The mysterious ancient origins of the book By Keith Houston 22 August 2016

 History of the Book

The book is changing. Electronic books, or ebooks, are more portable than their paper counterparts, capable of being carried in their hundreds on a single reader or tablet. Thousands more are just a click away. It can be argued that ebooks are more robust than paper ones: an ebook reader can be stolen or dropped in the bath, but the books on it are stored safely in the cloud, waiting to be downloaded onto a new device. It is not too much to say that books and reading are in the throes of a revolution.

Books and reading are in the throes of a revolution

Not everyone is happy about this. Book lovers, publishers and booksellers alike are watching the book-v-ebook sales battle with great interest, and when Tom Tivnan of The Bookseller reported recently that ebook sales had dipped for the first time, he sounded almost relieved: “For those who predicted the death of the physical book and digital dominating the market by the end of this decade, the print and digital sales figures […] for 2015 might force a reassessment.” Physical books may have the upper hand for now, but the debate is a long way from being settled.

Book lovers, publishers and booksellers alike are watching the book-v-ebook sales battle with great interest (Credit: Getty Images)

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15 Children's Books That Teach Your Child Not To Be Entitled by Sarah Bunton

Sergey Nivens/Fotolia

A lot of critics of the millennial generation believe those born between the '80s and '90s as being entitled, spoiled, and the "me generation." With the instant gratification modern technology like smartphones, the internet, and social media can provide, it might seem like Generation Y is used to getting everything they want in a short amount of time. Obviously this isn't necessarily true and it seems millennial parents have an uphill battle to prove this isn't the case, especially with their kids. Thankfully there are children's books that teach your child not to be entitled.
A false sense that the world owes you something isn't a new thing at all. Yet it appears that topics like entitlement, empathy, and privilege have finally gotten the attention they deserve in modern society. Gone are the days of turning a blind eye to unkind behavior and not discussing real issues in polite conversation. Being able to understand the different ways in which people experience the world around them has become an increasingly necessary skill for parents to teach their children.
So if you're looking to teach your child how to be self-aware, empathetic, and patient check out these children's books that help kids understand entitlement.

1. 'Thing-Thing' by Carly Fagan

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Destroying History Is Now Being Charged As A War Crime

Joe Penney / Reuters

The rubble left from an ancient mausoleum destroyed by Islamist militants, is seen in Timbuktu, Mali, July 25, 2013.

 

An Islamist fighter has pleaded guilty in the Hague for destroying parts of the fabled West African trading city of Timbuktu, in the International Criminal Court’s first case based on the destruction of cultural artifacts. 

Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi has admitted today (Aug 22) to razing all but two of the city’s 16 mausoleums as well as a mosque dating back to 1400 during a raid by Islamist radicals in 2012. Ahmad told the tribunal in the Netherlands that he regretted “the damage [his] actions have caused.” Read more...

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Look Inside the Most Cutting-Edge Public Library in the World

An international library group just deemed it the best

Library lovers have a reason to visit Denmark: the Dokk1 in Aarhus was just crowned the best public library in the world.

The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) awarded the Dokk1 with the best library title at a meeting in Columbus, Ohio, throwing a spotlight on the futuristic building that opened in June 2015. The largest public library in Scandinavia has books and workspaces like most public libraries, but serves other functions for the community by housing meetings, performances, art installations and places for kids to play. Read more...

Adam Mørk--The Dokk1 in Aarhus, Denmark

The secret libraries of history

After news emerged about an underground reading room in Damascus, Fiona Macdonald discovers the places where writing has been hidden for centuries.

• By Fiona Macdonald

19 August 2016

French sinologist Paul Pelliot in the Library Cave at Dunhuang in 1908 reading the manuscripts (Credit: The Musée Guimet)

Beneath the streets of a suburb of Damascus, rows of shelves hold books that have been rescued from bombed-out buildings. Over the past four years, during the siege of Darayya, volunteers have collected 14,000 books from shell-damaged homes. They are held in a location kept secret amid fears that it would be targeted by government and pro-Assad forces, and visitors have to dodge shells and bullets to reach the underground reading space.

It’s been called Syria’s secret library, and many view it as a vital resource. “In a sense the library gave me back my life,” one regular user, Abdulbaset Alahmar, told the BBC. “I would say that just like the body needs food, the soul needs books.”

Religious or political pressures have meant that books have been hidden throughout history – whether in secret caches or private collections. One of those is now known as ‘the Library Cave’.

U of T’s Personal Librarian program eases the university transition for first-year students

The library program offers personalized help to more than 6,200 students in two faculties.

By RYLEY WHITE | August 16, 2016 

 

Using the library is a daunting task for many first-year students. That’s why University of Toronto has established Personal Librarian, a program that pairs first-years with a librarian.

“As a personal librarian, I think of myself as a facilitator between the student and the library, and library resources,” says communications librarian Jesse Carliner. He compares the volunteer role to that of an adviser: he answers students’ questions, helps with citations and works through additional issues with students either by email or one-on-one.

Building off of similar programs like those at Yale and Drexel universities, U of T launched a pilot in 2012. According to student engagement librarian Heather Buchansky, that year 1,000 students were connected to 10 librarian-volunteers. As of 2015, personal librarians reached out to all first-year students in the faculties of arts and science, and of applied science and engineering – more than 6,200 students were contacted by one of 49 personal librarians. About eight to 10 percent of students contacted will participate, says Ms. Buchansky. Read more...

Student engagement librarian Heather Buchansky helps a student. Photo courtesy of the University of Toronto.

 

Meet the "Human Google" at the New York Public Library

CBS News August 15, 2016, 7:24 AM

 

 

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The local library is a great place to fill your summer reading list for free. But it also remains a vital source for research. And in an era of online searches, librarians at the New York Public Library are still the most- trusted source.
They have been called the "Human Google," said CBSN's Elaine Quijano. And though they may not be as fast as your favorite Internet search engine, they're as reliable as ever.
The Fifth Avenue branch of the New York Public Library attracts about 2.5 million visitors each year.
Many pose with the lions named Patience and Fortitude ... snap pictures in the grand entry hall ... and pass through the reading rooms without cracking a book.
But the tables are full here. "Shushing" happens as much as you may remember. And the phones keep ringing for researchers. Read more...

The Merits of Reading Real Books to Your Children

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by Perri Klass, M.D. August 8, 2016 6:00 am

A new Harry Potter book and a new round of stories about midnight book release parties reminded me of the persistent power of words printed on a page to shape children’s lives.

How do we think about a distinct role for paper, for “book-books” in children’s lives? My own pediatric cause is literacy promotion for young children. I am the national medical director of the program Reach Out and Read, which follows a model of talking with the parents of babies, toddlers and preschoolers about the importance of reading aloud, and giving away a developmentally appropriate children’s book at every checkup.  Read more...