4h
Samuel Hansen writes: “ I am here to tell you about a couple of databases you will likely never lay your eyes on. They have some of the coolest features and are great examples of what we should be pushing all of our research databases to become. The two major mathematics databases are MathSciNet and zbMath. Both of these databases had a previous existence in print form. The first thing you are likely to notice about them is that they do not simply index and abstract, but they also review many of the publications.”
Hack Library School, July 16
4h
Michelle Kraft writes: “We have heard of the donut hole for Medicare prescription drug coverage, where people experience a gap in their prescription drug eligibility. I think there is also a donut hole for medical information. There are doctors, nurses, and researchers who are affiliated with an institution (but not officially part of the institution), or those in private practice who have privileges but are not employed by a hospital. These people often fall in the donut hole. As hospital libraries disappear and budgets shrink, the hole will get bigger.”
Krafty Librarian, July 16
4h
Anne Ford writes: “After 30 years on the Supreme Court, Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his intention to retire at the end of July. What does his decision—and his potential replacement by Trump nominee Brett Kavanaugh—mean for libraries and other advocates of intellectual freedom? American Libraries asked Deborah Caldwell-Stone, deputy director of the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom and an attorney by training, to reflect on Kennedy’s rulings and impact.”
AL: The Scoop, July 16
4h
The ALA Learning Round Table has chosen Sara White, youth services senior librarian at the Seminole County (Fla.) Public Library, to receive the 2018–2019 Pat Carterette Professional Development Grant. White will use the $1,000 grant to attend the Power Up conference in March 2019.
Office for Human Resource Development and Recruitment, July 16
5h
Leslie Nemo writes: “When Jessica Yates became the new adult programming librarian at the Taylor County (Ky.) Public Library, she was surprised by the popularity of its chair yoga class, but she was even more surprised to see older patrons regain their ability to tie their shoes after regular sessions. More libraries are offering fitness classes as they pivot toward the free services today’s patrons want. While national programs haven’t been officially tallied, the research that exists shows library fitness is no small quirk.”
The Outline, July 16
6h
The winners of the 2017 Shirley Jackson Awards, given in recognition of “outstanding achievement in the literature of psychological suspense, horror, and the dark fantastic” during the previous year, were announced July 15 at Readercon in Quincy, Massachusetts. The award for best novel went to The Hole by Hye-young Pyun, in translation by Sora Kim-Russell. The award for best novella ended in a tie between Samantha Schweblin’s Fever Dream, in translation by Megan McDowell, and Lindsey Drager’s The Lost Daughter Collective.
Book Riot, July 16
8h
ALA President Loida Garcia-Febo has unveiled a variety of programs and tools to engage, retain, and expand ALA’s international members. From free webinars to opportunities for engagement with librarians from various countries, Garcia-Febo in conjunction with her International Relations Advisory Committee, the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, and the ALA International Relations Office, will work to increase awareness regarding international topics affecting our profession.
International Relations Office, July 16
