The Economist – The Folger library reopens, with a renewed purpose [unpaywalled]. What is the world’s largest Shakespeare collection doing in Washington, DC? Across the street from the Library of Congress, diagonally opposite to the Supreme Court, sits the Folger Shakespeare Library. At first glance, the large neoclassical block of white marble looks like another… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Libraries
National Information Standards Controlled Digital Lending Working Group Stalls
Library Futures: “…I am stepping down because I believe that publishers and their affiliated trade associations are more interested in undermining that mission and the NISO process than they are in finding a solution for CDL that respects the rights of libraries, authors, publishers, and readers. The Working Group’s proposed standard, which offers best practice… Continue Reading
Generative AI Resources 2024
Via LLRX – Generative AI Resources 2024 – Referencing an article in this month’s Georgetown Law Technology Review, “…traditional AI algorithms normally operate by carrying out a specific function or completing a task using a data set that contains information on how that function or task has previously been done In other words, traditional AI is… Continue Reading
The Internet is Not Forever, So It’s Time to Preserve What You Can
How to Geek: “Key Takeaways Web content is constantly at risk of being lost; users can help preserve it. Physical media and DRM-free backups are essential for long-term access. Focus on preserving personal favorites and cultural artifacts for future generations. There’s a saying that “the internet never forgets” but that’s just wishful thinking. Storing data… Continue Reading
Internet Archive Lists Banned Books
Metafilter: “included within a recent announcement by the the Internet Archive is a list of banned books. this is a great resource! started reading & only got as far as Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe [gbooks]. there’s apparently also a film. looking forward to exploring further!” Continue Reading
How the ‘Owner’s Guide’ Became a Rare Book
The Atlantic [unpaywalled] – Instruction Manuals: In Memoriam. Are we better off for that?: “Just the other day, I had to read the manual. I’d borrowed my neighbor’s hammer drill to make some holes in a masonry wall, and I didn’t know how to swap the bits. Fortunately, the drill’s carrying case came with a… Continue Reading
Public domain comic book archive
Comic Book + / Total 42,888: “Welcome to the main page of our massive public domain comic book archive. True gems to download or read online. So many, it is impossible to read them all! The majority of our books belong to what has been termed the Golden Age of Comics. This began primarily with… Continue Reading
How Black Librarians Helped Create Generations of Black Literature
The New York Times [unpaywalled] – “Recent scholarship is uncovering the role of the women who ran libraries during the Harlem Renaissance where they built collections and, just as important, communities of writers and readers…“Mr. Schomburg’s collection is really the seed,” said Joy Bivins, the current director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture,… Continue Reading
The 10 Best Free Ebook Download Sites
MakeUseOf: “Ebooks are a great way to keep a large library of books on your phone, tablet, or computer. If you love to read and can never have too many books, ebooks are amazing—it’s much easier to store ebooks than buy a whole new bookcase! Better still, there are heaps of ways to download free… Continue Reading
Patrons Speak Out: The Impact of Losing Access to More Than 500,000 Books
Internet Archives Blogs: “Earlier this week, we asked readers across social media to tell us the impact of losing access to more than 500,000 books removed from our library as a result of the publishers’ lawsuit. The response was overwhelming, and the stories shared were powerful and heartfelt. It wasn’t just titles that disappeared—it was… Continue Reading
There’s a Trump Presidential Library at the National Archives and It’s Hiring
No words for this via Washingtonian – “Now here’s a fun job listing: This position is part of the National Archives and Records Administration. Incumbent serves as the Deputy Director of the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library within the National Archives and Records Administration. Serves as a principal advisor to the Library Director. At the… Continue Reading
Book bans in political context: Evidence from US schools
Book bans in political context: Evidence from US schools. PNAS Nexus, Volume 3, Issue 6, June 2024, pgae197, https://doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae197 “In the 2021–2022 school year, more books were banned in US school districts than in any previous year. Book banning and other forms of information censorship have serious implications for democratic processes, and censorship has become… Continue Reading
