|
|
Weekly News Digest
 |
November 12, 2024 — In addition to this week's NewsBreaks article and the monthly NewsLink Spotlight, Information Today, Inc. (ITI) offers Weekly News Digests that feature recent product news and company announcements. Watch for additional coverage to appear in the next print issue of Information Today.
CLICK HERE to view more Weekly News Digest items.
|
Good News From the 2024 Elections
Olivia Craighead and Emily Leibert published “Some Actually Good News From Election Night” for The Cut. They share the following:- Delaware state senator Sarah McBride became the first transgender person elected to Congress.
- For the first time, two Black women will serve in the Senate together: Angela Alsobrooks from Maryland and Lisa Blunt Rochester from Delaware.
- New York passed Proposal 1, which expands civil rights protections regarding “sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy.”
- Maryland, Colorado, and Missouri are adding articles to their state constitutions that protect “reproductive freedom.”
- Kentucky voted to ensure that public funding goes only to public schools, shoring up the public education system in the state.
- Democrat Josh Stein was elected North Carolina’s governor, keeping the state blue.
- Monique Worrell was reinstated as state attorney in Florida after being “ousted” by the governor.
PBS has more on Alsobrooks, Maryland’s first Black senator. Learn more about Blunt Rochester, Delaware’s first Black senator, from the Associated Press. Newsweek described an interview from The View with McBride. NBC News shared an interview with newly elected Andy Kim, New Jersey’s first Asian American senator. Seven states stood up for abortion rights, CNN reports. Along with Maryland, Colorado, and Missouri, Arizona, New York, Montana, and Nevada protected or expanded their reproductive rights measures.
Kudos Shares Survey Results on the State of Sustainability Research
Kudos published a new report based on a survey of 4,500-plus researchers, remote interviews with policymakers, and in-depth desk research on global funders’ policies. Written by Kudos co-founder Charlie Rapple, it offers recommendations for how publishers should respond to researcher’s needs around sustainability research and looks at how the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are influencing research funding and scholarly practices.“The study shows high awareness of the SDGs within the research sector, and suggests sustainability issues are increasingly driving funding and publishing decisions,” says Rapple. “Publishers are uniquely placed to help boost the visibility and impact of research that will help solve the issues framed by the SDGs, and we’ve highlighted the strategic and operational opportunities for publishers, and the advantages to be gained by more active engagement.” Email Charlie@GrowKudos.com to license the report. For more information, read the blog post.
EveryLibrary Breaks Down the 2024 Elections
EveryLibrary shared two pieces on the 2024 election: Library Election Night 2024 Results and Analysis and This Election Should Not Determine the Fate of Libraries (But It Might Have).Library Election Night 2024 Results and Analysis states, “Election Day 2024 was mixed for libraries on the ballot across the country. EveryLibrary identified and tracked 73 individual libraries on the ballot and actively supported seven campaigns with pro-bono consulting and direct donations.” It details some of the wins for libraries and links to the full statistics. This Election Should Not Determine the Fate of Libraries (But It Might Have) takes a more somber tone, describing the threats libraries are facing under another Trump administration, but EveryLibrary vows, “We are committed to working in coalition with local, state, and national libraries and allied organizations to oppose the framework and proposals embedded in Project 2025.” It celebrates the organization’s accomplishments in partnership with libraries: “EveryLibrary has successfully supported local library alliances that oppose censorship and discrimination. We know how to organize and empower local activists and return books to the shelves. With over 115 local campaigns on our Fight For The First campaign platform, we are winning. Each campaign costs money in ads, rallies, and staff time, but it is well spent. With more would-be censors emboldened and empowered by last night’s elections, we need to redouble our efforts and oppose a frightening future of perpetual censorship.”
Sage Acquires Cambridge Business Publishers
To continue building its business and management portfolio, Sage acquired Cambridge Business Publishers, a college textbook and technology provider specializing in accounting and finance courses. It offers an online educational and assessment platform for learning accounting called myBusinessCourse.“In looking for an organization that would greatly expand on Cambridge Business Publishers’ successes, we found that Sage’s guaranteed independence and global reach would assure continuity of our core achievements and accelerate our growth,” says founder George Werthman. “Contemplating the needs of our major stakeholders—our employees, authors, instructors, students, and the organization as a whole—Sage emerged as the publisher best positioned to meet our collective aspirations.” For more information, read the press release.
hoopla Digital Partners With IMPACTFUL for New BingePass
hoopla Digital joined with IMPACTFUL to bring its mental health literacy platform to libraries via hoopla’s BingePass option. The Creative Coping Toolkit BingePass gives public library patrons the ability to receive free, unlimited, weeklong access to a film- and evidence-based mental health education program for all ages, touching on anxiety, online safety, bullying, and other relevant topics.“Our mission with the Creative Coping Toolkit is to normalize conversations around mental health in a way that’s creative, approachable, and effective,” says Scilla Andreen, IMPACTFUL’s CEO. “We know that storytelling has the power to break down barriers and connect people. Through the Creative Coping Toolkit, we’re providing practical, evidence-based tools that can help individuals and communities build emotional resilience and navigate today’s complex social challenges.” For more information, read the press release.
Post-Election Feel-Good and Feel-Bad Books for Either Mood
The Guardian reports that “Books about democracy, dystopia, tyranny, feminism and far-right politics rapidly climbed bestseller charts in the wake of Donald Trump winning the US presidential election,” led by The Handmaid’s Tale.Forbes notes, “Donald Trump’s reelection has appeared to boost memoirs from Melania Trump and Vice Presidential pick J.D. Vance on bestseller lists, while also lifting sales of dystopian classics like Margaret Atwood’s ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ and George Orwell’s ‘1984,’ continuing a trend observed during Trump’s first presidency.” If you’re not in the mood for political tomes or dystopia, check out Book Riot’s “8 Books About Transgender Characters With a Happily Ever After.”
Library and Bookseller Positivity in the Wake of the 2024 Elections
Two articles, one published before the 2024 elections and one after, are good reminders of the power of libraries no matter the country’s leadership.“Spreading Joy at the Public Library” by Catherine Hollerbach, from Sept. 25, states, “Library workers are finding the joy in library work they have missed over the past few years. What is more joyous than finding that book you read as a child and sharing it with your kids? Or finding just the right story that pulls on your heartstrings or takes you on an adventure? Sometimes, it’s a song in storytime that brings on a smile or a chance to learn about a fantastic wine or how to fix a car. Not to mention getting help with a resume to get a great new job or talking to a social worker who can help a person get back on their feet when times are tough. Sometimes, it’s as simple as finding a warm place on a cold night or a respite from the heat and humidity.” “The Library’s Value Is Increased in the Age of AI” by Nick Tanzi, from Nov. 7, asserts, “As we enter the age of artificial intelligence, we can expect to hear the same skeptical voices challenging the relevance of our institutions. However, a closer look at the library and our brand reveals that their value has only grown. … Privacy, accuracy, and humanity are part of the core identity of libraries. They are also points of friction as we chart our course in the age of AI. This balancing act requires that we acknowledge the growing omnipresence of artificial intelligence, without using it as an excuse to discard the values that make us critical components of social infrastructure.” Post-elections, Shelf Awareness gathered statements from independent booksellers, sharing, “As dawn broke on the election results … many indie booksellers were taking stock and trying to find ways to help their communities sort through the aftermath, as well as to offer perspective and a gathering place. …”
OverDrive Integrates Digital Content Into Ex Libris LSPs
OverDrive and Ex Libris began a new integration to allow academic institutions to discover OverDrive ebooks and e-audiobooks within Ex Libris’ Alma and Primo library services platforms (LSPs). Users of these LSPs will get simplified access to OverDrive’s collection, enhancing the discovery process. There are plans to add other content, such as magazines and Kanopy films and TV shows.The press release shares, “Through this integration, Ex Libris has added OverDrive’s MARC record feed directly into their ‘Community Zone,’ allowing libraries using Alma and Primo to easily activate OverDrive content within the institution’s ‘Institution Zone.’ OverDrive sends a regular feed of MARC records to Ex Libris, updating the catalog with titles currently owned by mutual customers. Users can discover OverDrive titles in Primo and are directed to their institution’s OverDrive platform, such as Libby or Sora to borrow and enjoy the content.” For more information, read the press release.
ProQuest One Sustainability Offers Curated Content for Sustainability Research
Clarivate introduced ProQuest One Sustainability, a curated, multiformat collection of content geared to meet the demand for sustainability curricula in research and education. Structured around sustainability’s three pillars—environmental, social, and economic—based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it features more than 1,500 scholarly journals, more than 40,000 full-text case studies, and unique content from more than 37,000 dissertations and theses, along with reports, trade journals, ebooks, and magazines.The collection is supported by the AI-powered ProQuest Research Assistant for more targeted searching and document analysis. For more information, read the press release.
EFF and ALA Post-Election Statements
Executive director Cindy Cohn writes in “The 2024 U.S. Election Is Over. EFF Is Ready for What’s Next.” for the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), “The dust of the U.S. election is settling, and we want you to know that EFF is ready for whatever’s next. Our mission to ensure that technology serves you—rather than silencing, tracking, or oppressing you—does not change. Some of what’s to come will be in uncharted territory. But we have been preparing for whatever this future brings for a long time. EFF is at its best when the stakes are high.”The American Library Association (ALA) also pledges to support the people—that is, the librarians that make up its community. “We know that many of our members are concerned that the election results portend attacks on libraries, library workers, and readers,” ALA president Cindy Hohl said in a statement. “Whatever happens, ALA will stand up for all Americans’ freedom to read—and we will need everyone who loves libraries to stand with us.”
Send correspondence concerning the Weekly News Digest to NewsBreaks Editor
Brandi Scardilli
|
