English & Literature

An article on InsideHigherEd.com entitled, ‘Text Generation‘,  got me started thinking about texting and communicating with students.   Personally, I don’t think in most cases the students should have a teacher’s cell phone number.  However, I think it would be interesting to provide texting options with the ‘library and specificially the ‘reference librarian’ as in the [...]

Continue Reading Texting and Communicating with Students

‘AASL is promoting two resource lists, each honoring Internet web sites that enhance learning and curriculum development. Developed by an AASL task force, the sites are all free and user friendly.
The Top 25 Web sites for Teaching and Learning focuses on websites that foster the qualities of innovation, creativity, active participation and collaboratin.            [...]

Continue Reading Best Websites for Teaching and Learning from American Association of School Librarians (AASL)

Strategy+Business magazine (www.Strategy-Business.com) had an excellent article in their 54th issue, Spring 2009.  The article was entitled, “The Library Rebooted“.  Here is a brief quote:
“Their world has changed–a lot.  The library’s underlying promise hasn’t changed; the library is still a way for us to break beyond the immediate boundaries of our world, to…But the environment [...]

Continue Reading “The Library Rebooted” - a comprehensive article on the state of libraries

The best in books, videos and audiobooks for children and young adults were announced on Monday.  The awards include the Caldecott, the Coretta Scott King, the Newbery, Printz Awards.
Check out the winners…http://www.ala.org

Continue Reading Literary Award Winners announced by ALA

Kimberly Miller of the Palm Beach Post wrote a good article, State university officials take aim at slashing book prices examining the issue and seeking solutions.  Some excerpts:
“The rising cost of textbooks has long been a sore spot for students and parents. And for good reason. Textbook prices have increased at twice the rate of [...]

Continue Reading Soaring Textbook Prices and Solutions

The Library of Congress Blog posted the following:
“The Library of Congress often provides Bibles from its vast
collections for the use of Members of Congress during their swearing-in
ceremonies. But it is not every day that a president-elect makes the
same request for his inauguration. It is rarer still when that Bible is
the same one upon which Abraham [...]

Continue Reading A Special Book for a Special Inauguration

Jen Matsick wrote a thoughtful and insightful article comparing advertising and marketing of books as compared to other forms of media:
“Books are a bit of a unique element of the world of entertainment. Unlike movies and music, which can be heard, seen, and advertised using just about every aspect of the media - television, radio, [...]

Continue Reading ‘Blockbuster Books’

Ironically one of the best passages about the value of libraries I’ve ever read came from an article about library cutbacks and closings in Pennsylvania:
“In Franklin’s and Carnegie’s times, the library offered access to encyclopedias and books. It gave everyone a chance to educate himself during a time when access to education, especially higher education, [...]

Continue Reading Library Cutbacks in Pennsylvania and Lower Income Citizens

Fallon, NV’s Lahontan Valley News reports in “Libraries thrive in poor economies” that
“People’s wallets are getting lighter and are going out less unless it is to their local library.  As the economy continues to slide, local libraries are experiencing a sudden influx in clientele using their free services.”
Read on…http://www.lahontanvalleynews.com

Continue Reading “Libraries thrive in poor economies”

The Bend (Oregon) Bulletin reported in “Books fly off shelves as library use soars: Phenomenon may be a chapter in story of nation’s economy”:
“People are flocking to Deschutes County libraries, and officials say the slumping economy may be bringing them business. From July through November, patrons checked out about 10 percent more books and other [...]

Continue Reading Public Library Funding in this Economy? It’s a ‘no brainer’!