Public libraries aren’t merely book repositories; they also provide access to information and resources for the entire community. And in some neighborhoods, librarians are training themselves to revive heroin users who have overdosed. [More]
libraries
Librarians To Ivanka Trump: If You Support Libraries, Why Is Your Dad Trying To Defund Them?
By 4.14.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
In celebration of National Library Week, Ivanka Trump — eldest daughter and assistant to President Donald Trump — Tweeted about the important role that libraries and librarians play in “opening our eyes to the world of knowledge, learning and reading!” This statement, however well-intentioned, did not go over well with the institutions whose funding would be slashed or eliminated if the President’s budget is passed. [More]
AirBNB Apologizes For Passive-Aggressive Ads Making City Budget Suggestions
By 10.22.15
In the last 24 hours or so, AirBNB has learned a few important lessons about passive-aggressive advertising and about how much people love public schools and libraries. Shortly before voters in San Francisco decide whether to severely restrict residents’ ability to rent out their property on a short-term basis, the company put out an ad campaign to remind the city of how much tax revenue those stays generate. The backlash was swift and angry. [More]
Chipotle’s “Cultivating Thoughts” Cups, Bags Showcased At Yale’s Rare Book Library
By 6.25.15
You may remember that last year Chipotle began helping customers pass the time while eating at its restaurant by scrawling original texts from famous authors on cups and bags for the Cultivating Thoughts campaign. While most of us just tossed the items when we were finished with our meal, several pieces made their way to the rare book library at Yale. [More]
Some Terrible Person Is Stealing Books From Libraries, Selling Them Online
By 8.19.14
Public libraries are an amazing resource where you can access books, music, movies, and even e-books without having to pay. However, there’s a criminal somewhere in Pennsylvania who isn’t checking books out from local libraries: he or she is evading the anti-theft systems, removing new books and best-sellers from the library, and selling them. [More]
Sex Manual Returned 54 Years Late After Failing To Save Library Patron’s Marriage
By 7.30.14
When you’re turning to a sex manual from the 1920s for help in your failing marriage, well, let’s just say you can’t blame a book if it can’t be revived. But at least the family of a library patron who failed to return a 1926 how-to guide all the way back in 1959 has managed to finally bring it back, albeit 54 years late. [More]
Complaint Asks Library To Remove ‘Hop On Pop’ Because It Promotes Violence Against Dads
By 4.30.14
When you’ve got a system that allows the general public to air grievances, it’s pretty much guaranteed that there will be some off-the-wall issues. Or at least, problems that seem to not be all that serious: the Toronto Public Library received a complaint asking for librarians to remove Dr. Seuss’ Hop On Pop, claiming that it promotes violence against well, pops, dear old dad, father dearest. You get it. [More]
You Can Go To Jail For An Overdue Library Book
By 11.1.13
If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the years, it is not to mess with librarians or library materials. We’ve learned some other things too, of course, but for today’s lesson in library lateness, just go with it. Moving on! [More]
Reader Returns Overdue Library Book After 41 Years, Pays $299 Fine
By 7.23.13
Some people need a little more time than others to read a book, like the person who had been holding on to an overdue library book for 41 years but recently decided to turn it in, along with hundreds of dollars in fines. [More]
Sony Doesn’t Want Kids Encouraging Reading If It Means Using A Michael Jackson Song
By 11.28.12
What could possibly be bad about teenagers trying to convince others to get into reading? Well, everything, if you’re Sony-ATV and the kids are parodying Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” and turning it into “Read It.” The company, along with Jackson’s estate, have blocked a group of teens at a Pennsylvania library from posting their video on YouTube. [More]
Not Done With That ‘Oregon Trail’ CD-ROM? Phoenix Library Could Use The $4.3M In Late Fees
By 11.27.12
Are you really ever going to fire up your old VHS and watch those videos you borrowed from the Phoenix Library? No? Then would you possibly mind forking over the cash to cover the late fee? See, the library system has totted up the costs related to overdue materials like books, CDs, videos and yes, cassettes and says its borrowers owe it about $4.3 million in fees. Plenty of that stuff won’t be able to be replaced, that’s how long it’s been since they were originally checked out. [More]
Finding A Gun In A Donated Library Book Is Okay When It’s A Cool Antique One
By 10.31.12 — Updated: 11.1.12
Discovering a gun somewhere you don’t expect to see one? Scary. Finding a historic-looking old-timey cool gun hidden inside a hollowed out book? Awesome. A library employee at a branch in Valparaiso, Ind. made the discovery last week after opening up the book, which had been donated to the library’s collection. [More]
Whew: Study Reveals The Internet Generation Still Knows What A Book Is
By 10.23.12
Us old folk who didn’t have our childhood catalogued in daily detail on social networks like to grumble about “kids these days!” Which is just a cranky way of saying the Facebook generation is spoiled by technology and probably wouldn’t even know what a book is if it’s not based off a hilarious parody Twitter account. But actually, kids these days not only know what real books are still, they’re reading them more than adults. [More]
San Francisco Library Providing Helpful Privacy Screens For Online Porn-Viewing Comfort
By 7.26.12
Just because a person is viewing online porn at a public library doesn’t necessarily mean they want everyone to know that — and plenty of fellow patrons might not want to accidentally catch an eyeful, either. San Francisco’s main library is taking all that into consideration with its new privacy screens on its free computers. [More]
Should Libraries Let People Look At Porn In The Open?
By 1.31.12
There is much discussion in the Seattle area today after a mom claims that while on a visit to her local library with her two young daughters, she spied a man viewing hardcore porn on a computer with a screen that was facing out to the rest of the library. And when she complained about it to the staff, she says her concerns were shrugged off. [More]
Should Companies Advertise To Kids At The Library?
By 1.19.12
Who doesn’t like stuffed animals? Free stuffed animals, even! E. isn’t happy, though. At storytime at her local public library, people representing Wells Fargo brought stuffed ponies with the Wells Fargo logo to distribute to the children, and donated a large pony to decorate the children’s section. [More]
Penguin Will March New Ebooks Out Of Library Lending Program
By 11.23.11
Readers used to loading up on free ebooks they download through their libraries will have fewer options available. Penguin announced it will keep its new ebooks off of the OverDrive lending program due to security concerns. [More]
Wisconsin Library Loans Out iPads
By 9.23.11
Any libraries concerned that the ebook phenomenon will render them obsolete could stand to take a cue from a Wisconsin library that has started lending iPads to members. The devices come pre-loaded with at least 1,000 classic books and are available for weeklong loans and four-hour in-library use. [More]
