2h
Michael Waters writes: “One of the most significant features of the Los Alamos National Laboratory was its scientific library, a secret space that, during the 1940s, housed the secrets of the nuclear bomb. The library had two sections: the main area and the document room—a locked vault containing reports and designs from all the Manhattan Project sites. In 1942, J. Robert Oppenheimer selected statistician Charlotte Serber to operate the library in part because of her lack of librarian experience. He wanted someone who would be willing to bend the rules of cataloging.”
Atlas Obscura, June 23
2h
Libraries in Alaska are hosting new foodcentric book clubs. Sherry Vogel, Fairbanks North Star Borough adult services librarian, started cookbook clubs at the Noel Wien and North Pole libraries in February. She’d been thinking about the concept and researching it for more than a year. Participants choose a cookbook that fits the theme, select a recipe, and prepare the dish to share at meetings. Themes have included cozy comfort food, Mexican, soups and salads, Mediterranean, and regional Americana.
Fairbanks (Alaska) News-Miner, June 28
2h
Livraria Ets Haim is the world’s oldest functioning Jewish library. As such, it is no stranger to the prospect of imminent destruction. Founded in 1616 by Jews who fled Catholic persecution in Spain and Portugal, the three-room library is adjacent to Amsterdam’s majestic Portuguese Synagogue in the Dutch capital’s center. The 30,000-volume collection mostly contains manuscripts written by people who fled the Inquisition on the Iberian Peninsula or their descendants.
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, June 27
3h
Alice Eng writes: “The literature about neurodiversity and libraries is heavily skewed toward libraries accommodating neurodivergent patrons. There is little written about librarians who are neurodivergent and their professional experiences. In this interview, Charlie Remy, an academic librarian who has autism, discusses his autism, his professional experience, and what others can do to create a more inclusive neurodiverse profession.”
In the Library with the Lead Pipe, June 28
3h
Join us July 24 for a free 60-minute episode of AL Live, where Jason Kuscma, deputy director at Toledo Lucas County (Ohio) Public Library, will discuss how his library uses Analytics on Demand to publicize library services, to market special programs to targeted households, and as a tool to aid managers in understanding their community. Also joining us for the episode will be Liz Bondie.
American Libraries, June 28
3h
It seemed like a simple exercise. “You’re 4th-graders in my class. Tell me everything you know about ‘Waltzing Matilda.’ Draw or write your own description,” instructed Karla Collins, assistant professor at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia. Collins was trying to illustrate a crucial lesson—that we make assumptions about what students know—for attendees of “Library Readiness: Steps to Ensure Your Students Are Ready to Learn in the Elementary Library,” her AASL session on Monday.
AL: The Scoop, June 27
4h
Before YALSA President Sarah Hill began her presentation highlighting innovative library programs that underscored her yearlong initiative, “Real Teens, Real Ready,” YALSA President-Elect Sandra Hughes-Hassell said something that struck a chord: “Teens want to make a difference, but they often lack the resources to take action.” The case studies that were shared on Monday were sterling examples of the impact young adults can have when libraries support their needs, interests, careers, and visions.
AL: The Scoop, June 27
