Child Safety in KS

Hello All,

This week the Kansas Government Information blog covers government resources to ensure child safety in Kansas. With so many stresses put upon parents and the economy bearing down, families are in need of helping hands more than ever. State and Federal programs and agencies have measures in place. Read more at http://ksdocs.blogspot.com.



Thank you,

Kim Harp

Legislative Reference Librarian

State Library of Kansas

785-296-2149

800-432-3924

Bill of Rights

www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights.html

The Bill of Rights – the first 10 amendments to the Constitution – were ratified on this date in 1791, and today is known as Bill of Rights Day. Bone up on your Constitution by checking out this website, which has an image of the original Bill of Rights, the text of the amendments, links to further information and much more.

(I wonder why the federal government does not make this as big a day of celebration as they do Constitution Day, Sept. 16.)

Course in Cat Literature Outlined

Unfortunately, not yet taught at Butler:

Great Literature of Cats 101

Crossing between London and Paris, this Dickensian story of disparate lives of alley cats versus aristocats paints a stark portrait of feline famine in pre-revolutionary France and the inequities inherent between tabby cats and pure breeds.

New Librarian in the Next Town Over

There's a new librarian in Towanda, KS -- I think she'll do.

Rachel Ayers, 2011

They're having an open house next week, Wednesday, from 10-6 to show off their newly remodeled library - and the new librarian.

Visit their website here.

Micaela Ayers

Latest information from ALA on the Penguin Group decision.

Penguin abandons best customers: Libraries prevented from buying new e-books

Penguin Group’s decision announced yesterday to deny libraries the ability to buy new releases in the e-book format — is an insult to libraries when we have been publishers’ most valuable customer for years. The simple fact is that libraries create readers. Readers who borrow books (regardless of format) also buy books. In fact, a recent study of library patrons indicates that 40% of regular library users’ end up purchasing a book previously borrowed from the library.

Readers come to the library to learn about e-readers and e-books. We even have librarians going to Best Buy and other outlets to teach new e-reader customers how to download books. We enable the e-book market.

Let me show you the money. We pay publishers more for e-books than print books. Library spending on e-books has doubled or even tripled over the last year. New York Public Library alone is spending 1 million dollars a year on e-books. Publishers Weekly even reported that libraries users were publishers’ best customers.

While Amazon’s PrimeLending program is charging for e-book lending, we seek no financial reward. We support free lending because the nation greatly benefits when access to information is available to any citizen, regardless of ability to pay. We support free e-book lending because a good number of our users want the digital formats, and we strive to meet that need.

Hello, publishers, are you listening? We are good for your bottom line. Are you shooting yourself in the foot by excluding libraries?

Carrie Russell
Director, OITP Program on Public Access to Information

In Love with books...

December 4, 2011

We're Still in Love With Books
By William Pannapacker

I spend a lot of time working with computers now, but much of my life is still defined by the long relationship I've maintained with books.

It's surprising how many academics who identify with the digital humanities also have ties to "the History of the Book," a field that has long been nurtured by seminars in great libraries. On the shelves of such scholars you may find the five magisterial volumes on The History of the Book in America, placed near Mechanisms: New Media and the Forensic Imagination. New media emerge, but they do not immediately replace old media...

More here.

Holiday Sing!

Enjoy the sounds of the season at the Library Open House!

Today, Monday, December 5th
10 AM to 4 PM
BOE 600 Building,L.W. Nixon Library
BOA 5000 Building, Room 5186N-B

Join us for snacks, punch and
Music from the Butler Choir in the BOE Library at Noon!