The panel discussion video recording embedded below from the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) was recorded on February 1, 2023. Description This is a discussion on censorship-resistance, web archiving and ensuring secure and easy access to information and people on the Internet. We explore the problems of link rot, information permanence, Internet entropy, and the security […]
From RLUK (Research Libraries UK): The Virtual Reading Rooms (VRRs) Toolkit is a resource for all collection-holding institutions, including libraries, archives, and museums, which are interested in setting up a VRR consultation service or are at the early stages of VRR development. In October 2022, RLUK in collaboration with its partners, held an international sprint relay symposium […]
Awards announcements include the Center for Black Literature Octavia E. Butler Awards and the Romantic Novel Awards shortlists. Also, the Romantic Novelists Association names A Christmas Celebration by Heidi Swain as the winner of the 2023 Popular Romantic Fiction Award. Starting at the top of the best-seller lists are Never Give an Inch: Fighting for the America I Love by Mike Pompeo and Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens by Richard Haass. There are interviews with authors Natasha Lester, Siddharth Kara, Hafizah Geter, Eleanor Shearer, and Annalee Newitz. Toni Collette stars in the new adaptation of Naomi Alderman’s The Power; meanwhile, the adaptation Kindred, based on the work of Octavia Butler, has been canceled after one season.
From the Library of Congress (Full Text of Announcement): A new web archive collection from the Library of Congress documents the civil unrest sparked by the police murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020. The Protests Against Racism Web Archive contains a selection of websites documenting protests against racism and police brutality against Black […]
From an arXiv Blog Post: The recent release of AI technology that generates new text has raised serious questions among the research community. For one, “Can ChatGPT be named an author of a research paper?” The resounding answer from arXiv leaders and advisors is, “No.” A computer program cannot, for example, take responsibility for the […]
From a Joint Statement (via De Gruyter): ResearchGate, the professional network for researchers, and De Gruyter, an independent academic publisher, have today announced a content syndication partnership that will see content from 437 of De Gruyter’s journals added to ResearchGate. With approximately 114,000 articles being syndicated on launch, representing all open access content from De […]
ARL: Celebrating Black History Month 2023 EveryLibrary Releases 2022 Annual Report ||| Full Text Report Germany: DFG Launches Cooperation with the OAPEN Foundation IFLA: Applications for Public Library of the Year Available Later This Month Penguin Random House Audio Acquires Playaway Products
Fans of Clare’s Go Hex Yourself will be happy with this follow-up in which Willem and Penny continue the enemies-to-lovers arc, with their own twist. Hand to readers who love witty banter, the fake-dating trope, and couples who fall hard fast.
This sexy and profoundly romantic novel will satisfy fans of best-selling Henry’s (Book Lovers) thrilling trademark mix of witty banter and intensely emotional storylines.
This book, more than many like it, will entice readers to consult it over and over, consistently finding new information each time they do. Highly recommended for all libraries.
Wilder (How To Fake It in Hollywood) has created a gem of a novel with characters who unfold in complex and unexpected ways. The grounded Hollywood story utilizes a perfectly paced slow-burn romance, and at the end there’s a winking nod to the entire journey.
This book would complement environmental art and nature lovers’ collections. It also pairs well with works about Beatrix Potter’s artwork, Paul Stamets’s contributions to mycology, and Eugenia Bone’s Mycophilia. A beautiful artistic exploration and tribute to mushrooms for their own beauty and value.
After the rousing success of “The Murderbot Diaries,” Wells has returned to her fantasy roots in a tale of revolt, rebellion, and betrayal. Readers looking for more Murderbot may be disappointed, but fantasy readers looking for new worlds and characters to explore will be enthralled.
Following on Spelunking Through Hell, this latest installment in the “InCryptid” series continues to highlight the fast action, delightful cryptids and the gloriously dysfunctional family dynamics the Prices are known for. Urban fantasy fans will rejoice.
The two storylines in Porter’s (The Seep) latest, particularly Beatrice’s story of accepting herself for who she is and what she loves in spite of everything, will make readers hunger for more.
A strikingly vibrant love story for modern dreamers and hopeless romantics. Those who’ve read Sharma’s Love, Chai, and Other Four-Letter Words will be happy to see familiar characters return in this follow-up, but newcomers will also be able to enjoy it as a stand-alone.
Karger tells a good and ultimately compelling story, but readers seeking a romantic tale may be disappointed by the focus on the main character’s internal struggles.
Leigh’s series installment will appeal to readers seeking a scintillating historical romance that is engaging and erotic, a heartwarming reunion with more than one happy ending. Recommended for fans of Tessa Dare, Ella Quinn, and Sarah MacLean.
Readers who enjoyed The Boxing Baroness won’t want to miss Spencer’s sequel. Indeed, anyone who appreciates strong, unconventional heroines—and the Regency-era heroes who know (or at least manage to learn) better than to take them for granted
An enthralling debut that packs a heavy emotional punch. Fans of domestic horror like Zoje Stage’s Baby Teeth or Ashley Audrain’s The Push will find a lot to chew on here.
A great choice for readers who enjoy novels where the true horrors of colonization and human-rights atrocities are corrected in gruesomely riveting fashion while retaining the utmost respect to the victims, as seen in the works of V. Castro, Stephen Graham Jones, and Tananarive Due.
Sharp weaves together Celtic mythology, Christian theology, Arthurian legend, linguistics, theoretical physics, and astronomy in an immensely ambitious and tremendously trippy epic adventure. (This edition collects the first six issues of an ongoing series.) Think The Terminator meets Excalibur with more arcane philosophy, or The Green Knight meets 12 Monkeys with terrifying cyborgs.
Harrison’s 10th “Reverend Mother” mystery (following Murder in the Cathedral) is repetitive, and the details about Sir Walter Raleigh, tobacco, and Ireland tend to overshadow the mystery, making it almost secondary. Will appeal only to readers of the long-running series or historical-mystery buffs.
Slocumb’s second novel (following The Violin Conspiracy) is an improbable but fun mystery that will attract fans of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code (a lot of readers, in other words).
The first book from suspense novelist Gillian Flynn’s imprint at Zando. Sister Holiday’s violent, sexually provocative past life and her current language and behavior might be too outrageous for some readers, but the series has already been acquired for a prestige-television adaptation.
This is Lyon’s first foray into suspense, after writing mostly romance and women’s fiction (most recently contributing to The Inns of Devonshire). Consider this for purchase where the LDS community is strong, as Lyon has an audience there.
Readers who have followed the story of Mattie’s family through Mizushima’s other “Timber Creek K-9” mysteries will enjoy this fast-paced, relentlessly tense installment.
Tynion and Estherren have crafted an intriguingly mysterious thriller that evokes the distinct gothic sensibility of Gaiman’s original “Sandman” series.
Not for the squeamish, but fans of Oyinkan Braithwaite’s My Sister the Serial Killer or of Patricia Highsmith’s Ripley novels will be equally ensnared in DeStefano’s assured literary clutches.
Berry is like a fine-tuned machine, melding historical fact and authentic locales within a complex fictional storyline. History enthusiasts will relish the intricate research behind the spy-versus-spy thriller, which challenges readers to consider historical what-ifs.
Absurd humor and hyper-violence collide in this blisteringly satirical mash-up of Sesame Street and Robocop from Asmus (Rick and Morty) and Festante (Field Tripping).
The award-winning author of the Maisie Dobbs series skillfully juggles three timelines in a riveting stand-alone about a woman whose wartime experiences overshadow her post-war retirement.
Who doesn’t enjoy a murder mystery at sea? While this seventh “Lady Sherlock” mystery (after Miss Moriarty, I Presume) does not advance the larger series plot in any way, it is still an amusing look at characters fans have grown to love. Readers of authors such as Deanna Raybourn should give these novels a try. While this could work as a stand-alone, best to start with book one to fully appreciate the skillful character development.
Siobhan and her Garda husband Macdara Flannery add humor and zest to this follow-up to Murder on an Irish Farm. Fans of competitive baking shows or Amy Patricia Meade’s cozy mysteries will enjoy it.
Byron, author of the award-winning “Cajun Country” mysteries, combines setting, vintage cookbooks, recipes, and family drama in another delectable cozy.
Fans of Megan Goldin and Hank Phillippi Ryan and those who like open endings, complex plots, stories about family dynamics, and convoluted whodunits will devour this novel.
Blackgoose blends Indigenous history with fantastical beasts, taking themes of inequality and social agency in new directions. An excellent crossover novel for adults and young adults alike.
Tasker’s (1903–44) unromantic, soul-baring account combines the authenticity of memoir with the stirring progress of a bildungsroman. A worthy revival.
More than a mere roman à clef about Hitler or Stalin (or both), Jünger’s vivid and evocative narrative transcends its moment in capturing the ageless struggle between our individuality and creative wonder, and the darkness and terror sure to follow when people abandon themselves to belief, even if only to a belief in nothing.
Among Seven Stories Press’s vibrant English and Spanish editions of Che’s complete works, this raw account of his desperate and ultimately tragic final campaign makes a riveting and sobering bookend to the youthful idealism of his cult classic The Motorcycle Diaries.
Next to the often-contrived twists and revelations of today’s psychological suspense, Hart’s spare tale of all-consuming obsession is refreshingly straightforward. Louis Malle directed a 1992 film adaptation of the same name; a limited series for Netflix is currently underway, so anticipate demand.
A proto-Afrofuturist potboiler poised between Black Panther and the works of Percival Everett, this fascinating glimpse beyond the Harlem Renaissance canon anticipates Black power and Afrocentrist themes.
This visually striking art book will appeal to all who appreciate the beauty of ikebana and might inspire readers to try their hand at creating their own hanaike using Ueno’s techniques.
A beneficial purchase, of particular use for self-published and small-press authors, with information that will be helpful for anyone seeking to boost the visibility of their work.