The e-newsletter of the American Library Association | September 17, 2014

12 things no one tells you about building projects
Tim Schlak writes: “In August 2013, Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, completed a large building project: a $14 million, 58,000-square-foot learning commons. I was library director at the time, and I learned a number of unanticipated lessons during all phases of the project. Any library looking to embark on a brave new building or renovation project will hopefully learn from these experiences.”...
American Libraries feature

Advocate, today
ALA President Courtney L. Young (right) writes: “Libraries really do change lives. That reality is well known and proudly understood by every one of us. I don’t believe, however, that we have internalized an even more fundamental and vital truth: Libraries are powerful because librarians are powerful. I’d like to speak to that power and be very frank. I am concerned that librarians (and the schools that prepare them) have not yet fully embraced what I believe to be a core professional responsibility. That responsibility is advocacy.”...
American Libraries column, Sept./Oct.

Children in Crisis
Greg Landgraf writes: “Sylvia Cisneros, president of Reforma: The National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking, delivered 225 Spanish-language children’s books to the Rio Grande Processing Center in McAllen, Texas, September 10, as part of the organization’s effort to help meet the social and emotional needs of unaccompanied children from Central America seeking refuge in the United States.”...
AL: The Scoop, Sept. 17

Librarian’s Library: Intellectual freedom
Karen Muller writes: “For 75 years, since ALA Council first adopted the Library Bill of Rights in 1939, challenging censorship has been a core tenet of librarianship. The essays in the 2014 edition of Banned Books: Challenging our Freedom to Read, by Robert P. Doyle, outline how case law has extended the protection of the freedoms of speech and press to include freedom of expression of ideas and information.”...
American Libraries column, Sept./Oct.

Dispatches from the Field: The case for 3D printing
Jason Griffey writes: “When I talk to librarians about 3D printing, the most common question I hear is ‘Why provide this service?’ The answer is that the library has a long history of providing technology for its patrons. 3D printing is still a novelty, but the basic technology is affordable. The future of additive manufacturing will likely be stranger and more wonderful than I can imagine, but given the uses that people are finding for these devices already, it’s fair to say that amazing things will come from this technology.”...
American Libraries column, Sept./Oct.

AL Live on Thursday
“Library Self-Service Software and Devices,” the next broadcast of American Libraries Live, at 2 p.m. Eastern time on September 18, will discuss how this technology can best serve the library’s users as well as its staff....
American Libraries, Sept. 9

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Banned Books Week
Banned Books Week, September 21–27, reminds Americans about the importance of preventing censorship and ensuring everyone’s freedom to read any book they choose. According to the Office for Intellectual Freedom, for every banned book reported, there are many more that are not. This year’s Banned Books Week is spotlighting graphic novels because, despite their literary merit and popularity as a format, they are often subject to censorship. The most current list for 2013 includes two graphic novels: Dav Pilkey’s Captain Underpants series and Jeff Smith’s Bone series....
Office for Intellectual Freedom, Sept. 16

Banned Websites Awareness Day
To raise awareness of the overly restrictive blocking of legitimate, educational websites and academically useful social networking tools in schools and school libraries, AASL has designated one day during Banned Books Week as Banned Websites Awareness Day. On September 24, AASL is asking school librarians and other educators to promote an awareness of how overly restrictive filtering affects student learning....
AASL

National Friends of Libraries Week, October 19–25
United for Libraries is coordinating the ninth annual National Friends of Libraries Week, October 19–25. The event is an opportunity to celebrate Friends groups by promoting their work in the community, raising awareness and increasing membership, and giving libraries and trustees the opportunity to recognize Friends for their help and support. Ideas, bookmarks, and promotional materials are available online....
United for Libraries, Sept. 16

ALA to FCC: Set the bar higher on net neutrality
ALA and the Center for Democracy and Technology urged the Federal Communications Commission in a September 15 letter (PDF file) to adopt strong, enforceable net neutrality rules essential to preserving freedom of speech, educational achievement, and economic growth online. The organizations called for the FCC to set the bar higher than the “commercially reasonable” standard the agency had proposed (whether using Title II or Section 706 of the Communications Act) to preserve the open nature of the internet....
Office for Information Technology Policy, Sept. 16

It’s FCC month at ALA
Larra Clark writes: “September has been particularly busy. On September 15 we entered the next round of e-rate activity with comments in response to the FCC’s Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, and closed out a record-setting public comment period in relation to promoting and protecting net neutrality with two public filings (PDF file). The Senate is holding a hearing on it September 17. This month ALA also filed comments in support of broadband improvement.”...
District Dispatch, Sept. 15–17

ALA featured at telecom policy conference
On September 12, ALA made its first appearance (and through a whole panel no less) at the Telecommunications Policy and Research Conference, the most prestigious conference in information policy. The telecommunications policy topic that, not surprisingly, has dominated OITP’s time for over the past year is e-rate reform. The panel “900 Questions: A Case Study of Multistakeholder Policy Advocacy through the E-rate Lens” was moderated by Larra Clark, director of the Program on Networks for ALA’s Office for Information Technology Policy....
District Dispatch, Sept. 15

Creating a program for school libraries
A free October 8 webinar, “The R.O.A.D. I Travel: A Program Model for School Libraries,” will explore how an Indianapolis middle school library partnered with other organizations to develop an innovative genealogy unit for 8th-graders. The program was presented with ALA’s 2014 Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award for Exemplary Humanities Programming. Register online....
Public Programs Office, Sept. 16

ALA TechSource workshops
ALA TechSource will sponsor a new 90-minute workshop, “Engaging Your Community Through Cultural Heritage Digital Libraries” on October 8. Karen Calhoun and Aaron Brenner will discuss the digital library as a platform for a two-way exchange of knowledge between your library and community. Three new iterations of popular workshops on cloud computing (October 23), designing library websites (October 15), and using Twitter for marketing (October 29) are also coming up. Registration for each is through the ALA Store....
ALA TechSource, Sept. 12, 16

RDA for music
ALA Editions, in partnership with the Music Library Association, will host a new 90-minute workshop, “RDA for Music: Classical Music Audio Recordings” on October 2. Damian Iseminger and Casey Mullin will teach the basics of cataloging classical music audio recordings using RDA: Resource Description and Access. Registration can be purchased at the ALA Store....
ALA Editions, Sept. 15

What you need to know about grant writing
ALA Editions is offering a new 90-minute workshop on “What You Need to Know About Grant Writing” on October 1. Nancy Kalikow Maxwell, a professional library grant writer and former library director, will show you what you need to get started with grant writing. Registration is through the ALA Store....
ALA Editions, Sept. 16

Community partnerships
ALA Editions’ 90-minute workshop, “Your Library Needs Community Partnerships: How to Get it Done,” presented by Paul Signorelli, will take place on October 22. Signorelli will show you how to build productive community partnerships that will help your library engage in meaningful projects. Register through the ALA Store....
ALA Editions, Sept. 16

Ebooks: What you need to know
ALA Editions is offering a new iteration of its popular eCourse, “Ebooks: What Librarians Need to Know Now and for the Future.” Mirela Roncevic will serve as the instructor for this four-week facilitated eCourse starting on October 13. Registration can be purchased at the ALA Store....
ALA Editions, Sept. 12

Readers’ advisory for genre blends
The increasing popularity of “genre blends,” or fiction that straddles the traditional labels, means greater pleasure for readers but a greater challenge for readers’ advisory. The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Blends, written by Megan M. McArdle and published by ALA Editions, gets library staff up to speed on these engaging titles, showing how such crossover fiction appeals to fan bases of multiple genres....
ALA Editions, Sept. 16

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ACRL 2015 keynote speakers
ACRL has announced its celebrated lineup of keynote speakers for its 2015 Conference, “Creating Sustainable Community,” to be held March 25–28 in Portland, Oregon. Be challenged and entertained by these three distinguished speakers, who also double as a comics writer and journalist (G. Willow Wilson), radio host and producer (Jad Abumrad), and political activist (Lawrence Lessig)....
ACRL, Sept. 15

David Loertscher to present at AASL Fall Forum
David Loertscher (right), innovative educational researcher and learning commons revolutionary, will exemplify the anywhere–anytime learning concept by facilitating an online working session during the AASL 2014 Fall Forum. Loertscher will work simultaneously with 10 sites across the country during “School Librarians in the Anytime Anywhere Learning Landscape” taking place in St. Louis, October 17–18. For more information and to register, visit the Fall Forum website....
AASL, Sept. 16

YALSA and Blink partner for Teen Read Week
YALSA and Blink, a young adult imprint, have partnered for Teen Read Week, October 12–18. This is the second year in a row that Blink has helped to sponsor Teen Read Week and lent its support to libraries in efforts to strengthen and promote literacy among teens. Through its novels, Blink aims to bring “imaginative and exciting storytelling” that is both inspiring and heartening to its readers....
YALSA, Sept. 16

October is Connected Educator Month
This October, AASL joins more than 300 major education organizations in celebrating Connected Educator Month. Originally developed by the US Department of Education in 2012, CEM offers diverse and engaging activities to educators at all levels, with the ultimate goal of sparking collaboration and innovation. AASL has been a participating partner in the CEM initiative since its inception....
AASL, Sept. 16

ACRL e-learning, fall 2014
ACRL is offering a variety of online learning opportunities in fall 2014 to meet the demands of your schedule and budget. Full details and registration information for e-courses and webcasts are available on the ACRL website....
ACRL, Sept. 16

Release the leader within
With help from a new webinar from AASL, school librarians with reluctant or unrealized potential can unlock their inner leader. Presented by Ann Martin, “Coaching the Leader Within” will take place on October 7. The webinar is designed to coach and develop the skills needed to accomplish the many demands required of today’s school librarian. To register, visit “Upcoming Webinars” at eCOLLAB....
AASL, Sept. 16

Choice launches “Guest of Choice” feature
ACRL’s Choice magazine is initiating a new feature in its editorial lineup in October, a series of guest editorials informally called “Guest of Choice.” Contributed by creative and insightful thinkers in library and allied professions, materials in this new series seek to engage readers in important issues and debates concerning the state of academic librarianship and other topics appropriate to its audience....
Choice, Sept. 16

Walt Whitman Literary Landmark dedicated
United for Libraries, in partnership with the Suffolk County Library Association, Suffolk School Library Media Association, Lambda Literary Foundation, and Empire State Center for the Book, designated the Walt Whitman Birthplace State Historic Site and Interpretive Center in Huntington Station, New York, a Literary Landmark during a celebration on September 5. More than 125 people attended, including Congressman Steve Israel (D-N.Y.)....
United for Libraries, Sept. 16

United for Libraries supports Serendipity Films
United for Libraries is asking library Friends, foundations, trustees, and advocates to support filmmakers Dawn Logsdon and Lucie Faulknor (Serendipity Films) as they ask library lovers across America to help them make the first-ever national broadcast documentary about our nation’s public libraries. The filmmakers are announcing a Kickstarter campaign through October 26 for their documentary, Free for All: Inside the Public Library....
United for Libraries, Sept. 16

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2014 ALA award winners
Each year, ALA recognizes the achievements of more than 200 individuals and institutions with various awards. This selection represents only a portion of those honored in 2014 but who are notable for their contributions to the field of librarianship. New this year, the Lemony Snicket Prize for Noble Librarians Faced with Adversity is an indication of the scope and influence of these awards. Chosen by juries consisting of colleagues and peers, this year’s award winners are distinguished for their leadership and vision, as well as their continued investment in the profession through mentorship....
American Libraries feature

The importance of the Schneider Family Book Award
Kody Keplinger (right) writes: “I was born with Leber’s congenital amaurosis, a disorder that causes legal blindness. As I got older and my bookshelf expanded, I found books that more closely mirrored my experience. Not all of them featured blindness. Many were about other disabilities, but I was still able to see myself in them. Many of these books were winners of the Schneider Family Book Award, which honors the best children’s books that capture the disabled experience.”...
American Libraries feature

Andrew Carnegie Medals update
A new committee is set to start work on selecting the prestigious 2015 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction, awards that reflect the expert judgment and insight of library professionals who work closely with adult readers. For the first time in 2015, an independent bookseller is joining the selection committee, reflecting the impact and influence of these awards on general readers both inside and beyond the library. Betsy Burton (above), owner of The King’s English in Salt Lake City, joins the committee to represent independent booksellers....
RUSA, Sept. 15

Nominations for LITA awards
LITA is seeking nominations for its Frederick G. Kilgour Award for Research in Library and Information Technology (deadline is December 31) and Library Hi Tech awards (deadline is December 1) and applications for its Ex Libris Student Writing Award. The deadline for the writing award is February 28....
LITA, Sept. 16

GLBT awards committee volunteers needed
Appointments for the Stonewall Book Awards Committee, Rainbow Project Committee, and Over the Rainbow Committee will be made this fall. The time to volunteer is now through October 15. Volunteers must fill out two forms (the Committee Volunteer Form and the Award and Book List Committee Volunteer Form) to be considered for an appointment....
GLBT News, Aug. 29

ALSC and YALSA receive a Youth Literacy Grant
The Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded a Youth Literacy grant in the amount of $246,806 to ALSC and YALSA. The Everyone Reads @ your library grant allows the two divisions to support important literacy programs across the country....
ALSC, Sept. 16

Achievement in Library Diversity Research award
The ALA Office for Diversity is seeking nominations for its 2014 Achievement in Library Diversity Research award. The award recognizes ALA members for contributions to the profession through research on LIS diversity issues. Nominations will be accepted through October 15....
Office for Diversity, Sept. 16

EBSCO offers five Midwinter scholarships
ALA and EBSCO are partnering to offer five scholarships for librarians to attend the 2015 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Chicago, January 29–February 2. Each EBSCO scholarship will be in the amount of $1,500, and one of the five scholarships will be awarded to a first-time conference attendee. Apply by November 3....
Office of ALA Governance, Sept. 16

IMLS awards $9.2 million to US libraries
The Institute of Museum and Library Services on September 11 announced grants for 51 library projects, totaling $9,291,441, that will advance library and archives practice by addressing challenges in the field and by testing and evaluating innovations. The projects were selected from 212 applications through the National Leadership Grants for Libraries and Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries programs, requesting more than $14.6 million and matched with $7.2 in non-federal funds. The full list of recipients is here....
Institute of Museum and Library Services, Sept. 11

Alison Bechdel named a 2014 MacArthur Fellow
Cartoonist and graphic memoirist Alison Bechdel, author and illustrator of Fun Home (2006) and Are You My Mother? (2012), was one of 21 creative individuals awarded a 2014 MacArthur Fellowship by the MacArthur Foundation on September 16. Bechdel will receive a no-strings-attached stipend of $625,000 without any stipulations or reporting requirements, allowing her maximum freedom to follow her creative vision. Bechdel was reportedly “in shock” after being notified....
MacArthur Foundation, Sept. 16; The Guardian (UK), Sept. 17

2014 British Fantasy Awards
The winners of this year’s British Fantasy Awards were announced September 7 at an awards banquet at FantasyCon 2014 held in York, England. The Robert Holdstock Award for best fantasy novel went to Sofia Samatar for A Stranger in Olondria (Small Beer), and the August Derleth Award for best horror novel went to Lauren Beukes for The Shining Girls (HarperCollins). The British Fantasy Society presents the awards....
British Fantasy Society, Sept. 7

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NYPL branches need $1.1 billion in repairs
New York’s public library branches need $1.1 billion in repairs to fix leaky roofs, broken air-conditioning systems, and a host of other problems, according to a report released September 15 by the Center for an Urban Future, a New York-based think tank. The report argues that the city has a “broken funding system” in which libraries rely too much on discretionary funds from City Council members....
Wall Street Journal, Sept. 15

Trustees approve plan to sell land beneath Brooklyn Heights branch
The Brooklyn (N.Y.) Public Library needs $300 million across its 60 branches for repairs and restorations. On September 16, the library’s board of trustees unanimously approved a recommendation to let the city sell the land beneath its Brooklyn Heights branch to a developer, provided the developer builds a library on the ground floor and affordable housing units around the borough. An advocacy group, Citizens Defending Libraries, has been opposed to the plan....
New York Times, Sept. 16

Philadelphia receives $25 million grant
The Free Library of Philadelphia has received the largest gift in its 120-year history: $25 million from the William Penn Foundation. Some of the gift will go to the ongoing renovation of the interior of the main Parkway Central Library. The bulk of the gift ($18 million) will go toward the campaign to renovate branch libraries, for which the city has also chipped in $4.5 million, City Council has given $2 million, the state has promised $6 million, and private donors have also made contributions....
WHYY-FM, Philadelphia, Sept. 11

Galante on leave as inquiry proceeds
As federal and city officials continue their investigation into spending at the Queens (N.Y.) Public Library, the library’s board of trustees has placed President Thomas W. Galante (right) on paid administrative leave. At a special meeting on September 11, the board also moved to give City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer full access to the library’s financial records, including its entire $127 million annual budget....
New York Times, Aug. 21, Sept. 12

Former Detroit library officer sentenced to 10 years in prison
Timothy Cromer, a former Detroit Public Library official who was fired in February 2013 and accused three months later of accepting kickbacks from technology contractors, was sentenced September 16 to 10 years in federal prison. Cromer was the library’s chief administrative and technology officer between 2006 and 2013. Investigators accused him of accepting $1.4 million in kickbacks from two contractors....
Grand Rapids (Mich.) Press, Feb. 24, May 21, 2013; Sept. 16

Fired for disagreeing
Carl Straumsheim writes: “On August 26, Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, fired its head librarian after a prolonged debate over the role of a library at a liberal arts institution. Patricia A. Tully (right), a 10-year veteran with the university, had served as the Caleb T. Winchester university librarian since March 2010. In a September 2 email to the faculty listserv, Tully said she was fired because of her ongoing disagreement with Provost Ruth S. Weissman ‘about how to lead people effectively in an organization.’”...
Inside Higher Ed, Sept. 11; Wesleying, Sept. 16

Los Angeles students need better libraries, not iPads
Rebecca Constantino writes: “While the iPad-for-every-student controversy has gotten much media coverage lately, another problem has had very little attention: the lack of equal access to a quality school library. A 19-month investigation by the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights concluded in 2011 that thousands of Los Angeles Unified School District students were being denied equal educational opportunities, which included libraries with sufficient books and staffing.”...
Los Angeles Times, Sept. 14

Most Sendak items to leave the Rosenbach
Peter Dobrin writes: “Nearly half a century ago, the Rosenbach Museum and Library in Philadelphia began building a relationship with the young author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, who very quickly started using the townhouse museum as a repository for his original drawings, manuscripts, proofs, and rare editions. But Sendak never gifted any of these items, and the trustees managing his legacy (he died at 83 in 2012) have asked that the collection be returned to them in Connecticut, ending a bond between artist and institution that many assumed would continue in perpetuity.”...
Philadelphia Inquirer, Sept. 15

Kansas City gathers burlesque theater ephemera
Miss Stormy Night was paid $175 a week to be exotic on stage. She must have been a bit more talented than Suni Daye, who only got $165. Those performer contracts from 1959 are among thousands of business records, glamour publicity photos, movie posters, and other ephemera that languished in the boiler room in the basement of the Folly Theater. Now they are in the safe possession of the Kansas City (Mo.) Public Library, which will catalog the material and make it available to researchers and the general public....
Kansas City (Mo.) Star, Sept. 14

Dover AFB library books go public
When officials closed the Dover (Del.) Air Force Base Library in February, families were worried. The collection—more than 40,000 holdings—seemed too valuable to lose. As it turns out, the books have been turned over to the state Division of Libraries. In early September, Dover Public Library received a big delivery of tens of thousands of books from the base, and staff from DPL and Kent County Public Library are sorting through them....
Dover Delaware State News, Sept. 15

Library offers virtual visitation with county jail inmates
Floridians who want to visit loved ones in the Okaloosa County Jail won’t have to set foot in the facility. The Crestview (Fla.) Public Library allows residents with no internet access or web camera to use the video visitation service, for a fee to the video provider, from an enclosed webcam reservation tutor room, giving visitors some privacy from the rest of the library. The jail’s conversion from personal to virtual visits has resulted in an increase in prisoner visitation....
Crestview (Fla.) News Bulletin, Sept. 15

Fairfield library branch gets yarn-bombed
A “yarn bombing” took place September 6 at the Fairfield Woods branch of the Fairfield (Conn.) Public Library, but the masked “ninja knitters” came with good intentions—to draw attention to the branch’s 45th anniversary celebration. In advance, the knitting group wrapped tree branches and poles on the library property with coats of colorful yarn to reflect the festive spirit....
Fairfield (Conn.) Citizen, Sept. 9

Vietnamese academic runs free library
Nguyen Quang Cuong, a lecturer at Quy Nhon University in Vietnam, has run on his own a free library with almost 10,000 books and magazines in central Vietnam for the past 10 years to instill a reading interest in local students and encourage needy kids to pursue their education. Cuong set up the Hoa Cuong Library in his home town in Hà Tĩnh province, often buys and sends home new publications, and calls on individuals and organizations nationwide to donate books....
TalkVietnam, Sept. 14

French online library for rail passengers (in French)
France’s state-operated railway company, Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français, opened its first digital library on September 12. The service, which offers ebooks for train passengers, will be tested for 6–12 months on the Nancy-Metz-Luxembourg regional line and could expand to the entire country. Travelers scan a QR code to get free access to classics of French literature and regional authors from Lorraine....
Le Figaro (Paris), Sept. 11

Donations help Glasgow art library
The Glasgow School of Art has replaced 22% of its most popular books that were lost in a May 23 fire. The blaze caused extensive damage to the iconic Mackintosh building and destroyed its famous library. The art school said it had now replaced almost a quarter of these books thanks to the “huge generosity of private individuals and institutions.” Among the books received were John Sampson’s XXI Welsh Gypsy Folk-Tales (1933), illustrated by Agnes Miller Parker, and a complete set of Ver Sacrum, the magazine of the Vienna Secession (1898–1903)....
BBC News, Sept. 15

Tonbridge librarian became World War I hero
Swapping the peace and quiet of Tonbridge Library in Kent, UK, for the battlefields of the First World War must have been a drastic transition for one assistant librarian who was awarded with a medal for his heroism. The life of Druce Cheal (right, 1895–1974), who left his job at the library 100 years ago to join the Royal Engineers, was researched by a contemporary staff member who first came across references to “Sapper” Cheal while leafing through the Tonbridge Council minute book from 1914....
Kent and Sussex Courier (UK), Sept. 16

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Fallout from Internet Slowdown Day
Eric Hal Schwartz writes: “The Internet Slowdown campaign for net neutrality on September 10 ended up bringing in 722,364 comments to the Federal Communications Commission, leading to a wholesale change to the comment system to make sure the FCC can keep up with it. On top of all the comments, members of Congress fielded close to 300,000 calls, sometimes averaging 1,000 per minute, and 2 million emails, according to Battle for the Net, the group behind the protest.”...
InTheCapital, Sept. 10, 12; Official FCC Blog, Sept. 11

My Parents Open Carry
Miriam Lang Budin writes: “What obligation do public or school libraries have to purchase materials that present a range of views on controversial subjects? This and other questions occurred to me in response to the recent discussions about My Parents Open Carry by Brian Jeffs and Nathan Nephew (White Feather Press). Though formatted as a picture book, the character whose parents open carry is a 13-year-old girl named Brenna. And despite the title, she doesn’t narrate the text.”...
ALSC Blog, Sept. 17

Library jobs math
Emily Weak writes: “Did you read the recent Wall Street Journal article that said we would soon be experiencing a shortage of librarians and sea captains? Does that math sound right to you? Library Journal’s 2012 placements and salary survey shows in that year, 6,184 people graduated. If that number remains constant (more about this later), that’s 61,840 new librarians over the 10 years from 2012 to 2022. Is there really a shortage of traditional librarians?”...
Hiring Librarians, Sept. 12; Wall Street Journal, Sept. 2; Library Journal, Oct. 17

Massachusetts librarians work to ensure privacy
Alison Macrina and April Glaser write: “Librarians in Massachusetts are working to give their patrons a chance to opt out of pervasive surveillance. Partnering with the ACLU of Massachusetts, area librarians have been teaching and taking workshops on how freedom of speech and the right to privacy are compromised by the surveillance of online and digital communications—and what new privacy-protecting services they can offer patrons to shield them from unwanted spying of their library activity.”...
BoingBoing, Sept. 13

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How to buy an all-in-one PC
Joel Santo Domingo writes: “So the 15-inch display on your laptop is starting to feel cramped, and you work mainly in one location? You should consider an all-in-one (AIO) desktop. For the same amount you would spend on a 17-inch laptop that weighs more than 10 pounds, you can get an AIO desktop PC, with a 23-inch (or larger) screen. You’ll probably also have a better Windows 8 touch experience on an AIO system, since some smaller models can be used like huge tablets. Here’s what to look for.” These are PC Magazine’s top-rated models....
PC Magazine, Sept. 5, 9

Browser developer tools
Bryan Brown writes: “Despite what the name may imply, browser developer tools are not only useful for developers. Anyone who works with the web can find value in browser developer tools because they use the browser, the tool we all use to access the riches of the web, to deconstruct the information that makes up the core of our online experience. A user who has a solid grasp on how to use these tools can get much incredibly useful feedback.”...
LITA Blog, Sept. 17

The six best gaming mice of 2014
Hayden Dingman writes: “You love games. Don’t settle for a tool designed for applications no more demanding than a web browser. Stepping up to a purpose-designed mouse won’t yield benefits as significant as upgrading from a cheap keyboard, but they’re still notable. A good mouse can also reduce stress on your body and make you more productive if you take advantage of its added buttons and programmability.”...
PC World, Sept. 12

Does the iPhone 6 really have console-quality graphics?
Sebastian Anthony writes: “Over the last few years, there has been a steadily growing refrain from device makers and game developers that mobile devices, including the new iPhone 6, have processing power and graphics capabilities that are approaching that of game consoles. Is it really possible for a battery-powered device that’s 7mm thick to have comparable CPU and GPU performance to next-generation consoles that are still less than a year old?” Find out here....
Extreme Tech, Sept. 16

Six ways to actually use 1 TB of cloud storage
Chris Hoffman writes: “The cloud storage wars are heating up. Microsoft now offers 1 TB of cloud storage along with Office 365, and both Dropbox and Google are offering 1 TB at just $10 per month. Flickr even offers 1 TB for free. But the real reason companies are offering so much storage is because they know most users will never actually use anything near 1 TB of storage. Here’s how you actually could.”...
How-To Geek, Sept. 14

A 3D-printed book of genuine artworks
Kelsey Campbell-Dollaghan writes: “Tom Burtonwood’s Folium is a book of 3D-printed pages that each contain a different piece of art you can actually feel with your hands. Burtonwood scanned nine pieces of art and sculpture, ranging from 664 B.C. to the 20th century, at the Chicago Institute of Art. Using Autodesk’s 123D Catch and Recap photogrammetry, he was able to capture the subtle topography of each piece in model space, then print them as pages for the book.”...
Gizmodo, Sept. 17

Libraries balk at OverDrive changes
In a letter to OverDrive CEO Steve Potash, the ReadersFirst coalition of libraries has protested a change that would require new users of OverDrive’s app to register accounts directly with OverDrive. It stresses that “libraries, not the vendors we pay,” should own the customer relationship. The letter comes in response to an email from OverDrive to library partners announcing changes coming to the OverDrive mobile app. New users, including library patrons, would have to register for an OverDrive account....
Publishers Weekly, Sept. 15; OverDrive Blogs, Sept. 16

Judging an ebook by its cover
James LaRue writes: “It doesn’t matter if a book is paper or pixels: Covers matter. We are drawn to images, and the brighter and more appealing the image, the more briskly the book circulates. But there’s a problem. For many public domain, Creative Commons, and self-published works, no image is available. And so libraries sometimes use totally generic covers—the title of the book with a book or film icon to indicate format, for instance.”...
AL: E-Content, Sept. 12

GPO items findable in DPLA
More than 148,000 items from the Government Printing Office’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications are now also available through the Digital Public Library of America. Notable examples of the types of records now available from the GPO include the Federal Budget, laws such as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Federal regulations, and Congressional hearings, reports, and documents. GPO continuously adds records to its Catalog, which will also be available through DPLA, increasing the discoverability of and access to federal information for the American public....
DPLA Blog, Sept. 17

Ebooks turn poet-friendly
Alexandra Alter writes: “When John Ashbery, the Pulitzer Prize–winning poet, first learned that the digital editions of his poetry looked nothing like the print version, he was stunned. There were no line breaks, and the stanzas had been jammed together. That was three years ago. Publishers can now create ebooks that better preserve a poet’s meticulous formatting. In September, Open Road published 17 digital collections of Ashbery’s work, and this time it’s faithful to the original formatting.”...
New York Times, Sept. 14

Digital watermarks to prevent ebook piracy
Pranav Dixit writes: “HarperColllins and ebook distributor LibreDigital have signed up to use a new technology called Guardian Watermarking for Publishing from Digimarc, a new antipiracy technology that embeds an invisible watermark into ebooks at the time of transaction. The service is cloud-based and offers an easy-to-integrate API for most ebook formats, including EPUB, PDF, and MOBI. These watermarks allow publishers to track the source of the leak and take necessary steps to plug the hole.” Watch the video (2:59)....
Gizmodo, Sept. 16, Digimarc, Sept. 15; Vimeo, Apr.

EU libraries may digitize books without permission
European libraries may digitize books and make them available at electronic reading points without first gaining consent of the copyright holder, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled on September 11. Libraries can use this exception to publish works on electronic terminals on their premises, the court ruled. However, libraries cannot permit visitors to print out the works or store them on a USB stick. Kevin Smith offers some insight on the ruling....
PC World, Sept. 11; Scholarly Communications @ Duke, Sept. 16

The Loeb Classical Library goes digital
The Loeb Classical Library, the series of trim red (Latin) and green (Greek) volumes of ancient texts, has gone into the ether. The Digital Loeb Classical Library, available on a fee basis, makes the more than 520 volumes of the series available on an online platform that allows readers to search, browse, share, annotate, and bookmark any two-page spread, which, as with the print editions, shows the Latin or Greek on the left and an English translation on the right....
New York Times: ArtsBeat, Sept. 15

2015 Midwinter Meeting and Exhibits, Chicago, January 30–February 3. Bundle registration for 2015 Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference is now open. You can save up to $130 and also book Midwinter housing. The conversation starts in Chicago, January 30–February 3, 2015, and continues at ALA Annual Conference in San Francisco, June 25–30.

Reading is good for you
CBC Books and Canada’s National Reading Campaign have created an infographic that highlights all of the reasons that reading is good for you. According to the graphic, on average readers have better physical health, empathy, and mental health. In addition, reading for as little as six minutes can reduce stress by 60%, better than going for a walk or listening to music....
GalleyCat, Sept. 12; National Reading Campaign, Oct. 13, 2013

Tutoring works for struggling readers
Tina Rosenberg writes: “All participants in the reading wars agree on some things: Early reading is crucial. A child who does not read proficiently by 3rd grade will probably fall further behind each year. And they agree on something else: Any reading curriculum works better if children who are struggling get the chance to work, one on one, with a tutor. The problem, of course, is that very few principals can afford it.”...
New York Times, Sept. 11

In World War II, publishers created a nation of readers
In 1943, in the middle of the Second World War, America’s book publishers took an audacious gamble. They decided to sell the armed forces cheap paperbacks, shipped to units scattered around the globe. Instead of printing only the books soldiers and sailors actually wanted to read, though, publishers decided to send them the best they had to offer. Over the next four years, publishers gave away 122,951,031 copies of their most valuable titles....
The Atlantic, Sept. 10

Chicago kids read 2.7 million books over the summer
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced September 15 that the city’s kids have read a record-breaking 2.7 million books this summer as part of Rahm’s Readers Summer Learning Challenge, with more than 83,000 children reading a total of 66 million minutes over the summer months. Rahm’s Readers is designed to encourage more kids to participate and provide additional activities as opportunities for kids to grow and learn, serving as a cornerstone of the city-wide Summer of Learning initiative....
City of Chicago, Sept. 15

Celebrating Dragonlance
Julie Bartel writes: “On September 4–6, I spent the better part of three days at the truly outrageous 2014 Salt Lake Comic Con. One of the highlights, for me, was the Dragonlance 30th Anniversary Celebration panel. Along with a couple hundred other guests, I was treated to stories about the genesis and development of Dragonlance, a series of gaming modules and fantasy novels first published in the mid-1980s that became one of the most popular shared-world settings of all time.”...
YALSA The Hub, Sept. 11

50 romantic novels for people who hate romance novels
Emily Temple writes: “Sometimes, you just want to read a good love story. Or at least, something with a little sex, a little passion, a few dramatic swoons. But a romance novel, per se? Nothing so gaudy or slapdash for you! Here is a selection of romantic books that will rev your motor (emotional or otherwise) but don’t fall into that taboo category of cheap paper and cheaper storylines.”...
Flavorwire, Sept. 15

Realistic but fictional school settings
Carly Pansulla writes: “To help take the sting out of the end of summer, I like to throw myself into celebrating the beginning of fall. For me, this means new notebooks, adding apples to pretty much every meal, and diving into books that highlight all the little rituals of the school year. The following are some of my favorite titles with strong school settings, to help us all get excited for the new semester (even if we can’t actually enroll at Hogwarts, which would, let’s be honest, be the ultimate in back-to-school excitement).”...
YALSA The Hub, Sept. 12

New and forthcoming LGBTQ fiction
Molly Wetta writes: “This post highlights teen fiction that features lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and otherwise non-heterosexual identifying characters and themes that are coming out in Fall 2014 and Winter 2015. In some of these novels, the sexual orientation and gender identity are integral to the plot, and in others, it’s just another characteristic of the protagonist. There’s a great mix of genres and styles so that any reader can find a book they’ll enjoy.”...
YALSA The Hub, Sept. 15

Jane Austen fans break world record
Jane Austen fans believe they have reclaimed their world record for the largest gathering of people dressed in Regency costume. As many as 550 men, women, and children all gathered outside of the Assembly Rooms in Bath, Somerset, UK, Austen’s former home, on September 13 to break the Guinness World Record. Previously standing at 491 from the US, fans turned out in their finest period clothing to celebrate the event, which was part of the Jane Austen Festival....
The Telegraph (UK), Sept. 14

Banned Books Week: In the Library with a Comic Book
In the Library with a Comic Book, a tumblr by and for librarians, educators, and people who love comics, offers occasional podcasts on relevant topics. Episode 19 features Jack Baur, teen librarian at Berkeley (Calif.) Public Library, and Amanda Jacobs Foust, electronic services librarian for Marin County (Calif.) Free Library, discussing challenged comics with special guests Eva Volin, head of children’s services at Alameda (Calif.) Free Library, and Casey Gilly of Comic Book Resources....
In the Library with a Comic Book, Sept. 15

Street Books in Portland serves homeless persons
Laura Moulton started the bicycle-powered Street Books in June 2011 as a three-month, grant-funded project in Portland, Oregon. Now it has turned into a registered nonprofit with a growing board, three street librarians, and a regular cadre of volunteers. Its fourth summer in operation is winding down and in mid-September the organization is hosting its first official fundraiser....
Portland Oregonian, Sept. 16

Craft beer and books at Kalamazoo’s Booktoberfest
Craft beer and book lovers in Kalamazoo, Michigan, can learn more about brews this fall at the inaugural Booktoberfest. The Kalamazoo Public Library has teamed up with several Kalamazoo breweries to showcase Kalamazoo’s brewing history, home brewing, food and beer pairings, and books. The library promises some hop-tastic events....
Kalamazoo (Mich.) Gazette, Sept. 16

Five best language translation tools
Alan Henry writes: “When you need to translate one language to another, either just to communicate or because you’re trying to read something, you have tons of options—they’re just not all that great at capturing what the original language really meant without sounding silly. This week we’re looking at five of the best, based on reader nominations.”...
Lifehacker, Sept. 14

Mill Valley’s zine workshop for high school students
Katie MacBride writes: “On September 2, we had a truly inspiring zine workshop for high school students at the Mill Valley (Calif.) Public Library. ‘Take Your Rage to the Page’ worked like this: First, Elly Blue and Joe Biel, zine aficionados from Microcosm Publishing in Portland, Oregon, helped us make a list of everything that makes us angry (it was long). We talked about what zines are, how they can help us express that anger, looked at some examples, and then we made our own.”...
Mill Valley (Calif.) Public Library

Six ways you are telling kids not to listen
Amanda Morgan writes: “Learning to be a good listener is a critical skill. Kids need to learn to be active listeners (here’s how I teach it in the classroom) and adults need to remember to be good listeners too. But there are also things we do as we speak to children that may increase or lessen the likelihood that children will actually be listening. Here are six ways we may be unintentionally telling kids not to listen, and how to correct that.”...
Not Just Cute, Sept. 14, 2009; Apr. 8, 2011; Sept. 10

Uncovering the text of the New Testament
A £1.1 million ($1.8 million US) campaign by Cambridge University Library in the UK to secure one of the most important New Testament manuscripts, the 7th-century Codex Zacynthius, has been a success. The library, which holds but does not own the codex, reached its appeal target after the National Heritage Memorial Fund recognized its importance and stepped in with a grant. The manuscript (a palimpsest) will now undergo multispectral imaging and x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy to enrich a new generation of research on the text....
Cambridge University Library, Sept. 12

Medieval supermodels
Erik Kwakkel writes: “This post is devoted to a particularly attractive and rare kind of medieval manuscript: the model book. A feast to the eye, the book is filled with drawings and paintings that were meant to show scribes and illuminators how to decorate letters, paint initials, or add large segments of decoration to the page. Within this tradition, two types of model books can be distinguished. Some functioned as instruction manuals, while others were a source of inspiration.”...
medievalbooks, Sept. 12

The many TV stations of book preservation
Don’t change that channel! Books and other library resources are a treasure, but they can be fragile and won’t last unless we do our part to extend their lives and leave them in good shape for the next patron. This amusing video (8:25), created by the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University, strives to “enter-train” student workers on the most important points of book preservation. Directed by Lauren Laws....
YouTube, Aug. 28

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