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Key provisions of the USA Patriot Act expired at the end of May 31, including Section 215, the “library records” provision. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) blocked a proposed extension of it during an at times caustic Senate session. ALA President Courtney Young released a statement applauding the expiration of the act’s controversial Section 215. The Senate adjourned June 1 with the stage set for votes on at least three “hostile” amendments to the USA Freedom Act filed by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). As explained in a letter (PDF file) by Washington Office Executive Director Emily Sheketoff that was delivered to all senators ahead of votes on June 2, passage of any one such amendment would water down the USA Freedom Act so seriously as to cause ALA to reverse course and oppose the bill. However, senators overcame Paul’s objections on June 2 and seemed headed for passage of the act with some amendments that could stall its passage in the House....
Los Angeles Times, June 2; New York Times, June 1; AL: The Scoop, June 1; District Dispatch, June 1 |
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Tim McCall writes: “Calm has settled over the digital library lending landscape. What a difference from a few years ago, when the prevailing view was that of a broken system needing some serious attention. Now we find ourselves in a new quiet, with questions about what might come next. One thing is certain: There is no status quo in digital content distribution.”...
American Libraries feature |
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June 1 marks the beginning of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month, celebrated since 1995 in commemoration of the June 1969 Stonewall riots in Manhattan—a turning point in the struggle for gay rights. Four years before Stonewall, seven women and 33 men picketed in front of Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, demanding equality for gays and lesbians. One of them was Barbara Gittings (1932–2007), who was the coordinator of the ALA Gay Task Force—the first gay caucus in any professional organization....
Philly.com, May 31
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Sarah Stone writes: “Only a few weeks remain before the ALA Annual Conference draws thousands of librarians to San Francisco. San Francisco boasts a thriving literary scene, many exciting things to eat and do, and of course numerous programs at ALA for learning, growing, and connecting. But how will you get to and fro? Check out these currently available options.”...
ALSC Blog, Mar. 4, 27, May 30
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This September, Snoopy, the world-famous beagle, will add a new title to his résumé as honorary chair of Library Card Sign-up Month. As honorary chair, Snoopy will remind parents, caregivers, children, and teens that the coolest card of all is a library card. Peanuts Worldwide Entertainment has donated Snoopy’s image to print and digital public service announcements for ALA to place in magazines and on websites....
ALA Public Information Office, June 1
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Erin Kelly writes: “Stemming the summer slide isn’t impossible. Students who read just four to six books over the summer can maintain their skills. Schools have tried to enforce this with a summer reading list, where students are assigned several books that they must write a report about. I wondered if there was a way to make this program more effective, so in 2013, I asked the teachers to let the kids choose the books they read over the summer.”...
Washington Post, May 27 |
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This excerpt comes from Forbes/Wolfe Emerging Tech Report’s recent full-length interview with Anthony W. Marx, president and CEO of the New York Public Library. Marx shares with us some of the unique opportunities and challenges of navigating one of the world’s largest library systems into the Information Age....
Forbes, June 1 |
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Emma Jacobs writes: “Some impressive documents have lain on the bed of the Cruse SC 220 ST Fine Art Scanner in a back room of the Athenaeum of Philadelphia: copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Paris, the text of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Abraham Lincoln, and the witness book from his assassination. The library found that its scanner could eventually pay to sustain its own digitization program in the long term by performing work for other clients.”...
Technical.ly, June 1 |
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Joyce Valenza writes: “If the largest library in the world, with millions of books, photographs, maps, and manuscripts uses Pinterest effectively, it makes a pretty serious case for a new type of curation for libraries, learning, and learners. The white gloves are off. The Library of Congress is a pretty serious pinner, It’s an example of how social media can open collections to new audiences, how sharing makes a difference, and of how libraries and museums now meet audiences where they live and play.”...
NeverEndingSearch, June 1 |
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Katerina Petropoulou writes: “Social media management can be a full-time job, but it can become even more of a challenge if managing your library’s social media presence is only part of your daily tasks. So where to begin? Take a big breath and master these 10 secrets that will help you save a ton of time.”...
The Next Web News, June 1 |
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Do you want to play a significant role in promoting international librarianship and the activities of the ALA International Relations Round Table? You can do so by volunteering to serve a two-year term as the editor of IRRT’s official publication International Leads. The volunteer editor is responsible for the newsletter, in conjunction with the IRRT Publications Committee and the IRRT Executive Board. Applications are due by June 5....
ALA International Relations Office |
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Jessica Olin writes: “Months back I read an interesting piece on Inside Higher Ed: ‘Can I Do the Same Thing Over and Over Again?’ by John Warner. I admit that I flirt with librarian burnout from time to time, but have learned to recognize the signs of impending doom and have (mostly) managed to avoid it. But I know lots of people who can’t avoid it, or don’t know what to do when they see a pit opening up beneath them. Here are a few things I do regularly to avoid burnout.”...
Letters to a Young Librarian, June 2; Inside Higher Ed, Nov. 23, 2014 |
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