No Book Left Behind, by Alice-Catherine Carls Essay [email protected] Mon, 10/09/2023 - 15:35 Photo by Alexander Grey / UnsplashWelcome news to those of us in the “Flyover Zone”: our reading habits are healthy and well served. The Jackson Madison County Public Library in Jackson, Tennessee, is one such example. Possessing 115,799 physical items and over one million electronic books, it is one of the larger West Tennessee libraries, and it purports to encourage communicating information, developing technology literacy, and connecting people. It has a total physical circulation of 216,807 and 71,885 patrons (Madison County has a little over 100,000 residents). Digital circulation has gone up since Covid and stands today at 143,709. The library has a northern branch, a Tennessee Room archive, and five “Little Free Libraries” across the city of Jackson. Its 2022 budget was $217,447 for digital and print materials, with $95,159 for print books and $111,115 for digital, $11,137 of which went to cassettes and DVDs that are still popular among patrons with less advanced technology. Dinah Harris, the library director since 2000, states that print books are slow to disappear and remain a vital part of the library. The use of electronic resources has only gone up by 15 percent since Covid and is plateauing at 40 percent. Printed books have a long and happy life in the flyover zone. Libraries, whether located in the flyover zone or not,... Continue reading at 'World Literature Today'
[ World Literature Today | 2023-10-09 20:35:50 UTC ]
The proprietor’s name is Amy (except that, of course, it isn’t). She’s a kind, petite woman in her forties, the owner of a ghost-themed bookstore in a small southern city. I won’t tell you which city. It’s for your own safety. This is, after all, a ghost story. And most importantly: it’s true.... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-10-31 08:57:03 UTC ]
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It's a major Apple update day, as the company is rolling out new versions of its iPhone, iPad and Mac operating systems. While iPhone users at large have already had a taste of iOS 16, this will be the first time that most folks will get their hands on iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura.Apple delayed... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2022-10-24 17:08:44 UTC ]
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In-person regional bookseller conferences came roaring back to life this fall with six high-energy shows. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-21 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Celeste Ng, the author of three novels beloved by indie booksellers, was named the American Booksellers Association's inaugural bookstore ambassador, deputized to champion indies throughout the year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-19 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The Hudson Valley-based Golden Notebook Bookstore will launch its publishing press next year with author Abigail Thomas's memoir 'Still Life at 80: The Next Interesting Thing.' Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-18 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Yes, we’ve got full reviews of Google’s new flagship phones as well as its first smartwatch. The phones fare better than the wearable, but we are on the seventh generation of Pixel smartphones, so that’s to be expected.In addition to new software features and Tensor G2 chip, the Pixel 7 Pro gets... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2022-10-13 11:15:44 UTC ]
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It should soon be much easier to access your iPhone's photo collection on a Windows-based PC. Microsoft is updating Windows 11 with the option to directly view iCloud photo libraries in the Photos app — you won't need your browser, just an iCloud app from Microsoft's store. So long as your... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2022-10-12 14:17:46 UTC ]
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The Right to Read Act was introduced in Congress October 6. Here's what it is and how it could impact libraries and book bans nationwide. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-10-10 14:39:31 UTC ]
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The number of video streaming services available has increased dramatically over the past few years as everyone decides they want a piece of the pie. The days when Netflix was your only option are long gone now, and while that’s great for all of us itching to discover our next favorite TV show,... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2022-10-06 13:15:17 UTC ]
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The Right to Read Act would authorize up to $500 million in Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grants as as well as investing in recruiting state-certified school librarians. And crucially, the legislation also reaffirms that "First Amendment rights apply to school libraries," a direct... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-06 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Author Alex George, the owner of Skylark Bookshop in Columbia, Mo., was named Midwest Bookseller of the Year by the Midwest Indie Booksellers Association. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-05 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association's annual gathering in Denver, renowned for being a high energy show, was an especially exuberant affair this year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-03 04:00:00 UTC ]
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There’s no shortage of reasons to love libraries, and here’s another: a new survey from the UK shows a significant number of them are planning to serve as “warm banks” this winter for people who need to take shelter from the cold. Sarah Shaffi reports today for The Guardian that, from a survey... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-09-28 18:53:02 UTC ]
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Tom Hanks—who previously spent time crushing a beloved indie bookstore with his discount big box chain (which was then probably crushed by Amazon and yes I am talking about his role in You’ve Got Mail and not his real life)—will publish a novel with Knopf this spring. The book, The Making of... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-09-27 15:17:38 UTC ]
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Nicole Sullivan, the owner of Denver's BookBar, a bookstore and wine bar that she founded in 2013, announced that she will close the store on January 31 to focus more on her other business, the Bookies. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-09-27 04:00:00 UTC ]
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3D printers, sewing machines, laser cutters and occasionally dogs are as much a part of today’s libraries as borrowing books. Continue reading at Stuff
[ Stuff | 2022-09-26 00:05:30 UTC ]
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The American Library Association has released its preliminary data on attempts to censor books or limit library resources, and the numbers are bad. From Jan. 1 to Aug. 31, there were 681 “attempts to ban or restrict library resources,” targeting 1,651 titles in total. This number already exceeds... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-09-16 16:06:45 UTC ]
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To mark Banned Books Week, the American Library Association released a report on the rise in censorship efforts: In 2022, there have been attempts to restrict access to 1,651 titles. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2022-09-16 13:30:52 UTC ]
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Books are written in solitude, but writers do some of their finest work with crowds—in public talks, interviews, and events. The best moments from those strange, dramatic interactions often go missing, however: either they’re never recorded, or nobody will ever find the recordings. Fortunately,... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-09-14 09:05:43 UTC ]
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Strand Bookstore is taking the idea of the “status tote” to a whole new level and is now selling a special Bottega Veneta limited edition black tote back for $1,500. I hate it. Yes, we here at Lit Hub are definitely part of the Literary Tote Industrial Complex, which traffics in superficial... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-09-13 13:56:21 UTC ]
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