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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Julius C. Jefferson Jr. writes: “When I kicked off ALA’s ‘Holding Space’ virtual tour on July 27 in Washington, D.C., my primary goal was to elevate the stories and successes of libraries whose work takes place just out of the spotlight. If you scroll through my tweets between July 27 and August 7, you will see a series of crowded Zoom screenshots. But they don’t do justice to the expert librarians and community partners who participated in our discussions.”

AL: The Scoop, Aug. 12
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The ALA Executive Board announced August 6 that the 2021 ALA Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits scheduled for January 22–26 in Indianapolis will take place virtually. “It is clear that as we continue to coexist with coronavirus, we need to adjust our approach to meetings and events,” said ALA President Julius C. Jefferson Jr. “In the last few months, we have successfully pivoted our delivery to present ALA Virtual in June and ALA’s ‘Holding Space’ tour series this summer. Though we very much hoped to be able to meet in person in Indianapolis, the health and safety of conference attendees, ALA members and staff, exhibitors, and other stakeholders are the priority.”

AL: The Scoop, Aug. 6
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The manager of a library in South Carolina said he was pushed out after he became “inappropriately involved” in assisting organizers with a Drag Queen Story Hour in early 2019, according to court filings. Now the county is settling with him for $30,000. Jonathan Newton headed up the Five Forks branch of the Greenville County Library System in Simpsonville until he was reportedly forced to resign in March 2019 — three weeks after the Drag Queen Story Hour event, according to a lawsuit filed April 6 in state court against the county library system and its executive director.

The State (Columbia, S.C.), Aug. 11
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Chelsea Price, director of Meservey (Iowa) Public Library, writes: “Though the community spread seems to have waned, I am hesitant to open again. My original gut instinct—to keep the library closed in the first place—was correct, and I should have trusted it. Our state’s numbers have never steadily declined, and it is the only state with no mask mandate in place that also requires in-person schooling with no mask requirement in classrooms. I worry that that Iowa is going to become even more of a disaster when school starts, and I don’t want to play this ‘open–close–open–close’ game.”

Programming Librarian, Aug. 12
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Joe Keeley writes: “During standard use, your computer should run fairly quietly. While you can expect the fans to get louder when doing intensive tasks like gaming or video editing, you shouldn’t hear scratching, beeping, or rattling from inside your computer case. If you do hear unusual or loud noises from your computer, it could be a sign that something is wrong. A component could be failing and need replacing.”

Make Use Of, Aug. 9
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US Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and John Cornyn (R-Tex.) have introduced the bipartisan Accelerating Connected Care and Education Support Services on the Internet Act (ACCESS the Internet Act), which includes funding for libraries. The $2 billion legislation addresses immediate gaps in internet access necessary for distance learning and telehealth. The distance learning provision will fuel a two-year, $200 million hotspot pilot program for libraries, to be administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. A minimum allotment of $1.6 million per state will allow states, tribes, and territories to purchase and distribute internet-connected devices to libraries in low-income and rural areas.

ALA Public Policy and Advocacy Office, Aug. 7
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When it comes to reading habits across generations, there are similarities—but also surprising differences. The five generations—gen z, millennials, gen x, baby boomers, and the silent generation—have different life experiences and expectations for everything from marriage to work to entertainment. But what about their reading habits? Nate Hoffelder created infographics to illustrate the differences.

The Digital Reader, Aug. 5

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