US Library of Congress hit by cyberattack
Wednesday, 27 July 2016
In the US, the Library of Congress website and other associated sites it hosts were offline for three days following a cyber-attack, reports the Washington Times. A spokesperson said the...
New US Librarian of Congress confirmed
Wednesday, 20 July 2016
In the US, Carla Hayden has been confirmed as the 14th Librarian of Congress, the first woman and the first African-American to serve in the position, reports Publishers Weekly. Hayden...
UK council scraps plan to outsource libraries
Wednesday, 13 July 2016
In the UK, Northern Wales’ Wrexham council will reverse its decision to transfer its 11 libraries to a trust, after a financial review showed it was more expensive than running...
Irish Booksellers Association warns government about centralised library supply
Tuesday, 12 July 2016
The Booksellers Association of Ireland has called on the Irish government to reconsider its planned centralised national library tender scheme, due to commence in September, reports the Bookseller. The cost-cutting...
Twenty-six UK libraries transferred to volunteer-run community groups
Wednesday, 6 July 2016
In the UK, Leicestershire county council is transferring 26 libraries to community groups to save £800,000 (A$1.41m), reports the Bookseller. So far, 23 libraries are being run by community group...
ProQuest acquires Alexander Street
Wednesday, 29 June 2016
In the US, information-content and technology company ProQuest has acquired Alexander Street, a provider of streaming videos, music and other primary-source collections to libraries. In a statement ProQuest CEO Kurt...
Chicago library to stay open past midnight for new ‘Harry Potter’ book
Wednesday, 29 June 2016
In the US, a Chicago public library will stay open until 1am on 31 July so readers can get their hands on a copy of the new Harry Potter book...
Toronto Public Library to introduce lendable Wi-Fi hotspots in low-income neighbourhoods
Wednesday, 22 June 2016
The Toronto Public Library in Canada will offer lendable Wi-Fi hotspots at six branches in low-income neighbourhoods, reports the Toronto Star. The library included C$100,000 (A$104,660) in its 2016 operating...
Chicago libraries aim to giveaway one million books to children
Thursday, 16 June 2016
In the US, all 80 branches of the Chicago Public Library system will give 12 free books to each child who registers for the library’s summer program to combat ‘the...
Singapore research agency develops autonomous shelf-scanning robot
Wednesday, 8 June 2016
An autonomous shelf-scanning robot is being developed by the Institute for Infocomm Research at Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research, reports Cnet. Using laser-mapping to navigate a library and...
Bangkok to open 24-hour library
Wednesday, 1 June 2016
A 24-hour library will open in Bangkok, Thailand by the end of the year, reports the Thai government’s Happy Reading website. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration had last year announced a budget of THB$200m...
Global institutional library spending forecast to rise
Wednesday, 1 June 2016
The Publishers Communication Group’s (PCG) annual survey of institutional library materials spending has found spending in North America is expected to rise 1% in 2016 while declining 0.1% in Europe,...
London council saves money closing libraries, spends more securing the empty buildings
Wednesday, 25 May 2016
A London council that temporarily closed two libraries as a money-saving measure has spent up to three times the running costs on private guards to secure the buildings, reports the...
New London Mayor Sadiq Khan petitioned over library services
Wednesday, 18 May 2016
Poet Chrissie Gittins is petitioning new London mayor Sadiq Khan to support four libraries in the borough of Lewisham, where five libraries closed in 2011, reports the Bookseller. Gittins, who is...
Notre Dame and Vatican Library to partner
Wednesday, 11 May 2016
The University of Notre Dame has become the first US academic institution to partner with the Vatican Library after signing a memorandum of understanding for future collaboration. The university and...
KL airport launches ebook library
Wednesday, 4 May 2016
In Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur International Airport has launched a new ebook library using ‘world first’ technology, reports the Star. The library—a partnership between the airport, the government and ebookstore eSentral—operates...
Library opens at Abu Dhabi airport
Thursday, 28 April 2016
A library has opened at Abu Dhabi International Airport as part of a nationwide reading campaign, reports the UAE National. The library, located in the link between terminals one and...
ALA reveals ‘most frequently challenged books’ in 2015
Thursday, 28 April 2016
The American Library Association (ALA) has released a list of most frequently challenged books in 2015. Topping the list was Looking for Alaska (John Green, HarperCollins), followed by Fifty Shades...
Pew report finds high community satisfaction with libraries but usage dropping
Wednesday, 20 April 2016
In the US, a new report from the Pew Research Centre found 76% of adults believe libraries serve the learning and educational needs of their communities either ‘very well’ or...
Seven North American libraries take top Architecture prize
Wednesday, 20 April 2016
In the US, seven libraries have been selected as recipients of the Library Building Award 2016 from the American Institute of Architects and the American Library Association. The seven libraries selected...
Barbershop owner leaves $1.8m to local library
Wednesday, 13 April 2016
A barbershop owner in Athol, Massachusetts, has left US$1.4 million (A$1.8m)—over 90% of his estate—to his local public library, reports the Independent. Anthony J Ralys’ estate attorney said the bequest...
London library occupation ends after 10 days
Wednesday, 13 April 2016
In the UK, the occupation of London’s Carnegie Library to protest the council’s plans to convert it into a ‘healthy living centre’ has ended, reports the Bookseller. Around 30 occupiers...
London libraries to reopen as part private gym, part bookshelf space
Wednesday, 6 April 2016
Two libraries in Lambeth in south London will reopen as hybrid ‘part private gym, part host to shelves of books with no dedicated staff’ due to deepening cuts in public...
BBC investigation shows 342 libraries, quarter of jobs lost in the UK
Thursday, 31 March 2016
Almost 8000 UK library jobs have been lost and 342 libraries have closed in the past six years, a BBC investigation has found. Using data from more than 200 authorities...
‘Library Journal’ publishes 2016 ‘Movers and Shakers’ list
Wednesday, 23 March 2016
In the US, Library Journal has released this year’s ‘Movers and Shakers’ list of influential library professionals. The 2016 list, which is available online here, recognises individuals who ‘are passionate about what all...
Shakespeare’s handwritten play script digitised for British Library
Thursday, 17 March 2016
The only surviving play script handwritten by William Shakespeare has been digitised by the British Library ahead of an exhibition, reports the Guardian. While Shakespeare was not the original author...
Birmingham Library visitors drop by 600,000 in 2015
Wednesday, 24 February 2016
In the UK, visitors to the Library of Birmingham fell by 600,000 in 2015 compared to the previous year, reports the Bookseller. The library, which opened in September 2013, was...
Seattle’s first independent library opens
Wednesday, 17 February 2016
Seattle’s first independent library has opened its doors, reports local radio station KPLU News. The Folio library occupies 1800 square metres in the city’s YMCA and is filled with thousands...
Authors gather to protest UK library cuts
Wednesday, 10 February 2016
In the UK, bestselling authors have gathered at parliament, calling on MPs to sign a motion that ensures local authorities provide a ‘comprehensive and efficient library service’, reports the Guardian....
Dubai to build biggest library in the Arab world
Wednesday, 3 February 2016
The Dubai government has announced plans to build a new library that will hold more than 1.5 million print books, one million audio books and two million ebooks, ‘making it...
