The e-newsletter of the American Library Association | April 16, 2014

The state of America’s libraries, 2014
On April 13, the American Library Association released its report on the 2014 State of America’s Libraries during National Library Week, April 13–19, detailing library trends of the past year. The full text of the report is available both on the ALA website and as an American Libraries digital supplement. Included in the report are trends associated with academic, public, and school libraries; ebooks and copyright issues; social networking; library construction; legislative issues; and intellectual freedom....
AL: The Scoop, Apr. 14

Library systems report, 2014
Marshall Breeding (right) writes: “The library technology industry saw sharp competition in 2013, with a wide range of products vying to fulfill ever-rising expectations. This report describes the current trends related to strategic technology products and services and the organizations that create and support them. It covers the major resource management products, discovery services, and other technologies on which libraries rely internally and make available to their customers for access to their collections and services.”...
American Libraries feature

Newsmaker: Judy Blume
Judy Blume’s books have been favorites of children and teenagers for three decades. Her 25-plus titles include classics like Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret and the Fudge series, featuring put-upon 4th-grader Peter Hatcher and his irrepressible younger brother. Blume (right) is also an outspoken opponent of censorship, a result of attempts through the years to ban her own books, which sometimes explore complicated themes such as grief and sexuality....
American Libraries column, Mar./Apr.

An egg-ceptional benefit exhibit
Easter eggs of every description, some 5,000 in all, are being exhibited as a fundraiser for Schoharie (N.Y.) Free Library every weekend in April through Easter Sunday. The Mildred Vrooman Easter Egg Exhibit includes elaborate egg-based scenes that feature backdrops and accessories made of materials such as costume jewelry, fur, shell, ribbons, and lace. Proceeds from the sales of a commemorative book on the exhibit, created by Joseph and Berna Heyman, will go to the library as it continues to rebuild its adult fiction collection, which was devastated by Hurricane Irene in 2011....
American Libraries feature, Apr. 11

Chicago teen program expands and replicates
Timothy Inklebarger writes: “Chicago Public Library will expand its teen-focused YOUmedia program in the summer, offering young patrons increased access to digital technology and workshops on topics such as moviemaking, graphic design, and music recording. CPL Commissioner Brian Bannon said that the program will expand to six new branches. A pop-up version will bring YOUmedia to 12 additional neighborhoods, giving teens one- or two-day experiences with the latest technology.”...
AL: The Scoop, Apr. 9

The London Book Fair
Claire Bushey writes: “The role of academic libraries is changing as open access publishing moves into the mainstream, speakers said April 9 at the London Book Fair. Open access publishing, which makes academic research available for free to end users, is on track to become the most common form of publishing in the sciences, said Cameron Neylon, director of advocacy at the nonprofit San Francisco–based Public Library of Science.”...
AL: The Scoop, Apr. 9

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Top Ten Frequently Challenged Books of 2013
The Office for Intellectual Freedom collects reports on book challenges from librarians, teachers, concerned individuals, and press reports. In 2013, OIF received hundreds of reports on attempts to remove or restrict materials from school curricula and library bookshelves. The number-one most frequently challenged book of 2013 was Dav Pilkey’s Captain Underpants series. The series was also number one in 2012 and placed in the Top Ten in 2002, 2004, and 2005....
OIF Blog, Apr. 14

IMLS hearing on libraries and broadband
On the morning of April 17, ALA leaders will participate in “Libraries and Broadband: Urgency and Impact,” a public hearing hosted by the Institute for Museum and Library Services that will explore the need for high-speed broadband in American libraries. Larra Clark, director of the ALA Program on Networks, and Linda Lord, ALA E-rate Task Force chair and Maine state librarian, will present on two panels. The hearing will explore innovative library practices, partnerships, and strategies for serving our communities....
Office for Information Technology Policy, Apr. 10

Standing up for school libraries
ALA President Barbara Stripling writes: “One area of the school that remains a place of trust and opportunity is the school library. School librarians build trust by making a promise that they will empower young people to pursue a lifetime of reading, discovery, learning, and creating. However, school libraries and librarians are in peril.”...
Our Children, Apr./May

New photo service for Annual Conference attendees
The ALA JobLIST Placement Center will be offering all Annual Conference attendees the opportunity to have a “headshot” photo package created. Any attendee can sign up for a June 28–29 appointment with the conference photography team to have a professional photo taken and set of digital images created for use in job applications, social media, and other networking opportunities. Sign up now or on-site....
Office for Human Resource Development and Recruitment, Apr. 14

Nebraskans declare for libraries—in droves
Librarians in Lincoln, Nebraska, decided to remind their patrons that libraries are still viable, important places. To highlight that message, libraries at Lincoln Public Schools, parochial schools, the city, and the 15-county Southeast Library System decided to join a national campaign as part of National School Library Month. For the past two weeks, they’ve asked students and other patrons to sign the ALA Declaration for the Rights of Libraries. By April 14, they had gathered 11,786 signatures....
Lincoln (Nebr.) Journal Star, Apr. 15

Remembering Judith Krug
Judith Krug, founding director of the Office for Intellectual Freedom and the Freedom to Read Foundation, died on April 11, 2009. To honor her memory, FRTF posted a series of remembrances on the Freedom to Read Foundation blog. If you would like to add a memory, please feel free to email FTRF. Watch the tribute video (8:04) created by American Libraries for the foundation’s 40th Anniversary Gala....
FTRF Blog, Apr. 11; YouTube, Apr. 21, 2009

I’m with the banned
Author Lauren Myracle writes: “I don’t write about werewolves, but I do write about sex, and plenty of adults don’t approve. I want my books to make a difference, and though a novel I’ve written might be some adult’s worst nightmare, it might also be some girl’s small saving grace at a time when she’s feeling teary and alone. I don’t want anyone telling me what I can or can’t read, and I don’t want anyone telling anyone what he or she can or can’t read.”...
The Huffington Post, Apr. 9

Get ready for Día
Debra S. Gold writes: “Although every day is an opportunity to celebrate the joy of reading, April 30, El día de los niños / El día de los libros (Children’s Day / Book Day), founded in 1996 by Latino children’s author Pat Mora, Día is a wonderful way for libraries to reach out to their communities and emphasize the importance of advocating literacy to children of all backgrounds. In addition, Día connects them to different cultures through books, craft activities, and recipes.”...
ALSC Blog, Apr. 13

Intellectual freedom course at UIUC
The Freedom to Read Foundation and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign GSLIS are partnering to offer an online graduate-level course on intellectual freedom for LIS students around the country. The course, to be held August 26–October 10, is taught by Emily Knox and is the first education-related project of FTRF’s Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund. The enrollment deadline is April 20....
Freedom to Read Foundation, Apr. 15

Join an IFLA Section Committee for 2015–2019
The ALA International Relations Committee is accepting nominations to section standing committees of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. Any ALA member may be suggested for nomination to an IFLA standing committee. Forward nominations to Delin Guerra at the International Relations Office before November 14....
International Relations Office

San José State University/ALA eCourse collaboration
ALA Editions has begun a new collaboration with the School of Library and Information Science at San José State University to provide in-depth, advanced eCourses that will last 12 weeks. Faculty from the SJSU information school will conduct the eCourses. The first advanced eCourse to be offered is “Web Design and Development” with Raymond Dean and begins June 2. Register through the ALA Store....
ALA Editions, Apr. 15

How to respond to a security incident
ALA Editions is launching a new 90-minute workshop, “How to Respond to a Security Incident in Your Library” with Steve Albrecht, on June 12. This session will take the top 10 security, behavior, crime, or emergency-related incidents that occur in libraries and describe the issues, the concerns, and the proper responses. Many of the scenarios involve challenging or problem-inducing patrons, and others will discuss responses to events that staff might not always know how to deal with properly. Register through the ALA Store....
ALA Editions, Apr. 15

American Sign Language for library staff
ALA Editions is offering a new iteration of its eCourse on “Basic American Sign Language for Library Staff.” ASL interpreter Kathy MacMillan (right) will serve as instructor for the six-week facilitated eCourse starting on June 2. MacMillan will use readings, multimedia resources, and online discussion boards to introduce basic ASL vocabulary and grammar appropriate for use in a library setting. Register through the ALA Store....
ALA Editions, Apr. 15

Read-aloud biographies
The right biography can be as enthralling as any work of fiction, blending facts with gripping storytelling. Biographies to Read Aloud with Kids: From Alvin Ailey to Zishe the Strongman is a guide to the best ones for adults to read to kids. Noted children’s book authority Rob Reid offers a choice selection of exemplary biographies that will entertain and educate children about a variety of fascinating people and their places in history. The book is published by Huron Street Press....
ALA Huron Street Press, Apr. 14

A LITA guide to responsive web design
By using responsive web design, libraries can build one website for all devices. In Responsive Web Design for Libraries: A LITA Guide, published by ALA TechSource, web developer Matthew Reidsma, named “a web librarian to watch” by ACRL’s TechConnect blog, shares proven methods for delivering the same content to all users using HTML and CSS. This guidebook will enable developers to save valuable time and resources by working with a library’s existing design to add responsive design features....
ALA TechSource, Apr. 14

Dazzle them with metaliteracy
In Metaliteracy: Reinventing Information Literacy to Empower Learners, published by ALA Neal-Schuman, information literacy experts Thomas P. Mackey and Trudi E. Jacobson describe the concept of metaliteracy, which expands the scope of traditional information skills to include the collaborative production and sharing of information in participatory digital environments. The authors show why media literacy, visual literacy, digital literacy, and a host of other literacies are critical for informed citizens in the 21st century....
ALA Neal-Schuman, Apr. 15

Researching modern China
Covering modern China, not just Chinese culture from a historical perspective, The ALA Guide to Researching Modern China, published by ALA Editions, fills a sizeable gap in the literature. Originating as a Carnegie Whitney Award-winning book project, Yunshan Ye’s research guide goes beyond a mere list of print resources to reflect the predominant role of digital resources in the changing landscape of scholarly research....
ALA Editions, Apr. 15

Librarians in uniform
Denise Rayman writes: “Continuing our coverage of ALA during World War I, this post will highlight the now very rare uniforms of the first military librarians. The Library War Service was not unique in having a uniform, as many volunteer groups active in World War I had their own distinctive uniforms, notably the Red Cross and the Salvation Army. There were two main styles of uniform in use by the ALA volunteers: the main style for camp librarians in green wool, with versions for men and women, and the hospital style in natural-colored pongee fabric.”...
ALA Archives Blog, Apr. 14

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A drone’s-eye view of Las Vegas
Elevated Media Productions shot this footage (0:56) during a recent conference in Las Vegas. It captured some pretty awesome aerials of the Vegas Strip with a drone supplied by DroneFly....
Vimeo, Apr. 12

The world’s tallest observation wheel
The Las Vegas High Roller, at 550 feet the world’s tallest observation wheel, opened March 31 at the LINQ outdoor pedestrian mall. Standing more than 100 feet taller than the London Eye, the High Roller has 28 glass-enclosed cabins that can hold up to 40 passengers each. Riders get exemplary views of the Strip and surrounding valley during the 30 minutes it takes the wheel to complete one full rotation. Located across from the Caesar’s Palace Casino, the wheel changes hues at night from blue to red to green to purple. Tickets range from $24.95 to $59.95. Groups of 10 or more receive a discount. Watch the video (1:24). More photos here....
Associated Press, Apr. 1; Go Gay Nevada Blog, Apr.; YouTube, Mar. 28; Amusing Planet, Apr. 11

Eating vegan at the LINQ
Paul Graham writes: “There is a new place to shop, eat, and play in Las Vegas, and it is called the LINQ. Situated in the shadow of the new High Roller, the LINQ is filled with restaurants, shops, salons, bars, and the fabulous Brooklyn Bowl. It may be one of the best places to now see a concert in Las Vegas. The great news is that the LINQ has a number of vegan options.” Check the rest of this Tumblr for other choices....
Eating Vegan in Las Vegas, Apr. 5

Conference packing and travel tips
Bobbi Newman writes: “Almost three years ago I gave up checking bags and started traveling with only a carry on. I was tired of paying the extra baggage fees and waiting for my bag at the carousel. My primary carry on is an 13-year-old roller bag I picked up at Costco as part of a set. Here are the things I cannot live without at conferences.”...
Librarian by Day, Apr. 15

Sign up for YALSA’s YA Literature Symposium
YALSA has opened registration for its fourth Young Adult Literature Symposium, November 14–16, at the Hyatt Regency Austin in Austin, Texas. Early bird pricing begins at $195 for YALSA members, Texas Library Association, and Texas Association of School Librarians Members. The 2014 theme is “Keeping it Real: Finding the True Teen Experience in YA Literature.”...
YALSA, Apr. 15

New YALSAblog manager
YALSA has named Crystle Martin (right) as the member manager of its YALSAblog. Martin currently serves on the Advisory Board for YALSA’s Journal of Research on Libraries and Young Adults. She is a postdoctoral research associate at the University of California, Irvine, working with Mizuko (Mimi) Ito at the Digital Media and Learning Hub....
YALSA, Apr. 15

ALSC President’s Program
ALSC has announced the theme and speakers for its 2014 Charlemae Rollins President’s Program on June 30 at the ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas. This year’s theme is “The Ripple Effect: Library Partnerships that Positively Impact Children, Families, Communities, and Beyond.” Attendees will be inspired to create meaningful partnerships in libraries. Amy Dickinson (right), syndicated advice columnist, will deliver the keynote address....
ALSC, Apr. 15

PLA to continue Leadership Academy
PLA, in partnership with the International City/County Management Association, has been awarded a 2014 Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services for its project, “Navigating Change, Building Community: Outward-Focused Public Library Leadership Training.” This three-year grant of $213,682 will enable PLA to refine and implement the PLA Leadership Academy introduced in March 2013....
PLA, Apr. 14

Data-driven decision-making
“Statistics and Reports: Data-Driven Decision-Making,” an ALCTS preconference at the ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas on June 27, will explore the options for making more decisions based on discoverable statistics and reports. This preconference will answer such questions as: What data is collected in technical services? Why is the information collected? What reports can be generated? How can the data be used to analyze collections, workflow, and positions? Register using Event Code ALC2....
ALCTS, Apr. 14

LLAMA on web data collection
LLAMA will present “Methods for Digging Deeper: Examining Web Services through the Lens of Data-Based Decision Making” in a May 28 webinar. This webinar will discuss why it’s important to collect data about your website and services and how this data can create a foundation for assessment and improvement initiatives. Register online....
LLAMA, Apr. 14

ALCTS virtual preconference
ALCTS will offer “Library Preservation Today,” a virtual preconference presented by instructors from its “Fundamentals of Preservation” web course. This three-day (June 16–18) virtual preconference will introduce the fundamentals of managing preservation efforts in libraries, archives, and historical societies. The presenters will be Karen E. K. Brown, Julie Mosbo, and Peter Verheyen. Register online....
ALCTS, Apr. 14

LITA webinar on games in libraries
A panel of library games experts will discuss the principles of gamification and how to use game elements for information literacy instruction on May 19 in a LITA webinar on “Games in Libraries for Outreach and Instruction.” Online registration is available....
LITA, Apr. 14

South Dakota joins the Trustee Academy
The state of South Dakota recently joined nine other states in making the United for Libraries Trustee Academy, a series of online courses for library trustees, available to its libraries. The Trustee Academy is series of online courses to help trustees become exceptionally proficient in their roles on behalf of their libraries....
United for Libraries, Apr. 15

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2014 Justin Winsor Prize
The Library History Round Table has awarded Kate Stewart the 2014 Justin Winsor Prize. Stewart, an archivist at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, received the award for her essay “The Man in the Rice Paddies Had Something to READ: Military Libraries and Intellectual Freedom in the Vietnam War.” The award is presented annually to the author of an outstanding essay embodying original historical research on a significant subject of library history....
Office for Research and Statistics, Apr. 15

Apply for a Sara Jaffarian Award
The ALA Public Programs Office is now accepting nominations for the 2014 Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award for Exemplary Humanities Programming. School libraries, public or private, that served children in grades K–8 and conducted humanities programs during the 2012–2013 school year are eligible. The winning library will receive a $4,000 honorarium. To be considered, nominations must be received by April 18....
Public Programs Office, Mar. 17

2014 Academic Friend Conference Grant
United for Libraries has awarded the inaugural 2014 Sage Academic Friend Conference Grant to Essraa Nawar (right), assistant to the dean for communications and external relations, Leatherby Libraries, Chapman University, Orange, California. Nawar will receive $850 plus full conference registration to attend the 2014 ALA Annual Conference June 26–July 1 in Las Vegas....
United for Libraries, Apr. 14

2014 Trustee Conference Grant
United for Libraries has awarded the 2014 Gale Trustee Conference Grant to Donna Gerardi Riordan (right), vice president of the board of trustees of the Orcas Island (Wash.) Public Library. Riordan will receive $850 plus full conference registration to attend the 2014 ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas....
United for Libraries, Apr. 14

AALL’s Gallagher Award winners (PDF file)
The American Association of Law Libraries on April 15 named the three legal research professionals who will receive the 2014 Marian Gould Gallagher Distinguished Service Award: Robert Berring Jr., Janis Johnston, and Carol Avery Nicholson. The award acknowledges sustained service to law librarianship, exemplary association support, and outstanding professional literature contributions....
American Association of Law Libraries, Apr. 15

“Libraries Are Beautiful” photo contest winners
Gale has announced the winners of its Libraries Are Beautiful: Inside and Out photo contest. Launched in celebration of National Library Week, the contest showcases libraries that make their communities a more beautiful place—physically or metaphorically. The top five per category were selected by experts in art, architecture, and design. From the 25 finalists, winners were chosen by popular vote. The Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library in Memphis (above) won Best of Show....
Gale Cengage, Apr. 14

Follett Challenge semifinalists (PDF file)
For the third consecutive year, the $200,000 Follett Challenge has provided a forum for K–12 schools from around the country to share inspiring stories of how their innovative programs are preparing students for the demands of the 21st century. On April 14, contest organizers announced this year’s four semifinalists plus the People’s Choice winners—those schools whose video submissions received the highest number of online votes from the public. The grand prize winner will be announced May 16....
Follett, Apr. 14

2014 Pulitzer Prizes for fiction and nonfiction
The 2014 Pulitzer Prize for fiction has been awarded to Donna Tartt, for her third and most recent novel The Goldfinch (Little, Brown). Tartt’s novel tells the story of Theodore Decker, an orphaned Manhattanite who winds up in possession of a renowned painting, Carel Fabritius’s The Goldfinch. The prize for general nonfiction went to Dan Fagin for Toms River: A Story of Science and Salvation (Bantam), and the prize for history was awarded to Jacqueline Jones for A Dreadful Deceit: The Myth of Race from the Colonial Era to Obama’s America (Basic)....
The Huffington Post, April 14; Pulitzer Prizes

Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction
Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has announced that E. L. Doctorow (right), author of such critically acclaimed novels as Ragtime, World’s Fair, Billy Bathgate, The March, and his current novel, Andrew’s Brain, will receive the Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction during the 2014 Library of Congress National Book Festival, August 30. The prize honors an American literary writer whose body of work is distinguished not only for its mastery of the art but for its originality of thought and imagination....
Library of Congress, Apr. 16

2014 Los Angeles Times Book Prizes
The Los Angeles Times hosted its 34th Annual Book Prizes ceremony at the University of Southern California on April 11, honoring 50 writers in 10 categories for their 2013 books. Susan Straight received the Robert Kirsch Award for Lifetime Achievement, while John Green took the Innovator’s Award. The winner in the fiction category was Ruth Ozeki, for A Tale for the Time Being (Viking)....
Los Angeles Times, Apr. 14

2014 Society of Midland Authors awards
The Society of Midland Authors has announced the winners and finalists for their 2014 awards for books published in 2013. Founded in 1915, the Society has honored Midwest authors with annual awards since 1957. This year’s banquet is on May 13 at the Cliff Dwellers Club in Chicago. The winner in the adult fiction category is Christine Sneed for Little Known Facts (Bloomsbury); Rick Atkinson won the adult fiction award for The Guns at Last Light: The War in Western Europe, 1944–1945 (Holt)....
Booklist Online: Likely Stories, Apr. 11

2014 Oklahoma Book Award winners
The Oklahoma Center for the Book on April 12 acknowledged the winners of the 2014 Oklahoma Book Awards in Oklahoma City’s Jim Thorpe Museum and Sports Hall of Fame. The winner in the young adult category was Tim Tharp’s Mojo (Knopf), while the winner in adult fiction was Jack Shakely’s Che Guevara’s Marijuana and Baseball Savings and Loan (Xlibris). The Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award for contributions to Oklahoma’s literary heritage was given to writer Alvin O. Turner, author of Waiting for the Rain....
Oklahoma Center for the Book, Apr. 12

2014 J. W. Dafoe Book Prize
Two weeks after receiving the Shaughnessy Cohen Award for Political Writing, Maclean’s politics editor Paul Wells has won the 2014 J. W. Dafoe Book Prize for The Longer I’m Prime Minister: Stephen Harper and Canada, 2006– (Random House Canada). Wells was selected for the $10,000 prize—which honors the best book on Canada, Canadians, or Canada’s place in the world—from a shortlist of five titles....
Quill and Quire, Apr. 3, 15

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Miami-Dade budget cuts would eliminate half its full-time staff
Without more tax dollars, Miami-Dade County’s library system would fire 56% of its full-time staff and bring on part-time workers to operate branches that will see hours cut by an average of 35%, according to a document released April 10. Library Director Raymond Santiago released the library’s $30 million spending plan as part of a public-records request by the Miami Herald. Library advocates had been pressing Gimenez and library administrators to detail how a $50 million budget would be slashed to $30 million....
Miami Herald, Apr. 10

Former Detroit library official pleads guilty
A former top Detroit Public Library official accused of pocketing $1.4 million in kickbacks pleaded guilty April 15. Timothy Cromer (right) was the library’s chief administrative and technology officer from 2006 to 2013 until he was fired from his $145,323-a-year job. He could be sentenced to up 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery. Cromer had been under scrutiny and criticism for years....
Detroit News, Apr. 15

Of Mice and Men sustained in Brainerd
Betsy Gomez writes: “In a week that has brought us ALA’s latest list of the Ten Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2013, we’re heartened to find that reason has ruled the day in Brainerd, Minnesota. On April 14, the Brainerd school board voted to keep John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men in the school’s curriculum. Parent Doug Kern had filed a complaint against the book, citing profanity and racial slurs as the foundation for his argument against the book’s inclusion in classrooms.”...
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Apr. 16; Brainerd (Minn.) Dispatch, Apr. 14

True Diary persists, despite Meridian school ban
Two Washington state women, fans of Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, were disappointed when the Meridian (Idaho) School District pulled the book from its high school supplemental reading list April 1. Sara Baker and Jennifer Lott decided to raise money and buy copies to distribute to Meridian students on World Book Night, April 23. The uproar has also boosted demand for the book in local bookstores and libraries....
Boise (Idaho) Statesman, Apr. 16

Free Library hands out cards to Philadelphia school students
In a year that’s seen budget cuts all but eradicate librarians from the Philadelphia School District’s buildings, the district is now leaning even more heavily on the Free Library of Philadelphia to help make up for that shortfall. The schools and the library have merged their databases and determined that roughly 98,000 of the school district’s 136,000 students do not yet have public library cards. The library and the district will now distribute personalized library cards to every student without one....
WHYY-FM, Philadelphia, Apr. 15

CSU Fullerton library repairs could be costly
Cal State Fullerton sustained $6.5 million in damage from the magnitude 5.1 earthquake that rattled the campus on March 28. Pollak Library South is closed while repairs to the ceiling and ventilation systems are being performed. The earthquake damaged drop ceilings in the library, and replacing those would cost about $6 million. As a result of the closure, students have had issues retrieving books required for their classes. Interlibrary loan services and ebooks provided through the library are available as alternatives....
CSUF Daily Titan, Apr. 13

Colby College faculty object to off-site book storage
A tussle over a library renovation at Colby College in Waterville, Maine, has sparked a debate about the role physical books still play for library users. In 2013, thousands of books began to be transferred from the Miller Library to a new storage building, part of a $12.3 million renovation that also brought new program and study spaces into the library. A group of 76 faculty members have signed a series of petitions against the renovation, calling it “poorly thought out.”...
Augusta (Maine) Kennebec Journal, Apr. 14

Chicago Public Library launches redesigned website
The Chicago Public Library launched a new website April 10, its first redesign since 2007 touting features that can be likened to “Pinterest meets Amazon.” The new site not only allows users to search the digital shelves more quickly. They can now read and post book reviews shared by users at 200 libraries around the world, and they can check their place in line for a reserved item, said CPL spokeswoman Ruth Lednicer....
Chicago Tribune, Apr. 10

Reading rooms will pop up around New York City
The Uni Project is preparing a series of pop-up reading rooms that will be moving around New York City in April and May. These outdoor reading zones will provide books to the general public. The group partners with community-based organizations (including all three metropolitan library systems) and it prioritizes underserved NYC neighborhoods....
GalleyCat, Apr. 11

Retired librarian’s pop-up book collection at Kent State
A former librarian’s pop-up book collection is on exhibit at Kent State University in Ohio. Carol Davis, who retired from the Leetonia (Ohio) Community Public Library in 2003, recently donated over 500 pop-up books to the university library and has now been invited to speak about collecting the books at a special symposium in May. Davis said she started collecting the books about 30 years ago, buying her first one for a friend while in Columbus....
Salem (Ohio) News, Apr. 14

“Human books” tell war stories at Toronto Public Library
Most students count numbers while doing math, but Parkdale, Ontario, resident Manuel Rodriguez (right) had to count bombs in his university calculus exam during the Salvadoran Civil War. Rodriguez was one of the five guests featured at the “Human Library” at the Parkdale branch of the Toronto Public Library on April 12. The guests, known as “human books,” shared their stories of experiencing life in conflict zones with visitors. The guests were available to be checked out for a small discussion....
Parkdale (Ont.) Villager, Apr. 14

Rebuilt Sarajevo Library nearly finished
Workers are rushing to finish the reconstruction of the Sarajevo Library—a landmark destroyed in 1992 during the Bosnian war—in time for the June ceremonies marking the centenary of the assassination that ignited World War I. The reconstruction has taken 18 years. Architects said it took them time to find documents and photos of the details of the building in order to copy the 19th-century pseudo-Moorish construction to put the building back exactly the way it was before Serbian shells destroyed it....
Associated Press, Apr. 11

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Libraries are dying? Think again
Jareen Imam writes: “Like many visitors to Seattle, Glenn Nagel found himself in the city trying to avoid the rain. After wandering around, he eventually made his way to the Seattle Public Library to escape the dreary weather. Little did he know that stepping into Seattle’s Central Library would spark his curiosity. This past year, Nagel has traveled to 12 libraries across the United States, photographing their shelves and hallways like an explorer.”...
CNN Travel, Apr. 14

A national partnership for financial literacy
Susan Hildreth writes: “I was delighted to be part of a Money Smart Week event on April 7 at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, where Richard Cordray, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, announced a partnership with public libraries to help make financial information and educational resources available to the library-going public. The CFPB initiative, ‘Our Community Financial Education Project,’ aims to make a difference.”...
UpNext: The IMLS Blog, Apr. 16; American Libraries feature

The cost of universal knowledge access
Brian Mathews writes: “What if Obama paid for your Elsevier subscription? Or rather—what if the federal government covered the expense? Instead of individual libraries (or consortia) battling it out with the likes of Elsevier and other academic publishers, what if the government purchased access to major academic journals (and ebook packages?) for all citizens? Or all households? Let’s call it universal knowledge access.”...
Chronicle of Higher Education: The Ubiquitous Librarian, Apr. 15

Court decision misinterprets copyright law
Carrie Russell writes: “On April 11, ALA joined an amicus brief calling for reconsideration of a 9th circuit court decision in Garcia v. Google, the case where actress Cindy Sue Garcia sued Google for not removing a YouTube video in which she appears. Garcia appears for five seconds in Innocence of Muslims, the radical anti-Islamic video that fueled the attack on the American embassy in Benghazi. Garcia did not know that her five-second performance would be used in a controversial video.”...
District Dispatch, Apr. 14

Takedown notice ≠ infringement
Abby Lull writes: “Amidst a flurry of congressional hearings and treaty negotiations, it is important to remember that statistics often tell half of the story. As I catch up on recent US House subcommittee hearings, I continue to marvel at how often both committee members and witnesses conflate a total number of takedown notices with actual cases of infringement. This is not a new problem.”...
District Dispatch, Apr. 14

Your homework: Sue the federal government
Ben Protess writes: “At the University of Virginia School of Law, one class is filing document requests and lawsuits. Along with professors and Business Research Librarian Jonathan Ashley (right), the students are tackling the contentious world of white-collar crime, challenging federal prosecutors to unseal settlements with big banks and corporations. In a matter of months, the classroom litigators at the law school’s First Amendment clinic filed their first lawsuit against the Justice Department and won the release of a secret settlement deal.”..
New York Times: Dealbook, Apr. 8

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Heartbleed is about to get worse
Brian Fung writes: “Efforts to fix the notorious Heartbleed bug, which undermines the common security software for internet connections called OpenSSL, threaten to cause major disruptions to the internet over the next several weeks as companies scramble to repair encryption systems on hundreds of thousands of websites at the same time, security experts say. New revelations suggest that skilled hackers can use the bug to create fake websites that mimic legitimate ones to trick consumers into handing over valuable personal information.” Two Heartbleed-related cyber break-ins have been reported, one in Canada and the other in the UK....
Washington Post, Apr. 9, 14; The Guardian (UK), Apr. 16; Tom’s Guide, Apr. 15

How to check whether your Android device is at risk
Jamie Condliffe writes: “Heartbleed is causing heartache on hundreds of servers all over the internet, but security researchers have also warned that the bug could allow direct hacks of Android, too. Here’s how to check if your device is at risk.”...
Gizmodo, Apr. 15; Ars Technica, Apr. 14

16 Samsung Galaxy S5 tips and tricks
Ryan Whitwam writes: “The Samsung Galaxy S5 is a big phone, both physically and figuratively. Packed within its slightly boring plastic shell is megapowerful hardware running the latest and greatest software. When a phone has as many features as this one, figuring out where everything is and how it works can be a little daunting. These tips will help you make the most of your shiny new GS5.”...
Green Bot, Apr. 14

How to buy a digital camera
Jim Fisher writes: “When it comes to shopping for electronics, digital cameras are among the more difficult products to purchase. Not only are there hundreds of models to choose from, you have a number of different types ranging from simple compact point-and-shoot cameras to advanced D-SLRs and mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses. There are five main classes of cameras to consider, and we’ll break them down here to help you decide which type of camera will best suit your needs and your budget.”...
PC Magazine, Apr. 9

A beginner’s guide to Carousel
Alyssa Bereznak writes: “Choosing a service to save and share your precious smartphone photos is an important decision. Carousel, a new photo-sharing service made by the cloud-storage company Dropbox, offers a sleek, fuss-free medium to store, organize, display, and share all your images; and it is a real competitor to mainstays like Flickr, Google Drive, and iCloud. The key to this iOS and Android app’s appeal is its image-rich gallery, which you can scroll through with a casual drag of a finger.”...
Yahoo! Tech, Apr. 15

Google’s new modular phone
Mat Honan writes: “Project Ara is Google’s attempt to reinvent the cellphone as we know it. Instead of a slab of glass and metal that you have no ability to upgrade, except by buying a new device, it’s an attempt to launch a phone where all of the main components are interchangeable via modules that click in and out, attaching via electro-permanent magnets. Despite being highly customizable, it will only come in three main sizes, helping to eliminate the kind of device fragmentation that currently plagues Android.”...
Wired: Gadget Lab, Apr. 16

Graphene will change gadgets forever
Michael Andronico writes: “The future of technology could hinge on a single material. The industry is currently buzzing over the potential of graphene, which is the strongest, slimmest, and most malleable material in known existence. Graphene, which is a form of carbon, could change the way our devices look, feel, perform—and even interact with our bodies. Here’s how this sensational substance will influence the world of tech.”...
Laptop, Apr. 14; New York Times: Bits, Apr. 13

Apple loses bid to have state antitrust cases dismissed
Apple lost an attempt on April 15 to get a judge to dismiss antitrust lawsuits filed by state attorneys general that accuse the tech giant of conspiring with book publishers to fix ebook prices. US District Judge Denise Cote rejected Apple’s contention that the motion should be rejected because the states lacked standing in the matter. In her 24-page opinion, Cote said that Apple presented an argument that seemed to contradict itself....
CNET News, Apr. 15

Library ebook loans lead to user ebook sales
Nate Hoffelder writes: “It’s been just over a month since the Publisher’s Association launched a year-long e-lending pilot in partnership with four libraries in the UK, and the early results are showing that ebook borrowers are also buyers. Janene Cox (right), the president of the Society of Chief Librarians, was speaking at the London Book Fair in early April when she told The Bookseller that ‘people who loan books, buy books.’”...
The Digital Reader, Mar. 5, Apr. 13; The Bookseller, Apr. 11

DCL ebook report, April
James LaRue writes: “The Douglas County (Colo.) Libraries Ebook Report for April 2014 has been released (PDF file). There are two points of interest in this report. First, self-published works don’t always make it onto this type of list, even if they are wildly successful, when they lack an ISBN. Second, DCL staff couldn’t get into Bilbary despite repeated attempts, so that column has been removed.”...
AL: E-Content, Apr. 14

Which metrics really matter?
Mathew Ingram writes: “Thanks to the web and real-time measurement tools, the media industry has gone from having virtually no hard data on readers and attention to an embarrassment of riches—not only can we measure what people click on, but we can measure how far down the page they got when they were reading, whether they posted a comment, which social networks they came from, and a hundred other pieces of data. The only problem is that this is very much a double-edged sword.”...
GigaOM, Apr. 15

Total Boox free reading week
Israel-based ebook vendor Total Boox has opened up its entire collection of ebooks through April 20 in honor of National Library Week. The free reading site will provide no-restrictions access to more than 20,000 books. Just sign up, download the Total Boox reader app, and download some ebooks....
Total Boox

Some Sage journals free through April 30
Gary Price writes: “Some more freebies to share as National Library Week gets underway: Sage is offering free full-text access to seven information science and 83 education journals in April. You’ll need to register for a free Sage account, but this only takes about a minute or two.”...
InfoDocket, Apr. 14

2014 Annual Conference and Exhibition, Las Vegas, June 26–July 1. With events now on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, you can get to all three awards celebrations—for the Michael L. Printz Award, the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction, and the Newbery and Caldecott Medals.

Download or request the new ALA Graphics catalog for Summer 2014.

We need bigger megaphones
Kelly Jensen writes: “Although the conversation about representation and diversity within the publishing world and the kid lit world specifically is far from new, it’s begun hitting critical mass over the last year. More members of underrepresented groups have come forward and added their voices to the dialogue. What do people with large social networks, followings, and devoted fan bases have to lose if they take the time to address such megaissues as diversity?”...
Book Riot, Apr. 15

When science goes horribly wrong
Tim Lebbon writes: “Maybe the fact that we don’t really trust ourselves all that much—or perhaps the realization that we really are affecting the delicate balance of nature—is finally hitting home. Either way, humanity screwing up and reaping what it has sown is a familiar background to many disaster and apocalyptic novels. I’m a big fan of novels where fiddling with science causes a little bit of upset. Or, indeed, a lot of upset. And here are nine of my favorites.”...
The Huffington Post, Apr. 15

YA novels with characters who read or write poetry
Anna Dalin writes: “In celebration of National Poetry Month, I wanted to share some YA fiction titles in which a major character reads or writes poetry. If you are reading this blog entry, then you probably enjoy poetry too. And if you are like me, you could do with some inspiration. So take a look at this list, pick out a couple novels to read, and let the presence of poetry move you to read or write some verse yourself.”...
YALSA The Hub, Apr. 16

Female desire and empowerment
Alegria Barclay writes: “It’s been almost 40 years since Judy Blume’s Forever was published, and surprisingly little progress has been made in the realm of female sexual agency and sex-positive portrayals of young women. But there has been a recent increase in YA books that speak openly and positively about teenage girls and their sexual desire. This is all the more heartening because they do so in a way that neither diminishes the need to be responsible when it comes to making sexual choices nor avoids discussing the emotional consequences—both good and bad—that come with having sex.”...
YALSA The Hub, Apr. 11

Gut-bustingly funny picture books
Elizabeth Bird writes: “Funny is as funny does. What you find hilarious I might find only mildly mirthful. And what a four-year-old thinks is hilarious is incredibly different from what his parents might find droll. That said, there’s nothing quite as great as reading a book to a kid and watching her get some real enjoyment out of the text. Here are some picture books that manage to be funny to both adults and kids at the same time.”...
New York Public Library blogs, Apr. 9

11 stereotype-breaking literary librarians
Benjamin Woodard writes: “Though the librarian stereotype continues to thrive in television and film, it is thankfully shattered in the world of literature. Rather than offering up dry, buttoned-up types (or their opposite, the sex-crazed nymphomaniac hiding behind a pair of horn-rimmed glasses), many contemporary writers attach the occupation to immensely complicated characters forced to confront their own morals. Here I recommend 11 pieces of contemporary literature that help put the tired image of the introverted, prudish library worker to rest.”...
BuzzFeed Books, Apr. 15

British Pathé releases huge video archive on YouTube
On April 14, British Pathé and Mediakraft Networks released one of the largest archives of historic video available on YouTube. Covering some of the most significant moments of modern history, 85,000 historic pieces of audiovisual content will become available on the world’s biggest online video platform. Students, scholars, teachers, journalists and everyone interested in contemporary history will be able to view, share, and embed roughly 3,500 hours of high-resolution historic videos....
Mediakraft Networks, Apr. 15

LC announces author line-up at National Book Festival
Such writers as Jonathan Allen, Amie Parnes, Peter Baker, Ishmael Beah, Kai Bird, Billy Collins, Kate DiCamillo, Francisco Goldman, Henry Hodges, Siri Hustvedt, Cynthia Kadohata, US Reps. John Lewis and James Clyburn, Alice McDermott, George Packer, Lisa See, Maria Venegas, and Gene Luen Yang will all thrill book-lovers at the 2014 Library of Congress National Book Festival on August 30 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. For the first time in its history, the festival will hold evening hours....
Library of Congress, Apr. 10

The secret society of forbidden literature
Masha Goncharova writes: “There was something strange going on at the Mid-Manhattan branch of the New York Public Library on April 14. If regular patrons glanced up, they might wonder why a blonde girl in a colorful sundress and two long fishtail braids was walking people over to a corner, making them swear an oath against animal cruelty, then running away. Or why a man took groups of two behind a bookshelf to show them a beetle and talk about Franz Kafka.”...
New York Times: ArtsBeat, Apr. 15

Things to do before you graduate from library school
Brianna Marshall writes: “My final month as a graduate student will be a whirlwind of activity, largely due to the fact that I am starting a new job just weeks after I graduate. Whether you have a new job, are still on the hunt, are moving or not—graduating from your program is undoubtedly a busy time. Here are a few things that are on my to-do list before graduating.”...
Hack Library School, Apr. 11

Brew up some outreach
Lizz Zitron writes: “According to a 2013 survey from the National Coffee Association, about 83% of American adults drink coffee. Looking for a way to reach more adults in your library? Consider any of these java-infused outreach techniques. Could your Friends group offer free coffee to anyone who brings a friend in to sign up for a library card during special times? Would Campus Dining Services offer discounted or free coffee to individuals who bring in a coupon obtained from your newsletter or Facebook page?”...
The Outreach Librarian, Apr. 9; Bloomberg News, Mar. 22, 2013

A little rant on Little Free Libraries
Joe Hardenbrook writes: “Within a two-mile radius of my little corner of Brookfield, Wisconsin, there are four Little Free Libraries. I like the concept: People sharing books. People creating a collection. People encouraging reading. Targeting underserved areas and people. Those are good things. But it’s not a library. Here’s what I worry about: the general public’s perception and the lumping together of little free libraries and actual public libraries.”...
Mr. Library Dude, Apr. 9

Book-based programming for preschoolers
Jenny Oney writes: “At our library we have started to offer book-based programming to help our youngest customers get ready for kindergarten. We offer our parent/caregiver customers a mini program (often one-on-one) on how to read a book with their child. The next step involves sitting with the parents and sharing a picture book. We talk with the parents about what to do before, during, and after reading a story. Here are some examples of what we share.”...
ALSC Blog, Apr. 11

Visual literacy training at Northern Colorado
Two faculty in the University of Northern Colorado Libraries Instructional Services Department creatively encouraged visual literacy when they organized a poster fair as their students’ final project in the fall of 2013. William Cuthbertson taught “Research Skills for Beginning Researchers” and Lyda Ellis taught “Criminal Justice Library Research.” The students’ culminating projects were research posters on the topics they explored over eight weeks....
UNC Library Letters

Libraries can help feed children this summer
Kristin Caulley writes: “Every summer when school ends, millions of kids and teens are at risk of going hungry because they no longer have access to the free or reduced-price meals they received when they were in school. The USDA has created the Summer Food Service Program to cover this summer meal gap. Libraries can get involved in many ways.”...
UpNext: The IMLS Blog, Apr. 11

Michigan Activity Pass program renewed (PDF file)
The “Michigan Activity Pass” program, presented by the Library Network, a partnership between Michigan’s nearly 400 public libraries and more than 70 arts and cultural organizations, has been renewed for a second year. The program allows library card holders to get a reduced-cost or complimentary-access pass to participating museums and art centers....
The Library Network, Mar. 25

The future of libraries in theological education
Twelve institutions have been selected to participate in “The Future of Libraries in Theological Education: A Conversation with Chief Academic Officers, Information Technology Officers, and Library Directors.” The program, sponsored by the American Theological Library Association and Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada, will be held as a preconference event on June 24, ahead of the 2014 ATS meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania....
American Theological Library Association, Apr. 10

Andreas Vesalius and De Fabrica
Michael J. North writes: “This year we commemorate the 500th anniversary of the birth of Andreas Vesalius (1514–1564), who is best known for changing how we do medical research with his groundbreaking book De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem (Seven Chapters on the Structure of the Human Body), published in 1543 and generally known as De Fabrica. Vesalius placed the study of anatomy at the center of medical education, insisted on physicians performing their own medical research through hands-on investigation, and revolutionized the use of illustration as a teaching tool.”...
Circulating Now, Apr. 9

150 years of biomedical journals online
Representatives of the US National Library of Medicine and the Wellcome Trust recently signed a memorandum of understanding to work together to make thousands of complete back issues of historically significant biomedical journals freely available online. The terms include a donation of £750,000 ($1.2 million) to the NLM that will support coordination of the three-year project to scan original materials at the article level, and Wellcome’s work to secure copyright clearances and permissions....
National Library of Medicine, Apr. 14

Differentiating instruction at storytime
Sara Bryce writes: “This week I had a program where I picked the incorrect book. It was a good book, and good for the topic, and a perfect read-aloud for 8–12 year-old kids. Problem was, the day of the program, 4–8 year-old kids showed up. I still read the book, skimming pages while following the story. As I thought about my book of choice, and how disappointed in myself I was, I realized that my programming is influenced by education in a way that I never realized before: differentiating instruction.”...
Bryce Don’t Play, Apr. 10; Teaching Today

Tools to help students organize their research
Richard Byrne writes: “Organizing and writing a bibliography can feel like the most tedious part of writing a research paper. The following five tools can help students organize and create their bibliographies. One of the most useful new add-ons for Google Documents is the EasyBib Bibliography Creator, which makes it easy to properly cite resources and format a bibliography in APA, MLA, or Chicago style.”...
Free Technology for Teachers, Mar. 11, Apr. 13

File those catalog cards
Submitted for Awful Library Books: “This book is particularly awful as it was on the regular nonfiction shelf in a high school library. This wasn’t even on a professional shelf being kept for historic value after the elimination of the card catalog 35 years ago. It was actually there for student use. It is also an unbelievably unnecessary tome; any librarian (or anyone with an ounce of common sense) could figure out how to alphabetize the card catalog without this instructional manual.” See the responses by Bob Holley and Karen Muller....
Awful Library Books, Apr. 14

Greenlight for The Librarians series on TNT
TNT has ordered 10 episodes of the scripted drama The Librarians and tapped Rebecca Romijn to star as a skilled counterterrorism agent. Noah Wyle, who starred in the TNT movie trilogy, will reprise his role as Flynn Carsen. The new series, which will debut in late 2014, will center on four people who are enlisted to assist Flynn as “Librarians,” members of an ancient organization hidden beneath the Metropolitan Public Library who are dedicated to protecting an unknowing world from secret, magical reality and protecting the artifacts housed in the library....
Hollywood Reporter, Apr. 10

Library roof doubles as a slide
Imagine how much easier it would be to get kids excited about going to the library if the library itself doubled as a playground. That’s exactly what happened in an earthquake-ravaged village in China’s Yunnan Province. The town’s new library doubles as a community center with a slide on top. And it’s beautiful. Architects John Lin and Olivier Ottevare designed The Pinch to be a prominent community space....
Gizmodo, Apr. 9

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