Why Libraries Are Committing to Systemic Change
"The crises we face today—in public health, in our economy, and in confronting the structural racism in our society—demand that we rethink everything," writes author and library educator R. David Lankes. more...
Changes Loom as Public Libraries Begin to Reopen
Observers in recent years have argued that if public libraries didn’t already exist in America, we wouldn’t be able to invent them. In the wake of the Covid-19 crisis, the question now is: Can we reinvent them? more...
All By Ourselves
As states push to reopen, many libraries are having to figure out their own way forward. more...
Passage of American Rescue Plan Boosts IMLS, Federal Library Funding
The bold $1.9 trillion measure signed into law yesterday includes $200 million in pandemic relief funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the largest single increase in the agency's history. more...
Reading Is Only a Step on the Path to Anti-Racism
Anti-racist reading lists are trending, but becoming anti-racist requires action, writes librarian Nicole A. Cooke. more...
Libraries Must Draw the Line on E-books
Recent developments suggest a grim future for digital content in libraries, writes Sari Feldman, unless library supporters find a way to respond. more...and more.
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LYRASIS Acquires BiblioLabs
The deal combines two players offering library-centric technology and a similar vision for digital content in libraries.
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ALA 2021: Barack Obama, Expansive Professional Program Highlight 2021 ALA Annual Conference
The ALA Annual Conference will again be virtual-only in 2021—and for many ALA members that’s actually great news as it broadens access to one of the most ambitious and impressive programs of the Covid-19 era.
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What’s Next for IMLS
'PW' talks with Institute of Museum and Library Services director R. Crosby Kemper III.
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Library Community Mourns John Eldred, Pioneering Founder of Midwest Tape
John Eldred, president and owner of Midwest Tape, died on May 27. In a thoughtful remembrance shared with PW, Jeff Jankowski, Eldred's partner for over 30 years at Midwest Tape, recalled Eldred as a beloved friend who combined his passion for libraries with his love for history, movies, television shows, and books to change the library marketplace.
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New York Legislature Passes Library E-book Bill
New York is now the second state to pass a bill that would ensure public libraries the right to license and lend e-books that are available to consumers in the state. The bill is now headed to governor Andrew Cuomo's desk.
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OverDrive to Acquire Kanopy
The acquisition of Kanopy adds an extensive video catalog to the OverDrive platform, with some 30,000 films available to students and library users through the Kanopy platform.
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ALA Working Group Calls for Change in the Library E-book Market
In a new paper, the American Library Association’s Joint Digital Content Working Group offered a frank assessment of the state of the library e-book market and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Barack Obama to Keynote 2021 ALA Virtual Conference
Obama will close the 2021 ALA Annual Conference, which is virtual only, on Tuesday, June 29. He will appear in conversation with Lonnie G. Bunch III, the 14th secretary of the Smithsonian and first African American appointed to the role.
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Maryland Library E-book Bill Becomes Law
The new law requires any publisher offering to license "an electronic literary product" to consumers to also offer to license the content to public libraries on "reasonable" terms.
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U.S. Book Show: Key Findings from Project Panorama's 'Immersive Media & Books 2020' Report
Professors Rachel Noorda and Kathi Inman Berens offer a 21-minute presentation of some key findings from their groundbreaking survey report 'Immersive Media & Books 2020.'
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