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Lara Ewen writes: “As a second pandemic holiday season rolls in, even the cheeriest folks are fraying a little around the edges. This year, give them effortless presents that will make their lives gentler, simpler, and sweeter. And since you could probably also use a little break, we’ve done most of the work for you by rounding up a collection of bookish gifts that, despite inflation, are still easy on the wallet (everything is under $50) and suitable for just about everyone on your list (including you).”...
American Libraries feature, Nov. 23
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Episode 68 of Call Number with American Libraries looks at the wonderful world of food with model, author, and Top Chef host and producer
Padma Lakshmi on the intersection of cooking and family; Hannah Appleby-Wineberg, library intern at America’s Test Kitchen, on working at the popular television show and how its library is used to develop recipes; and author Mayukh Sen on his book Taste Makers: Seven Immigrant Women Who Revolutionized Food in America....
AL: The Scoop, Nov. 23; American Libraries Trend, Nov./Dec.
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Sallyann Price writes: “When T-Kay Sangwand named her radio show The Archive of Feelings, she wasn’t just being cute. In addition to being a DJ, Sangwand is librarian for digital collection development at UCLA Library, where she helms efforts to make archival holdings accessible online. Sangwand’s monthly show on nonprofit internet station dublab features curated sets that often highlight albums from countries she has visited; she started her record collection while studying in Brazil in 2007.”...
American Libraries Bookend, Nov./Dec.
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Library Technology Manager Michael Sauers writes: “An estimated 19 million Americans—or 6% of the population—still lack access to fixed broadband service at threshold speeds. And as more job interviews have moved online during the pandemic, those without access face a major roadblock to finding employment. That’s where Do Space has stepped in. In July 2020, the Omaha, Nebraska–based community technology library launched its Virtual Interview Lab to offer locals access to high-speed internet, reliable computer equipment, and space to participate in job interviews.”...
American Libraries Trend, Nov./Dec.
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In our November/December issue, we’ve got stats celebrating the culinary cornucopia found in books, libraries, and collections, including the number of classes offered annually through Free Library of Philadelphia’s Culinary Literacy Center (350), the number of copies that the novel Like Water for Chocolate has sold (4.5 million), and the number of individually wrapped Kraft Singles bound together in the book 20 Slices of American Cheese at University of Michigan’s Art, Architecture, and Engineering Library in Ann Arbor (20)....
American Libraries Trend, Nov./Dec.
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Approximately 10 members of the Proud Boys showed up for a school board meeting in Downers Grove, Illinois, November 15 where a conservative parents’ group was seeking to remove the graphic novel Gender Queer from Downers North and Downers South high schools. Students said the Proud Boys’ presence at the meeting—where the men jeered at them, even called them “pedophiles” for supporting keeping the book in the library—was “unnerving” and “intimidating.”...
Chicago Sun-Times, Nov. 21
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The Flagler County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office stated November 19 it found that no crime had been committed by the placement of the book
All Boys Aren’t Blue in some public school libraries. Sheriff Rick Staly made the decision after reviewing a complaint
filed November 9 by school board member Jill Woolbright, alleging that the book was pornography under Florida law. “The Sheriff’s Office does not determine what material is appropriate for the students of Flagler County,” Staly stated in the release....
Daytona Beach (Fla.) News-Journal, Nov. 17, Nov. 19; Palm Coast (Fla.) Observer, Nov. 11
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The North Kansas City (Mo.) School District said November 22 that it’s returning All Boys Aren’t Blue and Fun Home to high school library shelves, according to a copy of a letter to families provided to The Associated Press by a spokeswoman, who said it was sent November 19. The books were pulled following parent concerns raised in a late October school board meeting. The American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri on November 22 wrote a letter to school officials urging that the books be returned, arguing that banning the books would violate students’ First Amendment rights by restricting their access to ideas. Students had also petitioned to keep the books in libraries....
KSHB-TV (Kansas City, Mo.), Nov. 22
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Joshua Benton writes: “The Aspen Institute’s Commission on Information Disorder is a
group of smart, powerful, and/or ex-royal people tasked with figuring out how to tackle the misinformation seemingly endemic to modern digital life. On November 15, they turned out their final report, summing up their findings and making 15 recommendations for improvement—what it calls ‘key, measurable actions.’”...
Nieman Lab, Nov. 15; The Aspen Institute
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Boone Ashworth writes: “Support for 3G, the 20-year-old wireless network standard, is ending in the US next year, when the major wireless carriers are planning to phase out service. That means many Trac phones, older Kindles, early iPads, and classic Chromebooks—any device operating on 3G—simply won’t be able to connect to cellular data networks anymore. The Wi-Fi radios on those devices will still work, but their mobile data capabilities are going kaput.”...
Wired, Nov. 18
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April Umminger writes: “It’s the time of year for soups, sautées, and stories. If you’re looking for palate-cleansing nonfiction to listen to, this roundup has memoirs that are both sweet and salty. These audiobooks serve up the true stories of celebrity chefs, restaurant critics, movie stars, and famous foodies.”...
Goodreads, Nov. 22
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