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Saturday 09 February 2013 is National Libraries Day, a culmination of a week’s worth of celebrations in school, college, university, workplace and public libraries across the UK. Join in by organising an event, contributing to our forums, tweeting with the #NLD13 hashtag and visiting your local library.
There's a text version and 2 videos totaling 24 minutes below. There’s a phrase that I use every now and then; “It’s like dancing on quick sand” and never was it more appropriate than right now in respect of the eBook arena. "Let’s look at the latest news. A new low cost eBook reader has been unveiled by txtr, a German eBook retail platform... Oyster, which is a new startup has raised $3 million in order to become the ‘Spotify of books’.... HarperCollins is launching a new global publishing system which will provide them with an infrastructure that allows them to maximise it’s catalogue of books, eBooks and apps... The final news item that’s caught my eye, and I assume has also caught yours is that Amazon is going to launch their lending service in the UK by the end of the month..." [...] "We are at an absolutely pivotal point within both our profession, and within the library service in the UK. I recently talked to an ex-librarian who has since left the profession, and she said ‘I’m glad I got out, we’re finished’. That is so patently not the case it’s painful. This is a superb time to be a professional, or to have a love of libraries, of reading, books and knowledge. This is because we are going to be able to shape the development of all of those things into the future. What we do now is going to set a pattern for the next 50 or 100 years. We just need to believe in the power that the information professionals have, and the key role that libraries play in society. But – and this is a big but, we can only do it if we all work together, because it’s only by holding out our hands to one another in trust that we can help drag ourselves out of the quicksand, rather than push each other under faster."
Industry specialists will look at the benefits of libraries lending ebooks in a move publishers say will have 'serious implications' for the book trade (RT @CreaticDestruct: RT @CreaticDestruct: Technology continues to disrupt ageing business models.
"Culture minister Ed Vaizey has announced a government review of ebook lending – a thorny issue that publishers believe could have "serious implications" for the book trade.
To be led by publisher and Forward prize founder William Sieghart, the government's ebook lending review will call on the expertise of authors, publishers, librarians and agents, with the novelist Joanna Trollope, the literary agent Caroline Michel of PFD and Stephen Page, chief executive of Faber & Faber, all set to contribute."
"The new Archives sector website has launched today, providing guidance and information for everyone who works with or within archives.
The website brings together strategic and practical resources for archives across the country to develop their collections and services and improve the experience of their users. It provides a place for archives to share learning and to promote their best practice. We consulted with our users and carried out extensive testing to create the website, which will continue to evolve as new initiatives such as the Archives Accreditation standard roll out." "These pages contain strategic and practical resources for archives to develop their collections and services and improve the experience of their users. As sector leader for archives in England, we work with all custodians of records, from private owners to publicly-funded services. By working together, we will realise the true potential of archives to benefit and inspire more people of all ages and backgrounds."
Via Lia Sant
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Amid a continuing fight to keep public libraries open, figures show an increase in the rate of closure of libraries
Online survey: "This website aims to capture your views on the purpose and value of public libraries. This is part of a piece of research entitled Envisioning the library of the future, commissioned by Arts Council England. This programme of research will inform the development of the Arts Council’s long-term vision for public libraries in England. This research began in February 2012, with the findings due to be published in a final report in the Autumn 2012. Along with this online element, we are also undertaking focused research in face-to-face workshops with members of the public in various parts of the country so that we have a wide range of people contributing to our discussion and developing ideas. The website is open for receiving your comments until Sunday 21 October 2012." Envisioning the library of the future: http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/what-we-do/supporting-libraries/libraries-consultation
There's no comprehensive service for e-book lending. So tomorrow the Department of Culture, Media and Sport will announce a review into the best way to make e-books available to all library users. "Insisting on a visit to the library to download an e-book might be one way of protecting libraries from closure in an increasingly digital future. But there’s another threat – from online retailer Amazon, who make the best-selling e-reading device, the Kindle. Amazon currently refuses to license Kindle technology to libraries, prompting fears it could launch its own nationwide e-lending service, which could perhaps further undermine both the publishing industry and the local library – whatever the outcome of the government’s review on e-lending."
"Library Camp: crowdfunded UK unconference for libraries - Library Camp brings together people who are interested in modernising and transforming libraries for one day of intensive debate, knowledge sharing and ideas." "Sue Sez, "If the LibraryCamp Crowdfunder pitch reaches its target, library workers from across the UK be heading to Birmingham in October to attend LibraryCamp 2012 (think Barcamp). The volunteer organisers decided to set up their own DIY conference last year because traditional conferences were too expensive and often staff on the frontline weren't allowed to go. But Library camp is different - it's an unconference for a start, so anyone can lead a workshop or facilitate a session. It's also free to attend and you don't have to be a librarian or even work in a library, you just need to be passionate about the future of libraries."
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