Federal budget threats targeted at library programs dominated the discussions May 9 during the briefing day preceding this year’s National Library Legislative Day (NLLD) held by the American Library Association’s Washington Office, but the 361 NLLD participants who came to Washington, D.C., were not deterred by the uncertainty in the Capitol. “I think it makes … Continue reading Library Advocates Head for the Hill
Library officials in the southern United States are assessing the extent of damage caused by a violent tornado outbreak April 25–28 that killed at least 339 people and left billions of dollars in property damage. According to the April 30 New York Times, the last time a series of tornados wreaked such havoc was on … Continue reading Tornados Rip Apart Several Libraries in the South [UPDATED]
National Library Week (NLW) 2011 was observed April 10–16, with the theme, “Create your own story @ your library.” Libraries nationwide hosted programs in honor of the week that included a focus on bookmobiles, children, wise use of money, reading, library workers, bookmobiles, teens, and preservation. First sponsored in 1958, NLW is a national observance sponsored … Continue reading National Library Week 2011: Telling Their Own Stories
When I hear the term “movers and shakers,” I think of Donald Trump, Steve Jobs, Sarah Palin, and Hillary Clinton. These are the innovators, power brokers, and pioneers that move us to places where we haven’t been and don’t necessarily want to go. They are the catalysts who wake us from our slumbers and give … Continue reading My Professional Heroes
I have many friends who use the mobile location-based networking site Foursquare to broadcast exactly where they are at various points during their day using the GPS on their phone. In my Twitter feed, I see posts stating that one friend is at a conference, another is out to lunch, and another is at the … Continue reading Too Much Information?
In uncertain times, people take their victories where they find them, and the beleaguered boosters of the Troy (Mich.) Public Library are no exception. “While the library may close (or it may not), it will not be closing on May 1,” Director Cathleen Russ announced April 20 on the Mich-l discussion list. Russ’s uncertainty is … Continue reading Troy Public Library May Get Two-Week Reprieve
Surely, readers old enough to remember Andrew Carnegie may stare in wonderment at this title: Revive the spirit of Andrew Carnegie? Isn’t that like saluting Gordon Gekko? I am neither prepared nor qualified to untangle the robber-baron fact and fiction regarding Mr. Carnegie, but that isn’t why I am invoking his name. Rather, I hope … Continue reading Reviving the Spirit of Andrew Carnegie
26 is a peculiar number. Mathematically speaking, it’s not that interesting; the Penguin Dictionary of Curious and Interesting Numbers tells us it’s the sum of the digits of its cube (26^3 = 17576). Yawn. Wikipedia offers the atomic number of iron, the number of Swiss cantons or Oscars won by Walt Disney, or, alarmingly, the … Continue reading A Numbers Game
The unions representing Library of Congress workers signed a Memorandum of Understanding with LC April 5 regarding employees’ furlough status in the event that a Continuing Resolution to go on appropriating FY2011 funding for the federal government is not enacted by midnight, April 8. The Library of Congress Professional Guild emailed its members that LC … Continue reading Contingency Plans for Government Shutdown Made by Library of Congress, Others [UPDATED]
“Libraries are not leaving the future of digital books to Google,” the HathiTrust partnership said in a prepared statement March 23. The statement came the day after U.S. Appeals Court Judge Denny Chin rejected (PDF file) the Google Books Settlement following some seven years of litigation and out-of-court talks with the Authors Guild and the … Continue reading Libraries Scan Bright Digital Horizon despite Google’s Court Defeat
Readers whose knowledge of Scandinavian crime fiction goes beyond Stieg Larsson know that it was Henning Mankell who jump-started what has developed into a nearly 20-year golden age. The very fact that Sweden could foster a new spin on the Chandlerian hard-boiled novel seemed puzzling initially. How could there be crime novels in such a … Continue reading Wallander’s Last Stand
At my library, I’m in charge of collection development for our largest academic division. Sometimes I find the task daunting as I struggle to find a balance between buying things that will likely get used today and anticipating what might be needed in the future. The choices I make will influence the long-term health of … Continue reading Let’s Not Borrow Trouble
