Rural Nebraska libraries reinventing themselves in ‘makerspace’ movement

The results after the first two 20-week cycles indicates the “Library Innovation Studios: Transforming Rural Communities” project, a partnership between the library commission, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska Innovation Studio, Nebraska Extension and the Regional Library Systems, has found an appetite for makerspaces in public libraries from Plattsmouth to Ainsworth, Loup City to North Platte.

From Rural Nebraska libraries reinventing themselves in ‘makerspace’ movement | Education | journalstar.com

Why California Libraries Are Ditching Fines on Overdue Materials

“Collecting fines is the single greatest point of friction between library staff and patrons,” he told the San Francisco Public Library Commission last month.

The commission voted that night to make San Francisco the latest library system to go fine-free. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors needs to vote on the library’s recommendations, but Mayor London Breed has already voiced her support.

From Why California Libraries Are Ditching Fines on Overdue Materials – GV Wire

How the N.Y. Public Library Fills Its Shelves (and Why Some Books Don’t Make the Cut) – The New York Times

The New York Public Library has one of the largest public collections in the world. But, unlike Amazon, it does not have seemingly infinite storage. Every book must earn its place on crowded shelves. Nothing gets there by accident. With millions of books to choose from, the library often gets asked how a book gets on the shelves.

From How the N.Y. Public Library Fills Its Shelves (and Why Some Books Don’t Make the Cut) – The New York Times

Cleveland Public Library going fine-free after 150 years

The Cleveland Public Library is ending fines for overdue materials.

That announcement was made during a “State of the Library” address by executive director Felton Thomas Jr. at the City Club of Cleveland on Wednesday, Feb. 27.

Thomas also laid out plans for a year-long sesquicentennial celebration that, he said, “focuses on places, programs and people.”

From Cleveland Public Library going fine-free after 150 years

UC terminates subscriptions with world’s largest scientific publisher in push for open access to publicly funded research

As a leader in the global movement toward open access to publicly funded research, the University of California is taking a firm stand by deciding not to renew its subscriptions with Elsevier. Despite months of contract negotiations, Elsevier was unwilling to meet UC’s key goal: securing universal open access to UC research while containing the rapidly escalating costs associated with for-profit journals.

From UC terminates subscriptions with world’s largest scientific publisher in push for open access to publicly funded research | University of California

Bill To Bring Libraries To NYC Jails Faces Opposition From The Correction Department

On Tuesday, the City Council’s Criminal Justice Committee heard testimony on Councilmember Daniel Dromm’s bill, Int. 1184, that requires the Department of Correction to provide access to the library for all incarcerated people within 48 hours of entering the jail system. The Department would be required to report on the number of books they receive, the source of those books and, if books are censored, the reason for the censorship.

From Bill To Bring Libraries To NYC Jails Faces Opposition From The Correction Department: Gothamist

School Districts No Longer Required To Have Nurses, Librarians Under Senate Bill In Iowa

School districts would no longer be required to have a school nurse and a teacher librarian under a proposal advanced in the Iowa Senate Tuesday.

Sen. Amy Sinclair, R-Allerton, chair of the Education Committee, said the bill would give school boards and communities more power to make decisions that are best for local students.

“Do we trust those people and their teachers to make the decisions that are appropriate to their students, or not? It’s as simple as that,” Sinclair said.

From School Districts No Longer Required To Have Nurses, Librarians Under Senate Bill | Iowa Public Radio

Publishers say that the bold open-access initiative rules out proven ways of opening up the literature

Highly selective journals, in particular, argued that they have high internal costs that couldn’t reasonably be recouped in a fully open-access model, and that cutting costs would risk reducing journals’ quality. Some publishing companies also urged the initiative to reconsider its policy on hybrid journals.

But their arguments have been rebuffed by Robert-Jan Smits, the European Commission’s open-access envoy and architect of Plan S, to which 18 research funders have so far signed up.

From High-profile subscription journals critique Plan S