Latest Library Links
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Nora Neus writes: “On a recent spring Saturday morning in Uvalde, Texas, young library patrons were learning how to set off a volcano. With help from Michelle Ramirez, outreach coordinator for the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas, kids carefully poured vinegar into a glass bottle with baking soda. Almost instantly, the concoction bubbled up and overflowed, to shrieks of joy and giggles. But the activity wasn’t just for fun. It was part of a grief counseling session for children following the massacre at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022, that killed 19 students and two teachers.” -
Sheree Strange writes: “Nothing beats a good podcast while doing chores, taking a drive, working out, or even making dinner. And of course, we especially cannot resist podcasts about books. We want to hear about hot new releases, indie titles we missed, and creepy books to keep us awake all night long. Not to mention those coveted author interviews and spicy opinions. Find the best bookish podcasts—and we say “bookish” because not all are limited to solely book talk. A few will cover multiple topics.” -
Chris Reber writes: “Ten students at Landisville (Pa.) Middle School staged a walkout and protest Tuesday morning in opposition to proposed school district policies that they call censorship. The Hempfield School District board of directors is considering a set of policies that would lay the groundwork for reviewing and potentially removing library books deemed sexually explicit or inappropriate for students. The students said the policies would hurt their education and infringe on their civil rights.” -
Jason Scott writes: “While there are plenty of items at the Internet Archive that have no obvious home elsewhere online, there are also cases where we hold a copy of a frequently-available set of material, but we can provide it for much easier distribution and preview, including the ability to download the entire original set of files in one fell swoop. Such it is with the USC Sound Effects Library, a collection of .WAV files taken from rapidly crumbling magnetic tape and presented for reference, enjoyment and even projects.” -
Tate Ryan-Mosley writes: “Robyn Caplan understands the fragility of digital memories intimately. After tragically losing both of her parents in recent years, Caplan treasures the digital possessions she inherited. She cherishes her mom’s iPad, access to their email inboxes, and message threads with both of them. It allows her to see the world through the eyes of her parents, she says. But on May 16, Google announced that starting in December 2023, it would delete personal accounts that haven’t been active in over two years. Photos, emails, and docs attached to inactive accounts will all be eradicated as part of the policy.” -
David Nield writes: “Your laptop is going to pick up dust, grime, and fingerprints as you use it day to day—and not only does this make it less appealing to look at and work with but it also encourages bacteria to set up home on your portable computer and can reduce its lifespan. Like your bathroom or your car, it’s a good idea to regularly clean your laptop, and it’s not difficult to do. You may already have everything you need for the job, and if not, the necessary supplies can be sourced inexpensively.” -
Andrew Albanese writes: “In response to a troubling wave of book bans, PEN America, Penguin Random House, a group of authors, and a group of parents have filed a federal lawsuit against a Florida school district over the ‘unconstitutional’ removal of books from school libraries. The suit, filed on May 16 in the Northern District of Florida in Pensacola, alleges that administrators and school board members in Florida’s Escambia County School District are violating the First Amendment as well as the 14th Amendment (the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution) because the books being singled out are ‘disproportionately books by non-white and/or LGBTQ+ authors.’” -
Amy Steinbauer writes: “ If you are thinking of becoming a manager or are just starting out in management, check out these classic management mistakes and learn how to avoid them.” She reviews common pitfalls like not developing a manager support team, being afraid to call out unacceptable behavior, putting your ego above your work, and ignoring your basic human needs. -
The American Library Association has announced the first recipients of the Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC): Accessible Small and Rural Communities grants, which will offer more than $7 million improve accessibility at small and rural libraries. Funded projects include installing a chair lift in the basement staircase at Nevada (Iowa) Public Library, expanding programming for people with intellectual disabilities at Jennie Trent Dew Library in Goldthwaite, Texas, and themed memory kits for people with Alzheimer’s and memory loss at Mark Twain Library in Redding, Connecticut. Applications for a second round of grants will open this fall. -
The American Library Association’s Public Policy & Advocacy Office, in partnership with Co/lab Capacity, has released the Libraries Build Business Communications Toolkit. The toolkit provides tools and resources for library workers to promote their small business support services, grow and maintain relationships with local partners, and advocate to policymakers on the important role libraries play in the small business ecosystem. It includes outreach plans targeting four key audiences: small business owners, small business support organizations, elected officials and decision makers, and library staff. -
Discover stats related to the intersection of libraries and press freedom, including the number of Minecraft blocks used to create the Uncensored Library, an online repository of banned reporting from international journalists that exploits a loophole in censorship laws, the year of the oldest newspapers in the Library of Congress’s US newspaper collection, and the number of boxes in the Commission on Freedom of the Press records archived at the University of Chicago Library. -
Diana Panuncial writes: “Soon after Angie Thomas released her debut young adult novel, The Hate U Give, in 2017, the book became a common target for challenges in schools and libraries across the United States. But the novel also helped change the landscape of the publishing industry, at a time when authors and readers were calling for more diverse stories and better representation. She spoke with American Libraries about balancing make-believe and reality, book challenges, and how a librarian changed her life.
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