National Library Week, Going Green, and Take a Look at All the New Designs of Libraries!

Hello everyone,

Here I am with another look at American Libraries. First let me apologize for this being late. Unfortunately April’s issue of American Libraries was late in being sent out, so I did not receive my copy until mid-April. So with no further ado, here is what is going on in the library world according to the American Library Association.

Of course as many of you know, April is when National Library Week is celebrated. This year was the 50th anniversary of National Library Week and American Libraries started off with a lovely opening from Julie Andrews, 2008 Honorary Chair. She starts off by thanking everyone who works in the library world for all the hard work they do throughout the year. She then goes on to say how important our profession is and how our profession “represents and promotes the kind of independent learning and thinking that equips children to take their places in the world as productive and fulfilled adults” (8). Julie Andrews also says how “a library takes the gift [of the joy] of reading one step further by offering personalized learning opportunities second to none, a powerful antidote to the isolation of the Web” (8).

The news in the library world ranges from library closures being challenged to terrorists strikes in Israel and Gaza. An arbitrator rules against the EPA when it closed 7 of the agency’s ten regional libraries over the past two years, saying that the EPA “engaged in unfair labor practices and acted in bad faith” when it abruptly ordered the closing of these libraries. Other news announced was that Southern Methodist University was chosen as the site for the George W. Bush Library. The university was chosen over seven other competitors and will be a “three-part presidential center will comprise the presidential library, a museum with permanent and traveling exhibits, and an independents public policy institute. The first two components will be operated by the National Archives and Records Administration” (19). In February the U.S. Supreme Court declined to consider whether plaintiffs who believed they had been spied on without a court order could challenge the legality of such surveillance without tangible proof, even if the proof is classified as a state secret. This rejection came two days after the Protect America Act expired. This act legalized warrantless eavesdropping on phone and internet communications to U.S. homes, workplaces, libraries, and elsewhere from foreign locations if the government suspects that the discussion involves support of terrorism from August 2007 till February 16. Harvard University’s faculty in the arts and sciences voted unanimously to publish their scholarly articles online, which makes them available to the public. Copyright of their articles is still retained by the faculty members. In the Middle East there were two separate incidents where terrorists targeted two different libraries. In Jerusalem a lone gunman killed eight students in an attack on a library at a religious school. A library at a YMCA was bombed by about a dozen men, who overpowered and tied up two security guards.

OCLC’s WorldCat is being challenged by a partnership between Inter Archive, Open Content Alliance, and entrepreneur Aaron Swartz by creating a free online book catalog called Open Library. Open Library is a free online book catalog that is designed to be maintained by the public. The idea is to have information on every book so people can find where they can order a book, read a digital copy, or check the book out from the library. The idea came about when Swartz found books on his local library’s bookshelves, but could not find any information about them on the Internet.

In the article “Go, Team!,” Michelle Boule talks about how different tools on the internet can be used to help with team collaboration. She points out many benefits from using technology. One benefit is with document exchange. By putting a document on a wiki instead of using email, team members can make changes and keeps all other versions of the document separate, “ensuring that there is never any question of who changed what or which version is current” (30). By conducting discussion online, by using IM or on a message board, an instant discussion archive is created as well as saving time from face to face meetings along with providing an archive of completed work. These tools can also allow greater flexibility with team membership and participation because groups working online are not bound in the same building or geographic location. This also allows members to work on the project when the time is convenient to their schedule instead of waiting for a scheduled meeting. What is also helpful with using technology is that there are many free or cheap tools that can provide instant messaging, group chatting, group collaboration, project management, and even web conferencing available without having to spend lots of money. This gives you a chance to try out new technology and see what works best without the layout the hefty price tag, but also lets you find out what works best.

One of the main articles in this month’s issue is on libraries that have gone green, or are working their way on becoming green. The article begins about what the LEED Green Building Rating System provides as far as standards for environmentally sustainable construction by evaluating projects within six categories: site development, water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials selection, indoor environmental quality, and innovation in design. In addition to these standards, the article goes on to explain that LEED certification is available in four levels- certified, silver, gold, and platinum. The article goes on to show how Durham County’s libraries have gone green. The article gives advice on how to get started on building a green library.

In continuing with this green theme, American Libraries showcases different library designs. The showcase shows pictures of different libraries that have built new buildings or have renovated their buildings, making them more green friendly. This is the place where our own Prince Frederick library is featured. It shows a picture looking up the staircase tower with the following description: “The new Prince Frederick Library building reflects the characteristics of Calvert County in a lighthouse-like stair tower connecting the two floors of the library with a café and a cast-stone fireplace, which includes fossils embedded in its face. Numerous study and tutoring rooms are featured as well as a meeting room that can be divided as needed” (48).

So here you go. This is just a smattering of the articles that can be found in April’s issue of American Libraries. Hope you enjoyed this quick run through and happy reading!