LISNews: Librarian News

Dave Winer, the gentleman who helped birth RSS, posted at his blog thoughts about a post-newspaper world. Jamie LaRue, director of Douglas County Libraries in Colorado, posts his thoughts about a replacement role libraries can play for news. The thoughts from LaRue are notable to consider in light of what the Nebraska Auditor of Public Accounts said in LISTen #62.

Colorado's oldest newspaper, the Rocky Mountain News, is shutting down today, and industry analysts say it won't be the last to be pulled under by a rising tide of financial woes.

E.W. Scripps announced yesterday that it is closing the 150-year-old Rocky, which has won four Pulitzer Prizes in the last decade, leaving Denver, like most American cities, a one-newspaper town.

These are dark days for the struggling news business. Hearst threatened this week to close the San Francisco Chronicle unless major budget cuts are imposed or a buyer is found, and is also prepared to close the Seattle Post-Intelligencer if it cannot be sold. The Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News filed for bankruptcy protection this week, joining Chicago's Tribune Co. and the Minneapolis Star-Tribune in Chapter 11 status.

Full story in the Washington Post

Librarians in Nebraska are under investigation by local news media and the state after a youtube video surfaced of these book-lovers setting up and playing Rock Band and Dance Dance Revolution.

Further down in article: Most librarians I've known are surprisingly cool. They are dedicated people who like education, books and kids. I'd speculate that the librarians in Nebraska are buying game systems to draw kids to the library by actually making the place relevant to the interests and lifestyles of the people in the community. Shocking, right? After purchasing the games and systems, the librarians set them up and tried them out. Amazing, right?

Story at G4

A theft charge has been dismissed against an Independence woman who failed to return an overdue book to the Jesup Public Library.

Shelly Koontz was charged Jan. 22 with fifth-degree theft and jailed for not returning "The Freedom Writers Diary," a book valued at $13.95 that she checked out last April. She was released after posting $250 bond.

Her attorney, James Peters, says the case was dismissed Thursday after Koontz agreed to pay the library a $13.95 fine, return the book and pay about $50 in court costs.

Buchanan County Attorney Allan Vander Hart says a library complaint led to the arrest.

A woman who answered the library telephone hung up when asked if anyone could comment.

A number listed for Shelly Koontz was disconnected.

Story found here.