Cushing Academy library goes bookless. This year, officials at Cushing Academy, a New England prep school, have decided the 144-year-old school no longer needs a traditional library. “When I look at books, I see an outdated technology, like scrolls before books,’’ said James Tracy, headmaster of Cushing and chief promoter of the bookless campus. “This isn’t ‘Fahrenheit 451’ [the 1953 Ray Bradbury novel in which books are banned]. We’re not discouraging students from reading. We see this as a natural way to shape emerging trends and optimize technology.’’
Over the past five years, Google has partnered with some of the world’s most famous research libraries to scan over seven million books. In 2005, the Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers filed lawsuits against Google challenging the company’s right to scan copyrighted material and making it searchable online. A $125 million settlement was reached last year, but it’s still awaiting court approval…
Amy Goodwin, of Democracy Now interviews Brewster Kahle, of Internet Archive on the Google lawsuit, the role of libraries and the implications of mass commercial digitization. Kahle is among critics concerned that Google, a private corporation, could end up with a monopoly on access to information and exclusive license to profit from millions of books.
Annette Lamb is a Professor in the School of Library and Information Science at Indiana University, Indianapolis. She is a prolific author who writes about the role of new technologies in teaching and learning. Lamb writes: “Rather than viewing social-networking tools as negative, school library media specialists should investigate the value of online tools for furthering intellectual freedom by promoting creative thought, communication, and collaboration.” Intellectual Freedom for Youth: Social Technology and Social Networks (PDF) explores eight ways librarians, teachers, and school media specialists can address key issues related to intellectual freedom and social technology for young people.
Libraries have the potential to benefit from specific provisions in the stimulus including $13 billion for Title I, $650 million for Enhancing Education Through Technology, $7.2 billion for Broadband, $53.6 billion for the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, $120 million for the Senior Community Service Employment Program, and an additional $130 million for the Rural Community Facilities Program. ALA has posted more detailed information on how these provisions can benefit libraries. The challenge faced by librarians and library advocates is effectively communicating their cases to local and state government officials and, in many cases, informing them about the opportunities available for libraries in the ARRA.
“How Young Adult Libraries Support Teen Sexual Health” is the title of a presentation curated by mk Eagle, a librarian and recent presenter at Sex::Tech 2009, which lends insight and resources pertaining to youth, technology, and library access (or lack thereof) to sexual health information. Says Eagle: Folks from all over the map in universities, non-profits, health departments and more came to share the exciting work that’s being done where sexual health and technology collide to serve teens. And guess what? Some of that work is happening in libraries. (For the text accompanying this presentation, please see Sagittarian Librarian.)
April is National Poetry Month and New York City is getting in the mood for it by hosting the 7th annual Poem In Your Pocket (PIYP) Day on Thursday, April 30, 2009. Write a poem or borrow one from your favorite poet; the point is to share it. Poems will be unfolded throughout the day with events in parks, libraries, schools, and bookstores; including a full day of open-mic sessions for NYC public school students in Bryant Park. For a sneak peak, NYC public school student poetry can be read here.
Need some inspiration of your own? Visit your local library:
Freedom of Information (FOI) Day is an annual event on or near March 16, the birthday of James Madison, who is widely regarded as the Father of the Constitution and as the foremost advocate for openness in government. The observance underscores the importance of freedom of the press, speech, information, and the public’s right to know.
In New York: Freedom of Information Day will be observed at the Science, Industry and Business Library (SIBL) of The New York Public Library (188 Madison Ave.) on Wednesday March 18, with a presentation and discussion from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in Conference Room 15 on the lower level of the library. This year’s guest speaker is Rashmi Vasisht, who manages program development for the New York State Attorney General’s Intergovernmental and Community Affairs Bureau. She will discuss the Attorney General’s initiatives promoting New York citizens’ right to know and to monitor governmental decision-making. The title of her presentation is: “Project Sunlight: Public Integrity and Information in New York State.”
This event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited and
reservations may be made by e-mailing siblreservations@nypl or by calling SIBL at 212-592-7000 (option 3), Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., starting March 4. Walk-ins will also be welcome as space permits.
The Librarian (1947)
Producer: Holmes (Burton) Films, Inc.
Sponsor: Vocational Guidance Films, Inc.
Shows the work of different library personnel.
Descriptors: Occupations: Librarians
Run time: 10:08 Color/B&W: B&W Silent/Sound: Sd
An episode of US Government film series on careers, filmed at the Iowa State College (now Iowa State University) library in 1946. The film is part of the Prelinger Archives collection of advertising, educational, industrial and amateur films now owned by the Library of Congress.
Shocked into a library induced euphoria, Curious Expeditions has attempted to gather together the world’s most beautiful libraries in photographs. View them all here.
A blog highlighting activism around (and general advocacy for) libraries, library workers, and library/information science education.
Libraries exist to help people find information that solve problems, answer questions, or otherwise address important individual and community interests and needs. This blog was created to highlight some of the issues and work, pertaining to and carried out by, librarians, library science students, library patrons and general supporters in order to inspire further support of, and investment in libraries.
Something About The Blogger:
Caitlin is a graduate of Pratt Institute's School of Information and Library Science and a Reference Librarian at an academic library in Brooklyn, NY.
Annette Lamb is a Professor in the School of Library and Information Science at Indiana University, Indianapolis. She is a prolific author who writes about the role of new technologies in teaching and learning. Lamb writes: “Rather than viewing social-networking tools as negative, school library media specialists should investigate the value of online tools for furthering intellectual freedom by promoting creative thought, communication, and collaboration.” 
April is 
