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World Book Night 2012

By admin on April 17, 2012 in ,

By kYmberly Keeton

I was so ecstatic when I learned about the World Book Night 2012 event that will take place this Saturday! Millions of readers will be able to receive free books from literary advocates for change. The World Book Night began, in the UK, in 2011, and now will spread all over the world.

”WorldAccording to the website, “World Book Night is an annual celebration designed to spread a love of reading and books. To be held in the U.S. as well as the U.K. and Ireland on April 23, 2012. It will see tens of thousands of people go out into their communities to spread the joy and love of reading by giving out free World Book Night paperbacks.”

There are numerous community groups, libraries, and literary organizations involved in the event. It was a simple process to get accepted. Each participant has to explain why they want to give away books in their community. All books are free and are packaged neatly for advocates to pick up in time for their giveaways. In addition, all participants are able to check out a nice listing of books to choose from regarding their requests.

Currently, there are over 2 million adults who are illiterate in this country. We — as librarians, graduate students, and volunteers — must do everything within our power to give back to our communities. This opportunity is one of the best that I can think of and it is FREE. And, we all know that reading is fundamental and the only FREE resource that is available to the public (and totally free at libraries across the world).

I will be giving away books as part of my advocacy work through digibooklibrarian. I decided upon the book I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou. I have read a lot of work by many of the authors on the list that I was given. I thought it was cool that they had some classics to give away. Thirty authors are on the list this year including a few here:

  • Sherman Alexie
  • Laurie Halse Anderson
  • H. G. Bissinger
  • Ocatvia Butler
  • Chris Cleave
  • Junot Diaz
  • Tim O’Brien
  • Jodi Picout
  • Rebecca Skloot
  • John Irving
  • Marilynne Robinson
  • Stephen King
  • Alice Sebold

All participants will receive twenty copies of the books that they requested to give away. In addition, certificates, bookmarks, and other memorabilia will be given away to commemorate the event. Numerous events will be taking place on April 23, 2012.

Get involved with your community and make a difference in an individual’s life. Many people today are opting out of reading and it is the only way that you can make it in this world—knowing how to read. Stay abreast of this organization’s programs in the future and get your organization involved with them next year if you missed out this go-around.

Check your local literary listings in your area regarding World Book Night 2012. If you are interested in participating next year make sure you bookmark it. It is best to get registered as soon as the announcement comes out.

Happy Reading!

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Archives for the future

By ELee on April 16, 2012 in , ,

By Erin Lee

Librarian stereotypeBun…glasses…cardigan…pearls…love of cats… I am sure that we are all aware of the stereotypes heaped on librarians  these days and I feel that archivists are one of the few professions that come off even worse.  I work in the archives at Syracuse University and absolutely love my job.  Not only do I get the chance to be involved in such diverse projects as processing the drawings of a leading nineteenth-century architect to vacuuming our College mascot but I also have the chance to be part of a warm and good-humored team focused on documenting life at Syracuse University.  My background before coming to the US involved Tudor buildings, stained glass, and excitement if I dealt with a document from after 1900.  My experiences here have opened my eyes to the breadth of the archives world and I have recently realized that archives are going some way toward exploding their stereotype through their collection policies.

L'viv ArchivesOk, so I am well aware of the stereotype of archives as being dusty, usually underground, dimly lit corridors of boxes with seldom seen tweed-clad bespectacled archivists scurrying about avoiding the daylight and forever collecting old tomes that are far removed from modern life.  Indeed, the old collections are important but over the past twenty years the focus has been shifting within archives.  On a recent visit to Cornell’s Department of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Katherine Reagan explained that archives need to consider now what future historians in 100 years will want to look at.  What contemporary items do we need to preserve now in order that they can be studied in years to come?  What contemporary items do we need to preserve now that will not otherwise survive the test of time?

There is obvious difficulty in predicting interests in the future but efforts must be made in order to preserve life as it is today.  Cornell is currently working on their Hip Hop collection, which is the largest in the nation.  This collection is still growing since those creating the content are still alive and can contribute directly.  The collection policy is different for such modern collections since antique book dealers may not be the best way to uncover material.  It is likely that more direct connections must be made with the creators of material and that archivists will need to reach out to potential donors in a more personal manner.  At Harvard, Virginia Hunt, the Associate University Archivist for Collection Development, actively encourages professors and faculty members to donate their papers to the University archive for future generations.  Archivists are taking a more active role in their institutions’ perpetuation; this is the only way that they will stay relevant in the years to come.  It is too easy to believe that contemporary information is nothing special but what would life be like if Xenophon, Augustus Pitt Rivers, or Anne Frank had had that approach?

A job in archives, therefore, is far more diverse than one might think and allows you to be part both of the preservation of history and of modern life for generations to come.

What do you think people will want to know about us in 100 years? Who out there is also specializing in archives?

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No Safe Houses Yet (Library Spaces and Places)

By JMatters on April 15, 2012 in , ,

by Jenn Matters

My library

My library

Today I officially opened the little community center library that I talked about here.  I introduced each of the age groups (K-5, 6-10) to the space, explained the process by which they could rate and tag the books, and offered the space to them as a reading room and homework resource.

It went both how I expected it, and not. I didn't expect to move a lot of books the first day and, somehow, I expected it to go better with the middle grade kids than it did. Most of my experience as a teacher was with middle school and high school kids in an English classroom, so I thought that would be the smooth sailing part of my day. However, it was the little kids who dove for books to read, out loud to the volunteers; each of them also left with at least one checked-out book. The middle grade kids all glared at me whilst I did my introductory spiel and only a few checked out books, but only as the group was leaving so the "cool kids" wouldn't see them wanting to read.

The reason for this unexpected turnout? Tweens and teens need a safe house before they can create a contact zone, a place where they can admit to enjoying dweeby things like books. In my classroom(s), I had the same students for at least 16 weeks. There's always a turnover point in the semester when this group of people in a room becomes a cohesive class, on their way to creating a third space.  Clearly I'm not at this turnover point yet with these kids.

The younger kids less often need this pre-established safe house. Being able to read can still be fun, reading itself can be made into a game or a way to show off their skills to any willing adult.

In order for true critical growth to happen in a classroom, students need to discuss the difficult topics: race, identity, differences. Basically, they need to go "full contact" with their thoughts and feelings. A safe house is a place where students feel comfortable with their vulnerability; they trust the others there. There is a lot of debate as to which of these education buzzword concepts needs to come first, for the most positive interaction and impact.

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The power of electronic resources

By AJames on March 28, 2012 in ,

by Aubrey James

Digital LibraryI have a research paper due this week in my cataloging class regarding how electronic resources have changed cataloging practices. Don’t worry, I’m not going to regurgitate the contents of my paper to you, but the topic made me start thinking about all of the ways electronic resources and e-books have changed the library in general. Users are obviously one reason for an increase in electronic resources. They want materials delivered to them in their homes, on their laptops, on their phones, on their i-pads, and on whatever new device is innovated within upcoming years. Do users really know how much electronic resources have affected them? Do you even know in what ways users are affected?

Yes, users can access information more often and at all times. That is, however, not the final conclusion to the question being posed. As a consequence of users seeking needed information and materials online rather than solely in the physical library building or bookstore, they access more information for different purposes. When I am conducting a search for articles within a database (or now through Primo due to its ability to encompass all types of resources within its search retrievals), results which are not relevant to a paper I am in the process of writing sometimes catch my eye. I often end up reading large portions of these irrelevant but interesting articles (provided my paper deadline is not within the next few hours). Similar behavior occurs when I am searching the OPAC (online public access catalog) or Primo at work to check the library’s holdings against titles requested for purchase. I see that we have a book which interests me as an e-book, and I cannot resist opening it up and reading a little bit. Once, I sent myself the title and author information in an e-mail and finished reading the entire book when I got home that day.

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Generation IA: Freedom of Information

By JChoi on March 22, 2012 in , , ,

by Jiwon Choi

In the age of information, what does freedom of information really mean? Does it mean we can surf the web for hours on end, and read all the newspapers and blogs online that our eyes and brains can withstand? Sure, it can mean these things, but then we have to ask ourselves “What are we doing with all this information we’re taking in?”

Full disclosure here: I don’t spend all my waking hours pondering what freedom of information really means. And just like everyone else, I am happy to turn on my laptop, take what I need and go along my merry way. But when I saw that March 16th is Freedom of Information Day (and James Madison’s birthday) as decreed by the 101st Congress’ 1989 Joint Resolution, I thought to myself “Hey, not so fast! There is more to it than I thought.”

To that end, the NYPL’s annual Freedom of Information lecture/discussion, held at the Science Industry Business Library branch, is a good event to attend if you want to ponder this idea and take it to the next level. This year the library invited Robert Weissman, “an expert on economic, health care, trade and globalization, intellectual property and regulatory policy, and issues related to financial accountability and corporate responsibility” (what a lot of expertise!) with the advocacy group Public Citizen.

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The HBCU Library Alliance

By KKeeton on March 19, 2012 in

By kYmberly Keeton

At the beginning of the 21st century, the HBCU (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) Library Alliance was formed. Their mission is “…to promote collaboration of information professionals and excellence in library leadership and services to enhance member resources and programs,” according to their website. The HBCU Library Alliance is aligned with libraries in academic institutions in over 20 states.

In 2001, the HBCU Library Alliance began working on their goal to obtain a grant by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The foundation started in 1969, and is a non-profit organization, based in New York City. Awards are given by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in five core program areas. The HBCU Library Alliance was awarded a grant in 2005 to fund their initiatives in preservation and documentation.

The HBCU Library Alliance offers programs that include the HBCU-CUL Digital Initiative, HBCU Library Alliance Leadership Program, and the preservation of photographic collections in Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Through major grants and leadership, the HBCU Library Alliance has grown into a major resource for students and faculty.

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What do you learn when you learn to read?

By admin on March 15, 2012 in ,

Mackey delivers the Gryphon LectureOn March 1, I had the opportunity to attend the Gryphon Lecture, a yearly event at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign that is sponsored by the Center for Children’s Books. This year, the lecture was delivered by Dr. Margaret Mackey, a professor at the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Alberta who is a prominent scholar of youth reading and media use. Her talk, entitled “Grounding Our Perspectives on Children’s Literature,” discussed the intersections between reading and locality; she traced the ways in which her own early literacy practices interacted with the geography of her childhood. (You can listen to the entire lecture here.)

One concept stood out to me, which was the idea of learning to read “against the text” in certain time- and place-specific ways. Mackey described learning the ways in which things like street lights or maps were not true representations of what the actual lived locality required. So, for instance, a walk sign might not actually mean that you should walk, depending on where it was located; you’d know this only by learning the patterns of the town and the light and the other walkers and drivers, all of which are very place-specific.

Reform siddurI immediately thought of my own early experience of learning to read against a text. As a child growing up in a small-ish Maine town, I attended a small Reform Jewish synagogue. The congregation was quite progressive, but because it was a fairly new synagogue with limited resources, the prayer books were on the old side. The congregation was in agreement that gender-neutral language should be used to refer to God, but the prayer books didn’t reflect this. So at the same time I was learning to read, I was learning to substitute “Parent” for “Father,” “the Eternal” for “the Lord,” “God’s” for “His,” and so on whenever there was a congregational response written into a prayer. For the most part, the Hebrew didn’t change, but there was one prayer where Sarah, Rivka (Rebecca), Leah, and Rachel were added in alongside Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (since this was a sung prayer, it also necessitated an on-the-fly change to the rhythm and melody). As a kid who loved to read but wasn’t always thrilled with sitting still for an hour, I thought of this as a great game, a way to keep my mind engaged while I was reading, especially at a time when reading aloud without tripping over my words was still a challenge.

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Syracuse Little Free Libraries

By admin on March 12, 2012 in

by Erin Lee

Little Free Libraries have been spreading throughout the country and the world since their inception in Wisconsin in 2009 at the hands of Todd Bol and Rick Brooks. These two pioneers joined forces to create an original idea to continue the work that Andrew Carnegie began way back in 1888 when he founded 2,509 public libraries across the world.

The mantra of the Little Free Libraries Project is ‘Take a Book, Return a Book’ and, according to their website, the three main missions are:

  • To promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book exchanges worldwide.
  • To build a sense of community as we share skills, creativity and wisdom across generations.
  • To build more than 2,510 libraries around the world-more than Andrew Carnegie
Take a book, return a book

Little Free Library: Take a book, return a book


Syracuse University’s Jaime Snyder, a PhD student in the iSchool, decided to embark on a leg of the project in the Near Westside of Syracuse. This entailed bringing together three very diverse groups in the city: LIS (Library and Information Science) students from the University’s iSchool, VPA (Visual and Performing Arts) students from the University and community members from the Near Westside.

At an initial brainstorming session we were all introduced to the concept of the Little Free Libraries and had a look at the website, discussed potential locations and collection development themes and created collages of ideas for color schemes and structures. After this each team worked on their individual projects: the LIS students were tasked with creating a seed collection (a list of around 100 books split into categories such as children’s, cooking, poetry, box office hits, popular fiction etc.); the VPA students worked on creating the structure itself and the community group searched for a location and a steward, who would check in on the collection, replenish and replace stock when required.

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I love my job

By admin on March 10, 2012 in ,

by Aubrey James

Do you ever get tired of answering the question, “Why do you want to be a librarian?” I get asked this question nearly every time I explain where I am employed and what I am studying in school. I never ask, “Why do you want to be an accountant?” or “Why do you want to sell real estate?” There is just something about libraries that conjures a monotonous, dull image for the majority of individuals posing this question. Maybe it is their dislike for reading or memories of studying dreaded materials within library walls, but they cannot fathom why I want to spend my days aiding with the logistics of providing books to patrons.

First of all, as all library employees and library science students are extremely aware, libraries are no longer confined within walls or restricted to providing access to books and print documents. This is however not the focus of my rant. Second of all, I have very few interactions with patrons during a typical work day. I work in the technical services department as an assistant in acquisitions, so I spend most of my days tucked away in an office on the third floor. This is an area of which those unfamiliar with library functions outside of book lending are completely unaware. How they imagine books appearing on the shelves, electronic resources becoming accessible on the website, and corresponding records becoming available in the online public access catalog (OPAC), I do not know. Most people’s views of libraries are essentially two-dimensional.

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The African-American Librarian in the 21st Century: A Personal Assessment

By admin on March 7, 2012 in ,

by kYmberly Keeton

African-American librarians are the gateway conservators of our history; their existence in the profession will play a vital role in the 21st century. I will never forget when I opened up Mildred Taylor’s Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, I was in the fifth grade. The writer took me into the world of a family who believed in love, perseverance, and faith. It was also the first time that I started to understand what race meant in the United States. An African-American librarian suggested that I read the book. I will forever be grateful that she did. From that point on in my life, I started to collect books. It would never occur to me that I would one day be entering the profession of librarianship. I have come to understand today that Research Librarian, Julis Jefferson, Jr., is right when he says, “African-American librarians are culture-keepers.”

Dating back to the 1800s, African-Americans preserved their history, though they were denied the right to read or write. As bibliographers they saved literature, memoirs, slave documents, and academic papers—with limited resources. Since that time, there have been numerous black librarians who have created library collections and archives. Dolly B. Davis Hoover, was a pioneer librarian in the field. Born in Washington, D.C., in 1923, she saw the need for black librarians to be experts in the profession. Hoover attended Catholic University of America, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Library Science. She then went on to work as an Assistant Cataloger at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, from 1945-1949. Dolly B. Davis Hoover was hired at Indiana State University, in 1958, where she worked as a Senior Librarian. She experienced racism and segregation. Despite challenges, Hoover was the first African-American female librarian given tenure in 1961.

As I continued to research the field of librarianship, and blacks in the field, I became familiarized with the American Library Association. The organization’s mission statement on their website states that their role is, “…to provide leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.” Black librarians would not receive acceptance into the ALA until the 1960’s. Dr. E. J. Josey, a noted administrator, scholar, librarian, and educator formed the Black Caucus of the American Library Association in 1970. He tirelessly worked to improve racial disparity in the field, penning the critically acclaimed, The Black Librarian in America in 1970. Dr. E. J. Josey’s contribution to librarianship in the United States has opened many doors for the 21st-century black librarian.

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