You Lose Some, You (sorta) Win Some

I’ve been following the Bruce Ivins tragedy recently, and was struck by this judicial ruling  that the FBI can search public library computers it seized as part of the anthrax investigation. What I hadn’t realized initially was that the computers were taken without a warrant from the C. Burr Artz Library.

The director, Darrell Batson, was “persuaded to give them access”,  even though the library’s procedure for such requests usually requires a court order. Hmmm. The library system supposedly subscribes to the Library Bill of Rights, (it’s posted on their website anyway). Think maybe the director hasn’t read it?

On the other hand, let’s rejoice that the Batavia Public Library Board voted to keep a link to Planned Parenthood’s Teenwire on its website. Unfortunately, TeenWire was moved from the Young Adult Library Web, where it was very easy to find, (there are only 5 links in the teen health section) to the general Web Reference area, where it competes for attention with 26 other “general health” sites…once you’ve navigated there from the gargantuan “health and medical information” site. Think teens are gonna find it there? I doubt it. Read about it in the Kane County Chronicle.

FeedBook? eBooks on iPhone?

The TeleReader Blog has some pertinent thoughts on accessing ebooks via the iPhone. This great blog (which is devoted solely to ebook issues) also pointed me to Feedbooks, ” a universal e-reading platform compatible with all mobile devices where you can download thousands of free e-books,publish and share your own content.” Yes, it works with the iPhone as well as Kindle, Sony, and various SmartPhone PDAs! Annndddd (take note Overdrive users) it works with iPods.

Another cool thing about FeedBooks: you can use it to create customized newspapers from RSS feeds and widgets which are then readable on any of the above devices. Click this Feedbooks button to see mine:

Responding to Challenges

A former library director sent me this wonderful letter by Jamie LaRue, director of the Douglas County Libraries in Colorado, in which he defends retaining a children’s book about gay marriage. The book is Uncle Bobby’s Wedding, and yes, we do have this in my library.

I admire LaRue’s calm, compassionate and thoughtful response, but I gotta admit, my gut reaction was closer to that of another poster: “F*ck you, bigot.” (Cranky librarians do not make good directors.)

I also admire LaRue’s willingness to share his response, in order to help other libraries facing reconsideration challenges. That’s what I love about our profession: library staff always go out of their way to help each other out!

Peeps in the Library

Another great example of library marketing that is fun and creative. This one has been around awhile, but if you have not yet seen Peeps do Research at the Library from the  Milikin University Library, you are in for a treat.