Sue Alman, a full-time lecturer at the SJSU iSchool, outlined her study of how libraries can use blockchain technology in support of city or community goals. Blockchain, most closely associated with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, is a highly secure ledger system that records digital transactions. Alman said that her goal is to engage in a … Continue reading Blockchain, Open Civic Data, and TV White Space
“My father was not so much a reader of books,” Acevedo said, but he read three newspapers—two in English and one in Spanish. “I watched him work through those every day.” Her father was also a teller of stories, not always the best or the most appropriate, but “from him I learned timing, pacing, and … Continue reading A Passion for Poetry
“Everyone has a story to tell,” Johnson said, and StoryCorps’ technique of pairing an interviewee with a family member or loved one as an interviewer results in a “conversational experience that captures deep relationships.” Segments of StoryCorps interviews are frequently played to a wide audience on NPR’s Morning Edition. Listening to these interviews has a … Continue reading Sharing People’s Stories
Some corporations, Ayala said, are laboriously setting up two different privacy systems, one for Europe and another for the US. However, the major players are unifying their rules to comply with the GDPR, “which is an indicator that European trends are starting to become global trends. Facebook and Google just rolled out new privacy centers … Continue reading The Future of Data Privacy
Nicky Rigg, Google’s computer science education manager, said that the project’s primary focus was on inclusion and diversity, targeting girls and others who are not typically encouraged to develop math and computing skills. “We are still learning from this process,” she said. “In addition to tangible resources, such as teaching aids, that are being designed, … Continue reading Encouraging Kids to Code
Much of the electrical grid has been rebuilt, but a massive outage in the capital of San Juan on November 9 signaled a fragile recovery. Hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans have left the island since the storm, United Nations human rights experts have sounded alarms about food shortages during the winter, and mold has … Continue reading Hurricane Maria: The Aftermath
Depending on their location, some libraries sustained significant damage from the ensuing flood waters, while others escaped with only a little cleanup required. The flood also affected many librarians and other library workers due to the damage to their homes. Public libraries Houston Public Library reopened 18 of its 42 locations on September 5, according … Continue reading Hurricanes Harvey and Irma
Updated September 13, 11:05 a.m. Depending on their location, some libraries sustained significant damage from the ensuing flood waters, while others escaped with only a little cleanup required. The flood also affected many librarians and other library workers due to the damage to their homes. Public libraries Houston Public Library reopened 18 of its … Continue reading Hurricane Harvey and Libraries
A Cuban-American, Engle is the first person of Latino descent to receive the honor. She was also the first Latina to be awarded a Newbery Honor in 2009 for The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba’s Struggle for Freedom. What poets have had an influence on your writing? This is such a challenging question, because I … Continue reading Newsmaker: Margarita Engle
Chernow’s next book is Grant (Penguin, due out in October), a biography of Ulysses S. Grant, Civil War general and the 18th president of the United States. “Grant was an extraordinarily important figure in American history,” Chernow said, “but he has faded into obscurity.” He hopes that his new treatment will set the record straight … Continue reading All About the Man Buried in Grant’s Tomb
Hollis was treated to the screening of recently discovered footage at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History showing the read-in and the arrests. The video shows her talking to a library assistant in the Jackson Municipal Library. “I went to the desk very confidently,” Hollis said, “and asked for a specific book. I let her … Continue reading The Tougaloo Nine Remembered
Ryan Buller, access services librarian at the University of Denver, presented research conducted by Brigham Young University (BYU) Head of Patron Services Duane Wilson, who was unable to attend the conference. Wilson had surveyed 76 large academic libraries in 2012 and found that 75% were charging fines; however, since the survey failed to distinguish between … Continue reading Doing Away with Fines
