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Volume II of the Public Libraries Survey report, released November 30 by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, provides trend analysis of public library use, financial health, staffing, and resources. Together, Volume I and II document the varied ways in which trends in libraries are similar and different across states, location types, and the size of the populations they serve. For more information about the Public Libraries Survey, including a snapshot of rural libraries and state detail tables, please visit the IMLS website.
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Tor Haugan writes: “Subject headings usually exist outside of the realm of dinner-table banter, often confined to discussions among library folk. But in recent years, the heading ‘Illegal aliens’ and its ilk shot to national attention. After a hard-fought (and ultimately unsuccessful) war of the words started by students at Dartmouth College, which would have changed subject headings used by libraries across the country, UC Berkeley Library saw an opportunity to act. Along with other institutions nationwide, the library has adopted alternatives to the controversial heading—a step toward greater inclusion.”
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Troy Belle, JBH Research and Reference Division at New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, writes: “Kwanzaa is one of my favorite times of the year and has been a part of my family celebrations for nearly 20 years. Our family has taken part in all types of Kwanzaa celebrations, including intimate ones at our home, private celebrations with other families, and large public community gatherings. Books have always been incorporated into our Kwanzaa celebrations as a way to reintroduce the principles. I hope you enjoy this collection of books about Kwanzaa, which includes a couple of our family favorites and options for all ages.”
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Paul Collins writes: “On November 22, 1820, the New York Evening Post ran a perfunctory book ad that was none too particular in its typesetting: ‘WILEY & HALSTED, No. 3 Wall Street, have just received SYMZONIA, or a voyage to the internal world, by capt. Adam Seaborn. Price $1.’ As literary landmarks go, it’s not quite Emerson greeting Whitman at the start of a great career. But this humble advert may herald the first American science fiction novel.”
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The annual publishing convention and trade show known as BookExpo, a decades-old tradition where guest speakers have ranged from Bill Clinton to Margaret Atwood, may be coming to an end. ReedPop, which has managed BookExpo for a quarter century, announced December 1 that effectively immediately it was “retiring” the event, along with the fan-based BookCon and merchandise-based UnBound.
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This year for Giving Tuesday, ALA is shining a light on an issue made more critical by the pandemic: digital equity. ALA is firmly committed to making libraries equal and just spaces for all people. Closing the digital divide is a crucial part of that. Learn more about these efforts and make a gift today at the ALA Annual Fund.
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Megan Specia writes: “Twenty years ago, two historic notebooks belonging to the renowned naturalist Charles Darwin were found to be missing from the archives at Cambridge University Library. The tiny books recorded Darwin’s thoughts after he returned to England from his famed voyage aboard H. M. S. Beagle, as he grasped toward ideas that would form the foundations of modern evolutionary biology. Now, the library has said it believes the notebooks were most likely stolen, and it launched a public appeal for any information about their whereabouts.”
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John Keilman writes: “When Illinois’ latest COVID-19 mitigation rules went into effect recently, public venues from casinos to museums were ordered to shut down as the virus continues its ruthless spread. One notable exception, though, was public libraries. The decision on whether to stay open remained with them, and while many have concluded that the risk is too high, others say they’re going to stick it out, and not just for the book lending.”
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Linda Hall writes: “Throughout the spring I did my usual amount of reading, which yielded the usual number of leads—books I planned to borrow when the library reopened. I soon realized that no, I did not want them on a screen. And grateful as I was for curbside pick-up when it came along, I also realized that nothing would ever beat retrieving books myself. Shelf-shopping was what I longed for; I missed the sparks it set off in me, the accidents that happen only when you go from 027.4799 to 944.025 in under ten seconds.”
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After having its theatrical release delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Library That Dolly Built will now become available as a worldwide streaming event. The documentary about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which has gifted more than 135 million books to children, will stream for free exclusively on Facebook Wednesday, December 9 at 7 p.m. ET. The screening will be followed by a performance and conversation featuring Parton.
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The Dallas City Council approved funding to add 2,100 mobile Wi-Fi hotspots to Dallas Public Library’s circulating collection. The addition of these hotspots was made possible with the adoption of the budget for the 2021 fiscal year. The new hotspots are expected to arrive at DPL by December 1 and ready for circulation by December 15.
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Meredith Farkas writes: “Library workers are well practiced in advocating for their libraries, whether that’s finding ways to demonstrate the value of what they do or lobbying leaders for additional funding. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, webinars on advocacy have helped library workers become even more effective in these areas. However, during this crisis, many library workers are unexpectedly forced to advocate for themselves.”
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