ALA's Letter to FBI

The letter to the FBI from ALA is titled 'Letter of Concern' -- the concern being 'over threats [of violence] that are being directed at public libraries and library workers'. ALA makes clear (at least for the moment) that:

"... there is no evidence at this time showing a direct connection between recent threats and opposition to library materials and programs."

'Opposition to library materials and programs'? For that go here... P.S. Have a look at their 'Intellectual Freedom' section (including the 'Fight Censorship' part).

Google Now Links to Library Holdings

OCLC and Google Now Connect Web Searchers Directly to Library Collections
Google now links search results directly to records of print books in hundreds of libraries using WorldCat data
DUBLIN, Ohio, 13 April 2022—OCLC and Google are working together to link directly from books discovered through Google Search to print book records in the catalogs of hundreds of U.S. libraries. This feature is part of Google’s ongoing effort to connect people to their local libraries through Google Search. [Read more ...]

As OCLC explains: "Partner websites such as Google Books, Wikipedia, and Goodreads add 'find in a library' links to their pages that bring users to WorldCat.org where they can then click to library websites." [source]

Bye-Bye My Friend -- No More C&RL News (in Print)

 

Darn! They just announced on the ACRL listserv that December will be the last time College & Research Libraries News (C&RL News) will appear in print (link). Henceforth, you'll only be able to access it online.

Kind of a bummer. I mean, that plus ALA's more general, American Libraries, are just about the only two journals I still get in print. They're things I look forward to -- things I can toss in my backpack and maybe a day or two later, read while waiting for a bus or whatever. Oh well, no more.

P.S. I actually have an article or two in the thing.

P.P.S. Well, I guess I could start printing the thing out myself.

P.P.P. Update (10/20/2223): So I’ve taken the logical option: our friends at ALA put out a PDF version of both C&RL and C&RL News. I simply take those and print them out on my (very nice) HP OfficeJet Pro 902e printer. One heavy-duty staple on the top left corner of each print-out and voila!

Alas No ALA 2020

 

The news came out on Tuesday (3/24/2020): No ALA in Chicago this year :-(

Already for a couple of days, I was wondering if maybe the organizers were taking a chance: you know, maybe things would clear up by June. Apparently not. Below is the official announcement sent to members already registered for the event. There's always next year, I guess.

Important Update for ALA Annual Conference Attendees

The American Library Association has made the difficult decision to cancel the Annual Conference & Exhibition scheduled for June 25-30, 2020, in Chicago.

We wanted you to be among the first to hear the news. We are grateful to you for registering for the conference and know that you share in our disappointment that we will not be meeting this summer.

We will be in touch in the coming days and weeks to discuss your registration and provide information about potential alternative engagement opportunities.
Thank you for your continued support of ALA and we ask that you be patient with us as we work through this unprecedented situation.

Roy Announces New Additions to the Current Cites Team

Included in the March 2001 edition of Current Cites (link):

Editor's Note: It is my great pleasure to announce that Charles W. Bailey, Jr., Margaret Gross, Shirl Kennedy, Leo Robert Klein, and Eric Lease Morgan have joined the Current Cites team. All of them combine significant writing experience with awareness of current information technology issues and challenges. Welcome, all! Also, starting with this issue, only those who have cites in any particular issue will be listed as a contributor. A complete list of team members will continue to be available [link to list].

Follow-up: here's a link to my first contribution(s) one month later: April 2001 edition of Current Cites.