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Jody Gray and John Amundsen write: “In Orlando, Florida; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Falcon Heights, Minnesota; Dallas, and beyond, people are struggling to understand and cope with the tragic events of the past few weeks and their underlying causes. Often in the face of crisis, there is one place many turn to: their local library. Here are just a few of the many ways libraries are responding to community needs.”...
AL: The Scoop, July 11 |
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Miriam Tuliao (right), assistant director of selection at BookOps in New York City, announced that she will participate in the Grimaldo’s Mile Swim to raise funds for the Spectrum Scholarship program. The event will take place in Brooklyn on July 30. Tuliao is a US masters swimmer who has twice participated in two-mile Cable Open Water National Championships in support of the Spectrum Presidential Initiative. Donations can be made through CrowdRise or the ALA Development Office....
Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services, July 11 |
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Don’t miss IFLA’s 82nd World Library and Information Congress, August 13–19 in Columbus, Ohio. Standard registration rates are available until August 11, with onsite registration beginning on August 12. This is a great chance to experience an international library conference without extensive travel requirements. The IFLA sections have put together a wide variety of programs. Can’t make it to the entire Congress? Day tickets are also available....
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions |
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The New York Public Library launched a SimplyE app for iOS and Android devices on July 11 that allows users to rent ebooks, audiobooks, and research papers. Some of the library’s digital offerings have already been available through PDFs; the app streamlines the process by amassing them in one place and allowing users to adjust font size. Library officials said because the app is open source, more features can be added. They are seeking users’ ideas for how to further develop it....
AM New York, July 11 |
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Sarah Bean Thompson writes: “Pokémon Go is a great social game and getting people out and moving. In order to find Pokémon, you have to walk around and visit various places in your community. You also need to stock up on supplies, which you can do at Pokéstops, which many libraries are. Some libraries are even lucky enough to be a gym, which means there will be even more people coming through your doors, as these are places everyone is after. This is where you can battle Pokémon and gain more points. Libraries are already doing some great publicity and capitalizing on the game’s success.” Meanwhile, there are some safety and privacy concerns. Vox and The Guardian offer more explanations of the game....
ALSC Blog, July 12; Where We’re Going, We Don’t Need Shelves, July 11; KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, July 11; BuzzFeed News, July 11; Vox, July 11; The Guardian, July 11 |
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Hinsdale (Ill.) Public Library has installed a Thumbs-Up Box (TUB) for patrons to use as a book return for items they really enjoyed. Items returned to the TUB, unlike those returned in the regular book returns, are checked in and put on display for other patrons who are looking for a recommendation....
Hinsdale (Ill.) Public Library Facebook, June 23 |
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Kate MacMillan writes: “School and public libraries ought to be a natural partnership. We serve the same constituents, share the same concerns and mission, use the same tools, and face the same challenges. From an outside perspective, we are on the same team. Yet for a variety of reasons, many institutionalized, we operate in separate sectors, and that needs to change. It’s time to start the conversation to determine what keeps us from achieving true collaboration and what we can do about it.”...
Knowledge Quest blog, July 12 |
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Yasmeen Shorish writes: “Academic libraries have long provided workshops that focus on research skills and tools to the community. Topics often include citation software or specific database search strategies. Increasingly, however, libraries are offering workshops on topics that some may consider nontraditional or outside the natural home of the library. These topics include using R and other analysis packages, data visualization software, and GIS technology training, to name a few.”...
ACRL Tech Connect Blog, July 11 |
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Susan A. Bloomfield writes: “Hug a medical librarian—if you can find one. If you were indeed a fortunate patient during your last trip to a clinic or hospital, your visit was positively affected by this increasingly rare, unsung professional working in our country’s health care institutions. They are trained to assess the credibility of electronic and print information sources and to process and deliver that information appropriately—whether it’s for specialized surgical rounds or for a layperson’s outpatient handout.”...
Portland (Maine) Press Herald, July 12 |
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Timothy Torres writes: “The new Amazon Kindle is thinner, lighter, and, well, whiter—although a black version is still available if that suits your fancy. It’s also the least expensive ebook reader in Amazon’s lineup at $79.99 (with ads). Upgrades from the previous model include increased memory (for speedier performance), as well as a design that’s more rounded, and built-in Bluetooth audio support so you can pair it with your favorite wireless headphones or speakers.”...
PC Magazine, July 11
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Suzy Strutner writes: “Chances are you’re familiar with Google Flights. The flight search engine does everything you assume it would, like locate flights based on your ideal outbound time, inbound time, and number of stops. After all, it’s the same technology that powers both Kayak and Orbitz. The site also includes a whole host of features that aren’t so easy to imagine, probably because they’re so unimaginably amazing. Check out these six tricks.”...
The Huffington Post, Feb. 3; Oct. 27, 2015 |
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Betsy Bird writes: “Are you ready for a summer reading t-shirt fashion show? Of course you are. As some of you may recall, last week I was bragging something fierce about the Evanston (Ill.) Public Library’s shockingly attractive summer reading t-shirts (right). Admit it. You’re just a teeny bit jealous. Because good-looking t-shirts for summer reading are darn hard to find. So to see how many good-looking shirts are out there this year, I made a hashtag (#summerreadtee) and asked readers to send me their shirts.”...
A Fuse #8 Production, July 6, 11 |
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