A Book Voyage with No Guide
As the number of Americans who read books has declined, those who do read have begun wearing t-shirts, carrying tote bags, and sticking magnets on their fridges declaring their love…
Posts by tag
libraries
175 posts
Why Libraries Matter
Love libraries? So do we. Know someone who thinks physical libraries will eventually disappear? Have them watch this mini-documentary, Why Libraries Matter, over at the Atlantic. A look at a…
The Never-Ending Search for Shelf Space
Libraries are continuously purchasing new books, but the only way to make room for new titles is by removing old ones. Phyllis Rose explores the process of libraries’ acquisition and…
The Many Faces of Librarians
This past week was National Library Week! Still imagine all librarians as the curmudgeonly figures you encountered in elementary school? Think again. Slate has a photo project representing the diversity of librarians—showcasing…
Book Deserts Threaten Vulnerable Readers
Writing at BookRiot, Josh Corman draws attention to yet another potential crisis facing low-income neighborhoods: book deserts. Anti-government and knowledge-fearing Congressman Paul Ryan has proposed funding cuts to the Federal Institute of…
We Can Rebuild Ourselves by Reading
Libraries without Borders unveiled its latest project at the New York Public Library. They’re shipping a “library in a box,” or Idea Boxes, to refugee camps. The idea is that…
Famous Librarian Also Famous Jerk
Melvil Dewey: inventor of the Dewey decimal system, godfather of modern library science, and…sexist jerk? According to this Bitch blog post, Dewey helped open the field of librarianship to women by…
Green Branch Library to Branch Out with Bookmobile
The Green Branch Library has done amazing work providing books and other materials about social and environmental justice to kids in Oakland. Now they’re hoping to expand their reach to…
How Well Do You Know Library of Congress Subjects?
Which book can be comprehensively defined by the keywords “married people,” “college teachers,” and “New England”? What about “totalitarianism” and “London (England)”? See how well you can categorize bookshelves with…
Go to the Library Without Leaving Your House
If you liked learning about fore-edge paintings, you’ll love the New York Public Library’s Tumblr. And the Smithsonian Libraries’ Tumblr. And the University of Iowa’s Special Collections & University Archives Tumblr. And…
Italian Librarian Steals and Deals Rare Books
Who says librarians can’t also be the leaders of organized crime rings? The very man charged with protecting these treasures, Marino Massimo De Caro, a politically connected former director of…
Louisiana Town Votes to Save Library
Last week, EveryLibrary reported that “Mr. Lindel Toups, chair of the Parish Council in Lafourche, LA…is orchestrating a ‘special election’ this Saturday to take money away from the library to…