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Ron French writes: “In an escalation of Michigan’s book wars, the Alpena County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday began the process of firing all members of its public library board over their handling of a handful of children and teen books with sexual themes. The move comes two weeks before voters in this politically conservative community in northern Michigan go to the polls to decide on a millage request to keep the library open. An organized campaign against the tax includes yard signs urging voters to ‘Vote NO on Library Grooming.’”

Bridge Michigan, July 23
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The US Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced July 24 the availability of nearly $1 billion to fund programs that ensure communities have access to devices and skills needed to fully participate in the digital world, regardless of their background or circumstances. This is the first funding opportunity from the Digital Equity Act’s $1.25 billion Competitive Grant Program and is part of the “Internet for All” initiative, a key component of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. Eligible applicants include city and county governments, Native entities, community anchor institutions, and local educational agencies. Applications are due September 23.

National Telecommunications and Information Administration, July 24
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Emily Burack writes: “The Paris Olympics are underway, and it’s shaping up to be a very exciting two weeks of sports. If you’re curious about learning more about Olympic history, or if you simply have the Olympic bug and want to consume everything you possibly can about the Games, here are 10 books about the Olympics to add to your summer reading list.” Find more related booklists from St. Joseph (Ind.) County Public Library, Anchorage (Alaska) Public Library , Haverhill (Mass.) Public Library, Citrus Libraries in Beverly Hills, Florida, or Good Housekeeping.

Town & Country, July 29; St. Joseph County Public Library, July 29; Anchorage Public Library; Haverhill Public Library, July 2, Citrus Libraries, July 29; Good Housekeeping, July 26.
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Mike Hixenbaugh, Tyler Kingkade, Scott Friedman, and Eva Parks write: “In an extraordinary look into the ramifications of the right-wing backlash against books dealing with racism, gender, sex and sexuality, an 824-page investigative file obtained by NBC News and NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth shows how, for two years, Hood County (Tex.) Chief Deputy Constable Scott London vigorously pursued felony charges against librarians in the Granbury Independent School District. The investigation came to an end in June after Hood County District Attorney Ryan Sinclair turned down London’s request to indict the librarians, citing a lack of conclusive evidence to charge them with felonies.”

NBC News, July 23
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Sharolyn Swenson and Bonnie Parks write: “Mentorship provides opportunities for both novice and experienced catalogers to develop their skills and learn what it means to catalog in a cooperative environment. Often libraries do not have the resources to provide specialized training for the new cataloger, making a formal mentorship program outside one’s institution particularly useful. This paper will examine key elements that ensure a successful mentorship pairing, how the authors integrated these components into practice, and how the authors customized their program to address the mentee’s greatest area of need: finding practical solutions to both common and challenging serials cataloging questions.”

Library Leadership & Management, July 23
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The Public Library Association (PLA) announced expanded digital literacy funding opportunities and resources for public libraries July 26, funded by a $2.7 million contribution from AT&T. Applications are open through October 18 for the PLA Digital Literacy Workshop Incentive, which offers up to $10,000 and resources necessary to teach basic digital literacy skills using PLA’s DigitalLearn courses and training materials, and the new PLA Digital Navigator Workshop Incentive, which offers $4,000 to libraries with digital navigators to support patrons with ongoing, individualized technology guidance. PLA will also offer new and improved DigitalLearn course modules that are freely available to anyone.

Public Library Association, July 26
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For the first time, the ALA Committee on Accreditation has granted accreditation to a program outside North America. University College London’s master’s in Library and Information Studies program received initial accreditation in June. The program is also accredited by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, the UK’s professional library association. This additional accreditation recognizes the importance of the wider global profession and will broaden graduates’ opportunities. The accreditation will apply to all students who have graduated from the masters’ program since July 2022. The next comprehensive review visit is scheduled for spring 2031.

ALA Communications, Marketing, and Media Relations Office, July 29

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