The State Press: ASU Library’s High Density Collection: where books go to outlive you. “Like something out of a sci-fi novel, Arizona State University’s High Density Collection holds within its bunkers 1.6 million books. To call it a labyrinth, like the door factory in Monsters Inc. or a football field full of books, doesn’t completely capture this ice-cold collection facility. Rather, it’s as if the Room of Requirement in Harry Potter was made to hold 6 million books, meticulously sorted into fastidious shelves.”
libraries
The digitized future: How libraries are pioneering a cultural transformation (DW)
DW: The digitized future: How libraries are pioneering a cultural transformation. “Some 120 million visitors take advantage of the educational and cultural offerings of German libraries each year. That’s one reason why, in September, the German Council for Cultural Education published a study on the digitization of library services. One of the results: Digitization has a very positive effect on both the image, and range of services, of libraries.”
Livemint: Why libraries that digitize and expedite the availability of new content will not die
Livemint: Why libraries that digitize and expedite the availability of new content will not die. “…in a world that is becoming increasingly digital, do libraries have a future? The short answer would be: If books have a future, then so do libraries. And libraries are more than just about books. They are safe public spaces where you meet, sit, read and work. Walk into BCL in Delhi and see how crowded it is: young people doing reference work, taking notes from books. Even in the days of internet, a good library is a priceless resource. Sadly, in many parts of the world libraries are struggling for funds; but there are also many enlightened nations where governments are spending millions on new libraries, many of which are designed by world-renowned architects.”
DPLA: An Update on our Ebooks Initiatives
DPLA: An Update on our Ebooks Initiatives. “We are thrilled to be heading into the second year of running the DPLA Exchange… DPLA Exchange is operated by DPLA and enables libraries to provide their patrons with bestselling e-content titles alongside free open content in a simple, easy-to-use platform. Content from the DPLA Exchange integrates seamlessly with materials from other vendors like Overdrive in SimplyE, a free mobile app developed by New York Public Library (NYPL), available for iOS and Android. After a successful first year, we have five pilot libraries set up on the Exchange, ready to buy content or download free materials and over 100 new libraries deploying SimplyE, thanks to our partnerships with LYRASIS and NYPL.”
The Distant Librarian: Tweet Archive from Designing Libraries 2018
Nice roundup from Paul Pival: Tweet Archive from Designing Libraries 2018. “The 7th edition of the Designing Libraries conference just wrapped up here at the U of Calgary, and I thought it’d be fun to capture the tweets using the hashtag #designinglibraries, so here you go.” It’s a Google Sheet.
SunSentinel: 3D-printed guns lead Broward libraries to suspend printers’ use
SunSentinel: 3D-printed guns lead Broward libraries to suspend printers’ use. “If you’re looking to print out something in 3-D, don’t bother going to a Broward County library because theirs have been temporarily shelved over concerns they could be used to make a gun or other dangerous weapons.”
American Libraries: Free webinar on blockchain for libraries
American Libraries: Free webinar on blockchain for libraries. “The Blockchain National Forum, held at San José State University iSchool in Summer 2018, brought together experts in the information professions, business, government, and urban planning to develop recommendations on the future uses of blockchain technology within the information professions.”
