The e-newsletter of the American Library Association | June 4, 2014

Annual Conference preview
It’s been more than 40 years since ALA held its annual conference in Las Vegas, and many things have changed since then. But the 2014 ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition, June 26–July 1, still brings together the professional development you’ve come to expect with exciting new ideas to help propel librarianship into the future. Here is just a sample of the programs, special events, author appearances, award presentations, and other activities happening in Las Vegas....
American Libraries feature

A taste of Las Vegas
Laura Daily writes: “Buffets, 99-cent shrimp cocktails, and cigarette smoke-choked ‘gourmet rooms’ once defined the Vegas culinary scene. The goal: Feed gamblers quickly so they can get back to the slot machines and roulette wheels. Not anymore. The city of neon has lured some of the world’s best chefs and restaurateurs, all eager to build their brand (and sometimes experiment with new cooking styles) in a place packed with hungry foodies.”...
American Libraries feature

The Speaker controversy in the 21st century
OIF Director Barbara M. Jones writes: “Controversy consumed the 1977 ALA Annual Conference in Detroit over The Speaker, a narrative film commissioned by ALA and produced by the Intellectual Freedom Committee. The film’s story: A student current events committee and a teacher in a small-town high school invite a speaker who theorizes that blacks are genetically inferior to whites. The takeaway: Librarians should be prepared to defend even the most offensive speech in order to uphold the freedom to read and the First Amendment.” A panel discussion on the film will be held on June 30 at ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas....
AL: The Scoop, May 29

President’s Message: Learners for a lifetime
ALA President Barbara K. Stripling writes: “A career in librarianship constantly challenges us to reimagine our roles and revitalize our knowledge. Becoming a librarian is a commitment to being a lifetime learner. ‘Learning’ means actively exploring new possibilities, beyond what is known and safe. Perhaps Conrad Cornelius o’Donald o’Dell in Dr. Seuss’s On Beyond Zebra! provides a mantra for us to pursue the unimagined. ALA is in the process of reimagining and realigning its services and support to enable all of us to push our thinking On Beyond Zebra.”...
American Libraries column, June

Executive Director’s Message: A new vision of advocacy
Keith Michael Fiels writes: “This coming year, we’re taking a fresh look at advocacy, and our vision for advocacy going forward. Our new vision needs to reflect both what I would describe as ‘upstream’ and ‘downstream’ advocacy. Downstream advocacy is what happens when a governor proposes the elimination of library funding or when a mayor cuts the library budget or when House leadership proposes elimination of federal funding for libraries.”...
American Libraries column, June

Editor’s Letter: Don’t let it stay in Vegas
Laurie D. Borman writes: “June means the ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition, and this year we’re going to Las Vegas. The conference is packed with speakers and programs, so click on our preview to get the latest information on what’s happening. And please, what happens in Vegas with programs, discussions, and networking, don’t let it stay in Vegas!”...
American Libraries column, June

Next AL Live goes beyond Google
Why do we need librarians when we have Google and other search tools? In the next episode of American Libraries Live, an authoritative panel will talk about librarians’ value as experts and how to effectively convey that concept to the public. Tune in June 12 at 2 p.m. Eastern time for this free, streaming video broadcast. The “Going Beyond Google” panel includes: Beth McDonough, Joanna M. Burkhardt, Nikki Krysak, and John McCullough....
American Libraries, June 2

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Banned Books Week 2014 celebrates graphic novels
This year’s celebration of the freedom to read will focus on comics and graphic novels. Banned Books Week, September 21–27, will shine a light on this still misunderstood form of storytelling and will celebrate the value of graphic novels to readers from all walks of life. Graphic novels frequently show up on the ALA Top 10 list of Frequently Challenged Books....
Office for Intellectual Freedom, June 4

Digital Inclusion Survey team launches speed test
High-speed broadband is crucial for providing library users access to a wealth of digital content, including employment services and health care services. As part of the survey, project partners (including the International City/County Management Association and the Office for Information Technology Policy) will conduct a national sample study this summer of actual internet access speeds in public libraries. The data collection will answer questions about the quality of internet connections at various points in the library day. The results will be published in September....
Office for Research and Statistics, June 3

ALA Annual to teach professionals to turn outward
All communities have challenges. Library professionals are uniquely positioned to help conquer them—given the right tools. ALA will offer a series of sessions at the 2014 ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas that will help librarians leverage their trusted positions in the community to engage people on issues that matter....
Public Programs Office, June 3

2014 Diversity and Outreach Fair
The Office for Literacy and Outreach Services has selected 36 presentations for its 2014 Diversity and Outreach Fair, to be held on June 28 in the Special Events area in Exhibits Hall at the Annual Conference in Las Vegas. The presentations will highlight innovative and successful library outreach initiatives and programs during a poster session open to all attendees. The theme of this year’s fair is family literacy....
Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, June 3

Ambassadors needed
Looking to help your peers while attending the ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas at the end of the month? If so, we would love to have you as a volunteer participating in the ALA Membership Ambassador program for a two-hour shift between Friday, June 27, and Monday, June 30. To register for the program and choose a shift, contact Paul Signorelli....
ALA Connect, June 2

Tools for boosting broadband
Four nationally recognized leaders in advancing both library and community broadband access will share best practices, successes, and tips for building toward a gigabit nation at “Libraries as Leaders for Community Broadband Access,” a session that will take place during the 2014 ALA Annual Conference on June 29. The panel will include Corinee Hill, Bob Bocher, Heather Burnett Gold, Tom Koutsky, and Monica Schultz....
Office for Information technology Policy, June 2

IFLA/OCLC fellows visit ALA
Five librarians from developing countries visited ALA headquarters on May 30 as part of the annual Jay Jordan IFLA/OCLC Early Career Development Fellowship program and spoke with American Libraries about their experiences. Up to five individuals are selected to participate in this intensive four-week program to help library and information science professionals from countries with developing economies. This year’s fellows are from Nigeria, El Salvador, Sri Lanka, Philippines, and Bhutan....
AL: The Scoop, May 30

DDC eCourse
ALA Editions is hosting a new iteration of its popular eCourse “Using WebDewey and Understanding Dewey Decimal Classification.” Cheryl Tarsala (right) will serve as the instructor for this four-week facilitated eCourse, starting on July 7. The course offers a comprehensive grounding in Dewey Decimal Classification principles and practice. Participants will need access to a WebDewey subscription....
ALA Editions, June 3

The Whole Library Handbook: Teen Services
ALA’s popular and respected Whole Library Handbook series continues with The Whole Library Handbook: Teen Services, published by ALA Editions. Specifically geared towards those who serve young adults, in this volume editors Heather Booth and Karen Jensen gather stellar articles and commentary from some of the country’s most innovative and successful teen services librarians....
ALA Editions, June 3

Tablet computers in school libraries and classrooms
According to Pew Research, nearly a quarter of teens already own a tablet computer, with younger children not far behind. With the use of these handheld devices continuing to grow by leaps and bounds each year, tablets are coming to your school district soon, if they haven’t already. Edited by Heather Moorefield-Lang, Carolyn Meier, and Rebecca K. Miller, Tablet Computers in School Libraries and Classrooms speaks directly to librarians and educators working with young people, pointing the way towards intelligent, constructive use of tablets to attain educational goals....
ALA Editions, June 3

STEP into storytime for newborns to 5 year-olds
Story Time Effective Practice (STEP), developed by Saroj Nadkarni Ghoting and Kathy Fling Klatt, is an approach that articulates the link between child development theory and storytimes. STEP into Storytime: Using StoryTime Effective Practice to Strengthen the Development of Newborns to Five-Year-Olds shows how presenters can use STEP to craft a storytime that is effective for mixed-age groups and adheres to best practices for emotional, social, physical, and cognitive support....
ALA Editions, June 3

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Hershey’s Chocolate World opens
Jay Jones writes: “With the June 3 opening of Hershey’s Chocolate World on the Strip in the front of the New York–New York Hotel and Casino, visitors may feel as though they’ve landed on the Candy Land game board. Just look for the giant Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup—it’s 18 feet in diameter—above the entrance. Inside, you can take selfies in front of a sculpture of the Statue of Liberty carved from nearly 800 pounds of milk chocolate or a fanciful Empire State Building erected using 1,800 chocolate bars.” Oh, and M&M’s World is right across the street....
Los Angeles Times, June 3

Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort
The first permanent non-native settlers in the Las Vegas Valley were a group of Mormon missionaries who built an adobe fort along Las Vegas Creek in 1855. They successfully farmed the area by diverting water from the creek. Today, the park includes a remnant of the original adobe fort, which contains interpretive displays. The Visitor Center contains exhibits on the history of the site, as well as historic artifacts. The site, at 500 Las Vegas Boulevard North, is just east of Las Vegas Boulevard and slightly north of the downtown area and Fremont Street....
Nevada State Parks

Transportation options in the city
Michele LeSure writes: “So, you’re in Las Vegas, Sin City, the land of the bright lights, and other names I could make up for this bustling town—now what? Transportation is going to be a big question for a lot of folks, so here is a handy guide to links and resources for getting to and from and around the Las Vegas Convention Center. (So, what about the monorail? And why does everyone hate it?)”...
Zen and Loathing in Las Vegas, June 2; Yelp

Las Vegas shows
Natalia Tabisaura writes: “Now that you’ve finished planning the business part of your conference trip, start planning the fun with a show or concert. With so many choices, the tough part will be deciding which show(s) to catch. Like Lasvegas.com says, ‘Anyone worth seeing stops in Vegas. Shouldn’t you?’ Absolutely! Here is a list of some of the many choices.”...
YALSAblog, June 2

The 10 hottest restaurants
Lesley Balla writes: “The Las Vegas restaurant scene is hotter than ever, from the flashiest new mega-restaurants on the Strip to unconventional steakhouses in the suburbs. Whatever you’re looking for, whether it’s a night full of whimsy, live entertainment and small plates at the Cosmopolitan, lavish dim sum at the MGM or dessert spot in Chinatown, we’ve got you covered. Here are 10 of the hottest new discoveries you won’t want to miss in Sin City.”...
Zagat, Mar. 31

The Auto Collections
The Auto Collections at the Quad Resort and Casino, 3535 Las Vegas Boulevard South, is the world’s largest classic car showroom, with more than $100 million worth of inventory. More than 250 antique, classic, muscle, and historically significant cars are on display and nearly all are for sale. Visitors might be able to see Johnny Carson’s 1939 Chrysler Royal Sedan (above) that he drove to his high school senior prom or the 1962 Lincoln Continental Towne Limousine used by President John F. Kennedy....
The Auto Collections

Some Viva Las Vegas locations remain unchanged
F. Andrew Taylor writes: “Viva Las Vegas, starring Ann-Margret and Elvis Presley and considered by many to be one of the best Elvis films ever made, was released on May 20, 1964—50 years ago—but the filming took place primarily in the second half of July 1963. Surprisingly, in a town that implodes and rebuilds itself periodically like the world’s biggest Lego set, several of the filming sites remain and some are relatively unchanged. What is now UNLV didn’t have its first commencement until 1964, but you can still walk the same floor that Elvis and Ann-Margret danced on.”...
Las Vegas Review-Journal, May 14

The 22 ugliest hotel carpets
Las Vegas is notorious for its bright, busy, and ugly hotel carpets. And not just in the cheaper hotels: You can find them pretty much everywhere. David G. Schwartz, director of the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, theorizes that “casino carpet is known as an exercise in deliberate bad taste that somehow encourages people to gamble.” Whatever the reason, the end result is dizzyingly unattractive. Take a look at 22 of the worst offenders....
Oyster.com; David G. Schwartz

Average age of visitors is lower
A statistical snapshot of Las Vegas visitors finds a younger crowd with fewer gamblers spending more money on food and drink than five years ago. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority released a visitor profile (PDF file) for 2013 on May 27 that found that almost four of five visitors were married, and almost nine out of 10 earned more than $40,000 a year....
Associated Press, May 28

Stamp celebrates Nevada’s 150th birthday
A new postage stamp commemorating Nevada’s 150th anniversary features the coppery red sandstone formations of Valley of Fire, the state’s first state park. Reno artist Ron Spears painted the landscape. The stamp was unveiled at a special May 29 ceremony at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas....
Associated Press, May 29

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Tweet to win tickets to “The Laugh’s on Us”
In their daily interactions, librarians are bound to hear (and overhear) humorous remarks. Share the words that have caused you to smile, stifle a giggle, or ROFL between the stacks, and you can earn a chance for further hilarity by entering to win two tickets to the “The Laugh’s on Us, Sponsored by Sage,” a United for Libraries event on June 29. To enter, tweet an answer to the following question using the hashtag #librarylaughs: What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever heard a library patron say?...
United for Libraries, June 3

Quirky books for quirky librarians
United for Libraries will present “Quirky Books for Quirky Librarians” on June 28 at the ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas. Authors Liz Climo (right), Ian Doescher, Caitlin Doughty, Jennifer Holland, Andrew Mayne, and Ben Parzybok will talk with pride about their often out-in-left-field topics. A book signing will follow....
United for Libraries, June 3

Building a Home Library bibliographies
The ALA–Children’s Book Council Joint Committee, with cooperation from ALSC, has created four Building a Home Library bibliographies. These downloadable lists are intended to provide guidance to parents, grandparents, and others interested in assembling a high-quality library for their children at home. The 2014 lists are available for children ages 0 to 3, 4 to 7, 8 to 11, and 12 to 14. All lists can be downloaded from the ALSC website....
ALSC, June 2

ALCTS Photo Scavenger Hunt
Running from Friday night through Monday of Annual Conference (June 27–30), the ALCTS Photo Scavenger Hunt lets you score points by snapping photos of all the great people, places, and things going on around you. Programs, meetings, booths, authors, Las Vegas landmarks and even fellow ALA-ers are on the daily photo lists. Score the most points and you can win from a collection of fabulous prizes....
ALCTS, June 3

The digital education transformation
Members of Follett’s Project Connect team will discuss how information professionals can reimagine the ways they support student learning during a panel presentation on June 28 at the 2014 ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas. Hosted by AASL, the discussion will examine the role of the librarian as a driver of CCSS curriculum development, content selection, and the digital transition....
AASL, June 3

Apply for PLA Boot Camp by June 13
The application deadline of June 13 for the PLA Results Boot Camp is fast approaching. The program, “Results Are What Matters: Management Tools and Techniques to Improve Library Services and Programs,” will be led by June Garcia and Sandra Nelson, August 4–8, at the Nashville (Tenn.) Public Library. Interested librarians are required to fill out an online application to be accepted into Boot Camp....
PLA, June 2

Public library programs at Annual Conference
With three preconferences and nearly 20 programs, PLA is offering an array of programming dedicated to public library staff attending the 2014 ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas. Things get started on June 27 with three half-day preconferences. During the remaining days of conference, PLA will offer 19 concurrent programs covering topics like community relationships, early literacy, leadership, and library data use....
PLA, June 2

ALSC National Institute registration
ALSC encourages members planning to register for its 2014 National Institute in Oakland, California, September 18–20, to do so before the June 30 early bird registration deadline. Members will save $35 on the cost of registration if they sign up before June 30. To find out how to register at a reduced rate, visit the institute registration website....
ALSC, June 3

C&RL 75th anniversary issue
In preparation for the upcoming celebration of ACRL’s 75th anniversary, the editorial board of College and Research Libraries asked the journal’s readers to help identify seven landmark articles from C&RL history to be included in a special issue to be published in March 2015 and discussed at the ACRL 2015 Conference in Portland, Oregon. The following articles were selected from a list of 30 finalists....
ACRL, June 3

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Take a shelfie, win two Carnegie Medal tickets
Tweet a shelfie (self + shelf = shelfie) with one of the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction shortlist titles (right) with the hashtag #ala_carnegie, and your name will be entered in a drawing to receive two tickets to the awards ceremony in Las Vegas on June 28. The contest runs through 12 noon Central time, June 6....
RUSA News, June 4

Argiro Morgan awarded Trustee Citation
United for Libraries has named Argiro Morgan (right) of St. Tammany Parish (La.) Library as the recipient of the ALA Trustee Citation. The ALA Trustee Citation, established in 1941 to recognize public library trustees for distinguished service to library development, honors the best contributions and efforts of the estimated 60,000 US citizens who serve on library boards....
United for Libraries, June 3

2014 Donald G. Davis Article Award
The winner of the 2014 Donald G. Davis Article Award, presented by the Library History Round Table, is Debra Gold Hansen for her article, “Depoliticizing the California State Library: The Political and Professional Transformation of James Gillis, 1899–1917,” Information and Culture: A Journal of History 48, no. 1 (2013): 68–90. The award is given every second year to recognize the best article written in English in the field of US and Canadian library history....
Library History Round Table, June 3

ASCLA’s first In the Margins book list
The In the Margins Book Award and Selection Committee, a committee under the umbrella of ASCLA’s Library Services for Youth in Custody Interest Group, selected its first list of 25 titles and a top 10. In the Margins strives to find the best books for teens living in poverty, on the streets, in custody—or a cycle of all three. The full list of 25 titles with annotations can be found online....
ASCLA Blog, June 4

NMRT Professional Development Grant
Samantha Helmick (right), user experience and outreach librarian at Burlington (Iowa) Public Library, has been selected to receive the 2014 New Members Round Table Professional Development Grant. This award provides funding to cover airfare, lodging, and conference registration fees for attendance at the ALA Annual Conference and fosters in-person participation in ALA and NMRT professional activities....
Office for Human Resource Development and Recruitment, May 28

Reforma Librarian of the Year
Salvador Avila (right), manager of the Enterprise branch of the Las Vegas–Clark County (Nev.) Library District is the recipient of the 2014 Dr. Arnulfo D. Trejo Librarian of the Year Award from Reforma, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking. The award recognizes early to mid-career library professionals who have promoted and advocated services to the Spanish-speaking and Latino communities....
Reforma, June 3

Reforma gives first lifetime achievement award
The first recipient of the Elizabeth Martinez Lifetime Achievement Award given by Reforma, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking, is Sandra Rios Balderrama (right). Named for a founding member of Reforma, this award was created in 2013 to recognize those who have achieved excellence in librarianship over an extended period of service and who have made significant and lasting contributions to Reforma, as well as to the Latino/a community....
Reforma, June 3

2014 Robert L. Oakley Advocacy Award (PDF file)
Sarah (Sally) G. Holterhoff (right), government information and reference librarian at Valparaiso (Ind.) University School of Law, has won the American Association of Law Libraries 2014 Robert L. Oakley Advocacy Award. The award is given to individuals who have promoted AALL policy agenda at the federal, state, local, or international level....
American Association of Law Libraries, May 29

2014 Public Access to Government Information Award (PDF file)
The American Association of Law Libraries has selected the Mississippi College School of Law Library in Jackson for its 2014 Public Access to Government Information Award. The library was cited for its Legislative History Project, an online video archive that provides free access to recent actions of the Mississippi State Legislature....
American Association of Law Libraries, May 29

2014 Boston Globe–Horn Book Awards
The Boston Globe–Horn Book Awards are among the most prestigious honors in the field of children’s and young adult literature. The 2014 awards were announced May 30 at BookExpo America. The winning picture book was Mr. Tiger Goes Wild (Little, Brown), written and illustrated by Peter Brown; the fiction winner was Grasshopper Jungle (Dutton) by Andrew Smith; and the nonfiction winner was The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights (Roaring Book) by Steve Sheinkin....
The Horn Book, May 30

Audiobook of the year
The audiobook of comedian, actor, producer, director, author, and nine-time Oscars host Billy Crystal, Still Foolin’ ’Em: Where I’ve Been, Where I’m Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys? (Macmillan Audio), was named Audiobook of the Year May 29 at the 2014 Audies Gala in New York City (PDF file). The award, sponsored by the Audio Publishers Association, recognizes the audiobook that, through quality, innovation, marketing, and sales, has had the most significant impact on the industry....
The Global Dispatch, May 30; Audio Publishers Association, May 30

2014 Lambda Literary Awards
The 26th annual Lambda Literary Awards were handed out June 2 at Cooper Union College in New York City. The Lammys, as they’re known, recognize the best LGBT books of the previous year in 25 categories (including for the first time this year, best LGBT Graphic Novel: Calling Dr. Laura: A Graphic Memoir by Nicole J. Georges, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). The awards are sponsored by the Lambda Literary Foundation....
/Bent, June 3

2014 Wolfson History Prize
Two titles have been awarded this year’s Wolfson History Prize for history books published in 2013. Catherine Merridale’s Red Fortress: The Secret Heart of Russia’s History (Allen Lane) and Cyprian Broodbank’s The Making of the Middle Sea: A History of the Mediterranean from the Beginning to the Emergence of the Classical World (Thames & Hudson) were announced the winners of the annual prize in London on June 2, each receiving a prize of £25,000 ($41,870 US)....
The Bookseller, June 3

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NYPL reveals details of new upgrade plan
The New York Public Library’s revised renovation plan—to upgrade the Mid-Manhattan Library (right) and create more public space in its flagship Fifth Avenue building—is expected to cost about $300 million, according to library officials who outlined new details of the project in interviews. The anticipated budget matches what the library had originally suggested its previous plan might cost. The historic stacks in the main building will be kept, but not returned to service as a storage area for books. Meanwhile, plaster fell from the ceiling in the Rose Main Reading Room on May 28, requiring it to be closed for two weeks. And a state Supreme Court judge on June 2 dismissed two of three lawsuits that had been seeking to block the now-scrapped renovation plan....
New York Times, June 1–2; Wall Street Journal: Metropolis, May 30

SUV crashes into New York library, injures six
A sport-utility vehicle barreled into the front door of a library packed with people in Spring Valley, New York, on May 27, leaving six people injured. When the SUV hit the Finkelstein Memorial Library, the library was set to be open for two more hours and was busy. Chaos erupted as the Toyota RAV4 slammed into the circulation desk, toppling computers and bookcases. The library reopened June 1 after a preliminary clean-up....
WCBS-TV, May 27; Yeshiva World News, June 1

School board rescinds ban on Curious Incident
A vote to ban a book from the Wilson County (Tenn.) Schools reading list was rescinded at a May 30 school board meeting. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon was banned from the reading list at the board’s May 5 meeting and was removed from the possession of students. However, the books were returned to students on the advice of school board attorney Mike Jennings due to a possible conflict with a board policy....
Lebanon (Tenn.) Democrat, June 3

Georgia’s summer reading sweepstakes
Reading this summer can pay future dividends for children in Georgia whose parents, grandparents, or guardians enroll them in a program to save money for college. In its fifth year, the Path2College 529 Plan is offering summer readers a chance to win cash prizes: $1,529 to four regional winners that will be placed into the savings plan and $5,529 to a grand prize winner. The library through which the grand prize winner is registered will receive $1,529 and the home libraries of five regional winners will receive $529....
Jacksonville Florida Times-Union, May 28

Dr. Seuss invoked over Dallas Public Library funding
More than 20 library supporters, along with six speakers, appeared before Dallas City Council on May 28 to ask for support to restore library funding, hours, programs, and technology. Two speakers from the Friends of the Dallas Public Library, Karen Blumenthal (left) and Patti Clapp, brought councilors to their feet with a standing ovation, thanks to their portrayal of Thing One and Thing Two from Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat. The Friends group needs 30,000 signatures on a petition to restore library hours that were cut in 2008. Watch the video (2:16)....
Dallas Morning News: City Hall Blog, May 28

Seattle’s Central Library celebrates 10 years
Habin Kwak writes: “The Seattle Central Library celebrated its 10th anniversary on May 23 with live music, free refreshments, and guest appearances by its chief architects. Regarded as the prize of the city’s library system, the Seattle Central Library, designed by Rem Koolhaas’s OMA, has garnered both criticism and acclaim for its unique architectural design. To celebrate the decade, we have compiled 10 photos that provide a virtual tour of this unique cathedral of reading.”...
A/N Blog, June 2; Seattle Times, May 23

SCSU librarian on Jeopardy!
You may have caught Southern Connecticut State University Reference Librarian Wendy Hardenberg (right) on Jeopardy! May 30. Hardenberg, along with DePaul University Art Professor Sami Siegelbaum, ended up in the black on the show but barely had a chance of winning against the megawinner, Illinois business consultant Julia Collins. Hardenberg ended up second at the end of the Final Jeopardy! round....
Hartford (Conn.) Courant, June 2

Law library director pleads guilty to theft
The former director of the Montgomery County (Pa.) Law Library entered into an open guilty plea on May 28 for allowing the misuse of library funds over several years and making unauthorized purchases for himself. Bruce Piscadlo pleaded guilty to one felony count of theft by unlawful taking and one misdemeanor count of misapplication of entrusted property. Other charges, including theft by deception, receiving stolen property, and criminal conspiracy, will be dismissed at sentencing....
Norristown (Pa.) Times-Herald, May 28

Gardaí investigate missing rare books at All Hallows College
Irish federal police have been called in at All Hallows College in Dublin following the discovery that many items have gone missing, including books, manuscripts, and pieces of art, possibly worth as much as €100,000 ($136,200 US). After a detailed investigation at the college, rare books expert Owen Felix O’Neill concluded the library had been “plundered for a very, very long time.” More than 100 books were missing in what he termed “a grand theft.”...
Irish Times (Dublin), May 26

Welsh library advocates chain themselves to library
Protesters in Wales chained themselves to bookshelves for around four hours in a last-ditch attempt to save their local library. Police were called after a group of campaigners chained themselves up at Rhydyfelin Library, near Pontypridd, as it officially closed its doors on May 31. The campaigners refused to leave and staged a peaceful protest until police arrived....
Cardiff (UK) Western Mail, June 1

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John Oliver on net neutrality
Cable companies are trying to create an unequal playing field for internet speeds, but they’re doing it so boringly that most news outlets aren’t covering it. John Oliver (right), host of HBO’s new comedy talk show Last Week Tonight, explains the controversy (13:17) and lets viewers know how they can voice their displeasure to the FCC. Thousands of comments inspired by Oliver’s rant apparently crashed the FCC servers on June 2....
YouTube, June 1; Time, June 3

Libraries see light after years of cuts
Marsha Mercer writes: “Buffeted by financial and cultural pressures, public libraries around the country are struggling to remain relevant and connect with patrons in the high-cost digital age. States, never a deep pocket for public libraries, have cut or even zeroed out aid, forcing libraries to rely more heavily on local funds. But there are signs the slowly improving economy is helping libraries’ budgets. Revenue from all sources to the nation’s 8,956 public libraries ticked up slightly, from $11.3 billion in 2010 to $11.4 billion in 2011.”...
Stateline, June 4

Copyright roundup: Changes in UK law
Kevin Smith writes: “A hugely significant revision to UK copyright law will be given royal assent, the last stage of becoming law, in June. The UK studied how to reform copyright law in ways that would encourage more innovation and economic competitiveness. The resulting report made a number of recommendations, many of which were focused on creating limitations and copyright exceptions so that the law would work more like it does in the US, including the flexibility provided by fair use.”...
Scholarly Communications @ Duke, May 30

Nice day for a field hearing on first sale
Carrie Russell writes: “For a change of pace, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Courts, IP, and the Internet took a field trip to the United States District Court, Southern District of New York June 2 to hold a copyright hearing. The subject of the hearing was one near and dear to libraries—first sale, which allows that once a lawful copy of a work is purchased, the owner can distribute or dispose of that copy. Libraries would be unable to lend books or other library resources without the first sale exception.”...
District Dispatch, June 3

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How much time the world spends looking at screens
Jamie Condliffe writes: “Ever wondered how much time the average person spends looking at their TV, computer, phone, or laptop? Well, this chart shows exactly that, broken down by country. Produced by Mary Meeker for her annual presentation on internet trends, the chart reveals some interesting insights. Clearly Indonesia and the Philippines are glued to their screens, but it’s the breakdown where it get interesting.”...
Gizmodo, May 29; Quartz, May 28

Screen protectors 101
Chris Hoffman writes: “Screen protectors were once practically mandatory, but advances in glass and coatings have made them unnecessary for most people. You don’t have to buy a screen protector when you get a new phone. Most smartphones you’ll buy use Corning’s Gorilla Glass. This is a toughened, hard glass with high scratch resistance. However, some common materials can scratch Gorilla Glass. The biggest culprit is sand.”...
How-To Geek, June 2

The best PDF tools and apps
Amit Agarwal writes: “Adobe PDF is probably the best format for sharing documents as the layout and formatting is preserved across all platforms, the documents are read-only, and also because most computers and mobile devices can easily open PDF files. This guide shares a host of useful things you can do with the PDF file format with the help of software tools and web apps that don’t cost a penny.”...
Digital Inspiration, June 2

How to automate basic PC maintenance tasks
Eric Geier writes: “You can automate many maintenance tasks, such as removing temporary files, fixing drive errors, keeping drivers up-to-date, and backing up files. Beyond helping to keep your own PC finely tuned, this can be especially useful for those who are the on-call tech at work.”...
PC World, May 28

Innovative acquires VTLS
Marshall Breeding writes: “Innovative Interfaces acquired Blacksburg, Virginia–based VTLS on May 30 as part of its strategic expansion strategy. This move follows the acquisition of Polaris announced in April. The acquisitions were conducted in parallel, with different schedules for closing. The acquisition of VTLS significantly expands Innovative’s international reach and brings a number of new technology products (Virtua, VITAL, Chamo Discovery, and MozGo) under its corporate umbrella.”...
ALA TechSource Blog, June 2; Innovative, June 2

Google invests in satellites
Google plans to spend more than $1 billion on a fleet of satellites to extend internet access to unwired regions of the globe, hoping to overcome financial and technical problems that thwarted previous efforts. The project will start with 180 small, high-capacity satellites orbiting the earth at lower altitudes than traditional satellites, and then could expand. Google’s efforts to deliver internet service to unserved regions—through balloons, drones, and satellites—are consistent with its approaches to other new markets....
Wall Street Journal, June 1

Connecticut to create a statewide ebook delivery system for libraries
Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy on June 3 signed P.A. 14-82, An Act Concerning a State-wide Platform for the Distribution of Electronic Books, authorizing the State Library to create and maintain a state platform for the distribution of ebooks to public library patrons. The bill was passed in response to legislation Malloy signed in 2013 that commissioned the state’s Department of Consumer Protection to study how public libraries could gain fairer access to ebooks....
Connecticut Office of the Governor, June 3

Academic price hikes: Predatory or parasitical?
James LaRue writes: “In the animal world, there are many ways two species can interact. They may compete. They may partner. They may form symbiotic relationships. Or one may prey on the other. That leads me to the topic of academic ebook price hikes. Do publishers have to make money? They do. But raising prices when the revenues are down will not, surely, result in more sales.”...
AL: E-Content, June 2; Chronicle of Higher Education, May 27

Amazon vs. Hachette: No good guys in this fight
James LaRue writes: “Lately, there has been a lot of press about the conflict between Amazon and Hachette. There are at least three ways to look at the conflict between these firms, for conflict it certainly is: Amazon is the bad guy, Hachette is the bad guy, or this is one publishing paradigm struggling against the other. It’s clear that libraries need to find a path to the future. Right now, neither Hachette nor Amazon is a library friend. Let them fight.”...
AL: E-Content, June 4

Hachette chief leads the Amazon fight
Jonathan Mahler writes: “As the first chief executive of a major publishing house to negotiate new terms with Amazon since the Justice Department sued five publishers in 2012 for conspiring to raise ebook prices, Hachette Book Group CEO Michael Pietsch (right) finds himself fighting not just for the future of Hachette, but for that of every publisher that works with Amazon. The dispute centers on Amazon wanting to offer deep discounts on Hachette’s ebooks, and the negotiations are not going well.” Joe Nocera offers more background, Jeremy Greenfield worries about the future of ideas, and the Justice Department seems to be interested again. Author John Green called Amazon’s tactics “bullying” and Malcolm Gladwell is “puzzled” by the retailer’s actions....
New York Times, Apr. 11, 2012; May 30–June 1; GigaOM, June 3; The Atlantic, May 28; Associated Press, June 2; New York Times: Bits, May 30

Apple is building iBooks into its iOS 8
Smashwords’s Mark Coker writes: “During the live demo event of Apple’s unveiling of their new iOS 8 operating system on June 3, Apple made a passing reference to a slide of ‘iOS 8 features we didn’t have time to talk about.’ Buried in the fine print but photographed by bloggers (right) was an ebook retailing bombshell: iBooks will come preinstalled on iOS 8. This is a game-changer for ebook retailing.”...
The Huffington Post Blog, June 3

Digital preservation
James LaRue writes: “Libraries—both public and academic—are in the business of gathering, organizing, and presenting to the public the intellectual content of our culture. To some extent, we’re also responsible for the preservation of that content. Generally speaking, academic libraries take the lead on this longer-term collection management; public libraries focus more on the popular and perhaps ephemeral content. But digital publishing here, as in so many other places, changes the game.”...
AL: E-Content, May 30

DCL ebook report for June
James LaRue writes: “The Douglas County (Colo.) Libraries Ebook Report for June (PDF file) is now available. After the death of Maya Angelou, the demand for her I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings has risen. The ebook is available from 3M for $20.97. Regular people (i.e., consumers) can buy it from Amazon and Barnes and Noble for $4.01. Libraries are caged birds, indeed.”....
AL: E-Content, June 3

Target to offer ebooks
Target wants to help host your book club—online. As the retailer works to build a more competitive e-commerce experience, it’s partnering with a startup ebook subscription service called Librify to give customers an online platform for buying, sharing, and discussing their favorite books. Librify, which started beta testing with select users in March, offers a social-subscription service for ebooks....
USA Today, May 28

Gale to offer Wiley’s Dummies ebooks
More than 400 John Wiley and Sons ebooks are coming to the Gale Virtual Reference Library, including nearly 180 titles from the popular “For Dummies” series, such as Stock Investing for Dummies, Paleo Cookbook for Dummies, and Pinterest for Dummies. Other titles include monographs covering such subjects as business and economics, medicine, computer science, and psychology, and are part of Gale’s effort to expand its ebook offerings for the growing STEM market....
Cengage Learning, June 3

US ambassador sworn in on a Kindle
Brian Fung writes: “It’s no surprise that with ebooks on the rise, more and more public officials will be sworn in on them. On June 2, Suzi LeVine became the first US ambassador (as American representative to Switzerland) to be sworn in on an e-reader. LeVine took the oath on a digital copy of the US Constitution stored on a Kindle Touch.”...
Washington Post: The Switch, June 2

2014 Annual Conference and Exhibition, Las Vegas, June 26–July 1. Download the Conference Scheduler mobile app. Get all the information on the go: Plan, browse sessions, track, add personal meetings and exhibitors, and get updates.

Libraries on Film Star Trek: Insurrection (1998). Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Troi (Marina Sirtis) do some library research about an alien race they plan to visit. The scene in which a librarian (played by Lee Arnone) helps them find the information was cut. Star Trek: The Original Series (March 14, 1969, TV series), “All Our Yesterdays.” The USS Enterprise visits a planet with a sophisticated computer-disk library under the care of Mr. Atoz (Ian Wolfe). By viewing the disks, a time portal can send any who enter back in time to the point recorded in the data. Star Trek into Darkness (2013). A terrorist agent sets a bomb off in the Kelvin Memorial Archives in East London, actually a secret Starfleet Intelligence facility with hidden weapons. Star Wars: The Clone Wars (October 2, 2009, TV series), “Holocron Heist.” Flo Di Re appears in this and two later episodes as librarian/archivist Jocasta Nu. This AL Direct feature describes hundreds of films (and some TV shows) in which libraries and librarians are featured, from 1912 to the present. The full list is a Web Extra associated with The Whole Library Handbook 5, edited by George M. Eberhart and published by ALA Editions. You can browse the films on our Libraries on Film Pinterest board.

Digital Library of the Week Yale University’s James J. Ross Archive of African Images presents approximately 5,000 pictures of African art published before 1921. RAAI is the result of a collaboration between James J. Ross and Susan Vogel, the project’s codirectors. The archive aspires to include all the figurative African objects in books, periodicals, catalogs, newspapers, and other publications appearing in 1920 and earlier—the oldest dates to 1591. The archive does not include postcards or pamphlets of limited distribution, and focuses exclusively on figurative art. It is based mainly on the James J. Ross library augmented by publications from the libraries of Yale University and a few other institutions. Do you know of a digital library collection that we can mention in this AL Direct feature? Tell us about it. Browse previous Digital Libraries of the Week at the I Love Libraries site, Check out our Featured Digital Libraries Pinterest board.

Judy Blume: Parents worry too much about what children read
Parents worry “much too much” about what their children are reading, said author Judy Blume at the Hay Festival of Literature and Arts in Wales. She argued that they will simply self-censor by getting bored with anything they do not understand. Blume said the experience of having her own books banned in the 1980s was “alarming,” leaving her feeling “very alone.” She added that parents should concentrate on just getting their kids to love books....
The Telegraph (UK), June 1

2014 National Book Festival
Jennifer Gavin writes: “The author lineup for the 2014 Library of Congress National Book Festival is growing all the time, building excitement for the free event at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on August 30. Yes, that’s right, a 12-hour day in a new venue, with all the features you know and love by day and a bunch of fascinating new offerings by night—a first in the festival’s 14-year run. Recent additions to the speakers’ list include Michio Kaku, Mona Simpson, Elizabeth McCracken, Anne Hillerman, Raina Telgemeier, Albert Rios, Jack Gantos, Francesco Marciulano, and Judith Viorst.”...
Library of Congress Blog, May 30

The true crimes of a map dealer gone rogue
John Ruch writes: “When a librarian at Yale noticed the X-Acto knife blade laying on the floor in 2005, the peculiar criminal career of Edward Forbes Smiley III—perhaps the world’s most prolific thief of antique maps—met its doom. The investigation into the scope and motives of this eccentric rogue’s crimes, however, was only beginning. The Map Thief, journalist Michael Blanding’s new book about the Smiley case, unfolds as a real-life thriller about this map-dealer turned map-stealer.”...
Paste, May 29

The rise and fall of YA lit trends
Tara Kehoe writes: “In 2008, Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight hit the big time with the release of the movie version. Millions flocked to the theaters, then to bookstores and libraries to finish the saga. Suddenly, everywhere we looked, there were vampires: scary, sexy, sparkly, fangs—you could take your pick. Then the inevitable backlash hit—hard. Folks had clearly hit a saturation point. It became cool to loudly proclaim ones’ hatred of Twilight—and all things vampire.”...
YALSA The Hub, June 2

Adoption in YA lit
Hannah Gómez writes: “I read books about adoption growing up when I could find them, but that was not often, especially as I grew out of picture books and early readers. I was always surprised there were not more books that dealt with adoption, since people like to think that it’s something that is fraught with drama. Even as I try to think of different types of adoption situations, it hits me that there are probably a lot more books than I think there are.”...
YALSA The Hub, May 30

What to read next for fans of The Fault in Our Stars
Carli Spina writes: “The first post I ever wrote for The Hub offered a list of books that fans of The Fault in Our Stars would enjoy. With the movie coming out so soon, now seems like a good time to add to this list. In After Ever After, author Jordan Sonnenblick opts to look at the aftermath of cancer rather than focusing on the battle against the disease.”...
YALSA The Hub, Dec. 7, 2012; May 30

The Fault in Our Stars media Bingo card
Kelly Jensen writes: “Unless you live under a rock, chances are you’ve heard of this guy named John Green and chances are that you’ve read an article or 72 talking about how one of his books, the phenomenal New York Times bestseller The Fault in Our Stars, is hitting theaters this week. I thought it would be fun to have a Bingo card at the ready for navigating what is sure to be a few more weeks of media spotlight. Pull out an article or two and see how long it takes you to collect a Bingo.”...
Book Riot, June 3

Orange is the new academia
Jill A. Grunenwald writes: “For the past three years I have been employed as the librarian at a small career college on Cleveland’s east side. Prior to that, my first professional job was as the sole librarian at an all-male, minimum-security prison on the far west side of the city. When I first began working at the college, I assumed my days as a prison librarian would merely serve as an entertaining source of anecdotes and stories. Instead, I found that my time spent behind bars prepared me in unexpected ways for the day-to-day situations that occur in an urban academic library.”...
College and Research Libraries News 75, no. 6 (June): 324–325

30 Gmail tips
Eric Griffith writes:“Gmail has come a long way in 10 years. There’s plenty of room for improvement, but it is a free product, after all. In addition to the features in Google Labs, there are many browser add-ons and extensions that can enhance Gmail far beyond its original parameters. Mastering even a few of them will help you take far more advantage of what Gmail has to offer beyond the basics of sending and receiving messages.”...
PC Magazine, Apr. 1, June 2

The tweens of summer
Most libraries have a core group of kids that know and love our programs and are super excited about libraries in general. But, especially in the summer, these kids are often accompanied by siblings in a group a bit more disconnected from library services—tweens. Tagging along with their siblings, tweens who are unfamiliar with library programming often end up exposed to summer offerings. What can you do to keep them coming back?...
YALSAblog, May 29

The Bedtime Math Foundation’s Crazy 8s Math Club
Meghan Davis writes: “Each night kids around the world may listen to bedtime stories as they are tucked in. Bedtime addition problems? Bedtime fractions? Not so much. The Bedtime Math Foundation is out to change that. Its newest addition is the Crazy 8s Math Club, an eight-week course where kids meet up to an hour a week with a coach to work on practical math projects. The clubs can be run straight out of your library.”...
Programming Librarian, June 2

New app helps identify bird species
Erin McCarthy writes: “Birdsnap is an electronic field guide for the iPhone, created by computer scientists at Columbia University and the University of Maryland, that can identify 500 common North American birds with nothing but a cellphone photo. The process is simple: Take a photo or choose one from your phone’s album, click on the eye and the tail, and wait for the potential matches to show up. The app detects the parts of a bird in the photo so it can compare them with what’s in its database.”...
Mental Floss, June 3

Find the person behind an email address
Amit Agarwal writes: “You have received an email from a person with whom you have never interacted earlier and thus, before you take the conversation forward, you would like to do a bit of research for that person on the internet. How do you do this without directly asking the other person? Here are some ways that may help you uncover the identity of that unknown email sender.”...
Digital Inspiration, June 3

Serving military families
Jan Marry writes: “Have you ever presented a program and learned something unexpected about your library users? At Williamsburg (Va.) Regional Library we ran a storytime focusing on military families; two nonagenarians saw the event listed in the local paper and attended, complete with walkers. They decided not to stay for picture books and songs, but first they regaled us with tales of traveling with their soldier husbands to ravaged, post-World War II Germany.”...
ALSC Blog, May 31

Teen services in a rural library
Rebekah Kamp writes: “Despite all the hurdles to overcome, teen library services are very important in rural communities where other facilities for teens may not exist. In my community, the need for productive teen activities has popped up in both community and library needs assessments. With just over 10,000 people in our service area, the library is one of the few places in the community open to young adults outside of school hours.”...
YALSAblog, June 4

Bookmobile benefits related on StoryCorps
In the late 1950s, when she was just 8 years old, Storm Reyes (left) began picking fruit as a full-time farm laborer for less than $1 per hour. Storm and her family moved often, living in Native American migrant worker camps without electricity or running water. With all that moving around, she wasn’t allowed to have books growing up, Storm told her son, Jeremy Hagquist (right), on a visit to StoryCorps in Tacoma, Washington....
NPR: Morning Edition, May 30

How to appear like you have it together
Lauren Bradley writes: “The most uncomfortable part of adapting to my first professional job was coming to grips with the volume of things I still didn’t know. Luckily, I’ve always thrived on being thrown in the deep end and, over the past couple years, have managed to cultivate a reputation as someone who knows what she is doing, both within my organization and the larger library community. These are my tips for giving the impression you know what you are doing, even if you feel like you have no idea.”...
Letters to a Young Librarian, May 29

DPL’s Volume Denver
Casey Lansinger writes: “Volume Denver is Denver Public Library’s new music website, to be launched in July, in which local musicians can submit their album or EP and a committee of DPL staff and community members will judge submissions based on a five-point scale. Those that are accepted in the first round (submissions are currently closed, but will be open again every quarter) will have their music uploaded onto DPL’s new Volume Denver website where any card holder can download and stream the music for free.”...
The Library As Incubator Project, June 3; Denver Public Library, Apr. 18

New nominee for oldest overdue notice
Larry Nix writes: “While collecting postal librariana I have managed to acquire many examples of one of the most common forms of library communication: the overdue library materials notice. Recently I acquired one that may be the oldest. It was mailed on January 7, 1832, by Sir Patrick Dun’s Library in Dublin, Ireland. The library was part of Sir Patrick Dun’s Hospital, which was in operation from 1800 to 1986. Dun also built an extensive personal medical library that is now part of the Royal College of Physicians Library in London.”...
Library History Buff Blog, June 3

The burden of writing: Scribes in medieval manuscripts
Sarah J. Biggs writes: “When we speak to visitors or students about our medieval manuscripts, we frequently find ourselves spending a significant amount of time talking about how such books were created. We discuss the ways that scribes worked and artists painted, and quite often we will then be asked just how it is that we can know such details. There are, of course, medieval manuals for craftspeople that still exist, but often we can find clues in the manuscripts themselves.”...
British Library: Medieval Manuscripts Blog, June 3

19 resources on gamification
Julie Greller writes: “According to Mashable, gamification is ‘the use of game mechanics and game design techniques in non-game contexts.’ Using gamification can help get kids interested in things they normally would find boring. Are you ready to get your game on? Take a look below and see what you think. I personally am all for anything that makes learning more fun for our students.”...
A Media Specialist’s Guide to the Internet, May 4

This one is really bound in human skin
Heather Cole writes: “Good news for fans of anthropodermic bibliopegy, bibliomaniacs, and cannibals alike: Tests have revealed that Houghton Library’s copy of Arsène Houssaye’s Des destinées de l’ame is without a doubt bound in human skin. Harvard conservators and scientists tested the binding using several different methods. According to Senior Rare Book Conservator Alan Puglia, they are 99.9% confident that the binding is of human origin.”...
Houghton Library Blog, May 24, June 4

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