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[archivlibrarianist]

fascinating comment chuck got on Texas Library Association post last night. i was using evidence of past invites to assure myself this was more nuanced than simple bigotry, but it appears there could be more going on here politically that i was not aware of. i cannot vouch for insider library stuff but it is interesting.

i should also add i do not think this lets TLA off the hook for hateful actions but it could add context. ultimately the trot of libraries should be inclusion and diversity and access, and succumbing to pressure of anti queer anti neurodivergent rhetoric is a disgusting thing.

here is link to initial post for context by the way

[archivlibrarianist]

Interesting. Fresno County Library is just...without a library app for now.

From the article linked:

"The San Joaquin Valley Library System alerted patrons on its social media stating that due to a disagreement between its primary library software provider and a third-party contractor, who they say provided components for the ValleyCat mobile app, the software is now offline.

"As a result, it says the developer is working to create its own app."

So now, that patrons are back to using the library website, at a time when more of us than ever are using mobile devices and tablets.

I wonder if we'll see more of this in the future.

[archivlibrarianist]

Gen Z and millennials visit libraries at higher rates than older generat...

[archivlibrarianist]

From the article:

"People in Halifax were able to digitize their historical photographs on Sunday and share them publicly as part of an initiative by the Halifax municipal archives.

"The archives held a Scan-a-thon at the Halifax Central Library for members of the public to bring in treasured photographs, slides and negatives that showed local history.

"Municipal archivist Susan McClure said the archives are looking for any historical photos, including neighbourhoods, construction projects and pictures connected to the railway."

[archivlibrarianist]

Imagine being so triggered by a public library getting bomb threats for shutting down your transphobic event that you sue the librarians in said public library.

Having a hard time imagining it? Don't worry, Klanned Karenhood did it anyway.

From the article:

"In addition to the county, the lawsuit names as defendants Yolo County Librarian Diana Lopez and Regional Librarian Scott Love, whose shutdown of the Aug. 20 meeting became the subject of national media coverage and several anonymous bomb threats.

"The meeting, billed as a '"'Forum on Fair and Safe Sports for Girls,'”' featured Lorey as one of its speakers The Enterprise previously reported. She's the California Family Council’s outreach coordinator and a former college soccer player.

"Video of the meeting posted on social media showed Lorey introducing the forum by saying attendees would hear about 'the physiological advantage of male athletes and the emotional and psychological impact on girls when men play on their sports teams.'

"A short time later, a member of the audience that included numerous protesters spoke up: 'Are you going to misgender people throughout the entire thing?'

"As Lorey asked the audience to save their questions for the end of the presentation, Love noted that California state law 'recognizes transgender women as women.'

"'This is a library. I don't want any transgender females being called males in sporting events with females,' Love said. 'If that happens, it's not following our code of conduct and we will ask the person to leave immediately.'"

[archivlibrarianist]

From the article:

"Senate Bill 5 comes after a summertime conflict between the Department of Archives and History and several lawmakers, including bill sponsor Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Josephine, over a lunchtime lecture on the history of LBGT people in the state.

"Elliott and others questioned the appropriateness of the event. He said state agencies shouldn’t be talking about anyone’s sexuality or orientation."

Short version: a legislator got their shorts in a twist about an event that addressed the fact that queer people exist in Alabama, and therefore wants to punish the Department of Archives and History for that fact.

[archivlibrarianist]

What I love the most about this story is that this remarkable little girl took her newfound love of reading and is sharing it with other kids.

From the article:

"Anna's experience at the library also has evolved into something more for Anna when she started reading to groups of children that visit the library.

"In August, Anna was the community spotlight of the Des Moines Public Library for making a difference others' lives when she reads to kids.

"Going to the library has helped Anna 'come out of her shell,' according to her mother.

"'I think she loves seeing other children smile,' Ramirez said. 'Just the sheer happiness of being able to say, "Oh, maybe there will be a group I can read to today. Maybe there'll be a baby that wants to hear me read."'

" '... She just finds so much encouragement being here.'"

[archivlibrarianist]

I can tell you it's absolutely necessary, but a dying art.

[archivlibrarianist]

...but as it turns out, it's a scam, because she's connected with a children's book publishing company that is a rival to Scholastic.

From the article:

"On November 14, a 20-year-old woman named Lanah Burkhardt appeared before the school board of the Conroe Independent School District in Texas. Burkhardt told the board that, when she was 11, she read a Scholastic book that introduced her to 'a single kiss.' According to Burkhardt, her exposure to this Scholastic book was directly responsible for her developing a debilitating addiction to pornography. 

"...Burkhardt cited her story as a reason to restrict access to Drama, a novel published by Scholastic. The book includes this image of two people kissing: 

"But Burkhardt went further, arguing that Conroe should remove all Scholastic books from schools and stop hosting Scholastic book fairs. These steps were necessary, Burkhardt argued, to protect children from "sexual obscenity." According to Burkhardt, 'getting rid of Scholastic books and their book fairs will inevitably protect kids.' 

"Burkhardt's appearance was promoted by SkyTree Book Fairs, a newly formed organization marketing itself as 'an alternative to the sexually explicit content distributed in Scholastic's book fairs.'

"While SkyTree Book Fairs presents itself as an independent non-profit organization, it appears to be a hastily assembled offshoot of Brave Books, which publishes children's books by right-wing pundits and pseudo-celebrities. The link between SkyTree Book Fairs and Brave Books was first reported by Book Riot.

"Neither Brave Books nor Burkhardt disclosed that Burkhardt is an employee of Brave Books. According to her LinkedIn profile, Burkhardt is the company's 'public relations coordinator.'"

[archivlibrarianist]

It was only a matter of time before they got to this.

Keep fighting. Don't let them win.

From the article:

"Florida's attorney general is claiming that the state’s public school libraries are 'a forum for government speech' and 'not a forum for free expression,' in a chilling argument that appears to be gaining steam on the right...

"'Florida’s public-school libraries are a forum for government, not private, speech,' Moody argues in the brief, comparing the removal of LGBTQ+ books like Tango to school policies against Nazi propaganda. Although Moody admits in the brief that appeals courts have 'not yet addressed' the legal argument she makes, she cites semi-related precedents — such as whether a state can refuse to display a religious monument — to conclude that 'the compilation of library materials is government speech.' For that reason, she continues, removing any library materials cannot constitute viewpoint discrimination.

"In response, a group of 23 First Amendment scholars filed an amicus brief of their own in September, saying Moody’s argument stands in opposition to decades of First Amendment law. 'Defendant’s arguments would effectively nullify' existing limits on government speech, the brief contends, and 'government speech' analyses have 'no place in public school library book removal decisions.' The authors went on to argue that the court should use different analytical tools, specifically 'forum doctrine,' a principle in U.S. law used to determine reasonable restrictions on public speech, and one which has been used in cases involving libraries since the 1970s.

"...'Should schools be preparing individuals to be broadly educated, to be able to make their own decisions about their lives?' [American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom director Deborah Caldwell-Stone] asked USA Today rhetorically. 'Or should schools be indoctrination centers for only one viewpoint that may not even represent the viewpoint of the majority?'"

[archivlibrarianist]

EveryLibrary is within 1000 signatures of its 20,000 signature goal for this petition.

[archivlibrarianist]

Short version: publishers are price gouging libraries that make electronic books available to their patrons.

From the article:

"CT Library Consortium Executive Director Ellen Paul told legislators that librarians pay half price for most print books in their collections, but e-books are a different story. 

"According to Paul, e-books cost six to 10 times more than a print book and are removed from the collection after either two years or 26 borrows. 

"'Connecticut libraries, they just can’t keep up. The waitlists for e-books are over six months long. Our budgets are strained because we have to keep rerenting Harry Potter at the same exorbitant prices over and over again,' Paul said."

[archivlibrarianist]

If you're at your local library, and you're happy with services, make sure you tell administration, support library workers' unions-- and most importantly, vote for library tax levies.

From the article:

"Some employees said issues began in the summer of 2020, when Multnomah County Library officials announced they would lay off employees due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders did not go through with the layoffs after library employees and their union pushed back, but the surprise announcement created an “us versus them” mentality within the agency’s workforce that lingers today, some employees told auditors.

"Safety and security issues also worsened after libraries reopened to the public in June 2021. As the number of people experiencing homelessness and behavioral health crises increased, so did the severity and frequency of related problems at local libraries, the audit report states.

"Between January and December 2022, patrons violated library rules more than 2,000 times, according to an online record system that documents employee complaints. More than half of those incidents were reported at the Central Library in downtown Portland. Midland Library had the next-highest level of incidents, at 247 reports. In the same period, overall visits to county libraries fell by about half, compared with pre-pandemic levels, as patrons increasingly turned to digital materials.

"Employees reported being sexually harassed and threatened with knives, and they have responded to drug use and overdoses at higher rates since June 2021. Employees also said Portland police rarely responded in time when they called 911..."

[archivlibrarianist]

The Toronto Public Library (TPL) says sensitive data may have been “exposed” as a result of an ongoing cybersecurity incident that knocked down its website two weeks ago.

[archivlibrarianist]

"...According to body-camera footage obtained by the Substack Popular Information, two members of the M4L group called the police to report alleged “pornography” in a book titled Storm and Fury by Jennifer L Armentrout.

More information on how a book with a few makeout scenes evolved into "pornography," and then "child pornography" after the cut.

"...'I’ve got some evidence a crime was committed,' M4L member Jennifer Tapley could be heard saying in the footage during a 25 October phone call to a local sheriff’s office.

Ms Tapley reportedly told police that a 17-year-old 'minor' had checked out the book from Jay High School. 'Pornography given to a minor in a school,' she said.

Another M4L member, Tom Gurski, could also be heard telling police: 'The only reason we are here: A crime is being committed. It’s a third-degree felony. And we’ve got the evidence.'”' Mr Gurski added that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis 'says this is child pornography. It’s a serious crime.'

'It’s just as serious as if I handed a Playboy to [my child] right now,' Ms Tapley added."

About the book itself (also from the article):

"The novel contains 'sexual themes' and 'a few makeout sessions', the Substack reported.

The book’s author, Jennifer Armentrout, told Popular Information she was 'stunned' by the incident, adding that she was shocked to learn that the country is still 'living in an era where, apparently, some adults find it appropriate to contact the police over a fictional book involving gargoyles.'"

[archivlibrarianist]

"Urania (1916-1940) was a radical journal that sought to erase the gender binary. It is now available through LSE Digital Library. We believe it to be the most complete collection of this privately circulated journal in the world and an important primary resource for anyone researching LGBTQ+ history."

The London School of Economics and Political Science's digital library can be found here. Issues of Urania can be found here.