Archives

Debus-Lopez, Karl

November 4, 2020

Karl Debus-López retired June 30 as chief of the US Programs, Law, and Literature Division of the Library of Congress Acquisitions and Bibliographic Access Directorate.

Duplessis, Linda

November 4, 2020

Linda Duplessis retired as director and CEO of Peace Library System in Grande Prairie, Alberta, after 27 years with the library.

Morris, Bill

November 4, 2020

Bill Morris, governmental affairs coordinator for the State Library of Ohio, retired June 30.

Franke, Larry

November 4, 2020

Larry Franke retired as a reference librarian in the History and Genealogy Department at St. Louis County (Mo.) Library July 10.

Kolaczynski, Cindy

November 4, 2020

Cindy Kolaczynski, director and county librarian for Maricopa County (Ariz.) Library District, retired September 1.

Pizzolato, Susan

November 4, 2020

Susan Pizzolato retired as executive director of Mattapoisett (Mass.) Free Public Library in August.

Telli, Andrea

November 4, 2020

Andrea Telli retired as commissioner of Chicago Public Library August 31.

Yoshimura, Lani

November 4, 2020

Lani Yoshimura, community librarian at Santa Clara County (Calif.) Library District’s Gilroy Library since 1982, retired August 23.

Grodecki, Patricia Ann

November 4, 2020

Patricia Ann Grodecki, 88, a longtime librarian at Detroit Public Library, died August 24.

Lockwood, Betty DeYeide

November 4, 2020

Betty DeYeide Lockwood, 92, assistant librarian at Terrebonne Parish (La.) Library 1945–1949, died in August. In her retirement, she returned to volunteer as a storyteller for children and to contribute to adult literacy efforts with the library’s Friends group.

Mueller, Mitzi

November 4, 2020

August 31 Mitzi Mueller retired as children’s librarian at North Platte (Neb.) Public Library after 38 years with the system.

Morgan, Heather Catherine

November 4, 2020

Heather Catherine Morgan, 75, director of Mark Twain Library in Redding, Connecticut, for 10 years until retiring in 2011, died August 13.

Latest Library Links

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Paula Mauro writes: “While Banned Books Week ended on September 28, writer, director, producer—and Banned Books Week honorary chair—Ava DuVernay stresses the importance of continuing the work of amplifying marginalized voices. ‘This banned book effort is an agenda by people who want to make some of us less free, to silence the voices of some of us,’ DuVernay tells American Libraries. ‘We can overcome this, but we have to work together.’ DuVernay recorded a video conversation with Banned Books Week Youth Honorary Chair Julia Garnett.”

AL: The Scoop, Oct. 2
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On October 3, the ALA Executive Board released a statement on what library professionals can do to support communities in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The full statement highlights opportunities to donate to local relief efforts and the ALA Disaster Relief Fund, which will distribute funds in cooperation with ALA chapters, volunteer time to local libraries and relief organizations, and advocate for policies and funding to ensure libraries can continue critical work during and after disasters.

AL: The Scoop, Oct. 4
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Florian Kastner writes: “JPG was developed to compress photos with lossy compression, which greatly reduced file sizes–a decisive advantage in the early days of the internet when storage space and bandwidth were still scarce resources. With the enormous progress in computer and software technology, the possibilities for image compression have also developed further. Today, modern image formats offer far better compression without compromising image quality. For many photographers, designers, and website operators, it’s becoming increasingly unattractive to rely on the outdated JPG format.” AVIF, JPEG XL, WebP, and HEIC/HEIF are likely to take its place.

PC World, Sept. 27
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Nick Dedeke writes: “In an earlier article, I discussed a few of the flaws in Europe’s flagship data privacy law, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Building on that critique, I would now like to go further, proposing specifications for developing a robust privacy protection regime in the US. If a country like the US developed a different privacy approach, it would bring choice and a new perspective into this important segment of protection of the privacy of data subjects.”

Ars Technica, Sept. 28
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Brian Stephens writes: “Lack of high-speed internet is a significant problem in almost 75% of communities served by the nation’s K–12 schools, according to Funds For Learning’s annual E-Rate Applicant Survey. A key change to the E-rate program’s rules aims to narrow the ‘homework gap’ by making Wi-Fi hotspots that schools and libraries loan to students and patrons eligible for E-Rate discounts. For funding year 2025, Wi-Fi hotspots are eligible for Category One discounts. However, schools and libraries must follow a slew of requirements in order to take advantage. Here’s a closer look.”

THE Journal, Sept. 24
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Danielle Costello writes: “Unsurprising to anyone who has ever known me, when I think about my favorite games, I have a very hard time deciding on a rank order. Favorites to me exist on a wide, joyful, and ever-increasing plane. Since I’m hoping to keep this list to a reasonable length, I’m sharing some of my favorite categories of games and some standout examples. Please enjoy!” The list includes examples of board games, role-playing games for groups and individuals, and video games in several genres.

ALA Games & Gaming Round Table, Sept. 30
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Catherine Hollerbach writes: “Library workers are finding the joy in library work they have missed over the past few years. What is more joyous than finding that book you read as a child and sharing it with your kids? Or finding just the right story that pulls on your heartstrings or takes you on an adventure? Sometimes, it’s a song in storytime that brings on a smile or a chance to learn about a fantastic wine or how to fix a car.”

Public Libraries Online, Sept. 25

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