Libraries in the News Archive
Nine Maryland counties resist union for librarians
Delegates representing nine Maryland counties have moved to exempt their jurisdictions from a House of Delegates bill (PDF file) that would make it easier for local librarians to unionize, citing concerns about the costs. The bill’s sponsor, Tom Hucker (D-Montgomery), said it would only give librarians the choice to join the United Food [...]
The first green library in Manhattan
On March 18, the New York Public Library will open its Battery Park City branch, an environmentally friendly library that provides a wide range of services for the community. Designed by the architecture firm 1100 Architects, the branch was constructed with a focus on environmental sustainability and will be the first green library in Manhattan. [...]
Why Google’s deal with Italy is a good thing
The Italian government and the search-engine giant have agreed that Google will digitize up to 1 million books from the national libraries in Florence and Rome. The books to be digitized were all published before 1868 (which means that copyright laws do not apply). Italian libraries will be able to share digital copies of the [...]
Florida moves to eliminate all public library funding
Charlotte Mecklenburg faces $2-million cut
On March 16, the Charlotte Mecklenburg (N.C.) Library learned that the county would be reducing the library’s funding for FY2010 by 6.3%, or $2 million, before June 30. To absorb the reduction, CML will need to lay off at least 140 employees, resulting in the closure of at least 12 branches, [...]
Pink slips and rumors fly in Los Angeles
AL Senior Editor Beverly Goldberg writes: “The state of fiscal emergency in many libraries, school districts, and academic campuses has lent credence to recent media reports that officials of the Los Angeles Unified School District have approved the dismissal of every certificated teacher-librarian systemwide. According to California School Librarians Association President Rosemarie Bernier, however, the [...]