Please don't microwave library books | American Libraries Magazine

Image of burned RFID tag inside a microwaved book from Kent District Library in Comstock Park, Michigan.

People are getting creative when it comes to staying safe from COVID-19, and it has prompted at least one Michigan library to issue a public warning: Stop microwaving books. A damaged book was returned to Kent District Library in Comstock Park, Michigan, after the metal RFID tag burned in a microwave and left a hole in the book’s cover. The library wants its users to know that all materials are quarantined for 72 hours, so patrons do not need to take any further sterilization steps.

Detroit Free Press, June 23

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MLIS student Paige Szmodis writes: “Though the field of the digital humanities has been steadily growing in popularity in the past decade or so, it still has a bit of an ambiguous definition—the intersection between the humanities and technology. One of the best ways to learn about the field is to explore examples of digital humanities projects, as well as the programs and technologies that can be used for digital curation, digital publishing, textual analysis, data visualization, mapping, and more.”

Hack Library School, Nov. 29
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Cass Balzer writes: “Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, libraries have served both informally and officially as public health partners, from 3D-printing personal protective equipment to serving as vaccination sites. Now, as the country continues to ease masking and social-distancing restrictions, libraries are again stepping into the role as a point of care—this time by helping to distribute rapid, at-home COVID-19 test kits.”

American Libraries feature, Dec. 1
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Librarian Allison Escoto writes: “Intellectual freedom is now—and will likely always be—a necessary topic for librarians to examine. If every book has its reader, most books will also have a challenger. In addition to considering banned books in schools and libraries, intellectual freedom issues are so closely tied to social justice that librarians often need both a foundational understanding of the topic as well as practical guides, and perhaps a standout example of a banned book, to navigate the often-muddy waters of intellectual freedom in libraries.”

American Libraries column, Nov./Dec.
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With the holidays happening and the looming supply chain issues, Literary Hub’s Book Marks blog pulled together a backlist bookish gift guide with suggestions from some of its favorite writers. From poetry collections and illustrated novels to guides for young writers and classic works in translation, there’s something for everyone.

Lit Hub, Nov. 30
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With an expanded definition to reflect the times, Merriam-Webster has declared an omnipresent truth as its 2021 word of the year: vaccine. “It really represents two different stories,” Peter Sokolowski, Merriam-Webster’s editor-at-large, told The Associated Press. “One is the science story, which is this remarkable speed with which the vaccines were developed. But there’s also the debates regarding policy, politics and political affiliation. It’s one word that carries these two huge stories.”

AP News, Nov. 28
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Andrew Egan writes: “Newspapers and print journalism in general have been dying a slow death for more than 20 years now. While causes and the current state of the industry are very much in debate, there is little argument that print journalism is currently in a dire state. The Hussman School of Journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill counted some 1,800 American newspapers that have closed since 2004. What happens to these archives once the business is no longer profitable?”

Tedium, Nov. 24
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On November 29, the Executive Board of ALA and the boards of directors for ALA’s eight divisions issued a joint statement regarding the increase in book challenges and removals from libraries and schools around the US. ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom is actively involved in providing confidential legal guidance and strategic support to libraries and library professionals in communities across the country impacted by the recent surge in book challenges. Since June 1, OIF has tracked 155 unique censorship incidents and provided direct support and consultation in 120 of those cases. A clearinghouse of resources is available on ALA’s Fight Censorship page.

AL: The Scoop, Nov. 29

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