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    Librarians in stereotypical clothing pose solemnly and hold adorable catsCorina Chang writes: “As the marketing manager for Morgantown (W.Va.) Public Library System, I’m always brainstorming novel ways to reach our audiences. This time, I wanted to lend a library twist to those popular fundraising calendars that depict smoldering firefighters. Thus was born our 2021 Wild and Weird calendar. Each month features library workers from MPLS—all fully clothed, of course!—alongside an adoptable cat, including Cadillac Frank (a gray and white kitten rescued from a high-kill shelter) and Olaf (a black and white senior that was surrendered to the shelter by his family after 13 years).”

    American Libraries Trend, Dec. 30

  • Latest Library Links

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      Painted rocks memorializing the children and teachers who died at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas.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.”

      American Libraries feature, May 22

    • 7d

      Microphone in front of a rainbow sound waveSheree 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.”

      The Uncorked Librarian, May 20

    • 1w

      Landisville Middle SchoolChris 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.”

      LNP Lancaster Online, May 17

    • 1w

      Tapes of sound effects in the USC Sound Effects LibraryJason 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.”

      Internet Archive Blogs, May 20

    • 1w

      Woman's hands holding up old photographTate 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.”

      MIT Technology Review, May 19

    • 1w

      Soap bubbleDavid 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.”

      The Verge, May 16

    • 1w

      PEN America logoAndrew 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.’”

      Publishers Weekly, May 17

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