publishing Archives | Page 4 of 4 | American Libraries Magazine

Leading Self-Publishing Efforts in Communities

By Lissa Staley | February 27, 2015

Any library can position itself to guide local authors toward becoming savvy and competent independent publishers. Ebooks and print-on-demand options leverage the strength of their platforms to reach larger audiences and make publishing possible within the library. Libraries can support the growth and autonomy of local writers by connecting them to relevant technology, tools, and … Continue reading Leading Self-Publishing Efforts in Communities →

Digital Resources in School Libraries

By Roger Rosen | June 18, 2014

With the advent of the digital revolution and the opportunities and challenges that this disruption provides, the school librarian is one of the most prepared professionals to make momentous choices on behalf of students. These choices comprise a broad range of options that include hardware, software, age appropriateness, access, pricing models, collaboration with classroom teachers … Continue reading Digital Resources in School Libraries →

Ebooks: Getting There … But Not There Yet

By Molly Raphael | June 17, 2014

People were increasingly looking for digital content for their e-readers and mobile devices. And they were turning to libraries, expecting that just as they had been able to borrow print books, they would also be able to borrow ebooks. Libraries were trying to keep ahead of this trend and began allocating more of their materials … Continue reading Ebooks: Getting There … But Not There Yet →

How Low Can Our Book Budgets Go?

By Steve Coffman | October 14, 2013

But don’t just take Joe’s word for it. OCLC’s surveys on the “library brand” regularly turn up the same result. In fact, in Perceptions of Libraries 2010, OCLC found that in the previous five years libraries have become even “more strongly associated with books than they were before”—69% in 2005 vs. 75% in 2010. Or … Continue reading How Low Can Our Book Budgets Go? →

The Unpackaged Book

By Peter Brantley | June 25, 2013

Snow Fall. After several years of hypothetical discussion about the possibilities of transmedia, it took a sportswriter working for a newspaper to demonstrate the power of internet-based publishing. In a single blow, the New York Times reset the bar for interactive online narratives. Snow Fall: The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek is a gripping story of … Continue reading The Unpackaged Book →

Ebooks in 2013

By Clifford A. Lynch | June 24, 2013

Sadly, ebooks have not only failed to deliver on much of their promise, they have become a vast lost opportunity. They are becoming a weapon capable of considerable social damage; a Faustian technology that seduces with convenience, particularly for those who consume a great many books, but offers little else while extracting a corrosive toll … Continue reading Ebooks in 2013 →

Latest Library Links

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Nadine Kramarz writes: “I am beginning to believe that how we think about public library services as free directly impacts how public libraries don’t get funded. This idea that ‘public libraries are free’ sounds very enticing and makes a great soundbite, but it’s not true. Public libraries are paid for by their community in order to create services for said community. The reality is that tax dollars are spread thin and every government department has to struggle to get enough funds.”

Public Libraries Online, June 10
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Americans see a variety of factors as important when it comes to deciding whether a news story is trustworthy or not, but their attitudes vary by party affiliation, demographic characteristics and news consumption habits, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. Overall, broad majorities of US adults say it is at least somewhat important to consider each of five surveyed factors when determining whether a news story is trustworthy or not: the news organization that publishes it (88%); the sources cited in it (86%); their gut instinct about it (77%); the person, if any, who shared it with them (68%); and the specific journalist who reported it (66%).

Pew Research Center, June 9
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Associate Professor and digital archivist Erin Baucom writes: “Digital preservation is a relatively young field. And as a result, it lacks established pathways and processes. What’s more, guidance for practitioners has been purposefully written from a high-level perspective to allow for flexibility by different types and sizes of institutions. But to translate lofty digital preservation theory into on-the-ground practice, we need workflow documents to break down the necessary steps required to complete a task.”

American Libraries column, June
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Terra Dankowski writes: “Nearly 150 years after it leveled 18,000 buildings and killed 300 people, the Great Chicago Fire (October 8–10, 1871) lives on—in the city’s tourist attractions, sports team names, and soon in a Chicago History Museum exhibit commemorating its anniversary this fall. ‘It’s just amazing how much the aftermath was documented,’ says Ellen Keith, director of the museum library. The library’s holdings include period maps and stereographs (an early form of three-dimensional photographs popular in the 19th century) depicting the burned areas of the city, transcripts of the 1871 fire department hearings, a 1997 mayoral resolution exonerating Mrs. O’Leary and her cow of blame for setting the blaze, and even sheet music for songs about the fire.”

American Libraries Bookend, June
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ALA members are invited to join Patricia “Patty” Wong at 1 p.m. Central on June 29 as she begins her term as the first Asian American to serve as president of ALA and shares her plans for leading the association through an exciting time of change. The virtual event is free and is part of the ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition, June 23–29.

ALA Governance Office, June 4
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Emily Temple writes: “It’s June, the summer reading lists are out in full force, and so are our newly vaccinated knees (and chins), which can only mean that it’s that time of year again. This year, I read 38 lists, which recommended a grand total of 522 individual books. I have included those books recommended at least three times below, in descending order of frequency. So if you want to Read the Book That Everyone is Reading (or at least recommending) this summer, here’s where you should start.”

LitHub, June 10
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Quanetta Batts and Ellen Knutson write: “Ethics and inclusion should be at the center of all your community engagement programs. Putting these ideas into practice can be challenging because of organizational inertia and a lack of appetite for risk. By carefully considering the potential impacts of your actions and plans, you will be on your way to providing truly ethical and inclusive engagement programs.”

American Libraries feature, June

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