Gene Damm reviews Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington by Terry Teachout August 19

Book reviews or author talks every Tuesday at 12:15 p.m. at the main branch of the Albany Public Library auditorium, first floor. Light refreshments served.


August 19— Book Review— Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington by Terry Teachout. Reviewer: Gene Damm, past president of the Friends of APL.

August 26— Book Review—A Free Life, a novel by Ha Jin. Reviewer: Denver Tang, doctoral candidate in Science & Technology Studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.



September 2—Book Review—Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100 by Michio Kaku. Reviewer: David Guistina, Morning Edition anchor/senior producer, WAMC.

September 9— Book Review—Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt by Michael Lewis. Reviewer: Richard King, retired attorney.

September 16— Author Talk—A Succinct Analysis by Kwame Somburu, scientific socialist & activist.

September 23— Book Review— The Master and Margarita, a novel by Mikhail Bulgakov. Reviewer: Ronald Helfrich, PhD, SUNY Oneonta.

September 30— Book Review—The Broken Road: From the Iron Gates to Mount Athos by Patrick Leigh Fermor. Reviewer: Kevin Hickey, PhD, professor of English & Africana studies at Albany College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences.

Architecture gawking in Albany's warehouse district

From AllOverAlbany:

The recently announced project to develop plans for reusing a handful of historic industrial buildings around the Capital Region -- and specifically, a very early plan for a restaurant/residential conversion on Broadway in Albany -- got us thinking (again) about Albany's warehouse district.

It's one of those areas that might necessarily jump out as a place with notable buildings, but there is interesting architecture there. And the neighborhood might have a lot of potential.

Teaching Kids How to Handle Bullying

Bullying can leave lasting emotional scars on a kid. The way teachers, parents and other adults respond to bullying affects the way kids perceive and respond to it, as well. Stopbullying.gov defines bullying behavior; identifies the warning signs of bullying and ways to prevent it; helps adults recognize kids who may be at risk; and provides information on how to respond to bullying when it happens.

Donald Hyman reviews the House on Sugar Beach by Helene Cooper August 12

Book reviews or author talks every Tuesday at 12:15 p.m. at the main branch of the Albany Public Library auditorium, first floor. Light refreshments served.


August 12— Book Review—The House at Sugar Beach: In Search of a Lost African Childhood by Helene Cooper. Reviewer: Donald Hyman, writer & adjunct professor of American studies, College of St. Rose.

August 19— Book Review— Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington by Terry Teachout. Reviewer: Gene Damm, past president of the Friends of APL.

August 26— Book Review—A Free Life, a novel by Ha Jin. Reviewer: Denver Tang, doctoral candidate in Science & Technology Studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.



September 2—Book Review—Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100 by Michio Kaku. Reviewer: David Guistina, Morning Edition anchor/senior producer, WAMC.

September 9— Book Review—Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt by Michael Lewis. Reviewer: Richard King, retired attorney.

September 16— Author Talk—A Succinct Analysis by Kwame Somburu, scientific socialist & activist.

September 23— Book Review— The Master and Margarita, a novel by Mikhail Bulgakov. Reviewer: Ronald Helfrich, PhD, SUNY Oneonta.

September 30— Book Review—The Broken Road: From the Iron Gates to Mount Athos by Patrick Leigh Fermor. Reviewer: Kevin Hickey, PhD, professor of English & Africana studies at Albany College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences.

"Fair Use Is A Right" featuring the Dramatic Chipmunk

The Center for Media & Social Impact at American University, formerly the Center for Social Media, is an innovation lab and research center that studies, designs, and showcases media for social impact. Focusing on independent, documentary and public media, the Center bridges boundaries between scholars, producers and communication practitioners across media production, media impact, public policy and audience engagement. The Center produces resources for the field and academic research; convenes conferences and events; and works collaboratively to understand and design media that matters.

Here's a short video they've produced on the topic of fair use.

James Baldwin would be 90

Last year, Arthur@AmeriNZ posted this item about James Baldwin on what would have been his 89th birthday. So, of course, Baldwin would have been 90 today.

Author talk: David Kalish, author of The Opposite of Everything August 5

Book reviews or author talks every Tuesday at 12:15 p.m. at the main branch of the Albany Public Library auditorium, first floor. Light refreshments served.


August 5—Author Talk—The Opposite of Everything, a novel, by David Kalish, MFA, novelist, playwright, & screenwriter.

August 12— Book Review—The House at Sugar Beach: In Search of a Lost African Childhood by Helene Cooper. Reviewer: Donald Hyman, writer & adjunct professor of American studies, College of St. Rose.

August 19— Book Review— Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington by Terry Teachout. Reviewer: Gene Damm, past president of the Friends of APL.

August 26— Book Review—A Free Life, a novel by Ha Jin. Reviewer: Denver Tang, doctoral candidate in Science & Technology Studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.



September 2—Book Review—Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100 by Michio Kaku. Reviewer: David Guistina, Morning Edition anchor/senior producer, WAMC.

September 9— Book Review—Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt by Michael Lewis. Reviewer: Richard King, retired attorney.

September 16— Author Talk—A Succinct Analysis by Kwame Somburu, scientific socialist & activist.

September 23— Book Review— The Master and Margarita, a novel by Mikhail Bulgakov. Reviewer: Ronald Helfrich, PhD, SUNY Oneonta.

September 30— Book Review—The Broken Road: From the Iron Gates to Mount Athos by Patrick Leigh Fermor. Reviewer: Kevin Hickey, PhD, professor of English & Africana studies at Albany College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences.

Librarians & Libraries in Comic Books

[Library] workers of all categories are quite commonly utilized in fictional settings, as main and supporting characters, as well as for incidental run-ins with those primary persons.

How exactly are those info-professionals portrayed, in both personality and in comportment? Does it depend on the medium, whether in film or novel, or sequential art? Are secondary characters more likely to be shown as negative librarian stereotypes than primary protagonists?

More HERE.

Roger Green reviews Thinking in Numbers by Daniel Tammet July 29

Book reviews or author talks every Tuesday at 12:15 p.m. at the main branch of the Albany Public Library auditorium, first floor. Light refreshments served.

July 29—Book Review—Thinking in Numbers: On Life, Love, Meaning, and Math by Daniel Tammet. Reviewer: Roger Green, librarian & member of the board of the Friends of APL.



August 5—Author Talk—The Opposite of Everything, a novel, by David Kalish, MFA, novelist, playwright, & screenwriter.

August 12— Book Review—The House at Sugar Beach: In Search of a Lost African Childhood by Helene Cooper. Reviewer: Donald Hyman, writer & adjunct professor of American studies, College of St. Rose.

August 19— Book Review— Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington by Terry Teachout. Reviewer: Gene Damm, past president of the Friends of APL.

August 26— Book Review—A Free Life, a novel by Ha Jin. Reviewer: Denver Tang, doctoral candidate in Science & Technology Studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.



September 2—Book Review—Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100 by Michio Kaku. Reviewer: David Guistina, Morning Edition anchor/senior producer, WAMC.

September 9— Book Review—Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt by Michael Lewis. Reviewer: Richard King, retired attorney.

September 16— Author Talk—A Succinct Analysis by Kwame Somburu, scientific socialist & activist.

September 23— Book Review— The Master and Margarita, a novel by Mikhail Bulgakov. Reviewer: Ronald Helfrich, PhD, SUNY Oneonta.

September 30— Book Review—The Broken Road: From the Iron Gates to Mount Athos by Patrick Leigh Fermor. Reviewer: Kevin Hickey, PhD, professor of English & Africana studies at Albany College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences.

School libraries in Racine, WI raided by untrained city workers, thousands of books discarded

School librarians say they weren't consulted about throwing away classics and important parts of the collection.

Librarians say the decision to send in the workers to pull books that were published before 2000 or that hadn't been checked out recently was made without any recourse to library science, the plan for the libraries, or the views of librarians. Many of the books are to be destroyed.

More HERE.

Albany removes ‘no left turn’ sign on Washington Avenue eastbound onto Dove Street

From Times Union "Getting There" blog:

Q... I park in a lot on Elk Street between Dove and Lark streets. There is a “no left turn” sign for cars travelling east on Washington [at Dove] and trying to get to Elk... That means that any employees or patrons of the library, Armory or any other establishment on that block have to go to Swan Street to make the left to get to Elk... Between 4 and 6 p.m., there is no left on Swan and we have to go another block [to Hawk]. This makes no sense.

— Marty Richmond, Fultonville

A: As a result of your question, the city removed the sign this past Wednesday, said Steve Smith, Albany’s spokesman on traffic issues.

Albany Public Library is looking for Albany school yearbooks

The Main Library at Albany Public Library is now accepting donations of yearbooks from the current and former schools in the city of Albany. Yearbooks should be in good condition, but can have signatures and messages written in them. Yearbook donations can be dropped off during normal library hours at the first floor circulation desk, the basement reception desk, or the reference desk of the Main Library at 161 Washington Avenue.

APL's collection of Albany yearbooks is housed within the Pruyn Collection of Albany History, which is located in the Albany History Room on the second floor of the Main Library.

A recently donated 1932 Albany High School yearbook has been digitized by APL and can be viewed for free through New York Heritage Digital Collections, an online portal designed for researchers and history buffs. You can view APL's digital collection, including the 1932 yearbook, at nyheritage.org.

For more information about donating, or viewing, Albany yearbooks, please call the Reference Department at 427-4303 or email localhistory@albanypubliclibrary.org.

NewsChannel 13 did a brief story about APL's yearbook project, which you can view online.

Frank Robinson reviews The Age of Atheists by Peter Watson July 22

Book reviews or author talks every Tuesday at 12:15 p.m. at the main branch of the Albany Public Library auditorium, first floor. Light refreshments served.

July 22— Book Review— The Age of Atheists: How We Have Sought to Live Since the Death of God by Peter Watson. Reviewer: Frank Robinson, JD, retired NYS administrative law judge, author, and self-described rational optimist.

July 29—Book Review—Thinking in Numbers: On Life, Love, Meaning, and Math by Daniel Tammet. Reviewer: Roger Green, librarian & member of the board of the Friends of APL.



August 5—Author Talk—The Opposite of Everything, a novel, by David Kalish, MFA, novelist, playwright, & screenwriter.

August 12— Book Review—The House at Sugar Beach: In Search of a Lost African Childhood by Helene Cooper. Reviewer: Donald Hyman, writer & adjunct professor of American studies, College of St. Rose.

August 19— Book Review— Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington by Terry Teachout. Reviewer: Gene Damm, past president of the Friends of APL.

August 26— Book Review—A Free Life, a novel by Ha Jin. Reviewer: Denver Tang, doctoral candidate in Science & Technology Studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.



September 2—Book Review—Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100 by Michio Kaku. Reviewer: David Guistina, Morning Edition anchor/senior producer, WAMC.

September 9— Book Review—Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt by Michael Lewis. Reviewer: Richard King, retired attorney.

September 16— Author Talk—A Succinct Analysis by Kwame Somburu, scientific socialist & activist.

September 23— Book Review— The Master and Margarita, a novel by Mikhail Bulgakov. Reviewer: Ronald Helfrich, PhD, SUNY Oneonta.

September 30— Book Review—The Broken Road: From the Iron Gates to Mount Athos by Patrick Leigh Fermor. Reviewer: Kevin Hickey, PhD, professor of English & Africana studies at Albany College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences.

Bill Shapiro reviews Simpler: the Future of Government by Cass Sunstein July 15

Book reviews or author talks every Tuesday at 12:15 p.m. at the main branch of the Albany Public Library auditorium, first floor. Light refreshments served.

July 15— Book Review—Simpler: the Future of Government by Cass Sunstein. Reviewer: Bill Shapiro, attorney and lifelong student of international relations.

July 22— Book Review— The Age of Atheists: How We Have Sought to Live Since the Death of God by Peter Watson. Reviewer: Frank Robinson, JD, retired NYS administrative law judge, author, and self-described rational optimist.

July 29—Book Review—Thinking in Numbers: On Life, Love, Meaning, and Math by Daniel Tammet. Reviewer: Roger Green, librarian & member of the board of the Friends of APL.



August 5—Author Talk—The Opposite of Everything, a novel, by David Kalish, MFA, novelist, playwright, & screenwriter.

August 12— Book Review—The House at Sugar Beach: In Search of a Lost African Childhood by Helene Cooper. Reviewer: Donald Hyman, writer & adjunct professor of American studies, College of St. Rose.

August 19— Book Review— Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington by Terry Teachout. Reviewer: Gene Damm, past president of the Friends of APL.

August 26— Book Review—A Free Life, a novel by Ha Jin. Reviewer: Denver Tang, doctoral candidate in Science & Technology Studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.



September 2—Book Review—Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100 by Michio Kaku. Reviewer: David Guistina, Morning Edition anchor/senior producer, WAMC.

September 9— Book Review—Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt by Michael Lewis. Reviewer: Richard King, retired attorney.

September 16— Author Talk—A Succinct Analysis by Kwame Somburu, scientific socialist & activist.

September 23— Book Review— The Master and Margarita, a novel by Mikhail Bulgakov. Reviewer: Ronald Helfrich, PhD, SUNY Oneonta.

September 30— Book Review—The Broken Road: From the Iron Gates to Mount Athos by Patrick Leigh Fermor. Reviewer: Kevin Hickey, PhD, professor of English & Africana studies at Albany College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences.

David Colchamiro reviews The War That Ended Peace: The Road to 1914 by Margaret MacMillan July 8

Book reviews or author talks every Tuesday at 12:15 p.m. at the main branch of the Albany Public Library auditorium, first floor. Light refreshments served.

July 8—Book Review—The War That Ended Peace: The Road to 1914 by Margaret MacMillan. Reviewer: David Colchamiro, retired transportation analyst & member of the board of the Friends of APL.

July 15— Book Review—Simpler: the Future of Government by Cass Sunstein. Reviewer: Bill Shapiro, attorney and lifelong student of international relations.

July 22— Book Review— The Age of Atheists: How We Have Sought to Live Since the Death of God by Peter Watson. Reviewer: Frank Robinson, JD, retired NYS administrative law judge, author, and self-described rational optimist.

July 29—Book Review—Thinking in Numbers: On Life, Love, Meaning, and Math by Daniel Tammet. Reviewer: Roger Green, librarian & member of the board of the Friends of APL.



August 5—Author Talk—The Opposite of Everything, a novel, by David Kalish, MFA, novelist, playwright, & screenwriter.

August 12— Book Review—The House at Sugar Beach: In Search of a Lost African Childhood by Helene Cooper. Reviewer: Donald Hyman, writer & adjunct professor of American studies, College of St. Rose.

August 19— Book Review— Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington by Terry Teachout. Reviewer: Gene Damm, past president of the Friends of APL.

August 26— Book Review—A Free Life, a novel by Ha Jin. Reviewer: Denver Tang, doctoral candidate in Science & Technology Studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.



September 2—Book Review—Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100 by Michio Kaku. Reviewer: David Guistina, Morning Edition anchor/senior producer, WAMC.

September 9— Book Review—Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt by Michael Lewis. Reviewer: Richard King, retired attorney.

September 16— Author Talk—A Succinct Analysis by Kwame Somburu, scientific socialist & activist.

September 23— Book Review— The Master and Margarita, a novel by Mikhail Bulgakov. Reviewer: Ronald Helfrich, PhD, SUNY Oneonta.

September 30— Book Review—The Broken Road: From the Iron Gates to Mount Athos by Patrick Leigh Fermor. Reviewer: Kevin Hickey, PhD, professor of English & Africana studies at Albany College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences.

New Youth Library Card at the Albany Public Library

MyCARD Makes it Easier for Albany Kids and Teens to Access APL on Own

APL is making it easier for Albany youngsters to use the library with the new MyCARD. This library card allows Albany children to get a library card on their own and use it to borrow up to three items at a time, with no late fees. MyCARD also gives users access to the library's free public computers and to digital materials, like eBooks and eMagazines, which are available for free from the library's website.  

 

MyCARD is only available to city of Albany youth under the age of 18, and can only be used at APL's seven locations in the city of Albany. As part of the MyCARD rollout, which begins on June 27, Albany Public Library is waiving late fees on all current children's cards. This one-time waiver will put current children's cardholders on the same level playing field as new MyCARD cardholders.

"The benefit of MyCARD is that youngsters can come into the library on their own and get a card that lets them borrow up to three items at a time, and have the freedom to take as long as they need to read those books without racking up late fees," Assistant Director Melanie Metzger said. "Once done with a book, a MyCARD user can return it to the library and borrow another one. This new card gives children and teens an opportunity to explore the library, and the world of reading, on their own."

All Acronyms dictionary

I take requests.

"I thought you might be interested in writing about one useful resource.

"All Acronyms ( http://www.allacronyms.com) is a user-friendly dictionary for acronyms and abbreviations with a large number of terms included.

"Hope this helps!"

Summer Reading Fun at the Albany Public Library

Kids Earn Rewards for Reading and Participating in Free Activities

   

School is out and summer reading is in at Albany Public Library! Kids and teens are rewarded for reading, and participating in fun and educational library programs, from June 28 to August 16. (Grownups can get in on the summer reading fun through Goodreads.com.)

The Summer Reading Program provides dozens of free activities every week at Albany's libraries.  Kids can stop by their neighborhood library to:

• Explore the world of science with hands-on experiments involving robotics, catapults, electricity, mirrors, sound, and more
• Meet animals including chickens, salamanders, owls, honey bees, falcons, and snakes
• Learn about such topics as dinosaurs, lightning, medieval machines, kitchen science, music production, pond ecology, and skyscrapers  
• Create and sample yummy snacks made from cookies, berries, marshmallows, yogurt, ice cream, and other foods
• Participate in games and building challenges using balloons, LEGOs, sticks, string, and tape
• Make art using t-shirts, paint, candy, crayons, homemade paper, sand and other materials

The full Summer Reading Program guide details all of the free activities. The guide is available online and at all library locations. The 2014 APL Summer Reading Program is sponsored by the Friends of Albany Public Library, Price Chopper, and Stewart's Shops.

 

Albany Public Library: Summer Program Guide Available

Tons of Great -- and Free -- Programs on Tap. Check out the latest APL program guide for details about all the wonderful activities, workshops, events, and programs scheduled for July, August, and September.

A Few Changes in the APL Schedule This Month:

ALL library locations are CLOSED on July 4

ONLY Main Library and Delaware Branch are OPEN on July 12. Delaware is hosting SummerFest, an outdoor family celebration with games, music, and refreshments, from 1 to 3 pm that afternoon.

Main Library is CLOSED on SUNDAYS in July and August

Carl Strock reviews Africa: A Biography of the Continent by John Reader July 1

Tuesday, July 1, 12:15 pm at the main branch of the Albany Public Library. Light refreshment served.

Book Review—Africa: A Biography of the Continent by John Reader. Reviewer: Carl Strock, journalist & author.

The therapy dog for the Countway Library of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Let’s say you were an incoming freshman at Harvard University. You’d get your dorm assignment, pick your classes, buy your books, and set up a meal plan. A lot of those things require — or at least, are facilitated by — an official ID card. Harvard’s online campus service center has instructions as to how to obtain your card, and, on that page, informs the student that his or her Harvard ID card “provides access to housing, dining halls, libraries, Crimson Cash [a University-wide debit system], and more.”

Cooper Anderson, better known as Crimson Cooper, is a therapy dog.

More HERE.

“Sherlock Holmes” Is Now Officially Off Copyright and Open for Business

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle died in 1930, but his most famous work—stories about the English detective Sherlock Holmes—has lived on. Thanks to copyright law, those stories have also continued to benefit Doyle's heirs for the past 84 years. Every time someone wanted to write a story or film a movie about Sharlock Holmes, the Doyle estate would collect a fee. A legal ruling announced this week, however, has set Holmes free: the character and all his companions (as penned by Doyle) are now in the public domain.

The legal case of Klinger v. Conan Doyle Estate that settled the claim actually rested on an interesting issue, whether a copyright claim can persist on a character even if the works depicting that character have fallen out of copyright. The defense of the Doyle estate went something like this: sure, Arthur Conan Doyle's stories are now at least 90 years old, but other stories about Sherlock Holmes are still under copyright, therefore Sherlock Holmes is still under copyright.

Judge Richard Posner didn't buy the argument, and he ruled that Sherlock Holmes, the character, is now in the public domain.

Read more from Smithsonian magazine

Library of Congress Launches Pinterest Boards

Continuing its effort to make its digital educational, historical and cultural resources available to web users across many platforms, the Library of Congress has launched an account on Pinterest, accessible at www.pinterest.com/LibraryCongress.

The Library is the repository to more than 158 million items of cultural and historical value, including more than 13.7 million photographs, 5.5 million maps, 6.7 million pieces of sheet music and 69 million manuscripts.

As a visually based content-sharing platform where users curate their own collections of multiformat items, Pinterest lends itself to the sharing of online Library of Congress content at the item level.

More from the Library of Congress.

Doctors Are Now Prescribing Books to Treat Depression

This kind of so called "bibliotherapy" isn't a totally new idea. The word was coined in 1916 by a clergyman named Samuel Crothers, but he certainly wasn't referring to self-help books. In 1966, The American Library Association began talking about bibliotherapy. Today, they define the word this way:

The use of books selected on the basis of content in a planned reading program designed to facilitate the recovery of patients suffering from mental illness or emotional disturbance. Ideally, the process occurs in three phases: personal identification of the reader with a particular character in the recommended work, resulting in psychological catharsis, which leads to rational insight concerning the relevance of the solution suggested in the text to the reader's own experience. Assistance of a trained psychotherapist is advised.


Read more at Smithsonian magazine

Follow @SmithsonianMag on Twitter

LinkedIn acquires major fact checking patents

Lucas Myslinski was tired of having to fact check the questionable emails his father often forwarded to him.

“My dad would send these emails where they say something like, ‘Oh the government is stockpiling billions of dollars of ammunition’ and other things like that, where if all you would do is take a little time and look on Snopes you would find it’s not true,” Myslinski said.

That very problem has inspired projects such as LazyTruth, Truth Goggles, and Trooclick, all of which I wrote about last week, as well as the Washington Post’s TruthTeller. There’s a broad consensus that in a world of abundant, and often incorrect, information it would be valuable to have an app that “automatically monitors, processes, fact checks information and indicates a status of the information.”

Myslinski sketched out his ideas and then took the step of patenting them. The above quote is in fact taken from one of his many patent filings and summarizes the core of the systems he has imaged and diagrammed over the last few years.

More from Poynter>

FREE FUN FRIDAYS! (in Massachusetts)

Each Friday this summer, from June 27 through August 29, five to eight museums and cultural venues across the commonwealth of Massachusetts will be open for free, as part of Free Fun Fridays. This is taking place thanks to a grant from The Highland Street Foundation.

Last year, our family went to the Norman Rockwell Museum, thanks to this program. The venue is on the list this year for August 29. Other venues in the 413 area code

Book review June 24, sponsored by the Friends of the APL

Join the Friends of APL every Tuesday at 12:15 pm for some lively and engaging book talks! The talks take place at the Main Library, in the large auditorium on the first floor, and are free and open to the public. Light refreshments are served too.



JUNE 24 — Book Review of “Full Planet, Empty Plates: The New Geopolitics of Food Scarcity” by Lester R. Brown

Susan Kayne, a television producer and research, reviews the book.

Dewey Graduate Library blog

The University at Albany, my library school alma mater, has a downtown campus houses the Dewey Library. Read the blog about library issues. No, it is NOT named for Melvil Dewey, for whom the Dewey Decimal System is named.

How Do You Know The Public Domain Is In Trouble? It Requires A 52-Page Handbook To Determine If Something Is Public Domain

From Techdirt:

from the not-how-it's-supposed-to-work dept
We..., frankly, believe that many more works should be in the public domain. In fact, we treat our own articles, written by staffers here, to be public domain, even though there's no official legal mechanism to officially put them in the public domain. We can only proactively state that we will treat them as such. And, of course, thanks to the switch from "opt-in" copyright to "everything eligible is automatically covered by copyright" in 1976, combined with ever-farther-reaching copyright term extension, nothing has officially entered the public domain in the US in ages.

So it's great to see that the folks over at the Samuelson Clinic at Berkeley have developed a detailed handbook to determine what is in the public domain, which comes complete with this handy-dandy (if not altogether simple) graphic.

Friends of the APL book review June 17.

Join the Friends of APL every Tuesday at 12:15 pm for some lively and engaging book talks! The talks take place at the Main Library, in the large auditorium on the first floor, and are free and open to the public. Light refreshments are served too.

JUNE 17 — Book Review of “Rock, Paper, Scissors: Game Theory in Everyday Life” by Len Fisher

Union College History Professor Steven Sargent reviews the book.

Scott C. Jarzombek appointed as new executive director of the Albany Public Library

From the APL Facebook page:

We have some big news! APL's Board of Trustees unanimously appointed Scott C. Jarzombek as our new executive director, and he will start at on June 23. He replaces Carol Nersinger, who retires later this month after five years of service at APL.

As many of you know, Scott is not new to Albany or Albany Public Library. He started his professional career at APL where he served as a branch librarian, primarily at the Howe Branch, from 2000 to 2009. “I am very excited to return to Albany,” he said. “While I have enjoyed my time with other organizations, my heart has always been with APL.” Aww, we're very excited, too. Congratulations, Scott, and welcome back to Albany and APL!

"The Best and Worst Presidents": Dennis Gaffney at Friends of the APL annual meeting June 11

Writer Dennis Gaffney will lead a participatory exercise in trivia about things people may not know about the American presidency. What president liked to dance? What president avoided public speaking at all cost? Plus a whole lot more.

Dennis served as chairperson of the Albany Public Library Board of Trustees. He has written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, Mother Jones, and other publications, and is the author of three books. For fun, he plays basketball and the ukulele, neither of which he'll be bringing to his talk.

The Friends of Albany Public Library will have a brief business meeting on Wednesday, 11 June 2014, 7:00 pm in the auditorium, Albany Public Library—Main Library. Refreshments will be available, and the meeting, like the Friends;' monthly meetings, is open to the general public.

After reports by the officers, the main piece of business, will be the elections of members of the board.

For the Board, term ending in 2015:
Allan Schneider
For the Board, term ending in 2017:
Candace Deisley
Bill Dufur
Evelyn Dufur
Sonny Hausgaard
Anne Marfey

For officers:
President: Roger Green
Vice President: Paul Hacker
Corresponding Secretary: Judi Baum
Recording Secretary: Jonathan Skinner
Treasurer: Gene Damm

There will also be the presentation of the George Held Award, named for the late longtime secretary of the Friends board.

Friends of the APL book review June 10

Join the Friends of APL every Tuesday at 12:15 pm for some lively and engaging book talks! The talks take place at the Main Library, in the large auditorium on the first floor, and are free and open to the public. Light refreshments are served too.



JUNE 10 — Book Review of “Island of Vice: Theodore Roosevelt’s Doomed Quest to Clean Up Sin-Loving New York” by Richard Zacks

Robert Knightly, a former police officer, criminal trial lawyer, and crime

Why the death of net neutrality would be a disaster for libraries

From the Washington Post:

Net neutrality is really important for libraries because we are, first of all, in the information business. Our business now is not just increasingly, but dramatically, online, using digital information and providing services in this digital environment. That means that we need to have solid and ubiquitous Internet services.

We’re interested in network neutrality for consumers at the home end, but also because it's key to serving our public. And that means the public libraries, the academic libraries from two-year community colleges to advanced research institutions, as well as school librarians in the K-12 community.

Network neutrality issues must be resolved, and we hope to preserve as much of an open Internet policy as we possibly can. The public cannot risk losing access to important services provided by our libraries, our schools and other public institutions.

Friends of the APL book review June 3

Join the Friends of APL every Tuesday at 12:15 pm for some lively and engaging book talks! The talks take place at the Main Library, in the large auditorium on the first floor, and are free and open to the public. Light refreshments are served too.



JUNE 3 — Book Review of “Chronicle of a Death Foretold” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Silvia Mejia, an associate professor at the College of St. Rose, reviews this novel.

Results of Library Trustee Election

On May 20, voters in the city of Albany elected two new trustees — Alison Calacone and Andrew Bechard — to the Albany Public Library Board of Trustees.

The new trustees will begin five-year terms in July. This is Bechard’s second election to the library board, which he joined in 2008 as an appointed trustee. This is the first election for Calacone. She replaces Holly McKenna, who chose not to run for a second board term.



The place order, candidates, and vote totals (according to Tuesday night’s unofficial results) were:

1. Alison Calacone — 1,501

2. Andrew Bechard — 1,263

3. Anthony Gooding — 749

4. Jose Lopez — 529

1 in 10 in a survey think HTML is an STD

From the LA Times:

If you're talking tech with Americans, you may want to avoid using any jargon.
A recent study found that many Americans are lost when it comes to tech-related terms, with 11% in a survey saying that they thought HTML — a language that is used to create websites — was a sexually transmitted disease.
The study was conducted by Vouchercloud.net, a coupons website, as a way to determine how knowledgeable users are when it comes to tech terms.

Book-spine switch-plate

From BoingBoing:

Bas Bleu's book-spine lightswitch plate seems just the thing for your library or other bookish venue. $17, Robert Louis Stevenson, Charles Dickens, and Sherwood Anderson. Caveat: one reviewer complains about a "high sheen plastic" that covers it.

Library Trustee Election is May 20

Four candidates are on the May 20 (Tuesday) ballot for two seats on the Albany Public Library Board of Trustees.
The candidates, listed in ballot order, are:

Andrew Bechard of Forest Avenue
Jose Lopez of View Avenue
Alison Calacone of Ramsey Place
Anthony Gooding of Clinton Avenue

The candidates are seeking to fill two trustee positions that both carry five-year terms. Holly McKenna has chosen not to run for re-election, while Andrew Bechard is running to keep his seat.

More information about trustee candidates is available online and at service desks at each APL location.
The library trustee vote is held in conjunction with the school district’s budget vote. Details about voting locations are available on the school district’s website at www.albanyschools.org.The polls are open on May 20 from 7 am to 9 pm

Immunization Schedules for All Ages

Immunizations help protect infants from vaccine-preventable diseases.

Take a look at the vaccination schedule for infants and children (birth-6 years) and find a tool to help you determine missed or skipped vaccines.

The importance of vaccinations is not limited to babies and kids. Be sure to keep up with recommended immunizations at all stages of life. Find vaccination schedules for:

Preteens and teens (7-18 years)
Adults (19 years and older)

Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for additional information, including answers to the question "Why Immunize?" and resources on vaccine safety.

Comics: A Once-Missed Opportunity

"...During the 1940s and 1950s, comics were the most popular form of reading for young people in the United States, despite widespread disapproval for the medium by librarians and other guardians of reading tastes. Beyond simply reading comics, young people also used comics as a basis for developing participatory cultures. For instance, adolescents published fanzines and entered into political discourse about comics. This paper highlights some of these early examples of participatory cultures around comics to urge today’s librarians to reflect on what media and technology-based practices we may be neglecting to nurture among contemporary adolescents…"

More from ALA, By Carol L. Tilley, Assistant Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

The Novice’s Guide to better Landscape Photography

Ghergich & Co worked with Custom Made to make The Novice's Guide To Better Landscape Photography. This Infographic details 10 tips to follow for better landscape photography.

James Redwood at Albany Public Library, Saturday, May 10

Most Common U.S. Jobs Paying Employees Less In 2013 Than In 1999

From National Memo:

A new Washington Post report reveals how the value of full-time work in the United States has declined – a trend that has ramifications for Americans and the overall economy.

Using employment data from 1999 and 2013, the Post’s Pam Tobey demonstrates how the nation’s 10 most common jobs – 9 of which also constituted the top 10 jobs in 1999 – now offer pay significantly reduced from 14 years ago.

Despite higher numbers of employees in 9 of the top 10 occupational fields, as exhibited in the below chart, workers were paid significantly less in 2013 than in 1999.

Craig Ferguson is a late-night host who embraces writers

From Esquire:

Authors have always made damn good late-night talk show guests. Think Jack Kerouac reading On the Road accompanied by Steve Allen on piano. Norman Mailer and Gore Vidal nearly trading blows on The Dick Cavett Show, which also featured the verbal dueling of Truman Capote and Groucho Marx...

But over the past couple decades, authors have gone largely missing from late night. I'm not talking The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report, or Charlie Rose and Tavis Smiley, where you'll often see authors as guests... No, I'm talking strictly the Big Three networks. Sure, every once in a while Letterman will have on David Sedaris or Sarah Vowell or Anthony Bourdain. Yet they are as much radio and TV personalities as writers. Conan will occasionally have on a writer whose work has crossed over into film and TV, like George R.R. Martin. But when's the last time Dave or Conan — or Fallon or Kimmel or Meyers, for that matter — had on a true-blue novelist, short-story writer, essayist, or memoirist?

Craig Ferguson is different. He's an author himself — having published a novel and a memoir, both best-sellers — and in nearly a decade of leading The Late Late Show, he's regularly had on fellow scribes. He might joke about the perceived obsolescence of books in the digital age, as when introducing one of Sloane Crosley's four appearances on the show: "My next guest is an author. What's an author, Craig? It's like a bloggy person without a computer." But in truth, few modern media personalities short of Oprah have done more to promote reading and literature. Not to mention boost book sales.

Big Data analysis from the White House: understanding the debate

From BoingBoing:

Danah boyd, founder of the critical Big Data think/do tank Data and Society, writes about the work she did with the White House on Big Data: Seizing Opportunities, Preserving Values [PDF]. Boyd and her team convened a conference called The Social, Cultural & Ethical Dimensions of "Big Data", and fed the conclusions from that event back to the White House for its report.

In boyd's view, the White House team did good work in teasing out the hard questions about public benefit and personal costs of Big Data initiatives, and made solid recommendations for future privacy-oriented protections. Boyd points to this Alistair Croll quote as getting at the heart of one of Big Data's least-understood problems:

Perhaps the biggest threat that a data-driven world presents is an ethical one. Our social safety net is woven on uncertainty. We have welfare, insurance, and other institutions precisely because we can’t tell what’s going to happen — so we amortize that risk across shared resources. The better we are at predicting the future, the less we’ll be willing to share our fates with others.

See also: Meet The Woman Who Did Everything In Her Power To Hide Her Pregnancy From Big Data. It was difficult and expensive.

10 Reasons Real Books Are Better Than E-books

Heather Newman claims: It might be cool to claim you have a Kindle or a Nook or whatever, but let’s be real. Books are better!

7. Libraries and bookstores!
If you’re a book nerd, you know the importance of libraries and bookstores. The smell of all that paper and knowledge in one room is almost too much to handle. These majestic places wouldn’t even exist without books!

Dewey Decimal jewelry

From BoingBoing:

Some bookish jewelry and accessories from Etsy make good use of Dewey Decimal classifications, such as thependantemporium's I still believe in 398.2 (fairy tales) pendants.

Then there's writtennerd's earrings made with Dewey numbers culled from real old hand-typed card catalogs (necklaces, too)!

The Origins of the Work-for-Hire Doctrine

For anyone really serious about exploring the roots of work-for-hire and its implications, and its rule-of-law prior to the 1975-76 Copyright Act (and all that followed), check out Catherine L. Fisk's excellent "Authors at Work: The Origins of the Work-for-Hire Doctrine" (October 2001).

Publishing: It’s Not About the Money

From First Second Books:

Over the winter holiday break, I watched the beginning of Murder, She Wrote, which I had never seen before. I was bemused to find that the protagonist writing a book and getting it published (having never met, talked to, or corresponded with her editor, publicist, or publisher at all prior to the book’s publication date) and in a matter of a few short days after publication getting on the New York Times Best-Seller List, afterwards getting on all the morning tv and radio shows. She was in fact so popular that her publisher brought her to New York City to stay there in a hotel indefinitely just in case (as far as I could tell) any future media requests came up. Realism was brought in only inasmuch as Fictional!Writer Jessica Fletcher does not hit #1 on the New York Times Best-Seller List — just #2.

So in the interest of fairness, aboveboardness, and honesty, I feel that I should let you know — aspiring writers and artists, this is not your life.

Low Reading Scores Show Majority of U.S. Children Not Prepared for Future Success

In a new KIDS COUNT® data snapshot, the Annie E. Casey Foundation finds that 80 percent of lower-income fourth graders and 66 percent of all kids are not reading proficiently - a key predictor of a student’s future educational and economic success. If this trend continues, the country will not have enough skilled workers for an increasingly competitive global economy by the end of this decade.

Early Reading Proficiency in the United States finds that two-thirds of all children are not meeting an important benchmark: reading at grade level at the start of fourth grade. Of even greater concern is that the gap between students from higher- and lower-income families is growing wider, with 17 percent improvement seen among the former group compared to only a 6 percent improvement among their lower-income peers.

More HERE.

See also: Race for Results: Building a Path to Opportunity for All Children.

Book Paintings

A really great artist can create wonderful things almost anywhere – on walls, grounds, lips, eyelids, or on book pages. Look at these paintings from Mike Stilkey, I bet everyone would think of one same word “wow”. But wait, and imagine what will happen when these books fall apart onto the ground…

More HERE.

Voters to Choose Two Albany Public Library Trustees on May 20

Four candidates will be on the May 20 ballot for two seats on the Albany Public Library Board of Trustees. Andrew Bechard of Forest Avenue, Jose Lopez of View Avenue, Alison Calacone of Ramsey Place, and Anthony Gooding of Clinton Avenue all submitted valid nominating petitions to the City School District of Albany to obtain positions on the ballot.

The candidates are seeking to fill two trustee positions that both carry five-year terms. Holly McKenna has chosen not to run for re-election, while Andrew Bechard is running to keep his seat.

The public is invited to a candidate forum at the Main Library’s large auditorium on Monday, May 5, at 6 p.m. The trustee candidates have been invited to speak to the public. Library leaders will also present the 2015 library budget, which is a flat spending plan that carries no tax levy increase.

The library trustee vote is held in conjunction with the school district’s budget vote. More information about trustee candidates will be available on the library’s website. Details about voting locations will be available on the school district’s website at www.albanyschools.org.

It pays to read your bills

True, bills aren't the most thrilling read. They are hardly funny, there are no vampires or romantic triangles, and you probably won't be pleased if there's any suspense involved.

When bills arrive, it can be hard enough to look at the amount due, never mind wading through the line items. But if you don’t check them, you could end up paying for things you never bought. It can be easy to fix — if you spot it. Make it a habit to read your bills as soon as you get them. Do you recognize every charge?

Unexpected charges could be the result of a store accidentally charging your card several times, or a thief stealing your information. Unfortunately, thieves don’t need your physical credit card to use it. They just need your card number and expiration date.

What if you have automatic scheduled payments? It’s important to check those statements for accuracy and timeliness, too. Given the recent data breaches, reviewing your statements line by line is a smart idea.

More from NCPW.gov.

Saturday, April 26 is National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.

Between 10AM and 2PM on April 26, bring your unwanted prescription drugs to a collection site near you.

Properly disposing of medicines is important to human health and the environment. If you dispose of drugs on your own, check out these tips from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (PDF).

Should Companies Advertise To Kids At The Library?

An interesting question.

What do YOU think?

13 Amazingly Stunning Public Libraries From Around the World

It's National Library Week! Have you visited your local library recently? Is it as beautiful as these?

Check the Status of Your Federal Tax Refund

If you're awaiting a refund from the IRS, check the status of your refund.

Your refund status should be available 24 hours after your electronically filed tax return has been received, or 4 weeks after you've mailed a paper return.

You must enter the exact whole dollar amount shown on your tax return. Providing the exact whole dollar amount is essential to receiving the correct response.

ALA annual report on the state of America’s libraries

This week, the American Library Association released their annual report on the state of America’s libraries, which includes a round-up of the “Top 10 Most Frequently Challenged Books” in 2013—in other words, books that people have most often attempted to ban in schools and public libraries.

SlimeKids: School LIbrary MEdia Kids

SlimeKids is a website for elementary/middle school-age kids; it's a free site.

"SlimeKids features an extensive collection of book trailers organized by year and by grade level as well as numerous language arts-related games in such categories as word, literacy, spelling, typing, vocabulary and grammar. Additionally, the website showcases an array of exceptional literacy-related resources such as author and book review websites as well as superb learning tools including reference works and search engines."

Info about the Exit 23 (Albany County, NY) Casino proposal and process

(Stolen from Albany Common Council member Leah Golby's e-mail):

Haven't heard that there's a casino proposal? Here's the All Over Albany report of the Common Council briefing held last month.

At the April 7 Common Council Meeting, some members of the public expressed concern about casinos in general, and a casino being sited in Albany specifically, while others expressed support for the proposed casino.

Here's the process in terms of Council consideration and information about public meetings:
•The developer must submit their application by June 30. Here is the RFA.
•One component of the casino application is support from the host community. A resolution was introduced April 7 so that the Council can begin consideration of support for the proposal. The Common Council constituted a "Committee of the Whole" (a committee on which every Council Member sits) so that the resolution would be sent to that committee for consideration.
•The Council has set a goal of May 5 for voting on the Resolution.
•At this point the following meetings are scheduled or under consideration:
1.April 16 - 6:30 p.m. public forum with the developer at Giffen Elementary School - 274 South Pearl Street

Anyone with Internet Access Can See Interesting Views of Albany

COLLECTION OF HISTORIC ALBANY PHOTOS NOW ONLINE

Albany Public Library has a rich and varied collection of historic Albany photos that is now available to view online through New York Heritage Digital Collections -- a free online portal designed for researchers and history buffs. The site -- nyheritage.org -- is now showcasing two small APL collections: "Views of Albany" and "Urban Renewal in Albany."

Views of Albany showcases a selection of black and white photographs that are mostly from the early 20th century. This collection shows the homes, churches, businesses, weather events, transportation, streets, and people of Albany's past.

Urban Renewal in Albany is an album of photographs and captions that was handmade in 1976 by Florence L. Powell, a historical research assistant for the city of Albany. Powell's album is composed of before-and-after pictures of the Clinton Square area during the urban renewal era. The scrapbook documents the demolition of buildings, the reshaping of streets, and the construction of Interstate 787 and the Leo W. O'Brien Office Building.

The library will continue to add photos to the New York Heritage online collection. These images are just a sample of APL's full Pruyn Collection of Albany History, which is housed in the Albany History Room at the Main Library and includes documents about urban renewal, the South Mall construction, city and state government, and African American history. The Pruyn Collection is comprised of thousands of books, photographs, city directories, newspapers, documents, census records, city council minutes, maps, and more. For more information, please call 427-4303.

Alzheimer’s Association's Green-Field Library

The Alzheimer's Association Green-Field Library is excited to celebrate National Library Week. Located at the national headquarters in Chicago, it is one of the largest library and resource centers devoted to increasing the knowledge about Alzheimer's disease and other dementia.

There's no shortage of information on Alzheimer's disease, but where to start? What articles offer practical answers? Which resources can you trust?

The expert library staff has assembled a collection of the most useful, informative and up-to-date books, journals, research studies, videos, databases, social media resources and more. And it's free!

Get started online now at alz.org/library or call 800.272.3900 to learn more.

FLAT ALBANY PUBLIC LIBRARY BUDGET FOR 2015; 2 Trustee seats open

For the second year in a row, the library's Board of Trustees has approved a flat budget that results in no tax levy increase.

"The library trustees are committed to maintaining current spending levels for the coming year in order to give taxpayers a little relief from their tax burden," said APL Executive Director Carol Nersinger. "The administration has worked hard to make the most out of our current budget so we can continue operating seven wonderful neighborhood libraries for the people of Albany."

The 2015 library operations budget is $6,434,764 -- the same amount as the 2013 and 2014 spending plans. Because the budget does not raise the tax levy, the library is not required to put it out for a public vote. Approval by the library's trustees, which was unanimously given at its March meeting, is all that is required for the flat spending plan to become official.

The library does have two trustee seats that are up for election on May 20. Potential candidates must submit petitions to the City School District of Albany by 5 pm on Monday, April 21.

SPRING BREAK BOREDOM BUSTERS at Albany Public Library

Lots of Free Fun for Kids & Teens April 14-18

APL has more than a dozen special activities planned for kids and teens April 14 through April 18 to stave off spring break boredom. Here are just a few of the free activities planned at APL. For more details, please call the host library. For a full listing, visit the library's online calendar.

APRIL 14 (Monday)
• Tang Museum Visits at 2:30 pm -- Pine Hills Branch (482-7911)

APRIL 15 (Tuesday)
• Celtic Metal Working Workshop at 2:30 pm -- Pine Hills Branch (482-7911)
• LEGOs and Percy Jackson "The Lightning Thief" Movie at 3 pm -- Delaware Branch (463-0254)
• Gadgets, Gizmos & Goo at 3:30 pm -- Howe Branch (472-9485)

APRIL 16 (Wednesday)
• "Frozen" Movie Matinee at 2:30 pm -- Pine Hills Branch (482-7911)
• Discovering the Past with Our American Girls Dolls at 3 pm -- Delaware Branch (463-0254)

APRIL 17 (Thursday)
• Preschool Story Time at 10:30 am -- North Albany Branch (463-1581)
• Perler Bead Creations at 1 pm -- Main Library (427-4310)

APRIL 18 (Friday)
• Earth Day Art at 2 pm -- Bach Branch (482-2154)
• Dyken Traveling Pond with Plants and Animals at 2:30 pm -- Pine Hills Branch (482-7911)
• RAPoetry Contest at 4 pm -- North Albany Branch (463-1581)

April is Financial Literacy Month

The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, has information to help you make the most of your money no matter who you are – student, young adult, parent, service member on active duty, veteran or grandparent.

“If you want to learn about everyday financial issues, like saving and shopping, credit and debt, buying a home or car, or looking for a job or paying for school, the FTC has information for you,” said Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Financial Literacy Month is an ideal time to learn – or teach others – the importance of consumers’ rights, and how to file a complaint if something goes wrong.”

Complaints matter at the FTC. If a business doesn't deliver on its promises, if someone cheats you out of your money, or if you've spotted a scam, tell the FTC. Consumer complaints help drive agency investigations. The FTC’s aggressive law enforcement efforts stop fraudulent and deceptive business practices, and its consumer education campaigns empower people to make well-informed buying decisions and recognize frauds and scams.

All of the FTC's materials are in the public domain. They can be posted, reprinted, or adapted to educate people about their consumer rights.

Visit MoneyMatters for articles, videos and blog posts about financial topics that you can share in your community.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).

Spending on Reading Material

From the New Strategist.

The average household spent $109 on reading material in 2012, slightly more than the $105 spent in 2010, after adjusting for inflation. What contributed to this boost in spending on reading material after the steep 46 percent decline between 2000 and 2010? Digital book readers, according to a Demo Memo Blog analysis of unpublished detailed spending data from the federal government's Consumer Expenditure Survey.

During an average quarter of 2012, nearly 2 percent of households bought a digital book reader. While that doesn't sound like much, it was a higher rate of purchasing than for personal digital audio players (such as iPods) and nearly as high a rate as for online gaming services. The result was a boost in spending on the overall reading category despite ongoing declines in spending on books, newspapers, and magazines.

The introduction of digital book readers explains why average household spending on reading material grew especially strongly among householders under age 55 during the 2010-to-2012 time period...

Percent change in average household spending on reading material, 2010-12 (in 2012 dollars)
Under age 25: 7.2%
Aged 25 to 34: 12.1%
Aged 35 to 44: 10.4%
Aged 45 to 54: 7.8%
Aged 55 to 64: 0.3%
Aged 65-plus: -4.4%

With more Americans owning digital book readers, perhaps spending on books will begin to grow in the years ahead.

2014 Capital Region Homebuyer Fair

If you or someone you know is thinking about buying a house, make sure they attend the annual Homebuyer Fair on Saturday, April 26 from 10 to 2 pm at the Albany Public Library, 161 Washington Ave. It’s a great place to get all the info. you’ll need and start the process.

Albany: Household Hazardous Waste and Electronic Drop-off Days; Free Paper Shredding

Spring Household Hazardous Waste and Electronic Drop-off Days have been announced. Thursdays, 4 to 7pm, Rapp Road Landfill. Everyone must pre-register at 434-2489 or www.albanyrecycles.com April 17, May 1, May 15, & June 5. No hazardous waste should be placed curbside.

Free City Paper Shredding for residents on Thursday, April 24 from 4 to 7 pm in Washington Park. additionally books will be coollectd to be recycled; they will not be shredded. For more info, contact DGS at 518 434-2489.

WhiteHouse.gov Petition to support funding libraries and museums

Hello everyone! Please take a moment to read what's below:

WhiteHouse.gov Petition
We petition the Obama administration to release a statement that funding libraries and museums is a core federal responsibility.
Let your voice be hear! Add your name to the petition - click here.
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/release-statement-funding-libraries-and-museums-core-federal-responsibility/6g1tTXHv.


From: New York's Libraries Information Network On Behalf Of Jeremy Johannesen
Sent: Saturday, April 05, 2014
Subject: [NYLINE] U.S. House Budget Proposal Dismisses Role of IMLS

U.S. House Budget Proposal Dismisses Role of IMLS

In a new budget released today from Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI), the House Budget Committee Chairman denounces the critical role that the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) plays in supporting civic engagement, literacy and lifelong learning in more than 123,000 libraries nationwide. Rep. Ryan recommends that the federal government not have a role in libraries and that Congress shift the federal agency’s responsibilities to the private sector in his 2015 fiscal year budget resolution.

Today, American Library Association (ALA) President Barbara Stripling released the following statement in response to Rep. Ryan’s budget (pdf):
“We were shocked to learn that Representative Paul Ryan recommended eliminating IMLS, the agency that promotes library services for the American public. We are disappointed by the House Budget Committee’s outright dismissal of IMLS, the agency that administers the primary source of federal funding to libraries. Libraries depend on the support they receive from IMLS to help patrons learn new skills, find job opportunities and access reading materials that they otherwise could not afford. More than $180 million has been appropriated to the Institute for Museum and Library Services through September 2014 to help libraries make information and services available to the citizens they serve.

In Rep. Ryan’s own state of Wisconsin, more than 65 percent of libraries report that they are the only free access point to Internet in their communities. Just a few blocks from Rep. Ryan’s Wisconsin office, more than 716,000 visitors used the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin to access library computers and research databases, check out books and receive job training in 2013. The Institute of Museum and Library Services administered more than $2.8 million in the 2014 fiscal year to help Wisconsin libraries prepare young students for school and provide lifelong learning opportunities for all Wisconsin residents. For example, the state reported that more than 215,000 children participated in summer reading programs at Wisconsin public libraries.

IMLS provides invaluable professional development opportunities to librarians across the country. As the director of school library programs for the New York City Department of Education, I witnessed the ways in which the IMLS-supported programs helped young students learn and discover new information. In recent years, IMLS provided professional training for New York City school librarians, who used their training they received to change the lives of children with limited access to books and technology.

Furthermore, the Institute has been a vital component in facilitating collaboration between federal agencies that relate to library services, such as the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Federal Communication Commission and the Government Printing Office, among others. For example, the Institute has been instrumental in working with the U.S. Department of Labor so that libraries can be considered additional One-Stop partners for job-seekers.

Library funding support from the Institute for Museum and Library Services wields large returns in the form of literate and civically engaged communities. We hope that Congress will support the important role that the Institute for Museum and Library Services plays in supporting educated communities by rejecting the House Budget resolution.”

NYSERDA's Home Performance Energy Star program

Make your home more comfortable, safe, affordable and energy efficient through NYSERDA's Home Performance Energy Star program. There are incentives and financing to help you complete your project. A free energy assessment is the first step. To learn more, visit www.greencapitalregion.org or call the AHP Homeownership Center Energy Advisor Kathleen Langton at 434-1730.

Rockefeller Institute Severe Weather Forum

With just a week to go before the Rockefeller Institute's half-day program, Facing the Storm: Preparing for Increased Extreme Weather in Upstate New York, event organizers have announced that, due to overwhelming demand, the program has been moved to the University at Albany Campus Center Ballroom. The event is scheduled for Monday, April 14th from 1:00-5:00 p.m.

This program is designed to showcase the research of the University at Albany's Atmospheric Sciences Department on prospects for upstate severe weather and to provide a forum for the emergency response community to discuss what they need to do to prepare for anticipated meteorological events.

Featured presenters include Congressman Paul Tonko and Commissioner Jerome M. Hauer from the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. Other panelists include meteorologists from the University at Albany, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and emergency responders from throughout New York State.

Facing the Storm was developed by the Nelson A.Rockefeller Institute of Government, the University at Albany's Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, and the New York State Emergency Management Association, in cooperation with the NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.

The event is free and open to the public but, due to demand, reservations are required. Campus parking is, additionally, provided. To register, contact Michele Charbonneau at michele.charbonneau@rockinst.suny.edu or (518) 443-5258. The deadline for registration is April 10th.

Ryan’s Proposed 2015 Budget Would Eliminate IMLS Grants to Libraries

From Library Journal:

On April 1, House Budget Committee chair Paul Ryan (R-WI) released his budget proposal for the fiscal year 2015... Among librarians... the most controversial cost-saving measure proposed in the Ryan budget might be its elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) entirely, cutting millions in grants to libraries around the country.

The ink was hardly dry on Ryan’s proposal before the American Library Association (ALA) released a statement slamming the notion of cutting the federal government out of the library funding picture, pointing out that as part of its work the libraries, the IMLS partners with a variety of other government agencies, and noting that “…the Institute has been a vital component in facilitating collaboration between federal agencies that relate to library services, such as the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Federal Communication Commission and the Government Printing Office, among others.”

ALA president Barbara Stripling described herself as “shocked and extremely dismayed” by the proposal, which, if it were enacted, could severely hinder the ability of libraries around the country to provide technology resources to patrons by eliminating the grants administered by IMLS under the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). “The impact of that funding has been profound in providing access to technology in libraries that absolutely would not have been able to provide that access otherwise,” Stripling told LJ, pointing out that such technology is often used to access government services by patrons who don’t have Internet access in their homes.

All Over Albany Business Competition

The award-winning blog All Over Albany, which covers much more than Albany, is hosting a business competition - the top prize is a $1,500 Start-up Grant. If you are ready to launch - or if you have already launched and would like to go to another level - check out the contest here. Deadline is Friday, April 4th so get started on your application today!

The Dialing for Dollars scam

There’s a new scam going around – and if your family name is from South Asia, there’s a chance you already know about it. If the scam sounds familiar, that’s because it’s been around for years, targeting one group, then another. Right now, the people being targeted seem to be from India and Pakistan; tomorrow: who can say?

Here’s what’s happening: You get a call from someone claiming to be from the government – maybe the IRS, maybe a law enforcement agency, maybe the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The caller often has a foreign accent, and might even speak to you in Hindi or Urdu. The caller might have information about you – the last four digits of your Social Security number, for example. The caller tells you that you owe money, and that if you don’t pay, many bad things will happen (deportation for you and your family, freezing your assets, jail…you name it). The caller will tell you to pay using a prepaid card, and will threaten you if you protest.

If alarm bells went off for you as you read that last paragraph: good! There’s a lot there to set off alarms.

Read more HERE.

From Distant Admirers to Library Lovers–and beyond

The impact of digital technologies on public libraries is particularly interesting because libraries serve so many people (about half of all Americans ages 16 and older used a public library in some form in the past year, as of September 2013) and correspondingly try to meet a wide variety of needs. This is also what makes the task of public libraries - as well as... any other institution that is trying to reach a wide swath of the American public —so challenging: They are trying to respond to new technologies while maintaining older strategies of knowledge dissemination.

In recent years, public libraries have continued to add new technologies and formats to their holdings, with the goal of providing patrons resources in whatever form they prefer. Many libraries have also expanded into community centers, serving as unique gathering places in their towns and cities. Today, they offer many events and services, and are experimenting with providing the next generation of “expensive and scarce” resources, from 3-D printers to recording studios.

Work by the Pew Research Center has shown that print books are still central to Americans’ library use, just as they remain central in Americans’ overall reading habits. In fact, though more Americans than ever are reading e-books (28% of adults ages 18 and older, as of January 2014), few have abandoned print entirely; just 4% of readers read e-books exclusively. Still, many Americans say they would be interested in exploring a range of technological services at public libraries, from personalized reading recommendations and online “Ask a Librarian” services to media kiosks and mobile apps.

Libraries loom large in the public imagination, and are generally viewed very positively: 90% of Americans ages 16 and older say that the closing of their local public library would have an impact on their community. This means that many people have a stake in the future of libraries, and as the digital age advances, there is much discussion about where they are headed.

More from Pew HERE.

Two Albany Public Library Board Seats Up for Election in May

The Albany Public Library Board of Trustees has two positions that are up for election on Tuesday, May 20.

The two open trustee positions carry full five-year terms that start on July 1. The library’s nine-member Board of Trustees is charged with making the rules, regulations, and policies under which the seven-location library system operates. The expiring terms are currently held by Holly McKenna and Andrew Bechard.

In order to run for a seat on the APL board, candidates must meet the following criteria: be at least 18-years-old, a citizen of the United States, a resident of the city of Albany, registered to vote in the November 2013 general election, and submit a valid nominating petition.

Nominating petitions are available at all Albany Public Library locations and online.

Completed nominating petitions (including at least 57 valid signatures) must be returned to the Clerk of the City School District of Albany by 5 p.m. on Monday, April 21.

The board is hosting an optional information session for people interested in running for library trustee on Saturday, April 5, at 2 pm in conference room #1 at the Main Library (161 Washington Avenue). Current trustees will participate in a moderated panel discussion about the work of the board, why they decided to run for office, and their experiences as candidates and board members.

American Promise movie - free screening at Madison Theater, March 24

American Promise is an intimate and provocative account, recorded over 13 years, of the experiences of two middle-class African-American boys who entered a very prestigious—and historically white—private school on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The Dalton School had made a commitment to recruit students of color, and five-year-old best friends Idris Brewster and Oluwaseun (Seun) Summers of Brooklyn were two of the gifted children who were admitted. The boys were placed in a demanding environment that provided new opportunities and challenges, if little reflection of their cultural identities.

For more information, contact WMHT here or HERE.

Words Recently Added to the Oxford English Dictionary

From PARADE:

According to OED, the March 2014 update “includes revised versions of existing entries (which replace the older versions), and new words and senses both within the alphabetical sequence of revised entries and also across the whole A to Z range.”

Here are just a few of the newest words recognized by the OED:

bathroom break (n.): a short period of time within the duration of an activity (often of a prescribed or limited duration) taken to use the toilet.

beatboxer (n.): a performer who uses (amplified) vocal effects to imitate the sounds and rhythms of hip-hop music.

bestie (n.): a person’s best friend; a very close friend.

bookaholic (n.): a habitual and prolific reader; a compulsive book buyer.

crap shoot (n.): a situation or undertaking regarded as uncertain, risky, or unpredictable.

dead white male (n.): a dead Caucasian male writer, philosopher, etc., whose pre-eminence is challenged as disproportionate to his cultural significance, and attributed to a historical bias towards his gender and ethnic group.

DIYer (n.): A person who engages in do-it-yourself activities; an amateur (in construction, repair, etc.).

do-over (n.): an instance or chance of doing something for a second or further time, after an unsuccessful or unsatisfactory first attempt.

honky-tonker (n.): a person who owns, works in, or frequents a cheap, sleazy bar or nightclub, typically one where country music is played.

scissor-kick (v): to perform a kick which involve a scissor-like motion of the legs, as in swimming or soccer.

wackadoodle (adj.): crazy, mad; eccentric.

For the full list, click here.

The library is the last, best socialized institution in America today and you're about to lose it

From the Daily Kos:

People who don't grow up as lifelong readers grow up in an America living under a form of de facto censorship and what it means is that the censor, by withholding library funding, limits access to reading materials to children from a young age. So they don't get to see the other side of the coin and wind up developing a one-sided point of view which has been historically associated with sexism, homophobia, racial bigotry and other forms of intolerance and hate...

The library is a public good. It belongs to everyone but only for as long as you're willing to defend it. Public libraries due to budget cuts are cutting their operating hours, their services and yes too many are shutting their doors. Therefore this action diary asks you in support of your local library to write a letter to the editor today and to do it for yourself and do it for the special children in your life. Do it for your community and tell them that you support full community library funding today, tomorrow and forever.

meeting re: the impact of school testing and how to refuse it

Come join fellow parents and learn more about the impact of testing and how to refuse the NYS ELA and Math assessments scheduled to take place in April. There will be a presentation by Tim Farley, one of the founding members of New York State Allies for Public Education.

Monday March 10th at 6:30 pm
Howe Branch Library
105 Schuyler St
Albany, NY
Parking is Available!!!

Presenter Tim Farley:
Tim Farley and his wife Jessica are the proud parents of four school-aged children. Tim is the Building Principal of Ichabod Crane Elementary and Middle School (Grades 4-8) in Kinderhook, NY. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education for Earth Science, a Master’s Degree in Special Education (K-12), and a Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Administration and Supervision. He has been in education for over 22 years and has been a Building Administrator for 15 years. Tim is also one of the founding members of the New York State Allies for Public Education and has been quite critical of the Regents Reform Agenda.

Obituary of Jerome Flax, former Friends of the Albany Public Library president

Flax, Jerome ALBANY Jerome Flax, 91, of Albany passed away peacefully at his home on Sunday, March 2, 2014. Jerome has finally gone to meet his beloved Jessie Amanda. Son of the late Julius and Alice Flax, he was born in Newark, N.J. on March 17, 1922, and moved to Hudson, at the age of five.

He served in the U.S. Army in the Pacific during World War II for three years, and was awarded two Battle Stars. He was a 1949 graduate of Siena College, and earned a master's degree in 1950 from the State University of New York. From 1950 to 1965, he was an English teacher in Granville and East Islip, and then in Vernon-Verona, and Medina, where he also coached the debate team. From 1965 until his retirement in 1982, he was employed by the New York State Department of Education.

Jerome was an ardent supporter of many organizations that help others. He also was a member and past president of the Friends of Albany Public Library, and a member of the English Speaking Union, the Men's Garden Club, the Torch Club and the Torah Study Group at B'Nai Shalom Reform Congregation.

In addition to his parents and his wife, Jerome was predeceased by his siblings, Rose F. Seuss, Joseph Flax and Dorothea S. Schips. He is survived by his niece, Joann (Ed) Krawic and nephews, Marshall (Nancy) Suess and Mitchell (Michelle) Schips and his friend Fredda Peritz. Jerome loved to travel with Jessie and was a voracious reader, especially of non-fiction. He shared his love for books with his students and other children in his life. Jerome was the kindest of men. He believed that he had such a wonderful life and insisted on making contributions to those whose lot in life had not been so fortunate.

He was always grateful for Social Security, Medicare and the GI Bill, which he believed allowed him to meet Jessie, a fellow teacher, and share an incredible marriage. Jerome's life was filled with cherished friends, neighbors and the special "Ladies" (and a Gent) who cared for him until his last breath. We are especially thankful for the love, caring and generosity of Kathy and Joe Pingelski, Don Miller, Russell and Maria Greenman, Jeffrey Sullivan, Dr. Richard Propp, Rita Schachne, Oneika Miller, Barbara Davis, Maxine Lepak, Coleen Peart, Camille Johnson, Simone Foster, Dwayne Goldson and Maxine Maul. We are also grateful to Dr. Robert Kelleher for the special care and guidance he gave, and Community Hospice for their caring support.

Funeral services will be held in the Hans Funeral Home, 1088 Western Ave., Albany on Wednesday, March 5 at 3 p.m. Relatives and friends are invited, and may call at the funeral home Wednesday beginning 1 p.m. A Shiva minyan will be held at 7 p.m. at the home of Dr. Richard Propp, 13 Marion Ave., Albany. Interment will be held at a later date in Evergreen Cemetery in Fabius.

In lieu of flowers, it is requested that donations be made to the Friends of Albany Public Library, Inc., 161 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12210; or to B'Nai Shalom Reform Congregation, 420 Whitehall Road, Albany, NY 12208. To leave a message of condolence for the family, send a sympathy card, or obtain directions to the funeral home, please visit HansFuneralHome.com.

From Times Union obituary.