As artificial intelligence becomes more embedded in work, creative pursuits, and the generation of online misinformation, public libraries have a major new role to play in digital literacy.

On October 24, the Association of College and Research Libraries announced the publication of its 2024 report for the Project Outcome for Academic Libraries (POAL) toolkit. Data in the report offers a snapshot of POAL’s use and impact in FY24, from September 1, 2023, to August 31 of this year. The report is available as a free download from the Project Outcome for Academic Libraries website.

LJ’s 2024 Placements & Salaries Survey sees new grads grapple with questions of relocation, living wages, and job drift, but eager to begin careers in the field.

As Lorcan Dempsey, formerly with OCLC, observed in portal: Libraries and the Academy (2008), “discovery happens elsewhere”—that is, people are using internet search engines, recommendations from social media, or emails from friends and colleagues to discover content. Search can be a powerful tool, provided you know what you are looking for. Yet there are significant problems associated with the search process.

From Software Heritage: Imagine the Tower of Babel, but instead of chaos and confusion, it stands as a symbol of collaboration and understanding. This seemingly paradoxical image perfectly encapsulates the mission of the Ligue des Bibliothèques Européennes de Recherche (Liber). The association brings together over 400 national, specialized, and university libraries from 40 countries. In […]

From The Texas Standard: Our media landscape has changed dramatically in the last few decades. With the ubiquity of the internet and social media, where and how people get their information has shifted – and news outlets spend a lot of time thinking about how to connect with users effectively. It can be a tricky […]

Alabama Huntsville-Madison County Public Library Moves Books Out of Children’s Section (via WAAY) CRKN: Canadian Research Knowledge Network Six New Collections Coming to Canadiana through the Call for Canadiana Collection Development Projects Internet New Research, Book Sets out How to Make Free Internet Access a Human right (via U. of Birmingham) Max Planck Digital Library […]

From an Introductory Blog Post: IFLA has for many years had its own Advisory Committee on Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression (FAIFE), which has both engaged in discussions internationally and provided a space for discussing the work of libraries in their own settings to uphold intellectual freedom. Through this, it works to strengthen […]

Natural and human-made crises, disasters, emergencies, and catastrophes. Beth leads us through an update on how we've progressed or declined in our collective ability to deal with crises, and how the library & information field can play an even more active and visible role in preparing for, during, and recovering from these disasters.

AI provides a new level of destructive capability to undermine trust in government and public institutions, and unfortunately yes, even in libraries. This episode focuses on these AI tools, their corrosive effects, and ways that libraries and librarians can help to repair the damage.

TikTok! Used regularly by over half the US population, why do so many either love or loathe TikTok? Is it simply a fun and terrific platform for creating, sharing, and consuming content? Is it an addictive, mental health hazard destroying America’s youth? Is it a major national security threat of Chinese infiltration? Is it all of the above…and more?

Washington Post shares its 10 best books of 2024. Alice Loxton’s Eighteen: A History of Britain in 18 Young Lives is Blackwell’s Book of the Year. Sally Rooney’s Intermezzo is named Foyles Book of the Year. The Racket: On Tour with Tennis’s Golden Generation—and the Other 99% by Conor Niland wins the William Hill Sports Book Award. Lexington: The Extraordinary Life and Turbulent Times of America’s Legendary Racehorse by Kim Wickens wins the Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award. Winners of the James Berry Poetry Prize and the shortlist for the Diagram Prize for Oddest Book Title of the Year are also announced. Plus, Page to Screen.

When thinking of how to best sum up this year’s Charleston Conference, held November 11–15 and available to view online December 9–13 (along with exclusive “online only” sessions), one word sprung to mind: collaboration. As a first-time attendee from a publishing technology background, it was wonderful to see so many professionals from the worlds of libraries and publishing come together to tackle challenges that are affecting the entire information industry.

The National Book Awards winners are announced: Percival Everett’s James in fiction, Yáng Shuāng-zi’s Taiwan Travelogue in translated literature, Lena Khalaf Tuffaha’s Something About Living in poetry, and Jason De León’s Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling in nonfiction. Washington Post publishes its lists of the best books of 2024. Plus, new title bestsellers and interviews with Sergio de la Pava, Glory Edim, and Ruben Reyes Jr.

Upcoming DVD and Blu-ray releases feature 15th-century Italian sage Leonardo da Vinci, young Oscar winner Tatum O'Neal, and composer Sakamoto's final curated performance.