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Ellen Satterwhite writes: “The FCC has published its proposal to undo the 2015 net neutrality rules and is now accepting public comment on the measure through July 17. The proposal asks a lot of questions, including whether net neutrality rules are needed at all. However, the FCC is obligated to review the comments it receives and to act in the public interest. The agency needs a robust public record that supports its decision, so the comments will be important. Here is how you can leave a comment on the FCC site.”...
AL: The Scoop, June 9; FCC Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, May 23; New York Times, Mar. 12, 2015 |
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Timothy Inklebarger writes: “It’s been more than four months since Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States, and librarians and data scientists are hard at work to preserve government research they fear could be lost or removed by his administration. The effort began at University of Toronto and Van Pelt Library at the University of Pennsylvania and has since spread to as many as two dozen universities and libraries across the US and Canada.”...
American Libraries Trend, June |
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Jeff Julian writes: “The ALA Libraries Transform campaign is in its second year, and libraries across the country are using its succinct messages, vibrant graphics, and powerful tools to increase public awareness of the value, impact, and services that librarians and library workers provide. More than 6,900 libraries and library advocates have joined the campaign since it launched in October 2015. Many libraries are using the tools to demonstrate the power of speaking in one distinct, energetic voice for the library profession.”...
American Libraries feature, June |
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Kathi Kromer (right) is stepping up to lead the ALA Washington Office at a hectic time—federal funding for libraries is at risk, and ALA’s Annual Conference is just two weeks away. Fortunately, Kromer has more than two decades of experience working with Congress and state governments. She took time out of her busy orientation schedule to answer our “11 Questions” and introduce herself to ALA members....
AL: The Scoop, June 9 |
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Nikki Giovanni (right), who has written or edited more than 40 books, is one of the most widely read African American poets in the world. Since the 1960s, her lyrical yet down-to-earth explorations of themes such as civil rights, racial pride, and family life have revealed a spirit both grounded in reality and passionate about possibility. As part of the 2017 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, Giovanni headlines a June 23 reception to benefit ALA’s Cultural Committee Fund....
American Libraries Trend, June |
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The Library of Congress is making good progress toward improved IT management, agency leaders said June 8 in a hearing before the Committee on House Administration. In addition to hiring a chief information officer, Bernard A. Barton Jr., the library has implemented four other recommendations: the creation of an IT strategic plan, the development of an inventory of library information services, a policy on accounting for IT expenditures, and a policy on assessments of the utility of IT investments....
FedScoop, June 8 |
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Lauren Magnuson writes: “It has become relatively commonplace for the work of technology innovation to occur outside of library IT departments; for example, reference and instruction librarians playing a tightly integrated role in the optimization of discovery interfaces, tech services staff using Python and linked data technologies to clean up and enhance metadata, and instruction librarians creating and managing makerspaces. Here are six trends that are influencing the spread of technology development outside of traditional library IT.”...
ACRL TechConnect Blog, June 7; Code4Lib Journal, Apr. 25, 2016; Library Management 37, no. 6–7 (2016): 308–316; Journal of Education for Library and Information Science 56, no. 2 (2015): 114–129 |
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A New York City subway train—alternating between the E and F lines in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens—is decorated with the words “Subway Library.” It has 10 cars that have been covered in bright blue, purple, green, orange, and yellow, and the seats resemble books on a shelf. Beginning June 8, the Subway Library offers commuters six weeks of free downloadable books from the city’s public libraries. But you don’t need to be in a library car to take advantage....
New York Times, June 8
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Shane Dixon Kavanaugh writes: “A wave of sadness swept over Pinky England as she watched her two daughters dutifully stuff the borrowed books, CDs, and DVDs into the return bin at the Douglas County (Oreg.) Public Library on May 31. It will likely be a long while before they do so again, if ever. In the fall of 2016, voters in this struggling Oregon timber county soundly rejected a tax measure to keep all of its libraries from closing down. ‘The magnitude of this closure is like nothing we’ve seen,’ said ALA President Julie Todaro.”...
Vocativ, June 6
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San Diego (Calif.) Public Library staff are taking part in a Mental Health First Aid course, learning skills to provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health issue, having a substance abuse problem, or experiencing a crisis. This week, 30 librarians will complete the training, and the city hopes to put all 700 staff members through it eventually. The course was developed by the National Council on Behavioral Health and funded through a $1 million LSTA grant....
KGTV, San Diego, Calif., June 6
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Adario Strange writes: “Here’s a novel approach to getting high-end virtual reality to the public: Make it free. That’s what Oculus is doing in California with an initiative that will place 100 Oculus Rift headsets and VR-ready PC systems in 90 libraries throughout the state. The VR systems, which will be rolled out over the next three months, will come preloaded with educational VR titles including Google Earth VR, The Body VR, Apollo 11, Mars Odyssey, and Through the Ages, as well as various nature and gaming VR titles.”...
Mashable, June 7; Oculus Blog, June 7
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Rebecca Johnson writes: “Across the US, independent bookstores are having a comeback. Often combining bookselling with a café or bar, these stores will usually stock rare presses and obscure publishers alongside classics and bestsellers. The following stores are no exception, but they also have that little something extra which makes them stand out from the rest. Here are 50 unique independent bookstores—one for each US state.”...
The Culture Trip, June 9
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