November 2011

Another major publisher has pushed back against making its e-books available to library users. Penguin Book Group said it would “delay the availability” of new e-books to libraries because of security concerns.

“Penguin’s aim is to always connect writers and readers, and with that goal in mind, we remain committed to working closely with our business partners and the library community to forge a distribution model that is secure and viable,” Erica Glass, a spokeswoman for Penguin, said in a statement issued Monday. “In the meantime, we want to assure you that physical editions of our new titles will continue to be available in libraries everywhere.”

Full article in the NYT: Penguin Suspends E-Book Availability to Libraries

Power to the Patrons: From Systems to Services:
Stay one step ahead of technologies driving the user-centric library. December 8, 2011
10 AM-6:00 PM

Library Journal presents our first virtual technology summit, Power to the Patrons: From Systems to Services, an online forum to examine what technologies patrons are using, what technologies they want from their library, and how these technologies can help them discover their place and enhance their connection with the library.

This day-long conference offers a full program featuring keynote speaker Bryan Alexander, senior fellow at the National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education (NITLE), chair of the 2010 Horizon Report and author of The New Digital Storytelling, as well as panel presentations and Q&A with thought leaders from libraries around the country. Throughout the day, the industry’s leading vendors will showcase their latest innovations with presentations and webcasts throughout the show. And don’t forget to visit the Exhibit Hall for product demos and give-aways from our sponsors!

Plus, you can network with colleagues from across the nation and participate in our librarian moderated Twitter chat, all without leaving your office!

Plea for help from Horowhenua Library Trust
Horowhenua Library Trust is the birth place of Koha and the longest serving member of the Koha community. Back in 1999 when we were working on Koha, the idea that 12 years later we would be having to write an email like this never crossed our minds. It is with tremendous sadness that we must write this plea for help to you, the other members of the Koha community.

The situation we find ourselves in, is that after over a year of battling against it, PTFS/Liblime have managed to have their application for a Trademark on Koha in New Zealand accepted. We now have 3 months to object, but to do so involves lawyers and money. We are a small semi rural Library in New Zealand and have no cash spare in our operational budget to afford this, but we do feel it is something we must fight.

[Thanks to Brett for the link!]

This classic birdhouse is modeled after the Osage, Iowa Public Library, constructed in 1910 with a $10,000 gift from Andrew Carnegie. A brass plaque mounted on back indicates that a portion of the birdhouse proceeds support the American Library Association’s Cultural Communities Fund and Florida State University’s Jean E. Lowrie Endowment.

Birdhouse and more details here.

Six amazing, and possibly unexpected, things about life as a cataloguer
“Last week on Twitter, Deborah Lee of the Courtauld Institute of Art listed the “six amazing things” about being a cataloguer, taken from a presentation she had written to give to library school students. Here at HVCats, we loved these six amazing things and thought they deserved a wider audience.”

The unexpected reader
“Open access serves all of these unexpected readers of scholarly works. As Carroll summed up his point, every time we create an open environment, we get unexpected developments and innovations. We have come far enough down this road now that the burden of proof is no longer on open access advocates, it is on those who would claim that the traditional models of publishing and distribution are still workable.”

This Book Is 119 Years Overdue
The wondrous database that reveals what Americans checked out of the library a century ago.
“So when I learned about What Middletown Read, a database that tracks the borrowing records of the Muncie Public Library between 1891 and 1902, I had some of the same feelings physicists probably have when new subatomic particles show up in their cloud chambers. Could you see how many times a particular book had been taken out? Could you find out when? And by whom? Yes, yes, and yes. You could also find out who those patrons were: their age, race, gender, occupation (and whether that made them blue or white collar, skilled, semi-skilled, or unskilled), and their names and how they signed them.”

Matt Cutts has a great summary of what’s happening with SOPA: Progress against SOPA:

He has a list of things you can do:

– Sign up at American Censorship to send a note to Congress and get updates.
– Call your congressperson with Tumblr’s easy web page.
– I believe anyone inside or outside the United States can sign this White House petition. If you’re outside the United States, you can also sign this petition.
– Follow groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) on Twitter.
– Sign up with United Republic, a new organization dedicated to the larger problem of money in politics.
– Sign up to have Senator Ron Wyden read your name on the Senate floor when he filibusters against this legislation.

Go The F*ck To Print
If you give a kid an iPad, he’s going to want to watch a Sesame Street clip on YouTube.
And if he watches YouTube, he’s going to ask to watch just part of a movie.
….
And the whole point was to put him to sleep!
So don’t give him an iPad, just read a paper book already!

Salem’s Library Grants Center, a free web tool designed to help librarians everywhere—whatever their level of experience—navigate the world of library grants.

THE CHALLENGE
At a time when the word “library” is inseparable from the phrase “budget cuts,” librarians need help finding help. So we scoured the web in search of free funding for libraries and discovered that the options extend far beyond national and state opportunities. Hundreds of grants are available to libraries of all types from local foundations, family trusts, small and large corporations, professional organizations, and the publishing community.

THE GOAL
Numerous web resources on grants already exist online. But most are general in scope. Those specific to libraries usually target a type of grant (e.g., professional association grants) or type of library (e.g., libraries in public schools). Our goal was to design a universal tool whose sole focus is library grants but with coverage that includes every type of funding available.

THE SOLUTION
The Library Grants Center is divided into three main sections:

National Library Grants
Search and browse grants and awards available to all libraries by category, purpose, deadline, and more.

State Library Grants
Use the clickable U.S. map to open up your state’s page and get information on how public funds are used in your state as well as what local foundations support libraries in your city, county, or region.

Library Grants: How-To

Salem’s Library Grants Center, a free web tool designed to help librarians everywhere—whatever their level of experience—navigate the world of library grants.

THE CHALLENGE
At a time when the word “library” is inseparable from the phrase “budget cuts,” librarians need help finding help. So we scoured the web in search of free funding for libraries and discovered that the options extend far beyond national and state opportunities. Hundreds of grants are available to libraries of all types from local foundations, family trusts, small and large corporations, professional organizations, and the publishing community.

THE GOAL
Numerous web resources on grants already exist online. But most are general in scope. Those specific to libraries usually target a type of grant (e.g., professional association grants) or type of library (e.g., libraries in public schools). Our goal was to design a universal tool whose sole focus is library grants but with coverage that includes every type of funding available.

THE SOLUTION
The Library Grants Center is divided into three main sections:

National Library Grants
Search and browse grants and awards available to all libraries by category, purpose, deadline, and more.

State Library Grants
Use the clickable U.S. map to open up your state’s page and get information on how public funds are used in your state as well as what local foundations support libraries in your city, county, or region.

Library Grants: How-To
Navigate the intricacies of the grant application process by taking a quick tour, browsing an extensive (and interactive) list of Frequently Asked Questions, or browsing the various lists of Resources like books, web sites, newsletters

[Via S.A.L.]