26% of book collections are now digital | Wiley


Many thanks to all of you who took part in the 2013 Librarian Survey conducted by Wiley during May.  We have produced this infographic to summarize the key results from the survey covering the areas of budgets, digital books, print vs digital journal preferences and patron driven acquisition.

There was a broad spread of responses from different territories, helped no doubt by the survey’s availability in nine languages.  37% of responses came from the Americas; 33% from countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa; and 31% from the Asia Pacific region.  

See the end of the post for a summary of key takeaways at this link: 26% of book collections are now digital | Exchanges | Wiley.

2013 Library Survey

2013 Library Survey

Infographic: Why Buy Used Books? from ThriftBooks.com | The Digital Reader


Infographic: Why Buy Used Books? | The Digital Reader. Originally created by ThriftBooks.com.

Why Buy Used Books

Image Credit: ThriftBooks.com

Archival Technologies Presentation | Cliff Landis


The HLS Guide to Library School | Simple Book Production


This ebook contains some new content but mostly posts that have appeared previously on the blog. It is not necessarily a compilation of the best of Hack Library School or even indicative of the breadth of our content; instead, we have selected content based on the most practical advice we could give to others to–you guessed it–hack library school. We’ve divided the content into three main sections: Before Library School, During Library School, and After Library School. Within these sections, you will also find sub-sections intended to help organize the content meaningfully.

See more: The HLS Guide to Library School | Simple Book Production.

The Hack Library School blog is a great resource for library school students. They posts interviews with LIS professionals on employing and interviewing LIS graduates. There are also posts by guest editors. Here’s a direct link to the pdf of the free eBook.

Hack Library School Guide to Library School (PDF)

An Online Project Collects The Stories Behind Favorite Heirlooms | Co.Design


Genie lamps, ancient tomes, swords in stones: Classic tales reveal that certain objects possess magical powers, absorbed through generations of inheritance. With today’s relentless pressure to just buy more and more, it’s easy to forget the power of our own belongings. We’re all hoarders on some level. But most of us have at least one heirloom with a rich history, an item that seems more alive than the rest.

British photographer Joakim Blockstrom wants to hear these particular stories and to document your favorite heirlooms. Blockstrom founded The Heirloom Project, an online bank of images of passed-down objects along with their histories. The intent is to start a discussion about the meaning of inheritance and its relationship to our identities and what we value.

An Online Project Collects The Stories Behind Favorite Heirlooms | Co.Design | business + design

See the full post: An Online Project Collects The Stories Behind Favorite Heirlooms | Co.Design | business + design.

Dual Degree Programs | Hack Library School


Have you ever considered pursuing another Master’s degree while going for your MLS?…Today I want to outline some considerations for pursuing simultaneous Masters’ degrees. It may just be a good fit for you!

Read the full story: Dual Degree Programs | Hack Library School.

Critically-Aclaimed Novel Is Banned In Arizona After Parent Complains About Sexually Explicit Passage | HuffPost


Parental complaints concerning an erotic excerpt in Cuban-American author Cristina García’s critically-acclaimed novel “Dreaming in Cuban” has prompted an Arizona school district to ban the book from classrooms this week, the Associated Press reports.

See the full story: Critically-Aclaimed Novel Is Banned In Arizona After Parent Complains About Sexually Explicit Passage | HuffPost.

Cool Bookish Places: The National Library of Israel | BookRiot


I’m cheating a little with this one. See, the National Library of Israel is definitely a cool bookish place, but it doesn’t strictly….exist. At least not yet.

At this point, the library is in its design and competition phase, but Moshe Safdie, just released high-resolution renderings of his proposed design, and it is marvelous.

National Library of Israel

Read the full story with more pics: Cool Bookish Places: The National Library of Israel | BookRiot.

Librarian Quietly Saved $1 Million For Gift Back To Library | HuffPost


Carol Sue Snowden, a librarian at the Columbus Metropolitan Library, was known by her peers for her modest lifestyle. She drove a used Chevrolet, lived in a condominium, and was happy to indulge in little other than her passion for books.

It was precisely because of this frugal lifestyle that she was able to accomplish something monumental: She’d saved over $1 million, donating all of it to libraries and reading programs she’d come to love.

Read the full story: Librarian Quietly Saved $1 Million For Gift Back To Library | HuffPost.

Power Tumbl’ng: Why Tumblr Is a Great Way to Reach Teen Patrons | The Digital Shift


Should libraries and librarians use Tumblr? Is it wise to wade into this alluring sea of wacky photos, pop-culture commentary, and gifs—snippets of moving images—in order to virtually chat about best book lists, library events, title recommendations, and our favorite quotes?

Yes, and here’s why. The key to a useful social network is to strategically use communication tools, understand each network’s reach, and guarantee ease of use for all involved. Tumblr can be a successful way to connect to new and diverse audiences, provided you understand who you’ll be attracting to your site and how to use Tumblr to your advantage.

The post includes 8 tips for successful tumbling.

See the full story: Power Tumbl’ng: Why Tumblr Is a Great Way to Reach Teen Patrons | The Digital Shift.