From NextGov: The National Archives and Records Administration—the keepers of all government records—manages millions of digital records. But users have trouble finding the records they’re looking for, and the current manual metadata tagging processes aren’t sufficient. The agency recently held a virtual informational day outlining its goals for integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning into […]
From Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL): Representatives Mike Quigley (IL-05) and James Comer (KY-01) re-introduced the bipartisan and bicameral Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act (ACMRA) to create a single website on which Congress and the public can easily search, sort, and download all agency congressional reports. This bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives in […]
At times, Mazorati’s critical tone takes away from the reading experience. Readers might get a fuller picture of Williams’s career by accompanying this book with the HBO series Being Serena, which is told in her own voice.
As with mysticism, highly personal accounts of Jesus run the risk of portraying the Jesus one wants to see, rather than encountering the transformative power of the Spirit. Bass neatly avoids most of this and so provides a portrait of Jesus for progressive Christians of all stripes that is as tangible, compelling, and biblical as the Christ of their more fundamentalist counterparts.
This isn’t a traditional “how-to” book; readers looking for explicit instructions for collage-making will be better served by Roxanne Evans Stout’s Storytelling with Collage. However, it will inspire readers interested in the ways artists use the creative process as a means for healing.
This would be a useful addition to public library craft collections, especially for teens and tweens, but it is not an essential purchase due to the omission of certain important sewing elements.
Weiner’s ability to take a complex, painful situation and spin it into an engaging, thoughtful story about women’s inner lives is showcased throughout this novel. The beautiful beachside settings and aspirational lifestyles that women’s fiction readers gravitate toward are on full display, but the depth of the story is what shines. A likely summer blockbuster, this will have readers looking forward to the third volume in trilogy.
This engaging character study by Mallery (The Vineyard at Painted Moon) is sure to please her many fans as well as readers of similar authors such as Nancy Thayer and Debbie Macomber.
An inspired-by story centered around Sadie and Ella’s friendship, Jenoff’s latest book (after The Lost Girls of Paris) takes place entirely in Kraków and moves back and forth between the perspectives of the two young women as they navigate war, love, loss, friendship, and family. This is a heartfelt, emotional tale about human connection, hope, survival, and struggle during one of humanity’s darkest moments.
Originally published in 2013, the book was reedited by author Mary Logue, and is now the first in a proposed four-book series featuring Sam Rivers. Fans of Paul Doiron’s The Poacher’s Son or the Joe Pickett books will appreciate this descriptive novel with an intriguing plot and well-written characters.
Dean (Red Snow) has written a horrific tale of human trafficking in this gripping and powerful novel. Recommended to fans of stories that explore the sheer human will and determination to escape unimaginable situations.
The new trailer for Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad gets a great deal of coverage for a May 14 release. The Jhalak Prize for Book of the Year by a Writer of Color and Sheikh Zayed Book Award shortlists are announced. Also, the 2021 Helen & Kurt Wolff Translator’s Prize shortlist is announced. Oprah Winfrey’s upcoming book tour and April 27 release of new book What Happened to You makes news. Terry Crews discusses the new audiobook Stronger Together, co-written with his wife with lessons from his life and marriage. Phoebe Robinson, author of Please Don't Sit On My Bed In Your Outside Clothes, speaks about the lack of diversity in publishing. A television series based on Greyboy: Finding Blackness In A White World is being developed. Concerns are being raised about a police officer’s book regarding the killing of Breonna Taylor. Lastly, there is an interview with Lawrence P. Jackson, author of a biography on Chester B. Himes on the importance of Black crime writers.
This is a serious yet fantastical look at relationships, family, and feminism, told in a singular voice; book groups should take note. The closest read-alikes are Life After Life, by Kate Atkinson, and Replay, by Ken Grimwood.
From the International Federation of Library Associations: The IFLA LibPub SIG, nested within the IFLA Standing Committee on Acquisition and Collection Development, formally came into being in 2018. In the 2-year period 2019-2021 IFLA LibPub has already launched a number of ambitious programs and activities, creating a lively and comprehensive community of IFLA participants engaged […]
From a Springer Nature Announcement: Springer Nature and the University of California (UC) today launched a new initiative to gain greater understanding of researcher attitudes to and motivations towards open research practices (including open access articles, data, and code; transparent peer review; and preprints). As part of the partnership, participating UC authors will also have […]
APLU and AAU Issue Guide to Accelerate Public Access to Research Data (34 pages; PDF) Cities for Digital Rights – Advocacy and Engagement Opportunities for Libraries (via IFLA) Google Earth’s Biggest Update in Years Now Online (via The Keyword) UNC Story Archive Helps Tar Heels Speak to the Future (via UNC)
Lizabeth (Betsy) Wilson, vice provost for digital initiatives and dean of university libraries at the University of Washington (UW), recently announced that she will retire on June 30. Wilson has served as dean since 2001; in 2013 she took on the vice provost role as well, leading the libraries’ strategy on digital scholarship, data stewardship, and open access. The network of 16 libraries—one of the largest academic research libraries in North America, with the largest collection in the Pacific Northwest—serves UW’s Seattle, Tacoma, and Bothell campuses and Friday Harbor Laboratories.
The 2021 RWA Vivan Finalists are announced by the Romance Writers of America. Also, the 2021 Whiting Award Winners are announced. Good Company by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney and Broken Horses by Brandi Carlile top the best sellers lists. News breaks about the “Bridgerton effect” on the romance genre and an adaptation of Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. Prince Philip’s Century by Robert Jobson gets an early release. The Root shares newly released books that could help readers heal from trauma. There is a cover reveal of Far From the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson. Lauren Hough talks about Leaving Isn’t the Hardest Thing and Morgan Jerkins talks about Caul Baby.
From the BPL : Mayor Kim Janey today announced that, once approved by its Board of Trustees, the Boston Public Library (BPL) will permanently eliminate late fines for patrons of all ages. This removal of late fines is supported by $125,000 of ‘revenue relief’ in Mayor Janey’s 2021 budget and will go into effect on […]
From ALA: Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada, adult services assistant manager, Palos Verdes Library District, Rolling Hills Estates, California has been elected 2022-23 president-elect of the American Library Association (ALA). Pelayo-Lozada received 4,056 votes, while her opponents, Ed Garcia, director, Cranston Public Library, Cranston, Rhode Island received 2,598 votes and Stacey A. Aldrich, state librarian, Hawaii State […]
From NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants): To preserve the industry’s history and provide a deep body of research spanning nearly a century, the NAMM Resource Center is honored to receive the physical archives of Musical Merchandise Review magazine. The magazine archives, which saw its first issue in 1879, were generously donated by President of […]
From a News Release: Ingram Content Group today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to sell VitalSource Technologies to Francisco Partners, a leading global investment firm that specializes in partnering with technology businesses. VitalSource is a leading education technology solutions provider committed to helping partners create, deliver, and distribute affordable and impactful learning experiences […]
From the National Endowment For the Humanities: The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) todhumanities projects, including Audio History Project, a podcast series that uses archival audio recordings to illuminate forgotten stories about individuals and events from twentieth-century American history and culture, and Enslaved: Peoples of the Historical Slave Trade, an online repository that documents […]
From Stanford University: In the first large-scale study examining the full extent of Zoom fatigue, Stanford researchers find that women report feeling more exhausted than men following video calls. The feeling of exhaustion that comes from a day of back-to-back online meetings – also known as “Zoom fatigue” – is greater for women, according to […]
From The Internet Archive: Michelle Alexopoulos is interested in tracking technology trends. For a recent project that involved out-of-print government publications, the economics professor and her coauthor Jon Cohen tapped into resources from Internet Archive—available free and online—conveniently from her campus at the University of Toronto. Alexopoulos specializes in studying the effects of technical change […]
Association of Research Libraries Welcomes Increased Investment in Research and Data Sharing in Reauthorization of National Science Foundation (via ARL) Linked Data: IOS Press Announces the Relaunch of LD Connect Vivaldi, Brave, DuckDuckGo Reject Google’s FLoC Ad Tracking Tech (via Bleeping Computer)
The 2021 Hugo Award Finalists are announced including Best Novel. Rep. John Lewis’ Carry On: Reflections for a New Generation will be released on July 13, almost a year after his death while Richard Wright's The Man Who Lived Underground,will finally come out in its original form on April 20th. J.K. Rowling will release a new children’s book, The Christmas Pig in October. Natalie Portman will headline HBO's adaptation of Elena Ferrante's The Days of AbandonmentandThe Triumph of Nancy Reagan by Karen Tumulty continues to get attention. Plus, Bridgerton is renewed for two more seasons.
The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) 2021 virtual conference, taking place April 13–16, started off on a strong note with Tressie McMillan Cottom’s opening keynote. Her thoughts on how to center human rights and justice within an academic framework gave attendees much to think about as they continued on to the many panels, sessions, exhibits, and other offerings.
From the Library of Congress (via YouTube). Description Nathan Dorn displays a selection of new additions to the rare book collection of the Law Library of Congress. Recorded April 12, 2021 A text transcript is also available. Source
From the Accessible Book Coalition: WIPO’s Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) has launched a new application that makes accessible digital books available for direct download by individuals who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print disabled. ABC Global Book Service’s business application is provided free of charge and connects participating libraries for the blind, known as […]
From a Post on The Conversation by: Rachel D. Williams Assistant Professor of Library and Information Science, Simmons University Christine D’Arpa Assistant Professor of Library and Information Sciences, Wayne State University Noah Lenstra Assistant Professor of Library and Information Science, University of North Carolina – Greensboro In 2018, there were 143,518 library workers in the […]
The article linked below was recently published by Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research. Title Institutional Literacy and Libraries: Addressing Library Anxiety with a Personal Librarian Program Author Brad DoerksenUniversity of Regina Source Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and ResearchVol. 15, no. 2, Apr. 2021DOI: 10.21083/partnership.v15i2.6098 […]
IFLA Submits Comments on Canada, Singapore Copyright Reforms Library Publishing Coalition Quarterly Update (via LPC) Jisc Distributes Open Access Articles From Global Publisher Wiley to UK Repositories (via Jisc) Taylor & Francis Group and Jisc Agree Transformational Deal for UK Research (via T&F)
Jason Reynolds is set as the inaugural Honorary Chair of Banned Books Week. Fourth Estate and William Collins will introduce a modern classics list featuring titles from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Anthony Doerr, and more. Ottessa Moshfegh’s next novel, Lapvona, will be published by Penguin next summer. Oscar-winning director Ron Howard and actor Clint Howard announce The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family, to be released in October. AC/DC singer Brian Johnson’s memoir The Lives of Brian drops this fall. Frank Marshall and director Barry Sonnenfeld will partner to adapt Perestroika in Paris by Jane Smiley into a 2D animated feature. Joe Cornish will direct the adaptation of Mark Millar’s comic Starlight and Truman and Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation will hit theaters on June 18th. Plus, a review of World Travel: An Irreverent Guide, in which the NYT asks "How Do You Write an Anthony Bourdain Book Without Anthony Bourdain?"
Coloring hit its peak a few years back, but has had a small resurgence as people looking for ways to relax and unwind. We highlight our favorite apps and games.
From retired judge LaDoris Hazzard Cordell, to Congo-born, Rwanda-raised refugee Dogon Mondiant, to Pulitzer Prize winner Farah Stockman, personal perspectives on social justice issues worldwide.
Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Chris Hedges discusses the creation and staging of a play written by his students at East Jersey State Prison. Nigel Poor and Earlonne Woods expand on their Pulitzer Prize finalist podcast, Ear Hustle, launched at San Quentin State Prison. Two books in the surge of publications addressing the serious crisis of incarceration.
A long list of fan favorites will compete for readers’ attention as the holly is hung, with key reissues from Robyn Carr and Nora Roberts included in the mix.
The article linked below was recently published by the Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication. Title Faculty Survey on OER: Perceptions, Behaviors, and Implications for Library Practice Authors Jeffrey D. BondTexas Christian University Boglarka S. HuddlestonTexas Christian University Alysha SappTexas Christian University Source Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication, 9(1), p.eP2401DOI: 10.7710/2162-3309.2401 Abstract Introduction The […]
From the Penn Libraries: Once upon a time, examining pages from one of the Medieval manuscripts held by Penn Libraries’ Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books, and Manuscripts would always require someone to make an appointment with a curator, travel to Philadelphia, and visit the Charles K. MacDonald Reading Room. While the experience of […]
From PBS NewsHour: Founded in 1802, the U.S. Library of Congress is one of the world’s largest repositories of human knowledge. Now, a new initiative backed by a $15 million grant seeks to expand the National Archive to include diverse experiences. NewsHour Weekend’s Ivette Feliciano speaks with Dr. Carla Hayden, the first woman and first […]
Africa and Latin America Agree to Closer Collaboration Around Open Science (via Confederation of Open Access Resources) Ethics in the Digital World: Where We are Now and What’s Next (via The World Bank) llinois, Benton Institute Work Together to Close the Digital Divide (via Pew Research) U.S. Streaming Subs Surpass Population Total (Rapid TV News) […]
Library Journal and School Library Journal combine editorial & marketing expertise to conduct and present the most up-to-date library market research available.
These comprehensive and reliable reports use real data to help answer hard questions and aid decision making. Our in-house research experts conduct a variety of surveys each year focused on different aspects of public, academic, special and school libraries. Each report is made available as a downloadable pdf.
Restorative justice is broadly defined as an approach to repairing and addressing harm done within a community. It can also be understood as a practice that emphasizes the importance of every voice being heard when harm is done, in order to repair the holistic well-being of the person harmed, the person responsible for the harm, and the community impacted by the offense. These methods are used proactively and are foundational in creating systemic change within any organization.
Ocean Preyby John Sandford tops holds this week. Four LibraryReads selections arrive along with one IndieNext pick. The Orwell Prize Longlists are revealed. Ma Rainey's Black Bottomand Nomadland continue to garner film awards. John Boehner's memoir On the House: A Washington Memoirgets attention and Paula McLain's When the Stars Go Dark is People's 'Pick of the Week.'
From WLS-TV (Chicago): The Media Burn Independent Video Archive recently received a grant of nearly $500,000 from the Council on Library Resources to kickstart a new national initiative. “It’s a partnership with six different institutions, and together we are going to be digitizing more than 1,000 video tapes,” said executive director Sara Chapman. Media Burn […]
From ACRL Connect: ALA’s Committee on Professional Ethics (COPE) is looking for feedback from the library community about an update to the ALA Code of Ethics. In July 2020, the COPE voted to establish a working group to explore the creation of a new principle of the ALA Code of Ethics to address racial and social justice. In collaboration […]
The following article (full text, open access) was recently made available online by The Journal of Academic Librarianship. Title Scavenging for Evidence: A Systematic Review of Scavenger Hunts in Academic Libraries Authors Rachel Keiko Stark California State University, Sacramento Eugenia Opuda University of New Hampshire Jenessa McElfresh Clemson University Kelli Kauffroath California State University, Sacramento […]
From the Associated Press: A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out. Here are the facts… Direct to Full Text See Also: More “Not Real News” […]
From Statistics Canada: The second version of the Open Database of Educational Facilities (ODEF) is now available as part of Statistics Canada’s Linkable Open Data Environment (LODE) initiative. The LODE aims to enhance the use, accessibility and harmonization of open microdata from authoritative sources such as governments and professional associations. It also supports collaboration on […]
From an Association For Research Libraries Announcement: The Association of Research Libraries (ARL), the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI), and EDUCAUSE released their final report on Mapping the Current Landscape of Research Library Engagement with Emerging Technologies in Research and Learning. Part of the ARL, CNI, and EDUCAUSE joint initiative to advance research libraries’ impact […]
From ALA: The American Library Association (ALA) announced today it will make available $1.25M in emergency relief grants to libraries that have experienced substantial economic hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic. The ALA COVID Library Relief Fund invites public, school, academic, and tribal libraries across the United States and US Territories to apply for grants […]
From UC San Diego: The Marine Vertebrate Collection is one of four that comprise the Oceanographic Collections at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, the largest university-based oceanographic collections in the world. It shares Vaughan Hall with the Benthic Invertebrate Collection and the Pelagic Invertebrate Collection, both home to their own impressive assortment […]
Despite some flaws, this is an engaging read, recommended for those who enjoy outdoor writing, as well as for armchair (therefore very comfortable) critics of the modern lifestyle.
Well-researched, with an extensive bibliography and a useful glossary of key concepts. A fast-paced account that offers myriad recommendations for lifestyle changes to reduce exposure to the chemicals that Swan and Colino identify as threats to the future of humankind.
While academic in nature, these essays are accessible to general readers. Howard’s work is a solid addition to media studies sections in both public and academic libraries.
This entertaining, concise collection will entice fans of true crime and history. Readers may also enjoy Mike Rothmiller’s True Crime Chronicles: Serial Killers, Outlaws, and Justice…Real Crime Stories from the 1800s.
This bizarre, gripping, yet balanced account of a charismatic man and an enterprise that prospered under the guise of religion will appeal to true crime fans and those interested in religious cults, including readers of Lawrence Wright’s Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood and the Prison of Belief.
Rodenberg writes with an evocative and unflinching style, despite sometimes jarring shifts in narrative. This is a richly nuanced portrait of people and place, along with the bounds of forgiveness. Good for biography readers eager to explore the complexities of family relationships, or readers interested in women’s lives in Appalachia.
A humanistic investigative documentation of the legal and political battle of DAPL. It will appeal to readers interested in Indigenous movements, environmental movements, and the historical significance of this protest.
Reeves shows that battles can reveal heroism not through victories but at a basic level of survival. He has produced an evocative account of the human costs of the Civil War.
The St. Cyr series, and this entry in particular (following Who Speaks for the Damned), is highly recommended for readers who want their history appropriately dark and gritty, their politics dirty and corrupt, and their mystery fascinating, convoluted, and just as relevant now as it was then. Sebastian St. Cyr, with his foot in the aristocracy and his eye on justice, is a hero to be followed into whatever dark corner he investigates.
Spencer, author of various series featuring police officers (“Jennie Redhead”; “Monika Paniatowski”) offers an intense, convoluted stand-alone. It’s not always easy to piece together Rob’s twisted thoughts and the police investigation, but readers who enjoy Spencer’s works might want to try.
Readers who enjoy historical mysteries with a touch of romance will enjoy the period details and strong female characters, as well as Ella’s colorful parrot, Montezuma.
Fans of the series will want to read this book in one sitting. It’s wickedly full of twists, turns, and a dizzying array of pop culture references and witticisms.
This mystery has dark elements that contrast with the beautiful locale; it will please fans of the series, as well as those who appreciate noir novels in general. The characters are well developed, with their faults laid out for readers. The several strands of the plot are all brought together quite acceptably in the denouement, except for Cal’s earlier crime, which is left to readers’ imagination; the author intends this to be the last book in the series.
