April 2016

Developers and librarians are working together to create a radically new, open source library services platform (LSP) aimed at transforming the technology academic libraries rely on. Backed by a multimillion-dollar contribution from EBSCO Information Services, the participants plan to fast-track production of the software, with early versions available by early 2018.

From EBSCO Supports New Open Source Project | American Libraries Magazine

Developers and librarians are working together to create a radically new, open source library services platform (LSP) aimed at transforming the technology academic libraries rely on. Backed by a multimillion-dollar contribution from EBSCO Information Services, the participants plan to fast-track production of the software, with early versions available by early 2018.

From EBSCO Supports New Open Source Project | American Libraries Magazine

Evans and his colleagues have an idea for how Wikipedia could begin to do this—and it’s a proposal that, if executed well, could dramatically improve access to information on the Internet. “You could just give some kind of meter about verifiability, actually on the Wikipedia page,” said Dan Rockmore, the director of the Neukom Institute and a co-author of the study. “That could be automated in a fairly simple way.”

From One Easy Way to Make Wikipedia Better – The Atlantic

Evans and his colleagues have an idea for how Wikipedia could begin to do this—and it’s a proposal that, if executed well, could dramatically improve access to information on the Internet. “You could just give some kind of meter about verifiability, actually on the Wikipedia page,” said Dan Rockmore, the director of the Neukom Institute and a co-author of the study. “That could be automated in a fairly simple way.”

From One Easy Way to Make Wikipedia Better – The Atlantic

But it may not be a 200-year-old first edition after all and it still needs to be independently verified. A Jane Austen expert at Harvard University, Deidre Lynch, (who has only inspected it by looking at pictures) thinks it actually dates to 1900.

“Even a century ago, a first edition of (Jane) Austen would be awfully valuable,” she said. “And so, an unusual school prize.”

From Teacher solves mystery of Jane Austen book | Qevaz

But it may not be a 200-year-old first edition after all and it still needs to be independently verified. A Jane Austen expert at Harvard University, Deidre Lynch, (who has only inspected it by looking at pictures) thinks it actually dates to 1900.

“Even a century ago, a first edition of (Jane) Austen would be awfully valuable,” she said. “And so, an unusual school prize.”

From Teacher solves mystery of Jane Austen book | Qevaz

Don’t miss these amazing speakers at this important LITA preconference to the ALA Annual 2016 conference in Orlando FL.

Digital Privacy and Security: Keeping You And Your Library Safe and Secure In A Post-Snowden World
Friday June 24, 2016, 1:00 – 4:00 pm
Presenters: Blake Carver, LYRASIS and Jessamyn West, Library Technologist at Open Library

From LITA ALA Annual Precon: Digital Privacy – LITA Blog

Don’t miss these amazing speakers at this important LITA preconference to the ALA Annual 2016 conference in Orlando FL.

Digital Privacy and Security: Keeping You And Your Library Safe and Secure In A Post-Snowden World
Friday June 24, 2016, 1:00 – 4:00 pm
Presenters: Blake Carver, LYRASIS and Jessamyn West, Library Technologist at Open Library

From LITA ALA Annual Precon: Digital Privacy – LITA Blog

All around the world, shadow libraries keep growing, filled with banned materials. But no actual papers trade hands: everything is digital, and the internet-accessible content is not banned for shocking content so much as that modern crime, copyright infringement.

From The Rise of Pirate Libraries | Atlas Obscura

All around the world, shadow libraries keep growing, filled with banned materials. But no actual papers trade hands: everything is digital, and the internet-accessible content is not banned for shocking content so much as that modern crime, copyright infringement.

From The Rise of Pirate Libraries | Atlas Obscura

From WHAS, the artist formerly and forever to be known as Prince was a fan of libraries. May he RIP.

As people become more reliant on devices and less likely to crack open a paperback, libraries have been forced to adapt.

Most modern libraries offer e-book and e-magazines, plus movies on DVD and other digital items. But did you know that many also provide such services as free Wi-Fi, used bookstores, and even unique items borrowing.

Coming off of National Library Week, here’s a look at eight things you might not know about your local library:

From Beyond books: Eight things you may not know about libraries

As people become more reliant on devices and less likely to crack open a paperback, libraries have been forced to adapt.

Most modern libraries offer e-book and e-magazines, plus movies on DVD and other digital items. But did you know that many also provide such services as free Wi-Fi, used bookstores, and even unique items borrowing.

Coming off of National Library Week, here’s a look at eight things you might not know about your local library:

From Beyond books: Eight things you may not know about libraries

She just turned 90, and her mental acuity is better than most people half her age.

She said that she was a children’s librarian in 1940 and got the idea to write kids’ books when some boys at the library complained that they couldn’t find any books “about kids like us.” So she sat down and started writing stories about the kids she had had gotten to know at the library.

From An interview with Beverly Cleary about her inspiring books for children / Boing Boing

She just turned 90, and her mental acuity is better than most people half her age.

She said that she was a children’s librarian in 1940 and got the idea to write kids’ books when some boys at the library complained that they couldn’t find any books “about kids like us.” So she sat down and started writing stories about the kids she had had gotten to know at the library.

From An interview with Beverly Cleary about her inspiring books for children / Boing Boing

Manuscripts of the first book in English by a woman and the earliest autobiography by a woman are displayed together by Wellcome Collection

From Books by earliest women writers in English on display together for first time | Books | The Guardian

Manuscripts of the first book in English by a woman and the earliest autobiography by a woman are displayed together by Wellcome Collection

From Books by earliest women writers in English on display together for first time | Books | The Guardian

It’s not the big job (Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden nominee) but two new positions have been announced at the Library of Congress.

The are John Y. Cole as Historian of the LOC and Pam Jackson as Director for the Center for the Book.