The Scoop

FCC Adopts ALA E-Rate Recommendations

New order streamlines budget and application process
By Marijke Visser | December 12, 2019
Meet the I Love My Librarian Award Winners

ALA honors 10 librarians for outstanding service
December 10, 2019
ProQuest to Acquire Innovative Interfaces

What it means for the library technology industry
By Marshall Breeding | December 9, 2019
ALA Announces Sale of Headquarters Buildings
December 6, 2019
Ready, Set, Research!

Librarians use hackathon-like approach with research sprints | Sponsored
By Timothy Inklebarger | December 3, 2019

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Dewey Decibel Podcast: Advocacy: Anyone Can Do It

Episode 44 focuses on how to talk with local officials about your library
November 22, 2019
Let the Past Propel the Future

Speakers at AASL 2019 used personal struggles to fuel success
By Phil Morehart | November 19, 2019
The Standards at Work

Session highlights from AASL 2019
By Phil Morehart | November 19, 2019
The Power of Diverse Books

Day one of AASL 2019
By Phil Morehart | November 15, 2019
Stories That Stand the Test of Time

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden and Senator Jack Reed honor veterans at Rhode Island library
By Ed Garcia | November 11, 2019
ALA Responds to Citrus County New York Times Block
November 5, 2019
Sci-Fi Can Save You

YALSA Symposium closing session’s fantasy authors build worlds for teens
By Terra Dankowski | November 4, 2019

Latest Library Links

21h

Jessie Kratz writes: “December 15 is Bill of Rights Day, which commemorates the ratification of the first 10 amendments to the US Constitution. For more information on events and resources at the National Archives, visit NARA’s Bill of Rights Day website. How much do you know about the Bill of Rights? We know a lot and have written quite a bit about it. Here are some facts about the Bill of Rights you might not know.”

Pieces of History, Dec. 13
22h

Christine Schmidt writes: “When the journalism organization Report for America announced that it was placing 250 journalists into 164 local newsrooms, the list of beats they’d be covering didn’t seem out of the ordinary. It served as a to-cover list for local news. Then there’s this one, from Charlotte, North Carolina, public radio station WFAE, the local Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, and the Digital Public Library of America: a ‘unique partnership using both radio and Wikipedia to fill news deserts.’ WFAE will house a journalist who will work with a Wikipedia researcher, with the assistance of DPLA, to find Charlotte-related news at the library.”

Nieman Lab, Dec. 12
22h

Jennifer Sturge writes: “If you have not heard about Wakelet, it’s time to learn. If you are like me, you are always finding amazing resources, articles, and ideas floating around cyberspace. Wakelet makes curation easy and allows you to organize what you want to save, share, and comment upon. You can bookmark anything—videos, articles, music, or podcasts—and create collections while adding images and notes to yourself or others. Not only can Wakelet be a powerful tool for your own professional learning network, but it can also be a great tool to use with students in the school library.”

Knowledge Quest blog, Dec. 13
22h

Tomas A. Lipinski writes: “Legal regulation of fake news in public spaces is difficult, if not impossible. As long as the speech is not defamatory, ‘the right to lie’ is constitutionally protected as free speech. Official filings are an exception: You cannot lie on your tax return, on a mortgage loan application, under oath, or otherwise on legal declarations subject to penalty of perjury. In theory, the proper response to false claims is more speech—that is, more open exchange in a free marketplace. Libraries can take a cue from this by offering programming and materials that help patrons discern truthful news from fake news.”

American Libraries column, Dec. 13
23h

Michael Lee writes: “Since opening in 2015, the Chinatown branch of the Chicago Public Library has become a hub for seniors in the community to socialize, play board games, and participate in other activities. Like other public libraries nationwide, it is adapting to the changing needs of their residents in addition to its traditional role as a resource for books, periodicals, and DVDs. Libraries nationwide are looking for ways to support seniors, but not because they are changing their roles, said Maria Bonn, director of the library and information science master’s program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.”

Medill Reports Chicago, Dec. 12
23h

Corin Balkovek writes: “Chances are, if you work in a library or have a bookish lifestyle and spend any time on social media, you’ve seen it: The Library Cake. With shelves packed to the brim, a table and chairs beset with reading materials and lamps, even miniature potted plants sitting outside the ‘front door,’ the intricate edible decorations take baked goods to the next level. But where did the Library Cake come from? Why was it created? ‘This cake was made for my daughter’s 21st birthday,’ wrote the Library Cake’s creator, Kathy Klaus, in our communications.”

Book Riot, Dec. 13
2d

James C. Zimring writes: “Science seems under assault. Attacks come from many directions, ranging from the political realm to groups and individuals masquerading as scientific entities. There is even a real risk that scientific fact will eventually be reduced to just another opinion, even when those facts describe natural phenomena—the very purpose for which science was developed. Hastening this erosion are hyperbolic claims of ‘truth’ that science is often perceived to make and that practicing researchers may themselves project, whether intentionally or not.”

The Scientist, Dec. 1