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On 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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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.
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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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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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'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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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New Report Offers Post-Pandemic Outlook for Book Business
In a free 50-page report, three veteran publishing and digital media consultants offer a postmortem on 2020 and a glimpse at what the future holds for publishers, booksellers, libraries and readers.
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OverDrive Reports Surge in Digital Library Lending in 2020
Readers worldwide borrowed some 430 million e-books, audiobooks and digital magazines in the past 12 months, a hefty 33% increase over 2019, OverDrive officials reported, based on data drawn from some 65,000 libraries and schools worldwide.
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First Lady Jill Biden to Speak at the 2021 ALA Virtual Midwinter Meeting
The January 25 appearance, in what will be among Dr. Biden's first appearances as First Lady of the United States, is a major show of support for the library community.
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IMLS, NEA, NEH Score Increases in 2021 Budget Bill
The 2021 budget marks the eighth straight year of increases for IMLS, the last four years of which included proposals by the Trump Administration to permanently eliminate the agency.
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