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Honorary Book Club Central Chair Sarah Jessica Parker has selected Jonathan Miles’s Anatomy of a Miracle as the latest addition to the ALA Book Club Central SJP list. The book is a remarkable novel about a paralyzed young man’s inexplicable recovery, and explores faith, science, mystery, and the meaning of life. Book Club Central, designed in consultation with librarians, is a place for engaging content and information for book clubs and readers....
AL: The Scoop, Mar. 13 |
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Ballot mailing for the 2018 ALA election will begin on March 12 and will run through April 4. The two candidates for ALA president have released statements about their platforms: Wanda Brown, director of library services at O’Kelly Library, Winston-Salem (N.C.) State University; and Peter Hepburn, head librarian, College of the Canyons, Santa Clarita, California....
Office of ALA Governance; American Libraries feature, Mar./Apr. |
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Author Sherman Alexie (right) has declined the Carnegie Medal for Nonfiction he received in February, ALA told the Associated Press on March 9. Alexie was given the $5,000 award for nonfiction for his memoir You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me. He has since faced multiple allegations of sexual harassment and issued a statement acknowledging wrongdoing. Alexie’s publisher Hachette said that the date for releasing the paperback edition had been pushed back indefinitely and that the change was made at Alexie’s request....
Associated Press, Mar. 9, 12; Seattle Times, Feb. 28 |
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Bailey Brewer writes: “You’ve heard of fidget spinners. But what about fidget quilts? In 2015, David Kelsey, outreach services librarian at St. Charles (Ill.) Public Library, attended a Reaching Across Illinois Library System program where he heard presenter Glenna Godinsky mention fidget quilts. These small lap quilts, which also sometimes come in the form of a wearable apron, are affixed with zippers, buttons, and other items that people can manipulate to help reduce nervous tension.”...
American Libraries Trend, Mar./Apr. |
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Linda W. Braun and Marijke Visser write: “What’s going on with computational thinking (CT) and computer science (CS) activities in libraries for and with youth and families? The answer was the focus of ‘Ready to Code: Libraries Supporting CS Education,’ a panel presentation at this year’s SXSW EDU, held in Austin, Texas, March 5–8. Moderator Tim Carrigan (right), senior program officer at IMLS, presented a picture of how the CT work of libraries closely aligns with national and IMLS priorities.”...
AL: The Scoop, Mar. 12 |
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Twelve lawsuits filed against the FCC over its net neutrality repeal have been consolidated into one suit that will be heard at a federal appeals court in California. The lawsuits were filed by more than three dozen entities, including state attorneys general, consumer advocacy groups, and tech companies. A multi-circuit lottery was held to determine the venue, and the Ninth Circuit court based in San Francisco was randomly selected to hear the case. There is no schedule yet for the consolidated lawsuit....
Ars Technica, Mar. 12 |
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Tess Wilson writes: “The Institute of Museum and Library Services has been an essential resource for libraries since its inception over two decades ago. The work supported by IMLS takes the form of anything from STEAM programming to data-rich research projects. Transforming Communities, its recently published 2018–2022 strategic plan, reviews specific successes and focuses on broader strategies to lead us into the next few years. Certain aspects of the plan are of particular interest to library staff who work with youth.”...
YALSA Blog, Mar. 13; Institute of Museum and Library Services, Jan. 10 |
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More than 350 individuals and organizations have signed a statement in support of Chris Bourg (right), Massachusetts Institute of Technology Libraries director, after she was targeted on social media. Bourg gave a keynote speech at the Code4Lib conference in February in which she spoke about the importance of diversity in software development. Bourg referenced research that found large numbers of people from marginalized groups are choosing to leave their tech jobs because of discrimination....
Inside Higher Ed, Mar. 13; Association of Research Libraries, Mar. 12; Code4Lib; Kapor Center for Social Impact, Apr. 27, 2017 |
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Loretta Gaffney writes: “In the wake of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, students at schools across the nation have come together in solidarity. Challenging the stereotype of the self-absorbed teenager, these students are engaging with their communities in order to organize for positive change. They are marching, writing to their representatives, walking out of school, and speaking out in the media. Librarians can help students make connections with other activists and encourage them to work for social change.”...
Knowledge Quest blog, Mar. 13 |
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Lindsay McKenzie writes: “A German student uses your website to apply for admission. An alumnus who lives in Italy makes an online donation. A faculty member spends a sabbatical in France and communicates with colleagues back home. These common digital interactions will subject colleges in the US to the European Union’s comprehensive privacy rules, which go into effect May 25. Many experts believe American colleges are not prepared—and could face steep fines as a result.”...
Inside Higher Ed, Mar. 13; AL: The Scoop, Feb. 10
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Aaron Tay writes: “While I have mused on the challenges of institutional repositories (mostly around the reluctance of faculty to deposit), some IRs do manage to acquire a fair amount of content. For those, the question shifts toward how best to make their content as discoverable as possible. What follows are my musings about six different sources you can optimize to ensure your IR content has the broadest reach possible; unfortunately, this isn’t always straightforward.”...
Musings About Librarianship, Mar. 12; Aug. 11, 2016 |
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Jennifer Allen writes: “When making plans for the next few days or week, it’s useful to know the weather forecast—even if just to know when to bundle up or bring an umbrella. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite weather apps for keeping an eye the skies (without even peeking outside). If you like to plan a bit to ensure that your scenic hike around the lake isn’t a soggy one or your commute won’t be canceled because of a snowpocalypse, then here are seven suggestions.”...
Review Geek, Mar. 12 |
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