After “10 Reasons Why the Internet is No Substitute for a Library,” a 2001 article in American Libraries, received some unwelcome attention two weeks ago, we sought your feedback to help create an updated version. Based on reader comments and staff discussions, we’ve drafted this list of reasons why libraries matter in a digital age. … Continue reading 10 Ways Libraries Matter in a Digital Age
Libraries have seen more than their share of fiscal cliffhangers recently, and the celebration of National Library Week, April 10–16, offers no respite. But through the power of social networks, a loyal customer base, and elected officials who eventually read the handwriting on the wall, some rays of light permeate the gloom. The most recent … Continue reading Kicking Our Doors Back Open
Over the past eight days, the biblioblogosphere erupted as word spread that terms of service were about to shift for libraries’ e-book lending rights. It began with a February 24 email (PDF file) from OverDrive CEO Steve Potash alerting customers that “Publishers are expressing concern and debating their digital future where a single eBook license … Continue reading E-Book Blues
On February 26, several dozen librarians brought library-themed picket signs to the Wisconsin Capitol Building in Madison to show solidarity with protesters entering their third week of demonstrations opposing Gov. Scott Walker’s Budget Repair Bill, which includes the permanent abolishment of most collective-bargaining rights for the state’s public-sector employees. “Librarians fight for everyone’s rights,” read … Continue reading A Capitol Weekend in Wisconsin
In anticipation of the U.S. Senate reconvening February 28, American Library Association President Roberta Stevens has issued this call to action through ALA’s Washington Office: “I am writing to you today to enlist your participation in an association-wide advocacy campaign to protect funding for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and the Improving Literacy … Continue reading Action Alert: Protect Library Funding, ALA President Urges Library Community
Well aware that timing is everything, the Wisconsin Library Association postponed its 2011 Library Legislative Day, which had been scheduled for February 22, less than 48 hours before it was to take place. Of course, it would have been difficult to stay focused on biennial budget issues while tens of thousands were converging on the … Continue reading Capitol Protests Force Delay of Library Legislative Day (UPDATE)
Public service announcements to help libraries promote ALA President Roberta Stevens’ “Our Authors, Our Advocates” national library advocacy public awareness campaign were unveiled today during the ALA Midwinter Meeting in San Diego. Library advocates can now download audio and video PSAs from such best-selling authors as Sharon Draper, Brad Meltzer, Sara Paretsky, and Scott Turow. The … Continue reading “Our Authors, Our Advocates” Advocacy Tools Available
There was a bit of a holiday-season miracle over the past week: the bipartisan passage by consent of the Museum and Library Services Act in both the House and Senate. The MLSA is now on its way to President Obama’s desk for his anticipated signature, to the delight of the library community, which can rest … Continue reading Bipartisanship, Thy Name Is Libraries
Consumer activist Ralph Nader is a longtime library and literacy champion. He has been a speaker at ALA conferences, has written two articles for American Libraries, and has been a crusader for improving the public library system in his home city, Washington, D.C. I had a long telephone chat with Nader yesterday about his latest … Continue reading Ralph Nader Invites Everyone to Become a “Bookshaker” for Holiday Giving
Maybe “musings” isn’t the right word. Perhaps “head-scratching” would be more apropos, since the spectrum of victories and defeats for Libraryland defy a big-picture understanding (for me at least) the morning after the 2010 Midterm Elections. So, without editorializing, here are the nuggets of information we have as of noon Central time about the outcome … Continue reading Post-Election Musings
There probably isn’t a person alive who’s read the Terms of Service (TOS) of every technology or service they use. Those TOS statements are usually quite long and full of boilerplate legalese that any company must include. When you’re quickly trying to load and use new software, reading a TOS statement is not a priority, … Continue reading Read the Fine Print
I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that politically the library profession is quite liberal. There may be a lot more conservatives in the profession than I know about but if they exist, they are for the most part quiet and under cover. My experience is that the library profession is not just overwhelmingly … Continue reading The Conservatives Among Us
