libraries
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MLS vs. NYC
Former librarian Michelle Anne Schingler is tired of people questioning her credentials. At Book Riot, she argues that an MLS isn’t required for the most important parts of a librarian’s job: Library theory isn’t at the fore when you’re helping…
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A Library for Prisoners
Parsons School of Design students collaborated with the New York Public library to design better book carts to serve incarcerated readers. The carts are intended to facilitate easy browsing. The partnership has produced four carts that will be used at…
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A Library of People
Books can teach readers quite a lot, but sometimes talking to expert might be easier. That’s why Ronni Abergel created a library of people, where users can borrow humans instead of books. The idea was launched in Denmark back in…
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The Many Libraries of the New York Public Library
Not every library can be a grand palace. Consider for a moment the Mid-Manhattan branch of the New York Public Library, a far less glamorous workhorse than the more famous cathedral of books located at Bryant Park. Over at the New…
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Defending Herstory
London’s Feminist Library is at risk of being evicted in April due to a rent hike to more than double its former fee. Broadly spoke to some of the women fighting to save their space: “Without the Feminist Library, my…
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Archives for the Future
Preserving information and data archives in the digital age presents a new kind of challenge. Physical books may degrade over time, but even a book in poor condition can be taken down off a shelf and read. Digital storage devices, however,…
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The Library in a City’s Time of Crisis
Libraries are major hubs that serve the community, and even more so in times when people are looking for help. Over at the Atlantic, Deborah Fallows details the efforts to preserve the San Bernardino library, which has seen an increased…
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No More Book Shaming
It’s no secret that libraries have had a rocky relationship with publishers since the ebook boom began in the late aughts. Publisher’s Weekly suggests three ways the two could work to heal the rift, but one of the suggestions is…
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The Last Private Libraries
Not all libraries are free and open to the public, and for much of modern history, private subscription libraries with paying patrons were the norm. While most libraries in the United States are now public institutions, a few specialty subscription…
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Seoul’s Tiny Mobile Libraries
Seoul Innovation Park in South Korea is home to four tiny, mobile libraries, part of a project to bring culture to the public space. Each of the unique libraries offers books and a touch of physical art in the park.…
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The End of a Library
One of the great challenges of libraries and archives is preserving the collections. Not all materials decay at the same rate and while some items can last thousands of years, other items are much more fragile. Now, scientists studying hundreds…
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Public Libraries Serve the Public
Public libraries should not be run like businesses, argues Linda Holt over at the London Review of Books. They serve as a critical resource for a variety of marginalized populations: …libraries became far more than an intellectual version of the mythical…