Blogs for programming librarians | American Libraries Magazine

Courtney Wolfe writes: “As a programming librarian, it can be hard to consistently provide creative, original ideas for your patrons. But there’s a simple solution for librarians seeking support and inspiration: the blogosphere. On the web there are hundreds of librarians writing about everything from programming ideas to the comical (and sometimes irritating) things patrons do. Programming Librarian talked to a few of our favorite bloggers.”

Programming Librarian, Apr. 16

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A restored nine-room space at the New York Public Library’s Fifth Avenue main branch has reopened, as part of the library’s $317 million master plan to revamp several areas of the landmark building. The 8,000-square-foot Center for Research in the Humanities was designed by Mecanoo and Beyer Blinder Belle—the firms in charge of the entire master plan. Work to restore the space began in 2018 and included improving room acoustics, providing new AV in programming rooms, installing new cork flooring, and restoring existing finishes and materials.

Curbed New York, Oct. 21
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The Law Library of Congress, in collaboration with the US Government Publishing Office, has started a large multi-year effort to digitize and make accessible volumes of the US Congressional Serial Set dating back to the first volume published in 1817. The Serial Set is the official, bound compilation of all numbered reports and documents of the House and Senate, including executive reports and treaty documents, issued for each session of Congress. The term “Serial Set” derives from the fact that the volumes have been numbered consecutively beginning with the volumes of the 15th Congress.

Library of Congress, Oct. 22
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Kelly Jensen writes: “One of the convenient things about library puns (and book puns more generally) is how nice they are for putting together book displays and book lists. They’re perfect for engaging patrons because they’re impossible to walk by and not take a second glance. Here is an assortment of 54+ delicious, hilarious, and downright cringe-worthy library puns. I’m starting this list with the 13 I put in my larger book puns collection, and from there, I promise nothing but some smiles, somewhere, from fellow pun lovers.”

Book Riot, Oct. 22
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When Megan Rosenbloom meets someone at a cocktail party who inquires about the book she’s working on, she braces for one of two reactions. Her research on the history of anthropodermic books (books bound in human skin) is both fascinating and eerie. “In general people are more intrigued than outwardly horrified,” Rosenbloom says. Dark Archives (2020), traces these books and their intersection with the sometimes gruesome history of medicine and medical ethics. She spoke with American Libraries about death positivity, the cultural importance of creepy materials, and how she balances awareness of mortality with joy.

American Libraries Newsmaker, Oct. 22
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Mike Masnick writes: “Congress has misleadingly referred to the CASE Act, scheduled for a vote October 22, as a small claims court for copyright claims. Supporters say that this is needed because going to federal court is too expensive for smaller copyright holders. There are multiple problems with this, starting with the fact that an entire industry of copyright trolling firms has been built up around ‘helping’ smaller copyright holders demand payment from anyone who uses their works. Second, the CASE Act is not actually a court, but a tribunal within the Copyright Office that can order accused infringers to pay up to $30,000, which is not very small at all.”

Techdirt, Oct. 21
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Tori Ann Ogawa writes: “Storytime is an integral part of being a children’s librarian. One of the biggest frustrations I’ve come across is keeping the grownups engaged. The ALSC Early Childhood Programs and Services Committee’s Cookies and Conversation programming shows that one way to engage parents is by reading books with jokes that adults will also find funny. Finding these books is not easy. After only coming up with a few on my own, I asked some librarian friends for help. Here are a few favorite storytime reads that are fun for both the children and the grownups.”

ALSC Blog, Oct. 22
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As part of its continued commitment to provide school library professionals the materials and resources needed to implement its National School Library Standards, AASL has released a crosswalk aligning the AASL Standards to the Next Generation Science Standards. The crosswalk and accompanying how-to-read document are downloadable and printable PDFs and are available on the AASL Standards Portal. Other national teaching and learning standards are being reviewed by AASL for possible future crosswalks.

AASL, Oct. 21

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