Featured Link

Featured Link: World Book Trade (e-books, awards, videos)

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Teen Librarian Monthly: May 2012

Teen Librarian Monthly: May 2012 is now available for download

The Penguin Podcast: The Great British Podcast featuring The Penguin English Library and an EXCLUSIVE competition

With the Diamond Jubilee right around the corner, everyone at Penguin is feeling very proud to be British so we've got a very British podcast for you all. We've got an interview with Simon Winder, editor of The Penguin English Library series, the perfect recipe for British high tea and, if that's not enough, the chance to win FIVE titles from The Penguin English Library

SAGE partners with Simon Fraser University on SAGE Open

SAGE and Simon Fraser University have announced a partnership designed to encourage social science and humanities faculty and students at SFU to publish in SAGE Open. Launched by SAGE in 2011, SAGE Open is the first peer-reviewed, broad-based "Gold" open access social science and humanities journal. SFU will subsidize the author fee for 30 accepted papers to SAGE Open at a discounted rate. SAGE will reach out to SFU faculty and students to let them know about the subsidized fees. Additionally, SAGE will handle the billing and accounting for the fees so that it is a seamless transaction for SFU authors

Harvard University's 12 million records now in LibraryThing

Library Thing's "Overcat" search now includes 12.3 million records from Harvard University

EBSCO Publishing releases two new digital archive databases from collections at the New-York Historical Society

Gateway to America: The People, Places, and Organizations of 19th Century New York™ and Revolutionary War Era Orderly Books™ archive databases from the New-York Historical Society, are now available from EBSCO Publishing

San Diego, California: new central library taking shape

More than 35 years ago, San Diego began planning for a new central library downtown. Construction began in 2010 on the nine-story, 255-foot building being erected on Park Boulevard near Petco Park

D-Lib Magazine - May/June 2012 now available

D-Lib Magazine - May/June 2012 is now available. D-Lib Magazine is produced by Corporation for National Research Initiatives

ILL at LAC (Canada)

Karen Adams, CLA President writes: "In our recent press release on the impact of cuts at Library and Archives Canada and other federal department libraries, CLA indicated that LAC was ending ILL, which caused discussion on a number of lists. I have asked for clarification, and LAC has confirmed that it is the end of ILL as we have known it. LAC is looking at a variety of models for making their holdings widely available within their financial constraints. The current service will end February 15 2013; the successor to the current ILL program will be announced in the fall of 2012"

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Adult Learners' Week 2012 (UK)

Adult Learners' Week is the UK's largest annual festival of learning; inspiring thousands of people each year to discover how learning can change their lives. Through thousands of events and award ceremonies, Adult Learners' Week celebrates all kinds of learners and promotes the benefits of every type of learning - May 12-18, 2012

New report: "Lasting Impact: Sustainability of Disciplinary Repositories"

This report offers a quick environmental scan of the repository landscape and then focuses on disciplinary repositories - those subject-based, often researcher-initiated loci for research information. Written by Senior Program Officer Ricky Erway, Lasting Impact: Sustainability of Disciplinary Repositories is intended to help librarians support researchers in accessing and disseminating research information. The report includes profiles of seven repositories with a focus on their varied business models. It concludes with a discussion of sustainability, including funding models, factors that contribute to a repository's success, and ways to bring in additional revenue

LISTen: An LISNews.org Program -- Episode #197

LISTen: An LISNews.org Program -- Episode #197. "This week's episode talks about cookery. Yes, cookery. A news miscellany is also presented". Previous Podcasts/Programs can be found here

ARL endorses VRA statement on Fair Use of Images for Teaching, Research, and Study

On May 4, 2012, the Board of Directors of the Association of Research Libraries voted to endorse the Visual Resources Association's Statement on the Fair Use of Images for Teaching, Research, and Study

Delving into the magic of Leadmills Miners Library which was founded in 1741(Scotland)

Delving into the magic of Leadmills Miners Library which was founded in 1741(Scotland) It's one of the most important hidden gems of Scottish literature and history. Tucked away in the picturesque and rolling hills of south Lanarkshire, just far enough away from the motorway to remain quiet and undiscovered, the Leadhills Miners Library is the UK's oldest subscription library, and is now a keystone of modern Scottish culture. Founded by local lead miners in a bid to bring light into gloomy and hard-working lives, the library's admirers over the years are said to have included authors such as Burns, Wordsworth and Dickens. But for most Scots it's the greatest cultural and literary treasure trove you will never have heard of - and that's something Mary Hamilton and a hard-working group of villagers are keen to put right

2012 Kluge Prize has been awarded to Fernando Henrique Cardoso

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington will award the 2012 John W. Kluge Prize for lifetime achievement in the study of humanity to Fernando Henrique Cardoso, one of the leading scholars and practitioners of political economy in recent Latin American history. His scholarly analysis of the social structures of government, the economy and race relations in Brazil laid the intellectual groundwork for his leadership as president in the transformation of Brazil from a military dictatorship with high inflation into a vibrant, more inclusive democracy with strong economic growth

Sarasota named Florida 2012 Library of Year (USA)

A new center for teenagers and a faster book processing system helped the Sarasota County Library System land the coveted title of 2012 Library of the Year from the Florida Library Association

Monday, May 14, 2012

Toronto Star publishes digital archive of Ernest Hemingway columns

In a handsome new website called The Hemingway Papers, the Toronto Star has collected the columns that Ernest Hemingway wrote for that newspaper. In doing so, it sheds much-needed light on a little-known aspect of the great writer's career, and does so in a sleek, inviting and easy-to-navigate format

Directory of Open Access Journals - recently added titles

Problemata : International Journal of Philosophy

Revista Médica de Risaralda

Sunday, May 13, 2012

The Library Book (UK)

The Library Book - Famous writers on libraries real or imagined, past and future; why libraries matter and to whom. In aid of The Reading Agency. From Alan Bennett's Baffled at a Bookcase, to Lucy Mangan's Library Rules, famous writers tell us all about how libraries are used and why they're important. Tom Holland writes about libraries in the ancient world, while Seth Godin describes what a library will look like in the future. Lionel Shriver thinks books are the best investment, Hardeep Singh Kohli makes a confession and Julie Myerson remembers how her career began beside the shelves.Using memoir, history, polemic and some short stories too,The Library Book celebrates'that place where they lend you books for free'and the people who work there.All royalties go to The Reading Agency, to help their work supporting libraries

Library Worklife: HR E-News for Today's Leaders - May 2012

Library Worklife: HR E-News for Today's Leaders is a publication of the American Library Association-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA). The newsletter began in January 2004 and is distributed electronically on the second Tuesday of each month. ALA subscribers receive quarterly alerts highlighting the previous months' articles. Volume 9, No. 5, May 2012 now available

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Singapore National Library to have world's first green library for kids

The Singapore National Library will be home to the world's first green library for kids in 2013, when the kids section of the National Library is transformed into an eco-landscape. Dubbed "My Tree House", the new library section is designed with environmental sustainability in mind, from its design and infrastructure. It is modelled after an enchanted forest, with spaces for hands-on learning. The green theme will extend to the 70,000-strong book collection, of which some 30 per cent will focus on green topics such as animals, plants, nature and climate change

Purdue Libraries' Dean James Mullins honored by ARL

On April 4, the Association of Research Libraries honored Dean James Mullins and the Purdue University Libraries for their enduring commitment to ARL's Initiative to Recruit a Diverse Workforce, and for advancing the cause of diversity and inclusion in academic and research libraries. Since 2005, Dean Mullins and the Purdue Libraries have hosted IRDW Diversity Scholars at an annual "research library visit" designed to provide an inside look at operations in a major research library in the Midwest. During the closing reception for the eighth visit, held at the Purdue Black Cultural Center, Dean Mullins was presented an engraved trophy in recognition of this continued dedication to hosting the site visit

Research Writer’s Consultations at ALA Annual Conference

The ACRL Research Program Committee is once again sponsoring Research Writer's Consultations at the ALA Annual Conference, held June 22–26, 2012 in Anaheim, California. Aimed at the new or inexperienced writer, the Research Writer's Consultations will pair new or inexperienced writers with an experienced writer or editor, who will offer guidance and critique

Friday, May 11, 2012

Podcast: Medieval queens in The National Archives (UK)

Many medieval kings still loom large in popular culture but the queens who lived and worked alongside them are often less well known. This explores the role of the queen in medieval England focusing in particular on what we can learn from records held by The National Archives. Dr Jessica Nelson is a records specialist on the Medieval team. She specialises in the high medieval period and her research interests include royal women and queenship

Salman Rushdie joins writers protesting New York library revamp

Major literary names including Salman Rushdie, Art Spiegelman and Mario Vargas Llosa are protesting the planned $300m restructuring of the iconic Fifth Avenue branch of the New York Public Library, saying it is "a misplaced use of funds in a time of great scarcity"

The 2012 Credo Reference Digital Award for Information Literacy winner

Credo Reference has announced that the Skills@Library team from the University of Leeds are the winners of the first Credo Reference Digital Award for Information Literacy for their project "Skills@Library lecturer pages". The award was presented in April at the 2012 LILAC Conference in Glasgow, Scotland

Journals and E-Resources Today (Scotland)

Journals and E-Resources Today - 14 June, 2012 - Edinburgh, Scotland. This one-day seminar aims to present a practical introductory overview of all aspects of journals and e-resources management

Ex Libris announces the launch of Rosetta 3.0

Ex Libris® Group has announced the release of version 3.0 of the Rosetta digital preservation system

All 7 Harry Potter eBooks coming to Kindle Owners' Lending Library

Amazon.com is adding all seven Harry Potter books (in English, French, Italian, German and Spanish) to the Kindle Owners' Lending Library

Directory of Open Access Journals - recently added titles

Cadernos do PET Filosofia

Journal of Medical and Allied Sciences

MalaCo

Phytopharmacology

Revista Inspirar : Movimento e Saúde

Delivering Web to Mobile, JISC Observatory Techwatch Report, version 1.0, May 2012

This report is intended to help staff of UK education institutions, involved in the development of content, gain an understanding of the emerging approaches to delivering services and content for mobile devices using the Web. The use of mobile devices for the consumption and use of Web content and services has grown steadily over the last few years and continues to do so, with analysts predicting that mobile will soon exceed the traditional desktop PC as the most common means users interact with the Web and other Internet services. This report looks at the growth of mobile, the state of the Web and gives an overview of approaches to delivering content and services optimised for the mobile context. This includes approaches to Web design for responsive sites, leveraging access to device functions and capabilities and the use of Web technologies to build mobile applications

Proceedings of the 160th ARL Membership Meeting

Proceedings of the 160th ARL Membership Meeting - May 2–4, 2012 - Chicago, Illinois - Twitter hashtag: #ARL12chi

The Friday Brain-teaser from Credo Reference - May 11, 2012

The Friday Brain-teaser from Credo Reference - this week: Sports Venues. "Can you answer these questions about various sports venues?" Answers here.

1. Lord's Cricket Ground in London was named after Thomas Lord: true or false?
2. In which American city is the arena of Madison Square Garden?
3. In which French city is the racecourse known as Longchamps?
4. In which country is the winter-sports centre of Andermatt?
5. In which country is Monza's racetrack, the Autodromo?
6. In which country is the winter-sports resort of Lillehammer?
7. In which country is the Curragh racecourse?
8. In which country is the Formula 1 circuit at Interlagos?
9. "The Gabba" is short for the Woolloongabba Cricket Ground in which city?
10. In which city in South Africa is Ellis Park?

Thursday, May 10, 2012

SEC4LIB List

The purpose of the SEC4LIB list is to facilitate discussion and investigate existing security features and expectations of library software, services, applications, products, and solutions. This would include documenting, researching, investigating, and pen-testing

British Library Board appoints new Chief Executive

The Board of the British Library has appointed Roly Keating as the Library's new Chief Executive Officer. Keating, currently Director of Archive Content at the BBC, and a former Controller of BBC Two and BBC Four, will take up his new role on 12 September 2012

Podcast: Selling history: the role of the past at Fortnum and Mason (UK)

Founded in the year when Great Britain was created, the history of Fortnum and Mason is that of the development of British taste. It covers tea drinking, picnics, mail order, climbing Everest and knickerbocker glories. It is a history of change, and of constants. In 2012, the stories from its past are important communication and marketing tools in the battle to ensure sustainability and growth. Dr Andrea Tanner was a professional genealogist at the College of Arms for many years before undertaking academic research into poverty and sickness in London. She founded the Historic Hospitals Records Admissions Project, based at Kingston University, is Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Historical Research, assistant archivist at Great Ormond Street Hospital and keeper of the company memory at Fortnum and Mason. She is most proud of having been the founding secretary of the Friends of the Public Record Office (now Friends of The National Archives)

mason


The 1940 U.S. Census Community Project announces availability of free, name indexed records for six states

Six states of the 1940 U.S. Census are fully indexed, processed and ready to be searched. Records for Delaware, Colorado, Kansas, Oregon, Virginia, and New Hampshire are now searchable by name, location and family relations thanks to the efforts of more than 100,000 volunteers nationwide

Ingram Content Group launches new comprehensive ipage® search and order platform

Ingram Content Group has announced that it has launched its new comprehensive ipage® search and order platform. Created collaboratively with users, the newly designed site includes intuitive navigation, enhanced search and browsing options, and additional customization options that make finding, organizing and discovering new products easy for booksellers and libraries worldwide

Listen to books on Singapore Airlines flights

Customers on board Singapore Airlines flights can now look forward to a wider selection of audio books on KrisWorld, the Airline's award-winning in-flight entertainment system, through a collaboration with the National Library Board (NLB). They can relax and enjoy a "good read" while in the air without the hassle of packing their own books or eBook readers. The initial batch of 13 audio books includes all-time favourites such as Dracula by Bram Stoker, Wizard Of Oz by L. Frank Baum and The War Of The Worlds by HG Wells. Customers can unwind during their flights while listening to the narration of these classic tales

Book Grocer: 9-15 May, 2012

Book Grocer: 9-15 May, 2012 - The week ahead in literary London from the Londonist blog. #books #London

Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Versita launches largest ever Open Access journal program

Academic publisher Versita has announced the launch of a new program of Open Access journals. 100 Emerging Science Journals are being launched in 2012. The program's focus is on young and rapidly developing fields of science, which have not yet been covered by a designated journal. The emerging topics have been identified in Life Sciences, Chemistry, Medicine, Physics and Mathematics

Gail Dickinson elected AASL president, 2013-2014

Gail Dickinson, associate professor at Old Dominion University (Va.), has been elected as the 2013-2014 AASL president. Dickinson will serve as president-elect during 2012-2013 under AASL President Susan Ballard

Carolyn Anthony chosen as 2013-2014 PLA president

Carolyn Anthony, director of the Skokie (Ill.) Public Library, has been elected the 2013-2014 president of the Public Library Association. Anthony acknowledged, "I am thrilled with the vote of confidence in my leadership abilities by the PLA membership and I look forward to orchestrating the teamwork that will enable us to address the challenges facing public libraries at the current time."

Issue 4 of OCLC Research Quarterly Highlights now available

This periodic bulletin gathers items from the previous quarter of work in OCLC Research, the OCLC Innovation Lab, and the OCLC Research Library Partnership. Issue 4 covers the period January - March 2012. Highlights include:

* Lorcan Dempsey on OCLC Research and linked data
* Senior Research Scientist Lynn Silipigni Connaway on her interest and work in the OCLC Research activity theme User Behavior Studies and Synthesis
* 2 featured prototypes
* 3 publications released during the quarter
* A recap of OCLC Research News, Events, Webcasts, and Presentations
* The six themes of our Shared Work Agenda, with a featured activity from each

The Life of Patrick White now open (Australia)

The Life of Patrick White now open (Australia)The Life of Patrick White, a National Library of Australia exhibition to celebrate the work of our only Nobel Laureate for Literature, is now open in Canberra. The free exhibition, which runs until 8 July 2012, looks at Patrick White in all his guises: from his unpublished manuscripts to his favourite recipes to his love of dogs. Open daily from 10am to 5pm. Exhibition Gallery, Ground Floor

NASIG selects Jane Skoric for 2012 Horizon Award

Jane Skoric has been selected the 2012 North American Serials Interest Group (NASIG) Horizon Award. The award, sponsored by EBSCO, recognizes a promising new information professional; it covers the cost of travel, registration, and lodging for three nights while the recipient attends the NASIG Annual Conference in Nashville, June 7–10, 2012

ACRL 2013 Conference proposals due Friday, May 11

Friday, May 11 is the deadline for the ACRL 2013 Conference contributed paper, panel session, preconference and workshop proposals

FreePint Newsletter 350

FreePint Newsletter 350 - 10 May 2012 now available

May 2012 batch of Early Reviewer books is up at LibraryThing

The May 2012 batch of Early Reviewer books is now available at LibraryThing. There are 2841 copies of 100 books available this month

Access by Touch: Delivering Library Services Through Mobile Technologies - June 8, 2012 (Online)

Amigos Library Services will present a one day online conference "Access by Touch: Delivering Library Services Through Mobile Technologies" on Friday, June 8. The conference will cover a variety of topics, including developing a mobile website for your library, building a simple mobile-optimized web app, as well as practical usability checklists for mobile website

Remembering Sendak at the Rosenbach Museum and Library (USA)

Maurice Sendak, illustrator and author of nearly 100 books and winner of ALA's 1964 Caldecott Medal for Where The Wild Things Are, died May 8. He was 83. Creator of amazing nightmares, as the New York Times called Sendak, the artist's works live on at the Rosenbach Museum and Library in Philadelphia, where he contributed more than 10,000 of his illustrations and manuscripts since 1966, and was a trustee. He gained the title of honorary president in 2003

The Geek the Library project (USA)

The Geek the Library project is a community public awareness campaign aimed at spreading the word about the vital and growing role of your public library, and to raise awareness about the critical funding issues many U.S. public libraries face. The campaign hopes to inspire a conversation about our incredible public libraries and their urgent need for increased support. We hope you tell people what you geek, how the public library supports you and your community, and that everyone in your community benefits from the services your local library provides

Udini from ProQuest

ProQuest is launching an inventive new research service that provides individuals with access to premium content and cutting edge tools. Instant and on-demand, Udini™ bundles an extraordinary range of information, including peer-reviewed and trade journal articles, dissertations, international newswires, newspapers, magazines and more from thousands of publishers in a comprehensive cloud-based workflow management tool designed for individual users

First Monday - May 2012

First Monday - Volume 17, Number 5, 7 May 2012 now available. First Monday is a Great Cities Initiative of the University of Illinois at Chicago University Library, USA

Library of Congress Digital Preservation Newsletter - May 2012

The May 2012 issue of the Library of Congress Digital Preservation Newsletter is now available

Ex Libris and CLA announce the winner of the W. Kaye Lamb Award for Service to Seniors

Ex Libris Association and the Canadian Library Association have announced that the Coquitlam Public Library is the winner of the Kaye Lamb Award for exceptional library service to senior citizens for 2011/12

Tuesday, May 08, 2012

Olympic philatelic collecting brought to life at the British Library

Olympic philatelic collecting brought to life at the British LibraryOlympex 2012: Collecting the Olympic Games, 25 July to 9 September, the British Library, St Pancras - admission free. The history, symbolism and personal stories of the Olympic Games will come to life through philately this summer at a special exhibition presented by the International Olympic Committee and the British Library. Olympex 2012: Collecting the Olympic Games is a visually striking exhibition that will use postage stamps, postcards, letters, programmes and maps to provide unique insights into the Olympic Games, past and present. Beginning with the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, Olympex 2012 will also focus on the London Games in 1908 and 1948, bringing the story into the present day with the London 2012 Games

The HeinOnline Newsletter - April 2012

The HeinOnline Newsletter - April 2012 - Issue #4 is now available online

Budget cuts hit 'lifeline' mobile library service (UK)

Two mobile libraries which serve residents in rural areas are being axed as part of an ongoing programme of council cuts. Cheshire East Council wants to slash its library provision to rural communities in a bid to save around £95,000-a-year. Currently, the authority's three mobile libraries make 254 stops at 130 communities and call at each stop fortnightly. The vans also deliver books to pre-school nurseries and elderly care homes

Wiley-Blackwell announces new publishing partnership with The Obesity Society

Wiley-Blackwell, the scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly publishing business of John Wiley & Sons, Inc., has announced that it has been selected by The Obesity Society to publish their journal, Obesity. Wiley-Blackwell will begin publishing Obesity, the largest society-owned journal in the field, on January 1, 2013. Currently in its 20th volume, the journal will be edited by Dr. Eric Ravussin, Director of the Nutrition and Obesity Research Center, and Douglas L. Gordon Chair in Diabetes and Metabolism, and Dr. Donna Ryan, Professor Emeritus, at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, LA. Publishing 12 times a year, Obesity covers all aspects of obesity, from basic research into the causes and nature of the disease to clinical research into prevention and treatment, including nutritional, behavioural, and psychological studies

Monday, May 07, 2012

Social Science Bites: a major new podcast series

SAGE has announced the launch of a new podcast: Social Science Bites, a series of interviews with leading social scientists on different aspects of the social world. The series is produced and presented by well known authors Nigel Warburton (Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, The Open University) and David Edmonds (Senior Research Associate at the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics) following the enormous success of their existing podcast series, Philosophy Bites, which has had more than 13 million downloads

Factiva extends Asia reach with coverage in Korean

Factiva has significantly extended its reach in Asia with the launch of Korean-language coverage and the addition of several leading South Korean news publications

CrossRef announces FundRef pilot to standardize funding source information for scholarly publications

CrossRef has announced FundRef, a pilot collaboration between scholarly publishers and funding agencies that will standardize the names of research funders and add grant numbers attributed in journal articles or other scholarly documents. The collaboration would allow researchers, publishers, and funding agencies to track the published research that results from specific funding bodies

Survey: People in England still love their libraries

New research by the Carnegie UK Trust shows that people in England still love libraries, with around three-quarters (74%) believing that they are either very important or essential to their community. Exactly half had used a library at least once in the last year, and just over half of those users had used it at least once a month (52%). However, the Trust, which has carried out the first survey of public attitudes towards libraries across the UK and the Republic of Ireland, argues that libraries can't stand still in a changing world. The Trust's report A New Chapter - public library services in the 21st century concludes that the public library service is at a crossroads: change is required to respond to reduced levels of public spending, the challenges and opportunities of the digital age, and changes in people's lifestyles and patterns of behaviour

Sunday, May 06, 2012

University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries receive $265,000 National Endowment for the Humanities grant award

To prepare for the 450th anniversary of the founding of St. Augustine in 2015, the University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries has been awarded $265,000 to build an online collection of hidden and fragile resources related to colonial St. Augustine. The grant from the National Endowment for the Humanitiesis the largest and one of only four NEH grants in Florida this year. There are 34 nationally

Presentations now online from Consortia Conference 2012 (UK)

The presentations from Consortia Conference 2012 - shared services & consortia in public libraries - are now online

Saturday, May 05, 2012

15 vintage photos of librarians (USA)

Here are some old photos of librarians showing both the diversity of their duties and the diversity of the workers themselves. All images courtesy of the Library of Congress, unless otherwise mentioned

Directory of Open Access Journals - recently added titles

Fisioterapia e Pesquisa

Trans : Revue de Littérature Générale et Comparée

Estudos de Psicologia (Natal)

Practical Academic Librarianship

Perspectivas Online : Biológicas e Saúde

Business Management Dynamics

New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science

Acta Limnologica Brasiliensia

Aktuální Gynekologie a Porodnictví

Brazilian Journal of Food Technology

Gymnasium : Revista de Educação Física, Desporto e Saúde

International Journal of Scottish Theatre and Screen

Encrucijadas : Revista Crítica de Ciencias Sociales

ARS

Didáctica Geográfica

ABCD : Arquivos Brasileiros de Cirurgia Digestiva

Trabajo y Sociedad

Argumentos : Revista de Crítica Social

Revista del Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales

Journal of the Entomological Society of British Columbia

2012 ACRL election results

Trevor A. Dawes, circulation services director at Princeton University Library, has been elected ACRL vice-president/president-elect. He will become president-elect following the 2012 ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, and assume the presidency in July 2013 for a one-year term. A full biography of Dawes will be available on the ACRL website next week. Marilyn Ochoa, assistant head of the Education Library at the University of Florida, and Julie Garrison, associate dean of research and instructional services at Grand Valley State University, have been elected to the ACRL Board of Directors as director-at-large

Friday, May 04, 2012

Federal libraries, archives shutting down (Canada)

The Canadian federal government is eliminating a series of libraries and archives throughout different departments as part of the latest budget cuts. Library and Archives Canada alone has received or will still receive more than 400 affected notices and the department announced 20 per cent of its workforce would be let go. The cuts to the government's archival collections stretch beyond just one department, though. Libraries at the transport, immigration and public works departments will be eliminated. That is a scary prospect, according to researchers, genealogists and academics that often rely on such libraries and history to develop their work. "Professionals and scientists who work in those departments need access to those specialized libraries to develop policy," said James Turk, president of the Canadian Association of University Professors. "As well, other Canadians rely on those specialized libraries and there aren't other libraries that have those people and can make up for that."

High Court judge quashes Surrey 'volunteers' library decision (UK)

A High Court judge has quashed a decision by Surrey County Council to hand over the running of 10 libraries to volunteers. Mr Justice Wilkie made a court order stopping paid workers from being taken out of the library. The council said it will make a fresh decision on the plans on 19 June. Surrey Libraries Action Movement (Slam), which started legal proceedings, warned the council not to repeat its "wasteful folly". Under the plan volunteers would run 10 libraries in Bagshot, Bramley, Byfleet, Ewell Court, Lingfield, New Haw, Stoneleigh, Tattenhams, Virginia Water and Warlingham. The decision was challenged on the basis the council had failed to discharge its public sector equality duties under the Equality Act 2010

Google 'Search Education' launched

Google has launched a new site called Search Education aimed at educators who want to teach online search strategies

Pilar Martinez named 2012 recipient of CLA/Ken Haycock Award (Canada)

Pilar Martinez, Executive Director, Public Services, Edmonton Public Library, has been named 2012 recipient of the CLA/Ken Haycock Award for Promoting Librarianship. This award honours individuals who have demonstrated exceptional success in enhancing public recognition and appreciation of librarianship. Martinez's inclusive, dynamic approach to raising the awareness of libraries and promoting their value - in Alberta, across North America and internationally – made her the ideal candidate for this year's award

Ariadne - Issue 68

Ariadne - Issue 68 is now available. Ariadne is targeted principally at information science professionals in academia, and also to interested lay people both in and beyond the Higher Education community. Its main geographic focus is the UK, but it is widely read in the US and worldwide. Subscribe to the RSS Feed

Hidden images revealed on Elizabethan map of America

After decades of unsuccessful searching, archaeologists may have their best evidence ever of the possible fate of Sir Walter Raleigh's "Lost Colony." It comes in the form of a clue from Sir Walter himself, secreted within the 425 year old "Virginea Pars" map drawn by his expedition to site the first English colony in the New World. At a joint announcement on May 3, 2012, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Pleasant's Family Room at UNC's Wilson Library, archaeologists and scholars from the First Colony Foundation and the British Museum will discuss recently discovered new information previously hidden within the map and possible implications for understanding the eventual fate of Raleigh's "lost colonists."

The Friday Brain-teaser from Credo Reference - May 4, 2012

The Friday Brain-teaser from Credo Reference - this week: On This Date. "" Answers here.

1. On the night of April 14, 1912, the most luxurious liner ever struck an iceberg and sank. What was the ship called?
2. In November 2006, a former Iraqi leader (president from 1979 to 2003) was sentenced to death. What was his name?
3. In 1937, Walt Disney released the first full-length cartoon feature. What was its title?
4. In 1964, which South African statesman was arrested and sentenced to life in prison, where he became the leading symbol of South Africa's oppressed black majority?
5. On 22 December 1989, the author of "Waiting for Godot" and "Endgame" died in Paris. What was his name?
6. In 1977, rock group Fleetwood Mac released its biggest-selling album. What was its title?
7. In 1742, Handel's most popular oratorio was first performed in Dublin. What is its title?
8. In April 2010, large parts of European air space were closed for five days because of the ash cloud coming from the volcano Eyjafjallajökull. In which country was this volcano?
9. On 13 April 1919, General Dyer, the local British commander in India, ordered his troops to fire on an unarmed crowd in a public park, killing 379 Indians. What name is generally given to this event?
10. In 1862, an artist was born who became the foremost art nouveau painter in Vienna. His works include The Kiss (1908). Can you name him?

Thursday, May 03, 2012

LISTen: An LISNews.org Program -- Episode #196

LISTen: An LISNews.org Program -- Episode #196. "This week's episode of LISTen looks at Terms of Service in the social infrastructure operated by the private sector and contemplates consequences". Previous Podcasts/Programs can be found here

Canadian Library Association announces winner of the CLA/OCLC Award for Innovative Technology

The Canadian Library Association/Association canadienne des bibliotheques has announced that the 2012 recipient of the CLA/OCLC Award for Innovation Technology is Windsor Public Library for their project Tomorrow Today. The award is given in recognition of the ground breaking and innovative use of technology to provide exceptional library service to their community members. Windsor Public Library has changed the way that libraries offer services and how they are perceived and valued by their community. This innovative project has shown libraries that there are limitless ways to reach current and future patrons

Calgary Freedom to Read Week Committee is the recipient of the 2012 Award for the Advancement of Intellectual Freedom in Canada

The Canadian Library Association has announced that the Calgary Freedom to Read Week Committee has been chosen as winner of the 2012 Award for the Advancement of Intellectual Freedom in Canada for its continuous and varied efforts over 18 years to promote and defend intellectual freedom issues in the City of Calgary, Alberta. The Calgary Freedom to Read Week Committee, an ad hoc partnership that has consistently included citizens, school board representatives, and public library staff members, came together in 1994 when a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta (MLA) demanded that John Steinbeck's classic novel Of Mice and Men be removed from schools in Alberta, a book that the MLA admitted he had not read. The Committee made a stand against the removal of the book, and has remained active in the pursuit of intellectual freedom in the community ever since

Volunteers wanted to describe Bodleian music scores online

Members of the public are being asked to help describe 4,000 music pieces from the Bodleian Libraries' collections, as part of a new project launched today. What's the score at the Bodleian? is the first crowd-sourcing project undertaken by the Bodleian Libraries. About 4,000 pieces of popular piano music from the mid-Victorian period have been digitized and made available online. The music was mostly produced for domestic entertainment, and many of these scores have illustrated or decorative covers and advertisements. The collection has never been included in the library’s catalogue, and its exact contents are therefore unknown

CNI Conversations Podcast Features Big Data, E-Journals, ID Management (April 29, 2012)

This update from CNI Director Clifford Lynch includes discussion of the following topics and events:

The Obama Administration's announcement regarding a new "big data" initiative

An e-journals summit hosted by the National Academies

Developments in scholarly identity management, author ID's, and related matters

A new report from JISC on text mining

OCLC's study on social metadata

The recent Sage Bionetworks Commons Congress on bioinformatics

C&RL News – May 2012

C&RL News – May 2012 is now freely available online from The Association of College and Research Libraries

Book Grocer: 2-8 May, 2012

Book Grocer: 2-8 May, 2012 - The week ahead in literary London from the Londonist blog. #books #London

Cites & Insights 12:4 (May 2012)

Cites & Insights 12:4 (May 2012) is now available for downloading. Edited and published by Walt Crawford

Crossroads - May 2012

Crossroads: the newsletter of WebJuntion.org - May 2012 issue is now available

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Brill acquires Foreign Law Guide

Brill has announced that it has acquired all publication rights to the Foreign Law Guide. As of May 1, 2012, the Foreign Law Guide will be published under the Martinus Nijhoff imprint out of Brill's Boston office

Grant applications now being accepted for Innovative Libraries in Developing Countries program

The Elsevier Foundation is seeking new grant proposals for the 2012 Innovative Libraries in Developing Countries program. The deadline for proposals is June 24, 2012. Grants will be awarded in December 2012 and provide one-, two- and three-year awards between US $5,000 to US $50,000 per year for a total of $100,000. The Elsevier Foundation will accept proposals from May 1 through June 24

Directory of Open Access Journals - recently added titles

Journal of Solid Tumors

Bangladesh Journal of Otorhinolaryngology

Gewina

Studium : Tijdschrift voor Wetenschaps- en Universiteits-Geschiedenis

Tijdschrift voor de Geschiedenis der Geneeskunde, Natuurwetenschappen, Wiskunde en Techniek

Prohistoria

Prismas : Revista de Historia Intelectual

Canadian Library Association releases CAP Toolkit

The federal government recently announced that it is cutting the Community Access Program (CAP). All CLA members are encouraged to contact their Members of Parliament to protest the cut and urge them to reconsider the value of the program. The CLA Member Toolkit for CAP provides you with a sample letter to send to your MP, details on requesting a meeting, key speaking points, and information on how to contact MPs

Tuesday, May 01, 2012

New book: Past or Portal? Enhancing Undergraduate Learning through Special Collections and Archives

New book: Past or Portal? Enhancing Undergraduate Learning through Special Collections and ArchivesACRL has announced the publication of Past or Portal? Enhancing Undergraduate Learning through Special Collections and Archives, edited by Eleanor Mitchell, Peggy Seiden, and Suzy Taraba. In the age of ubiquitous access to information, library special collections and archives have received renewed attention through digitization projects designed to share collections with the world at large. Yet these materials also offer opportunities for student learning though direct engagement with rare or unique items. While special collections and archives have largely been used by advanced researchers and scholars, an increasing number of undergraduate courses are taking advantage of these materials as guides in the instructional process

EBSCO announces 2012 MLA Annual Meeting grant recipients

The Medical Library Association has awarded grants sponsored by EBSCO to four librarians to assist with travel and conference-related expenses to attend the MLA Annual Meeting in Seattle, May 18-23, 2012. The awards of $1,000 each are presented annually to librarians who are early in their careers and currently employed in a health sciences library. This year's recipients are:

Aleta C. Embrey, Association of Women’s Health, Obstetrics, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), Washington, D.C.

Aleshia C. Heckel, Herman M. Baker, MD Memorial Library, St. Mary’s Medical Center, Evansville, Ind.

Alisha H. Miles, Simon Schwob Medical Library, Columbus Regional Healthcare System, Columbus, Ga.

Jennifer S. Walker, Laupus Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, N.C.

These librarians will be recognized at an awards luncheon that will be held on May 21, 2012, during the MLA Annual Meeting

Sussex Library Tweetup (UK)

The inaugural Sussex library tweetup for librarians, shambrarians, library assistants and information ninjas of every stripe. A chance to meet some of the wonderful people working in our region, socialise and share ideas and experiences. Vegetarian food available until 9pm, free wifi. Non-tweeters welcome. - May 16 - Brighton, UK

UK Open Access Implementation Group

The aim of the UK Open Access Implementation Group is to add value to the work of the member organisations to increase the rate at which the outputs from UK research are available on OA terms. The approach is likely to be both strategic and practical, and will include the following activities:

Developing a compelling and realistic strategy for the implementation of Open Access in the UK, in the context of the wider ‘open’ environment, to support the UK’s evolution as a knowledge economy and the role of universities as organisations offering public value within that.

Ensuring that this strategy reflects the various priorities of universities and others, including research excellence, the support of innovation, and student satisfaction.

Where appropriate, supporting the development of policies that further the take-up of Open Access. This may include collecting evidence to inform such policies.

Sharing information about the plans and activities of member organisations and others, and coordinating these so far as is possible to support the take-up of Open Access.

Identifying what can be done for/by each of a range of stakeholder groups to promote the take-up of Open Access and, where possible and appropriate, specifying and supporting work to help them do it.

Acting as a steering group for such coordinated interventions, where they are undertaken

Providing accurate information about Open Access and the relevant work of its members to the sector and more widely.

The remit of the group does not include constraining or directing the work of any of its members. To achieve some of these objectives, the main group may need to work with task groups whose membership goes beyond that of the main group

ebrary helps medical libraries acquire E-books strategically, launches new packs

ebrary®, a ProQuest business that has developed a new strategic approach to e-book acquisition based on three steps: Transition, Diversify, and Streamline™, has announced a solution specifically for medical libraries that includes new packs in Nursing & Allied Health, Medicine, and Psychology & Social Work. The new, discounted packs include essential e-books from publishers such as Informa Healthcare, F.A. Davis Company, and Oxford University Press that are purchased outright under a perpetual archive model. By combining the packs with other models including subscription, patron driven acquisition, and short-term loan, medical libraries can achieve the greatest return on their ebook investment

InSITE: A Current Awareness Service of Cornell Law Library - Vol. 17, No. 13, April 30, 2012

InSITE: A Current Awareness Service of Cornell Law Library - Vol. 17, No. 13, April 30, 2012 is now available. Contents:

Information Today - May 2012 issues

The May 2012 issues of Computers in Libraries, Information Today, and Searcher, are now available

Scout from Sunlight Labs

Scout is an alert system for the things you care about in state and national government. It covers Congress, regulations across the whole executive branch, and legislation in all 50 states

Current Cites - April 2012

Current Cites (edited by Roy Tennant) - April 2012 is now available

National Library of Medicine Classification - newly revised edition as of April 30, 2012

The online National Library of Medicine Classification has been issued in a newly revised edition as of April 30, 2012

Prism

Prism is a digital tool for generating crowd-sourced interpretations of texts. It is the practicum project of six humanities graduate students in the Praxis Program at the University of Virginia Scholars' Lab