needed to serve students and learners of all ages through our nation’s libraries and schools. ALA also calls for new strategic investments in telecommunications and broadband infrastructure, as well as program changes to improve cost-effectiveness and streamline processes to enable greater participation....
Office for Information Technology Police, Sept. 17

Disney Princess Belle celebrates library cards
In September, Disney Princess Belle joins ALA to promote the most important school supply of all: a library card. A free download featuring Belle is available on the Library Card Sign-up Month website. The download promotes reading with the slogan, “Reading Is Royal” and features the princess, known for her love of reading, engrossed in a book. Libraries can download the art for use online or in newsletters....
Campaign for America’s Libraries, Sept. 17

Forbes Library card video
Brian Herzog writes: “I love this video (2:24) from the Forbes Library in Northampton, Massachusetts. It’s short yet informative, and I bet any patron watching it will be surprised to learn the library offers something they didn’t already know about. Plus, Steven Stover (right) has just enough of a strangely idiosyncratic delivery and off-beat humor to make it irresistible to watch all the way through. Nicely done, Forbes Library.”...
Swiss Army Librarian, Sept. 18; YouTube, Sept. 5

Public innovation training
Continuing the collaboration between the Harwood Institute and ALA on “The Promise of Libraries Transforming Communities Initiative,” a three-day Harwood Institute Public Innovators Lab designed especially for libraries, kicks off a year of coaching and webinar support. The three-day immersion in the Harwood practice, October 28-30 at the District of Columbia Public Library, will be followed by one year of scheduled coaching support for library teams with a Harwood-certified coach, plus six live webinars to support and reinforce the learning from the lab. Participants must register by September 30....
Public Programs Office, Sept. 17

John W. Berry appointed to American Library in Paris board
Former ALA President John W. Berry (right) has been appointed to a two-year term as ALA’s non-voting representative to the Board of Trustees of the American Library in Paris. ALA established the library in 1920 with local community support and 30,000 books from ALA’s Library War Service effort during World War I. The Association has appointed a representative to the board during most of ALP’s history....
Public Information Office, Sept. 17

ALA Poster Session Committee seeks new members
The ALA Poster Session Committee is looking for two new members, in particular public, school, special, or community college librarians as well as librarians with enthusiasm for web and social media projects to join the committee responsible for planning and implementing the poster sessions at the ALA Annual Conference. The committee needs a web editor and a member-at-large. Apply to Melanie Griffin by October 31....
ALA Poster Session Committee, Sept. 11

Librarian oral histories in the ALA Archives
As part of her 2007–2008 ALA presidential term, Loriene Roy initiated an oral history program for retiring librarians called “Capturing Our Stories.” So far this ongoing program has produced 35 recordings with full transcripts, which have now been added to the ALA Digital Archives and made available to researchers online. Librarians interviewed range from school librarians to public library directors to catalogers, including Sanford Berman (above)....
ALA Archives, Sept. 12

Social networking for public libraries
Most commentaries to date on library use of social networks have focused on a handful of well-funded public libraries with high-profile employees. Now Walt Crawford’s Successful Social Networking in Public Libraries, published by ALA Editions, completes the picture, offering for the first time an in-depth look at how a large variety of public libraries are conducting digital outreach and marketing through social networking....
ALA Editions, Sept. 16

Find your roots
A guide to the joys and rewards of preserving family history for posterity, Finding Your Roots: Easy-to-Do Genealogy and Family History by Janice Schultz, offers advice and encouragement to anyone eager to uncover family roots. Getting started, research techniques, interviewing tips, and effective use of the library and internet are all discussed in detail in this book that is ideal for beginners....
Huron Street Press, Sept. 16

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2013 Women’s Leadership Institute
ACRL is collaborating with other higher education associations to offer the 2013 Women’s Leadership Institute. This year’s institute will be held December 3–6 in Amelia Island, Florida. The discounted early-bird registration deadline for the institute is November 1. Complete program details, cosponsors, and a link to registration materials are available on the institute website....
ACRL, Sept. 16

Kate Ganski named ACRL visiting program officer
ACRL has appointed Kate L. Ganski (right) of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee as visiting program officer for 10 months in support of the division’s Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education Task Force. Ganski will create a communication plan that will help the task force, charged with revising the ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education, reach a wide variety of constituents outside the library profession and across the higher education community....
ACRL, Sept. 16

More Great Websites for Kids
ALSC has added six more sites to Great Websites for Kids, its online resource containing hundreds of links to exceptional websites for children. Great Websites for Kids features links to high-quality websites of interest to children 14 years of age and younger, organized into diverse subject headings. Each entry includes a brief annotation and a grade-level rating....
ALSC, Sept. 17

Webinar helps libraries improve security and safety
When a simple “shhh” isn’t enough, a knowledgeable approach to library security and safety can be a lifesaver. In “Library Security: The Basics and Beyond,” October 23, presenter Sydney McCoy will address theoretical concepts, behavior policies, working with local law enforcement both in and out of the library, library banning policies, staff communication tools, and assessment for dangerous behavior. Strategies for avoiding threatening behaviors will be reviewed. Register online....
LLAMA, Sept. 17

ALSC fall online courses
ALSC opened registration for its fall 2013 online courses, which begin October 7. The courses cover Common Core State Standards, youth programming, reading instruction, STEM programs, and storytime tools. Detailed descriptions and registration information are available on the ALSC website....
ALSC, Sept. 16

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Rolling out the red carpet for school librarians
Have you ever heard the expression, “It’s an honor just to be nominated,” usually gushed by a celebrated entertainer after making the short list for an Oscar or what-have-you? Well, it is. Just ask any of the five school librarians nominated for a Bammy (Body and Mind) Award in the new School Librarian category this year. In the words of finalist Jennifer Lagarde, the recognition “just helps reiterate the fact that teacher librarians are (wait for it!) teachers.”...
AL: The Scoop, Sept. 12; The Adventures of Library Girl, Apr. 7

Win a $3,000 National Library Week grant
Libraries seeking to share their stories and raise public awareness are encouraged to apply for the 2014 Scholastic Library Publishing National Library Week Grant. The library that develops the best public awareness campaign using the National Library Week theme will be awarded $3,000 to promote its library and library services. All proposals must use the 2014 National Library Week theme, “Lives change @ your library.” Apply by November 8....
Campaign for America’s Libraries, Sept. 12

Apply for a Maureen Hayes Author/Illustrator Award
ALSC is accepting applications for its 2014 Maureen Hayes Author / Illustrator Award. This $4,000 award, made possible by an annual gift from Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing in honor of Maureen Hayes, brings together children and nationally recognized authors/illustrators by funding an author/illustrator visit to a library. The deadline for submissions is November 30....
ALSC, Sept. 13

ALSC Summer Reading grant
ALSC is accepting online applications for its 2014 Baker & Taylor Summer Reading Grant. This $3,000 grant, made possible by Baker & Taylor, is designed to encourage reading programs for children in public libraries, while recognizing ALSC members for outstanding program development. Applicants must be personal members of ALSC. The deadline for submissions is November 30....
ALSC, Sept. 13

YALSA Summer Reading grants
YALSA is offering libraries the chance to apply for funds that will aid in the implementation of the library’s overall summer reading program. Courtesy of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, YALSA will be giving out two types of $1,000 grants: the Summer Reading Teen Intern Grant and the Summer Reading Resources Grant. Apply before January 1....
YALSA, Sept. 17

Heritage Trust digitization grants
The EMC Heritage Trust Project recognizes and supports the digitization of the world’s information heritage in local communities. Libraries are eligible to apply for grants of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 towards their digitization efforts. In 2012, the Springfield (N.J.) Free Public Library won a $10,000 grant. Applications will be accepted through October 18....
EMC Corporation, Sept. 16

National Book Festival Summer Writing Contest
The Library of Congress National Book Festival Summer Writing Contest, a program that asks 5th and 6th graders to reflect on a book that has made a personal impact in their lives, has announced its 2013 winners. More than 300 young readers submitted essays to participating public libraries in the Mid-Atlantic region in this second year of the contest. Five finalists per state were chosen in an initial round of judging conducted by members of AASL. The grand-prize judging round was conducted by a panel assembled by the Library of Congress....
Library of Congress, Sept. 13

Spartanburg County wins preservation award
On August 13, the Spartanburg County (S.C.) Historical Association presented the Peggy T. Gignilliat Award for Historic Preservation to the Spartanburg County Public Libraries, in recognition of its efforts in preserving blueprints, drawings, and plans that document the history of the county’s architecture. The award honors Gignilliat’s tireless preservation efforts in Spartanburg County....
Spartanburg County (S.C.) Public Libraries

Mapping the Man Booker Prize
Nick Sidwell writes: “Rural England, what is now Turkey, Kolkata, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, and Tokyo. Not my list of most-want-to-visit places, but these are settings for the six titles shortlisted for the 2013 Man Booker Prize. Perhaps the only surprise is that London doesn’t feature on the list. After all, 38 of the 267 books either shortlisted or victorious in the 46 years of the Booker prize since 1969 have been set in the capital. Dublin is the next most popular locale, with nine books, followed by Mumbai, with seven (the same number, incidentally, as the whole of Scotland).”...
The Guardian (UK): Books Blog, Sept. 11

2013 Academy of American Poets prizes
The Academy of American Poets has announced its annual series of poetry prizes, awarding over $200,000 to poets at various stages of their careers. Poet Philip Levine won the $100,000 Wallace Stevens Award for outstanding and proven mastery in the art of poetry, while Patricia Smith’s Shoulda Been Jimi Savannah (Coffee House Press, 2012) won the $5,000 Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize for the most outstanding book of poetry published in the United States in the previous year....
Academy of American Poets, Sept. 12

2013 Washington State Book Award winners
The Washington Center for the Book at Seattle Public Library has announced the winners of the 2013 Washington State Book Awards for six outstanding books published by Washington authors in 2012. This is the 47th year of the program, formerly called the Governor’s Writers Awards. The winner in the Fiction category is The Orchardist (HarperCollins) by Amanda Coplin, and in the Nonfiction category, The Rocks Don’t Lie: A Geologist Investigates Noah’s Flood (W. W. Norton) by David Montgomery is the winner....
Seattle Public Library, Sept. 10

2013 Deanston Scottish Crime Book of the Year
Malcolm Mackay has been named the winner of this year’s Deanston Scottish Crime Book of the Year for his novel How a Gunman Says Goodbye (Mantle). The book is the sequel to Mackay’s highly praised debut novel, The Necessary Death of Lewis Winter. The announcement was made in Stirling on September 14, as part of the Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival....
BBC News, Sept. 14

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Philly budget crisis shutters libraries in two top schools
When Philadelphia’s Central High School opened its new library, a $4.5 million research and media hub funded by alumni, in 2005 Apple named it a national model. Masterman School’s library (right), also bolstered by fundraising, bustled with students from early morning till late afternoon. Now both libraries—the academic hearts of two of Philadelphia’s most prestigious schools—have been shuttered. The district did not fund librarians; so principals at Central, Masterman, and any number of other schools had to cut those positions, along with counselors, assistant principals, and teachers....
Philadelphia Inquirer, Sept. 14

Kentucky library lawsuits draw ridicule
Scott Wartman writes: “Lawsuits filed by some Northern Kentucky Tea Party members against library taxes have drawn attention, puzzlement, and, in some cases, ridicule elsewhere in the country. No other libraries in the country face such challenges, ALA President Barbara Stripling told the more than 100 people assembled in Newport, Kentucky, for a forum on the issue in early September. Those filing the lawsuit maintain that they support libraries, but don’t believe the library districts have followed the law in raising taxes.”...
USA Today, Sept. 12; American Libraries feature

Invisible Man will be invisible in Randolph County schools
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison has been removed from the library shelves of Randolph County (N.C.) Schools. By a 5–2 margin, the county board of education voted September 16 at its regular meeting to remove all copies of the book. The action stems from the complaint of a parent of an 11th-grade student in Randleman High School that said in part, “This novel is not so innocent; instead, this book is filthier, too much for teenagers.”...
McClatchy News Service, Sept. 18

Railroad engine house lives on as library
A historic former Lehigh Valley Railroad engine house has been saved and adapted for community use. It now houses the White Haven (Pa.) Area Community Library (right) and the White Haven Historical Society. It also serves as a visitor center and its links to history continue. The Canadian Pacific Railroad runs four trains per day past the station, following the right-of-way of the former Lehigh Valley Railroad, and the Lehigh and Delaware National Heritage Corridor Trail is only 30 yards from the building as it meanders northwest....
Wilkes-Barre (Pa.) Citizens’ Voice, Sept. 16

Hulk statue unveiled at Northlake Public Library
A 9-foot statue of the Incredible Hulk was unveiled September 12 at the Northlake (Ill.) Public Library, thanks to a real-life hero who swooped in and saved a fundraising project in distress. Library officials were about to give up after a campaign to raise money for more graphic novels, comic book-creating technology, and a giant Hulk statue yielded less than a sixth of the $30,000 needed. Then Steve Williams, owner of L.A. Boxing in Orange, California, heard about the campaign and happened to have a giant Hulk statue he was looking to discard....
Chicago Tribune, Sept. 12

Drexel iSchool to be under College of Computing and Informatics
Drexel University President John A. Fry announced September 9 the creation of a new College of Computing and Informatics that will begin admitting students in the fall of 2014. The college will unite the faculty, staff, and students from the iSchool, the Department of Computer Science, and the Department of Computing and Security Technology. It will continue to offer a Master of Science degree in library and information science, as well as master’s degree programs in computing, software engineering, and health care informatics....
Drexel Now, Sept. 9

NYPL to release Timothy Leary papers
A trove of Timothy Leary files, much of it previously unpublished, could shed new light on the LSD guru, his controversial research into psychedelic drugs, and the emergence of the 1960s counterculture. The New York Public Library, which acquired the vast archive for an undisclosed sum from the Leary estate in 2011, is making the material available for the first time September 18 to scholars and the public for use within the library. Leary, who coined the phrase “turn on, tune in, drop out,” was one of the most polarizing figures of the counterculture....
Associated Press, Sept. 18

Fairfax County suspends controversial library cuts
The Fairfax County (Va.) Library board voted September 11 to postpone voting until November on a controversial pilot program that would reduce staffing, cut the hours children’s librarians are available, and replace degreed librarians with “library customer service specialists.” A crowd of more than 200 people attended the meeting at George Mason Regional Library in Annandale and broke out into cheers as the board voted to suspend the entire proposed strategic plan....
Vienna (Va.) Patch, Sept. 12; Washington Post, Sept. 12

Library reopens 11 months after Superstorm Sandy
The Brigantine branch of the Atlantic County (N.J.) Library System is reopening September 20, 11 months after Superstorm Sandy flooded out its lower level. The branch had to relocate and develop an “outpost” at the Brigantine Beach Community Center....
Brigantine (N.J.) Beachcomber, Sept. 12

La Crosse library board proposes closing its south branch
The La Crosse (Wis.) Public Library board has recommended the South Community branch be closed as a cost-cutting move, Mayor Tim Kabat said. The board voted September 12 to propose shutting down the branch, which has been open since 1922, a move the mayor does not support. All city departments have been asked to look for ways to trim their individual requests to help close up an initial $700,000 gap in the 2014 budget that’s still being developed....
La Crosse (Wis.) Tribune, Sept. 13

Librarian gone after reading-contest controversy
Controversy over the kids’ reading contest at Hudson Falls (N.Y.) Free Library appears to have been the final chapter in Director Marie Gandron’s career there. Trustee President Michael Herman confirmed September 13 that Gandron no longer works at the library, although he would not say if she quit or was fired. The controversy began in mid-August when Gandron’s comments that a five-time summer-reading-contest winner should “step aside” this year....
Glens Falls (N.Y.) Post Star, Sept. 13

Now Ohio wants The Bluest Eye gone
Ohio Board of Education President Debe Terhar wants all mentions of the Toni Morrison novel The Bluest Eye removed from state guidelines for schools teaching to the new Common Core academic standards. The book has become a target for some critics of the Common Core, because it describes scenes in which a girl’s father rapes her. In August, an Alabama state senator called for the book to be removed from school reading lists and school libraries....
StateImpact, Sept. 11; Huntsville (Ala.) Times, Aug. 28

Woman leaves Arlington County library $700,000
An Arlington, Virginia, resident who died in June gave what’s estimated to be more than $700,000 to the Arlington Public Library in her will. Rosemarie Bowie lived most of her life in Arlington and was 76 when she died June 24. She left her home and half of her residuary estate to the library. Bowie had retired from her career working in the US Patent and Trademark Office and as an attorney....
ARL Now, Sept. 12

Jacksonville library may have to close Saturdays
Jacksonville, Florida’s Main Library will close on Saturdays beginning October 5 unless the city council restores funding in the pending 2013–2014 budget. The library trustees in a unanimous vote on September 12 approved the closure, calling it a difficult decision between less-than-desirable options. The potential library closing has dismayed library users....
Jacksonville Florida Times-Union, Sept. 12

Man assaulted with chair in San Francisco Public Library
A man was arrested in connection with a bloody assault September 11 after he allegedly struck another San Francisco Public Library patron in the head with a chair. Clifton W. Moore is facing two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault. The victim was using a computer on the first floor of the Main Library when seemingly out of nowhere he was struck by a chair. Several witnesses pointed Moore out to library security as the suspect. SFPL administrators and employees say more guards are necessary to provide a satisfactory level of security....
San Francisco Examiner, Sept. 8, 16

No electricity or water in Islamabad libraries
Mazhar Iqbal Jalali, in charge of the Sector F-11 community library in Islamabad, Pakistan, said, “There has been no electricity since the first week in 2010.” The number of visitors is nearing 100 a day, but in the unrelenting heat people avoid coming to the library because there is no power. The library had electricity for a few days after it was launched, but a glitch in the nearby transformer soon cut it off. Its six personal computers remain inoperative. The city’s Capital Development Authority is supposed to provide maintenance, electricity, and security....
The Express Tribune (Pakistan), Sept. 16

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The internet is important to everyone
A new infographic and supporting research illustrate the importance of internet access to critical information. “The Internet Is Important to Everyone,” developed by OCLC and made possible with IMLS funding, gathers information from a variety of research sources to illustrate the impact broadband has on our daily lives, whether it is in seeking information about health, jobs, education, or government. The infographic also touches on who does not use the internet and why. A web page on Digital Inclusion offers suggestions for community stakeholders to act and help bridge the digital divide....
OCLC WebJunction, Sept. 18

Library research and the IRB
Nicole Pagowsky and Maura Smale write: “Understanding how human-subjects research and the Institutional Review Board (IRB) fit into social sciences research can help frame our own perceptions of what we do in LIS research. Practically speaking, what is it like for LIS researchers to go through the process of IRB approval? We’ve both been through the process, and this is what we’ve learned.”...
ACRLog, Sept. 16

Intellectual property: It’s not about property
Carrie Russell writes: “One misconception about copyright is the notion that protected works are the property of rights holders. Because of this mistaken belief, you will hear too many authors, creators, and other rights holders say that the public is stealing their property. It is particularly aggravating when information users are accused of stealing when what they are doing—let’s say making an accessible copy for a blind person—is lawful.”...
District Dispatch, Sept. 17

Authors Guild: Shut down Google scanning
Andrew Albanese writes: “In its final brief before oral arguments, the Authors Guild in mid-September closed by imploring Judge Denny Chin to shoot down Google’s book scanning program and let Congress ask questions later. The call for the court to punt on the fair use issue comes in the final round of summary judgment reply briefs in the long-running lawsuit against Google over its library scan plan.”...
Publishers Weekly, Sept. 17

Google knows all your Android Wi-Fi passwords
Gary Cutlack writes: “A new privacy fuss is kicking off around Google’s Android mobile OS, with security experts claiming that the software’s backup tools mean that a copy of everyone’s Wi-Fi password history is now saved to Google’s servers. That means it could be legally compelled to hand them out, should government come calling. Google is storing passwords in a way that means it can read them if it wants to.”...
Gizmodo, Sept. 16

Picture passwords are promising
Tim Greene writes: “The security of Windows 8 picture passwords might not be as weak as some recent headlines indicate, and there are ways to maximize how hard they are to crack, researchers say. Unlocking a Windows 8 machine by tapping points, circling objects, and drawing lines over an image on a touchscreen is no less secure than using a four-digit PIN to secure a cellphone’s SIM card, said Sophos researcher Paul Ducklin.”...
PC World, Sept. 15; Naked Security, Sept. 9

Heartbeat passwords: Don’t miss a beat
Liz Stinson writes: “Karl Martin and his team at Bionym have created the Nymi, a plastic wristband that aims to be the common thread that connects your identity to the smart devices of the future. The device uses a biometric sensor to authenticate identity through a person’s unique electrocardiogram. The Bionym team found a way to extract features of your heartbeat that allows them to create a robust biometric template. So if you get nervous and your heart speeds up or you just ran a few miles, the waveform of your heartbeat might appear more condensed, but it’s still essentially the same pattern.” Watch the video (1:42)....
Wired Design, Sept. 11; YouTube, Sept. 2

How the cops watch your tweets in real time
Nate Anderson writes: “Recent leaks about the NSA’s internet spy programs have sparked renewed interest in government surveillance, though the leaks touch largely on a single form of such surveillance, the covert one. But so-called open-source intelligence is also big business—and not just at the national or international levels. Consider BlueJay, which provides real-time, geo-fenced access to every single public tweet so that local police can keep tabs on #gunfire, #meth, and #protest in their communities.”...
Ars Technica, Sept. 15

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Full library discovery
Lorcan Dempsey writes: “The scope of library discovery services continues to evolve. We might characterize the situation we are in now as full collection discovery. The model is of a cloud-based, central index, where the goal has been unified results across collection types delivered in a single search box. The full collection includes material from the catalog, journal articles, and sometimes local digital repository material. Several so-called ‘discovery layer’ products (including WorldCat Local) are now used to provide this functionality.”...
Lorcan Dempsey’s Weblog, Sept. 15

How to download iOS 7
Jill Duffy writes: “iOS 7, the next major update to Apple’s mobile operating system, is out. Okay, so how do you get it? And what do you need to do before you download and install it?” Amazon has a new Kindle app for iOS 7 too....
PC Magazine, Sept. 18; Digital Book World, Sept. 18

Three lessons from Apple’s two new iPhones
David Pogue writes: “We can draw three lessons from the arrival of Apple’s two new iPhone models, the 5C and 5S. (1) Apple may have set its own bar for innovation too high. (2) The smartphone is mature. (3) If we’re reaching a point of diminishing returns in hardware breakthroughs, the software breakthroughs are only just getting under way.” Most reviewers say the 5S is better, with its smarter computing chip and fingerprint scanner....
New York Times: Personal Tech, Sept. 17; New York Times: Bits, Sept. 18

Hands-on with Windows 8.1
David Cardinal writes: “Microsoft is betting that Windows 8.1 will be enough to jumpstart stalled sales of new Windows PCs and to coax reluctant Windows 7 users into making the leap. After using Windows 8.1 for several days on several different types of machines, I’m impressed by its many subtle improvements over Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 Preview, but it hasn’t addressed any of the fundamental issues slowing Windows 8’s adoption.”...
ExtremeTech, Sept. 13

Topeka tests Wi-Fi in remote locations
Lisa Coble-Krings writes: “An experiment delivering public library internet access to remote locations is about to get underway. The Topeka and Shawnee County (Kans.) Public Library will test out remote Wi-Fi hot spots to two bookmobile stops and other locations in the county to be determined. Launch is expected by 2014. The four-month pilot project, Kansas K20–Librarians Whitespace Pilot, is coordinated by the Kansas State Library and involves the Kansas City, Lawrence, and Manhattan (Kans.) public libraries.”...
Topeka and Shawnee County (Kans.) Public Library, Sept. 11

How to buy an all-in-one desktop PC
Joel Santo Domingo writes: “For the same amount you would spend on a 17-inch ‘boat anchor’ laptop that weighs more than 10 pounds, you can get an all-in-one desktop PC, with a 23-inch or larger screen. You’ll probably also have a better Windows 8 touch experience on an all-in-one desktop, since some all-in-ones can be used like a huge tablet. Here’s what to look for when you’re shopping for an all-in-one desktop PC online or in a big-box store.” The best all-in-ones are listed here....
PC Magazine, Sept. 12

Creating screen capture images and videos
Richard Byrne writes: “This evening I received a question from a reader who was wondering what I use to create the annotated screen capture images that you see in the guides that I produce. I create those images by using Jing which I have installed on my Mac and Windows computers. There are other services that I have tried from time to time. Those services along with Jing are described here.”...
Free Technology for Teachers, Sept. 13

Watch a 3D printer print multiple colors
Signe Brewster writes: “People have raised suspicions about botObjects’ claim that its 3D printer can print in multiple colors. The suspicions are understandable, considering most 3D printers on the market print in only one or two colors. Like an ink printer, botObjects’ ProDesk3D mixes colors to produce a wide range of hues. BotObject just released a new video (1:43) of their prototype printer in action, and the colors look great.”...
GigaOM, Sept. 11; CNET Reviews, May 10; botObjects

The hidden world of the typewriter
James Joiner writes: “There was a time that nearly every home and office had at least one typewriter, ready to tap out letters or lists, invoices, or inspirations. Today, of course, the machines have gone the way of vinyl records, romanticized analog nostalgia. But, also like vinyl records, typewriters have their enthusiasts, cult followers and collectors drawn to their character and to the mystery of all the ideas and dreams that have been poured, or rather pounded, into them.”...
The Atlantic, Sept. 11

New hope for free e-readers?
Jeremy Greenfield writes: “Popular only a few years ago, lately the idea of the emergence of a free e-reader has taken a beating. However, a new technology product coming out of the smartphone industry could give the idea a resurgence. Using the latest technology from e-reader display company E Ink, e-reader maker PocketBook and phone manufacturer Alcatel are demoing a new kind of e-reading device that piggybacks on your smartphone and has the potential to be extremely inexpensive.”...
Digital Book World, Sept. 17; Gizmag, Sept. 16

Test driving Oyster
Linda W. Braun writes: “Is Oyster set to become the Netflix for ebooks? It has the makings, even if it’s not quite there yet. One appeal is that titles are available on demand, meaning that any title is always accessible. There aren’t hold lists or problematic download procedures. All it takes to start reading is to find a title of interest and press ‘play.’ There’s no limit to the number of titles subscribers can read simultaneously or during a set time period.”...
School Library Journal: The Digital Shift, Sept. 16

Twin Cities libraries expanding ebook services
In the next few months, more than 100 Twin City branches—those in the seven metro county library systems and the St. Paul (Minn.) Public Library—will share ebook titles via the 3M Cloud Library. The regional Metropolitan Library Service Agency plans to spend as much as $500,000 for a common pool of ebooks stocked with 2,264 of 3M’s most popular titles (eight copies of each) with more to come in 2014 if the experiment is successful. A large MELSA purchase of ebooks will help libraries expand their offerings without robbing other parts of their budgets....
Minneapolis Star Tribune, Sept. 17

Atingo and the Swedish ebook lending model
Marshall Breeding writes: “Two Scandinavian companies—Publit, a Swedish company involved with ebooks and print on demand; and Axiell, which develops software for libraries and archives—have jointly launched Atingo, a company offering ebook lending products and services to libraries. Though not currently available in the US, the service provides an interesting example of a business and technology model implemented abroad. Atingo is focusing on publishers and libraries in Sweden, but may expand to other countries.”...
ALA TechSource Blog, Sept. 17

Big Data in the humanities
Alice Meadows writes: “Humanities is an area ripe for exploiting Big Data, enabling scholars to analyze topics more broadly and deeply than ever before, whether in the form of books, artworks, music, or any other digitizable format. In this Wiley Exchanges video (8:46), Amanda Rust (right), assistant head of research and instruction for arts and humanities at the Snell Library, Northeastern University, Boston, talks about her experience of and visions for the use of Big Data and digital humanities.”...
Wiley Exchanges, Sept. 11; YouTube, Sept. 10

2014 Midwinter Meeting and Exhibits, Philadelphia, January 24–28. Don’t forget that Bundle Registration for 2014 Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference is open, but only until September 30. You save up to $140, can book Midwinter housing immediately, and be in a position to get the best networking, professional development, and fun events.

Librarians’ Glitter and Mayhem
A new speculative fiction anthology, Glitter and Mayhem (Apex, 2013), has been edited and collected by John Klima, assistant director at Waukesha (Wis.) Public Library; Hugo Award–winner Lynne M. Thomas (special collections librarian at Northern Illinois University); and her husband Michael Damian Thomas. Lynne Thomas said: “We sought stories that would fit in a roller rink or a club: drugs, sex, glitter, and debauchery, nightlife with an SF/F twist.”...
My Favorite Bit, Sept. 3

Dystopia in color
B. A. Binns writes: “I saw the movie Elysium recently. This look at a Hispanic main character given the chance to change the world or save his life (he can’t do both) was a break from the usual round of science fiction in general and dystopian stories in particular, where the man or woman who rights wrongs and changes society is usually white. A search of recent YA and middle-grade books led me to several that provide readers with a future filled with heroes of different backgrounds, ethnicities, locations, and circumstances.”...
YALSA The Hub, Sept. 12

More roller derby in YA lit, please
Jessica Lind writes: “Here at The Hub, we often blog about trends in YA that we notice, whether we are happy to see them or not. Today, I want to write about something that I hope becomes a trend in YA literature: roller derby. This year, roller derby is being given another chance through the Roller Girl series by Megan Sparks. Why do I want to see this trend? Because I love stories that portray female characters in situations where they are allowed to be strong, unique, and have great relationships.”...
YALSA The Hub, Sept. 18

50 excellent works of fiction in translation
Jason Diamond writes: “There’s an entire world of literature out there if you just look beyond what was written in your native tongue. Major works in other languages are being translated into English all the time, meaning that there’s no time like the present for you to enjoy books from places like Russia, Egypt, or Mexico. If you’re looking to get your literary passport stamped, here are 50 destinations to start you off.”...
Flavorwire, Sept. 17

Reading for pleasure is a good thing
Children who read for pleasure are likely to do significantly better at school than their peers, according to new research from the Institute of Education in the United Kingdom. The study, which is believed to be the first to examine the effect of reading for pleasure on cognitive development over time, found that children who read for pleasure made more progress in math, vocabulary, and spelling between the ages of 10 and 16 than those who rarely read....
Centre for Longitudinal Studies, Sept. 11

Celebrate Classical Music Month with YA lit
Anna Tschetter writes: “There are many YA books that feature characters who care deeply about music or are aspiring musicians, but not many of these characters care about classical music. It’s a rare book that has a teen waxing rhapsodic over Puccini or Haydn. A few recent books that provide a good primer for getting into classical music are Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez, The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr, and while it’s not explicitly about music at all, Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.”...
YALSA The Hub, Sept. 13

An essential punk literature reading list
Jason Diamond writes: “It doesn’t take name-dropping Black Flag or writing a scene where a character gets her first mohawk to know that the book you’re reading is influenced in some way or another by the punk scene. Jeff Jackson’s mesmerizing debut, Mira Corpora, which reads like a cross between Bruno Schulz and the backstories of random characters from Penelope Spheeris’s 1984 film Suburbia, is that kind of book.”...
Flavorwire, Sept. 13

Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month goes from September 15 through October 15. September 15 is significant because it marks the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Also, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and 18, respectively. The Smithsonian is spotlighting some of its collections that document Latino and Mexican histories, cultures, and the contributions of American citizens whose ancestors come from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America....
The Bigger Picture, Sept. 17

Policies that help, not hinder
Holly Hibner writes: “I attended an Affordable Care Act seminar today. One of the speakers said something that really stuck in my mind, hours later. He said that before the public comes to public libraries to sign up for (and get help with) health care on October 1 in accordance with the ACA, library staff should take a look at their policies to see in what ways they may help or hinder that process.”...
Library Lost and Found, Sept. 12

Toronto librarians help first-year students
Janet Rowe writes: “Last fall, first-year student Helen Rudnicki received an email at her brand-new University of Toronto address. Signed by librarian Jacqueline Whyte Appleby, the message welcomed Rudnicki to U of T and offered her something special: personalized help coming to grips with St. George Campus’s 42 libraries. First-year students just didn’t seem to be using the library, so the university started the Personal Librarian Program.”...
University of Toronto Magazine, Autumn

Creating Community Solutions
On January 16, President Obama called for a “national conversation to increase understanding about mental health” and directed Secretary Kathleen Sebelius of the US Department of Health and Human Services and Secretary Arne Duncan of the US Department of Education to launch a National Dialogue on Mental Health. Libraries can participate in Creating Community Solutions as an important part of the National Dialogue. Community conversations, convened by local mayors, will be supported by leaders from deliberative democracy organizations....
Creating Community Solutions; ALA Center for Civic Life, Aug. 13

US Constitution Annotated app
The Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, the Library of Congress, and the Government Printing Office marked Constitution Day on September 17 by launching a new iOS app and web publication that make analysis and interpretation of constitutional case law by library experts accessible for free to anyone with a computer or mobile device. The new resources, which include analysis of Supreme Court cases through June 26, 2013, will be updated multiple times each year as new court decisions are issued....
Library of Congress, Sept. 17

Engaging with games the library way
Thomas Knowlton writes: “One of the most exciting aspects of International Games Day (this year, it’s November 16) is the way in which it promotes game literacy and invites library patrons to join the conversation about games. At Mid-Manhattan Library in New York, the day-long celebration is an opportunity for patrons to experience a new board game they’ve never played, try out a PlayStation 3 or Steam for the first time, or even discuss synesthesia in video games. This led me to wonder, ‘How could the public library provide a forum year-round for exploring and discussing games?’”...
International Games Day, Sept. 15

Minecraft: An obsession and an educational tool
Nick Bilton writes: “For those who have never played Minecraft, it’s relatively simple. Unlike other video games, there are few if any instructions. Instead, the goal of the game is to build structures in 16-bit worlds, and figuring things out on your own is a big part of it. And it’s not terribly violent. Obsessed might be an understated way to explain many youngsters’ idée fixe with the game. Around the world, Minecraft is being used to educate children on everything from science to city planning to speaking a new language.” And some people are actually building Minecraft libraries....
New York Times: Bits, Sept. 15; TeleRead, Sept. 13

Tumblr is a great way to reach teen patrons
Robin Brenner writes: “Should libraries and librarians use Tumblr? Is it wise to wade into this alluring sea of wacky photos, pop-culture commentary, and GIFs—snippets of moving images—in order to virtually chat about best book lists, library events, title recommendations, and our favorite quotes? Yes, and here’s why.”...
School Library Journal: The Digital Shift, Sept. 12

Twitter is making kids smarter
Clive Thompson writes: “There is powerful evidence that digital tools are helping young people write and think far better than in the past. Let’s start with some hard data. The only way to tell whether kids today are really less coherent or literate than their great-grandparents is to compare student writing across the past century. Tricky, but precisely what Andrea Lunsford (above), a scholar of writing and rhetoric at Stanford University, managed to do by collecting 877 freshman composition papers from 2006 and comparing their error rates to those in papers from 1986, 1930, and 1917.”...
Toronto Globe and Mail, Sept. 13

Use Google+ for photo fix-up
Amit Agarwal writes: “You want the vacation photographs to look awesome before you upload them to Facebook or send them via email. Image-editing tools like Photoshop can help, but they seem like overkill for simple enhancements. There are browser-based image editing apps, but none seem as impressive and intelligent as the photo-editing tools that are built right inside Google+.”...
Digital Inspiration, Sept. 17

How to find Google Earth files
Richard Byrne writes: “One of the things that teachers almost always ask me when I introduce them to Google Earth is, ‘How do you find all of these files?’ Google Earth has many great layers of information built in. Simply open the Layers drop-down menu in Google Earth and select a layer to view it. You can also search online for KMZ and KML files to view in Google Earth. The directions for doing that are included here.” Also, Byrne explains how to create placemarks and tours....
Free Technology for Teachers, Mar. 11, Sept. 15

Al-Mutanabbi Street in Tacoma
On March 5, 2007, in the middle of the Iraq War, a car bomb devastated the literary and intellectual heart of Baghdad, ripping through booksellers, cafés, and tea shops, killing 30 people and wounding more than 100. San Francisco poet and artist Beau Beausoleil and British scholar Sarah Bodman responded to the devastation by asking artists and poets from around the world to create artists’ books as a show of solidarity with those slain and injured. Collins Memorial Library at University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, is hosting the national traveling exhibit of some 200 handmade artists’ books and single-sheet broadsides through October 31....
University of Puget Sound, Aug. 20

Things to consider when applying to library school
Alison Glass writes: “Making the decision to go back to school can be daunting, let alone deciding which school is right for you. Not all library schools are created equal, and it’s important to find the best match for you. Here are a few things to take into consideration as you narrow down your choices and make your decisions.”...
Hack Library School, Sept. 16

Getting published in the library field
Ellyssa Kroski writes: “Are you wondering how to break into the publishing world as a librarian? If so, here are more than 20 resources to get you started on your journey to publication bliss.”...
iLibrarian, Sept. 16

Survey on retirement plans of library workers
A new study published in Library Leadership and Management dives into results from a national survey of current library workers regarding their retirement plans, particularly after the economic downturn. Analysis suggests that while more than one-fourth of respondents ages 50–59 and almost three-fourths of respondents in their 60s and 70s plan to retire in the next five years, close to half of all respondents said that the economic downturn would lead them to retire later or stay in their current job....
Library Research Service News, Sept. 18; Library Leadership and Management 27, no. 4

A few funny things about citations
Bonnie Swoger writes: “In honor of the recent Ig Nobel prizes, awarded for achievements that ‘first make people laugh, and then make them think,’ I present a few funny things about scholarly citations. Occasionally, scientists stray from the jargon-filled, obfuscating prose that makes up most journal article titles and add a touch of humor to the scholarly enterprise. This excellent post documents scholarly article titles that use movie titles for inspiration, with amusing results.”...
Scientific American: Information Culture, Sept. 17; Scientific American: The Scicurious Brain, Sept. 12; Weird Experiments Blog, Dec. 4, 2010

Libraries on cinderellas
Larry Nix writes: “Stamp collectors refer to pseudo-stamps or labels with no postal value as ‘cinderellas.’ I have a small collection of library cinderellas that are shown here.” One is a label (right) featuring the Carnegie Library in Columbus, Ohio, that indicates it is the “home of the Columbus Collector’s Club.” It probably dates from 1907, the year before the American Philatelic Association changed its name to the American Philatelic Society....
Library History Buff Blog, Sept. 16; Philatelic Literature and Research, May 3, 2012

King County vs. New York City: Book-sorting rivalry
The New York and Brooklyn public libraries competed September 16 in a battle of the book sorters, teaming up against the King County (Wash.) Library System to see whose staff and high-tech machines could divvy up the most books in an hour. The rivalry had started in 2011. But this time New York lost out: A final count showed they sorted 12,396 items in an hour compared to Seattle’s 13,122....
DNAinfo New York, Sept. 17

Kuzya the Russian library cat
Miss Cellania writes: “A cat walked into the library in Novorossiysk, Russia, and found a home, a job, and stardom. A library or bookstore with a cat is practically an institution in the US, but the cat that came to be named Kuzya has captured the Russian imagination. It wasn’t long before Kuzya was promoted to assistant librarian, which meant issuing a certificate. It also means Kuzya has to dress up for work—in a fetching bow tie.” Watch the video (3:09, in Russian)....
Neatorama, Sept. 17; RocketNews24 (Tokyo), Sept. 17; Channel One Russia, Aug. 22

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