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LibrariesOn the Path to Cultural Competence
Cultural competence requires us to look beyond Western norms and standards to think about what's missing and who is missing. Only then, writes Nicole A. Cooke, can we see the factors that contribute to and perpetuate the systemic racism and inequities that divide our society.
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Libraries
Maryland Legislature Passes Bill Supporting Library Access to Digital Content
The Maryland legislature this week became the first to pass legislation that would ensure libraries can license digital content that is available to consumers. Similar legislation is pending in New York and Rhode Island.
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Libraries
House Introduces Bill Seeking $5 Billion for Library Facilities
The Build America’s Libraries Act was introduced in the House of Representatives this week by Reps. Andy Levin (D-MI) and Don Young (R-AK) and would provide $5 billion to address decades of needed repairs, updates, as well as the construction of modern library facilities in underserved and disadvantaged communities.
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Libraries
'Arms' Race: Where We Stand One Year into the Covid-19 Crisis
As we approach the one year anniversary of the first U.S. Covid-19 lockdowns, PW spoke with Columbia University epidemiologist Jeffrey Shaman, who offered a frank assessment of where we stand in our battle against Covid-19.
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Libraries
OverDrive CEO: Publishers, Librarians Still Searching for Fair E-book Lending Models
In a post this week, OverDrive CEO Steve Potash said he was proud of some of the “incremental gains” made in the library e-book market in 2020 but insisted that the work of establishing “fair, flexible, and reasonable terms” for libraries and schools to acquire and lend digital content is far from over.
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Publisher News
New Report Explores ‘Engagement’ with Books, Digital Media
The report, 'Immersive Media & Books 2020,' is the most ambitious project yet from the Panorama Project, the cross-industry research initiative chartered in 2018 by leading digital library vendor OverDrive.
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Publisher News
Amazon E-book Case Sprawls, Lawyers Propose Consolidation
Lawyers for a potential class of e-book consumers have asked a federal judge to consolidate four cases alleging an e-book price-fixing conspiracy among Amazon and the Big Five publishers.
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Libraries
PW Webinar Series 'Live from the Library Lounge' Returns March 4
The free webinar series for librarians will resume with a discussion exploring how Covid-19 has impacted public libraries, including the successes, failures, the hard lessons learned, and the challenges and opportunities yet to come as we approach year two of this global public health crisis.
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Libraries
Why 2021 Is Setting Up to Be a Pivotal Year for Digital Content in Libraries
In the wake of a historic pandemic, the library community must make progress in the ongoing quest for equitable access to digital content.
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Libraries
Macmillan Learning Announces Winners of First Annual “Black History, Black Stories” Contest
The contest was created by Macmillan Learning "to elevate Black voices in education and in recognition of the fight for social justice inspired by the #BlackLivesMatter movement."
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Libraries
James McBride, Rebecca Giggs Win ALA's 2021 Carnegie Medals
The awards, which were established in 2012, have become a highly coveted literary honor, reflecting the expert judgment and insight of library professionals and booksellers who work closely with adult readers.
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Publisher News
Big Five Publishers Now Defendants in E-book Price-Fixing Suit
The initial complaint, first filed on January 14 by Seattle-based firm Hagens Berman, had portrayed the Big Five publishers as "co-conspirators" in the alleged price-fixing scheme but had named only Amazon as the defendant. The amended complaint, filed on February 4, now draws the publishers into the suit.
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Libraries
New Bill Proposes $5 Billion for Library Infrastructure
If passed, the bill would be Congress's first dedicated funding boost for library facilities since 1997 and comes as libraries nationwide are facing new infrastructure challenges related to Covid-19.
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Libraries
ALA Announces 2021 Annual Conference Will Be Virtual Only
“We had hoped that by this summer it would be safe to meet again in person. However, that is clearly not the case," said ALA president Julius C. Jefferson Jr.
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Libraries
New Nonprofit to Advocate for Digital Content in Libraries
Among the group's priorities will be to advocate for “less restrictive" e-book licenses and new digital licenses that would allow libraries to "own" digital works with the same associated rights as print materials.
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Soapbox
How Libraries Can Help Us Make a More Perfect Union
Throughout our history, we've see that when we come together in civil, honest conversations based on facts and science, history and truth, we find commonality, says R. David Lankes.
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Libraries
ALA 2021 Virtual Midwinter Meeting Gets Underway
First Lady Jill Biden, Author Ibram X. Kendi, and Amanda Gorman, the Inaugural Youth Poet Laureate of the United States who stole the show at President Biden's inauguration this week, are among those scheduled to speak at the 2021 ALA virtual Midwinter Meeting, which runs through Tuesday, January 26.
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Publisher News
Amazon Hit with E-book Price Fixing Suit
The law firm that successfully sued Apple and five major publishers for colluding to fix e-book prices in 2011 has filed a class action suit against Amazon, accusing the company of colluding with the Big Five publishers to eliminate price competition from the e-book market.
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Libraries
BiblioBoard, PW’s BookLife Launch New Library E-book Program for Self-Published Authors
BookLife Elite will offer public libraries access to a curated collection of unlimited, simultaneous-use indie e-books, meaning library readers can access the books instantly—no holds lists.
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Libraries
Food, Shelter, and the Public Library
If there is any American institution that connects the threads of literacy, learning, and community welfare, it is the local public library. But without access to healthy food and safe housing, writes PW columnist Sari Feldman, no community can fully thrive, a fact driven home during this pandemic year.
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