Threats to Digital Lending

January 12, 2012

When the Kansas Digital Library Consortium’s contract with digital-content distributor OverDrive was up for renewal last year, two issues made Kansas State Librarian Joanne Budler decide it was time to move on and transfer the ebook titles to another vendor who could offer a better deal. First, OverDrive planned to raise license fees by almost … Continue reading Threats to Digital Lending


Top 10 Library Stories of 2011

January 12, 2012

These are the top library stories of 2011, as selected by American Libraries editors. Share your top 10 in the comments. 1. Ebook Escapades HarperCollins imposed an arbitrary 26 loans per ebook license and Penguin refused to let libraries lend its new titles altogether. Even good e-news had a catch: Patrons who could now borrow … Continue reading Top 10 Library Stories of 2011



The Conversation Starts in Dallas . . .

January 11, 2012

Join the more than 10,000 library leaders, publishers, authors, and guests in discussions about the transformation of libraries, learn firsthand from frontline Occupy movement librarians, and engage in the excitement of Youth Media Award announcements during the American Library Association’s Midwinter Meeting January 20–24 at the Dallas Convention Center and area hotels. More than 1,800 … Continue reading The Conversation Starts in Dallas . . .


Visitors experience the reinvented Cambridge (Mass.) Public Library at its October 2009 reopening, and are reflected in the moment. Photo: Edward Lifson

Reflecting Our Communities

January 11, 2012

Few would disagree that a diverse work force makes us better stewards of the communities we serve. It enhances our ability to respond to an increasingly changing world of patrons, strengthens relations with our communities, and expands the creativity of our libraries. While efforts to diversify the profession have gradually improved in the past quarter-century, … Continue reading Reflecting Our Communities


Dining in Dallas

January 4, 2012

The informal parts of Midwinter—those personal meetings that take place outside of the official sessions, often over a good meal—can be among the most rewarding. Fortunately, Dallas offers plenty of options for tasty meals. Here, several Dallas librarians have shared some of their favorites. Near the convention center Within walking distance of the Convention Center, … Continue reading Dining in Dallas


Joanne Budler

January 3, 2012

Kansas State Librarian Joanne Budler recently terminated the Kansas Digital Library Consortium’s contract with ebook vendor OverDrive to become a beta tester of 3M’s new Cloud Library ebook lending service. The change is the culmination of a nearly yearlong battle over whether the consortium owned the content it had purchased or had simply licensed it. … Continue reading Joanne Budler


Future President John F. Kennedy at a Nashua diner during the 1960 race. Photo: The New Hampshire Institute of Politics and Political LIbrary at St. Anselm College

This Political Library Gets Everyone’s Vote

January 3, 2012

Reference librarians frequently get scholarly questions that challenge their library’s resources. Take, for instance, “Who finished second to John F. Kennedy in the 1960 Democratic New Hampshire primary?” Google can help, but the definitive answer is available at the New Hampshire Political Library in Manchester. Tough reference questions—from reporters, candidates, and political junkies—are the lifeblood … Continue reading This Political Library Gets Everyone’s Vote


Poet Laureate Philip Levine

November 14, 2011

At age 83, Philip Levine has been appointed 2011–2012 poet laureate consultant in poetry by Librarian of Congress James Billington. He took up his duties October 17, opening the library’s annual literary season with a reading from his work. “Philip Levine is one of America’s great narrative poets,” Billington said. “His plainspoken lyricism has, for … Continue reading Poet Laureate Philip Levine


Helping Warriors Unleash the Power of the Pen

November 8, 2011

The best pleasures in life are often unexpected, and we have been lucky enough to be ambushed by a program that has become one of the most extraordinarily rewarding experiences of our careers. The Sylvania branch of the Toledo–Lucas County (Ohio) Public Library and Lourdes College of Sylvania cosponsored the Veterans’ Writing Workshop, which began … Continue reading Helping Warriors Unleash the Power of the Pen


Achievement Unlocked

November 3, 2011

Gaming has gained a foothold in libraries, with good reason. It’s a popular service, and one that can offer educational, community, and information literacy benefits. Here we present three short articles on gaming in libraries. In “Serving Players through Selection,” Erik Bobilin and Nicole Pagowsky of 2011’s Emerging Leaders Team G discuss their research on … Continue reading Achievement Unlocked