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Anne Ford writes: “Sonya Knisley, head of children’s services at Clark County (Ohio) Public Library (CCPL), has seen it happen over and over again. Someone walks into her location and applies for a library card—with one obvious aim. ‘As soon as they get their card, they immediately place a hold on a ghost-hunting kit,’ Knisley says. Like many libraries, CCPL has begun loaning out collections of specialized electronic items said to help seekers of the supernatural track down spirits.”...
American Libraries Trend, Sept./Oct.
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“Books flying off the shelves. Shadowy figures roaming the hallways. Unexplained sounds. Is Peoria (Ill.) Public Library haunted? Is the building possessed by spirits hovering above cursed ground? Or, are these apparitions just a sign that the librarians have been spending too much time in the stacks? In this Halloween season rebroadcast of Episode 31, ‘The Haunting of Peoria Public Library,’ originally aired in 2018, past host Phil Morehart road-trips to Peoria in Central Illinois to get to the bottom of these strange happenings.”...
AL: The Scoop, Oct. 25
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Kathleen McBroom writes: “After emerging from pandemic lockdowns and district closings many public and school librarians started reporting changes in kids’ behavior. Many adults noticed actions that were concerning, ranging from inabilities to reengage in play and normal conversations to actions demonstrating a lack of empathy. A call went out for remedial social emotional learning programming. Many librarians and educators appreciate the positive differences these interventions have made, and desire to expand and continue these efforts. Luckily, there are inexpensive and effective themes and presentation strategies that can be seamlessly integrated into existing programming.”...
ALSC Blog, Oct. 26
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Penguin Random House (PRH) and United for Libraries (UFL) announced a new grant program that will serve rural and small libraries across the country. Grants of $500 and $1,000 (totaling $25,000) will be awarded to support libraries in need through their Friends groups or other nonprofit community groups that fundraise on their behalf. In-kind book donation grants of $500 will also be awarded to 20 libraries to purchase PRH titles. UFL will host
informational sessions starting in December, and
applications will be accepted from February 3–17, 2025....
United for Libraries, Oct. 23
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Kyle Orland writes: “The US Copyright Office
announced October 25 that it was denying the Video Game History Foundation’s (VGHF) request for a Digital Millennium Copyright Act exemption to share internet-accessible emulated versions of physical game collections with researchers. [Researchers will have to] travel to far-flung collections for access to the often-rare physical copies of the games they're seeking,” even though 87% of older games are out of print.
In a statement, VGHF promised to continue working for access and legal allowances for video game preservation....
Ars Technica, Oct. 25
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Kate L. Ganski writes: “Academic libraries are on the front lines of conversations about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on student researched writing. Teaching and learning librarians may feel pressured to take a stance for or against the use of AI, become the AI literacy experts, police use of AI, or incorporate AI tools into their lesson plans to remain relevant. Instead of responding to pressure, we have an opportunity to strategically lead the discussion on how we will address [the technology]. We have published several new resources to answer questions that students and faculty might have about AI.”...
My So Called Librarian Life, Oct. 23
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Ryan Suppe writes: “One person filed nearly two dozen requests to relocate books in the Eagle (Idaho) Public Library, prompting trustees
to move the titles to an adult section last month, according to emails obtained by Idaho Education News. The city of Eagle, which oversees the library board of trustees, is shielding the identity of the filer, citing a state law that protects information that would identify someone using a library item. But it’s unclear whether the anonymous filer used any of the challenged books. Two of the books have not been checked out in at least two years, according to library circulation records.”...
Idaho Education News, Oct. 27, Oct. 3
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Katherine Klosek writes: “The Librarian of Congress—based on
recommendations by the register of copyrights—issued an
expansion to the 2021 Digital Millennium Copyright Act regulation that permits researchers to circumvent technological protection measures to conduct text and data mining research. The updated regulation clarifies that academic researchers can securely access research collections of literary works or motion pictures hosted by other institutions of higher education for purposes of collaboration, or to facilitate their own independent research projects.”...
Association of Research Libraries News, Oct. 28
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Michele Gile and Matthew Rodriguez write: “A group of Huntington Beach (Calif.) residents known as ‘Protect HB’ said they've gathered enough valid signatures to try repealing a new ordinance that could impact which books are put on public library shelves. More than 15,000 people have signed a petition that's headed to the city clerk. If valid, voters will decide whether the city council majority's community parent-garden review board [which has relocated books on puberty and potty training to the library's adult section] will exist.”...
KCAL-TV (Los Angeles), Oct. 28
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Robin Camille Davis writes: “Three things are certain in this world: death, taxes, and librarians sending out surveys. We are a patron-focused profession, and we crave user feedback. Moreover, some of us yearn for peer feedback for articles we write or hypotheses we test. When you create a survey—if you haven’t yet, it’s just a matter of time—there are a few things you should keep in mind. These tips will improve your survey and help make it more likely that people will respond.”...
Choice 360 LibTech Insights, Oct. 23
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Chase Hunter writes: “Chabot College Library and Learning Center in Hayward, California, held a ceremonial opening last week, but students have already gone so often that it’s quickly become a campus cornerstone. More than 35,000 Chabot College students have visited the new library and learning center—the tallest building on campus—this semester, already surpassing last year’s total. The new building’s geometric clean lines and splashes of orange—the school’s color—over a chrome exterior is attracting students in a way that Chabot College hasn’t experienced since the COVID-19 pandemic.”...
The Mercury News (San Jose, California), Oct. 28
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Danika Ellis writes: “Halloween approaches! Even if you’re not usually a horror reader, this is the perfect time to dip your toe in those bloody waters. Especially when it comes to horror books, immersing yourself entirely in the story by reading it all at once allows the tension to build more effectively, and reading late into the night invites your rational brain to take a back seat while your lizard brain panics at the strange sound you just heard. If you’d like to give it a try, I’ve selected eight horror books you can read cover-to-cover on Halloween.”...
Book Riot, Oct. 28
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