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We have rounded up a selection of interesting animal cams, online videos, and live virtual animal experiences to allow you to find some joy watching adorable animals at play.

Whether librarians are providing services in-person or virtually, reference has changed with the pandemic.

As you begin to prepare for what will be a different kind of holiday season, we have rounded up ten interesting online shops to help you find special gifts for anyone in your life, including yourself.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year the Charleston Conference took place virtually from November 2–6. Appropriately, many of the sessions focused on the changes in and around academic libraries wrought by the pandemic. A panel titled “Getting Back to Business,” sponsored by the Society for Scholarly Publishing’s Scholarly Kitchen blog, offered opinions from a range of scholarly publishing stakeholders, including representatives from a university library, research society, nonprofit, and publishing consultant.

Successfully facing COVID fatigue is important for our overall well-being, and health experts have identified a number of coping strategies that can help.

The concept of a socially distanced library would be considered the ultimate antithesis of the modern-day library. The past two decades have witnessed the evolution of the library from a mostly traditional space of quiet study and research into a bustling collaborative, social space and technology center.

We have rounded up just some of the many current exhibits and art events that address themes of racial injustice and the Black Lives Matter movement. Many of these art events are physical exhibits that can also be viewed virtually, while some are online only.

Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe and Christine Wolff-Eisenberg discuss the fourth and final analysis of their Academic Library Response to COVID-19 survey, “Indications of the New Normal,” looking at the current phases of academic library pandemic reactions.

There are many ways to get into the Halloween spirit and still be safe and socially distant. We have rounded up some ideas to help you and your friends and family enjoy Halloween this year.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of books on the subject has been increasing exponentially. This introductory list, which will be updated regularly, is meant to help collection development librarians get started on determining which books work best for their collections.

The Charleston Conference, taking place virtually November 2–6, responsibly balances up-to-the-minute issues with the evergreen matter of scholarly library work. Below are a smattering of sessions selected by LJ editors.

The weather is getting crisper, pumpkins are out, and leaves are turning beautiful colors. Autumn is here, and it's a great time to indulge in some fun fall activities.

In 2020, the Nashville Public Library (NPL) looked to expand its Civil Right Center with a new Votes For Women room. After 18 months of planning, the grand opening was scheduled to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, which cleared the way for women to vote. As the COVID-19 pandemic evolved, the NPL realized that the grand celebrations envisioned would not be possible.

There is a threadrunning through almost all major headlines in our country this year: racial injustice.

Because of concerns about travel and gathering during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)’s Board of Directors announced on October 1 that the 2021 ACRL conference, previously scheduled for April 14–17 in Seattle, WA, will instead be held as an all-virtual event.

When Urban Librarians Unite (ULU) chose "Librarians at Work" as its 2020 conference theme last year, no one could have anticipated what a loaded concept that would be by September. The decision in July to take its eighth annual conference virtual proved to be a good one; people were enthusiastic, and by the September 11 date had some experience with virtual gatherings—and it allowed ULU, a New York City–based library workers' advocacy nonprofit, to expand its offerings to attendees and speakers who might not have been able to travel to the customary site at Brooklyn Public Library's Grand Army Plaza.

Here are some food events taking place virtually in the coming weeks. Some of these events are free, though many food festivals are also fundraisers so some charge fees for participants to attend.

When Multnomah County Library (MCL), OR, announced its plan in July to reduce staff by some 14 percent, staff and members of peer institutions responded with anger and concern that library services would be compromised, even as management defended the cuts as necessary stewardship of library funds in a changing service environment. After two months of outcry on the part of staff and others, on September 2 MCL Director Vailey Oehlke issued a press release drastically rolling back the number of cuts. 

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced Broward County Library, FL, to close its branches to the public, it immediately surveyed patron needs and created a targeted, data-driven marketing campaign to inform customers about electronic resources, online programs, and other content the library was offering. Los Angeles Public Library created new cardholders with its Art Card, designed by Gajin Fujita, an established graffiti artist. These very different campaigns, aimed directly at patron needs and preferences, earned the two libraries Honorable Mention for LJ's 2020 Marketer of the Year Award.

We have rounded up here a small selection of the many interesting theater productions now available for online viewing, including some on-demand options and some you can watch virtually as they are performed live.

As colleges and universities pivot to remote and hybrid models, their libraries must find new ways to welcome and orient new students.

As COVID-related budget cuts hit libraries, directors and deans must decide what their communities need most.

It is important for library leaders to realize that every other local organization or unit of government who responded to the COVID disaster with compassion, engagement, and their best efforts also has a great story to tell. During times of austerity, the narratives that matter are about direct and measurable outcomes for people who used your service, visited your program, accessed your collections, or interacted with your staff.

The hobby of collecting is well-suited for our current era of isolation and social distancing. We have rounded up information here about some popular collectable items as well as a few unusual ones, along with tips and websites to help you find out more.

Traveling virtually has many benefits: it's low cost and offers increased accessibility. If you are feeling wanderlust, here are some interesting national parks, safaris, cultural monuments, and underwater sanctuaries from around the world to check out.

UPDATE 9/10/20:  On September 3, the REALM project published the results of the fourth round of Battelle’s laboratory testing for COVID-19 on five materials common to archives, libraries, and museums. Results show that after six days of quarantine the SARS-CoV-2 virus was still detected on all five materials tested. When compared to Test 1, which resulted in nondetectable virus after three days on an unstacked hardcover book, softcover book, plastic protective cover, and DVD case, the results of Test 4 highlight the effect of stacking and its ability to prolong the survivability of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

As we all deal with the ongoing stress and uncertainty caused by the pandemic, it is essential to find ways to relax and unwind.

COVID-19 is accelerating the move to digital amid budget pressures; library vendors share what they hear from customers and how they're meeting rapidly evolving needs.

From canceled book deals and darkened theaters, to closed churches, libraries, schools, and storefronts, to spikes in suicides and substance abuse, to unemployment claims in the tens of millions—the devastation wrought by COVID-19 and the unprecedented measures taken to "stop the spread" have forced many writers to question whether civilization itself is in decline. Others are contemplating how isolation is transforming us, wondering where will it all lead?

When the university moved to virtual instruction in March, Cornell University Library's Virtual Reference Response Team focused on building capacity in the ways we already connected with our remote users. Leveraging our Ask a Librarian suite of email, chat, and in-depth research consultations options became our primary concern.

No matter how conscientiously libraries stick to protocol, many have had to roll back reopening operations recently as employees fall ill or report positive COVID-19 tests or contact with others who test positive—or in some cases, as case counts in their areas rise or patrons refuse to comply with masking or social distancing regulations. 

Watching a beautiful ballet or modern dance performance online is a great way to expand your horizons and find joy during these difficult days, and many dance companies have stayed connected with fans by streaming new performances and posting recordings of prior shows.

As universities and colleges across the United States grapple with the best way to proceed with fall terms given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, American Library Association–accredited library science programs are providing a variety of options to their students. Some are going fully online while others are offering hybrid courses with online and in-person components.

The events of 2020 have brought on new levels of stress and anxiety for many of us. Here are some tips to help you take care of your mental and physical wellbeing.

With most museums still closed, digital exhibits offer opportunities to consider outbreaks past and present from a safe distance.

Shutdowns due to COVID-19 continue, but virtual book talks, author interviews, and other book-related activities, from cooking demonstrations to book clubs, abound. The following events from publishers and others in the book ecosystem can be shared with patrons or viewed by librarians with an eye toward collection development and readers' advisory.

Even as some art museums and cultural institutions begin to tentatively re-open their buildings this month, insiders say that most of the action in the art world will remain online for the foreseeable future. Here we present a diverse mix of virtual exhibits that includes museums,  large galleries, and smaller art events.

As libraries offer essential services during the COVID pandemic, they face the added challenge of protecting the health and safety of staff and patrons. Necessary adaptations include effective and affordable personal protective equipment (PPE) for library staff, sanitization stations for staff and patrons, touch-free checkouts, the replacement of meeting room locks with digital contactless entry devices, and revamped floor plans and public spaces.

Following a successful virtual version of its Annual conference in June, the American Library Association (ALA) announced on August 6 that in light of the continuing pandemic, the next Midwinter meeting, originally scheduled to be held in Indianapolis in January 2021, will also be an all-virtual event.

Libraries can and should continue to apply creative problem-solving to mitigate the worst impacts of this pandemic on staff and users. There is a limit to what even the most nimble, inventive, and dedicated libraries—or even consortia or associations—can fix. But that doesn’t mean there is nothing we can do. We need to think bigger and to throw the collective power of our profession toward advocacy for large-scale solutions.

Outdoor grilling is one of the most popular summer activities, and as COVID-19 continues keep many people at home and shifts what socializing does occur outside, patrons may be looking for additional resources.

On July 2, Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) and Rep. Andy Levin (D-MI) introduced the bipartisan Library Stabilization Fund Act in both chambers (S.4181 and H.R.7486, respectively). The legislation, introduced with 13 cosponsors on both sides of the aisle in the Senate and 27 in the House, would establish a dedicated $2 billion fund to be administered by IMLS that would address the financial losses incurred in the pandemic shutdown and bolster library services going forward, with priority given to the hardest-hit communities.

Most of us have been spent much more time than usual at home this summer, staring at the same four walls for weeks on end. And since many of us may continue to both work and relax from home for the foreseeable future, this is the ideal time to freshen up and invigorate your space. Here are eight simple things you can do to breathe new life into your home, no matter what style or décor you prefer or your budget.

As they anticipate hits from lowered enrollment and decreased endowments, as well as declines in state funding for public universities and community colleges, and potential rollbacks of money that has already been authorized, academic institutions have begun hiring freezes and reductions, including furloughs, layoffs, and reduced hours for non-tenured faculty and staff. Many campus libraries are seeing reductions in workforce that threaten to affect their ability to serve students, faculty, and researchers.

Seven experts discussed long-term trends that are becoming even more significant in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With some libraries reopening for at least limited services, and many others doing curbside pickup, face masks are a necessity for library workers and patrons alike. These library- and book-themed offerings can make it fun and show your library love all over your face.

Online meetings have become ubiquitous for many of us. Once our library started offering Virtual Meeting Rooms to the public via Zoom, we immediately began fielding questions on how to best structure online events. Since how an event is structured has such a large impact on its success, we wanted to share some best practices we’ve learned.

The COVID-19 pandemic abruptly shuttered academic libraries across the United States in March, leaving library staff scrambling to continue some semblance of library services. As states have taken steps toward reopening, academic institutions are now looking toward the fall semester and considering how they might safely open their own facilities.

In addition to enhanced cleaning protocols, training, and the public use of personal protective equipment like face coverings, the impacts of coronavirus are transforming how we design public spaces in the short and long term.

How do you reopen a library with no guidelines or best practices to work from? That’s the question public leaders and staff are considering as library buildings gradually open across the country.

Most public libraries stopped distributing materials during the pandemic to stop the spread of the coronavirus. But that doesn’t mean they stopped distributing anything. Some leveraged their expertise at getting resources into the hands of patrons to help those suddenly struggling with the bare essentials of life: food, diapers, the means to clean up, or a place to sleep.

As we all know by now, 2020 is not a normal year and ALA's annual conference has gone virtual from June 24–26. While missing the chance to network, connect, and collect galleys, the silver lining is that attending ALA is now available to a far broader cross-section of the field than ever before. Here, LJ’s editors have made their personal picks. 

As libraries prepare to reopen, measures to keep staff and patrons as safe as possible from coronavirus infection are being instituted across the country. But most of those measures require patron cooperation. General worries over lack of compliance or having to enforce new rules have added an extra layer of uncertainty for those returning to work. 

Many libraries are cancelling their galas and other in-person fundraising events due to the global pandemic. As a member of the Next Chapter Society (NCS), which works with Tennessee’s  Nashville Public Library Foundation to fundraise for the Nashville Public Library (NPL), I worked with my committee to shift our summer activities online.

Though most libraries remain closed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, public librarians are still connecting with their patrons—thanks, in part, to virtual book clubs.

If the cocktail aficionado can't go to the fancy bar, then the fancy bar must come to the aficionado. Here is a collection of books that will help thirsty readers mix up some libations in their own spaces. All titles are available digitally.

When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down campuses, libraries helped salvage spring semesters by supporting distance learning. Plans for fall remain in limbo, but academic librarians share what they’ve learned.

School and public librarians are joining forces to help socially distanced kids finish the school year and stay strong through summer.

In my crisis teaching mode, I have come up with eight rules that have helped me to navigate through this new normal. There’s more than content and delivery to be discussed when this period is behind us. Perhaps the lesson to be learned is not about what or even how we taught during COVID-19. Perhaps this period is a lesson in why we teach. 

The American Library Association’s (ALA) recent survey on how U.S. public, academic, and K–12 libraries have responded to the coronavirus pandemic will not surprise anyone with an eye on the field, but serves as a snapshot of mid-May concerns and projections.

Kaetrena Davis Kendrick recently completed a new study examining low workplace morale among public librarians, and is working on a report analyzing responses to a November 2018 call for librarians who wished to talk about their experiences. What she discovered included a disturbing level of abuse coming from patrons, a lack of institutional support to help librarians resolve such issues, and a mindset in which librarians view surviving such abuses as “earning their stripes.”

The massive change in life circumstances over the weeks since my last column have been strange, terrible, and beautiful—often all at once.

We need a National Library Workers Organization. The COVID-19 crisis has brought home to American workers their individual vulnerability—and their collective power. 

Across the nation, libraries big and small are embracing the quaranzine. A portmanteau of “quarantine” and “zine,” the quaranzine is a creative outlet that allows individuals and communities to process difficult thoughts and emotions concerning the COVID-19 pandemic—and is widely emerging as an artistic, therapeutic way to cope with this unique and trying time in history.

There is no 100 percent protection against the risk of COVID-19 aside from self-isolation, but we hope that the plans we’ve developed for re-opening our academic libraries will help you figure out how to provide the best protection for your staff and patrons.

Online classes pose many challenges, from baseline access to computers and the internet to requiring proficiency with new technologies and platforms, as well as motivation issues.

In response to coronavirus shutdown orders that have left public library branches closed across the country, Playaway—developer of products including Playaway pre-loaded audiobook devices, Wonderbook read-alongs, and Launchpad pre-loaded tablets—recently began offering its customers the option to ship products directly from the company to patrons’ homes.

BookExpo online starts today and runs through Friday. Here are the can't-miss sessions for librarians.

Some libraries are already attempting to reopen their physical locations to the public, at least to some limited extent. Others, in harder hit areas or with local governments more focused on stopping the spread of Coronavirus, are still months away. But all are considering how to reconfigure their space, as well as their service, to best shield staff and patron health.

With buildings closed to flatten the COVID-19 curve, libraries respond with a rapid pivot to contactless service.

Sales grew steadily over recent weeks, contributing to improved year-to-date figures, but whether the publishing industry is entering recovery or still riding out the COVID-19 crisis after its most critical phase remains to be seen.

On May 18, the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), ALA’s Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services (ODLOS), and the Public Library Association (PLA) announced the formation of the Building Cultural Proficiencies for Racial Equity Framework Task Force.

True crime is more popular than ever; fans of Tiger King or Making a Murderer looking to escape the stress of self-isolating will appreciate this list of lesser-known selections.

As the coronavirus makes internet access even more crucial for schooling, many jobs, and applying for unemployment, library staff have been working on creative solutions to bring access to thousands who would otherwise be without, moving beyond Wi-Fi in parking lots and cultivating external partnerships.

As libraries approach their third month of closure, many institutions that had continued to pay employees—whether or not they were able to engage in active work—are now turning to layoffs or furloughs, often citing concerns about budget cuts.

As states and cities suspend coronavirus-related shutdown orders, two library apps—ConverSight LIBRO and CapiraMobile—are introducing curbside pickup features that will enable library staff to fulfill requests for books and other physical materials while maintaining social distancing recommendations and minimizing personal contact with patrons.

As public libraries do more and more in times of crisis to fill gaps in our social safety net, it is time to rethink how publishers and content providers relate and do business with public libraries and their customers. How can those relationships be retooled and reimagined to provide outcomes that are more beneficial for all?

There’s been a trend in articles coming out in major publications about how excited people are to get back to their libraries and how resilient libraries are. While they pay important attention to the needs libraries are still striving to meet in their communities, these narratives do nothing to expose the miserable realities that library workers are experiencing, or incite any kind of action to be taken in their defense.

On Friday, the House of Representatives voted 208 to 199 for a $3 trillion aid package called the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act. It includes proposals for new stimulus payments to individuals, hazard pay for first responders, rent and mortgage assistance, and more. Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) has said that the Senate would begin talks about the HEROES Act after the Memorial Day recess.

Last week the OED was updated with some of the words and phrases which have become increasingly familiar in the context of the current global crisis, such as self-isolation, social distancing, and flatten the curve. OED editors are continually monitoring linguistic developments, and one of the ways of doing this is through analysis of language corpora.

A handful of shuttered library buildings across the country are temporarily providing workspace that allows essential workers and services to properly social distance amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Carnegie Mellon University librarians have initiated a new service, Remote Book Delivery, which allows them to order print materials from vendors and have them sent directly to students whose workflow has been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and who may not be able to find the books they need online. The service will help students like Sofía Bosch Gómez, a CMU doctoral student in transition design, to get the resources she needs to finish her dissertation from her Mexico City home.

Librarians are bringing their information triage, vetting, and organization skills to bear on the current crisis in new ways. Among them, a group of volunteers are indexing vast volumes of information on COVID-19.

Cherry blossoms, tulips, and rare orchids are in bloom! Take a virtual stroll through nature at these eight botanical gardens.

With Covid-19-related quarantines and closures, many people may be taking on the role of caregiving. These resources will help with navigating the difficult terrain of juggling many simultaneous responsibilities, and offer wisdom and encouragement.

The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa campus was closed to the public but open to faculty and students on March 15. The library closed to all on March 17, but the computer lab remained open on the first floor of Hamilton Library, because the University had moved all classes online for the remainder of the semester, and not all students had access to computers or the internet.

It is important to take a moment, even in the midst of crisis, to honor this year’s Movers & Shakers. It is a waypost, a signifier of normalcy in a year from which so many landmarks are missing. But it’s also a reminder that we still need people moving us forward and shaking up our thinking—perhaps never more so than when we feel shaken by forces outside our control.

On April 21 Mitchell Daniels, president of Indiana’s Purdue University, sent a letter to staff announcing his intent to reopen the campus this fall. Although his ideas about ensuring safety for a campus population of more than 50,000 people have met with some skepticism and pushback, individual campus leaders have their own ideas for a careful return. One of these is Beth McNeil, dean and Esther Ellis Norton Professor at Purdue University Libraries and School of Information Studies, who believes that a measured reopening of the university’s eight libraries is possible. 

As digital scholarship librarian at Columbia University Libraries and codirector of its collaborative digital space Studio@Butler, Alex Gil works with faculty, students, and colleagues to create digital interpretations of their work, including interactive maps, visualizations, editions, and online exhibitions.

Whether you’re curious about what makes your cat tick or interested in adopting a cat of your own, our list of books, comics, and DVDs has you covered—all available digitally.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shuttered public libraries nationwide, compelling librarians to quickly deploy virtual alternatives to programming and online learning while boosting electronic collections to meet a growing demand. But these virtual offerings often leave out some of public libraries' most devoted yet vulnerable patrons: those who are unhoused or coping with mental health problems or substance use.

If it’s just too quiet for you nowadays, libraries have your hookup. Part of the reason many remote workers used to prefer a coffeeshop—or the library!—to working from home was the right kind and amount of sound—enough to be companionable, but not distractingly too much.

As a majority of academic libraries have transitioned to remote work in the wake of coronavirus-closed campuses, a growing number of United States–based archival workers—many of whom are in part-time, hourly, term-limited, or contract positions—are facing financial challenges. To help address some immediate needs, a team of archives workers partnered with the Society of American Archivists Foundation to create the Archival Workers Emergency Fund.

In 2016, a man set fire to a library in St. Cloud, MN. Allister Chang had an opportunity to speak with Karen Pundsack, director of the Great River Regional Library System, to reflect on what the library learned from the experience that is applicable to its COVID-19 response today. She demonstrates how library resilience transfers from one disaster to another, and in the process, the resilience of libraries as social infrastructure.

In the midst of the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, many library workers and archivists have carried on with what they do best—gathering and preserving information for future researchers. Numerous digital archives are already capturing life during lockdown, represented through images, journals, videos, and other formats.

We all know that libraries are under attack, especially in regards to funding, pretty much all the time. I think part of our collective fear at this moment is local governments thinking that because we closed that we aren't really that important. I believe some are feeling that tension without verbalizing this sentiment. We worry about the short-term as well as the long-term consequences that our closings will have on our libraries. However, I do not thinking rushing to reopen solves this issue.

In this last installment of our series aimed at helping non-librarians better organize and maintain the books in their homes, we take a look at what is sometimes a controversial subject: getting rid of old and/or outdated books.

It’s been widely reported that insomnia, bad dreams, and other sleep difficulties have grown during the coronavirus pandemic among kids and adults alike. The titles below, all available electronically, will help readers understand the reasons for insomnia and offer practical solutions for addressing sleep disturbances.

With gyms and fitness studios across the United States closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, there are a lot of resources to help keep active during this time of social distancing.

To maximize service—and to help safeguard the jobs of their colleagues from layoffs and furloughs—library and archives workers are crowdsourcing lists of work-from-home assignments. These lists continue to grow—as does the need for them.