[LISNews] The LISNews For November 23rd 2011

Wed Nov 23 12:34:25 CST 2011

It's Wednesday and time to highlight the most popular LISNews user blog posts from the past week. 
Everyone gets a blog @LISNews.org!

And here's the latest from LISNews:

--PTFS/LibLime prepared to transfer Koha TM To Koha Foundation 
- http://lisnews.org/node/40007/
PTFS/LibLime Granted Provisional Use of Koha Trademark in New Zealand PTFS/LibLime is prepared to transfer the trademark to a non-profit Koha Foundation with the provision that the Foundation hold the
trademark in trust and not enforce it against any individual, organization, or company who chooses to promote services around Koha in New Zealand. PTFS/LibLime encourages a direct dialog with Koha
stakeholders to determine an equitable solution for the disposition of the trademark that serves the best interests of the libraries who use Koha.   

--Libraries Outsourced The Ebook Platform And Betrayed Our Core Values
- http://lisnews.org/node/40006/
The future in one word: platforms  "One of the reasons why librarians don't talk very much about ebook platform chooice is because, by and large, we've already decided the matter. Libraries have made
their choice, voted with their dollars and their energies, and have overwhelmingly selected Overdrive as our platform. Yes, we have outsourced ourselves with an ebook platform that betrays many of the
values that the public admires us for in exchange for a user-experience that be described in any variations of the word, horrific."

--Art Inspired By The Death of The Printed Word
- http://lisnews.org/node/40005/
Some really neat art made of books and other print materials: http://myhumancomputer.blogspot.com/  "My art is inspired by the death of the printed word. Books and newspapers are becoming artifacts of the
21st century. As a society we're shifting away from print consumption and heading straight towards full digital lives. My sculptures are products of their environment —both literally and figuratively. As
often as I can, I use local newspapers to add authenticity, and the form the sculpture takes is a reflection of the personal connection I feel to that particular city. From a day-to-day standpoint, I'm
heavily influenced by my surroundings. These days, I draw inspiration from America's South West, and in particular Tucson, AZ--where I've lived and worked for almost two years. Going from NY to the desert
is a pretty dramatic shift. Your concept of space expands when it's not obstructed by buildings. You pay closer attention to nature because you're always in it—and you do what you can to preserve it."  

--LISNews Hits 40,000 Posts and Turns 12 Years Old
- http://lisnews.org/node/40004/
40,000!!! As usual, I forgot LISNews' birthday a few weeks ago, but LISNews turned 12 (NOT 11 you dummy) years old this month, and just now rolled over 40,000 posts.  If you've been around for awhile you
already know the rest of the story, if not, I'll spare you the details because you won't read them anyways.   Every year I try to thank everyone who has helped LISNews over these many years. Steve
Glabraith, Steven M Cohen & Nabeal Ahmed, were all instrumental in helping me during the early years (when I needed it most!).   We also had a few authors that posted like bloggers possessed, Ieleene,
Aaron, Rochelle, and a few other authors who helped out for awhile and moved on. Behind the scenes Joe Frazee helped me get the original LISNews server up and running. Over the years a few dedicated souls
have tirelessly submitted stories; Bob Cox, Martin, Lee Hadden, Charles Davis, and many others. Stephen Kellat, for the podcast, Bibliofuture, Robin, Troy, Andy, Dan and all the LISNews authors deserve a
big thank you and a pat on the back for all their hard work. LISNews is a collaborative site, and we all work together to make it great.  I'd also like to thank everyone who has ever chipped in to pay for
the server, submitted a story, wrote in their journal, left a comment, or just dropped by for a visit.   Happy Birthday LISNews. Here's hoping we have a few more good years ahead of us! 

--Is Tim Hortons a substitute for libraries? 
- http://lisnews.org/node/40003/
Is Tim Hortons a substitute for libraries?  It looks like November 22nd's meeting of the Toronto Library Board was a doozy. One board member in particular—Stephen Dulmage, the guy who suggested closing
more than a third of the City's branches as a cost-saving measure—got a few choice remarks in, suggesting that people don't need a warm place to read a book so long as there are Tim Hortons in the world.
David Hains was there and gives some more details of the meeting:  

--Why It is a Great Time to Be a Reader
- http://lisnews.org/node/40002/
Why It's a Great Time to Be a Reader "It is hard to imagine that any publisher would not pursue digital initiatives, given the speed with which they are being adopted, but like the booksellers, they also
confront distribution and production challenges that are formidable. If the past is a useful guide, there will be continued dynamic change, with winners among them--the iPad, Nook, Kindles, Canadian-based
Kobo, POD machines, and such innovators as Mitchell Kaplan--and losers, the most spectacular case being the collapse of Borders in 2011, which sharply reduced the retail shelf space and thus further
increased the appeal of e-books. What we can say with certainty is that the transformation of publishing currently under way has demonstrated the viability of books in the digital age. And that is
definitely good news. "

--Which Republican is Winning the Book Sales Race? 
- http://lisnews.org/node/40001/
Which Republican is Winning the Book Sales Race?  Mitt Romney is the clear front-runner, with over 100,000 copies of his latest book, 2010's No Apology, sold in this year alone. Ron Paul's Liberty Defined
is a distant second with 38,000 copies sold in 2011. Herman Cain's This is Herman Cain! My Journey to the White House is the surprise that isn't all that surprising: despite being released less than two
months ago, it's in third place for 2011 sales by any Republican hopeful, closely mirroring the period of his ascendancy in the polls and 9-9-9 becoming part of the national lexicon. (Although at least a
few copies were purchased by the Hermanator himself.)  

--Idaho Libraries to adjust to new Internet filtering law
- http://lisnews.org/node/40000/
Idaho Libraries to adjust to new Internet filtering law     But the Coeur d’Alene library, like every other library in the state, will have to change its system between now and October, under a new law
enacted by the Idaho Legislature this year.      Although the new law is a scaled-back version of the original proposal — which would have required libraries to filter Internet access for everyone — it’s
still a concern to some library officials. Currently, every library in Idaho handles the issue its own way, with some choosing to install filters on all their Internet-accessible computers, others
choosing to filter just some, and some leaving the choice to parents and adult library patrons. That local control works well, Ammons and others say, noting that Idaho libraries don’t get any state
funding. Libraries are supported by local property taxes and governed by local boards.      Under the new law, Internet use by children must be filtered.  

--Google Closing Long List Of Services
- http://lisnews.org/node/39999/
More spring cleaning out of season "Overall, our aim is to build a simpler, more intuitive, truly beautiful Google user experience. In terms of the details, here is the latest update:" Google Bookmarks
Lists Google Friend Connect Google Gears Google Search Timeline Google Wave Knol Renewable Energy Cheaper than Coal (RE

--Giving library card info to friends and relatives
- http://lisnews.org/node/39998/
This was in the comments to a story at Teleread.org  ” I can assure you OverDrive is not interested in managing or having any say in your library policies and issues.”  Sounds like just the opposite to
me.  My sister is legally blind, (she can read large print on her Kindle but cannot drive), and lives in a rural area where she does not have easy library access. I live in another county, but she
frequently uses my library card to access my county library’s e-book collection as well as the library in Philadelphia. The libraries welcome her patronage, but it sure looks like Penguin is telling them
that they should block her access since she doesn’t live, work or attend school “in service area, etc.”. If that isn’t having a “say in your library policies and issues”, what would you call it?
------------------ Any issues for your library when people give friends and relatives their library account info so they can check out ebooks? 

--Science fiction author Anne McCaffrey dies at 85
- http://lisnews.org/node/39997/
Prolific science fiction and fantasy author Anne McCaffrey died Monday at her home in Ireland shortly after suffering a stroke. She was 85.  McCaffrey published nearly 100 books in her lifetime and was
best known for her popular “Dragonriders of Pern” novels. In her bio on her website, McCaffrey shared the following insights about her approach to writing and her first novel, which was published in 1967:
 “Her first novel, ‘Restoree,’ was written as a protest against the absurd and unrealistic portrayals of women in s-f novels in the ‘50s and early ‘60s. It is, however, in the handling of broader themes
and the worlds of her imagination, particularly the two series ‘The Ship Who Sang’ and the fourteen novels about the ‘Dragonriders of Pern,’ that Ms. McCaffrey’s talents as a story-teller are best
displayed.”  Full article

--Penguin Suspends E-Book Availability to Libraries
- http://lisnews.org/node/39996/
Another major publisher has pushed back against making its e-books available to library users. Penguin Book Group said it would “delay the availability” of new e-books to libraries because of security
concerns.  “Penguin’s aim is to always connect writers and readers, and with that goal in mind, we remain committed to working closely with our business partners and the library community to forge a
distribution model that is secure and viable,” Erica Glass, a spokeswoman for Penguin, said in a statement issued Monday. “In the meantime, we want to assure you that physical editions of our new titles
will continue to be available in libraries everywhere.”  Full article in the NYT: Penguin Suspends E-Book Availability to Libraries

--LJ Tech Summit Power to the Patrons: From Systems to Services
- http://lisnews.org/node/39995/
Power to the Patrons: From Systems to Services: Stay one step ahead of technologies driving the user-centric library. December 8, 2011 10 AM-6:00 PM    Library Journal presents our first virtual
technology summit, Power to the Patrons: From Systems to Services, an online forum to examine what technologies patrons are using, what technologies they want from their library, and how these
technologies can help them discover their place and enhance their connection with the library.  This day-long conference offers a full program featuring keynote speaker Bryan Alexander, senior fellow at
the National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education (NITLE), chair of the 2010 Horizon Report and author of The New Digital Storytelling, as well as panel presentations and Q&A with thought leaders
from libraries around the country. Throughout the day, the industry’s leading vendors will showcase their latest innovations with presentations and webcasts throughout the show. And don’t forget to visit
the Exhibit Hall for product demos and give-aways from our sponsors!  Plus, you can network with colleagues from across the nation and participate in our librarian moderated Twitter chat, all without
leaving your office!  

--Plea for help from Horowhenua Library Trust
- http://lisnews.org/node/39994/
Plea for help from Horowhenua Library Trust Horowhenua Library Trust is the birth place of Koha and the longest serving member of the Koha community. Back in 1999 when we were working on Koha, the idea
that 12 years later we would be having to write an email like this never crossed our minds. It is with tremendous sadness that we must write this plea for help to you, the other members of the Koha
community.  The situation we find ourselves in, is that after over a year of battling against it, PTFS/Liblime have managed to have their application for a Trademark on Koha in New Zealand accepted. We
now have 3 months to object, but to do so involves lawyers and money. We are a small semi rural Library in New Zealand and have no cash spare in our operational budget to afford this, but we do feel it is
something we must fight.  [Thanks to Brett for the link!]

--Library birdhouse
- http://lisnews.org/node/39993/
  This classic birdhouse is modeled after the Osage, Iowa Public Library, constructed in 1910 with a $10,000 gift from Andrew Carnegie. A brass plaque mounted on back indicates that a portion of the
birdhouse proceeds support the American Library Association's Cultural Communities Fund and Florida State University's Jean E. Lowrie Endowment.   Birdhouse and more details here.

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