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LibrariesLibrary E-Book Bill Advancing in Maryland
Library supporters remain hopeful it will cross the finish line before the April 12 legislative session ends in Maryland, despite recent comments from the Association of American Publishers, which this week stated its opposition to the measure.
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LibrariesElsevier Strikes Historic Open Access Deal With University of California
The agreement comes more than two years after UC officials walked away from its subscription deal with Elsevier, demanding the publisher negotiate a fair transformative open access deal.
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LibrariesPassage 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.
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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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LibrariesMaryland 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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LibrariesHouse 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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LibrariesOverDrive 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 NewsNew 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 NewsAmazon 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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LibrariesPW 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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LibrariesWhy 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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LibrariesMacmillan 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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LibrariesJames 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 NewsBig 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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LibrariesNew 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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LibrariesALA 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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LibrariesNew 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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SoapboxHow 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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LibrariesALA 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.



