The purpose of this column is to share information and ideas about how libraries, technology companies, content creators, vendors, and users can work together to make the world of information technology in libraries more accessible for everyone, including people with visual, auditory, physical, and learning challenges. It will discuss how these…

Regardless of whether cell phones remain the dominant platform or Wi-Fi becomes the prevalent platform, there are some things that libraries can do to improve patron service in light of evolving expectations, behaviors, and tools. People today are more nomadic, which leads to the very real possibility of having to deliver content not just to the…

Keeping a history of peace studies. Cataloging audio and video broadcasts important to the Northwest. Digitizing images and other documents older than the state of California. All of these efforts are important steps toward preserving the history of the nation's development. Digital library initiatives are nothing new; the effort to digitize data…

Young adults have an insatiable thirst for blood, violence, and the supernatural. They love to be scared, and if something grosses them out, so much the better. That is why horror stories--tales that spark powerful feelings of dread, aversion, guilt, anger, and other deliciously dark emotions--are such a hit at libraries. In this article, the…

This article examines how collaborative collection development affects libraries. For many public libraries, adopting the collaborative collection development model would require a new way of thinking. In this model, libraries are equal partners "in which each library recognizes that it is a node in the network and that if it does not do its work,…

Most facilities renovation projects occur because someone at the executive or board level has lobbied successfully for them. Often in public schools, the voters have agreed to the project as well via a building referendum. Therefore, facilities projects are highly visible to the community. Unlike many other issues in schools, facilities projects…

The St. Lucie West Library, also known as the FAU Treasure Coast Campus Library, is a joint-use library facility, with Florida Atlantic University partnering with Indian River Community College and the St. Lucie County (FL) Library System. This article will discuss the circulation, course reserves, interlibrary loan, and collection management…

Purpose: The paper seeks to describe the provision of access to the Safari Tech Books collection of e-books at Hillingdon Libraries. Design/methodology/approach: Details are given of how the e-books collection is part of a broader range of e-information services provided by Hillingdon. Methods of searching for e-books are described, with…

Unprocessed archival collections can contain unknown and potentially hazardous materials that can be harmful to other collections and staff. Archival literature largely focuses on collection and personnel dangers posed by environmental hazards such as mold and insect infestation but not on pharmaceutical and chemical hazards. In this article, the…

The National Council of Teachers of English awarded the coveted nonfiction prize to "Quest for the Tree Kangaroo: An Expedition to the Cloud Forest of New Guinea." Written by Sy Montgomery, with photographs by Nic Bishop, the book was further honored as a Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal Honor recipient by the Association for…

Annette Haines, one of three field librarians at the University of Michigan (UM), traveled to Angouleme, France, with a faculty member to attend an international comic book festival. As the field librarian in the School of Art and Design, Haines was able to learn firsthand what materials professor Phoebe Gloeckner, a well-known graphic novelist,…

This report marks the third release of library statistics data from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). It contains data on state library agencies in the 50 states and the District of Columbia for state fiscal year (FY) 2008. The data were collected through the State Library Agencies (StLA) Survey, the product of a cooperative…

While library programming for children is a staple in most public libraries, it is quite rare in the academic setting. In 2006 the education librarian at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire began offering literacy programs in a library that traditionally discouraged children and community members from using its resources. Successful programs…

Purpose: This dissertation sought to find the most significant personal strategies and institutional support used by Latino males who successfully complete transfer requirements in the Los Angeles Community College District and determined what factors most contribute to Latino academic success. The study begins with a review of literature and…

With the rise in the number of types of digital media and the time youth spend on these platforms, researchers theorize that interacting with digital media can provide significant motivation for youth to participate, create, and become active learners. The Consortium on Chicago School Research, with funding from the John D. and Catherine T.…