LISNews: Librarian News

As if spillage wasn\'t enough . . .

An Owings Mills (MD) coffee company is suing the Howard County Library and the county government for picking the Daily Grind to manage its two library cafes, alleging that the Grind falsified information in its bid proposal and library officials didn\'t properly check into the business.

Straight From Seattle Espresso Inc., which operates 10 sites in Washington and Baltimore, wants the library system to start the bidding over again.

\"You have to play by the rules, and you have to disclose all that\'s asked for,\" said Matthew McCauley, who owns the company with his wife, Ashley . . .

More from the Baltimore Sun.

Our friends in Freeport (IL) are in the news again. They\'ve been experiencing some difficulties over the design for the new library. First, they were criticized for the building plans. Then, there was an an appeal to the public to contribute funds from tax refunds and other personal means. Then, the citizens forced the town council to reject the funding. Then it looked as though they would get about 1/2 of their proposed funding.
Then, the public ranted more. Then, it was decided that landfill money would be used to fund the new library. Then, it looked as though they were gaining ground. Now, they\'ve hired a marketing firm to conduct a publicity campaign. An interesting facet of the situation is that the board of trustees has been \"working\" on the issue for ten years, and, still no resolution. More

SmartRat writes \"They are piecing together history at Cleveland Public Library, not to
mention slicing, gluing and bathing it.\" Thus begins a story Story
about the CPL Preservation Dept., housed in a former high school girl\'s locker room.
Apparently, they go more for the \"clean and restore\" option here in Cleveland rather then
the \"slash and film\" technique so condemned by Nicholas Baker, although mention is made of microfilming periodicals. However, there are many interesting details to be fround here on preservation techniques used in the CPL Preservation Dept. The story is from the
Nov. 13, 2001 Cleveland Plain Dealer, and their online verion at cleveland.com/plaindealer (story archive available for 14 days). \"

greenbaynewschron.com is running a Funny Little Story on returning your books late.

\"There should be an \"Overdue Friends of the Library\" club.
This club is exclusively for those of us who so love the library that we
cannot tear ourselves away from their materials in due time. We will
be revered not only for our dedication to reading, but for our
diligence in coming in and paying our overdue fines.
\"