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Amid digital revolution, libraries retain their human touch – The Boston Globe

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Libraries find themselves at a crossroads in an era when technology makes finding information as easy as swiping on a smartphone. But even as overall circulation numbers fall, libraries are adding more programs to serve the public. Those efforts emphasize a notion that cant be matched with an app: Libraries serve as a gateway to a wider community.

I think libraries will always be a touchstone for our society, said patron Joshua Libby, 34, of Medford. Their services will never go away.

To be sure, its not as if our love of libraries is fading. But like any relationship, things change.

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, which tallies data on about 370 local libraries, reports that total circulation dropped about 8 percent between fiscal year 2010 and 2018, from about 64.7 million to 59.4 million.

At the same time, however, libraries expanded their outreach. There were about 81,000 programs for adults and young adults last year, more than double the number at the start of the decade. During the same period, the number of childrens programs grew by a third, to nearly 89,000.

At the Somerville Public Library, programs run the gamut from pop-up libraries in Assembly Row to knitting and books and brews sessions for adults, said Cathy Piantigini, the library director. Theres even a supper club that features dishes prepared by members, she said. In Somerville, the library links patrons with the community.

The total number of Somervilles adult and young adult programs has grown from 308 in 2010 to 521 in 2018, according to data collected by the state library commissioners. Childrens programs also increased as well, from 305 in 2010 to 521 in 2018.

People view the library as bit of a hub in a way, Piantigini said. Some people view it as a way they connect with the rest of the city.

Libraries also can find themselves on the front lines of societal issues like substance abuse and homelessness. Bostons public library, for example, added a full-time outreach manager in 2017 to assist people who are experiencing homelessness.

Waltham Public Library, whose motto on its website is Window to the World, is a sanctuary for many people, according to library director Kelly Linehan.

The library wants to come to the table to work on solutions, but it cant implement permanent fixes alone, she said.

If your local library has a population of homeless or substance abusers, that means these two issues are prevalent in your backyard. These are your neighbors, Linehan said. And I hope that triggers a moment of true compassion and concern, and not a critique of a public library or librarians doing their job.

In Waltham, there were 96 adult and young adult programs at the public library in 2010. That number had more than doubled by 2018, when the Waltham Public Library had 252 programs for adults and young adults, according to the state library commissioners. The number of childrens programs also increased, from 233 in 2010 to 482 in 2018.

Director Tara Mansfield said the Salem Public Library has outreach programs that serve older residents, as well as Spanish-speaking members of the community. Salems library also offers a free lunch program throughout the summer for children.

Part of the value is the stability, Mansfield said of a library. Its a place that welcomes people.

Salems adult and young adult programs have increased from 12 in 2010 to 62 in 2018. Its count of childrens programs dropped from 311 in 2010 to 282 in 2018.

Shifts in technology have occasionally spurred calls for private industry to take over the role of public libraries. Ann MacFate, the director of Needhams public library, has heard that argument before.

Ive had friends say, Why do we have libraries, when we have Google? MacFate said. And I light into them.

She called librarians the ultimate search engine.

You can Google anything you want, but if you want it done right, ask a librarian, MacFate said.

In an age of fake news, mistrust of mainstream media, and the easy spread of disinformation over social media, libraries still have the publics trust. Most Americans said libraries help them find information that is trustworthy and reliable, according to a 2016 Pew survey.

Libraries are needed more than ever ... people need a safe place to come, to get information, said Marcoux of Marshfields Ventress library. I cant imagine a world without them.

In Marshfield, the total number of adult and young adult programs soared from 26 in 2010 to 670 by 2018.Childrens programs also increased during the same period, from 161 to 248.

Marcoux is the product of what a library can provide: In 1999, she was a single mother with a high school diploma who worked at her local library.

But being in that world inspired her: With the support of her co-workers, Marcoux returned to school in 2000 and over the following years, earned her associates and bachelors degrees, then her masters in library and information science from what is now Simmons University in 2008.

I was very fortunate that I ran into people who really cared, Marcoux said, and I try to pay that back.

With all the changes in libraries, there are patrons who still love perusing book stacks.

Arlinda Shtuni, 44, of Somerville, grew up in communist Albania before coming to the United States by way of Canada at age 18. She still remembers books that were heavily censored, leaving her to wonder what was cut out.

The libraries in America, she said, give patrons the chance to access and share information freely.

To me, libraries are the finest example of pure, free cultural space, she said. They are essential to our democracy.

John Hilliard can be reached at john.hilliard@globe.com.

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Amid digital revolution, libraries retain their human touch - The Boston Globe

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October 30th, 2019 at 9:49 am

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Library asks for financial donations to this year’s A Book For Every Child campaign – Londoner

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Young reader Helena, 8, flips through a book at the London Public Librarys Central Branch. Photo taken in London Ont. Oct. 23, 2019. CHRIS MONTANINILONDONERPOSTMEDIA NEWSjpg, LD

Remember reading your favourite book over and over as a kid?

Or curling up with the latest young adult novel as a teen?

Now imagine not having moments like those to remember.

Thousands of young readers in London are given the opportunity to make those memories through the London Public Librarys A Book for Every Child campaign. And this year, the number of kids needing a chance to hold their own book for the first time has dramatically increased.

Colleen Harris, the librarys manager of fund development, said more than 40 social agencies and schools will help the library provide 6,000 books for babies, children, and teens this December and beyond. Its overwhelming. We have more inquiries from more agencies, she said.

Its not uncommon for a community support organization or school to request several hundred books once the library begins promoting its annual campaign. As a result, organizers have decided to focus on the financial goal needed to fulfill all the requests this year. That goal is $18,000, compared to $16,000 last year.

This is the first year we are communicating the dollar goal, said Harris.

Colleen Harris, London Public Librarys manager of fund development, is encouraging Londoners to donate to this years A Book For Every Child campaign.CHRIS MONTANINIjpg, LD

In the past, people have purchased books and donated them. While Harris doesnt want to discourage that practice, she said the library can leverage its buying power to provide more books with monetary donations.

Families get excited about picking books, said Harris. (But) we get special discounts as a library and can buy more books.

Plus, special requests for specific types of books can also be addressed through librarians expertise.

People pick books they loved as a child, said Ellen Hobin, the librarys manager of communications. They dont necessarily reflect this years children were serving.

For example, multi-lingual, Indigenous, and niche ages and reading levels can be matched with the perfect book by librarians.

They pick each book one by one, said Harris. They are able to come up with titles and authors you might not think of. They are curated specifically for that child. We work closely with agencies and schools to determine which child receives which books.

Books for specific age groups, language groups, or specific needs, such as potty-training books, are requested. Often donors want to give back a book they enjoyed as a child but Hobin said multiple copies of a classic book are sometimes difficult to distribute while requests for popular graphic novels, for example, go unfulfilled.

You cant make kids read a book they dont want, Hobin said. With the increasing need, the library can leverage financial donations even if they arent big ones A little goes a long way.

Harris and Hobin suggest Londoners mark a special occasion, such as a birthday, with a donation, or honour a teacher at holiday time.

Donations can be made online or in person at any library branch. Participating book sellers are offering a 20 per cent discount on books that are picked up by Friends of the Library volunteers.

Indigo has partnered with the campaign this year, providing two special fundraising evenings with 20 per cent of all eligible sales donated to A Book For Every Child.

As a parent, I cant get over how many children dont have books and that number is rising, said Hobin. Being able to read a book over and over again thats when learning happens.

Harris attributes the increased need to the broader poverty trends London seems to be experiencing.

A lot of families are struggling, she said. We take literacy for granted. But if youre struggling with housing, food and child care, this is something that does not come to most. Were filling that void.

Janis Wallace is a London-based freelancer writer.

wallace.comms@gmail.com

A Book for Every Child

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Library asks for financial donations to this year's A Book For Every Child campaign - Londoner

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Shenandoah Library sees increase in overall, digital circulations in past year – KMAland

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(Shenandoah) -- The director of Shenandoah's Public Library reports another strong year when it comes to usage at the facility.

Carrie Falk provided her annual report to the Shenandoah City Council during its regular meeting Tuesday. Falk says the importance of the library was demonstrated in a recent phone call she received.

"I have a lady who had moved away about five or six years ago, she called us up at the library and she wanted book recommendations even though she lives in a much larger Iowa community with a lot more options," said Falk. "She called Shenandoah because she trusts us. I think that says a lot about the staff at the library."

Falk says in the past year, the library was able to add in sewing classes, a Polar Express-themed Christmas party for kids, add new AED cabinets in the building, host the entire Art Walk for the first time and present an exhibit on "Curious George" authors H.A. Rey and Margret Rey and their escape from Nazi Germany. Falk says none of the additonal programming would have been possible without a great volunteer base.

"We had help from 123 volunteers in the community, who gave us 1,690 hours," said Falk. "That's 1.5 full-time people's worth of work that we had people assisting us to do all of the extra things that we offer for the community."

Falk says overall usage of the library and its materials was up in the last year.

"We had over 5,300 people at our programs," said Falk. "We saw a 4-percent increase in circulation of materials and a 37-percent increase in digital usage. We did see a 10 percent decrease in number of people through the door, but we are still at over 210 people per day through our door, which is a lot of people in Shenandoah. We are excited to see that."

Following the update, the council and Mayor Dick Hunt expressed their support for the work Falk and other library staff is doing. Councilman Aaron Green told Falk the city is there to help the library when needed.

"Aside from the funding from the city, I would just extend an open-ended invitation that if there is anything else that we can do from the city to help the library out, please let us know," said Green. "The library is still viewed as a very central part of Shenandoah."

In addition to receiving funding from the city and Page County, Falk says the library received memorials from 15 estates in the past year.

You can view the full report below.

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October 30th, 2019 at 9:49 am

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UN spotlights digitization of audiovisual archives to preserve human history on World Day – UN News

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Audiovisual documents contain the primary records of the history of the 20th and 21st centuries, enabling us to pass down common heritage across generations, however, the moving pictures and radio sounds capturing our collective pasts run the risk of vanishing through decay, or being lost to time as the technology once used to handle them becomes obsolete.

The theme of this years World Day, Engage the Past Through Sound and Images praises the expertise of the people working to safeguard collections of the past for generations to come, which without, large portions of our cultural heritage would disappear to be lost forever, the UN said on the Day.

In 2005, the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) approved commemoration of the Day every 27 October, at its biennial meeting of Member States to spotlight the need for urgent conservation measures of important audiovisual files-a parallel effort to the entitys establishment of theMemory of the World Programme, in 1992, which made clear that significant audiovisual collections worldwide suffered a variety of detrimental fates.

War, looting and dispersal, illegal trading, and preservation funding shortfalls are a few of the burdens that have threatened precious archive holdings for centuries.

For material still intact, digitizing physical records has been a method of escaping inevitable wear and tear from decades of handling, and extending the longevity of audiovisual libraries.

UNESCO in 2015 launched a fundraising project to create digital surrogates of the Organisations archives dating back to its predecessors, including the League of Nations International Institute for Intellectual Cooperation.

The institutional archives and historical audiovisual collections contain evidence of more than 70 years of ideas and actions for peace and international understanding that span the Organizations wide-ranging fields of competence.

Three years on, the Organisations Paris headquarters began housing a digitization lab for material to be more efficiently sorted, digitized, quality checked, and made available online.

A wealth of 5,000 photos, 8,000 hours of sound recordings, 45 hours of film, and 560,000 pages of governing body documents capture oceanography, space exploration, human rights communications, and traces of intellectual figures such as Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, Masaharu Anesaki and more.

Clickhere to experience the online library thus far.

UNESCO's Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, said the Day marks an occasion "to remember the importance of audiovisual materials for connecting with our history and understanding who we are today."

"The past century was marked by unprecedented human development and world-shaping events. We must ensure its lessons are transmitted to future generations", she urged.

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Libraries push back against publishing house decision to limit their access to e-books – CBC.ca

Posted: October 20, 2019 at 9:12 am


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Librarians are upset and banding together following a recent decision by a major publishing house to limit their access to e-books.

Beginning Nov. 1, Macmillan Publishers, one of the so-called Big Fivepublishing companies in North America, will only allow libraries to purchase one copy of each new e-book for the first eight weeks after it has been released.

Librarianswho saythe decision is unfair to readersare campaigning against it.

"Don't treat us like an adversary,we're a stakeholder,"said Ignacio Albarracin, public service manager of the Prince George Library, in an interview on CBC's Daybreak North.

Albarracin said the company is restricting sales because it thinks it will be good for their bottom line, but libraries are a primary customer for publishing houses and would buy more e-books if pricing and licensing terms were better, he said.

'We nurture a culture of readers, so I think we definitely put back into the marketplace more than we put out," said Albarracin.

In a letter from Macmillan PublishersCEO John Sargent to Macmillan authors, illustrators and agents, Sargent says the company is responding to growing fears that library lending was "cannibalizing sales."He writes the new terms are designed to protect the value of the author'swork.

According to Albarracin, retaile-book sales have started to level off but are dramatically increasing at libraries. He said demand has grown in Prince George, and more than 65 libraries in North America have reached ayearly e-book circulation of at least one million.

"It doesn't matter the size of the library,if you're the Toronto Library or you're the Prince George Library.Now, you have one copy for all of your readers so it leads to a lot of frustration," said Albarracin.

All theBig 5 publishers, which include Harper Collins,Hachette Book Group, Penguin Random Houseand Simon & Schuster, have alreadymoved away from a perpetual ownership model, which allowed libraries to keep e-books in circulation permanently.Now, they employ various short-term options with access to books expiring after a few years or followinga set number of loans to library users.

The Canadian Urban Libraries Council, which represents more than 40 libraries across the country, isco-ordinating with the American Library Association and the Urban Libraries Council in the United States in an effort to encourage publishing companies to work with libraries to come up with solutions that balance everyone's needs.

The American Library Association has launched an online campaignto try to stop Macmillan's embargo.

Albarracinsaid he is concerned about the domino effect of Macmillan's decision andthat smaller publishing houses willfollow the company's lead. If attempts by the library industry to convince the publisher to reverse its decision are unsuccessful, he hopes the public will pressure elected officials to get involved.

To hear the complete interview withIgnacio Albarracinon Daybreak North,tapon the audio link below:

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Libraries push back against publishing house decision to limit their access to e-books - CBC.ca

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October 20th, 2019 at 9:12 am

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County library board touts success of Author Gala, programming | News, Sports, Jobs – Williamsport Sun-Gazette

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The James V. Brown Library board of trustees recently offered details on the Author Gala to be held Thursday, library statistics for September and the success of the summer program.

The 17th annual Author Gala, with feature author Lisa See, is sold out with a waiting list. There will be a silent auction taking place with jewelry, art, two opportunities of tastings with Chef Paul at Le Jeune Chef, cooking classes, a weekend trip to Keuka Lake and more.

All of the proceeds from the event will support the library.

Barbara McGary, executive director, gave the monthly report on library statistics ensuring that the library is continuing to grow in more ways than one.

The James V. Brown Library mission is to be the place to go to learn, connect and grow, she said. We go where the people are. We know the impacts we make everyday.

She added that the multi-generational programs including grandparent story time, programs for babies, story labs and the national family heritage month genealogy programs are just some of the programs that are bringing community members and volunteers together.

We are growing, she added.

McGary also stated the library statistics for the month of September adding the number of citizens that use their book and online services together to show the monthly growth for board members.

There are 20,420 citizens who walk through our doors and visit us online, (weve loaned) 33,000 books and electronic items, she said. We have public access and wireless access for 5,732 members; its a core essential service. We are the place to grow with 66 programs that served 877 people and encouraged 365 volunteer hours.

In other business, Nina White, youth services coordinator, touted the success of last years summer programs with story labs, creative hands-on activities, reading and more.

Summer reading programs have been happening over the course of 130 years to fight the summer slide, the period of time in which children are on break from schools and are not in academic achieving spaces, according to White.

James V. Brown Library holds summer activities over the summer including story labs with reading, an art hands-on lab and a science hands-on lab with activities for children. All of the activities work to ensure children gain experience to be competitive in todays world through activities with critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity.

The program also gave out books, pencils and other supplies before the program and offered an open scholastic book fair for the finale.

Many of the programs including the summer camp were full in the first day and have impacted many of the local families, having them excited to come back for the next summer program according to White.

The next meeting will be at 1 p.m. Nov. 21 at the James V. Brown Library on West Fourth Street.

A man was killed after his motorized wheelchair was struck and dragged by an SUV at the intersection of West Fourth ...

The forums for Lycoming County commissioner and City of Williamsport council and mayoral candidates will be held ...

Two local school districts recently were awarded a combined $74,000 in grant money for security equipment. ...

MUNCY Borough employees may receive a slightly better pension as the council raised the benefit range to 2 ...

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County library board touts success of Author Gala, programming | News, Sports, Jobs - Williamsport Sun-Gazette

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Breaking News, Sports, Weather, Traffic And The Best of NY – CBS New York

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THC Vaping Products Seized In N.J. Drug BustSeven people have been arrested in New Jersey in a drug bust involving marijuana and THC vaping cartridges.

Teacher Disarms Student With A HugA teacher in Oregon was able to disarm a student that came into a school with a gun, then hugging the troubled teen.

Bernie Sanders Holds Packed Rally In Queens2020 presidential candidate Bernie Sanders held a rally in Queens Saturday, getting the support of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Bronx Serial Burglars On the LooseCBSN New York's Christina Fan has the latest on a months-long crime spree by a group of burglars in the Bronx.

New Suspects Spotted, Reward Offered After NYC Sucker Punch AttackCBSN New York's Matt Kozar has the latest on the vicious sucker punch attack and attempted robbery of a woman on the Upper West Side.

Charity Horse Racing Steeplechase In New JerseyA horse racing steeplechase was held in New Jersey to raise money for local health care organization.

NY Cares Day Helps Renovate Local SchoolsCBSN New York's Marc Liverman has the latest on NY Cares Day and the 15 local schools getting a makeover before class on Monday.

Bronx Street Renamed In Honor Of Navy VeteranCBSN New York's Dave Carlin has the latest on the renaming of a Bronx street to honor a Navy veteran killed in a tragic wrong way crash.

Knitting 'Chunky Blankets' The Newest Trend In BrooklynCBSN New York's Jessica Moore looks at how knitting has come back in style in Brooklyn.

Inspector General: MTA Can't Tell When Employees Are Actually Working OvertimeA new report from the MTA Inspector General says the agency is not equipped to verify if employees being paid overtime are actually working those extra hours. CBSN New York's Jessica Moore reports.

Leaders React To Controversial Plan To Close RikersCBSN New York's Marcia Kramer discusses what leaders told her about controversial plan and vote to close Rikers Island.

Publisher Restricts E Book Access At LibrariesMacmillan publishing is looking to restrict electronic book access library systems by only allowing them to purchase one e-copy at the work's initial release. CBSN New York's Mary Calvi reports.

Homeowner, Postal Service Battle Over Halloween DecorationsThe postal service and a Long Island homeowner are in a standoff over a Halloween decoration; CBSN New York's Carolyn Gusoff reports.

Yankees Must Win Or Go Home TonightTonight its win or go home for the New York Yankees after losing Game 4 of the ALCS. CBSN New York's Reena Roy reports.

Three Killed In Crash On I-80 In ParsippanyAt least three people are dead following an early-morning crash on I-80 in Parsippany. CBSN New York's Christina Fan reports from the scene.

New York Puts On The Purple For Spirit DayThousands across the country are wearing purple in support of Spirit Day as a way to spread a message of compassion, specifically for LGBT youth. CBSN New York's Christina Fan reports.

Blue Pumpkin Candy Buckets Aim To Raise Awareness Of Autistic Trick-Or-TreatersTrick or treating can be a fun experience for some children, but not necessarily for those who have autism and trouble communicating. Now there's a new way of trick or treating that aims to help ease the process. CBSN New York's Meg Baker reports.

Injured Bald Eagle On The Mend In CTConnecticut State Troopers got a report of a bald eagle laying on the right shoulder near Exit 25 by Bethany. CBSN New York's Ali Bauman reports.

Gear Up For Windy Weather!The rain may have passed, but heavy winds whipped through the night leaving many Long Island residents waking up to a mess. CBSN New York's Jenna DeAngelis reports.

General Mattis Speaking At Al Smith DinnerThe 74th annual Al Smith dinner will be held at the New York Hilton tonight. Former Defense Secretary and retired Marine Gen. James "Mad Dog" Mattis will deliver the keynote address.

Crucial Council Vote To Replace RikersCouncil members are scheduled to vote today on the controversial plan to create borough-based jails. CBSN New York's Reena Roy reports.

Man Faces Sentencing In Deli Clerk MurderMark Thomas was convicted of shooting 80-year-old clerk Abdulla Yafaee over a 50 cent dispute. A witness said Thomas was trying to buy a $2 beer and only had $1.50. Thomas left and then came back and shot Yafaee in the chest, authorities said.

New York Weather: 10/16 4 p.m. Weather ForecastLonnie Quinn takes a closer look at the heavy rains a nor'easter is bringing to our area.

Gas Leak In Flatiron DistrictSeveral buildings had to be evacuated due to a gas leak at Fifth Avenue and East 26th Street.

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Breaking News, Sports, Weather, Traffic And The Best of NY - CBS New York

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October 20th, 2019 at 9:12 am

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Newburgh Free Library to Participate in the Great Give Back – Times Herald-Record

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FridayOct18,2019at2:01AM

NEWBURGH This Fall the Newburgh Free Library at 124 Grand Street in Newburgh, will be joining other libraries in the region to participate in the Great Give Back. The Great Give Back is a community service initiative created by the Suffolk County Public Library Directors Association and the Suffolk Cooperative Library System, in conjunction with the Nassau Library System. The mission of The Great Give Back is to provide a day of opportunities for the patrons of the Public Libraries of New York State to participate in meaningful, service-oriented experiences.

On Oct. 19th from 10 a.m. -2 p.m. the Newburgh Free Library will host a group art project Have a Stake in Newburgh!, participants of all ages are invited to paint garden stakes with affirmative messages about Newburgh, which will then be placed throughout the City to bring a message of love, hope and community.

On Oct. 22 at the Main Library from 6:30-8 p.m. and Oct. 26 from 10:30 a.m. -noon at the Town Branch Library the Newburgh Free Librarys sewing class, Sew Basic, will teach participants how to hand-sew a warm fleece hat which will be distributed to an adult or child in the community in need of a warm hat. Additionally, the librarys knitting club, Knit & Stitch, will focus on making projects to donate to local causes this fall. Knit & Stitch meets at the Town Branch on select Wednesdays.

The Newburgh Free Library will also be offering its annual Food for Fines program from Nov. 1-22 where patrons can pay off your fines their donating canned or nonperishable food which will be donated to a local food pantry. For each non-perishable food item donated late fees will be waived for one overdue item.

The Newburgh Free Library hours are 9 a.m. - 9 p.m., Mon. -Thurs.; 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Fri. and Sat.; and 1 p.m. 5 p.m. on Sun.

For information about library programs, call 563-3625 or visit newburghlibrary.org.

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Newburgh Free Library to Participate in the Great Give Back - Times Herald-Record

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October 20th, 2019 at 9:12 am

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The Importance of Maintaining a Home Library in the Digital Age – The Examiner News

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By Bill Primavera

In an age when the wealth of human knowledge and culture can be accessed through a tile-sized tablet, many people would assume that we no longer have any need for a library in the home.

This does not necessarily indicate a decline in literacy. In fact, the members of Generation Y are the most avid purchasers of books. Not only should we not judge a book by its cover, we also shouldnt assume it will be printed on paper.

And yet, the printed book still holds its appeal as an artifact, a memento or an artistic creation, and those who own these objects will want them displayed safely and attractively. (If their physical presence inspires children to read more, so much the better.)

If you have seen collections of books in other peoples homes, you may have noticed how they seem to reveal something about the personality of the collector. In fact, you may want to take a look at your own collection and see if it is conveying a message that meets your approval. Consider the following distinctive home library types and see if you recognize yourself in any of them.

A space lined with shelves, which are in turn crammed with books, maybe two deep, horizontally stacked and tucked in every which way, suggests an academic type who reads widely and deeply. If these books are old editions, or in different languages, we may imagine the reader is a tenured professor in an arcane subject. If the books are stacked, popular paperbacks covering every surface, we may expect their owner to be a zealous fiction fan.

A large collection of books on a single subject naturally reveals the occupants interest, be it mysteries, gardening or history. Its a great first step to getting to know a person better. Be conscious of revealing too much of your own interests; however, my own collection of motivational and self-help books from my earlier stages of personal and professional development would give visitors quite the cross-section of my own preoccupations.

The books themselves may be the items of interest. My wife Margarets Aunt Pearl subscribed to a book club that reissued a classic work every month with exquisite artistic production values. These books were left to us and hold a place of honor in the custom-built shelves of our living room. Serious bibliophiles may also seek out important first editions, signed copies of books or vintage books of other historical interest.

Sometimes books are collected not in their own right, but simply as visual design elements. Many second-hand book shops will advertise their books-by-the-yard rate to interior decorators, who will make their selection based on the size and color of the spines.

The next level of books as decoration is when the titles are chosen based on how much they may impress guests rather than as a reflection of the homeowners interests. You may recall a famous scene in The Great Gatsby where a visitor to Gatsbys library comments knowingly on the scope and quality of the volumes it contains, but also points out that the pages of all the books are uncut; a sign in that age that a book had not yet been read.

To show off your books, first glean them to make sure that the titles you have left are pleasing and useful to you. You may want to group them by category, and then select a different part of your home for each one. (Cookbooks in the kitchen is a popular example.)

Store the books either upright or flat, not at an angle or spine-up, and keep them away from bright sunlight and moisture. If you are keeping more than a few books on each shelf, be certain that the shelf is built for the weight. A load that is excessively heavy can bend the shelf or even make it collapse. The latter happened once at my in-laws home and we were all lucky no one was in the room when it occurred.

A glance online will show you endless varieties of arranging your books, from a ceiling-to-floor wall of shelves with a rolling ladder to access the highest level, to bookshelves built into the structure of a staircase, to bookshelves used as sliding wall dividers.

While I am all for saving the trees, I am also very fond of the layer of interest and inspiration that a shelf full of books gives to a home.

Bill Primavera is a Realtor associated with William Raveis Real Estate and founder of Primavera Public Relations, Inc. (www.PrimaveraPR.com). To engage the services of The Home Guru to market your home for sale, call 914-522-2076.

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The Importance of Maintaining a Home Library in the Digital Age - The Examiner News

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October 20th, 2019 at 9:12 am

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Here’s how public institutions filter access to certain information online – Williamsburg Yorktown Daily

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(WYDaily file/Courtesy of Pexels)

Access to information is key to an educated and informed society, but that doesnt mean some public institutions arent monitoring what people are seeing.

At the Williamsburg Public Library, patrons can use the computers, iPads and WiFi for free. However, there are security measures in place that filter what can be accessed, said Barry Trott, special projects and technical services director for the library.

The idea is we want to keep the library a welcoming and safe place and blocking illegal content is part of that mission, Trott said.

Trott said the library follows state code which provides regional libraries with a board, such as the Williamsburg Regional Library, the power to develop an accessible use policy for the internet. This is designed to prevent users from downloading illegal material and blocking material considered harmful to juveniles.

Those policies are considered on a rolling cycle, where anything specific or necessary changes to the filter can be made.

Thats done on all devices accessing the internet through the librarys WiFi, so individuals using their personal devices will also be subject to the filter.

However, Trott said the system isnt perfect and there are times that the filters can over-block certain websites. When this happens, Trott said it can be corrected.

At William & Mary, Suzanne Clavet, spokeswoman for the college, said the school does not censor access to websites from the campus network. Instead, community members are expected to abide by the colleges Information Technology Acceptable Use Policies, which prohibit accessing illegal content on any of the schools public computers.

In Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools, students and guests accessing the WiFi also are operating devices under the districts filter.

Brian Landers, senior director of technology for WJCC, said the district contracts through an outside vendor to create filtering technology that both provides security for the districts devices as well as protect students from potentially harmful content.

Its something weve come to depend on a lot, Landers said.

But with technology changing everyday, there are different challenges when it comes to filtering content for student protection. Pattie Bowen, supervisor of instructional technology for the district, said the practices are put in place not to limit student access but to make sure what is being accessed is appropriate and instructional.

We cant say everyday we have it perfect, she said. But we are making the instructional environment as constructive as possible.

Landers said there are different pieces to the filtering process that make it necessary. Part of which is providing protection against hackers who might be able to insert viruses into documents and data which can attack the districts entire network.

For security reasons, Landers said he couldnt provide too much information on how the protection works but so far it has proven successful.

Weve not suffered a breech, he said. We do discover a laptop or desktop that has been affected by some kind of virus, but its just something we constantly have to be on guard against.

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Here's how public institutions filter access to certain information online - Williamsburg Yorktown Daily

Written by admin

October 20th, 2019 at 9:12 am

Posted in Online Library


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