Douglas Soule, WUSF; What comes after book bans? One school district questions traditional libraries
"After removing hundreds of books, Clay County is debating the purpose of high school libraries. School officials called it modernization. Critics see it as the next phase of the book debate targeting fiction books."
Kalea Gunderson, WTAE; Monroeville library removes Pride Month display after officials’ request
"The Monroeville Public Library removed its Pride Month children’s book display following a directive from local officials.
Kelly Meredith, president of the Monroeville Public Library Board of Directors, said a decision was made to remove the library's Pride Month display after the municipal manager directed library staff to take it down...
Meredith explained that the decision to remove the display was made to protect library staff from potential negative impacts.
“There was a lot of pressure, and it was a very difficult decision because we don't want to set a precedent that says that the council can come in and dictate what displays are appropriate for the library. But we had to do what the library staff felt would keep them safest in this situation,” Meredith said.
She added that the municipal manager and a council member visited the library to ensure the display had been removed.
Monroeville Municipal Manager Alex Graziani said the request was related to holiday timing.
“I advised that the June Pride Month display in the children’s section of the Monroeville Public Library could be removed and replaced with a patriotic America 250 display in advance of the Independence Day holiday and our community celebration,” Graziani said.
Meredith responded, stating that library staff, not public officials, are responsible for determining displays.
Monroeville Mayor Dennis Biondo Jr. said he is investigating the situation and emphasized that libraries should be welcoming spaces free from intimidation and censorship.
"I affirm our community's values of safety, dignity, and respect for all residents, including the LGBTQIA+ community... Libraries must remain safe, welcoming spaces free from intimidation or censorship, so that all patrons have access to the books and resources they need or wants," they mayor said in a statement posted online."
The New York Times; Rare Books on Sex Have Spiced Things Up at a Library Franklin Founded
The Library Company of Philadelphia, created in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin, has received a gift of 1,500 volumes about sexuality dating back to the 17th century.
"As it approaches its 300th birthday, the Library Company is marking its own milestone — a pending merger with Temple University to shore up its shaky finances and expand its academic and public footprint. The deal, approved by shareholders of both would-be partners last December, awaits approval by the Pennsylvania Attorney General and the state judicial unit that oversees charities, known as Orphans’ Court.
Like many nonprofits, the library, with an annual budget of roughly $3 million, has struggled financially in recent years and its staff, which numbered 28 two years ago, has shrunk to 16.
Joining forces would expand scholarly vistas for the university’s nearly 35,000 students and faculty while securing the library’s public future, John Fry, Temple’s president, said in an interview. “It’s the best shot for it to continue another 300 years.”"
Jamese Platt, Pittsburgh's Public Source ; CCAC’s push to sell off library books leaves empty shelves
This year the Community College of Allegheny County culled around 30,000 books from its collection, and library staff claim they had little say. Experts say academic book weeding should be a careful, gradual process.
"The Community College of Allegheny County has culled 35,000 books from its library collection. Some library staff members said they never received a clear explanation for the large and fast-paced “book weeding” — a common process in libraries, but one usually done gradually, according to some library management professionals.
On March 10, CCAC’s website announced an upcoming book sale taking place for one week across the college’s main and branch campuses. Books, DVDs and CDs were available for $1, with proceeds supporting a textbook fund for CCAC students.
“New media, such as electronic media including databases, e-texts and streaming media are in higher demand now as sources of information in community college libraries,” wrote Stephen Wells, CCAC’s provost and chief academic officer, in response to questions from Pittsburgh’s Public Source. “We are shifting resources to provide the resources our students need...
Bryanna Biehl, a CCAC student studying microbiology, worked as a volunteer during the book sale. She said she feels conflicted about the current state of the library. While she found the book sale enjoyable and was glad to increase her book collection, empty shelves on the Boyce Campus in Monroeville upset her.
“Seeing it after the sale, it’s kind of heartbreaking,” Biehl said. “I frequent the library a lot. I would like a physical space to read … That’s what you expect when you go to the library, but seeing all those empty shelves that used to be full of books, it sucks as a student, as a reader, really.”
According to Jenkins, what remains of the CCAC libraries is a skeleton of its former self. “We don’t really have a real collection,” he said. “The damage that has been done, you can’t heal that.”
Reema Saleh , American Libraries; Books by Bots: Librarians grapple with AI-generated material in collections
"How to Spot AI-Generated Books
Once an AI-generated book has made it to your library, it will likely give itself away with telltale signs such as jumbled, repetitive, or contradicting sentences; glaring grammatical errors or false statements; or digital art that looks too smooth around the corners.
Of course, if you can get a digital sneak-peek inside a book before ordering, all the better. But if not, how can you head off AI content so it never arrives on your desk? The following tips can help.
Julie Kay , WCNC; York County Libraries halt new purchases of books with sexual content for 17 and under
"York County Library Board of Trustees has decided to halt purchasing any books for minors that include any sexual content.
The decision, made in a heated special meeting Wednesday night, is a change from their original statement.
Board Chair Anne Witte previously posted that they would halt purchasing all books for children, until "further clarification and guidance is received from the state regarding Proviso 27.1 and until the Attorney General makes a ruling providing libraries with guidance for collection development.""
Kelly Jensen , Book Riot; WHAT ELSE DO PARENTS WHO BELIEVE LIBRARIANS SHOULD BE PROSECUTED FOR LIBRARY MATERIALS THINK?
"Book Riot and EveryLibrary have teamed up to execute a series of surveys exploring parental perceptions of libraries, and our first data sets were released at the end of September. These specifically explore the ways parents perceive public libraries...
While most parents have no idea how librarians choose the books in the collection (53%), and most also believe librarians should be responsible for collection development and maintenance (58%), one of the most surprising findings was that fully one-quarter of respondents believed librarians should be prosecuted for giving children access to materials...
People who do not know how librarians select material are much more likely to also believe librarians should be prosecuted for that material. This is chilling, to say the least. It’s also an important point to emphasize for library workers. Where and how do you educate your patrons about the process behind the acquisition of books, movies, and other collection items? If this demographic who somewhat or wholly believes librarians should be prosecuted for materials is your average or above average user, there is a lot of opportunity — maybe even necessity — for education."
