Blake

Why Do Cats Love Bookstores?

So how did they end up in bookstores? Look to Russia and a special decree issued by Empress Elizabeth in 1745 looking for “the best and biggest cats, capable of catching mice” to be sent to the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg to protect the treasures contained within from rats (this tradition lives on to the present day, with dozens of strays living in the basement of the museum). Not long after, sometime in the early 1800s, with Europeans still sure rats caused the Black Death (this idea has been mostly debunked, although now scholars believe gerbils might be to blame), and rat catchers unable to stop the rodents from overrunning filthy urban centers, governments started to pay libraries to keep cats in order to help bring down populations of book-loving vermin.

From Why Do Cats Love Bookstores? | Literary Hub

So how did they end up in bookstores? Look to Russia and a special decree issued by Empress Elizabeth in 1745 looking for “the best and biggest cats, capable of catching mice” to be sent to the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg to protect the treasures contained within from rats (this tradition lives on to the present day, with dozens of strays living in the basement of the museum). Not long after, sometime in the early 1800s, with Europeans still sure rats caused the Black Death (this idea has been mostly debunked, although now scholars believe gerbils might be to blame), and rat catchers unable to stop the rodents from overrunning filthy urban centers, governments started to pay libraries to keep cats in order to help bring down populations of book-loving vermin.

From Why Do Cats Love Bookstores? | Literary Hub

April 13, 2016 by Books EBooks Libraries

Buffalo BookBike promotes reading, gives free books to kids

One woman has started her own effort to make sure more kids get their hands on books this summer.

With help from local business Nickel City Cycles, she plans to hit the streets of Buffalo by bike and hand out free books along the way.

Amy Ozay, who started the movement in the Queen City, moved to Buffalo from Cambridge, Massachusetts, where people gave out free books on bikes.

From Buffalo BookBike promotes reading, gives free books to kids | WGRZ.com

One woman has started her own effort to make sure more kids get their hands on books this summer.

With help from local business Nickel City Cycles, she plans to hit the streets of Buffalo by bike and hand out free books along the way.

Amy Ozay, who started the movement in the Queen City, moved to Buffalo from Cambridge, Massachusetts, where people gave out free books on bikes.

From Buffalo BookBike promotes reading, gives free books to kids | WGRZ.com

April 13, 2016 by Books EBooks

OMG IT’S National Bookmobile Day!!!

National Bookmobile Day (Wednesday, April 13, 2016) celebrates our nation’s bookmobiles and the dedicated library professionals who provide this valuable and essential service to their communities every day.

National Bookmobile Day is an opportunity for bookmobiles fans to make their support known—through thanking bookmobile staff, writing a letter or e-mail to their libraries, or voicing their support to community leaders.

National Bookmobile Day is coordinated by the ALA Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services, the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services (ABOS), and the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL).

From National Bookmobile Day 2016 | Offices of the American Library Association

National Bookmobile Day (Wednesday, April 13, 2016) celebrates our nation’s bookmobiles and the dedicated library professionals who provide this valuable and essential service to their communities every day.

National Bookmobile Day is an opportunity for bookmobiles fans to make their support known—through thanking bookmobile staff, writing a letter or e-mail to their libraries, or voicing their support to community leaders.

National Bookmobile Day is coordinated by the ALA Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services, the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services (ABOS), and the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL).

From National Bookmobile Day 2016 | Offices of the American Library Association

April 13, 2016 by American Library Association Bookmobiles Books Libraries

Alice Crawford: The Meaning of The Library

I’ve asked elsewhere previously, if everything is downloadable and deliverable then what use is a library? The Meaning of The Library suggests that is the wrong question. To see libraries purely as a vehicle for content is to mistake the purpose of the library, which is to be whatever its society needs it to be. Freedom of thought, freedom of expression and intellectual curiosity, these are not downloadable or deliverable. Alice Crawford’s book reminds us of this and for that alone it is quite a beautiful piece of work.

From Alice Crawford: The Meaning of The Library | Quadrapheme

I’ve asked elsewhere previously, if everything is downloadable and deliverable then what use is a library? The Meaning of The Library suggests that is the wrong question. To see libraries purely as a vehicle for content is to mistake the purpose of the library, which is to be whatever its society needs it to be. Freedom of thought, freedom of expression and intellectual curiosity, these are not downloadable or deliverable. Alice Crawford’s book reminds us of this and for that alone it is quite a beautiful piece of work.

From Alice Crawford: The Meaning of The Library | Quadrapheme

April 13, 2016 by Librarians Libraries

Cornerstone laying ceremony of new Israel National Library

A copy of the National Library of Israel Charter, a declaration signed by leaders and public officials which marked the launch of the National Library renewal project in 2011, was buried under the cement stone at the ceremony.

The library is located between the Israel Museum to the South and the Knesset to the East, and will serve as a link between the cultural and civic buildings around it.

“The concept of the renewal of the library will allow us to place the National Library in the proper perspective in the country’s cultural fabric,” said David Blumberg, chairman of the National Library. “The National Library will be the most important cultural institution in Israel and the Jewish world.”

From Cornerstone laying ceremony of new Israel National Library | ISRAEL21c

A copy of the National Library of Israel Charter, a declaration signed by leaders and public officials which marked the launch of the National Library renewal project in 2011, was buried under the cement stone at the ceremony.

The library is located between the Israel Museum to the South and the Knesset to the East, and will serve as a link between the cultural and civic buildings around it.

“The concept of the renewal of the library will allow us to place the National Library in the proper perspective in the country’s cultural fabric,” said David Blumberg, chairman of the National Library. “The National Library will be the most important cultural institution in Israel and the Jewish world.”

From Cornerstone laying ceremony of new Israel National Library | ISRAEL21c

April 13, 2016 by Librarians Libraries

Library Times Are A-Changin’

Our second annual assessment of library hours in New York shows that 40 percent more branch libraries in NYC are open at least six days a week than this time last year. But while city libraries are open an average of 4 hours more per week than a year ago, they still lag behind many of the largest library systems in the state and nation in hours of operation.

From Library Times Are A-Changin’ | Center for an Urban Future

Our second annual assessment of library hours in New York shows that 40 percent more branch libraries in NYC are open at least six days a week than this time last year. But while city libraries are open an average of 4 hours more per week than a year ago, they still lag behind many of the largest library systems in the state and nation in hours of operation.

From Library Times Are A-Changin’ | Center for an Urban Future

April 13, 2016 by Librarians Libraries

New Bill Will Require Library of Congress to Continue Use of ‘Illegal Alien’ in Subject Headings

“The Library of Congress’s decision is blatant capitulation to political correctness — replacing the correct term ‘illegal alien’ with terms that are both factually and legally incorrect,” the letter, obtained by TheBlaze, read.

“Simply, it is inappropriate for the Library of Congress to unilaterally replace accurate, legal terms with inaccurate, generalized terms in the name of political correctness,” the letter continued.

From Exclusive: New Bill Will Require Library of Congress to Continue Use of ‘Illegal Alien’ in Subject Headings | TheBlaze.com

“The Library of Congress’s decision is blatant capitulation to political correctness — replacing the correct term ‘illegal alien’ with terms that are both factually and legally incorrect,” the letter, obtained by TheBlaze, read.

“Simply, it is inappropriate for the Library of Congress to unilaterally replace accurate, legal terms with inaccurate, generalized terms in the name of political correctness,” the letter continued.

From Exclusive: New Bill Will Require Library of Congress to Continue Use of ‘Illegal Alien’ in Subject Headings | TheBlaze.com

April 13, 2016 by Legal Issues Librarians Libraries

Seven Recipients Selected for the 2016 AIA/ALA Library Building Awards

Washington, D.C. – April 12, 2016 – The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the American Library Association (ALA) selected seven recipients to receive the 2016 AIA/ALA Library Building Awards. The AIA and the ALA developed this award program to encourage and recognize excellence in the architectural design of libraries. As the traditional role of libraries evolves, the designs of these community spaces have changed to reflect the needs of the surrounding residence, as represented by the recipients of the AIA/ALA Library Building Awards:

From Seven Recipients Selected for the 2016 AIA/ALA Library Building Awards – The American Institute of Architects

Washington, D.C. – April 12, 2016 – The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the American Library Association (ALA) selected seven recipients to receive the 2016 AIA/ALA Library Building Awards. The AIA and the ALA developed this award program to encourage and recognize excellence in the architectural design of libraries. As the traditional role of libraries evolves, the designs of these community spaces have changed to reflect the needs of the surrounding residence, as represented by the recipients of the AIA/ALA Library Building Awards:

From Seven Recipients Selected for the 2016 AIA/ALA Library Building Awards – The American Institute of Architects

April 12, 2016 by American Library Association Librarians Libraries

SLA Rebukes North Carolina LGBT Law

SLA President Tom Rink stated, “SLA stands strongly in support of diversity and inclusion practices in both privately-held libraries and companies as well as in the various municipalities and states in which special libraries operate. We are deeply opposed to any laws that permit or even give the appearance of tolerating discrimination.” Rink added, “These types of laws create an unwelcome environment for meeting and convention attendees, and SLA is reviewing its options.”

From SLA Rebukes North Carolina LGBT Law

SLA President Tom Rink stated, “SLA stands strongly in support of diversity and inclusion practices in both privately-held libraries and companies as well as in the various municipalities and states in which special libraries operate. We are deeply opposed to any laws that permit or even give the appearance of tolerating discrimination.” Rink added, “These types of laws create an unwelcome environment for meeting and convention attendees, and SLA is reviewing its options.”

From SLA Rebukes North Carolina LGBT Law

April 12, 2016 by Legal Issues Libraries

21st Century Librarians; Losing The Bun And Cardigan

Changes in communication technologies could mean the end of libraries as we know them. Or does it? Hampshire College opened in 1970 — heralding academic innovation. Library director Jennifer Gunter King says school founders wanted everything re-invented, including the library. Today, bolstered by a one-point-two million dollar grant from the Mellon Foundation, Hampshire’s re-tooling the library, again. and it’s not alone. many libraries are getting 21st century makeovers.

Caro Pinto’s a librarian at Mount Holyoke College. NEPR’s Susan Kaplan met her there, in the library, where they kept their voices down. That’s still the rule, even in this age of declining book circulation, Google Scholar and, well, Google Books.  Something else that hasn’t changed: most people’s perception of the slightly old fashioned L word — librarian. Pinto says that includes her childhood librarian.

From 21st Century Librarians; Losing The Bun And Cardigan

Changes in communication technologies could mean the end of libraries as we know them. Or does it? Hampshire College opened in 1970 — heralding academic innovation. Library director Jennifer Gunter King says school founders wanted everything re-invented, including the library. Today, bolstered by a one-point-two million dollar grant from the Mellon Foundation, Hampshire’s re-tooling the library, again. and it’s not alone. many libraries are getting 21st century makeovers.

Caro Pinto’s a librarian at Mount Holyoke College. NEPR’s Susan Kaplan met her there, in the library, where they kept their voices down. That’s still the rule, even in this age of declining book circulation, Google Scholar and, well, Google Books.  Something else that hasn’t changed: most people’s perception of the slightly old fashioned L word — librarian. Pinto says that includes her childhood librarian.

From 21st Century Librarians; Losing The Bun And Cardigan

April 12, 2016 by Google Librarians Libraries School Libraries

LISNews Archives