HarperCollins e-book controversy

You've probably heard about the recent controversy regarding e-books that are inoperable after 26 checkouts. We've rounded up the most informative articles on the debate for your convenience:

CBC News: CLA President Keith Walker shares his point of view

The Guardian: Library friend Cory Doctorow offers his analysis

New York Times: American librarians weigh in on the issue

HarperCollins' open letter to libraries

Pioneer Library System's 26+ checked out items video:



You can also follow the debate on Twitter via the hashtag #HCOD

If you know of a great article or link, please feel free to share in the comments.

TVO digitizes its archives

Yesterday, TVO, Ontario's public broadcaster, launched its public archive of digitized content ... for FREE on its Web site. A great resource and a wonderful example of information-sharing, but more importantly, endless viewings of Today's Special!

From the TVO Web site:

TVO’s Public Archive, the centerpiece of TVO’s 40th anniversary initiatives, is a free online resource that offers Ontarians access to historic TVO content from the past 40 years.Located at archive.tvo.org, it will play an important role in preserving the culture and history of Ontario – it’s a matter of civic pride.“We’ll be unlocking some of TVO”s best educational content from the last 40 years and making it available for free in our new public archive. This includes rare interviews, Ontario stories and kids content that stands the test of time,” said CEO Lisa de Wilde.

Astrid Lange
CLA-CASLIS Listserv and Publicity Coordinator

We ♥ Special Libraries

Thursday, October 28th is special libraries day! To celebrate, the CLA-CASLIS Toronto Executive Board would like to share our reasons for loving our field.

I ♥ special libraries because

... of special librarians and the supportive and engaging communities that they build.
- Eileen Lewis, Toronto Chapter President

... I enjoy collaborating with people to develop tools that would benefit the community.
- Lily Mac, Past President

... I learn something new there every day.
- Maggie Weaver, Program Coordinator

... they open an opportunity to custom design services for a select clientele.
- Kejo Buchanan, Registrar

... I can work in a focused environment towards a tangible goal, yet still have opportunities to embrace innovation and to grow professionally. I especially love news libraries because I feel like I am helping the public stay informed about important issues.
- Astrid Lange, List-Serv & Publicity Coordinator

... I enjoy working in environments where I know my users by name and can help small communities develop.
- Erica Sum, Marketing & Outreach Director

... they provide unique services, and because many of them have very interesting collections.
- Yannet Lathrop, iSchool Liaison

If you ♥ special libraries too, please share your reasons in a comment below!

Canadian librarian leads worldwide digital revolt for free knowledge

From the Toronto Star, August 10, 2010:

A bearded 52-year-old Canadian university librarian is leading a digital revolt that is starting to go global.

It began when an academic database proposed increasing the fee it charges the University of Prince Edward Island by 120 per cent.

Mark Leggott snapped.

“The world’s knowledge is increasingly being held to ransom and available only to those who can pay the fees,” Leggott told the Star on Tuesday.

He announced in a campus-wide letter that as chief librarian he had cancelled UPEI’s subscription to Web of Science and was launching “an effort to create a free and open index to the world’s scholarly literature called ‘Knowledge For All’.” ...

Read more ...

Go Mark!

Astrid Lange
CASLIS Toronto Listerv and Publicity Administrator

Neil Gaiman explains why libraries are important

Explaining why he thought libraries were essential, (Gaiman) said: "We're now in an age of 'too much information'. Libraries and librarians are more important than ever.

"Children want stories. They want information. They want knowledge about the strange world they're in. Saying that the internet can be that is like setting a child free in a jungle and expecting them safely to find things to eat."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturenews/7852404/Neil-Gaiman-says-closing-libraries-would-be-a-terrible-mistake.html

Happy G20/G8 weekend everyone!

Astrid Lange
CASLIS Toronto Listserv and Publicity Administrator

Library community response to Haitian crisis

In the wake of the tragic earthquake in Haiti, many Canadians jumped to respond to the pleas for aid and cash donations. These have gone to rescue, aid and medical supplies to address the urgent needs. The CLA has joined the chorus of voices offering support for Haiti, particularly our many colleagues there.

In the January 22nd issue of the CLA Digest, the following message was sent out tour our membership:

On behalf of our members, CLA expresses sympathy for the loss and devastation suffered by our colleagues in Haïti. Humanitarian aid is the first priority. There are many agencies in Canada that are soliciting donations for humanitarian relief efforts. Our IFLA colleagues from the Latin America & Caribbeanregion have also suggested that donations be directed either to UNICEF or to the Pan American Health & Education Foundation.

A very sad time and our thoughts most certainly go out to the many Librarians and all Haitians who have suffered such an immense tragedy. The sights and reports out of Haiti have certainly been harrowing, and CASLIS Toronto joins the CLA in expressing deep condolences to all of those who have been affected by this tragedy.

In the long term there will also be continuing needs for restructuring and rebuilding a country which had very little to begin with, and which has even less now. Below is information (as we have it) regarding the current state of Haitian Libraries and the response by the Library Community.

By way of the Conference Directors of National Libraries, CLA also published a brief statement from Françoise Beaulieu-Thybulle, the Director-General of Haiti’s National Library

The building of the National library is safe, the shelves and holdings have shifted...we will prevail ...our building is the only one standing in the whole area. I have not yet been able to locate all the personel, but half of them are safe...we keep on checking. We will keep you posted

The Literacy Organization, Haiti Reads is working on the ground and currently advocates diverting funds to the immediate relief efforts, but asks those of us in the library community to keep them in mind in the future for their restructuring efforts.

This rebuilding process will be long and challenging, given the extent of the destruction. Our colleagues in Bibliotheques Sans Frontieres recently forwarded the following update to some of the Listservs:

We have a contact with Patrick Tardieu who is an archivist in the oldest library in Port au Prince, Bibliothèque des Pères du Saint Esprit. Fortunately, he's alive and flighted [sic] yesterday to Canada. The first information we have are:

- Saint Martial College in which there is the Bibliothèque Haïtienne des pères du saint esprit collapsed

- The St Louis de Gonzague library building would be ok but very weakened

- The national Library collapsed, at least a part of it

- Most of the university libraries collapsed too

Those libraries gathered very old collections (from the 16th centuries).Several manuscripts were brought by the missionaries who came from Europe. Other have been collected in the Caraibs (notably, publications on the haitian revolutions, transcriptions of vaudou oral traditions, personal documents from the 18th centuries).

The International Federation of Library Associations has a News and Developments Regarding Libraries in Haiti page which is dedicated to the current state and the efforts necessary in moving forward in Haiti; this is a joint project with several different organizations, facilitated by our colleagues at IFLA. The initiatives include ways in which both time and money to support this cause, as well as social media tools to stay connected to the ongoing challenges and restructuring efforts.

As well, for our members in the Legal field, the Law Library Microform Consortium is creating a special Haiti Collection:

On the theory of everybody doing what they can, we at LLMC have decided that the most immediate contribution that we can make is to give priority to assembling a comprehensive Haiti legal collection and bringing it online as quickly as possible. So we will be giving this project priority during the first half of 2010, and hope to have the bulk of the titles becoming available later in the year.

(Full text of press release available here)

We know that the Library Community is a caring and supportive one, so we urge you to take a look at the available programs, and consider the many ways in which you may be able to help those who have lost so much.

Eileen Lewis
CASLIS Toronto Vice-President

News librarians featured in Ryerson Review of Journalism

From the latest edition of the Ryerson Review of Journalism:

With Files From... by Mai Nguyen

Google hasn’t made newspapers research librarians redundant. In fact, they’re as busy as ever, even if they rarely receive the recognition they deserve

Yours truly is quoted ...

Astrid Lange
CASLIS Toronto Listserv and Publicty

University needs Grateful Dead archivist

As Lily mentioned in her introductory message, this blog will be used to post information about CASLIS Toronto and its events, but also news of interest to the library and information community. Sometimes that news can be fun ...

Anyone a fan of the Grateful Dead and looking for an information career? The University of California needs you!

Astrid Lange
Listserv and Publicity Coordinator, CASLIS Toronto