3h
Tony Phillips writes: “For a single unit conversion, Google wins on convenience. But if I have a bunch of measurements to convert, I don’t want a scrap of paper covered in random numbers, or to keep copying values out of a spreadsheet and back again. Excel’s CONVERT function lets me keep the measurements, units, and results together, while reusing the same formula for as many conversions as I need.”
How-To Geek, Sept. 21
8h
The National Book Foundation (NBF) has announced longlists for its 2026 National Book Awards. The longlists include ten books in each of five categories: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, translated literature, and young people’s literature. These longlists will be narrowed to five-book shortlists October 6 before winners are announced at a ceremony November 18. Also at the ceremony, NBF will present its Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters to Salman Rushdie and its Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community to Perri Klass, a pediatrician and National Medical Director of Reach Out and Read.
National Book Foundation, Sept. 8, Sept. 10, Sept. 15–17
1d
Rachel Bachman writes: “We talk about craft. So why do discussions of didacticism in children’s literature sometimes seem to suggest that the problem begins with the author’s desire to communicate something meaningful? Somewhere along the way, I think we may have confused two pieces of advice that sound remarkably similar but are not quite the same thing. On one hand, we have ‘don’t preach to children.’ And on the other, ‘don’t write children’s books with a message.’ The first is excellent advice. The second is a little strange.”
Excuse My Whimsey, Sept. 20
1d
Muhammad Sarwar writes: “There is a risk in allowing our response to publishing failures to become increasingly centered on what can be detected, screened, investigated, or automated. Every additional layer of oversight depends, ultimately, on people with the expertise and time to interpret problems, exercise judgement, and make responsible decisions. We continue to invest significant intellectual and financial resources in detecting when publishing fails, yet comparatively little attention is given to strengthening the institutions and communities that help prevent those failures from emerging in the first place.”
Katina, Sept. 16
2d
Kaetrena Davis Kendrick writes: “Studies on library worker burnout have experienced a resurgence, and with good reason. During these challenges, I’ve been identifying and applying tools and pathways that help library workers recognize, reconcile, and recover from the historic and more recent wounds they have suffered. I’ve also been offering spaces and engagement opportunities—which I call Communities of Resonance and Experience—to help them remember that collective care and community support can be built and accessed by them, rather than being only offered to library users.”
Information Matters, Sept. 16
2d
Lucy Campbell and Keven Jeffery write: “The predominance of artificial intelligence (AI) tools has resulted in challenges for library and information professionals, particularly in academic research libraries. For example, these tools frequently hide the underlying search logic from the user, creating an opacity that misses opportunities for learning about advanced search. Results are siloed to specific platforms instead of surfacing all content owned or subscribed to by a library. This case study outlines a project at San Diego State University Library to build an AI discovery assistant that can surface search logic, retrieve results from across holdings, and provide learning opportunities for users.”
Information Technology and Libraries, Sept. 21
3d
Anna North writes: “Jimmy Glover decided to run for Sarasota’s school board this year. He is part of a larger movement of students, parents, teachers and concerned community members pushing back against the influence of groups like Moms for Liberty in Florida public education. They wanted schools that were safe and welcoming for all students, and that focused on learning rather than scoring points on the national political scene. And last month, they won. Organizers say the victories hold lessons for progressives campaigning on the national stage in the midterms and beyond.”
The Guardian, Sept. 18
