The e-newsletter of the American Library Association | May 14, 2014

2014 ALA Annual must-dos
American Libraries Associate Editor Mariam Pera offers some suggestions on what Annual Conference attendees absolutely must do in Las Vegas this summer. From speakers to professional development, awards and honors, the exhibit hall, staying connected, and some personal must-dos, here is how to experience the city, librarian-style....
American Libraries feature

Chicago Public Library to loan out robots
Timothy Inklebarger writes: “As part of its ongoing initiative to offer library patrons access to 21st-century technology, Chicago Public Library has added programmable Finch Robots (right) to its catalog. The library is partnering with Google to offer 500 of the robots, which can be picked up at six locations in the city. The robots were developed at Carnegie Mellon University’s CREATE Lab and aim to teach children and adults the fundamentals of computer programming. They are geared toward patrons ages 8 and up.”...
AL: The Scoop, May 14

Librarians reimagine book clubs
Apryl Flynn Gilliss writes: “In our more modern, connected, and ever-busy age, traditional library book clubs have been undergoing a quiet revolution. Lack of time, scheduling conflicts, mobility issues, desire for anonymity, and other factors have moved the conversation online—namely onto social media. Tech-savvy librarians aware of these trends are using emerging technologies to both enhance physical book clubs and to replace them with online ones.”...
American Libraries feature

Another story: Privacy matters, but why?
Joseph Janes writes: “So much of the discussion of late around privacy centers on its tradeoffs with security. Want to feel safe on a plane? Then you won’t mind having a full-body X-ray or a pat down that could easily be mistaken for a third date. Want to fight terrorism? Then it’d be fine to have the government read all your emails, listen to your phone calls, and know what you search online. Besides, if you don’t have anything to hide…. Which precisely misses the point about privacy.”...
American Libraries column, May

Dispatches from the Field: Media in the classroom
Julie A. Decesare writes: “Media is a complicated format for librarians. Issues involving fair use limitations, individual versus institutional rights, closed-circuit rights, public-performance rights, and copyright questions are ever-present. Finding titles in a required format can also be problematic. The payoff comes in the many video resources available, both for free and through fees, that are ideal for library instruction, research, outreach, and use within the curriculum by way of content and learning management systems.”...
American Libraries column, May

Youth Matters: Knowing what readers need
Ernie Cox writes: “The era of Common Core State Standards in American education carries both promise and peril. Pundits readily discuss varied perspectives about CCSS in everything from traditional journals to social media. While it is vital for school librarians to participate in this discussion, many are realizing how important it is to work with fellow educators to understand and teach to these standards. ALA’s youth divisions have created resource pages with CCSS in mind.”...
American Libraries column, May

AL Live summary: Library security
Steve Albrecht, security consultant, moderated “Library Security,” the May 8 episode of American Libraries Live. The panel also included Jennifer Velasquez, teen services coordinator at San Antonio (Tex.) Public Library, and Catherine Hakala-Ausperk, executive director of the Northeast Ohio Regional Library System. The panel discussed dealing with challenging or problematic patrons, codes of conduct, and safety for library staff and customers, and also took audience questions from the chat. Here are the essential points discussed....
AL: The Scoop, May 14

Libraries find success in crowdfunding
Megan Cottrell writes: “When the Northlake (Ill.) Public Library District wanted to grow its popular graphic novel collection and add a fun element to attract young adults, the staff decided to dream big—really big. As in 9-feet-tall-and-green kind of big. Staff members launched a crowdfunding campaign in 2013 through the website Indiegogo to raise $30,000 to buy a statue of the Incredible Hulk, a stack of new graphic novels, and new technology, including a 3D printer and an iMac with a drawing pad.”...
American Libraries feature

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Virtual Membership Meeting, June 5
ALA members are invited to participate in the 2014 Virtual Membership Meeting, 2–3:30 p.m. Central time, June 5. VMM is an annual online forum where ALA leaders present information about topics of interest to the general membership. All ALA personal members may register. Virtual Membership Meetings are part of ALA’s ongoing efforts to reach out interactively to members about its strategic direction, budget priorities, and other topics of interest. Live captioning is provided....
ALA Membership, May 12

Celebrate mobile libraries in Las Vegas
Bookmobile Saturday, a series of programs and events highlighting the critical services bookmobiles provide, will be held on June 28 during the ALA 2014 Annual Conference in Las Vegas. Learn about the latest trends and model practices during “Bookmobiles 101,” a panel discussion featuring experts from the mobile outreach field and bookmobile industry. Tickets to a luncheon featuring Josh Hanagarne must be purchased online by June 14....
Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, May 12

Advocating for Better Salaries toolkit
The ALA–Allied Professional Association has released the fifth edition of its Advocating for Better Salaries Toolkit. It is available free of charge (PDF file). Initially created in 2002, the revised toolkit is designed to help library workers advocate and negotiate for better salaries and address pay equity issues in a post-recession, more-with-less environment....
ALA–Allied Professional Association, May 12

Coretta Scott King Awards Breakfast
The ALA Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table and the Coretta Scott King Book Awards Committee will celebrate 45 years of the best in children’s and young adult literature representing the African-American experience at the 2014 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Breakfast. The breakfast will be held on June 29 in the Caesars Palace Milano Ballroom during ALA’s 2014 Annual Conference in Las Vegas....
Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, May 12

Stonewall Book Awards Brunch
Join the ALA Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table and award-winning authors in celebration of the very best in GLBTQ literature at the 2014 Stonewall Book Awards Brunch, held during the ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas. The brunch will take place on June 30 at Paris Las Vegas....
Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, May 13

2014 Google Policy Fellow selected
Margaret Kavaras will serve as the ALA 2014 Google Policy Fellow. She will spend 10 weeks this summer in Washington, D.C., working on technology and internet policy issues. Kavaras is a recent graduate of George Washington University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in international affairs and history....
District Dispatch, May 14

2014 Guide to Newbery and Caldecott Awards
Updated to include the 2014 award and honor books, the 2014 edition of The Newbery and Caldecott Awards: A Guide to the Medal and Honor Books, published by ALA Editions, gathers together the books deemed most distinguished in American children’s literature and illustration since the inception of the renowned prizes. Librarians and teachers everywhere rely on this guidebook for quick reference and collection development and also as a resource for curriculum links and readers’ advisory....
ALA Editions, May 12

The top technologies you need to know
While it’s inspiring to ponder the libraries of the 22nd century, it’s a lot more practical to think ahead to the next five years. That’s just what editor Kenneth J. Varnum and his hand-picked team of contributors have done in The Top Technologies Every Librarian Needs to Know: A LITA Guide, published by ALA TechSource, showing library technology staff and administrators where to invest time and money to receive the greatest benefits....
ALA TechSource, May 13

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Top 10 tips for reluctant networkers
Mary-Michelle Moore writes: “It’s nearly summer, which means: conference season. In addition to the chance to go to presentations and sightsee, this is one of the best ways to network with your fellow librarians. Here are 10 great tips for networking with colleagues at in-person events.”...
INALJ, May 13

Las Vegas in YA literature
Jennifer Jost writes: “When most people think of books set in Las Vegas, the first thing to come to mind is probably Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. While that title certainly captures one man’s interesting experience in the Las Vegas of the 1970s, there are many other sides to this town and many other stories to be told. Numerous YA authors have chosen our unique city as a backdrop for their novels. Here a just a few selections.”...
YALSA Blog, May 13

Las Vegas turf wars
For decades, Las Vegas casinos have been trying to one-up each other with high-end restaurants, mega clubs, and even thrill rides—all in a bid to lure gamblers. But the latest attraction, built by Caesars, is part of a bigger strategy to win the Vegas turf war, once and for all. Bloomberg’s Trish Regan took a spin on the appropriately-named “High Roller” with CEO Gary Loveman to get his strategy. The video (4:05) also provides a glimpse into how the casinos have divided up the strip....
Bloomberg, May 6

Casinos for the younger crowd
Simon says: “You’ve probably heard people bragging about how amazing Bellagio is, or how you need to stay at Palazzo. If you’re in your early 20s, you might not love those casinos as much as others. Some resort casinos skew older. Others are built for first-time gamblers and college-aged students who crave fun. Today, I’ve got my list of my four go-to casinos for the younger crowd.” If you’re on a budget, you might also investigate the Facebook game, MyVEGAS Slots; the points you earn can be redeemed for real rewards like free rooms, free or discounted meals, and show tickets....
Silver Oak Online Casino, May 8; Club Thrifty, May 9

The Cosmopolitan turns on its love lights
A casino may seem like an unlikely ally for the arts, but take a look at the neon signage at The Cosmopolitan. Written across its façade are messages from none other than British artist Tracey Emin, part of a project called “I Promise to Love You.” Six of Emin’s artworks appear as digital renderings on all eight of the casino’s LED screens every hour for three minutes through February 2015. The messages move across the screens as if they are being written across the building....
Complex Art + Design, Apr. 3

The best Chinese food?
David R. Chan writes: “There is good and authentic Chinese food to be found in Las Vegas, particularly since the completion of the Las Vegas Chinatown mall on Spring Mountain Boulevard in 1995. In the years following the construction of ChinaTown Plaza, the Spring Mountain corridor has become a real Chinatown, sprinkled with other Asian influences. Interestingly, Las Vegas continues to be a magnet for Los Angeles-area Chinese restaurants that want to set up satellite locations.”...
The Huffington Post: Menuism, Apr. 1

A culinary taste of Las Vegas
Gone are the days of discount buffets dominating the Las Vegas culinary landscape. See how Sin City has become a foodie’s paradise. For example, two blocks from the Fremont Street Experience, the Beat Coffeehouse, 520 East Fremont Street, energizes downtown’s cool crowd with sturdy joe, sandwiches, and a browse space that includes a vintage vinyl store and a warren of three dozen creative businesses, including galleries and artist studios....
Sunset: Culinary Travel in the West

The Burlesque Hall of Fame
The Burlesque Hall of Fame, 520 East Fremont Street, is the world’s premier organization dedicated to preserving the living legacy of burlesque as an artform and cultural phenomenon. With a collection of several thousand costumes, stage props, photographs, and personal effects documenting the careers and lives of burlesque dancers, comics, and producers over nearly a century, the museum is a growing testament to the power and social impact of the art of the tease....
Burlesque Hall of Fame

How to find the best deals in Vegas
Las Vegas is a magnet for entertainment on the planet; with all its options, it can be difficult to distinguish what’s actually worth your time and your money. Party tour promoter World Crawl created this list of strategies on finding the best match for your budget....
World Crawl

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Program proposals for AASL Conference
AASL invites proposals for preconference workshops and concurrent sessions to be presented during its 17th National Conference and Exhibition taking place November 5–8, 2015, in Columbus, Ohio. The preconference workshop deadline is August 15, 2014, and the concurrent session deadline is November 7. Submissions will only be accepted via two online forms: preconference workshops and concurrent sessions....
AASL, May 9

Candice Mack elected YALSA president
Candice A. Mack (right), senior librarian and system-wide coordinator at the Los Angeles Public Library, has been elected YALSA president for 2015–2016. Mack currently serves as a director-at-large on YALSA’s board of directors and chair of the Board Standing Committee on Advocacy. She also reviews graphic novels and YA fiction for Booklist....
YALSA, May 9

Norm Medeiros elected ALCTS president
Norm Medeiros (right), associate librarian for collection management and metadata services at Haverford College, has been elected ALCTS president for 2015–2016. Medeiros currently serves as a director-at-large on the ALCTS board and as book review editor for Library Resources and Technical Services. He has also served as chair of the division’s Planning Committee, as a member of the Publishing Review Task Force, and as chair of the Publications Committee....
ALCTS, May 12

Two join the lineup for “The Laugh’s on Us”
Stephanie Evanovich and Issa Rae will join the lineup of authors at United for Libraries’ “The Laugh’s On Us,” sponsored by Sage and featuring standup comedian Paula Poundstone, on June 29 at the ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas. Evanovich is the bestselling author of Big Girl Panties, and Rae is the creator of the hit web series The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl....
United for Libraries, May 13

3D printers and library policies
Many public and academic libraries are making 3D printers available for patron use. At “3D Printers and Library Policies” on June 28 during the 2014 ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas, a panel will talk about this new trend, including concerns and issues to address when creating library policies related to patron access to and use of 3D printers. Registration is open....
United for Libraries, May 13

United for Libraries hosts “Isn’t It Romantic?”
United for Libraries will present “Isn’t It Romantic?” an author panel featuring romance writers, on June 28 during the 2014 ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas. Popular romance authors Shelley Coriell, Deborah Coonts, Jeaniene Frost, Jill Shalvis, and Ryan Winfield will discuss their books and sign copies following the program. Registration is open....
United for Libraries, May 13

Developing school library collections
The newest publication from AASL, Developing Collections to Empower Learners, examines collection development in the context of today’s shift toward digital resources, while emphasizing the foundational beliefs of the school library profession. Written by AASL member Sue Kimmel, the book provides practical advice about needs assessment, planning, selection, acquisitions, evaluation, and continuous improvement for collections to support AASL’s Standards for the 21st-Century Learner....
AASL, May 9

ALSC releases 2014 Summer Reading lists
ALSC has updated and released three Summer Reading lists. The lists are full of book titles to keep children engaged in reading throughout the summer. Lists are available for K–8 students. Each is available to download for free from the ALSC website in color or black-and-white. Lists can be customized to include library information, summer hours, and summer reading programs for children before making copies available to schools and patrons....
ALSC, May 13

New Choice operations manager
Rachel Hendrick (right) has been named operations manager of Choice, effective immediately. The premier source of reviews of academic books and digital resources of interest to scholars and students in higher education, Choice is an ACRL publication. Hendrick brings an academic background in librarianship and over 10 years magazine publishing experience to the position....
ACRL, May 13

How data promotes interdepartmental partnerships
While many academic libraries host external campus departments, it is less common for libraries to work with these departments to create and offer integrated services. Careful planning is critical to their success and includes not only communication among different units, but also thorough assessment and data gathering. The June 11 webinar “Using Data to Facilitate Interdepartmental Partnerships” will showcase the importance and practical use of data collection within academic library public services. Registration is open....
LLAMA, May 13

New issue of JRLYA
Summer reading, library services to teens, cyberbullying, comics, and graphic novels are topics explored in the newest open access issue (volume 4, May 2014) of the YALSA Journal of Research on Libraries and Young Adults (JRLYA), available now online. The journal’s purpose is to enhance the development of theory, research, and practices in support of young adult library services....
YALSA, May 9

Connecting research and the Common Core
An upcoming webinar from AASL will demonstrate how research—done correctly—will touch almost every one of AASL’s Standards for the 21st-Century Learner and the “anchor standards” in the Common Core State Standards. Presented by Paige Jaeger, “Repackaging Research: Recipe for the Common Core” will take place on May 20. For more information and to register, visit the eCOLLAB website....
AASL, May 9

Public librarians and the Common Core webinar
The archive of the webinar “The Common Core and the Public Librarian: Reaching Patrons and Students” is now available to view as part of the AASL professional development repository, eCOLLAB. The webinar explores the ways public librarians can become involved in the implementation of the Common Core State Standards and support their school librarian colleagues. To view, visit ecollab.aasl.org and click on “Complimentary Content.”...
AASL, May 9

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Five libraries awarded National Medals
Jazzy Wright writes: “On May 8, First Lady Michelle Obama joined Institute of Museum and Library Services Director Susan H. Hildreth to award exemplary libraries and museums National Medals for their service to their communities. Now in its 20th year, the National Medal is the nation’s highest honor conferred on museums and libraries, and celebrates institutions that make a difference for individuals, families, and communities.”...
District Dispatch, May 12

Honorary Member nominations open
Nominations are being accepted for ALA honorary membership, the Association’s highest honor, which is bestowed on living citizens of any country whose contributions to librarianship or a closely related field are so outstanding that they are of significant and lasting importance to the whole field of library service. Members who wish to forward nominations must complete the online ALA Honorary Member nomination form by September 2....
Office of ALA Governance, May 8

2014 Robert L. Oakley Memorial Scholarship
ALA has awarded Carla Myers (right) the 2014 Robert L. Oakley Memorial Scholarship. Myers serves as the director of access services at the University of Colorado’s Colorado Springs campus. The Library Copyright Alliance, which includes ALA, established the scholarship to support research and advanced study for librarians in their early-to-mid-careers who are interested and active in intellectual property, public policy, copyright, and their impact on libraries....
Office for Information Technology Policy, May 13

Ellen Fader donates to Spectrum Scholarship fund
Ellen Fader (right), ALSC president in 2005–2006, has provided a generous donation to the Spectrum Scholarship. Her contribution will support a student through the 2014–2015 school term, cover a follow-up grant for a Spectrum Scholar alumnus entering the final semester of work in the fall of 2014, and provide a grant to attend the 2014 ALSC National Institute, plus discretionary funds to use towards job interviews....
ALSC, May 12

CCC scholarships to ALA Annual Conference
The Copyright Clearance Center has named the four winners of its Conference Scholarship Program for Academic Librarians: Susan Van Alstyne, Berkeley College; Nina Collins, Indiana Institute of Technology; George Gottschalk, Rogers State University; and John-Bauer Graham, Jacksonville State University. Each received a travel stipend of $1,500 to attend the ALA Annual Conference June 26–July 1 in Las Vegas....
Copyright Clearance Center, May 13

2014 Filby Award for Genealogical Librarianship
Librarian of Virginia Sandra G. Treadway (right) has received the $1,000 National Genealogical Society’s Filby Award for Genealogical Librarianship. The award was presented at the NGS Family History Conference on May 6. Treadway was recognized by the society for her efforts to expand patron access to information and for the preservation of historical records....
National Genealogical Society, May 6

University librarian is honorary bat girl
Eleanor Uhlinger (right), university librarian at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, was named honorary bat girl for the San Francisco Giants by the Major League Baseball organization. A total of 39 winners were selected, and all of them were recognized on-field at Major League ballparks on May 11 or an alternative date. Uhlinger also serves as recording secretary for the Breast Cancer Assistance Group of the Monterey Peninsula....
Jason Aldean, May 4; MLB.com

2014 Carle honorees
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art has announced its 2014 Carle honorees who will be acknowledged at Guastavino’s in New York City on September 18. Children’s librarian Henrietta Smith (right) was given the “Mentor” honor, and children’s book illustrator Jerry Pinkney was awarded the “Artist” honor. Françoise Mouly, publisher and editorial director for TOON Books and art editor of The New Yorker, won the “Bridge” honor....
Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, May 7

2014 Awards for Federal Librarianship
The Federal Library and Information Network has announced the winners of its national awards for federal librarianship. The two winners of the Federal Library or Information Center of the Year were the Information Services Office of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (right) in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and the Joint Base Librar-e and Resource Commons of the 87th Force Support Squadron at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey....
Library of Congress, May 13

2014 Orion Book Award
Canadian author Margaret Atwood has won the Orion Book Award for fiction for her work MaddAddam. Scottish writer Kathleen Jamie won the prize for nonfiction for her work Sightlines: A Conversation with the Natural World. The prizes are awarded by Orion magazine to books that “deepen the reader’s connection to the natural world through fresh ideas and excellence in writing.”...
GalleyCat, May 8

2013 George Wittenborn Memorial Book Award
Interaction of Color by Josef Albers (app for iPad), published by Yale University Press in 2013, was awarded the 35th Annual George Wittenborn Memorial Book Award at the annual conference of the Art Libraries Society of North America held in Washington, D.C., May 1–5. The award is given each year to North American art publications that represent the highest standards of content, documentation, layout, and format in art publishing....
Art Libraries Society of North America, May 8

2014 Joseph L. Andrews Legal Literature Award
The American Association of Law Libraries has awarded Law Librarianship in the Digital Age edited by Ellyssa Kroski (Scarecrow, 2013) with its Joseph L. Andrews Legal Literature Award. The award honors a significant textual contribution to legal literature. Kroski’s go-to resource covers the most cutting-edge developments that face today’s modern law libraries....
American Association of Law Libraries, May 8

Little Rebels Children’s Book Award
Gillian Cross was awarded the Little Rebels Children’s Book Award at the London Radical Bookfair, for her book After Tomorrow (Oxford University). Little Rebels judge Wendy Cooling called the book “a frighteningly believable story, a real page-turner with a strong sense of danger always present, and many big issues of a possible future just below the surface.” The award recognizes fiction for readers aged 0–12 that promotes social justice....
The Guardian (UK), May 10

2014 British Columbia Book Prizes
British Columbia’s top authors, poets, and illustrators were honored in early May at the Lieutenant Governor’s BC Book Prizes Gala in Vancouver, British Columbia. There are seven annual prizes, including prizes for fiction, poetry, and children’s literature. The Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize went to Anatomy of a Girl Gang by Ashley Little, and the big prize, the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Literary Excellence, was awarded to beloved children’s author Kit Pearson....
AbeBooks’ Reading Copy, May 5

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Queens Library sticks to its guns
Continuing to defy the city comptroller and insisting on adhering to an agreement reached with one of his predecessors in 1997, the Queens (N.Y.) Library again decided May 8 to withhold documents that are being sought for an audit. The administration has refused the requests of Comptroller Scott Stringer to provide all financial records for the audit, which was prompted earlier this year by revelations about library spending and operations. On May 9, Library CEO Thomas Galante requested an independent review of the issues by the New York City Independent Budget Office....
Queens (N.Y.) Chronicle, May 9

Parent arrested after protesting challenged book
The father of a high school student was handcuffed and led out of the Gilford (N.H.) School Board meeting on May 5 after he protested the fact that his 9th-grade daughter was assigned the novel Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult, which is about a fictional high-school shooting. According to police, William Baer (above) went past his two-minute limit and interrupted the speaker who was given the floor next. The school district is considering a policy that would make information available to parents sooner about classroom reading assignments....
Laconia (N.H.) Daily Sun, May 6

School board removes Curious Incident from reading list
A Wilson County (Tenn.) Board of Education vote to ban a book from the schools’ required reading list may violate board policy, but returning the book to students without a vote to do so could be a violation of the state Open Meetings Act. The quandary arose May 9 after interim Director of Schools Mary Ann Sparks released a statement that said the book The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon would remain on the freshman reading list, one day after the board voted to remove it....
Lebanon (Tenn.) Democrat, May 10

Dr. Seuss challenged in Vancouver
Every year the Vancouver (B.C.) Public Library is asked by members of the public to remove some books from its shelves, books that have upset someone’s sensibilities, and in 2013 a children’s book by Dr. Seuss was among them. It turns out there is a legitimate concern with If I Ran the Zoo, published in 1950. For one thing, there is a line in the poem about helpers who “all wear their eyes at a slant,” accompanied by illustrations that are racial stereotypes of Asians....
Vancouver (B.C.) Province, May 12

State College public library shuts down for a week
There were no chants, no slogans, and no pickets, but there was also no question how dozens of protesters felt about the week-long closure of the Schlow Centre Region Library in State College, Pennsylvania. The library closed its doors May 12, putting staffers temporarily out of work. Administrators blame years of state budget cuts for the decision to close down for a week. Community leaders pleaded for increased funding from the state....
StateCollege.com, May 14

All 60 Brooklyn branches now open
From Coney Island on up to Clinton Hill, all 60 Brooklyn Public Library branches have reopened following a lengthy string of repairs that have stretched for nearly two years. The Clinton Hill branch (right), the last of about seven libraries to shutter during the past 21 months, reopened April 14 following a $900,000 overhaul that included the installation of a self-checkout station, air conditioning and heating, LEED lighting, and a drawable wall in a children’s room....
New York Daily News, May 12

New SFPL North Beach branch opens
The new North Beach branch of the San Francisco Public Library opened May 10 to great community fanfare, following a ribbon-cutting ceremony and traditional lion dance. North Beach is the 24th and final branch library to be built or remodeled through the Branch Library Improvement Program, a $105.9 million bond measure approved by voters in 2000. The branch, 60% larger than the earlier building, includes a community room with after-hours access, a larger children’s area and new teen space, and additional public computers....
San Francisco Public Library, May 10

Arkansas librarians help tornado victims
On April 27, a tornado devastated hundreds of homes and took 15 lives in the suburbs of Little Rock, Arkansas. The Central Arkansas Library System decided to donate their overdue book fines during the week of May 5–12 to the local nonprofit overseeing relief operations. CALS has also donated approximately 14 cases of children’s and YA books to residents whose homes were destroyed and CALS will donate “as much as the volunteers can fit in their car” in order to meet an estimated need of 1,500 books....
School Library Journal, May 8; Little Rock Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, May 3

Santa Clara libraries offer energy-saving toolkits
Silicon Valley Energy Watch is providing do-it-yourself home energy-saving toolkits stocked with supplies and measuring devices to libraries in Santa Clara County for residents to use. Much like a book, the toolkits can be checked out. Users can install the supplies and then return the toolkit and devices. The toolkits include an illustrated user guide that provides step-by-step instructions....
San José (Calif.) Mercury News, May 7

Louisville’s How-To Festival
There are few places you can learn to belly dance, make a fascinator, build a chicken coop, juggle, and fix your car—all in one day. But the Louisville (Ky.) Free Public Library fit the bill May 10 as it hosted its annual How-To Festival at the Main Library. Nearly 4,000 people showed up to take lessons from experts on various topics, such as chess, hiking, hula hooping, international travel, archery, fencing, hip-hop dancing, composting, plumbing, and gardening....
Louisville (Ky.) Courier-Journal, May 10

Elementary school library to stay after outcry from parents
The library at Bedford Hills (Va.) Elementary School will stay in place following an outcry from the elementary school’s teachers and parents. School board members had voted at their last meeting to move the library to a mobile unit and turn the current library space into three classrooms. But because the school board decision came suddenly, it provoked an equally swift backlash from teachers and parents....
Lynchburg (Va.) News and Advance, May 6

Farmington librarian rediscovers letters from students in 1967
In 1967, the Vietnam War, miniskirts, and space travel were on the minds of 8th-grade students at Hermosa Middle School in Farmington, New Mexico. Forty-seven years ago, the students mentioned those topics in letters they wrote to a future generation. School Librarian Lola Delaney found the letters while cleaning the school’s library....
Farmington (N.Mex.) Daily Times, May 10

COSLA names first executive director
(PDF file)
The Chief Officers of State Library Agencies announced May 12 that Timothy Cherubini (right) has been named the organization’s first executive director. In this new role, Cherubini will provide leadership and capacity to implement COSLA’s five-year organizational plan, an effort completed in conjunction with the organization’s 40th anniversary celebration in 2013 and aimed at strengthening state library agencies and the library field....
Chief Officers of State Library Agencies, May 12

Willie Nelson donates archive to Briscoe Center
Singer-songwriter Willie Nelson has donated major portions of his collection of correspondence, manuscripts, records, and awards to the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin. Along with other music collections at the center, the Willie Nelson Collection provides scholars with a deeper understanding of Nelson’s music, career, relationships, and creative process....
UT Austin Briscoe Center for American History, May 8

National Archives unveils donated Hitler art album
The Monuments Men Foundation, which is dedicated to the story of the art looted by the Nazis during World War II, gave the National Archives the last known album (right) of photos the Nazi looters took of their stolen art. The album, containing over 70 black-and-white images of paintings seized in France, was compiled by the Nazi task force whose job was to scour Europe for artistic treasures for Hitler. The donation came on the anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany....
Washington Post, May 8

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Warnings along the FCC fast lane
David Carr writes: “A topic that generally begets narcolepsy is about to become, well, interesting. On May 15, the Federal Communications Commission will vote on whether to move forward with a proposal that would allow broadband providers to charge extra to content providers if they want their programming delivered in a fast lane so it streams reliably. Regardless of how the FCC spins it, the agency is really proposing two internets: one slow, where most of the traffic lives, and one fast, for those who can afford it.” One question for debate: Is broadband internet a public utility?...
New York Times, May 11; Mashable, May 9; The Wire, May 13

FCC workshop on e-rate modernization
Charles Wapner writes: “Library and school broadband took center stage May 6 at a day-long FCC workshop on e-rate modernization. The workshop convened library professionals, education administrators, nonprofit leaders, and local government officials to discuss a host of connectivity topics. It also afforded the library community an additional opportunity to offer perspectives and guidance to the FCC as it continues its e-rate modernization proceeding.” Marijke Visser sums up recent e-rate developments....
District Dispatch, May 12, 14

Libraries are a key player in broadband adoption
Schools, libraries, and health care providers were pivotal in making the rapid expansion of broadband possible in 2010–2014. These anchor institutions already had close ties to their communities, recognized the enormous benefits high-speed internet affords, and possessed skilled staff to organize classes and broker learning resources. On May 9, the Department of Commerce released four more of the 15 case studies that detail the impact of the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program’s matching grants....
US Department of Commerce, May 9

The NYPL controversy and the future of public libraries
Kathryn Zickuhr writes: “The New York Public Library recently announced that it is rethinking its controversial plans to turn parts of its 42nd Street location into a public lending library. The broader public debate was centered around NYPL abandoning its books in favor of digital resources. As many Americans embrace the idea of a library experience that offers a wider variety of services and resources, most are wary of deemphasizing print books’ central place.”...
Pew Internet Libraries, May 13; New York Times, May 7

European Court: Google must delete links on request
The highest European court on May 13 gave individuals the right to influence what can be learned about them through web searches, rejecting long-established practices about the free flow of information on the internet. Before, people who did not like what was being said about them online needed to go the original source of the information and persuade the website to delete it. But the European court now says the search engine can be asked to simply delete the links. The Wall Street Journal has some questions, and John C. Dvorak thinks this means the end of internet search....
New York Times, May 13; Wall Street Journal: Digits, May 13; PC Magazine, May 14

New author’s group espouses fair use
Peter Brantley writes: “For authors in the digital age, with an ever-broadening set of interests and goals, the Authors Guild is no longer the only game in town when it comes to advocacy. On May 21, the Authors Alliance will officially launch. Formed in the wake of the Google library litigation by University of California, Berkeley Law Professor Pamela Samuelson (among others), the Authors Alliance endeavors ‘to further the public interest in facilitating widespread access to works of authorship.’”...
Publishers Weekly, May 13

Reading, writing, and coding
Seven-year-old Jordan Lisle joined his family at a packed after-hours school event in April aimed at inspiring a new interest: computer programming. The event was part of a national educational movement in computer coding instruction that is growing at internet speed. Since December, 20,000 teachers from kindergarten through 12th grade have introduced coding lessons, according to Code.org, a group backed by the tech industry that offers free curricula....
New York Times, May 10

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How to choose the right monitor for gaming
John R. Delaney writes: “Whether you’re a hardcore PC gamer or a casual after-hours warrior, your hardware can mean the difference between victory and defeat. To get the most out of the latest fast-action games, you’ll not only need a gaming PC with a powerful graphics solution, you’ll need a monitor that can display the action without subjecting you to blurred images, flicker, tearing, and other motion artifacts. In this guide we’ll help you choose a display that will give you an edge over your opponents while delivering a smooth, immersive gaming experience.”...
PC Magazine, Oct. 24, 2013; May 12

A guide to getting better tech support
Eric Ravenscraft writes: “When you need help fixing your computer, the last thing you want is a communication problem. Before you call tech support or file a bug report, there are a few things you should do to make sure you get the best help possible.”...
Lifehacker, May 14

Make web pages easier to read on the iPhone
David Pogue writes: “For internet surfing on the iPhone, the Reader button in the Safari address bar is amazing. With one tap, it eliminates everything from the web page you’re reading except the text and photos. No ads, toolbars, blinking, links, banners, promos, or anything else. The text is also changed to a clean, clear font and size, and the background is made plain white. Basically, it makes any web page look like a printed book page, and it’s glorious.”...
Yahoo Tech, May 9

An app for presentation videos
Michael Hession writes: “Everyone with a cool new idea or vision wants a concise and beautiful video to illustrate the story and broadcast it to the world. Adobe’s new free iPad app, Voice, is there to hold your hand in the making of presentation videos. The story you tell with Voice consists of a narrated explanation of whatever it is you are presenting, coupled with appropriate artwork, your own photography, and text—all swirled together with seamless animations and set to music.”...
Gizmodo, May 8

Inventables to donate 3D carving machines to libraries
Chicago-based Inventables says it plans to give away 3D carving machines to libraries and other public makerspaces in all 50 states. CEO Zach Kaplan says the inspiration comes from the success of the Chicago Public Library’s Maker Lab. “We believe that to ignite the digital manufacturing revolution, we need to provide free access to these important 3D carving tools to as many people as possible,” Kaplan said....
Chicago Tribune: Blue Sky Innovation, May 12

LC is testing CD preservation
Fenella France, chief of preservation research and testing at the Library of Congress, and her colleagues are trying to figure out how compact discs age so that we can better understand how to save them. This is a tricky business, in large part because manufacturers have changed their processes over the years but won’t say how. “We’re trying to predict, in terms of collections, which of the types of CDs are most at risk,” France said....
The Atlantic, May 13

How anyone can measure your Wi-Fi fingerprint
Wireless internet access has become one of the enabling technologies of the modern world. But it is also a security threat. Anybody can access a wireless network by masquerading as a computer that already has access. This technique is known as media access control (MAC) spoofing: the action of taking the MAC address of another computer to benefit from its authorization. One way to prevent this is to have some other way of identifying the computer trying to get access. The question is how....
MIT Technology Review, May 6

Describe materials through metadata gaming
Bianca Gelli writes: “The British Library warned that by 2020, legacy content will remain undigitized and in danger of becoming inaccessible to future generations. What resulted from the British Library’s call was a tool called Metadata Games by academic Mary Flanagan and archivist Peter Carini. It was designed specifically to work as a facilitator between the soon-to-be digitized materials and the people who want to help. This toolset is made up of games crafted around adding tags to materials that need classification.”...
Gamification Corp., May 12

OverDrive expands its Japanese content
OverDrive has announced a strategic alliance with top Japanese publisher aggregator MediaDo. The alliance, called OverDrive Japan, will enable distribution of popular and bestselling Japanese content, including manga and adult fiction, through the OverDrive network of libraries and schools worldwide. In addition, the new venture extends the OverDrive platform and catalog of more than 1 million ebook and audiobook titles to Japanese libraries and schools....
OverDrive Blogs, May 13

Texas students gain access to Gale databases
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission has contracted to provide access to Gale research databases for all public school libraries throughout the state. More than 5 million Texas public school students in more than 9,000 schools will have online access to 15 Gale databases and a collection of ebooks from the Gale Virtual Reference Library....
Gale Cengage, May 13

Textbook publisher tinkers with first-sale opt-out
Danya Perez-Hernandez writes: “Responding to a campaign by law professors, a leading legal publisher said May 8 that its new casebook-publishing program would not threaten students’ ability to buy and sell used textbooks. The professors feared that Casebook Connect, a new offering from Wolters Kluwer’s Aspen Law imprint, would be a step toward the eradication of students’ first-sale rights.” Kevin Smith offers some commentary....
The Chronicle of Higher Education: Wired Campus, May 9; Scholarly Communications @ Duke, May 10

Brewster Kahle, the librarian of 404 billion websites
Nadja Sayej writes: “Brewster Kahle, founder of the Internet Archive, is a digital librarian who has been working towards the universal access of knowledge since founding the site in 1996. I recently had the chance to speak with Kahle about the open source and nonprofit web, the Internet Archive, and Open Library, which seeks to build a web page for every book ever published and loan those books out through the web.”...
Motherboard, May 13

How to cull your e-bookshelf
Jessica Pryde writes: “The first thing I did after charging my brand-new iPad 2 in 2011 was go on iBooks and download everything free ever. I doubt I’ve read 50 of them in three years. So I decided to change that in January. I started at the very bottom of my Kindle app, and I read the first thing I bought, then the second and the third. But then I started to read the fifth book, and it was just awful. It was at this time that I decided it was my duty—to myself—to do a thorough cull of all of my e-reading bookshelves.”...
Book Riot, May 9

2014 Annual Conference and Exhibition, Las Vegas, June 26–July 1. The Scheduler is open. Use it to plan your time, browse sessions and events, add personal meetings to your schedule, find an attendee, share your plans with others if you choose to, create a list of exhibitors to visit, get updates, and keep track of all the details.

Why aren’t teens reading like they used to?
Jennifer Ludden writes: “Harry Potter and The Hunger Games haven’t been big hits for nothing. Many teens and adolescents still read quite a lot. But a roundup of studies (PDF file), put together by the nonprofit Common Sense Media, shows a clear decline over time. Nearly half of 17-year-olds say they read for pleasure no more than one or two times a year—if that. That’s way down from a decade ago.”...
NPR: Morning Edition, May 12; Common Sense Media, May 12

Read, kids, read
Frank Bruni writes: “About books, I’m steady. Relentless. I’m incessantly asking my nephews and nieces what they’re reading and why they’re not reading more. I’m reliably hurling novels at them, and also at friends’ kids. I may well be responsible for 10% of all sales of The Fault in Our Stars, a teenage love story to be released as a movie in June. Never have I spent money with fewer regrets, because I believe in reading—not just in its power to transport but in its power to transform.”...
New York Times, May 12

Reading for the fun of it
Carla Land writes: “May 11–17 is Reading Is Fun Week, run by Reading Is Fundamental, an organization that works to get books into the hands of children so that they can discover the joys of reading. I am aware that what I consider fun may not be fun for others, and vice versa. When I really sit down and think about it, fun is quite subjective. What follows are some of my favorite fun YA reads, some of which I had to go browse my Goodreads list to remember.”...
YALSA The Hub, May 13

Eight literary and storytelling podcasts
Andrea Badgley writes: “With limited time to consume print media, but with ample time to listen, I have become an avid fan of podcasts, and my hungry mind devours the bookish and storytelling podcasts below. These shows provide the literary fix I need as a word nerd. I plan special walks or add extra chores to my list when any of these drop new episodes. I hope you enjoy them, too.”...
Andrea Reads America, Apr. 24

University presses under fire
Scott Sherman writes: “On May 24, 2012, the University of Missouri System announced that it would close the University of Missouri Press so that it might focus more efficiently on strategic priorities. Admirers of the press mobilized rapidly to save it, and four months later the university reversed its decision. The Missouri case starkly illustrates a dual reality about the world of university press publishing—many university presses exist on the edge, and a large number of people want them to survive and flourish.”...
The Nation, May 26

The Maltese legacy: Sam Spade, the bird, and beyond
Ben Segedin writes: “Born in 1894, Samuel Dashiell Hammett lived until 1961. As a young man he was an operative for the Pinkerton National Detective Agency. From 1922 to 1934, he wrote more than 80 short stories and five novels. Hammett’s most memorable creation, Sam Spade, the private detective from The Maltese Falcon, set the template for the entire archetype of the hard-boiled private dick: tough, cold, independent, cynical, capable and self-sufficient, determined, of questionable morality, a quick study with a wry and acerbic wit, brutal, brutish, even sadistic, yet irresistible to women.”...
Booklist Online: Likely Stories, May 9

The map thief story
A new book offers the best glimpse yet of the social-climbing sneak thief who stole millions of dollars in rare maps from Yale, Harvard, New York Public Library, Boston Public Library, the British Library, and Newberry Library a decade ago. E. Forbes Smiley III, a Gatsby-like character who rose from modest beginnings to the inner circle of the rare map world, is the central figure in The Map Thief (Gotham Books) by Michael Blanding. It arrives in bookstores in early June....
New Haven (Conn.) Register, May 11

Tales of a jailhouse librarian
Kids need books, not jail. That is the message author Marybeth Zeman is hoping to get across in her new nonfiction book Tales of a Jailhouse Librarian. Zeman is technically a counselor, but she has a degree in library science and has become the jail’s de facto book minder. When she started working in the Nassau County Jail on Long Island in 2010, the jail had very few books, so she filled a rolling cart with titles and started bringing it around to the pubescent inmates....
Brooklyn (N.Y.) Daily, May 9

NoveList adds listeners’ advisory
EBSCO’s NoveList resource has expanded its readers’ advisory resources by including new tools for listeners’ advisory. NoveList will now offer audiobook recommendations through NoveList Plus; it has also enhanced the user interfaces of all of its products....
EBSCO, May 8

25 greatest homes in literature
Jason Diamond writes: “Great characters in literature get all the credit, but the fictional spaces they occupy are often just as interesting and can provide an opportunity for the reader to go even deeper into a story. What would some of your favorite stories be without the creepy old farmhouses, crumbling castles, and estates overlooking a body of water whose waves crash against the rocks at night? We’re rounding up the most memorable structures that served as settings for some of our favorite stories.”...
Flavorwire, May 13

The best places to find free, high-res images
Amit Agarwal writes: “The web offers billions of photos that are just a Google search away. The images that are in public domain, or licensed under the Creative Commons license, can be used without any copyright issues. The only problem is that Google may not always surface the best content that is free. If Google isn’t helping in your quest for images, here are some of the best websites where you may find high-quality photos for free.”...
Digital Inspiration, May 12; July 17, 2012

Best practices for adult financial literacy services
Melissa Jeter writes: “Over the last three years, I have partnered with librarians in the business technology services department to determine how librarians in our large library system could better serve the financial literacy needs of our patrons. This article includes a definition of financial literacy and a list of the best practices derived from this experience.”...
RUSA/BRASS Public Libraries Briefcase, no. 30

LC plans improvements to Cataloger’s Desktop
The Library of Congress will introduce enhancements to its Cataloger’s Desktop service that will be available in September. The enhancements will help catalogers find and use Desktop resources more easily, through a simpler user interface, expanded search and navigation, and improved help and training. The enhancements are based on findings from a series of focus groups the LC Cataloging Distribution Service held in February....
Library of Congress, May 9

Surviving cataloging class
Tracy Wasserman writes: “Many LIS students dread cataloging and classification class, a required course in some library schools, but I found the class piqued my interest enough to take the advanced course. Librarians should all understand how to catalog and classify information, and be comfortable with this skill. Here are resources to help.”...
Hack Library School, May 9

Connected learning: Education with style
Kate Pickett writes: “Johnson County (Kans.) Library has been encouraging teens to show their style since 2008 when our first teen fashion show took place. Since then we have branched out into a cosplay club that meets regularly to design, sew, critique, and wear costumes from teens’ favorite books, movies, and TV shows. The cosplay club is a great example of connected learning happening naturally and quietly at the library.”...
YALSA Blog, May 13

The power of play
Jenny Levine writes: “Play is to games what reading is to books. Reading, as a peculiar eye-based subset of listening, is used for signage, notes, instructions, lists, and a ton of other chunks of information and culture besides books. Likewise, play is used for many things beyond formal games: teasing, joking, informal contests and challenges, notional tinkering, and creation. As such, it’s worth pointing out the many important aspects of life empowered by play.”...
International Games Day @ your library, May 11

End-of-the-year fun with FlipQuiz Pro
Shannon McClintock Miller writes: “At the end of the school year with all of the excitement and energy in the air, it is a good idea to find activities and projects that are engaging and fun. I have a new favorite digital tool that will bring just that to our library and students. It is called FlipQuiz and it ‘lets educators create game show–style boards.’ Now it is even better with the introduction of FlipQuiz Pro.”...
Van Meter Library Voice, May 11

Library social media resources
Stephen Abram writes: “It’s hard to come up with a few new ideas that are awesome every single day to populate our social media feeds and engage and communicate with our members, users, and borrowers. So here is a random list of resources I’ve used that you might consider adding to your RSS feeds for borrowing, linking, or inspiration.”...
Stephen’s Lighthouse, May 8

12 search engine alternatives
Chuck Price writes: “As long as ‘Google’ is a generic phrase for internet search, their dominant position is assured. That said, you can do something about it. There are plenty of Google alternatives and many of these players offer a better search experience, depending on your needs. Here are 12 alternatives to escape your reliance on Google for all things search.”...
Search Engine Watch, May 5

Are you a multitasking master?
Karen Pundsack writes: “Multitasking is a myth. Odds are you are not the multitasking ace you claim to be. Evidence shows that multitasking actually reduces overall efficiency. A 2013 University of Utah study revealed that people generally overestimate how much they are able to accomplish through multitasking. In addition, the findings indicated a relationship between multitasking and the lack of ability to block out distractions and focus.”...
Public Libraries Online, May 14; PLOS One, Jan. 23, 2013

Five ways libraries can use Vine for marketing
Ellyssa Kroski writes: “Last summer I wrote about 15 Cool Ways Libraries Can Use Vine to Create Social Videos and suggested a variety of different uses for Vine videos. Since then, many companies have been making use of the 6-second video format offered by this Twitter-owned social media company and in some very creative ways. Here are five fantastic implementations of Vine videos. Ponder how you could steal these ideas to market your own library.”...
Open Education Database, July 23, 2013; May 13

How not to get sued when reviewing products online
Joe Silver writes: “Imagine you just purchased a shiny new wireless router from Amazon, only to discover that the product doesn’t work as you anticipated. To help others avoid the same mistake, you leave a negative product review—but some of your claims ultimately turn out to be incorrect or misleading. Now the company’s attorneys want to sue. As with many areas of law, the answers are nuanced and complicated. Our primer will help you avoid the obvious pitfalls.”...
Ars Technica, May 13

Formative assessment using social media
Paige Alfonzo writes: “According to the Marzano Center, the Common Core State Standards make it imperative for all instructors in all content areas to make use of formative assessment. Formative assessment through social media is similar to experience sampling studies because it allows teachers to make frictionless assessments of peers’ thinking and feelings about academic concepts and skill mastery. Here are four examples.”...
Edutopia, May 8

How to create a gorgeous planter from an old hardcover book
Lana Winter-Hébert writes: “You may have seen some brilliant book planters on Pinterest or Tumblr and marveled at how such a simple project can yield such beautiful results. It’s a fun, easy project that anyone can do with just a few simple tools and some supplies from a local hardware store or garden center. If you have some old hardcover books lying around that are just aching to be filled with flora, just follow the video instructions (2:44) and you’ll have a gorgeous book planter of your very own in no time.”...
Inhabitat, May 12

Tour Orange County’s new tech center
Join the staff at Orange County (Fla.) Public Library’s Dorothy Lumley Melrose Center for Technology, Innovation, and Creativity for a tour (3:28) of this brand-new facility. The center includes flight simulators, a fab lab, photo, and video and audio studios....
YouTube, Apr. 10

Freeze! It’s the library police! (satire)
Roz Warren writes: “A Texas man was recently arrested for failing to return a GED study guide to his local public library. He’d kept it out for three years. This is the kind of news story that brings joy to a librarian’s heart. The library where I work just installed a super-expensive state-of-the-art security system that utterly fails to stop anybody from stealing anything, because it beeps, incessantly and seemingly at random, throughout the day.”...
The Huffington Post blog, May 12

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