LibWorm.com provides a librarian RSS filtering service. Over 1500 RSS librarian sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest headlines from journals and sites in the Schools interest group. http://www.libworm.com/rss/librarianqueries.php Fri, 05 Aug 2011 02:50:26 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://hhsmedia.blogspot.com/2010/12/chill-out-with-good-book.html 'Tis the season for holiday reading. Check out these titles if you're looking for a good read on a cold day! Stop by the media center to see our latest display, Teens' Choice Books: Top Ten of '10. (Source: Huntingtown High School Library Media Center) Wed, 07 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 891701 http://hhsmedia.blogspot.com/2010/09/im-lovin-it.html Have you noticed how many cool web-based tools there are lately? Here are some of my current Web 2.0 favorites... Polish your presentations and school projects by trying one of these sites today. Need help? Please see Ms. Younkers in the media center.Prezi- Create astonishing presentations live and on the web.Animoto- Turn your images and videos into professional-looking movie trailers. Edu.Glogster- Design digital posters in a snap! (Source: Huntingtown High School Library Media Center) Tue, 08 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 885472 http://hhsmedia.blogspot.com/2010/09/celebrate-your-freedom-to-read.html What do Huckleberry Finn, Captain Underpants, and Harry Potter all have in common? They rank in the American Library Association's list of top 100 most challenged books this decade. Celebrate your freedom to read during Banned Books Week, September 25-October 2, 2010. Stop by the HHS Media Center to check out an old favorite or a new book from our "We're With The Banned" display. (Source: Huntingtown High School Library Media Center) Fri, 23 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 875401 http://hhsmedia.blogspot.com/2010/09/im-lovin-it.html Have you noticed how many cool web-based tools there are lately? Here are some of my current Web 2.0 favorites:Edu.Glogster- Design digital posters in a snap!Animoto- Turn your images and videos into professional-looking movie trailers.Prezi- Create astonishing presentations live and on the web.Polish your presentations and school projects by trying one of these sites today. Need help? Please see Ms. Younkers in the media center. (Source: Huntingtown High School Library Media Center) Thu, 08 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 870260 http://hhsmedia.blogspot.com/2010/09/please-join-us.html On Wednesday, September 8th, there will be a book talk in the media center about Nicholas Sparks' recent bestselling novel. Please join us for a discussion of The Last Song during B lunch. Did you see the movie? Love the book? I hope to see you there! (Source: Huntingtown High School Library Media Center) Fri, 02 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 870261 http://hhsmedia.blogspot.com/2010/08/summer-reading-book-talks.html Have you finished your summer reading yet? On Wednesday, September 1st, I am hosting a book talk during Flex Lunch B to discuss Shift by Jennifer Bradbury. If you've read this book or would like to learn more about it, I hope to see you there! (Source: Huntingtown High School Library Media Center) Mon, 29 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0100 868508 http://hhsmedia.blogspot.com/2010/08/welcome-back.html The HHS Media Center would like to welcome Mrs. Rusk, our new media assistant. Mrs. Rusk and I are excited to help you find materials, access information, and develop research projects. We have many great new books in our school library this year. Please stop by and visit us today! (Source: Huntingtown High School Library Media Center) Wed, 24 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0100 864950 http://hhsmedia.blogspot.com/2010/07/wondering-what-to-read-next.html The Book Seer will recommend a book based on another title you enjoyed. This is ideal for summer reading! Before you leave for vacation, check out this link to bring along the perfect book. (Source: Huntingtown High School Library Media Center) Fri, 29 Jul 2011 04:00:00 +0100 863711 http://hhsmedia.blogspot.com/2010/06/have-great-summer.html Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time. ~ Sir John Lubbock (Source: Huntingtown High School Library Media Center) Thu, 16 Jun 2011 04:00:00 +0100 853399 http://hhsmedia.blogspot.com/2010/05/summer-and-ap-reading-book-fair.html It's time to get ready for summer reading! Mark your calendars:May 24-28, the HHS Media Center will host a book fair sponsored by Educate & Celebrate. Students can buy books during the school day. We will accept cash and checks made payable to HHS. (Source: Huntingtown High School Library Media Center) Mon, 16 May 2011 04:00:00 +0100 846087 http://hhsmedia.blogspot.com/2010/04/communitites-thrive-your-school-library.html The week of April 11-17, 2010 is National Library Week. Check out a book today to receive a chance to win a great gift card! Winners will be announced on Friday, April 16th. (Source: Huntingtown High School Library Media Center) Mon, 11 Apr 2011 04:00:00 +0100 836210 http://hhsmedia.blogspot.com/2010/03/hhs-media-center-welcomes-input-from.html The HHS Media Center welcomes input from students and staff. If you would like to suggest new materials for our collection, please complete this recommendation form. (Source: Huntingtown High School Library Media Center) Wed, 16 Mar 2011 04:00:00 +0100 827811 http://hhsmedia.blogspot.com/2010/03/march-into-womens-history-month.html "A woman is like a tea bag--you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water!"- Eleanor RooseveltCelebrate Women's History Month. Come down to the Media Center to check out our selection of books by and about women. Think you know everything about women?? Take this quiz! (Source: Huntingtown High School Library Media Center) Mon, 14 Mar 2011 04:00:00 +0100 827812 http://hhsmedia.blogspot.com/2008/02/students-parents-teachers.html Share the experience of reading 30 minutes a day for 30 days, and you could be chosen to win one of two top prizes: a starring role in a Maryland reading video or an Amazon Kindle.For more information, click here or stop by the HHS Library Media Center to pick up your reading calendar today. (Source: Huntingtown High School Library Media Center) Sat, 26 Feb 2011 05:00:00 +0100 823658 http://www.emeraldinsight.com/10.1108/01435121111112871 Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to report an ongoing investigation of library use at Huddersfield University that has identified a historical correlation between library usage and degree classification. Design/methodology/approach – Three sets of data – use of electronic resources, book loans, and visits to the library – when represented graphically show consistent amounts of no and low use at campus, academic school, degree-type and course level. Combining these findings with data showing academic achievement raises the question: is there a positive correlation between library use and attainment? Findings – Understandably, library usage varies between academic schools and there are often pedagogic reasons for low usage, but it would appear that, in some subjects, students who “read” more, measured in terms of borrowing books and accessing electronic resources, achieve better grades. Research limitations/implications – Further work will focus on undergraduate, fulltime students at the main university campus. Practical implications – It is intended to discover the reasons behind non/low use so as to develop then trial effective interventions for improving the grades of all students, from the bottom up, rather than just supporting those that are already high flyers. The results will inform both library service delivery and university goals concerning the quality of the student learning experience, improving retention and improving the level of final degree award. Originality/value – The paper shows that there are implications for all subjects and all levels of achievement at the university. (Source: Library Management : Table of Contents) Mon, 21 Feb 2011 02:05:05 +0100 895881 http://www.emeraldinsight.com/10.1108/01435121111112916 Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to analyze the opinion of young and senior library and information science (LIS) professionals in Pakistan on LIS curricula and its relevance to market needs to enhance employability. Design/methodology/approach – A mixed research method was used to collect data from professionals through two questionnaires, focus group and personal experiences. Findings – The findings reveal that the LIS curriculum offered at the University of the Punjab (PU) is up to date and well designed but it is not fully meeting the needs of young graduates and employers. Both groups were dissatisfied with employability skills due to lack of implementation of LIS curricula and shortage of specialized faculty members at the time of data collection in May 2008. The employers complained of weak communication, practical and presentation skills. They expect graduates with more multidimensional and market oriented skills. However, the school takes a lead in introducing new curricula among the rest. Research limitations/implications – The paper only focuses on the graduates of Department of LIS, University of the Punjab, among the eight library schools in Pakistan. Practical implications – The study divulges very valuable information for the planning and revision of the LIS curriculum and change in teaching practices in all eight library schools of Pakistan. It will also be helpful for LIS graduates to learn more market oriented and multi dimensional skills to meet the changing demands of the information marketplace and enhance their employability. Originality/value – This is first ever study in any library school of Pakistan about the employability skills of its graduates. (Source: Library Management : Table of Contents) Mon, 21 Feb 2011 02:05:05 +0100 895879 http://hhsmedia.blogspot.com/2008/02/hope-for-haiti.html Photo Source:http://www.flickr.com/photos/ifrc/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0During the month of February, the HHS Library Media Center is collecting books for children in Haiti. All books must in in good condition and appropriate for a Haitian child between the age of 5 and 16. You can drop your donations in the boxes labeled "Books for Haiti" near the circulation desk by February 28th. Thanks for your support! (Source: Huntingtown High School Library Media Center) Sat, 19 Feb 2011 05:00:00 +0100 821571 http://hhsmedia.blogspot.com/2010/02/read-all-about-it.html Loooking for something to read today? Teen Tribune features articles and stories written for teens, by teens. Be sure to check out this insightful article published by one of our Hurricane writers! (Source: Huntingtown High School Library Media Center) Thu, 17 Feb 2011 05:00:00 +0100 819508 http://hhsmedia.blogspot.com/2010/02/celebrate-black-history-month.html February is Black History Month. Test your knowledge of Civil Rights heroes by taking this interactive quiz.To learn more about the contributions of African Americans in history, try these great websites:African VoicesThis Smithsonian online exhibit celebrates Africa's diversity and long history.African American WorldSponsored by PBS, this website features a large collection of classroom resources for teachers and students.Black HistoryHere you can find an interactive timeline, biographies, and a collection of video clips. (Source: Huntingtown High School Library Media Center) Mon, 14 Feb 2011 05:00:00 +0100 819509 http://hhsmedia.blogspot.com/2010/02/celebrate-black-history-month.html February is Black History Month. Test your knowledge of Civil Rights heroes by taking this interactive quiz.To learn more about the contributions of African Americans in history, try these great websites:African VoicesThis Smithsonian online exhibit celebrates Africa's diversity and long history.African American WorldSponsored by PBS, this website features a large collection of classroom resources for teachers and students.Black HistoryHere you can find an interactive timeline, biographies, and a collection of video clips. (Source: Huntingtown High School Library Media Center) Wed, 02 Feb 2011 05:00:00 +0100 815254 http://epist.wordpress.com/2011/01/23/halfway-through-12-books-12-months/ Hurray! I have read 6 of my 12 Books 12 Months list.  And with this book I am fully appreciating the benefits of the 12 Books 12 Months idea because without it, I would most likely have gotten lost on reading tangents about sci-fi Jesuits, emotional food, and teenage demi-gods.  And I would completely forget about all these books that the Sara from 6 months ago wanted to read.  With the 12 Books list and the brilliant monthly summaries from E on latter day bohemian (I think those monthly round-ups really play an important role in motivation), I’ve managed to alternate between my whim readings and my planned readings – thus, moving ahead on some goals while also pursuing other spontaneous interests.  It’s a really good feeling. So even though I was very tempted to immediately jump into the sequel to the space traveling Jesuit story, I did myself a favor and picked up Haroun and the Sea of Stories.  I had heard about this book at the ALA Conference this past summer in D.C. when I had the great privilege of seeing Salman Rushdie at an author talk.  He was charming and intelligent, and his story about the beginnings of this book had me hooked. This is a children’s book with some obvious, but playful, political messages.  Rushdie wrote this just after the fatwa against his life was announced, wondering each day if he would see his son again, to whom the book is dedicated.  So we get greasy politicians, evil tyrants, and egotistical princes.  We also get some absolutely delightful bits — like the chapter headings: The Shah of Blah, An Iff and a Butt, and a wonderful nod to Beatles’ lyrics. My timing in reading this book was good and bad.  Bad – the pace and humor of a children’s book felt kind of jarring when I was in the middle of a stressful, high-stakes work week. ... Sun, 23 Jan 2011 20:57:09 +0100 895911 http://hhsmedia.blogspot.com/2000/01/brrrrr.html What are you reading during this frosty season? Visit the HHS Media Center to see which books are hot right now! Write the title of a great book you've read this month, and enter to win a warm drink from Starbucks. (Hot chocolate, anyone?) Please stop by the circulation desk for contest details. (Source: Huntingtown High School Library Media Center) Sun, 09 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0100 808400 http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/dec/31/top-books-hits-of-2010 No surprise on such a literate site that everybody wanted to read some of the best living authors' advice on writing and worrying about literature in the age of Twitter. Elsewhere readers were compelled by children's books, accidental cookbook racism and allegedly unsuitable dictionariesThe wind howls, the snow swirls, the seagulls are picking their way across the frozen canal outside and it's time once more to look back at the stories you've actually been reading in the year of Freedom, aka the second coming of Franzen. Pausing only to mumble the usual invocations to the gods of number-crunching, in the traditional spirit of honesty and openness, let's wrap up warmly against the chill and investigate the dizzy heights of the year in books.Except, darn it, I've gone and wrecked it all, right there. If only I'd paid a little more attention to our top story of 2010, Ten rules for writing fiction. Take a look at line one. "Never open a book with weather," declares Elmore Leonard, and given the stern nature of his other nine rules ("Never use a verb other than 'said' to carry dialogue", "Never use the words 'suddenly' or 'all hell broke loose', "Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip"), I feel sure that the great man would be equally unforgiving of meteorological openings in journalism.With contributions from luminaries such as Anne Enright, Margaret Atwood, Neil Gaiman and, um, Jonthan Franzen, which run the gamut from wise to witty, spanning the territory from heartfelt to jaundiced along the way, it's not hard to see why these pithy recommendations have proved so popular. Not only do they contain more good sense than my family cookbook, but they also cast a fascinating light on the way the authors approach the task themselves. Consider Diana Athill, whose "only by having no inessential words can every essential word be made to count" seems only a whisker away from being a motto for life. ... Fri, 31 Dec 2010 09:00:01 +0100 895784 http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/dec/31/new-year-resolutions They may be absurdly optimistic, but new year's resolutions are vital in keeping hope aliveI tend to find the holiday season touching, but not for the usual reasons. I'm not overcome with religious feeling, or rendered teary by Tiny Tim, or more moved than usual by the intermittent humanity of humanity. What gets me is this: new year's resolutions. OK, maybe not the resolutions themselves – those endless directives from ego to id to get in shape, get out of debt, quit drinking, go back to school, get the photo albums in order and drywall the basement. But each year, I'm impressed anew by the faith behind those resolutions, which is, roughly: we can all be better people tomorrow.This faith is not, of course, supported by the evidence. If we could consistently make good on our new year's resolutions, they wouldn't be such hardy perennials, cropping up in familiar form at the same time every year. And yet, we go on believing that this is the year we will achieve our stated goals. "Is it not stupidity," Montaigne once asked, "to let myself be fooled so many times by one guide?"With all due respect to the great philosopher, I would say: no. These resolutions aren't stupid at all. They are, however, wrong – at least, more often than not. Specifically, they represent a distinct, important and oddly inspiring subcategory of error. I call it "wrongness as optimism".Wrongness as optimism does not slumber quietly all year and then emerge, mistletoe-style, on 31 December. On the contrary, it is with us all the time. Wrongness as optimism is why you lugged three volumes of Proust with you on a two-week holiday. It is why my neighbour swears he just smoked his last cigarette. It is why I went to sleep last night thinking I would wake up early this morning, go to the gym, be home by nine, and finish this article by noon. ... Fri, 31 Dec 2010 08:30:01 +0100 895789 http://joblist.ala.org/modules/jobseeker/controller.cfm?rssjobid=16356 Library Support Technician / Librarian I (University of Maine, Maine) Library Support Technician: Maine InfoNet and The University of Maine System Libraries invite applications from service-oriented individuals for the position of Library Support Technician / Librarian I.  The Library Support Technician provides technical and customer support for online library services made available through Maine InfoNet, the University of Maine System, and the Maine State Library.  This position provides first level support for various online library services managed through Maine InfoNet, such as the URSUS catalog and University, system and statewide research tools, and the Maine InfoNet Download Library. ... Fri, 31 Dec 2010 05:20:02 +0100 895749 http://philbradley.typepad.com/phil_bradleys_weblog/2010/12/2-million-children-with-no-web-access-at-home.html We're used to thinking about the "Google generation" and the "Facebook generation" and there is a common misconception that children know all about using computers and using the Internet. Of course, this isn't true; I've spoken to many school librarians and children themselves to know that while they are comfortable with using the Internet their actual use still remains quite limited, and their understanding of what can be achieved, how to find the information you require, and assessing it is not as good as one may first expect. This is the case for those children who have access to the Internet; how much more difficult is it therefore for those children that do not. A recent article in the Guardian No web access at home for 2m poor pupils, warns charity point out the quite shocking figures which go to show that too many children still don't have access to the Internet; especially from the poorest homes in the country. In the richest 10% of homes, 98% had a home computer and 97% had internet access, but in the poorest 10% of homes only 38% had a home computer and 30% an internet connection. Even in the South East which is one of the richest areas in the country, if not the richest one in four homes cannot access the Internet.This therefore puts not only children but their parents a grave disadvantage. We are all familiar with the situation in which a child requests help with algebra homework and the parents can do no more than do a good goldfish impression, so how much more difficult is it going to be for both child and parent when it comes to accessing the Internet when neither know what they are supposed to be doing. A school can only do so much and of course a child can only access Internet computers in school when the school is open. This is surely where the library comes into play. Children who do not only need access to the Internet they need access to reading materials and educational material. ... Fri, 31 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895806 http://keptup.typepad.com/academic/2010/12/growing-number-of-college-applicants-will-opt-for-the-gap-year.html College-admission letters are starting to roll in, but a growing number of students will decide instead to take a year off to try out potential careers or broaden their horizons. Gap-year activities range from doing volunteer work or taking classes, to working for pay, traveling or tackling outdoor adventures. There isn't a measure of the number of students who take gap years, but a recent survey of 300,000 first-time freshmen at four-year colleges and universities found 1.2% waited a year to enter college. Burnout from the competitive pressure of high school and a desire "to find out more about themselves," are the top two reasons students take gap years. Read more at: (Source: The Kept-Up Academic Librarian) Fri, 31 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895804 http://keptup.typepad.com/academic/2010/12/play-is-better-than-study-drilling-for-college-bound-kids.html Parents, educators, psychologists, neuroscientists, and politicians generally fall into one of two camps when it comes to preparing very young children for school: play-based or skills-based. These two kinds of curricula are often pitted against one another as a zero-sum game: If you want to protect your daughter's childhood, so the argument goes, choose a play-based program; but if you want her to get into Harvard, you'd better make sure you're brushing up on the ABC flashcards every night before bed. We think it is quite the reverse. Or, in any case, if you want your child to succeed in college, the play-based curriculum is the way to go. Read more at: http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/12/29/christakis.play.children.learning/index.html (Source: The Kept-Up Academic Librarian) Fri, 31 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895803 http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/high-paper-prices-hurt-publishers-in-kenya/ From The Standard: It is back to school again, but the book industry in Kenya is reeling under the effects of skyrocketing paper prices in the world market coupled with low purchasing power for their book titles. Citing rising raw material costs for missed earnings, shrinking profits and frequent change of syllabus texts by the Ministry of Education, publishers are sending a cry to the Government to intervene by giving tax waivers on paper and inputs used to produce school books. Publishers warned that free primary and secondary education goal may be jeopardised by the prohibitive cost of books beyond the reach of many parents and students. But in this challenging environment, where Pan Paper Mills in Webuye , Kenya’s sole manufacturer of paper stopped production, publishers are struggling with strategies to protect their companies – without drastically raising book prices. (Source: TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home) Thu, 30 Dec 2010 22:46:26 +0100 895765 http://www.lisnews.org/wo_librarian_featured_christian_science_monitor A digital twist on a dying craft has earned a couple of local librarians place in the national spotlight. Cynthia Dobrez, librarian at West Ottawa Public Schools’ Harbor Lights and Macatawa Bay middle schools, and her colleague Lynn Rutan have run a blog, Bookends, about youth literature for just more than two years. It can be found on the website booklistonline.com. Both are accomplished librarians. Rutan, also a former West Ottawa librarian, sits on the committee that hands out the envied Newbery Award to new children’s books, and Dobrez has chaired the American Library Association’s Printz Award committee. Full article here (Source: LISNews - Librarian And Information Science News) Thu, 30 Dec 2010 14:57:51 +0100 895859 http://lisnews.org/wo_librarian_featured_christian_science_monitor A digital twist on a dying craft has earned a couple of local librarians place in the national spotlight. Cynthia Dobrez, librarian at West Ottawa Public Schools’ Harbor Lights and Macatawa Bay middle schools, and her colleague Lynn Rutan have run a blog, Bookends, about youth literature for just more than two years. It can be found on the website booklistonline.com. Both are accomplished librarians. Rutan, also a former West Ottawa librarian, sits on the committee that hands out the envied Newbery Award to new children’s books, and Dobrez has chaired the American Library Association’s Printz Award committee. Full article here (Source: LISNews.org) Thu, 30 Dec 2010 14:57:51 +0100 895692 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LawLibrarianBlog/~3/QgjtTY34as8/opening-reference-librarian-drake-university-law-library.html Drake University Law Library is seeking a Reference Librarian with a strong service orientation to help provide patron services to members of the Law School, Drake University, the local bench and bar, and the public. Located in Iowa’s capital city,... (Source: Law Librarian Blog) Thu, 30 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895841 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LawLibrarianBlog/~3/T1kw7Kq_Zvk/using-ebooks-ereaders-in-your-library.html The Creekview High School Library (a/k/a The Unquiet Library) staff in Georgia have been documenting the library's process of acquiring and lending Kindles and Kindle book editions on The Unquiet Librarian blog and in a series of YouTube videos, which... (Source: Law Librarian Blog) Thu, 30 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895840 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LawLibrarianBlog/~3/LW4Wew1r0AA/friday-fun-law-school-fear-reckoning-.html (Source: Law Librarian Blog) Thu, 30 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895838 http://blog.njla.org/archives/2010/12/#001040 http://www.philly.com Dec. 29, 2010 By Matt Katz INQUIRER STAFF WRITER All 20 staffers at Camden's two remaining public libraries will be laid off effective Feb. 11, officials said Wednesday, although the county plans to take over one of the branches and allow employees to reapply for their jobs. The layoffs, prompted by budget cuts, mean that the main branch on Federal Street in downtown Camden will close and that the city will cease providing library services for the first time in 105 years. The Ferry Avenue branch, which Camden County built for the city five years ago, will be taken over by the Camden County Library System, according to a statement from the county. To replace the main branch downtown, the county is in talks with Rutgers University-Camden about carving out a space in the university's nearby Robeson Library, a school spokesman said. The county library system would staff that facility. The county plans to fund its operations in the city with a dedicated tax assessed to city property owners. A third library in South Camden was closed earlier this year because of budget cuts. Mayor Dana L. Redd, facing a fiscal crisis that also means deep layoffs for the Fire and Police Departments, cut city funding to the libraries this fiscal year from $923,000 to $390,000. Employees, handed layoff notices Wednesday, said they were saddened and surprised. Even if the county takes over the city system - a move that must be approved by City Council - employees were not sure if they would be rehired. "Suppose the county doesn't want us?" asked Jewell Johnson, 61, in her 20th year as a librarian. Johnson and other employees said the county had long coveted the city-owned property where the historic downtown branch sits. It is sandwiched between two buildings - the county jail and courthouse - that have had crowding issues. ... Thu, 30 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895727 http://keptup.typepad.com/academic/2010/12/ohio-will-grade-teacher-education-programs-.html The state of Ohio adopted a new “report card” earlier this month to judge how effective education programs at public and private universities are at training new teachers. The Ohio Board of Regents has developed 14 standards it will use to analyze the performance of education colleges, and the teachers they produce, beginning in 2011.  Criteria that will be evaluated include: How a university’s graduates score on the state’s new Teacher Performance Assessment, how well the university places teachers in “hard-to-staff” Ohio school districts and how much students learn during a one-year period in a particular teacher’s class.  Read more at: http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4954486 (Source: The Kept-Up Academic Librarian) Thu, 30 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895690 http://hhsmedia.blogspot.com/2009/12/make-reading-resolution.html I’m posting this entry just in time for the New Year-- reflecting on my favorite books of 2009 while resolving to read many more in 2010.As the year draws to a close, top picks emerge in annual “best of” lists everywhere. The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) encourages teens to nominate and select their favorite books annually. In 2009, Paper Towns by John Green won the “teen’s choice” award with the most votes.Have you read it yet?Whether you're a fan of books that are romantic or realistic, fantasy-based or futuristic; be sure to check out YALSA's entire list of 2009 Teens’ Top Ten . You can also see Maryland's 2009 Black Eyed Susan nominees for great suggestions. Most of these titles are available to borrow in our HHS media center. Happy New Year! (Source: Huntingtown High School Library Media Center) Thu, 30 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 804433 http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/holiday-travel-update-gadgets-gadgets-everywhere/ I am on my way home from ten days in sunny Florida visiting my parents, and it was a gadget-rific Christmas. I saw my first Nook and Nook Colour, my first Kindle 3 (alas, out of stock, but I did play with a dummy model) and got stepdad’s iPad set up for him. More on that later—we had a few days alone thanks to a family emergency that had Mom flying home for a few days, so the iPad became our little All by Ourselves project—but I have some general comments on my gadget-rific holiday to tide you over in the meantime! 1) IT’S A GADGET WORLD The first thing that struck me about this holiday season was just how many gadgets there really are out there. I don’t travel much, so I was unprepared for the sheer proliferation of gadgetalia out there in the wild. I think every single person on my whole flight had a gadget of some kind, ranging from iPod Touches (most in the hands of children) to iPads, at least two Kindles besides my own, numerous fully loaded smartphones, a Sony and a few Chinese devices I could not identify. Two people in the seats beside me were even watching video on iPod Nanos! And I was not the only person who had more than one device with me, either! Of course, not all of these people were reading on them. But still, the potential is there. I spent an enjoyable afternoon playing iToys with my nephew, who is not much of a reader, and while we were evenly matched on the arcade stuff and perhaps spent more time than we had to playing with the talking cat, I have to admit that he held his own against me in even ‘intellectual’ games like Jeopardy and Family Feud. And I was happy to have something to do with him that bonded us a little. Small boys are a bit of a cipher for me, since his only interests seem to be hockey and baseball, so gadgetry is perhaps a welcome way into his world for people like me and his gadget-savvy parents. ... Thu, 30 Dec 2010 03:08:51 +0100 895608 http://www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/new/index.php/2010/12/29/readers-theater-featured-in-yesterdays-wisconsin-state-journal/ Pinney Librarian Lesley Kircher’s Reader’s Theater for Children programs were featured in an article in yesterday’s Wisconsin State Journal titled School Spotlight: Kids get chance to read aloud by Pamela Cotant. Reader’s Theater is just one of the many programs the library offers for families looking for a way for their child to practice their reading or pre-reading skills in a social and interactive way. Other Reader’s Theater opportunities at Pinney Monday, January 24, 2:30-4 (call 224-7100 to register beginning 1/10) Monday, February 28, 2:30-4 (call 224-7100 to register beginning 2/14) Monday, March 28, 2:30-4 (call 224-7100 to register beginning 3/14) R.E.A.D. to a Dog Saturday, January 8, 10:30-12 at Pinney Branch (call 224-7100 to register) Tuesday, January 18, 4-5:30 at Meadowridge Branch Tuesday, February 15, 4-5:30 at Meadowridge Branch Play Literacy Themes at Central Library’s Youth Services Room (Source: What's New) Wed, 29 Dec 2010 22:33:23 +0100 895586 http://www.readersclub.org/reviews/tresults.asp?id=7798 by King, A. S.Before Vera’s best friend Charlie died in suspicious circumstances, he betrayed her. She’s still angry. She’s also the only person who can clear his name. The story of how Vera copes with the truth about Charlie, as well as her mother's abandonment, is carefully constructed to build the psychological tension and keep the reader turning pages. Despite the sadness of the story, Vera is an engaging character, and her emotional experience--the casual cruelty of high school, the fear of losing old friends, the disappointment in adults who fail to fight injustice, and the desperation to grow up and escape—feels sharp and painfully true. - reviewed by Rebecca, Independence Regional, PLCMC (Source: Reader's Club's Latest) Wed, 29 Dec 2010 22:10:04 +0100 895572 http://nnlm.gov/mcr/news_blog/2010/12/plain-language-guides/ Harvard’s School of Public Health has 4 plain language guides/glossaries posted on their web site for download. http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/healthliteracy/resources/glossaries/index.html [rb] (Source: Midcontinental Region News) Wed, 29 Dec 2010 21:04:25 +0100 895628 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LawLibrarianBlog/~3/q_cm21Zxrd4/opening-assistant-director-for-faculty-services-univ-of-south-carolina-school-of-law.html The Coleman Karesh Law Library, University of South Carolina School of Law, seeks motivated, experienced candidates for the position of Assistant Director for Faculty Services. The Law Library is an academic research library with the primary goal of supporting the... (Source: Law Librarian Blog) Wed, 29 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895845 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LawLibrarianBlog/~3/uD8eU1M3VyY/us-news-rankings-czar-urges-prospective-law-students-to-use-rankings-wisely.html According to a recent Kaplan Test Prep survey 30 percent of test takers say that a law school's ranking was the most critical factor in selecting a law school to apply to. US News rankings czar Bob Morse says this... (Source: Law Librarian Blog) Wed, 29 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895843 http://southlakelibrary.blogspot.com/2010_12_01_archive.html#9021876522383787082 1400 Main Street, Suite 130Southlake, Texas 76092Phone: (817) 748-8243http://www.southlakelibrary.org/"Many people look forward to the new year for a new start on old habits." ~Author UnknownWe at Southlake Public Library want to wish you a Happy New Year. May it be filled with happiness, friends, and lots of good reading! FEATURED NEW RELEASEUNBROKEN This extraordinary tale from the author of “Seabiscuit” tells the true story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner who became a POW in a series of Japanese prison camps during WWII. Zamperini started out in Torrance, California as a bit of a hoodlum, stealing pies from kitchens and pulling pranks on teachers. He found focus in running, thanks to his brother’s encouragement, and soon became the high school track star to beat. He began training for the 1936 Olympics and was able to gain a spot on the team headed for Berlin. He did extremely well there, considering his age and experience, and vowed to return to the next Olympics and take gold. He also wanted to be the first man to run a four-minute mile (thought to be physiologically impossible by many at the time). Zamperini’s big plans were interrupted by WWII, and he was drafted into the Air Force. He and his crew completed several dangerous missions in the Pacific, narrowly avoiding disaster. However, on one mission, they were not so lucky, and he and two other crew members ended up in a life raft, with little provisions, surrounded by sharks. The rest of the story is filled with nail-biting moments. In fact, I found that I had to put the book down occasionally when I became too tense or upset. This book truly is a story about a man that manages to remain “unbroken,” even after all of the unimaginable horror he endures. I do not want to spoil the ending – suffice it to say it shows what an amazingly kind and good man Zamperini is and how he refused to give in to his inner demons. ... Wed, 29 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895776 http://hurstassociates.blogspot.com/2010/12/wayback-wednesday-digitization-101-2010.html As I do at the end of each year, I want to spent time looking back at the last 12 months with a few lists and more.I see four trends as I scan the horizon:Digitization is no longer an exceptional activity. While digitization is not a normal activity still for many organizations, it is much more mainstream that is was several years ago.  Look around...can you find a workshop on digitization or on scanning?  Yes, they still exist, but they are definitely not as prevalent as they were before.  Those that haven't jumped on the "digitization train" yet are finding themselves left behind.  (I should note that universities are offering courses on digitization, digital libraries, etc., which go into more depth and which are attracting a high number of students. These courses prepare the students for the growing number of digital library positions that are being advertised.) In the same vein, one thing to notice is that digitization is no longer in the news as it has been. It is no longer that shiny object that captures the media's attention.  For a while, Google Book Search kept digitization in the news, but even that story is no longer capturing headlines as the sides work toward an agreement. Digital preservation is where most of the action is in terms of conversations, conference sessions, research, etc.  This is true because we are a digital society and if we cannot ensure long term access to our digital content, we're doomed.  Losing digital content could mean losing the data and information that we need to run our governments, businesses, academic institutions, etc.  It could also mean losing our history.If you are not thinking about how to ensure long-term access to your digital content, please begin thinking about it now. You might even make it a New Year's resolution. (Yes, do jump on the digital preservation bandwagon. ... Wed, 29 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895638 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Digitization101/~3/ZBLCRLdWjMs/wayback-wednesday-digitization-101-2010.html As I do at the end of each year, I want to spent time looking back at the last 12 months with a few lists and more.I see four trends as I scan the horizon:Digitization is no longer an exceptional activity. While digitization is not a normal activity still for many organizations, it is much more mainstream that is was several years ago.  Look around...can you find a workshop on digitization or on scanning?  Yes, they still exist, but they are definitely not as prevalent as they were before.  Those that haven't jumped on the "digitization train" yet are finding themselves left behind.  (I should note that universities are offering courses on digitization, digital libraries, etc., which go into more depth and which are attracting a high number of students. These courses prepare the students for the growing number of digital library positions that are being advertised.) In the same vein, one thing to notice is that digitization is no longer in the news as it has been. It is no longer that shiny object that captures the media's attention.  For a while, Google Book Search kept digitization in the news, but even that story is no longer capturing headlines as the sides work toward an agreement. Digital preservation is where most of the action is in terms of conversations, conference sessions, research, etc.  This is true because we are a digital society and if we cannot ensure long term access to our digital content, we're doomed.  Losing digital content could mean losing the data and information that we need to run our governments, businesses, academic institutions, etc.  It could also mean losing our history.If you are not thinking about how to ensure long-term access to your digital content, please begin thinking about it now. You might even make it a New Year's resolution. (Yes, do jump on the digital preservation bandwagon. ... Wed, 29 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895589 http://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com/2010/12/twenty-years-later-has-anything-changed.html In 1990 I attended a pre-conference meeting for a White House Conference on Libraries, and I wrote in my notes (and I was a liberal then):". . .libraries will be killed off too if they don't put the brakes on seeing themselves as the social change agent for the nation, believing: they can correct what the churches did wrong; they can teach what the schools didn't; they can prevent what the social workers missed; and stop what the government couldn't. . . Librarians will do more good in the long run if they leave Mapplethorp to the cultural arts commissions and instead see to it that a child can check out material on photography to become the best photographer she can be."Right now because their man is in the White House, maybe librarians have lowered their expectations and will let politicians handle these things? (Source: Collecting my Thoughts) Wed, 29 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895585 http://keptup.typepad.com/academic/2010/12/student-creates-scholarship-for-those-with-parents-in-prison.html Among all the weird scholarships out there, nothing exists to help kids who have worked against tremendous odds to get to college despite having a parent locked up in prison. And yes, besides the duck call and potato science ones, there are scholarships based on ethnicity or height or unusual ability. But for this large and largely unsupported population of children - zilch. "My grandmother and I were looking at scholarships and we realized that there was nothing out there for someone like me," she said. So Arrington, who is a commanding, confident senior at Benjamin Banneker High School in Northwest Washington, decided to do something about it. Read more at: (Source: The Kept-Up Academic Librarian) Wed, 29 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895503 http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/dec/29/nudge-in-the-wrong-direction I am pleased to hear this government does not regard behavioural economics as a silver bullet since there are problems with its derivative in "nudging" (The nudge is no fudge, 28 December). The agenda for nudging is predicated on the assumption that people have well-formed preferences. Where people's preferences are poorly formed or unstable, nudging reduces to constructing people's preferences for them, in a manner akin to advertising. This is dangerous because policymakers themselves may not be immune to behavioural traits, because vested interests may capture the policy agenda, and because government cannot presume to know what is in citizens' own best interests.Behavioural economics has been around for long enough to demonstrate that people's behaviour is a great deal more complex than nudging implies: behaviour is highly contextual and varies with a number of factors (eg age and education). What we do know is that, in the absence of detailed case studies and cost-benefit analysis, nudging can have unpredictable and potentially undesirable consequences. The behavioural insight team would do well to treat the critique of nudging with greater seriousness than is currently the case.Dr Judith MehtaCentre for competition policy, University of East Anglia• In welcoming David Cameron's happiness initiative, Larry Elliott says that it makes sense to look at the impact that factors such as inequality have on our wellbeing (Can shopaholic Britain be happy with less?, 27 December). Of course this would be a fine endeavour, but why does he think that the prime minister is interested in the impact of inequality on wellbeing? In launching the initiative, Cameron specifically dismissed the huge volume of evidence demonstrating this connection, saying that he was not aware that anyone wanted to pay higher taxes (ie lower inequality means higher taxes).There is plenty of other evidence showing that what counts in terms of wellbeing is social context. ... Wed, 29 Dec 2010 00:05:02 +0100 895383 http://web.resourceshelf.com/go/resourceblog/62959 Small Town, Big Word, Major Issue LITTLE FALLS, N.Y. — This small city up the hill from the Erie Canal is known for manufacturing paper and tea, for rooting on its Mounties at high school football games, for deposits of quartz that glint like diamonds and for the Victorian mansion that houses [...] (Source: ResourceShelf) Tue, 28 Dec 2010 21:37:00 +0100 895437 http://www.lisnews.org/salinas_libraries_amp_librarians_trudge_through_holidays SALINAS, CA : -- The good will of library staff helped keep two Salinas libraries from closing their doors on Monday. Salinas city leaders decided earlier this month to close the libraries the week between Christmas and New Year's in an effort to save money. The news caused a public outcry, with many community members requesting some libraries stay open while children were out of school for the holidays. The director of Salinas libraries, Elizabeth Martinez, managed to get enough staff members to work to keep both the John Steinbeck and Cesar Chavez libraries open for most of the week. Angel Gomez and his dad, Edgar, said keeping the libraries from closing allowed them to look for jobs on Monday. "It's a good thing they opened. I found this side job I can do right now," Edgar Gomez said. (Source: LISNews - Librarian And Information Science News) Tue, 28 Dec 2010 19:56:15 +0100 895867 http://lisnews.org/salinas_libraries_amp_librarians_trudge_through_holidays SALINAS, CA : -- The good will of library staff helped keep two Salinas libraries from closing their doors on Monday. Salinas city leaders decided earlier this month to close the libraries the week between Christmas and New Year's in an effort to save money. The news caused a public outcry, with many community members requesting some libraries stay open while children were out of school for the holidays. The director of Salinas libraries, Elizabeth Martinez, managed to get enough staff members to work to keep both the John Steinbeck and Cesar Chavez libraries open for most of the week. Angel Gomez and his dad, Edgar, said keeping the libraries from closing allowed them to look for jobs on Monday. "It's a good thing they opened. I found this side job I can do right now," Edgar Gomez said. (Source: LISNews.org) Tue, 28 Dec 2010 19:56:15 +0100 895413 http://www2.cincinnatilibrary.org/blog/entries/sleights-of-mind I took this one home for the holidays, and everybody had a blast with it--Sleights of Mind:  What the Neuroscience of Magic Reveals about Our Everyday Deceptions, by Stephen L. Macknik and Susana Martinez-Conde. The authors are neuroscientists who specialize in the science of vision--just exactly how do your eyes and mind work to make you see, and how and why do they get things wrong?  As scientists, the authors became interested in magic because of course magicians rely on your eyes and brain getting things wrong.Macknik and Martinez-Conde collaborated with several professional magicians to explore those questions, and found that many of the magicians had independently developed theories of sight that match those that neuroscience can now demonstrate.  The authors created their own magic act so that they could join the professional society of magicians, and they reveal (with spoilers!) many of the tricks they were taught.  It's all in the interests of figuring out the neuroscience of sight, but it's a lot more fun than your high school science classes.   (Source: Turning the Page...[Combined Feed]) Tue, 28 Dec 2010 16:17:36 +0100 895466 http://web.docuticker.com/go/docubase/62917 Friends in High Places Source:  Harvard Business School Working Places In this paper we demonstrate that personal connections amongst politicians, and between politicians and firms, have a significant impact on the voting behavior of U.S. politicians. We exploit a unique database linking politicians to other politicians, and linking politicians to firms, [...] (Source: Docuticker) Tue, 28 Dec 2010 14:22:00 +0100 895344 http://www.slis.indiana.edu/careers/view_job_specific.php?job_id=8998 State: Indiana Participate in all aspects of non-MARC descriptive metadata for digital projects within Cataloging Division: project development and planning, implementation, document preparation, training, creation of metadata using standard schemas; serve as non-MARC metadata resource person for Technical Services; provide full-level cataloging for monographs and CD-ROMs, including e-books, in English and West European languages, creating original cataloging records and enhancing cataloging copy. For complete list of responsibilities see: http://www.libraries.iub.edu/index.php?pageId=1410. Qualifications: Required: M.L.S. from an ALA-accredited library school; minimum of one year relevant non-MARC metadata experience in an academic or research library system; minimum of one year original monograph cataloging experience in an academic or research library system; evidence of effective planning, implementation, document writing, and training of non-MARC metadata for digital projects; demonstrated working knowledge of cataloging rules, standards, and tools such as AACR2rev, LCRI, DACS, LC classification, and subject headings; demonstrated working knowledge of MARC (books format) and at least one other standard metadata scheme (e.g. TEI, MODS, Dublin Core, EAD). For complete list of qualification see: http://www.libraries.iub.edu/index.php?pageId=1410. To apply: Review of applications begins February 1, 2011. Position remains open until filled. Send letter of application, professional vita, names/addresses/telephone numbers of six references to: Jennifer Chaffin, Director of Human Resources, Libraries Human Resources, Herman B Wells Library 201B, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405. Phone: 812-855-8196. Fax: 812-855-2576. E-mail: libpers@indiana.edu. For more information about Indiana University Bloomington go to: http://www.iub.edu. Indiana University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. ... Tue, 28 Dec 2010 14:10:02 +0100 895332 http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=41&BlogPostID=8187 14-year-old baseball die-hard Kevin Boland is stuck at home with mono. To pass the time, his father, a writer, thinks Kevin might also want to write some things down. Readers learn a lot about Kevin in the passing months as he experiments with poetry using a book "smuggled" from his father's den. His mother has recently died, for one thing. Also, that he's a pretty good athlete and he's made out with girls in the bamboo. Details about life in middle school are slipped effortlessly in lines of haiku, free verse, sonnets, and sestinas. Kevin eventually meets a pretty girl named Mira with whom he is not embarrassed to admit that he enjoys writing poetry, although he would still like to keep it from his baseball team. When they do find out, he earns the nickname "Shakespeare". Recommended for grades 6-10 for fans of baseball and/or poetry. The book might even encourage a few readers to try writing poetry for themselves. Koertge is so clever in explaining how each style of poetry works that readers won't even realize they are learning something, and he makes makes it seem so effortless that you feel like you can do it too. That it is also humorous is an added bonus. This is short and easy-to-read, and would be a good choice for reluctant readers. Teachers might also find this useful in teaching poetry. (Source: Teen Scene from Wright Memorial Public Library) Tue, 28 Dec 2010 14:00:02 +0100 895331 http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=41&BlogPostID=8189 This is the sequel to Shakespeare Bats Cleanup and picks up where it left off. Kevin is still in denial about his poetry writing and still considers himself an athlete. He's been dating Mira and not sure that he likes it, even though she's cute and his friends think she's cute. She isn't into his poetry and he isn't into her dance class or her new found love for all things green. He begins to go to poetry readings with his father, who has recently begun dating. This books follows the same format as the first, exploring various styles of poetry as Kevin safely explores his feelings. He meets Amy at an open mike night at the bookstore and they quickly become "poetry buddies", talking about poetry and critiquing each other's work. Things become strained as Mira expresses her jealousy, and Kevin meets Amy's "perfect" boyfriend Trevor. Like the first book, a lot of middle school ground is covered. The poems show that Kevin is not thinking exclusively about baseball, even as his team heads for the playoffs. He's not just a jock and he's okay with that. Recommended for grades 6-10. This is short, fun, easy-to-read and humorous. Good for reluctant readers and teachers of poetry. (Source: Teen Scene from Wright Memorial Public Library) Tue, 28 Dec 2010 14:00:02 +0100 895329 http://joblist.ala.org/modules/jobseeker/controller.cfm?rssjobid=16272 Emerging Technology/Engineering Librarian (New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, Scholes Library, New York) Scholes Library, New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, seeks candidates for an Emerging Technology/Engineering Librarian. This 10-month, tenure-track position reports to the Director of Scholes Library/Associate Dean of Libraries. The College of Ceramics is a statutory college of the State University of New York and home to the School of Art & Design and the Inamori School of Engineering. Scholes Library is a research-oriented, service focused organization that works in strategic partnerships with Alfred University's Herrick Library and the State University SUNYConnect Consortium. ... Tue, 28 Dec 2010 12:20:02 +0100 895321 http://web.docuticker.com/go/docubase/62074 Where is the Learning? Measuring Schooling Efforts in Developing Countries Source: Brookings Institution Achieving universal education is a twofold challenge: to get children and youth into school and then to teach them something meaningful while they are there. While important progress has been made on the first challenge, there is a crisis [...] (Source: Docuticker) Tue, 28 Dec 2010 11:41:00 +0100 895347 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LawLibrarianBlog/~3/BibUDJIaUac/is-depaul-laws-new-dean-a-glutton-for-punishment.html "Announcing the new Dean three days before Xmas when no one is around actually is *Not* normal......but that's what DePaul University has done," wrote Chicago Law prof Brian Leiter about the timing of the announcement that Gregory Mark, Vice Dean,... (Source: Law Librarian Blog) Tue, 28 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895848 http://blog.njla.org/archives/2010/12/#001038 http://www.northjersey.com Monday, December 20, 2010 BY TANYA DROBNESS A group of residents who would do whatever it takes to keep the financially-plagued Bellevue Avenue Branch of the Montclair Public Library open may be faced with the challenge of raising nearly $50,000 by March. Twelve members of the citizens committee, "Save Our Bellevue Avenue Branch," which was formed last week to oppose the "threatened closure" of the branch due to budget cuts, met for the second time tonight inside the Carnegie building to discuss how, and if, they can proceed with fundraising efforts. While it costs $125,000 a year to maintain the branch's current one day a week service, every additional day would cost an extra $50,000, according to a library task force preliminary report. The members of the citizens group hope that if they can raise $50,000, it will help keep the branch operating for at least another year, but it is uncertain how next year's budget will affect their efforts. Former Montclair Mayor Bob Russo slapped a check on the table at the beginning of the meeting, but with caution. "My wife won't let me give you a check unless I know they (the Montclair Library Board) are fully supportive of this effort." Liz Campbell, the executive director of the Montclair Public Library Foundation, explained to the concerned residents that in Montclair, and in a bevy of municipalities throughout New Jersey, the budget situation is "dire." She affirmed, however, that the Foundation would support the new group's endeavors. During tonight's meeting, Campbell said the Foundation can support the citizen's committee, such as handling the influx of donations, she said. "We don't know what's going to happen in 2011, but it doesn't look good," Campbell said during the meeting. But she added, "There is a way to save the branch." The library saw a $450,000 reduction in municipal funding for 2010. ... Tue, 28 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895729 http://outofthejungle.blogspot.com/2010/12/fonts-on-display.html Ever since taking a two-semester course on the History of the Printed Book in library school, I have been fascinated with fonts. MIT Musem's Compton Gallery is hosting a show, "Types We Can Make," that highlights new fonts created by Swiss designers from the University of Art and Design in Lausanne. The MIT show is the subject of an article in today's Boston Globe. Switzerland has a distinguished tradition of modern font design starting with Helvetica, which the Globe describes as at once "humble" but "eminently readable," "a giant among fonts." Helvetica is a sans-serif font, which means the letters are clean, and don't have extra strokes on them. The modern Swiss designs are like Helvetica in that they are "exacting and verging on mathematical. White space plays as pivotal a role as curves, stems, and serifs. And, although forward-looking, the Swiss designers are always mindful of tradition."The Globe article asks why any of this matters. "Type conveys ideas and emotion." Fonts, although easier to create through the use of design software, are more important than ever in order to create custom branding for corporations. Marketers devote a lot of attention to fonts because they know that fonts convey a message to potential consumers of their products. (Source: Out of the Jungle) Tue, 28 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895397 http://joblist.ala.org/modules/jobseeker/controller.cfm?rssjobid=16311 Professor and Director of the Harrington School of Communication and Media (University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island) The University of Rhode Island (www.uri.edu) is the state’s largest university, with an enrollment of about 13,000 undergraduates and 3,000 graduate students on four campuses.  With nationally and internationally renowned faculty engaged in a broad range of research, teaching and outreach activities, URI is a land grant, sea grant and urban grant institution.  The University’s 1,200 acre main campus is located in Kingston, about 30 miles south of Providence and six miles from the coast. ... Mon, 27 Dec 2010 23:20:01 +0100 895231 http://web.docuticker.com/go/docubase/62911 Has the Shift to Stronger Intellectual Property Rights Promoted Technology Transfer, FDI, and Industrial Development? (PDF) Source:  Harvard Business School Working Papers This article reviews recent research conducted by the authors that finds that intellectual property rights reform increases technology transfers, foreign direct investment inflows, and industrial development. It also places [...] (Source: Docuticker) Mon, 27 Dec 2010 19:04:00 +0100 895246 http://web.docuticker.com/go/docubase/62903 How Travelers Use Online and Social Media Channels to Make Hotel-choice Decisions Source:  Cornell School of Hotel Administration, Center for Hospitality Research The phenomenal rise of social media as a factor in travel plans is a Janus-like development for operators of hotels, restaurants, and other travel industry businesses. On one hand, [...] (Source: Docuticker) Mon, 27 Dec 2010 16:31:00 +0100 895249 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/pandia/vfbc/~3/3qpfEe2LYmc/3358-7-sites-for-information-on-busnisses-and-organisations.html Whether you are a business owner looking for information on your competition, a consumer wanting to make informed purchases or an information professional or journalist doing research, the call for transparency that has resulted from social media has led to a number of web sites where businesses share their info for free or where customers share their opinions. Here are 10 places to go to find info on all kinds of businesses and organisations. LinkedIn LinkedIn used to be a place to display your business card on-line with the option to add information about your education and past and present jobs. Today, LinkedIn hosts profiles for both businesses and people in addition to groups for discussing all kinds of professional themes. The profiles might also contain information from blogs, presentations from Slideshare and more. Examples: Search Engine Land business profile SEO SEM group Facebook Facebook started out as a web site for freshmen at Harvard to get to know each other. It soon opened to students at other schools and is now open for anyone to join. It is no longer just a place where teenagers share photos from parties. Here in Norway, 50 % of the population has a Facebook profile. This makes the site a great place for businesses to market themselves and for consumers to pool their knowledge. Examples: WikiLeaks’ page Google’s page Wikipedia On LinkedIn and Facebook, the companies themselves write their profiles and can, to a certain extent, control the content. Wikipedia has guidelines that prevent people with close ties to a business from editing the article about that particular company. Examples: British Petroleum Nestlé Youtube Every minute 24 hours of video content is uploaded to YouTube. ... Mon, 27 Dec 2010 15:36:51 +0100 895392 http://plablog.org/2010/12/senate-confirms-president%e2%80%99s-nomination-of-new-imls-director.html Susan H. Hildreth Becomes New Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services On December 22, 2010 Susan Hildreth’s nomination to be director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) was confirmed by unanimous consent by the United States Senate. The Institute, an independent United States government agency, is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. “I am truly honored to have been appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as the fourth Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services,” said Hildreth. “I cannot imagine a more exciting and challenging responsibility than helping to create strong libraries and museums that sustain our heritage and culture and connect people to information and new ways of thinking.” “Although we will certainly miss Susan in Seattle [where Hildreth is City Librarian/CEO of Seattle Public Library,] she is going to be an outstanding leader for the Institute of Museum and Library Services,” said Senator Patty Murray (D-WA). “Susan and I share a passion for making sure that children across America get the literacy skills they need to succeed in school and in life. And I am confident that she will continue the Institute’s great work supporting families and communities across the country.” Hildreth was previously appointed as California’s state librarian by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Prior to her position as California state librarian, Hildreth was at the San Francisco Public Library, where she served as deputy director and then city librarian. Her background also includes five years as deputy library director at the Sacramento Public Library, several years as Placer County’s head librarian and four years as library director for the Benicia Public Library, all in California. She began her career as a branch librarian at the Edison Township Library in New Jersey. ... Mon, 27 Dec 2010 15:36:38 +0100 895276 http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/dec/27/what-happened-next-feminism-women A great year for women? Twelve months ago we predicted that it would be. Were we right?This time 12 months ago we promised it was going to be the biggest year in feminism ever. So was it? Er, sort of. We weren't wrong about it being a celebratory year. But our predictions of the feminist events to watch in 2010 were a bit hit and miss. Where did we strike gold? The significance of the movie Precious, the story of an overweight, illiterate teenager in 80s Harlem, pregnant by her abusive father ("primarily female cast", "a must-see", we said). Come the Oscars, the film won six nominations and two awards. What did we overestimate? The impact of Drew Barrymore's directorial debut Whip It! ("a great film"). That turned out to be a bit of a howler. The film went right under the radar, more's the pity.So what else did we get right? Well, it was always going to be a bumper year and maybe we could have even got a bit more excited about it. 2010 marked the 40th anniversary both of the publication of Germaine Greer's still controversial The Female Eunuch and of Kate Millett's landmark Sexual Politics. It was also four decades since the agenda-changing first ever National Women's Liberation conference. This killer combination of events galvanised campaigning groups everywhere and if anything our predictions of a feminist bonanza in 2010 underestimated the resurgence of grassroots activism.The first ever Feminism Summer School, hosted by UK Feminista in July, was a major success, picking up international coverage. And the Reclaim the Night movement was invigorated in force, with more than 2,000 women attending candlelit vigils in central London in November, where DJs kept the crowds going until 2am. Meanwhile more than 1,000 people attended London Feminism Network's October conference. ... Mon, 27 Dec 2010 08:00:17 +0100 895143 http://ddc.typepad.com/025431/2010/12/happy-retirement-dennis.html Our colleague Dennis McGovern, former chief of the Decimal Classification Division (DCD), is retiring this Thursday. (Longtime readers of the Dewey blog might remember Dennis as “the vicar of Dewey Manor” in the early days of the blog.)  Dennis was appointed to the position of DCD chief on May 17, 2004, after serving as the acting chief of DCD since February 2002, when previous chief David Smith retired.  He stepped down as DCD chief for health reasons in August 2008.  Since that time Dennis has worked a split detail as a Senior Decimal Classification Classifier in the areas of literature, language, sports, and recreation, and as a senior cataloger of romance language material in the Social Science Cataloging Division and the African, Latin American, and Western European Division.  Dennis first joined LC in as an editorial assistant in the Bill Digest Section of the American Law Division, Congressional Research Service.  In August of the same year, he joined the LOIS Processing Section in the former Order Division, Acquisitions Directorate, and April 1984 became a CIP publisher liaison in the Cataloging in Publication Division, while he also studied part time for his master's degree in library science at the University of Maryland.  After completing library school, he became a cataloger at the Martin Luther King Memorial Library in the District of Columbia Public Library system.  Dennis returned to LC as a descriptive cataloger in 1987.  He joined the Education, Sports, and Recreation Team when it was formed in 1989 as part of the Whole Book Cataloging Project.  Dennis came to DCD in 2002 from the position of team leader, Education, Sports and Recreation Team (ESR), Social Sciences Cataloging Division. ... Mon, 27 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895834 http://ricklibrarian.blogspot.com/2010/12/ricklibrarians-books-that-matter-and.html 2010 was a good book year for me. As I look back, November was especially stellar, as almost every book that I read for a few weeks was superb. It was difficult deciding which were best of the year, but I took a stab at it anyway. I also selected movies and music.In this post, I also include links to all my reporting from library conferences and to all my reviews of new reader's advisory sources.Have a Happy New Year for good reading and cultural experiences.Recent NonfictionClaiming Ground by Laura BellDangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour by David BianculliThe Grace of Silence: A Memoir by Michele NorrisI Am Nujood, Age Ten and Divorced by Nujood Ali and Delphine MinouiThe Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca SklootLife List: A Woman's Quest for the World's Most Amazing Birds by Olivia GentileLighting Out for the Territory: How Samuel Clemens Headed West and Became Mark Twain by Roy Morris, Jr.Mark Twain: The Man in White: The Grand Adventure of His Final Years by Michael SheldenA Mighty Long Way: My Journey to Justice at Little Rock Central High School by Carlotta Walls LaNierNine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India by William DalrymplePacking for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary RoachZeitoun by Dave EggersRecent FictionCorduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall SmithThe Man from Beijing by Henning MankellThe Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise by Julia StuartGreat Old BooksFirst Person Rural: Essays of a Sometime Farmer by Noel PerrinIn Patagonia by Bruce ChatwinRoseanna by Maj Sjöwall and Per WahlööChildren's BooksAn Egret's Day by Jane YolenFace to Face with Elephants by Beverly JoubertMarching for Freedom: Walk Together, Children, and Don't You Grow Weary by Elizabeth PartridgeSaving the Ghost of the Mountain by Sy MontgomeryZen Shorts by Jon J. Muth and Zen Ties by Jon J. ... Mon, 27 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895302 http://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com/2010/12/third-world-children-are-americas-lab.html Parul Christian, DrPHCenter for Human NutritionJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health615 N. Wolfe StRoom W2041Baltimore, MD 21205 Dear Dr. Christian, Today I read the account of your research done on Nepalese children in the Dec 22/29, 2010 issue of JAMA. My first pregnancy was in 1961 and I received prenatal vitamins containing iron, and I believe the need for folic acid has been known and added to prenatal vitamins since before 1990. For some years it has been known that the relationship between zinc and iron is iffy, with the benefits of each perhaps cancelling the other. Why is it ethical to experiment on third world children when we already know the benefits of prenatal supplements, and have known for 50 years or more? The control group will remain behind the supplement group for the rest of their lives. Just looking through other studies on the interaction of zinc and iron, I see Bloomberg is supporting research on poor children in other countries. So was that the real point of this research, to show that zinc is not useful as a supplement? Norma BruceFaculty EmeritusThe Ohio State UniversityParul Christian, Dr. P.H., of Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, and colleagues conducted a study to assess intellectual and motor functioning in a group of 676 children, aged 7 to 9 years in June 2007-April 2009, who had been born to women in 4 of 5 groups of a community-based, randomized controlled trial of prenatal micronutrient supplementation conducted between 1999 and 2001 in rural Nepal. Study children were also in the placebo group of a subsequent preschool iron and zinc supplementation trial. Women whose children were followed up had been randomly assigned to receive daily iron/folic acid, iron/folic acid/zinc, or multiple micronutrients containing these plus 11 other micronutrients, all with vitamin A, vs. a control group of vitamin A alone from early pregnancy through 3 months postpartum. ... Mon, 27 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895237 http://keptup.typepad.com/academic/2010/12/they-know-its-not-good-but-students-still-use-their-phones-during-class.html College students use cell phones in class, despite knowing that it adversely affects their concentration, according to a study conducted at the University of New Hampshire. In a university-wide study, student researchers at the UNH Whittemore School of Business and Economics found student cell phone users check their phones an average of one to five times during class. About half of students (51 percent) say that cell phone use in class affects their ability to concentrate and the amount of information that they receive during class (52 percent). Read more at: (Source: The Kept-Up Academic Librarian) Mon, 27 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895164 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SellersLibraryTeens/~3/WOPjM9F9oX8/library-closed-monday-1227.html There's already no school, but the Upper Darby Libraries are getting a snow day!  All three branches (Sellers, Municipal, Primos) are closed on 12/27.  So, I hope you have plenty to read!!!  (Source: Sellers Library Teens) Mon, 27 Dec 2010 04:41:06 +0100 895217 http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/dec/27/breaking-trust-over-book-fund As a children's author and mother I was dismayed to learn of the Department for Education's decision to cut all funding to the Booktrust bookgifting programmes in England (In praise of… Booktrust, 23 December). Booktrust has introduced thousands of children to the pleasures and benefits of reading. I have friends who'd never have thought to read with their children were it not for Booktrust. I've met families in our local library who, by their own admission, would never have become regular visitors without Booktrust's initial prompt. Now, libraries aren't exactly high on the government's agenda either – so what exactly are they doing to give ensure that every child has access to books?Bookgifting is one of those rare government-funded schemes that actually works. Booktrust doesn't just give children books; it gives them the power to imagine. It also gives families an enjoyable way to interact – a welcome alternative to toys and television.When busy parents forget storytime, it is understandable. When the government forgets it, it is unforgivable. I can only hope that the funding cut-off date of next April Fools' Day is Michael Gove's idea of a bad joke.Michelle RobinsonBristol• The fact that the government has cut off funding to the Booktrust bookgifting schemes is not only outrageous but will directly affect the viability of early years reading and learning in both children's centres and libraries. It is not simply about giving a load of money to a charity to dole out books. It has been since 1999 a way of libraries, primary care trusts and early educators working together at a local level and parents being empowered with high-quality resources, whether books, library joining incentives, regular visit incentives or giving the chance for health visitors to talk about the importance of literacy alongside health advice. Half of the gift is the message that goes with it. ... Mon, 27 Dec 2010 00:05:03 +0100 895144 http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/dec/26/free-books-scheme-funding-u-turn Government promises to work with children's charity after decision to axe Booktrust's £13m grant sparks literary outrageThe government has made a partial U-turn over providing free books for children, after the poet laureate accused ministers of behaving like "Scrooge at his worst".Education secretary Michael Gove held hurried consultations with Booktrust, interrupting his Christmas break when the charity released a letter confirming the government was to axe a £13m annual grant for free books that benefit 3.3 million youngsters a year.While the prime minister David Cameron was upbraided by Labour leader Ed Milband for "another mean-minded" removal of funding, in a joint statement, the charity and the education department confirmed that although the £13m grant would not continue as such, ministers would work with Booktrust to help disadvantaged children.The joint statement said: "[We] are determined to ensure that reading for pleasure is a gift every child can enjoy. That is why the DFE will continue to fund Booktrust book-gifting programmes in the future."Although the current contract will end in April, the department is talking to Booktrust about how to develop a new programme which will ensure that every child can enjoy the gift of books at crucial moments in their lives while ensuring we develop an even more effective way of supporting the most disadvantaged families to read together. The department and Booktrust will be working together, with publishers, in order to ensure that we can make every possible saving in developing an enhanced programme."The statement came as Carol Ann Duffy, appointed poet laureate in 2009, joined other authors to attack the cut. The charity provides free books for children from the age of nine months until 11.Duffy said: "Support for Bookstart is support for the dreams and imaginations and futures of British children. To withdraw that support is to behave like Scrooge at his worst. ... Sun, 26 Dec 2010 20:19:31 +0100 895073 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SellersLibraryTeens/~3/psazeThDrQ0/review-thirteen-reasons-why.html Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (Click here to find a library copy.) SUMMARY:  Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch.  Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker--his classmate and crush--who committed suicide two weeks earlier.  Hannah's voice explains that there are thirteen reasons she decided to end her life.  Clay is one of them.  If he listens, he'll find out why.  Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide.  He becomes a first-hand witness to Hannah's pain, and learns the truth about himself--a truth he never wanted to face.  (from the inside flap) OPINION:  This book has been on my to-read list for several years and I finally checked it out of the library. I like to read realistic fiction with a psychological edge and this book definitely fit the bill.  As secret after secret is revealed on the tapes in the book, the reader experiences it from the points of view of both Hannah and Clay.  The layers of tension kept me reading, even though I had much more sympathy for Clay than Hannah.  I thought the structure of the book was a bit false, the audio tapes acting a bit too overtly as a device to tell Hannah's side of the story after her death.  However, that same weakness is what gives the reader insight into some of life's big questions, like why people commit suicide and what responsibility we bear for our own actions.  Ultimately, I think this is a good read for those interested in puzzling out the "whys" behind people's personalities and actions.   SIMILAR READS: Deadline by Chris Crutcher If I Stay by Gayle Forman Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci (Source: Sellers Library Teens) Sun, 26 Dec 2010 18:17:00 +0100 895072 http://www.newrambler.net/lisdom/451 High on Arrival by Mackenzie Phillips — I actually had little notion of or interest in Mackenzie Phillips, but I love drug addict memoirs, so I picked this up when it rotated through the library. It comes with the special added bonus of being an incest memoir. It may well not be up your alley. [reread] The Door Into Summer by Robert Heinlein — It’s possible that I reread this book too often. But not probable. Nobody’s Girl by Antonya Nelson — I ran across this in our collection and picked it up because I used to love a song of the same name sung by Bonnie Raitt. When I read the blurb and discovered this was about a young woman from the Chicago suburbs who decides to move to a small desert town in New Mexico, I figured I’d better read it. It took me a long time to get through it, but it was pretty good, though not really similar to my own experience except in feeling. Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times by Thomas Hauser — For our Wyoming Humanities Council book discussion series of biographies of American cultural icons. I ended up spending a lot of time talking about the history of the civil rights movement and its various strands and bringing in a whole stack of books, which just goes to show I guess that one’s extracurricular collecting habits do eventually play some role. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen — I love Franzen’s essays most of all, but I liked this quite well — perhaps even better than The Corrections. Despite what you may have read about it plot-summary-wise, it’s really a novel about falling in love and out of love and trying to figure out how to differentiate who you are from who you want to be. [reread] The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley — When in danger or in doubt, reread. [reread] The Rooms of Heaven by Mary Allen — Reread shortly after I accepted my new job. ... Sun, 26 Dec 2010 17:18:44 +0100 895631 http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2010/dec/26/oprah-winfrey-plans-to-leave-talkshow-tv-network-us After 24 years, Oprah is planning to quit the sofa to set up her own TV network but the adulation is likely to follow herFor 24 years and nearly 5,000 shows it has been a gigantic part of America's TV landscape. Watching The Oprah Winfrey Show has been a ritual for millions of Americans akin to going to church, involving many of the same ideas of paying homage and taking instruction on how to lead their lives.It has established Winfrey as one of America's most prominent cultural figures. "She is possibly the most powerful woman in the world," said Alicia Quarles, AP's global entertainment editor, who has interviewed Winfrey several times.But in the new year that era will begin to come to an end. On 1 January, Winfrey launches her own TV channel, the Oprah Winfrey Network, and prepares to end the show that for almost a quarter of a century has kept her at the top of America's cutthroat showbusiness hierarchy.It is a huge gamble. When the Oprah Winfrey Show's last episode airs next summer, Oprah will be on her own. She has confessed in an interview with her own magazine that the risk is keeping her up at night. No doubt the prospect is giving many among her legions of fans sleepless nights too. Why the fuss? After all, it is just a TV show. Right?Not quite. There is little about Winfrey that does not invite extreme hyperbole. "Oprah Winfrey is a god. She is a force of nature," said Richard Laermer, a TV critic at the Huffington Post and author of the book 2011: Trendspotting.With Winfrey, such statements do not seem a stretch of the imagination. After all this is a woman whose endorsement of Barack Obama in 2007 was considered vital to his run for the presidency. His subsequent appearance on her show as president was also seen as more important to him than her. "When Obama was on her show, I thought: 'How great that she had an opening'," Laermer said.Oprah is far more than a TV star. ... Sun, 26 Dec 2010 11:08:01 +0100 895078 http://missolibrary.blogspot.com/2010/12/miss-brooks-loves-books-and-i-dont.html At the end of October I took on a new position and I can't actually believe it has been two months since my last post. Well the holidays have brought gifts and anyone that knows me knows that I love getting children's books. Last year, I heard of the book Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I don't), but I did not realize how great it was until two days ago when I got my own copy. Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I don't) is wrtitten by Barbara Bottner and illustrated by Michael Emberley. The child's expression of the cover is priceless as she sits on a pile of books listening to a story. Miss Brooks is the librarian and she loves to dress up as characters and share books. Her special idea for May Book Week is to give all first graders an assignment - "You need to pick a favorite story to share with the class. I want you to wear a costume and tell us all about it. Really show us why you love it!" she says.The child is not too excited about the assignment, no book makes her happy. Her mother finally says, "You are as stubborn as a wart." The child all of a sudden wants a story about warts. The mother finds a Shrek book and the child loves it. The mother and child make an orge costume. The child even makes stick on warts for the whole class. Miss Brooks and the class are so excited!This book is a clear reminder that there is a book for every child. They just have to discover it. (Source: MISS O's SCHOOL LIBRARY) Sun, 26 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895794 http://outofthejungle.blogspot.com/2010/12/prison-libraries-true-value-lies-beyond.html A very good essay in the Boston Globe Ideas section today by Avi Steinberg, who recently came out with the memoir, Running the Books about his stint as a prison librarian in the Boston area Suffolk County House of Correction. He writes about the periodic, well, probably ongoing, attacks on prison libraries, from well-meaning reformers who fear that the books will undermine the principle of punishment or might encourage prisoners to consider making a break for it or more fruitless appeals. Steinberg writes with excellent detail about the experiences he had as a prison librarian that lead him to the opposite conclusion. In his opinion, the true value of the prison library lies not so much in the reading material, as in the civilizing, educating locus of the place. The prisoners, who learn that the library is a haven that can make them feel like normal people for that short visit, run there when allowed, they are so eager to arrive. Prisoners who are allowed to work as library assistants value the privilege, and take the leadership skills into life after prison. It was more educational that spending time in the recreation yard, and it was less formal than the classrooms. It was a public space, and often the only time these individuals had ever been exposed to a library. They were learning important skills to take with them after they were released, even if they only read glossy magazines. Steinberg's argument is the classic rehabilitation argument, but it is an important one, and he gives some very good details from his time at the Suffolk County House of Correction. Steinberg introduces the reader to Fat Kat, his head of circulation, and unofficial captain of the inmate prison work detail. Fat Kat's name describes both his physical appearance and his boss persona. He was mid-way through his sentence when Steinberg met him. ... Sun, 26 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 895153 http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/dec/26/literacy-booksforchildrenandteenagers Politicians say they are saddened by children's lack of literacy, and yet they are cutting the book gifting schemeGiven we have cuts in the educational maintenance allowance, housing benefit and myriad other areas of public life, cutting the book gifting scheme may seem irrelevant to many. However, given our politicians' sadness at the poor reading skills of our children, these cuts are very short-sighted.Booktrust, the charity that oversees these schemes (Booked Up, Booktime, Letterbox Club and Bookstart) has a wealth of knowledge and research about how they work and the good they do. The schemes encourage a love of reading from babyhood onwards. That's why so many countries around the world – including Colombia and Uganda – have copied them. We are so used to hearing governments tell us literacy rates are falling, so why, in heaven's name, cut something that is proven to help?The schemes cater for children at every stage – from Bookstart, which offers the very best picture books to babies via health centres, Booktime for four- to five-year-old children when they start school, Letterbox Club, which offers regular parcels of books to looked-after children of all ages, to Booked Up for 11-year-olds.I am an author who has had her work selected for Booked Up, and has taken part in the selection process (in a different year, naturally). To those of us fortunate enough to have children with heaving bookshelves and well-used library tickets, book gifting might seem like a luxury. I expect most Tory – and Liberal Democrat – politicians have never been in a house without books, have never come across children who have not been able to choose books to own rather than just borrow.Booked Up has done amazingly good things for children all over England. It offers 11-year-olds the choice of one of 12 top-quality books to own for free. ... Sun, 26 Dec 2010 00:06:08 +0100 894992 http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/dec/26/kate-horsley-fancy-dress William has everything he ever wanted. Sophie, lying beside him, is expecting their first child. She is perfect, it is Christmas, so why does he feel so awful? An exclusive short story by Kate HorsleyWilliam woke up earlier than he would have liked. It was the morning of Christmas Day, but it was still dark outside. He thought about trying to go back to sleep, but even though he felt tired, he knew he wouldn't be able to. He got out of bed and walked over to the window. The blind had been lowered and he edged his body between the material and the glass. He looked down at the road running adjacent to the house. The streetlamps were still lit; grey parking meters stood at intervals along the pavement. The families in the row of houses opposite didn't appear to be up: the windows were dark and each building gave the impression of great stillness. He could hear some wind in the trees, but apart from that it was very quiet, as though there'd been a large fall of snow. He walked back over to the bed and he sat down on the nearest corner. Sophie had always been a good sleeper; she could sleep anywhere – in the back of a car, curled up on a sofa at a party. Since she'd become pregnant, she'd started having lie-ins too. Over the last few months William had grown more sensitive to his wife's habits because he'd been having trouble sleeping himself. It was a similar pattern every night. He'd go to sleep for a few hours and then he'd wake up, very suddenly. Sometimes he was still awake at six or seven the following morning. It all felt quite out of character. William liked to think of himself as a steady sort of man, the type of person who didn't let things get the better of him. He hadn't mentioned what had been happening to anyone – he didn't want to worry Sophie – until a few nights ago when he'd had a conversation with his brother on the phone. John had said something about it being a difficult time of year. ... Sun, 26 Dec 2010 00:05:12 +0100 894999 http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/dec/26/once-upon-life-rhoda-janzen Raised a "good plain girl" in a Mennonite family in 1970s America, Rhoda Janzen coveted and eventually acquired her own secret weapon against conformity – a black strapless bra. But before long her secret was out…I grew up in a conservative Protestant community called the Mennonites. We were so conservative that to my sheltered Mennonite eyes all other churches seemed dens of worldly iniquity and permissiveness. Many Mennonite children were home-schooled, or went to private Mennonite schools, so that children would learn proper Christian values. However, my parents sent us to public school in North Dakota, where the difference between us and Most Kids was glaringly obvious. For other girls, being a Christian meant wearing a cute dress on Sundays. For me it meant no dancing, no radio, no slang, no fashion – in short, no exposure to a world from which my community was anxious to cut itself off.The Mennonite idea was to demonstrate a commitment to Christ by stepping away from popular culture. This would give us the freedom to take up more important concerns, such as peace and social justice. But as a young girl I was not interested in peace and social justice. What I wanted was freedom to interact with peers. Jesus was all very well, but could He bring me boys, magazines, and frilly lingerie?Mennonites, unlike Mormons, don't wear undergarments designed to confer a special holy feeling. There's no online Mennonite outlet from which we order our modest underduds. But as soon as I turned 10, I was introduced to a hideous, wide-strapped, no-stretch bra that crushed my fantasies of young ladyhood. "A bra should be a wholesome thing," said my mother. "Good plain girls wear good plain bras." As for me and my bra, we would serve the Lord.Then I started babysitting. True, sometimes the parents paid in potatoes. But more often than not they paid in dollars and cents. Which could be hidden and tirelessly counted. ... Sun, 26 Dec 2010 00:04:01 +0100 895000 http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/dec/26/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie Our monthly series showcases the drawings of artist Matteo Pericoli, detailing the views from the windows of leading writers. This week, the 2007 Orange prize winner celebrates a typically bustling African streetWhen my writing is not going well, there are two things I do in the hope of luring the words back: I read some pages of books that I love or I watch the world. This is my view when I am in Lagos. An ordinary view, with houses close together, cars crammed in corners, each compound with its own gate, little kiosks dotting the street. But it is a view choked with stories, because it is full of people. I watch them and I imagine their lives and invent their dreams.The stylish young woman who sells phone cards in a booth next door; the Hausa boys who sell water in plastic containers, stacked in wheelbarrows; the vendor with a pile of newspapers, pressing his horn, his hopeful eyes darting up to the verandas; the beans hawker who prowls around in the mornings, calling out from time to time, a large pan on her head; the mechanics at the corner who buy from her, often jostling one another, often shirtless, and sometimes falling asleep under a shade in the afternoon.I strain to listen to their conversations. Once, I saw two of them in a raging and brief fight. Once, I saw a couple walk past holding hands – not at all a common sight. Once, a young girl in a blue school uniform, hair neatly plaited, looked up and saw me, a complete stranger, and said: "Good morning, ma', curtsying in the traditional Yoruba way, and it filled me with gladness.The metals bars on the window – burglary-proof as we call it – sometimes give the street the air of a puzzle, jagged pieces waiting to be fitted together to form a whole.Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieMatteo Pericoliguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds (Source: Guardian Unlimited Books) Sun, 26 Dec 2010 00:01:03 +0100 895002 http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/dec/25/booktrust-funding-cut-reading Parents praise the work of the literacy charity, which will now lose its £13m government grantDanni Grady, a dentist from Poole in Dorset, had never heard of the Booktrust programmes until she had her first child, Grace, now four. "But when we were given the books I thought, 'what a great idea'," she says. "It was a lovely surprise. It's extremely sad to think it is going to disappear."Usually, new parents receive the first tranche of books – the Bookstart baby packs – before their child's first birthday. A second allocation encourages parents to read aloud with their children after they start school while a third programme, Booked Up, aims to give a free book to every child starting secondary school in England.Grady, who is married to a physiotherapist and now has a second daughter, Olivia, two, acknowledges that some people may question why middle-class parents need books subsidised by the taxpayer. But she insists the value of the programme lies not in saving parents the small amount they would otherwise have had to spend. "It's not necessarily about the books themselves; it's the encouragement you need to read to your children which I don't think comes naturally if you're not a big book reader yourself. That encouragement you can get from receiving just a few books is great."Reading to children, Grady argues, is one of the joys of parenthood. "From a selfish point of view I enjoy it. It's good fun. They get a lot out of it. It is exciting when you see their language skills developing. I know with my older girl that before she could say anything her understanding of what was what was great, just from looking at books together and saying, 'point to this or that', and she would do it."Grady argues that books can be a vital weapon in the war with the television. "One of the issues we face nowadays is the battle with the TV, which is always on. ... Sat, 25 Dec 2010 19:14:41 +0100 895004 http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/dec/26/booktrust-funding-cut-pullman-motion Philip Pullman and Sir Andrew Motion round on decision to slash £13m government grant to the Booktrust charityLeading writers today rounded on the government for its "repugnant, foolish and pointlessly destructive" decision to axe all funding for a free book scheme that benefits 3.3 million youngsters a year.Children's author Philip Pullman attacked the move as an "unforgivable disgrace", while the former poet laureate Sir Andrew Motion described the cut as "an act of gross cultural vandalism".These uncompromising views were echoed by Viv Bird, chief executive of the Booktrust charity, who said she was "astounded and appalled" when told all government support for their work was going to be scrapped. "There was no dialogue. It was completely devastating," she said.The Booktrust charity runs several programmes that together provide free books for children from the age of nine months until their first term of secondary school when they are 11, and is widely admired by teachers, parents and authors.They began as a pilot project in 1992 but were awarded government funding in 2004 to become universal. But 10 days ago – despite having previously offered to take a 20% funding cut – the charity was told it was to lose 100% of its £13m-a-year government grant.The literary world has reacted with horror and has begun a campaign that has echoes of the one launched against the decision of the education secretary, Michael Gove, to axe funding for school sport, a plan revealed in the Observer. In fact, the decision to end Booktrust's funding is thought to have been taken to finance the education secretary's eventual U-turn on sport, which saw much of the threatened £162m cash for school sport partnerships restored.The reaction by authors to Gove's latest move has been furious. "It's like seeing someone smashing aside a butterfly with the back of their hand: wanton destruction," said Pullman. ... Sat, 25 Dec 2010 19:08:02 +0100 895005 http://snailx.wordpress.com/2010/12/25/my-shell/ The thread of my belongings. Way back in 2001, I bought a terrace in Newtown with my father. I got a mortgage on a quarter and he bought 3 quarters; scary days and meeting mortgage payments was occasionally awkward – some things don’t change. My parents split up when I was 6 or thereabouts and I grew up with mum, though seeing dad regularly; I have a sister a few years younger too. Buying a house with dad meant living him for the first time in 30 odd years – a good move. He died at the start of 2005 and I remain ever thankful for those few years I got to share an abode with him. With that said, he could be a cantankerous bastard at times, in the nicest possible way, or as someone said in describing me in memory of him: “rambunctious” – the occasion was a dinner and I’d had a little to drink :-) The one downside of the arrangement is that it limited my ability to move elsewhere. In order to meet my mortgage payments I needed to be able to rent out my bit for a sum that would cover my monthly payment. This meant I had to find someone who could share comfortably with the old man…a not so easy task at times, though I s’pose if I’d been really keen to move I could have found someone. I lacked the courage to push in those days I think. Anyway, I had a lovely 5 years living with my dad. I now have my own place, with another mortgage twice the size of the old one. Yet, I’m better off. Both my sister and I sold the old place and each bought flats about a 10 minute walk apart, and indeed, about a 10-15 minute walk from the old house. This suits us rather well. Plus it means for me, that should I move elsewhere, the rent I get from my place, will comfortably cover the mortgage/strata/etc. I may even emerge slightly ahead. There’s a freedom in that. I feel free and that sense of being trapped in one spot has gone. ... Sat, 25 Dec 2010 07:07:08 +0100 894961 http://www.teleread.com/chris-meadows/could-computer-games-be-the-journalism-of-the-future/ Michael Humphrey has an interesting blog post on Forbes where he posits the use of video games as a method of conveying current news and events. He points to the CEO of Activision comparing the Call of Duty franchise to Facebook, pointing out that media is evolving, and the latest CoD game has already racked up 600 million hours of play time in just six weeks. And he talks about a new book called Newsgames: Journalism at Play that looks at the idea of combining gaming and journalism. While Humphrey is a bit critical of the way the book sometimes plays fast and loose with the concept of journalism, he suggests that there is a place for genuine old-school journalism to exist within computer games. If games were to practice journalism as a discipline, and advertise itself as such, it would have to be very much the same kind of journalism that newspapers, television and journalistic Web pages offer. If not, then call it something else. But I think these standards can be applied in most entertaining ways. Even though the game development process can take years, he suggests, if a game was developed based on an ongoing issue (such as the politics or warfare of a given area) then updating it to keep pace with current events could be much easier. Indeed, this could be done with gaming systems that exist now. City of Heroes has an “architect” system that allows players to create their own missions or chains of missions, which they can do fairly quickly and easily. Other games, such as Star Trek Online, are implementing similar systems. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility to imagine someone creating didactic missions incorporating references to the latest events in such a game. An entire game built from the ground up around these events could work even better. ... Sat, 25 Dec 2010 06:13:52 +0100 894940 http://www.slaw.ca/2010/12/24/christmas-in-1594/ The law student of 1594 passed Christmas revelling to The Comedy of Errors by Shakespeare. We know this because of the Gesta Grayorum which was printed in 1688 from a much older manuscript. This text has been conveniently reproduced with an introduction on the Mr. Shakespeare blog. We can also look forward to a 3 volume set, part of the Records of Early English Drama series, to be published in January 2011 by Boydell & Brewer: Inns of Court, edited by Alan H. Nelson and John R. Elliott, Jr. According to the publisher’s blurb: The Introduction provides a survey of Christmas entertainment supervised by Inns of Court Masters of the Revels and Christmas Princes, including minstrels, a lion-tamer, musicians, disguisings, plays, masques, and even a puppet-show. The illustrations (ground-plans and plates) offer evidence of the original performance conditions for Inns of Court plays and masques. The appendices will reproduce a number of relevant documents. A brief account of the Grand Christmases celebrated at the Inns of Court can be found in Anton-Hermann Chroust, in "The Beginning, Flourishing and Decline of the Inns of Court: The Consolidation of the English Legal Profession after 1400" (1956) 10 Vand. L. Rev. 79-123 (Hein), at 102-3: The fact that the Inns of Court were also schools of manners should explain the original meaning and functions of those periodic entertainments "which are called revels," and which for a long time played an important role in the lives of the Inns. These pastimes apparently were encouraged by the Benchers who believed that such activities would greatly improve the literary tastes and the social manners of the students.²⁸ Revels and masques were usually held at Christmas time or some other feast day, and the King as well as the Queen attended them regularly. ... Fri, 24 Dec 2010 16:39:19 +0100 895179 http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2010/dec/24/government-against-reading The withdrawal of funding from Booktrust's free books programmes recklessly ignores the all-round educational benefits of booksThe government has just cut all funding of the free book projects administered by Booktrust – the independent charity that provided millions of children with free books.People will remember Michael Gove speaking at the most recent Conservative Party conference calling on schools to be places where children read great authors, such as Dryden and Pope. Though some of us were a little mystified as to why he had plucked those two particular authors from the pile, I for one thought for half a moment that perhaps this government was going to set out its stall as a champion of the reading of literature. As the Guardian recorded, I tried on several occasions to interest first Ed Balls and Jim Knight, then Vernon Coaker in the idea of the Education department asking schools to develop their own policies on reading for pleasure.Reading for pleasure can easily sound like some kind of wishy-washy, soft option, while instructional stuff like learning-to-read through "synthetic phonics" and endless worksheets requiring children to answer questions about the facts in short passages, sounds tough and purposeful. In actual fact, as the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) research of 2006 showed, children who read for pleasure achieve better school performance than those that don't.How come? Because literature takes children into abstract thought in two key ways. Firstly, it marries ideas with feelings: while the reader is caring about what happens, the scenes and the flow of the book deal with ideas of, say, anger, fear, jealousy, justice, compassion and much, much more. Secondly, it gives rise to what we can call "acts of comparison". Any child who reads widely, often and for pleasure will inevitably make comparisons between what they're reading, why they're reading and how they're reading. ... Fri, 24 Dec 2010 12:23:59 +0100 894798 http://www.cilip.org.uk/get-involved/campaigning-toolkit/Pages/resources.aspx These resources can be downloaded and accessed by CILIP members in developing their campaigns and demonstrating the value of their professional skills and knowledge:Blogs and Networks CILIP Communities: your space for connecting, sharing and gaining focus on professional issues.CILIP Information and Advice Blog CILIP Network of Expertise and InterestJohannaBoAnderson's blogthewikiman blog: Ned Potter GuidesAdding Value: Practical Guide. Salaries: Job Evaluation and a Practical Guide to negotiating for pay with sector specific advice and information. Careers Gateway: your route to information and advice related to your library and information career.Encompass Toolkit: Advice and guidance for diversifying your staff profile and developing positive action trainee schemes.Improving pay and status: a school librarian's self-empowerment packTools for government, legal, health and corporate libraries:help demonstrate the value and impact of library and information services, assess whether they deliver good value for money and provide early identification if the service is at risk of reduction. What makes a good library: professional guidelines for public libraries. PresentationsInternal marketing: Presentation (PowerPoint)Making a difference - your value as a library and information professional: Presentation (PowerPoint) Reports and ConsultationsEmpower, Inform, Enrich: The modernisation review of public libraries.Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS: CILIP response to NHS White Paper Templates and WorksheetsAction plan: Template (MS Word)Key messages: Template (MS Word)Sample key messages: Worksheet (MS Word) StatisticsFacts and figures for library and information profession for all sectors. Tips for SuccessBuilding a network of campaign supporters: Tips for success (MS Word)     (Source: CILIP – Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals) Fri, 24 Dec 2010 12:06:21 +0100 895286 http://lovealibrarian.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-to-all-readers-of-slia.html (Source: School Librarian in Action) Fri, 24 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 894981 http://keptup.typepad.com/academic/2010/12/quality-uk-ihes-at-affordable-tuition-cost-attracts-us-students.html The population of US undergraduates at United Kingdom schools has spiked 30 percent in five years, to 3,560 in the 2008-09 academic year, the most recent figure available from Britain’s Higher Education Statistics Agency. It is a trend driven by price, prestige, and — in the case of St. Andrews — a prince. The small community of collegiate expatriates is populated heavily with students from the New York-Washington corridor and California, British higher education officials say. Read more at: (Source: The Kept-Up Academic Librarian) Fri, 24 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100 894808 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/booksquare/~3/3cksAY7pETg/ No matter where you stand on the various issues surrounding the future of publishing, one thing is clear: without readers, what we do doesn’t matter very much. We sometimes take the privilege of our bookish lives for granted, forgetting how many people out there would give anything to be able to pick up a book and read it. Yet, this is the season of giving (and, yes, tax deductions). Every year, we here at Booksquare make a pitch for our favorite causes, hoping some of you, like us, will find a little something extra to give this now and in the future. If you have a favorite cause that relates to literacy, reading, or education, let us know in the comments. ProLiteracy — As always, our list is topped by Proliteracy.org. You can contribute either financially or by volunteering as a literacy tutor. When you are a reader, a to-your-soul reader, it’s almost impossible to imagine a world where people can’t read. The reasons vary, and the solution is not simple. Helping others learn to read should be the primary goal of the publishing industry — any way we can. If you can’t donate money, can you donate time? First Book — Just as teaching the world to read is important, getting books to children is essential. First Book gets books to children who need them. You remember your first book, you remember reading as a child. Help share that joy. Bonus! through December 31, your donation will be matched book-for-book by Random House. Girls Write Now: Girls Write Now is a non-profit organization devoted to mentoring the next generation of women writers. Focused on New York’s underserved and at-risk high school girls, this program helps them find their voices through creative writing. Donors Choose — The problem with growing up the child of a public school librarian is that you know how completely screwed up our public school financing priorities are. ... Thu, 23 Dec 2010 20:22:00 +0100 894713 http://careercenter.sla.org/jobs/3823199/edward-cornell-law-librarian US - NY - Ithaca, Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate, and work successfully with a team of staff within a Law School setting. Excellent communication skills, compelling vision, and the ability to foster effective w (Source: SLA Career Center Search Results []) Thu, 23 Dec 2010 19:37:00 +0100 894736 http://marklindner.info/blog/2010/12/23/batchelor-buddhism-without-beliefs/ Buddhism without BeliefsStephen Batchelor; Riverhead Trade 1998WorldCat•LibraryThing•Google Books•BookFinder This is the 7th book in the 12 Books, 12 Months Challenge that I have finished. For another view, see my list at Open Library. I began this back on 22 March and got halfway before stopping back in April or so due to wedding and move planning/prep. I started again from the beginning on 11 December and finished it on 18 December 2010. I am a real neophyte when it comes to Buddhism.  I read Siddhartha in high school and I re-read it last year; no I am not claiming Hesse wrote a Buddhist text, just that it introduced the idea to me long ago. I have also read a bit about mindfulness (2 books, I think) and one or two books by Thich Nhat Hanh.  This, though, is my first serious attempt at learning more about Buddhism.  I am not sure where or how I came across this book, although I think it was from a book review of the author’s more recent Confession of a Buddhist Atheist.  But where the book review came from I do not know; I failed to find it in my delicious bookmarks.  It seems I ordered both books at the same time from amazon this past March. The book is reasonably short and reads well.  I liked that it rejects the religion of Buddhism, founded on historically institutionalized beliefs, in favor of the actions of Buddhism.  It also remains agnostic on the more metaphysical aspects, such as karma and rebirth, for instance. Contents Ground Awakening Agnosticism Anguish Death Rebirth Resolve Integrity Friendship Path Awareness Becoming Emptiness Compassion Fruition Freedom Imagination Culture Awakening The author claims that the four ennobling truths — anguish, its origins, its cessation, and the path — have become “propositions of fact to be believed.”  Thus, Buddhism becomes a religion (5). ... Thu, 23 Dec 2010 18:36:56 +0100 895467 http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/dec/23/john-jones-obituary Painter, film-maker and teacher who inspired his studentsJohn Jones, who has died aged 84, was a painter, film-maker, teacher, Joyce scholar and magic-lantern expert. Unusually for a senior lecturer who could have talked for Britain, he was never one to trumpet the true scope of his knowledge and interests. The fine art department at Leeds University, where he spent most of his teaching career, was a peculiar hybrid – part art history and part practical art, disdained by some, but loved by many – that John in his own practice and by his own example almost came to embody. He was in overall charge of studio instruction, but was closely involved in most aspects of the department, where he created and ran a course in the history of film and taught film-making.John was born in Bristol. His studies at the city's West of England College of Art were interrupted by call-up in 1945, and he served for three years in the Royal Engineers. He completed his studies in 1952, then spent two years under the tutelage of William Coldstream at the Slade school of art in London, where he won the history of art prize. He also met the Argentinian niece of the art historian Rudolf Witkower, Gabriela, later accompanying her to Buenos Aires in 1956, where they married and where John spent three years painting, teaching and lecturing. Returning to the UK, he was appointed lecturer at James Graham College, Leeds, and in 1962 was appointed lecturer at the Leeds University fine art department by Quentin Bell.Life drawing was central to John's work. He thought deeply, not only about the way we draw, but about why we draw. Talking about art was as vital as art itself, so life classes under him tended to be very conversational as well as observational affairs. He was a highly accomplished draughtsman, always ready to share his skills, and had an unusual willingness to listen to his students. John never imposed his opinions. ... Thu, 23 Dec 2010 18:05:04 +0100 894728 http://www.sla.org.uk/blg-happy-christmas-from-all-at-the-sla.php The School Library Association sends its members and supporters all best wishes for Christmas and the New Year.The SLA office will close for the season on Christmas Eve and open for the New Year on Tuesday 4 January 2011. (Source: SLA Weblog) Thu, 23 Dec 2010 15:33:00 +0100 895114 http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/charlottehigginsblog/2010/dec/23/bristol-old-vic-refurbishment Gazing at the theatre's extraordinary 18th-century decor, I feel a refurbished Old Vic could better serve this city's creative lifeNeil Hannon's soaring score for Bristol Old Vic's beguiling production of Swallows and Amazons was almost the star of the show for me last night. But the music was ever so slightly upstaged for me by my vantage point. I was sitting amid the extraordinary decor high up "in the gods", or Gallery, of the Georgian theatre where the company is based. While I had a pretty good view of the diverting action on the stage, my eye was drawn to the beautiful gilded ceiling and to the sign that proclaimed, half apologetically, half proudly, that these were the original 18th-century bench seats. Certainly one of the people I watched the show with was convinced he had once sat on exactly the same upholstery about 30 years previously when he was at school.This theatre is now up for a major refurbishment after all the sturm und drang of the last four or five years. Money has been secured – from Arts Council England and the city council – as, most happily, have the services of new artistic director Tom Morris, who comes to Bristol from the National Theatre and before that, the Battersea Arts Centre. The place is now primed for success, but just like for the jolly crew of Swallow in Arthur Ransome's story, who appear to have hatched the perfect plan for capturing the Amazon, it takes a fair wind as well as hard rowing to get there. While I don't want to see the astonishing history of this auditorium stripped away, even with a rescue deal struck, the Old Vic still needs £1.5m more to reach a safe harbour and become all it needs to be to serve the area. If it does get the funds, this could be a wonderful flowering at the economic moment when a thriving creative heart is going to be crucial to the atmosphere of the whole city.TheatreArts fundingArthur RansomeNeil HannonVanessa Thorpeguardian.co. ... Thu, 23 Dec 2010 15:07:04 +0100 894730 http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/dec/23/booktrust-literacy-government In order to save just £13m, the government is denying the power and the pleasure of literacy to children from all backgroundsAt this stage in the cuts, no one can expect much in the way of compassion from the government. All the same, it takes a distinguished brand of heartlessness to pick Christmas as the moment to announce that the Department for Education will be cutting all its funding for the book-giving programmes run by Booktrust. In a couple of days, children will be unwrapping thoughtfully chosen picture books and paperbacks given by friends and family, but right now the government is crippling a charity that has done great work to bring the power and the pleasure of literacy to children from all backgrounds. Ed Miliband was right to accuse the government of knowing "the price of everything and the value of nothing" when it cut the funding for the scheme.Bookstart (aimed at preschoolers), Booked Up (which lets children of secondary school age choose a free book) and Booktime (a complementary scheme to encourage parents and children to read together) are all funded by a combination of public and private money: with the £13m Booktrust receives from the government, it's able to generate another £56m value in funding from partners in the publishing industry (figures supplied by Booktrust). That's more than a 400% return on investment, which ought to look like good value to anyone – but not the government of brave new austerity Britain. "In these difficult economic times, ministers have to take tough decisions on spending," drones the brief statement from the DfE.It's a wearying repetition of the cuts vocabulary that suggests that whoever is in charge of departmental communications could do with receiving a book, just so they've got some literary influences apart from the collected speeches of David Cameron. But Bookstart and its fellows have done much more than just draw down cash. ... Thu, 23 Dec 2010 15:00:01 +0100 894731