8h
EasyJet is turning its UK fleet of airplanes into flying libraries this summer in a campaign aimed at encouraging children to read more. Called “Flybraries,” kids flying EasyJet out of UK airports will be able to borrow one of 7,000 classic reads like Peter Pan, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, and The Railway Children across the airline’s fleet of 147 aircraft, for free. Books are to be left on board at the end of the flight.
AFP Relaxnews, July 19
9h
Andrew Pace writes: “I was recently lucky enough to participate with my OCLC Membership and Research Division colleagues in DeEtta Jones & Associates’ Cultural Competency Training. DeEtta taught me that I must unlearn many of the things that we’ve been taught for decades—like denying cultural differences or not talking about race. She taught me that if being marginalized at work doesn’t feel good, then I should imagine being a diverse workforce member on top of that feeling.”
Hectic Pace, July 20
9h
The Black Caucus of the American Library Association and BiblioBoard have announced the winners of the 2017 Self-Publishing Literary Awards, which honor the best self-published ebooks by an African American author in the US. The fiction category winner is Book of Addis: Cradled Embers: a Novel by Brooke C. Obie, and the winner for poetry is On Life by Jacqueline Nicole Harris. This year the awards were dedicated to Emanuel AME Church victim and Charleston librarian Cynthia Hurd.
Self-E, Mar. 30
11h
Romeo Rosales writes: “Most patrons are so genuinely thankful for the assistance their librarians provide that they know they can always turn to them for help with the most difficult questions. However, when it comes to turning in books late and racking up fines, some patrons do not mess around. They hate racking up fines and hate it even more when they have to pay those fines. I have heard some of the craziest excuses about why their books did not get turned in on time. Here are some of the best.”
Book Riot, July 20
11h
Mohammad Saffari has been in charge of one of the mobile libraries of Iran’s Center for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults for nine years now. He provides children living in the rural areas of Tabas County in central Iran with different kinds of books. The minibus holds about 7,000 books, but Saffari also reads poems, recites stories, and offers painting sessions. He said that children living in villages show more interest in reading books than their peers in cities.
Iran Front Page, July 18
12h
The Institute of Museum and Library Services announced the guidelines for the first round of FY 2018 National Leadership Grants for Libraries and Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program grants. The deadline is September 1 for both programs. A separate funding opportunity for both programs will be announced in December with a deadline in February 2018.
Institute of Museum and Library Services, July 20
12h
Kevin Maher writes: “On July 19, the House Appropriations Committee voted to approve the same funding levels passed by its Labor–HHS Subcommittee last week. The action was another significant step toward ensuring FY 2018 funding of $231 million for the Institute of Museum and Library Services—including $183.6 million for LSTA programs—and $27 million for the Innovative Approaches to Literacy program. These sums equal FY 2017 levels. The bill now heads to the floor for consideration by the full House.”
District Dispatch, July 20
