Follow up to previous posting on BeSpacific – Science’s pirate queen Alexandra Elbakyan is plundering the academic publishing establishment (includes multiple sub-links) and SciHub continues to get attacked around the world – via Boing Boing: “Sci-Hub (previously) is a scrappy, nonprofit site founded in memory of Aaron Swartz, dedicated to providing global access to the… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Libraries
A librarian’s case against overdue book fines
TED Talk – Dawn Wacek – she advocates for equitable library service for all community members. “Libraries have the power to create a better world; they connect communities, promote literacy and spark lifelong learners. But there’s one thing that keeps people away: the fear of overdue book fines. In this thought-provoking talk, librarian Dawn Wacek makes… Continue Reading
Public Libraries Respond to the Opioid Crisis in Collaboration with Their Communities: An Introduction
Public Libraries Respond to the Opioid Crisis in Collaboration with Their Communities: An Introduction By Michele Coleman and Lynn Silipigni Connaway. “The nation is experiencing an opioid epidemic. As communities across the country feel the epidemic’s impact, public health and human service organizations are implementing responses that include healthcare, education, law enforcement and the judicial system,… Continue Reading
This Tiny Traveling Bookstore Wanders the French Countryside
Architectural Design: “Jean-Jacques Megel-Nuber’s first drawing of his imagined bookstore on wheels had little in common with its final design. “It looked like the cabins in a Christmas market,” says Megel-Nuber, who is from the Alsace region of eastern France, known for its festive seasonal markets. He had originally thought about opening a brick-and-mortar bookshop… Continue Reading
LC Report – Limits on Freedom of Expression
“This report examines the scope of protection extended to freedom of speech in 13 selected countries. In particular, the report focuses on the limits of protection that may apply to the right to interrupt or affect in any other way public speech. The report also addresses the availability of mechanisms to control foreign broadcasters working… Continue Reading
Libraries Act as Cooling Centers in Heatwaves
Book Riot – “If you needed yet another reason to love libraries: they help during heatwaves. Libraries in Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, California, Ohio, Oregon, and other places have been providing refuge from searing heat and humidity. Visitor numbers are up as a result…” Continue Reading
You Are What You Watch? The Social Effects of TV
The New York Times – There’s new evidence that viewing habits can affect your thinking, political preferences, even cognitive ability. “Other than sleeping and working, Americans are more likely to watch television than engage in any other activity. A wave of new social science research shows that the quality of shows can influence us in… Continue Reading
Libraries contest lynda.com learning site privacy issues with new owner LinkedIn
Boing Boing: Linkedin to libraries: drop dead – “For years, libraries across America have paid to subscribe to lynda.com for online learning content; four years ago, lynda.com became a division of Linkedin, and this year, the company has informed libraries that they’re migrating all lynda.com users to Linkedin Learning, which would be fine, except Linkedin… Continue Reading
Battling Information Illiteracy
American Libraries – How misinformation affects the future of policy – “…The internet has made it easy for people to be information illiterate in new ways. Anyone can create information now—regardless of quality—and get it in front of a large number of people. The ability of social media to spread information as fast as possible, and… Continue Reading
Barnes & Noble’s fate rests in the hands of a British indie bookstore owner
Quartz: “In 2018, it seemed like the days of the United States’ last major bookstore chain were numbered. A decade of falling sales, brutal layoffs, 150 store closures, six chief executives, and a $1 billion loss on its Nook e-reader had left Barnes & Noble in the throes of an identity crisis. So acute was… Continue Reading
The library bus in Afghanistan that is driving change
The National – “At only 27, Freshta Karim is the founder of Charmagz, an organisation that transforms buses into mobile libraries. They drive them around Kabul so that Afghanistan’s youngest citizens can develop and foster a love for critical thought and reading. “We are a group of young Afghans who have witnessed war and its direct… Continue Reading
Backlash grows against unstaffed libraries
The Guardian – Use of keycards and self-service scanners cannot replace librarians, say campaigners – “Harriet Connides hasn’t been to her local library in north London’s East Finchley for months. She used to go every few days, often with her young daughter, but now it is staffed for only 16 hours a week and Connides, who… Continue Reading
