Last Monday night, Mark Zuckerberg published a post announcing Facebook's new initiative to bring Internet access to the developing world. The blueprint for internet.org mapped out how Facebook and a host of phone company allies might connect an additional 5 billion people online through more affordable access, increasing data efficiency, and investing in local business infrastructure. It came with a video that depicted IRL social interactions in developing countries, along with a soundtrack cut from a JFK speech and soft, inspirational piano tones. As the Atlantic's Alexis Madrigal deftly pointed out, no one can call this ignoble, or unreasonable, even. Simply put, increased Internet access is a good idea––though the other message Facebook was trying to sell, the one that equated the company with peace and progress, was hokey at best. But there's another facet of Internet access that Internet.org does not address, and that's Internet inequality right at home, in cities that otherwise rank as some of the most "connected" places on the planet. New York City is already well–known for its ample (and growing) income inequality. But on Wednesday, Manhattan borough president Scott Stringer put out a report showing that the city's public schools and libraries vary widely when it comes to its broadband speeds. The report revealed that over 75% of New York City schools had maximum download speeds of 10 megabits per second, 100 times slower than the 2020 goal outlined by President... Continue reading at 'Fast Company'
[ Fast Company | 2013-08-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
Author Ali Smith has used her appearance at the Edinburgh International Book Festival to warn how the closure of public libraries was threatening the “democracy of reading”. Smith, who was interviewed at the festival yesterday (16th August), said the continued closing of libraries would have an... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-08-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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President Barack Obama is on Martha's Vineyard for his annual two-week summer holiday, and the White House has released his reading list. Continue reading at Stuff
[ Stuff | 2015-08-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mic’s first interview with President Obama is available on Mic.com, which received more than 16 million visitors in July. The full interview is also available on its mobile app, Facebook and YouTube. But the distribution strategy doesn’t end there, as the publisher has also been sharing... Continue reading at Digiday
[ Digiday | 2015-08-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Jim Crace’s Harvest (Picador) has won the 2015 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. Crace was announced as the winner of the €100,000 prize, awarded for a single novel published in English, today (17th June) at Mansion House in Dublin. The IMPAC receives its nominations from public... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Libraries minister Ed Vaizey has said he is “keen” on the idea of creating a national libraries framework, and urged senior librarians to contribute to discussions on how it can be achieved. The framework could set out guidelines on how public libraries are structured and what they offer. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers in the US including Hachette Book Group, Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster are making $250m (£163m) in free ebooks available to low-income students as part of a scheme announced today (30th April) by President Obama. The new ebook commitments, to cover a three-year... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The government will provide funding to give wi-fi access to all public libraries across England, chanceller George Osborne revealed yesterday (18th March) is his pre-election budget speech. The budget document said that £7.4m would be provided to fund wi-fi. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The jointly developed survey will seek to understand library patrons’ use of digital resources and other services offered by public libraries. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Government ministers will today (26th January) launch a scheme to provide books for people with dementia via public libraries. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Using the hashtag #becauseofapubliclibrary, Ferguson (Mo.) Municipal Public Library library director Scott Bonner sparked an outpouring of library love from the Twitterverse after he tweeted “I was able to help our community.” Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In the wake of President Obama's announcement that the U.S. will begin to "normalize" relations with Cuba, Restless Books is promoting a group of titles by Cuban writers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Sieghart review into public libraries, to be published today (18th December), calls on central government to give local authorities the funding to create a national digital resource for libraries, with free Wi-fi as standard, and workforce training for all public libraries in England. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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French Culture Minister Fleur Pellerin has signed a 12-point charter with 10 book organisations in France to promote the loan of ebooks in public libraries. The 10 represent local authorities, libraries, publishers, booksellers and authors and the 12 points include access to all titles... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Public libraries have a vital role in helping children navigate the digital landscape, the Association of Senior Children's and Education Librarians (ASCEL) said in a report issued today (2nd December). Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A group of librarians have launched a new crowd-funded project called the Library A to Z, designed to promote the role of public libraries. More than 150 backers, as well sponsor the Library Campaign, backed the Library A to Z on crowd-funding site Kickstarter, raising more than £4,500, twice... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A new report from the Aspen Institute looks at the importance of U.S. public libraries, and how they can change and improve to meet new roles in the 21st Century. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A new report from the Pew Research Center Internet Project offers mixed news for public libraries. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Read with caution: in September, a number of libraries will invite patrons to read comics and graphic novels that have been challenged or banned in schools and public libraries in recent years. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-08-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The LA Times reports that literary scholar M.H. Abrams was awarded the National Humanities Medal last Monday by President Obama. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-08-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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