U.S.A.

InsideHigherEd.com posted an interesting article about ‘the university library of the future’.  The article simply entitled, ‘Libraries of the Future’, begins:
‘The university library of the future will be sparsely staffed, highly decentralized, and have a physical plant consisting of little more than special collections and study areas.’
Read on…http://www.insidehighered.com

Continue Reading University Libraries of the Future

TheStar.com had a great article on the role of libraries today AND the future of libraries.  The article, ‘A tale of two countries’ libraries’, looked at public libraries in Canada and the U.S.A. to see what is working.  Here is an excerpt:
‘In a 2006 poll, 78 per cent of Americans said if their local library [...]

Continue Reading “Libraries are back big-time, they’re having a renaissance.”

AOL News reported on a group of Austin, Texas librarians that raised money to help other libraries by “baring their skin and revealing their tattoos”.   Read on…http://news.aol.com

Continue Reading “Librarians Act Naughty for a Nice Cause”

Shelf-Awareness.com says, “Beginning with today’s edition, the bestseller list published every Thursday in USA Today will include Amazon Kindle book sales in its overall rankings…”     Read the post…http://news.shelf-awareness.com
Read the USA Today announcement: http://www.usatoday.com

Continue Reading “USA Today List Kindled”

CNN.com had an interesting article about the transformation of the news business from large newspapers to lots of small online ‘reporters’.Check it out…http://www.cnn.com

Continue Reading “Future of online news may be ‘hyperlocal’ “

I started this post once before but due to a ‘blog crash’ I lost it.  Let me start again.  If you have suggestions for me, please email me at Jeff4Books@gmail.com.
Colorado

Frisco (near Vail and Breckenridge) Next Page Bookstore (formerly Next Page Bookstore and the Open Book bookstore.  Merging May 1st, 2009.  See the announcement )

Oregon

Portland - [...]

Continue Reading Bookstores I’d Like to Visit Someday

The Internet and the news are full of reports of how libraries are meeting the needs of hurting patrons.  Here are a few examples:
Libraries are bustling with job huntersHouston Chronicle - United States
Hard times are boom times for public libraries, experts say, noting
that scanning computerized job banks and filing résumés via the
Internet largely have [...]

Continue Reading Recession and Public Libraries

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

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”