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Tuesday, October 19, 2021
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Librarians and Professional Labeling: What's in a Name?
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by Dave Shumaker
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At a recent professional meeting, I was dismayed to find myself witnessing yet another discussion on whether those present should call themselves "librarians." The program that hosted this discussion opened with the observation that library spaces are shrinking in the post-pandemic world and the question of whether the participants might stop calling themselves librarians if they no longer work "in a [physical] library." Everything I heard was a repetition of arguments I've heard over and over. ... The conversations usually generate more heat than light. Moreover, they distract us from the important questions we should be discussing and tasks we should be working on. With the hope of helping the profession move on, I offer the following brief historical survey and some fundamental premises for librarians who are making decisions about what professional label to adopt.
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Bibliotheca Unveils the biblio+ Streaming Service
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Bibliotheca "unveiled biblio+, a new streaming service for libraries and their patrons. … biblio+ is turning the library streaming model on its head by offering unlimited, ad-free streaming for one affordable subscription price."
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APA Shares Study on How Memes Are Helping People Cope With the Pandemic
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This may seem obvious, but it's nice to have a study to confirm it: "Funny memes may help people cope with the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic, making viewers feel calmer and more content," the American Psychological Association (APA) reports.
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Amazon Is in Hot Water With Congress Again
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Manish Singh writes the following in "Amazon May Have Lied to Congress About Its Business Practices, Lawmakers Say" for TechCrunch: "Five members of the House Judiciary Committee have accused … Amazon's top executives of either misleading or blatantly lying to it about its business practices and said they are considering an investigation following publication of two damning reports. ..."
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Publishers Weekly Reports on the Indie Bookstore Boom
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Judith Rosen writes the following in "Another Pandemic Surprise: A Mini Indie Bookstore Boom" for Publishers Weekly: "Though the pandemic caused financial hardship for many independent bookstores, particularly those in cities and states that forced retailers to close their doors for months, it has also paved the way for a mini-boom of bookstore openings."
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OverDrive Education Updates Sora App With Magazine Content
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OverDrive Education made magazines available via its Sora student reading app for ebooks and audiobooks. Schools can buy bundles of 50 always-available magazines (focusing on both education and enjoyment) for their students, including National Geographic Kids, TIME for Kids, and The Week Junior.
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Hitting the Books: A Pro Baseball Player Promotes Reading and Media Literacy
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by Lauree Padgett
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At 6 feet, 4 inches tall and weighing 255 pounds, the Washington Nationals' switch-hitting first baseman Josh Bell is an imposing figure. When he steps up to the plate, it isn't hard to imagine that he can hit the ball a loooong way. And in the 2021 MLB season, Bell sent balls flying out of the ballpark more than 25 times. What isn't apparent when looking at this 29-year-old native of Irving, Texas, is how much he is committed to sharing his love of reading and libraries and helping people recognize the importance of literacy—especially media literacy.
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Cape Mayhem (A Meg Daniels Mystery)
by Jane Kelly
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Meg Daniels arrives manless in Cape May, New Jersey, for what should have been a romantic off-season weekend for two. Though unattached at the moment, Meg's courtship with trouble has been in high gear lately—her Cape May holiday soon promises more of the same.
It seems that, overnight, a guest at the Parsonage Bed & Breakfast has undergone an impossible transformation. Suspecting foul play, Meg enlists hunky Hank Bergman, an investigator in the local DA's office, and the B&B's spunky co-owner, George Hilburn, to help her answer the question: "Who was that lady who checked in with Wallace Gimbel?".
2023, Reissue (Originally published in 1999) | 248 pp/trade paperback | $14.65
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