The New York Public Library brings the sounds of the city to your home
If you’re living in New York City, you know that it’s quiet. Uncomfortably quiet. Not quite horror movie quiet, but basically birds, delivery trucks, and ambulances make up the majority… Read more »
“Silent Zoom” meetings are the new thing; zen zoomers seek serenity
(Note from the marketing director: Subsequent to last week’s fiasco, the managing editor has been restored to factory settings. We will continue to monitor his status closely.) The use of… Read more »
Book industry grits collective teeth; hard road seen ahead
On April 9 the Book Industry Study Group held a collective survey and televideo call in response to the ongoing novel coronavirus, with a tone that could be best described… Read more »
TFW you have to archive online culture for the federal government
We’re all pretty familiar with operations like the Internet Archive–specifically its Wayback Machine–which seeks to preserve online culture, and knowledge, before it disappears. But whose job is it, if anyone’s, to do that… Read more »
Ever wanted to be an archivist? Now’s your chance
Lately we’ve written much about how a global pandemic is affecting the book industry, and how we can help our struggling bookstores and libraries. OK, I guess that’s all we’ve written… Read more »
Pandemic closes public libraries; e-resources remain vital
The myriad ways the novel coronavirus is upending daily life includes the shuttering of public libraries across the United States. Led by the Library of Congress, thousands of libraries have… Read more »
Coronavirus (and maybe some other data) prompts Macmillan to lift controversial ebook embargo
Just last week we wrote about the latest movements in the ongoing standoff between Macmillan and libraries regarding the publisher’s ebooks. A very very quick re-re-cap: On November 1st 2019, Macmillan instituted… Read more »
Edmund de Waal mourns lost British libraries in latest installation
Contemporary artist Edmund de Waal, known mostly for his installations of row upon row of porcelain vessels, has a new installation on view at the British Museum. This time around,… Read more »
Reminder: don’t put food in your books
Remember that whole “Don’t have a bookmark?” meme that horrified bibliophiles everywhere last fall? The one where everyone from Chex Mix to Vitamin Water to Steak-Umm suggested using their products as… Read more »
Very old snack found in even older book
A while ago we reported on the various items that had been used as bookmarks and subsequently found by bemused (and often revulsed) librarians. In the past they’d found bacon,… Read more »