Library district fails by 6 votes

Loveland Daily Reporter-Herald, Loveland, Colo.

While voters passed the formation of the district, they rejected by a 1,174-to-1,168 margin the 2.4-mill property tax that would have been used to fund the district.

“Although the district question passed, we cannot form a district without funding,” said Library Director Sara Wright. . . . more

Library Board says 'no' to removing materials

Arizona Republic

"The board took their responsibility to the public seriously," Library Manager Brenda Brown said. "In the end, they recognized that banning the materials or restricting their access was not in the public's best interest . . . .more

This story has an icky headline

Telegraph.co.uk

Every secondary school in England is setting up a dedicated "boys' bookshelf" as part of a Government-funded initiative to improve reading among 11- to 14-year-olds. . . . more

Ask away!

QCTimes.com, Davenport, Iowa

AskAway, a new statewide cooperative reference service of Illinois libraries, can help people get a reliable answer from a professional librarian anytime day or night by logging on to askawayillinois.info or by accessing a link at the Moline Public Library site at molinelibrary.com. . . . more

How a library can still stack up in Internet-Starbucks age

The Villager, New York

“Young people are realizing how cool it is to become a librarian. . . . They’re realizing that if you like reading and writing, you don’t have to go into publishing. It’s sort of a post-modern pleasure of dusting off a stereotype.” . . . more

Stacked against him

Boston Globe

[Boston Mayor Thomas] Menino said he is hurt to be in a public fight over the library. He wistfully recalled that as a teenager he spent much of his time at the Hyde Park branch.

When asked about [former Boston Public Library president Bernard] Margolis's statement that he had been pressured into hiring friends of the mayor, Menino was evasive. "I've never made a phone call over there, ever," he said. "Maybe someone else has; I don't know." . . . more

Town Meeting OKs extra money for library

MetroWest Daily News, Framingham, Mass.

ASHLAND - Town Meeting last night added $15,000 to the library budget for a new part-time employee, despite warnings from selectmen and the town manager that the town faces possible budget cuts and should not add staff. . . . more

Library to consider patron requests to ban materials

Arizona Republic

Objections to the Phoenix New Times and comedian George Carlin's audio book, When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?, could lead to the publications being yanked from library shelves if the board agrees they're too racy, irreverent or politically incorrect for public consumption. . . . more

The library's next chapter

Boston Globe

What are [Boston Mayor Thomas] Menino's plans for the BPL? Will there be a truly open, wide-ranging search to find the Keith Lockhart of the library world? Or will Menino push for the more localized kind of search that begins and ends with friends and the politically connected? . . . more

Ouster prompts blast at Menino

Boston Globe

Longtime Boston Public Library president Bernard Margolis, breaking his silence within hours of his ouster yesterday, lashed back at Mayor Thomas M. Menino, accusing him of an "anti-intellectual" bent that threatens the city's cherished library system with too much parochial politics and too little funding. . . .

[When Margolis] sought clarity from mayoral confidants on why Menino was trying to force him out, he was told: "The mayor is fixated on this. He hates you." . . . more

Porn in libraries is wrong, say residents

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"A library which allows sexually explicit materials to be viewed on the Internet," she said, "is no different from an adult sex shop, except that at the library, children are present and taxpayers are footing the bill." . . . more

What's Hillary hiding in Bill's library?

Los Angeles Times

One of the little-known reasons for the successful reshaping of Hillary Clinton's image from the cold, conniving spouse to the convivial candidate who laughs at aggressive questions and talks often about becoming the first female president is actually something Clinton has not done.

Despite previous promises of openness and transparency and even while denouncing the secrecy of the Bush administration, she and her husband have not authorized the release of millions of pages of documents, letters, calendars, appointment logs, e-mails and memos from her years as first lady.

more

Rollinsford boy's library dream comes true

Foster's Daily Democrat, New Hampshire

The Friends of the Rollinsford Library group along with the three library trustees gathered Wednesday to sign the lease for the first official space for a library the town has seen in 167 years. . . . more

Clinton library a closed book

Chicago Tribune

Almost three years after the library's opening and nearly two years after the administration's archives became subject to federal open-records laws, only a small fraction of the archives has been opened to the public. . . . more

Library fights for grants

Sand Mountain Reporter, Albertville, Ala.

Commissioner Buddy Allen . . . said libraries are becoming “a thing of the past” because of technology and expressed concern the county library would just be “an expenditure to the county down the road.” . . . more, plus a follow-up from the paper's managing editor.

Library selling off rare, collectible books Saturday

Arizona Republic

One of the most valuable is a 101-year-old copy of Folk Tales from Tibet by Captain W.F. O'Connor. Rare book sites value the work at $200, but Wilson said it can be purchased Saturday for $100.

An 1889 first edition of Louisa May Alcott's Life, Letters and Journals will have a $75 price tag. Several Tarzan books published between 1914 and 1924 will be $25 to $30. . . . more

A 17th-century library's remarkable renaissance

International Herald Tribune

"The Anna Amalia Library is a matter of the heart for the people of Weimar," said Michael Knoche, the library's director. "A lot of that has to do with the fact that this was one of the first real public libraries in Germany. It wasn't just open to royalty, but to the people as well." . . . more

Rare maps stolen from Spain's National Library returned

International Herald Tribune

MADRID, Spain: Precious maps stolen from Spain's National Library, including some cut out of 15th and 16th century books by Greek astronomer Claudius Ptolomy, were returned Monday after police tracked them to locations on three continents. . . . more

"Full-service" libraries

New York Times

From Princeton in New Jersey to West Hartford in Connecticut, libraries are starting to look more like Internet cafes and bookstores and less like quiet rows of book-lined shelves. . . .

While some feared the Internet would keep people glued to their home computers, visits to libraries across the country have increased. Circulation in libraries rose by 28 percent in the last decade, and visits increased 61 percent from 1994 to 2004, according to the American Library Association. . . . more

Razor Blade Found in Child's Book

WRCB TV, Chattanooga, Tenn.

On November 10, a book was purchased that had been printed and packaged in China. An elementary school student who had purchased the book found a razor blade, which had fallen out of the book and cut her finger. The razor blade was identified with Chinese writing on it. The school librarian notified the Building Principal David Smith, who then went to the school to investigate the matter. . . . more

Oddballs, Geeks, and Gangstas in the Public Library

San Francisco Chronicle

"A mecca for scholars and students of all ages, the library is the dullest place in the world - 91 percent of the time. It also attracts the homeless, the mentally ill, occasional pedophiles, Internet junkies, unattended children down to the age of two, con artists, thieves, beggars, cultish homeschoolers, and people who are in general angry with every level of state and federal government. Most of these people decide to fill out an application and get a library card. . . . more

The talk of the Reagan library

Los Angeles Times

A lavish gala was to kick off a display of Nancy Reagan's ball gowns Thursday night, but visitors to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library near Simi Valley were buzzing more about the landmark's record-keeping problems -- lapses so severe that National Archives officials are unable to say whether gifts to the Reagans have been stolen or are lost inside the massive museum complex. . . . more

Library plan faces revisions after defeat

Louisville Courier-Journal

Everything is on the table -- except new taxes.

That was Mayor Jerry Abramson's message to Louisville Free Public Library leaders one day after voters overwhelmingly rejected an occupational tax increase that would have paid for new and renovated libraries, Abramson spokesman Chad Carlton said. . . . more

TOP TEN NEW LIBRARIANS REVEALED

24 Hour Museum

The judging panel, comprised of winners from last year’s ‘Top Ten Librarians of the Future’, were looking for entrants who challenged the outdated perception of librarianship as a stamping books and tidying shelves career.

This year’s winners included Emma Sherriff, who has been hosting karaoke sessions at the library in Plymouth; and Sam Davies of Manchester Library and Information Service, who set up live gigs and open mic sessions at his library. . . . more

Juvenile books with sex line phone number pulled from Collier libraries

Naples News, Naples, Fla.

Collier County Public Libraries has pulled 28 books from the Magic Attic series off the shelves as of this morning.

The move follows a news report out of Hillsborough County on Wednesday that a phone number in the back of some of the books in the series, aimed at 9-12 year old girls, was sold after the series went out of publication and now belongs to a phone sex line. . . . more

Florence Nightingale letter found at Auckland library

New Zealand Herald, Auckland, New Zealand

A letter from Florence Nightingale to George Grey before he took up a second term as Governor of New Zealand is among an exhibition of "Treasures" from the special collections at Auckland City Library.

"God bless you," she tells Grey while he was Governor of Cape Colony in South Africa. "You will do a noble work in New Zealand." . . . more

Alchemists of British Library preserve heritage

Reuters

LONDON (Reuters) - Bending over a mediaeval parchment, the curator carefully applies her "butterfly stitch" of minute strips of tissue to a rip in the age-browned paper.

The adhesive dabbed on the tissue is made from the bladder of a sturgeon, one of the centuries-old techniques used by the alchemists of the British Library to restore its ancient books.

more

Sentry Technology Wins Library Self-Service Contract

CNN

RONKONKOMA, N.Y., Nov. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sentry Technology Corporation announced today that the Calgary Public Library placed an order for an additional eight QuickCheck(TM) self-service kiosks. This is the fourth order for QuickCheck(TM) systems by Calgary following a public tender process. When the installation of the latest order is complete the library will have twenty-two self-service systems in service. . . . more

A question of security

Worcester Magazine, Worcester, Mass.

When operations at the Worcester courthouse finally moved to the newly opened Regional Justice Center at 225 Main St., the Worcester Law Library became the lone tenant at the old place, leaving its three librarians understandably nervous.

While the new place is a bright and shiny state-of-art facility, the old courthouse remains the dark and dingy haunt it has been for decades. While security in the new $180 million building is tight, the old courthouse has one guard at its entrance. . . . more

NY Public Library Honors Scorsese

Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese has won yet another laurel.

Along with three others, he has been named a Library Lion by the New York Public Library.

Scorsese, a native New Yorker who grew up in Little Italy and won his first Oscar last year for "The Departed," was honored Monday along with historian John Hope Franklin, author Jhumpa Lahiri and playwright Tom Stoppard. . . . more

Libraries to be 'new channel' for direct marketing

Guardian, U.K.

A scheme to put thousands of advertisements into library books will find borrowers taking home a little more than they had bargained for.

Up to 500,000 inserts a month are due to be handed out by libraries in Essex, Somerset, Bromley, Leeds and Southend. . . . more

How libraries can help you make money, part one

The first in an ongoing feature on how libraries have helped businesses grow.

Congressman Dennis Cardoza

Whereas Ernest Gallo, with his brother Julio Gallo, founded E.&J. Gallo Winery at the end of the Prohibition Era in 1933, beginning with only $5,900 in savings and a winemaking pamphlet from the Modesto Public Library to make their first batch, growing their small family-owned winery into the world's second largest by volume, and selling an estimated 75,000,000 cases a year worldwide under approximately 100 different labels . . .

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Congress honors the life of Ernest Gallo, a pioneer in the field of winemaking, dedicated philanthropist, and community leader. . . . more

More on the College Cost Reduction and Access Act

Some Web sites that offer a little explanation of the implications of this new law.

The College Cost Reduction and Access Act

Government Printing Office

This bill became Public Law 110-84 on Oct. 1. Like all federal legislation, it is immensely complicated. Reading new laws is like reading a science textbook: you end up having to refer to another textbook (if you can find it) to know what it's talking about, and then you have to refer to another textbook to figure out what the second textbook is talking about, and so on.

At the moment I have no way of knowing how it will affect me or, basically, anyone else in this country. However, it does talk about student loan forgiveness for public service employees, and it includes library science students in that category.

I would encourage you to read the whole bill and try to find someone who can make some sense of it. I plan to do that, and will report back to you on what I find out. In the meantime, here is what I believe to be the pertinent language for anyone pursuing or considering pursuing an advanced degree in library science:

TITLE IV--LOAN FORGIVENESS

SEC. 401. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR PUBLIC SERVICE EMPLOYEES.

``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall cancel the balance of
interest and principal due, in accordance with paragraph (2), on
any eligible Federal Direct Loan not in default for a borrower
who--

``(B)(i) is employed in a public service job at the
time of such forgiveness;

``(B) Public service job.--The term `public service
job' means--
``(i) a full-time job in . . .
public library sciences, school-based library
sciences and other school-based services . . . . more

Proposal to set up electronic manuscript library

The Hindu, New Delhi

NEW DELHI: In a bid to archive the manuscripts tracked down by the National Manuscripts Mission in its four-and-a-half-year-long existence, the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) plans to create a National Electronic Manuscript Library.

This was informed by IGNCA Trust president Chinmaya R. Garekhan during a media briefing here on Thursday at the close of a four-day meeting of the representatives of 80 Manuscript Resource Centres and Manuscript Conservation Centres. . . . more

Libraries honor freedom to read banned books

Salt Lake Tribune

The Salt Lake County library system recently participated in the 26th annual Banned Books Week, an event sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and a host of other literary organizations.
Banned Books Weeks is somewhat of a misnomer. ALA officials say the event is really about:
* Celebrating our freedom to read.
* Emphasizing the importance of the right to express opinions, no matter how unorthodox or unpopular.
* Ensuring the availability of such views to all who wish to read them. . . . more

Rwanda: The Library Comes to the People

AllAfrica.com

The topic of Rwanda's reading culture, or lack thereof, has been the subject of lengthy discussions over the years. The recent launch of a riding library has brought the topic back into the lime light.

The 3B project, as it is officially called, was conceived by the association Ishyo, a grouping created in 2005 that brings together eight women from all walks of life, with the aim of promoting culture in all its form. Its most eye-catching component is the Biblio Bus, a truck that has been transformed into a library carrying 4000 books with stories, tales and images in Kinyarwanda, English and French. . . .
more

Baby blues gives birth to Mum’s book

Herts24.co, Hertfordshire, UK

Post-natal depression is what set Clare Burgess on the road to becoming a children's author.

She dabbled in cookery, the art of fencing , aerobics, power walking, health and nutrition before finally finding that writing for children hit the spot.

So she joined The Hertford Writers Group, and, being a Hoddesdon girl born and bred, took up a weekly vigil in the town's library and set about writing a novel. . . . more

Library interfaith panel to explore religious holidays

Indianapolis Star

FISHERS -- The community can learn and ask questions about three of the world's oldest religions when Christian, Jewish and Islamic holidays are discussed at a Nov. 13 forum.

The Fishers Library will host an interfaith panel at 7 p.m. led by the Rev. Timothy Brock, senior pastor of White River Christian Church in Noblesville, Rabbi Jon Adland of the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation and Imam Shaker Rashid of the Alhuda Foundation in Fishers. . . . more

Library gets £1.5m lottery grant

BBC News

The Battle Library in Oxford Road, Reading, won £1,469,808 from the National Lottery to turn the facility into a "focal point for the community". . . . more

Singapore marks first Library Week

ChannelNewsAsia.com

SINGAPORE: It has been 50 years since the Raffles National Library Ordinance was enacted, marking the start of free library services to the public in Singapore.

According to the Library Association of Singapore, there are now more than 40 libraries in the city-state, with 23 public libraries under the National Library Board network. . . . more