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American Libraries has launched a new podcast called Dewey Decibel. In the first episode, “Preservation: If You Don’t Have the Keepers, You Don’t Have the History,” AL Associate Editor Phil Morehart interviews three preservation experts in observance of ALA Preservation Week (April 24–30): Brad Meltzer, chair of Preservation Week; Michèle Cloonan, dean of Simmons SLIS; and Michael Witmore, director of the Folger Shakespeare Library....
AL: The Scoop, Apr. 25 |
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People who have known Skokie (Ill.) Public Library Director Carolyn Anthony (right) for more than three decades also know that the library she will leave behind in July has little resemblance to the one she inherited. The library has expanded and been redesigned and reorganized; long-needed parking was finally acquired; resources and databases and materials for checkout were changed and reprioritized; programming evolved and expanded substantially—and all of it done to stay ahead of 21st-century needs....
Skokie (Ill.) Review, Apr. 25 |
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Rutgers University officials removed a controversial art piece depicting a Jesus on a dartboard from a campus library April 21 after receiving complaints that the exhibit was offensive. Called Vitruvian Man, the artwork shows a figure of a crucified Jesus stabbed with four darts and was part of an exhibit in the Art Library on Voorhees Mall. Jessica Pellien, director of communications at Rutgers University Libraries, said that the artwork did not meet library policy....
NJ.com, Apr. 21 |
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Susan Trien writes: “On a quiet country road in Chili, New York, the state-of-the-art Louis B. Mayer Conservation Center could be easily overlooked. Formerly a welding shop for farm equipment, the unobtrusive, white cinderblock structure on four acres of land is now home to the George Eastman Museum’s world class collection of more than 26 million feet of combustible nitrate film. Why preserve flammable film? Nitrate film has a clarity that is unparalleled, according to the museum’s Jared Case.”...
Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle, Apr. 25 |
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Three major libraries in Nepal—the National Library, Kaiser Library, and Tribhuvan University Central Library—experienced severe blows in the April 2015 earthquake. Buildings were damaged, book stacks were destroyed, and people could no longer visit them. The downpour that followed the quake ruined rare books. One year has passed since the quake, but these libraries have not come into full operation. ALA’s Nepal Library Relief Fund is still collecting donations for these libraries....
The Himalayan Times (Nepal), Apr. 23; ALA International Relations Office
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Melinda D. Anderson writes: “Even as supporters work to promote equitable access through connectivity, deep-rooted disparities linger. And a more nuanced digital divide seems to have surfaced, thanks to the practice by school districts of overzealous censorship on in-school computer networks and on school-issued tablets carried home with students. Some school policies continue to deprive children from becoming knowledgeable digital consumers—with the hardest hit being the most disadvantaged students.”...
The Atlantic, Apr. 26; KQED News: Mind/Shift, June 26, 2014; Oct. 25, 2011 |
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Jodi Shaw writes: “If you are a children’s librarian, then you are a performer. As such, there are things you can do to make your performances really special. This post will focus on the most universal of library performances: storytime. The most important thing to remember is that your audience has not come to see a book, watch a finger rhyme, or hear a song; they have come to see you. You are the one who makes the magic happen.”...
Public Libraries Online, Apr. 22 |
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Daniel A. Gross writes: “It’s standard practice—and often a necessity—to remove books from public library collections. The key question, for librarians who prefer to avoid scandal, is which books are weeds. Mary Kelly and Holly Hibner, two Michigan librarians, have written Making a Collection Count: A Holistic Approach to Library Collection Management, which proposes best practices for analyzing library data. But they are better known for their blog, Awful Library Books.”...
The New Yorker, Apr. 26 |
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Tiffany McClary writes: “Since 2006, millions have been inspired by TED Talks: short, inspirational, and educational videos by speakers expounding on topics from science to spirituality to dance. The talks are often thought-provoking and the speakers passionate about their topics. None last more than 18 minutes. The videos also can provide librarians with a jumping point for their own blog posts and public talks. Here are four TED Talks that you can use to help explain the magic of your public library.”...
New Jersey State Library Marketing Blog, Apr. 25
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Ben Patterson writes: “Google’s slick, modern-looking Calendar app for Android and iOS practically reads your mind as you’re creating an event, suggesting times, people, and places that you can quickly add with a tap. As intuitive as it is, though, you can make it even better if you tweak a few settings. Read on to learn how to pick a default time for calendar alerts, create recurring events, set aside some ‘me time,’ and more.”...
PC World, Apr. 26
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Elizabeth Norton writes: “In 1996, the Academy of American Poets established April as National Poetry Month to encourage the reading of poetry and increase awareness of American poetry. It is a good time to support and inspire the teen writers and poets who frequent your library. Here is a sampling of fiction and nonfiction books to help you do just that.”...
YALSA The Hub, Apr. 25
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James Whitbrook writes: “We at io9 tend to cover a lot of comic book news, but there are many smaller titles that, while not making headline news, are absolutely worth checking out (and then telling all your friends about how awesome they are). Here are 10 of the criminally underappreciated series out right now that you should be reading.”...
io9, Apr. 22
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