Re-imagining urban space is the focus of at least two new(ish) library advocacy projects in Boston, MA and Brooklyn, NY respectively, which seek to transform underutilized public spaces in partnership with the people using them. See for yourself:

Chinatown Storefront Library (Boston)

Branch (Brooklyn)

Finally. Good news for the employees and patrons of the Free Library of Philadelphia.

Thursday, September 17th, Pennsylvania State senate passed bill 1828 by a vote of 32 to 17. For all of you who have been following the saga over the city’s budget crisis, this is indeed the legislation that was needed for the City of Philadelphia to avoid the “Doomsday” Plan C budget scenario, which would have resulted in the layoff of 3,000 city employees and forced the closing of all of the city’s 54 libraries.

The Free Library of Philadelphia’s blog thanks advocates for contacting their legislators…proff that citizens can make a difference. Read more here.

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 “When I look at books, I see an outdated technology, like scrolls before books,’’ said James Tracy, headmaster of Cushing and chief promoter of the bookless campus.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.’’

“Public libraries are an incredible resource. Yet, a great advertising campaign for public libraries has never been done before. Why not?” asked Matt Spergel, President of TechForEducators.com. “How many more great books will be read? And how many lives will change as a result?”

TechForEducators.com claims the billboard is the world’s largest public library advertisement. The advertisement’s headline exceeds 41 feet and the call to action spans the length of the billboard at 48 feet. “As far as we know, the world has never seen a public library advertisement of this size,” Spergel said.

“Education cannot rest on the shoulders of teachers alone. Parents must also take more resposibility for the education of their children … and bringing them to the library is an important first step,” Spergel added.

The billboard is in Martinez, CA on I-680 south after the Benecia Bridge on the right-hand side.

The U.S. Department of Justice decided not to appeal an April 29 federal court ruling awarding transgender veteran Diane Schroer the maximum compensation for the discrimination she suffered after being refused a job with the Library of Congress. The Obama administration’s decision whether to appeal the final ruling in the case has been closely watched in part because the Bush administration defended the case so vigorously, arguing that transgender Americans are not protected by any existing federal laws. The American Civil Liberties Union has represented Schroer in her case. “The administration’s decision not to challenge this important civil rights ruling is a welcome sign that it intends to live up to its commitment to help end transgender discrimination in the workplace” says Sharon McGowan, a staff attorney with the ACLU LGBT Project. Read ACLU’s full Case Profile here.

This is not breaking news.
Public library funding in NYC is under attack.
Cutbacks mean drastically reduced service hours; severe cutbacks to programs for patrons of all ages; and significantly fewer books and DVDs to borrow. Library maintenance and the cleanliness of the branches will also suffer and there could be fewer staff to service the public.

Write now to tell your elected officials how important your public library is to you.
Please click on the link to your public library system below and join the campaign to save public library funding.

New York Public Library

Brooklyn Public Library

Queens Borough Public Library

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.

“They have more cardholders than VISA, more customers than Amazon, and more outlets than McDonald’s. Meet America’s librarians.” Watch the trailer for documentary The Hollywood Librarian: A Look at Librarians Through Film below.

Congress made history with the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), signed by President Obama February 2009, but where do libraries fit in to the picture?

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 to advocate for ARRA funding? Draw attention at the state and local level. Use the ALA ARRA talking points or the ALA Stimulus Funding 2-pager – Libraries Helping America Get Back to Work to get familiar with the key details. See also The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: What Academic Libraries Can do Now.

Further Reading:
Stimulate Your Library