The e-newsletter of the American Library Association | April 30, 2014

Iowa restores school librarians’ value
Beverly Goldberg writes: “The Iowa Association of School Librarians righted a legislative wrong this session by persuading state lawmakers to reverse a provision that increased the per-pupil funding formula for school districts that shared a single librarian rather than employing their own. Enacted in 2013, HF 472 provided a financial incentive for sharing resources between school districts that were considering consolidation with each other, IASL President Christine Sturgeon said.” Watch the IASL advocacy video (9:06)....
AL: The Scoop, Apr. 30; YouTube, July 22, 2013

Going beyond Google again
Jane Devine and Francine Egger-Sider write: “It seems unlikely that people will give up their reliance on general-purpose search engines or their practice of beginning a search using Google or one of its competitors. But people should be encouraged to use other research tools when needed, such as databases and more specialized search engines—otherwise known as the Invisible Web. Here is a sample of the tools featured in Going Beyond Google Again, published by ALA Neal-Schuman.”...
American Libraries feature

Patrons: Your partners in collection development
Suzanne M. Ward writes: “Librarians have always welcomed users’ suggestions for titles to add to the collection. When those titles meet the guidelines on subject matter, format, and price, librarians are happy to buy patron-suggested material. In short, patron-driven acquisition (PDA) is a flexible tool that can be used to complement traditional collection development.”...
American Libraries feature

IMLS hearing on libraries and broadband
Phil Morehart writes: “A public hearing on ‘Libraries and Broadband: Urgency and Impact,’ was held in Washington, D.C., on April 17. Organized by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the hearing focused on the impact of high-speed broadband connectivity in America’s libraries. The crucial need for adequate broadband capabilities in all libraries, e-rate reform, and additional lobbying efforts in Washington were discussed as well.”...
AL: The Scoop, Apr. 24

The penguin connection
Speckles the African penguin (right) visited children at the Kenton County (Ky.) Public Library’s William E. Durr branch in Independence. Speckles spends most of her time at Newport Aquarium, but she was brought to the library the morning of March 5 thanks to the WAVE Foundation, a conservation organization based in Kentucky. WAVE partnered with the aquarium to hold a viewing and learning session with the Homeschool Club group at the library....
American Libraries, Apr. 25

Next AL Live: Library security
Does your library have a clear plan for dealing with problem patrons and other security incidents? In the next broadcast of American Libraries Live, Steve Albrecht—a library security expert, consultant, and author of several books on workplace violence—will lead our expert panel in a discussion on both preventative and reactive security strategies. Tune in at 2 p.m. Eastern time on May 8 for this free, streaming video broadcast....
American Libraries, Apr. 29

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Día is today
On April 30, families and children celebrate El día de los niños / El día de los libros (Children’s Day / Book Day) in public and school libraries. Also known as Día! Diversity in Action, this initiative provides an opportunity for hundreds of libraries to showcase services that celebrate our nation’s rich cultural tapestry. Día is sponsored by ALSC....
ALSC, Apr. 28; Huffington Post blog, Apr. 30

National Library Legislative Day: What to expect
Jazzy Wright writes: “On May 5–6, hundreds of library champions will travel to Washington, D.C., to meet with their members of Congress during National Library Legislative Day to champion national library funding (registration is open). To help first-time advocates prepare for the annual advocacy day, we created this photo essay using photos from past NLLD events.” ALA also released new briefs on policies, legislation, and issues affecting libraries; browse the list here....
District Dispatch, Apr. 28

Barbara Stripling to speak at National Press Club briefing
ALA President Barbara Stripling will join other education, government, and library experts at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on May 6 for “Responding to the Second Digital Divide,” a briefing that will explore the ways that governments, schools, and communities can better support libraries in bridging the growing skills-based digital divide....
ALA Washington Office, Apr. 29

Declaration needs 150 more signatures
Thanks to many attendees signing the Declaration for the Right to Libraries at the New York Library Association’s Section of School Librarians conference in Syracuse April 24–26, the document only needs some 150 more signatures to reach the 10,000 mark. Join the crowd and sign the declaration here....
I Love Libraries; Syracuse (N.Y.) Post-Standard, Apr. 25

“Libraries Matter” videos
The ALA Washington Office has launched “Libraries Matter,” a series of videos showcasing the ways libraries use federal funding to support early literacy, high-speed internet access, small business owners, and new citizens. Library supporters can use the videos to demonstrate the value of federal funding programs, such as the Library Services and Technology Act, to legislators, decision makers, and community leaders....
District Dispatch, Apr. 24; YouTube, Jan. 24

ALA accelerates its copyright and privacy efforts
Adam Eisgrau (right), a veteran intellectual property and privacy policy lobbyist, has joined ALA’s copyright and cybersecurity advocacy efforts to increase visibility for library issues on a national level. Eisgrau will use his extensive background to increase the Association’s presence in Washington and educate lawmakers on the issues libraries face in championing the information rights and needs of the public....
Office of Government Relations, Apr. 28

Attend the talks you voted for
Public voting for 36 Conversation Starter talks and Ignite Sessions again tipped the balance in selecting the ones that showcase ALA members’ passions and innovations during the 2014 Annual Conference. The sessions will be held throughout the conference in the Las Vegas Convention Center....
Conference Services, Apr. 24

LIS career information workshops
The Office for Diversity and the Spectrum Scholarship Program, through a project funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, is partnering with libraries and graduate library schools in Seattle, Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City to present information workshops for individuals interested in careers in library and information science. The workshops, part of the Knowledge Alliance project, will take place in May....
Office for Diversity, Apr. 28

IFLA conference early registration deadline
The 80th IFLA World Library and Information Congress will take place in Lyon, France, August 16–22. The conference theme is “Libraries, Citizens, Societies: Confluence for Knowledge.” The ALA membership number to use for your IFLA Conference registration is US-0002. The early registration deadline is May 15....
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions

Coretta Scott King award books
Spotlighting titles appropriate for grades K–12, Coretta Scott King Award Books Discussion Guide: Pathways to Democracy, published by ALA Editions, builds on the rich legacy of the Coretta Scott King award-winning books to offer an important educational resource for teachers, librarians, parents, and other caregivers. This guide, written by Adelaide Poniatowski Phelps and Carole J. McCollough, identifies within the plot, character, and themes of each book those values that relate to being an American citizen....
ALA Editions, Apr. 28

Picture books from around the world
Picture books can be portals to far-flung corners of the globe, and the books in Global Voices: Picture Books from Around the World, published by ALA Editions, will help children’s imaginations soar. Susan Stan identifies quality literature for children ages 3–8 that conveys a true sense of life outside America’s borders. Organized by geographical location, this bibliography focuses on books that display a strong cultural aspect that speaks clearly to life elsewhere....
ALA Editions, Apr. 24

Mind-bending mysteries for teens
Well-known from her bestselling teen programming books, Amy J. Alessio now offers Mind-Bending Mysteries and Thrillers for Teens: A Programming and Readers’ Advisory Guide, published by ALA Editions. This one-of-a-kind resource will help YA librarians connect teens to mysteries they will love. Included are book lists featuring every type of mystery subgenre, from cozies and romantic mysteries to suspense thrillers and police procedurals, all thoroughly annotated....
ALA Editions, Apr. 29

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Why will you be in Las Vegas?
Ingrid Abrams writes: “Remember those great Slate photos Kyle Cassidy took of all your favorite librarians? Well, Kyle was kind enough to let ALA use them so that we could all talk about why we can’t wait for the upcoming conference in Las Vegas (or why we wish we could attend). Take a look! You’ll also get to see some pictures that didn’t end up in Slate, but are still pretty awesome.”...
The Magpie Librarian, Apr. 30; Slate, Feb. 11

Downtown Container Park
The Downtown Container Park is a family-friendly outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment attraction located at the southeast corner of 7th and Fremont Street. Made completely of shipping containers stacked upon each other, this unique venue offers a variety of boutique shops and food outlets. There is a kids’ play area with 30-foot slide and water area. Various musical groups are featured on the outdoor amphitheater nightly....
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority

The Polaroid Museum
Those instant cameras that Polaroid popularized in the mid-20th century are now right where they belong: in the Polaroid Museum in Las Vegas, located in the two-story Polaroid Fotobar shop at the Linq at 3545 Las Vegas Blvd South. Relics such as a giant, 20x24 Polaroid camera invented in 1976 are showcased alongside works by Andy Warhol and other artists who incorporated Polaroid photography into their creative efforts....
Los Angeles Times, Apr. 24

Simple treats in garish Las Vegas
You might not expect to find farm-to-table dining in Las Vegas. But that’s exactly why tourists are lining up at a rundown corner a few blocks from the old casinos in the city’s seedy core. It takes visitors arriving by cab a few minutes to locate the nouveau diner Eat, 707 Carson Street, on the ground floor of a motel-style apartment complex that rents rooms by the month and looks like a place where a down-on-his-luck crime caper hero might live. But this is Las Vegas’ first neighborhood restaurant with an emphasis on freshness and locally sourced ingredients....
Associated Press, Apr. 1

Silverton’s saltwater aquarium
Named the “Best Free Attraction” in Las Vegas, Silverton Casino’s saltwater aquarium at 3333 Blue Diamond Road is impressive. The 117,000-gallon reef aquarium takes you to a tropical oasis where you can admire more than 4,000 tropical fish, and three species each of stingrays and sharks. There is a live webcam. Interactive feeding shows are scheduled daily at 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. The staff marine biologist is equipped with a full-face communication mask and answers guests’ questions during the feeding show. Also, don’t miss the live mermaid swim....
Silverton Casino

Las Vegas timelapse
Watch the city go from day to night to day again in seven minutes. This could be what you see from your hotel window: a lightshow of cascading water and blazing neon....
Vimeo, Apr. 28

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Remembering Eliza Dresang
Mary Voors writes: “With a very sad heart, I must report what many of you know already. Eliza Dresang (right), a beloved friend and colleague, died on the morning of April 21 at the age of 72. A library science professor, author, speaker, and active member and leader in ALSC, Dresang will be remembered as a strong advocate for children and libraries, but will also be remembered for her caring smile and sincere ability to really listen carefully and respectfully, helping each colleague she worked with grow and learn.”...
ALSC Blog, Apr. 27

School Library Month student video winners
AASL, along with ProQuest, Abrams, and SchoolTube, has chosen the three winners of the “Lives Change @ Your Library” Student Video Contest. Contestants were urged to let loose their creativity and use humor, drama, music, and special effects to illustrate how the school library program changes a student’s life. Winners receive a full set of Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid books....
AASL. Apr. 29

ACRL President’s Program on financial literacy
Looking for ways to increase financial literacy on your campus or in your community? Join ACRL for its President’s Program at the 2014 ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas on June 28. Titled “Financial Literacy at Your Library,” the program will feature noted Washington Post columnist and financial educator Michelle Singletary and Ferris State University President David Eisler....
ACRL, Apr. 28

RUSA Literary Tastes program
RUSA will host three award-winning authors—Daniel J. Brown, Tessa Dare, and V. E. Schwab (right)—at the 2014 ALA Annual Conference program “Literary Tastes: Celebrating the Best Reading of the Year” on June 29, a conference tradition that features authors from RUSA’s literary awards for adults. Following the formal presentation, authors will be available for book signings....
RUSA, Apr. 25

Share your print materials at LLAMA’s PR X-change
Are you wondering how to put your back inventory of calendars, brochures, flyers, postcards, annual reports, and other print collateral to good use? Send in your printed promotional materials now to share with colleagues at the 2014 PR X-change program during the ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas. Please use the mailing labels to send quantities of at least 250 but no more than 1,000 each of your printed pieces to the Las Vegas Convention Center....
LLAMA, Apr. 29

Technology speed-dating at ALA Annual
The LITA/ALCTS Library Code Year Interest Group is hosting a technology speed-dating event during its session at the 2014 ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas on June 28. What is technology speed-dating? Several experts will be stationed around the meeting room and talk about a specific topic, software, piece of code, or programming language to attendees for a set amount of time. Then they will rotate to a different expert until the time ends....
LITA Blog, Apr. 26

New ASCLA consortial ebooks interest group
ASCLA members have approved a petition to create a new Consortial E-books Interest Group. The group will provide a regular forum for consortial discussion and meet at annual conferences and midwinter meetings. ASCLA believes that consortia represent a large segment of libraries and that by acting collectively, libraries can be more influential with publishers and vendors as the ebook landscape evolves....
ASCLA, Apr. 29

ALCTS preconference on streaming media
“Streaming Media Passes the Tipping Point: Now What?” an ALCTS preconference, will present fascinating trends on streaming media in libraries from a recent national survey of academic librarians. Learn where to purchase streaming media collections; the latest trends in streaming media; and how to optimize discovery and evaluate usage in an effort to prepare for the future of content at your library. Register through Annual Conference and use Event Code ALC3....
ALCTS, Apr. 28

New School Library Research articles
Two new research articles are now available in the AASL peer-reviewed online journal, School Library Research. The articles cover the topics of evidence-based library and information practice in Texas school libraries and the attitude and needs of young innovators....
AASL, Apr. 28

Promoting Common Core collaboration between school and public librarians
A new webinar explores the ways public librarians can become involved in the implementation of the Common Core State Standards and support their school librarian colleagues. Presented by Margaux DelGuidice and Kathryn Roots Lewis, “The Common Core and the Public Librarian: Reaching Patrons and Students” takes place on May 8. Registration is open....
AASL, Apr. 29

Yorkville Community School to be a Literary Landmark
United for Libraries will designate the Yorkville Community School on East 88th Street in New York City a Literary Landmark in honor of children’s author and illustrator Bernard Waber on May 14. The location was made famous in his 1962 book The House on East 88th Street, which introduced the character Lyle the Crocodile to the world of children’s literature....
United for Libraries, Apr. 29

United for Libraries presents the basics
United for Libraries will host “Nuts and Bolts for Trustees, Friends, and Foundations” on June 27 during the ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas. Jan Masaoka (right), director and editor in chief of Blue Avocado, will speak on “Libraries, Advocacy, and the Meaning of Life.” Robert Karatsu, library director of the Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) Public Library, will speak on “The Nuts and Bolts of Working with Your Friends.”...
United for Libraries, Apr. 29

ASCLA 101
ASCLA will host ASCLA 101, a networking and orientation event for interested, new, and current divisional members on June 28 during the 2014 ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas. ASCLA member leaders will be on hand to answer questions about the division and help attendees best identify how they can be involved with ASCLA projects and activities....
ASCLA, Apr. 25

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2014 National Medals for Museum and Library Service
The Institute of Museum and Library Services announced five library recipients of the 2014 National Medal for Museum and Library Service on April 24. The medal is the nation’s highest honor conferred on libraries and museums for service to the community. The library winners were Chicago Public Library; Las Vegas–Clark County (Nev.) Library District; Mid-Continent Public Library, Independence, Missouri; Octavia Fellin Public Library, Gallup, New Mexico; and the Yiddish Book Center, Amherst, Massachusetts. The medals will be presented during a celebration in Washington, D.C., on May 8. Watch the video (6:37) honoring the recipients....
Institute of Museum and Library Services, Apr. 24; YouTube, Apr. 24

Library Interior Design Award winners
LLAMA and the International Interior Design Association have announced the winners of the 2014 Library Interior Design Awards. This biennial competition honors international excellence in library interior design. A gallery of the winning entries is available for viewing on the IIDA website. Images of the winning projects will also be featured in American Libraries magazine....
LLAMA, Apr. 29

2014 John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Award
The John Cotton Dana Award, sponsored by the H. W. Wilson Foundation, EBSCO, and LLAMA, honors outstanding library public relations. In recognition of their achievement, the winners each receive a $10,000 cash award from the foundation. This year, the judges selected eight winners out of 83 submissions....
LLAMA, Apr. 25

2014 L. Ray Patterson Copyright Award
Georgia Harper (right) is the 2014 recipient of the L. Ray Patterson Copyright Award: In Support of Users’ Rights. She is scholarly communications advisor for the University of Texas at Austin Libraries, where she focuses on issues of digital access. Harper may be best known for her ground-breaking Copyright Crash Course, one of the first comprehensive websites devoted to copyright, higher education, and libraries....
Office for Information Technology Policy, Apr. 28

2014 Gerald Hodges Award
The New Jersey Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee has been awarded the 2014 Gerald Hodges Intellectual Freedom Chapter Relations Award. The award will be presented to NJLA Executive Director Pat Tumulty and President Eileen Palmer at the ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas....
Office for Intellectual Freedom, Apr. 29

2014 W. Y. Boyd Literary Award
Hell or Richmond by Ralph Peters (Forge Books) is the winner of the 2014 W. Y. Boyd Literary Award for excellence in military fiction. Peters’s novel is a stunning recreation of the hell of war during the fighting in Virginia from early May to early June 1864. The $5,000 award honors the best fiction set in a period when the United States was at war....
Office of ALA Governance, Apr. 29

2014 Conable Conference Scholarship
The Freedom to Read Foundation has selected John “Mack” Freeman (right), a librarian at the Tifton–Tift County (Ga.) Public Library, as the seventh recipient of the Gordon M. Conable Conference Scholarship. The scholarship will provide for Freeman’s expenses to attend the 2014 ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas....
Freedom to Read Foundation, Apr. 29

GPO honors four depository libraries
The US Government Printing Office recognized four libraries in the Federal Depository Library Program for their outstanding achievements and initiatives in 2013 and 2014. Arizona State Library, Brooklyn College Library, University of Iowa Libraries (right), and Ottenheimer Library at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock, were selected for their leadership, educational outreach, and commitment to providing free public access to information....
US Government Printing Office, Apr. 30

2014 NASIG Horizon Award
Sol Maria Lopez from the University of Texas at El Paso has been awarded the 2014 North American Serials Interest Group Horizon Award. The award, sponsored by EBSCO Information Services, recognizes a promising new information professional; it covers the cost of travel, registration, and lodging for three nights while the recipient attends the NASIG Annual Conference in Fort Worth, Texas, May 1–4....
North American Serials Interest Group, Apr. 24

Mexican writer wins 2014 Cervantes Prize
Author and journalist Elena Poniatowska (right), who gained fame in Mexico for her chronicles of social injustice and government repression, is this year’s winner of the Miguel de Cervantes Prize, the most prestigious literary prize in the Spanish language. Poniatowska has penned more than three dozen books, including La Noche de Tlatelolco (The Night of Tlatelolco) a groundbreaking oral history of the 1968 army massacre of student protesters in Mexico City....
Los Angeles Times: Jacket Copy, Apr. 22

Américas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature
The Américas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature was announced recently. The winners are Parrots Over Puerto Rico, illustrated by Susan Roth and coauthored by Susan Roth and Cindy Trumbore, who won the primary award. Diego Rivera: An Artist for the People, by Susan Goldman Rubin, and Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote, illustrated and written by Duncan Tonatiuh, took home the honors....
Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs

Andrew Solomon wins Wellcome Book Prize
Andrew Solomon’s Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity (Chatto and Windus) has won this year’s Wellcome Book Prize, worth £30 000, which aims to recognize and celebrate the best new work of fiction or nonfiction released each year centered on medicine and health. Far from the Tree is the story of parents who learn to deal with exceptional children....
The Bookseller, Apr. 14

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New York freezes Queens Library renovation projects
Officials from the New York City Department of Design and Construction told the Queens City Council on April 28 they have frozen payments that allowed the library to use a portion of its capital budget on its own projects with minimal city oversight. The freeze covers some $20.27 million in projects, including the Queens Central Library renovations that have proven controversial for Library Director Thomas Galante....
New York Daily News, Apr. 29

Two Boys Kissing to remain in Fauquier High School library
After almost three hours of testimony and deliberations, a six-member panel voted unanimously to recommend retaining in the library at Fauquier High School in Warrenton, Virginia, David Levithan’s Two Boys Kissing. Parent Jessica Wilson had filed a challenge based on the “teenage sexual nature of the book.” FHS Librarian Rebecca Isaac said she based the book’s purchase on the school system “selection policy and reviews in professional journals,” which have been positive....
Fauquier Now, Warrenton, Va., Apr. 24

Challenge to learning-disability book in Twin Cities area
Parent Jenna Boutain wants administrators to pull a book from nine elementary school libraries in the Rosemount–Apple Valley–Eagan, Minnesota, district because it uses a term for people with cognitive disabilities that many say is derogatory. Sixth Grade Can Really Kill You by Barthe DeClements uses the word “retarded” to refer to students with special needs. It was first published in 1985....
St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press, Apr. 25

The latest wrinkle in the Orland Park porn allegations
A proponent of ending unfettered internet access at Orland Park (Ill.) Public Library is demanding that a Burr Ridge–based regional library system turn over information about a workshop that he says was a “hate fest” directed at him and another pornography foe. Kevin DuJan filed a FOIA request with the Reaching Across Illinois Library System in late April, alleging OPPL spokesman Bridget Bittman and director Mary Weimar made improper comments at the December 17 event....
Chicago Tribune, Apr. 29

Hop on Pop was one of seven challenges at Toronto Public Library
A popular tale by Dr. Seuss was one of seven books that patrons have asked Toronto Public Library to remove from its collection over the past year. A patron asked the library’s materials review committee to pull Hop on Pop, a children’s classic written in 1963, because of the book’s violent themes, and requested that the library apologize to local fathers and pay damages resulting from the book’s message. The library retained the book in the children’s collection....
CTV News, Toronto, Apr. 29

NYPL plans face-to-face MOOC meet-ups
In a pilot program with Coursera, the New York Public Library plans to organize meet-ups at which people taking massive open online courses (MOOCs) can gather and discuss the courses with help from “trained facilitators.” The partnership is part of Coursera’s effort to build an infrastructure for in-person learning around its online courses. Research suggests that MOOC students who receive offline help earn higher scores on their assessments....
Chronicle of Higher Education: Wired Campus, June 7, 2013; Apr. 30

Chattanooga pilots three Mozilla-funded projects
Mary Barnett writes: “The Mozilla Foundation and the National Science Foundation launched the Mozilla Gigabit Community Fund in Chattanooga and Kansas City in February to encourage innovative technology projects. Along with several community partners and anchor institutions, the Chattanooga Public Library will be helping pilot three community education projects that use the awesome power of the city’s gigabit network.”...
The Library As Incubator Project, Apr. 28

Librarian unravels the mystery of a school mural
Rocco Staino writes: “On April 24, a newly restored mural that had long hung at Pequenakonck Elementary School in the North Salem Central School District in Westchester County, New York, was unveiled to the public to celebrate School Library Month, and thanks to the detective work of the school’s librarian Noel MacCarry, it was also revealed that the mural was the work of legendary children’s book author and illustrator Robert McCloskey.”...
School Library Journal, Apr. 28

Huge book donation to Houston Public Library
During National Library Week, Rosen Publishing donated 20,000 books with an estimated value of $400,000 to the Houston Public Library. Of these, 18,000 will be given away to children and teens as registration prizes for the library’s John P. McGovern Summer Reading Program, June 1–August 1. Other books will benefit literacy programs at the Carnegie Neighborhood Library and Literacy Support Center....
Houston (Tex.) Public Library, Apr. 17

Hawaiian school librarians are being cut
Seven schools in the Kaiua-Kona district of West Hawaii have either eliminated the librarian position over the past three years, or had librarians retire and did not fill the positions. Another school, Konawaena High, is reducing its librarian to half time, a decision that sparked student protests in January. Several people attending an April 24 Hawaii Board of Education community meeting pointed to the value of books in children’s lives and wished that budget shortfalls could be made up another way....
West Hawaii Today, Apr. 26

British rock band hides lyrics in library books
UK rock group Coldplay has announced an international scavenger hunt for handwritten lyrics from their new album Ghost Stories, which will be released May 14. The words to all nine of the songs have been concealed in “haunted” books at libraries around the world, beginning with a library in Mexico City. The band sent Mexican fans on a race to the English literature section of the city’s José Vasconcelos Library. There, in a translated copy of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, a lucky scavenger found Chris Martin’s lyrics for the album’s lead single, “Magic.”...
The Guardian (UK), Apr. 29

British Library opens renovated newspaper room
The British Library’s £33 million ($56 million US) newspaper reading room officially opened in St. Pancras on April 28. The renovated facility offers more than 750 million pages of newspapers and magazines in digital form and on microfilm, as well as 4.8 million archived news and general websites. It replaces the Colindale newspaper library in north London, which closed in November 2013. Take a video tour (3:00)....
The Guardian (UK), Apr. 27; British Library, Apr. 28; YouTube, Apr. 29

National Library of Wales launches 3-year plan
The chief executive of the National Library of Wales has set out new plans for the institution a year after a fire caused damage to the library’s roof and destroyed some archives. Aled Gruffydd Jones launched a three-year strategy to develop projects with the public sector and establish a Welsh National Archives....
BBC News, Apr. 25

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What you need to know about the FCC and net neutrality
Serdar Yegulaip writes: “No, the FCC’s April 24 Open Internet Notice of Proposed Rulemaking doesn’t spell the end of net neutrality as we know it. But some of the concern about the proposed rules are valid, in big part because the rules don’t address certain issues. The FCC will accept feedback on the new rules until May 15. But until the rules explicitly recognize how preferential back-end deals between providers can be as problematic as front-end rate hikes, they will not provide much protection. Here are the four key takeaways you need to know.”...
InfoWorld, Apr. 24–25; FCC Blog, Apr. 24; PC Magazine, Apr. 24

So long and thanks for all the freedom
Barbara Fister writes: “Choose Privacy Week is coming up May 1–7. Privacy is something librarians have always taken seriously, but since vacuuming up personal information became the dominant business model for the internet and the government found it couldn’t resist getting its hands on those mountains of personal data, librarians’ obsession with privacy seems a little less quaint and strange.”...
Inside Higher Ed: Library Babel Fish, Apr. 23

A rational perspective on Wi-Fi
Peter Rysavy writes: “Wi-Fi has so dazzled us with its achievements that many people can’t see its fundamental limitations. Unless network planners and policymakers grasp those limitations, they are likely to reach misguided conclusions about the optimal role of Wi-Fi in our mobile-broadband fabric.”...
GigaOM, Apr. 27

Building the Miami-Dade coalition
John Chrastka writes: “This spring, EveryLibrary and Urban Librarians Unite teamed up on a joint project to support the creation of the Coalition to Save our Libraries in Miami-Dade County, Florida. EveryLibrary’s involvement started in September 2013 when the mayor wanted to cut the library’s budget by about $20 million. We count that campaign support among our successes last year, securing $7 million in stop-gap funding for the library system. But as was reported at the time, they need a permanent fix.”...
EveryLibrary blog, Apr. 27; Miami Herald, Sept. 10, 2013

Seven big myths about libraries
Erinn Batykefer and Laura Damon-Moore write: “Americans value their libraries, but there are still misconceptions that exist among folks who maybe haven’t visited a library in a while, or haven’t visited one ever. Since we at the Library As Incubator Project work hard to highlight the many ways that libraries and artists can support each other, we thought we’d turn some of these misconceptions on their head by looking at them through an artsy lens.”...
The Huffington Post, Apr. 29

Academic citation rates
Dahlia Remler writes: “Many academic articles are never cited, although I could not find any study with a result as high as 90%. Non-citation rates vary enormously by field. Only 12% of medicine articles are not cited, compared to about 82% for the humanities. It’s 27% for natural sciences and 32% for social sciences. For everything except humanities, those numbers are far from 90% but they are still high: One third of social science articles go uncited. Clearly, academic articles have a serious problem.”...
London School of Economics: Impact of Social Sciences, Apr. 23

Check out the @RadReference anti-surveillance zine
James R. Jacobs writes: “Check out the new Radical Reference anti-surveillance zine We Are All Suspects (PDF file). It’s chock full of information to keep individuals and libraries safe in our ubiquitous surveillance world. It’s under a Creative Commons license, so feel free to print and hand them out in your library.” The zine begins: “Ever since the events of September 11th, something has been happening to our privacy rights.”...
Free Government Information, Apr. 24

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The 10 best laptops for work
Laarni Almendrala Ragaza writes: “Finding a great laptop for work is serious business. After all, you need something that’s durable, secure, powerful, light, and can last through a long workday. With the countless options available, it can be difficult to find the perfect one. Fortunately for you, we have already found the 10 best business laptops that can get the work done.”...
PC Magazine, Apr. 29

Face-off: iPhone 5s vs. Samsung Galaxy S5
Mark Spoonauer writes: “If you’re in the market for a smartphone, chances are you’re choosing between Apple and Samsung. In fact, the two companies own a combined two-thirds of the market. The current flagships for these brands are the iPhone 5s and the Galaxy S5. Which one should you choose? To help you make the right call, we compared these devices head-to-head in 11 key categories, ranging from design and camera quality to special features, performance, and battery life.”...
Laptop, Apr. 29

10 must-have Android apps
Max Eddy writes: “This is my list of the essential apps that every Android user should install. It covers a little bit of security, a little bit of entertainment, and a little bit of productivity. Ideally, if you download these 10 apps onto your phone, you should be able to tackle just about anything. Think of this as the nest for hatchling Android users. Once you’re ready to spread your wings, fly out there and find the perfect app that fits your needs.”...
PC Magazine, Apr. 24

How to disable the built-in PDF viewer
Martin Brinkmann writes: “The built-in PDF viewers in the Chrome web browser and Mozilla Firefox are convenient because you don’t need to install another program to view PDFs. However, if you prefer using an external PDF reader, you can disable the built-in viewers.”...
Lifehacker, Apr. 26; Sept. 20, 2011

New vulnerability in all versions of Internet Explorer
Ashley Feinberg writes: “A new zero day vulnerability has been found to affect every version of Internet Explorer. In other words—over a quarter of the entire browser market. Attacks taking advantage of the vulnerability are largely targeting IE versions 9, 10, and 11 in something called a ‘use after free’ attack. Essentially, the attack corrupts data as soon as memory has been released, most likely after users have been lured to phony websites.”...
Gizmodo, Apr. 27

The best antivirus programs for 2014
Neil J. Rubenking writes: “With all the NSA, Edward Snowden, and Heartbleed stories in the news, security is arguably the tech story of the year. But while these big glitzy stories are grabbing most of the attention, the most important thing you, the consumer, can do, is to perform the decidedly unglamorous but vital task of securing your own machines. And that means antivirus. Here are the best of the current crop of antivirus products.” For more than just antivirus, here are the best security suites for 2014....
PC Magazine, Apr. 21, 23

The best password managers
Neil J. Rubenking writes: “If you aren’t using a password manager, you need to start now. If you are, now’s the time to change all your passwords and take note of those still vulnerable to Heartbleed; you’ll have to change those again after they’re fixed. Cost isn’t an issue: some of the best don’t cost a cent. If you already have one, maybe you’d like to upgrade? Here are some ideas to help you make a choice.”...
PC Magazine, Apr. 11; Security Watch, Apr. 9

The cloud may not be all that secure
Laura Sydell writes: “People are storing more and more stuff online: photos, music, personal documents, books. The business of cloud storage is growing 30% a year, Forrester Research says. But if you’re storing your digital belongings in the cloud, you should know you’re giving up some rights.”...
NPR: All Things Considered, Apr. 25

How to deal with internet bandwidth caps
Chris Hoffman writes: “Some internet service providers have harsh restrictions on the amount of bandwidth you can use in a month, charging you extra if you go over your bandwidth cap. Other ISPs restrict traffic at certain hours—for example, offering unlimited bandwidth only at night. These caps can be frustrating in an age of high-quality streaming videos and services that depend on plentiful bandwidth. A few simple tips can help you make the most of that limited bandwidth if you can’t find a better ISP.”...
How-To Geek, Feb. 6, Apr. 29

To Kill a Mockingbird will finally be an ebook
Harper Lee calls herself old-fashioned. She says she likes dusty books and libraries. But even she has joined the ebook age and agreed to allow her classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird to be published as an ebook. HarperCollins will release the ebook edition on July 8, 54 years to the day after the novel’s original publication. In a statement on April 28, her 88th birthday, Lee said the ebook will be “Mockingbird for a new generation.”...
Los Angeles Times: Jacket Copy, Apr. 29; FishbowlNY, Apr. 28

What enhanced ebooks can do
Jacob L. Wright writes: “For scholars in the humanities, the enhanced ebook format is a game changer. Now we can much more easily disseminate our work in art history, archaeology, and other scholarly fields that have presented high hurdles to print publishing. A fully enhanced ebook can do the work of two volumes: Authors can address the general reading public in the main body of the text, while treating technical matters for advanced readers in more detail with electronic links to extensive pullout or pop-up windows.”...
Chronicle of Higher Education, Apr. 21

Marketing ebook collections
Claire Moore writes: “Many libraries that offer ebook collections may have seen steady growth over time, but there’s always room for increased ways to build the hype and use of digital collections. At my library there are still many families who are unaware that libraries even provide this service. The fact that returns are automatic, and that it makes traveling with kids much more carefree is enough to make some patrons prick up their ears.”...
ALSC Blog, Apr. 27

Monitoring threats to digital repository content
Preservation Health Check: Monitoring Threats to Digital Repository Content (PDF file) presents the preliminary findings of Phase 1 of OCLC’s Preservation Health Check investigation of preservation monitoring. It suggests that there is an opportunity to use PREMIS preservation metadata as an evidence base to support a threat-assessment exercise based on the Simple Property-Oriented Threat (SPOT) model....
OCLC Research, Apr. 28

The why and what of web archives
Abbey Porter writes: “It’s sometimes hard to explain to people outside the digital library community why archiving websites is worth doing. ‘They archive themselves,’ some say. ‘Why would you want to save what’s on the internet?’ they wonder. Instead of launching into explanations about cultural heritage, dynamic publishing streams, and comprehensive collection policies, I can now point to recent and fun examples of why we should be archiving the web and what it looks like to archive the web.”...
The Signal: Digital Preservation, Apr. 29

2014 Annual Conference and Exhibition, Las Vegas, June 26–July 1. Enjoy dozens of personalities and events on the Live Stages in the Exhibit Hall—Book Buzz Theater, Graphic Novel/Gaming, PopTop, and What’s Cooking @ ALA.

Awesome comics to be released this summer
Rob Bricken writes: “If you like comics, you’re going broke this summer. Seriously, talk to an accountant about bankruptcy now, because there’s no way you’ll be able to pay rent if you even want to buy half the awesome comics coming out this summer. But at least this guide will help you determine which half to blow your savings on. Check out Image’s immense May offerings; none look better than Warren Ellis’s new sci-fi series Trees.”...
io9, Apr. 29

Genre guide: Mysteries for teens
Colleen Seisser writes: “Mysteries for teens present a puzzle or secret that leads the reader to gather clues that solve the puzzle or reveal the secret by the end of the book. Usually, mysteries for teens involve a lot of action and are fast-paced. However, recently we have seen a trend in psychological mysteries that are paced more slowly and have plots that unveil the true nature of someone or something that happened.”...
YALSA The Hub, Apr. 29

10 dark and twisty books for Gone Girl fans
Elisabeth Donnelly writes: “Fun fact: Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl was released in paperback in late April, nearly two years after its initial release. In publishing terms, that means it’s a gigantic hit, but that shouldn’t be a surprise to those who’ve read it. But once you’ve read it and Flynn’s other books, where can you turn for delicious, dark, and twisty thrillers featuring complicated females and irresistible mystery? Here’s a list of 10 books that will serve you well.”...
Flavorwire, Apr. 29

The future of trilogies in YA lit
Chelsea Condren writes: “I don’t consider myself immune to the hype surrounding dystopian trilogies, or trilogies in general. I was there opening weekend for Divergent and Catching Fire just like you, and I love those worlds. But I suspect that some of us are burnt out. Are trilogies here to stay, or have they plateaued and are slowly losing popularity?”...
YALSA The Hub, Apr. 24

What would Buffy characters read?
Brandi Smits writes: “Last month, I had intended to select books for several characters on the fantastic TV series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But I only got as far as the main character. It’s no surprise that librarian Rupert Giles is a reader. But Giles only reads stuffy history texts and diaries from people who have been dead for several years. There is one series that screams out Giles’s name whenever I see it.” Meanwhile, the Teen Librarian Toolbox is rewatching Buffy with new eyes....
YALSA The Hub, Mar. 27, Apr. 28; Teen Librarian Toolbox, Apr. 27

Building better book talks
Neil Hollands writes: “In any group where participants have not read the same title, particularly in thematic book groups, the paramount skill for a successful meeting is the ability of readers to describe what they read in an intriguing way. While most readers pick up this skill through the model of others over time, early efforts can be awkward and spoil books more often than they convince appropriate readers to give them a try. A better, more direct approach is to actively teach readers how to give a book talk. Here is a sample list of do’s and don’ts.”...
Booklist Online: Book Group Buzz, Apr. 27

The #WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign
Karen Jensen writes: “It’s a sad truth that the hardest part of my job is going through every resource I can to find books with diverse characters or written by diverse authors. As a woman, I know how empowering it is for me to see positive depictions of women in the media, so I want those for my tweens and teens as well. I want them to read about and see on the covers a diverse population that looks more like the real world we live in. So when things recently reached a tipping point, a campaign was put together: #WeNeedDiverseBooks. Join the conversation on May 1–3.”...
Teen Librarian Toolbox, Apr. 29

Study: Fewer people reading scrolls
Rachel Cordasco writes: “[The following fragment (once part of a scroll) was recently discovered when construction workers were razing a timeless architectural wonder somewhere in Greece.] Move over, scroll; it’s codex time. ‘But the scroll,’ you say, ‘the scroll has been around for millennia. How could people just abandon it? It’s the only way to read.’ Apparently, one out of every three readers uses a codex, rather than a scroll, to get their daily literature fix.”...
Book Riot, Apr. 29

The EPCOT Center Outreach Library
George Taylor writes: “As a librarian, I’ve always had an interest in the Disney Archives. Sadly, I never got to experience the EPCOT Outreach Library, which existed from 1983 to 1994 in Communicore West. It included the EPCOT Teacher’s Center, which is also fairly elusive. In a recent acquisition of Disney ephemera, I ran across two pages of material discussing the Epcot Outreach Library, which had a professional librarian and research assistants on staff to answer questions about the theme park.”...
MiceChat, Apr. 28

Ideas and resources for hands-on science lessons
Richard Byrne writes: “Throughout middle school and high school, conducting lab experiments was my favorite part of every science class that I took. There was something about the hands-on aspect of science labs that always got me excited about learning. I’m sure many of you felt the same way and that your students feel that way now. Here are some places to find ideas and resources for conducting hands-on science lessons.”...
Free Technology for Teachers, Apr. 29

Wikipedia tricks and extensions
Thorin Klosowski writes: “Wikipedia is a useful resource for all kinds of things, but it’s pretty ugly and not all that customizable. With just a few extensions and tricks, you can make it a lot more usable. For example, last year Wikipedia announced that it would let logged-in users check out beta features.”...
Lifehacker, Apr. 30

Build your own belching arena
Heather Acerro writes: “With this blog post and $30 you can have kids in your library belching, farting, making poop, and all of the other totally disgusting things that adults are usually asking them to please stop doing. Room setup: Open-house style with stations for each of the activities. Belching Arena: We used stanchions to block off a corner of the room and put up ‘Belching Arena’ signs. In the middle we placed a table with a supply of Dixie Cups and root beer.”...
ALSC Blog, Apr. 28

Five things that can boost your Facebook reach
Beth McGough writes: “Are you reaching fewer patrons through Facebook today than you were a year ago? Facebook Page posts have had a harder time reaching fans since the News Feed algorithm changes Facebook started last fall. Here are five tips for reaching more patrons through Facebook, without spending a dollar on Facebook ads.”...
ProQuest Blog, Mar. 6, Apr. 25

Facebook author chats
Amy Billings writes: “For many libraries, connecting readers and authors is nothing new—but what about facilitating connections to the characters and places inside the novel? By using social media and forging unique partnerships, Gwinnett County (Ga.) Public Library recently found a new way to host author chats that can bring people together from across the country and add a new perspective to books, all while keeping costs and labor requirements low.”...
Programming Librarian, Apr. 29

27 things to know before you work in social media
Liz Strauss writes: “I work in social media. If that’s your reality, your goal, or even a possibility for you, I’d like to point out a few things about working in social media worth knowing. This is not a rant, simply a set of observations, which are quite similar to the challenges of any communication-based, people-centered endeavor. The work often has more nuances and challenges than we expected. Here are 27 problems with working in social media.”...
Ragan’s PR Daily, Apr. 29

State Poets Laureate roundup
Peter Armenti writes: “It’s been a while since I provided an update on current state poets laureate. As of this writing, 42 states have an official position of state poet laureate, while two states, Alaska and Idaho, have a position for “State Writer Laureate” and “Writer-in-Residence,” respectively. The position of state poet laureate or state writer is occupied in 42 of these 44 states.”...
From the Catbird Seat: Poetry and Literature from the Library of Congress, Apr. 28

A museum’s history of text for the visually challenged
Norman Ball writes: “Welcome to the Museum Valentin Haüy (his unusual last name is pronounced Ah-oo-ee), which honors the founder of Europe’s first school for the blind. More than that, it is an excellent guide to how life has changed for blind people. Before the 18th century, their traditional lot included poverty, ridicule, little or no formal training or education, and life at the margins of society. The 26-year old Valentin Haüy, a well-educated interpreter, was so moved by these humiliations that he dedicated his life to making life better for them.”...
Parisian Fields, Sept. 15, 2013

UIUC’s Project Unica collects singular books
Project Unica is the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Rare Book and Manuscript Library’s initiative to preserve and share books that exist as sole survivors. Valerie Hotchkiss, the director of the RBML, says the Project Unica website already has more than 280 of these lone volumes online, with more scanned and waiting to be uploaded. She recently opened Project Unica to other university libraries to share their unique books on the site....
University of Illinois News Bureau, Apr. 29

Brown v. Board anniversary commemorated at KU
In recognition of the 60th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, the University of Kansas Libraries in Lawrence hosted two events in April honoring the landmark civil rights ruling. One was an exhibition opening and the other an April 12 symposium, “The Legacies and Unfinished Business of BvB, 2.0,” that featured guest speakers and plaintiffs from the 1954 Supreme Court case....
University of Kansas Libraries, Apr. 25

In search of Pennsylvania’s first county bookmobile
Bernadette Lear writes: “The Susquehanna County Historical Society and Free Library established one of, if not the first county bookmobile services in Pennsylvania. In the fall of 1923, Francis R. Cope wrote to Anna A. MacDonald, consulting librarian within the Library Extension Division of the State Library of Pennsylvania. It appears that she helped Cope find an experienced librarian to organize Susquehanna County’s bookmobile service.”...
In Search of Pennsylvania Library History, Apr. 26

NYPL digital collections
Angela Terrab writes: “The New York Public Library Digital Collections have substance, and now they’re getting the style to match. As one might expect of this landmark library system, NYPL is bursting with drool-worthy content. Its eye-grabbing new website (in beta) is much more image-friendly and user-centric than its predecessor. While users will still find the item- and collection-level metadata they would expect of a major research library, images and videos are presented in a much more immediate fashion.”...
The Library As Incubator Project, Apr. 30

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