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A Publisher’s View

May 29, 2012

Librarians and publishers are not effectively communicating with each other. There, I said it. Many of us already know this to be true, but as someone who comes from the publishing side, I came to this realization during my yearlong process of selling ebooks across the country and through my many conversations with library directors, … Continue reading A Publisher’s View


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A Digital Dilemma: Ebooks and Users’ Rights

May 29, 2012

Last September, libraries and librarians around the country welcomed the announcement that OverDrive and Amazon had reached an agreement that would allow Kindle owners to borrow books through their public libraries. The new arrangement allowed libraries to meet a pent-up patron demand for Kindle ebook loans. But librarians and users alike learned that the deal … Continue reading A Digital Dilemma: Ebooks and Users’ Rights


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Digital Working Group Pushes for Expanded Ebook Access

May 24, 2012

If out of frustration comes new ideas, creativity, and entrepreneurship, then ALA’s Digital Content and Libraries Working Group (DCWG) is due its lightning-bolt moment. Following the 2012 ALA Midwinter Meeting in January, there were optimistic signs for future dialogue with publishers over the crucial issue of library access to ebooks, and the newly formed DCWG … Continue reading Digital Working Group Pushes for Expanded Ebook Access


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Navigating the Ebook Revolution

May 23, 2012

It’s here. Long heralded, the e-revolution has finally arrived in the form of rapid adoption of e-reader devices. It seems safe to assume that by the end of 2012, public libraries may be directing as much as 20% of their collection budgets to digital content. By the end of three years, it may be closer … Continue reading Navigating the Ebook Revolution


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Lessons from the Typewriter

May 23, 2012

For the first time in decades, we are living through a moment in which the book is being reenvisioned and reenlivened, creating richer cultural expressions that paradoxically may be less universally accessible than before. The 21st-century author can choose from an array of writing tools. Computers allow us to create stories much like those in … Continue reading Lessons from the Typewriter



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The Economics of Anythink

May 1, 2012

Education, access, and freedom of information are all worthy reasons to fund public libraries. Yet rarely is the economic ripple effect of these institutions touted as part of a library’s worth. The revolution at the Rangeview Library District in Adams County, Colorado, which included seven new or renovated branches and the creation of the Anythink … Continue reading The Economics of Anythink


Think Digitization During Preservation Week

April 25, 2012

For libraries and archives, digitizing materials has become a key concern, especially as more and more patrons and users go online to research information. But several factors must be considered: Copyright law Librarians interested in beginning a digitization project must first consult copyright laws. If the item is in the public domain, copyright is fairly … Continue reading Think Digitization During Preservation Week


New ADA Signage Standards Take Effect

April 25, 2012

On March 15, 2012, updates to the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) went into effect. The new standards—known as the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design—focus specifically on creating wayfinding signage for the visually impaired. The good news is that libraries are already doing well in compliance from a technology standpoint, providing visually … Continue reading New ADA Signage Standards Take Effect


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An Academic Spring? [UPDATED]

April 4, 2012

On January 21, distinguished British mathematician Timothy Gowers posted to his blog his rationale for no longer submitting manuscripts, reviewing articles, or doing editorial work for journals published by Elsevier. Gowers faulted the corporation for high prices, bundling subscriptions in ways that made selection prohibitively expensive for libraries, and for supporting the Research Works Act … Continue reading An Academic Spring? [UPDATED]


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Time to Dine in Anaheim

April 2, 2012

Even a decade ago, the area immediately surrounding the Anaheim Convention Center was more culinary wasteland than Shangri-La. How times have changed. These days your greatest quandary may be choosing where to dine, so bountiful are the options. “A number of celebrated chefs and restaurateurs are paying attention to Orange County,” says local food blogger … Continue reading Time to Dine in Anaheim


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8 Tips to Highlight History Using Facebook

March 28, 2012

At the University of Nevada, Reno, Donnelyn Curtis, head of special collections, turned to Facebook to connect the university’s archives with students who care about history and the school’s tradition. She began by creating Facebook pages for Joe McDonald and Leola Lewis—two students who attended the university in the 1910s, married a few years later, … Continue reading 8 Tips to Highlight History Using Facebook