Banned Books Week Sept 24-Oct 1, 2011

List of Banned or Challenged Books

During the last week of September every year, hundreds of libraries and bookstores around the country draw attention to the problem of censorship by mounting displays of challenged books and hosting a variety of events. The 2011 celebration of Banned Books Week will be held from September 24 through October 1. Banned Books Week is the only national celebration of the freedom to read. It was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. More than 11,000 books have been challenged since 1982. For more information on Banned Books Week, click here

According to the American Library Association, there were 348 challenges reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom in 2010, and many more go unreported.

The 10 most challenged titles of 2010 were:

And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
Reasons: homosexuality, religious viewpoint, unsuited to age group

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
Reasons: offensive language, racism, religious viewpoint, sex education, sexually explicit, violence, unsuited to age group

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
Reasons: insensitivity, offensive language, racism, sexually explicit

Crank, by Ellen Hopkins
Reasons: drugs, offensive language, racism, sexually explicit

The Hunger Games (series), by Suzanne Collins
Reasons: sexually explicit, violence, unsuited to age group

Lush, by Natasha Friend
Reasons: drugs, sexually explicit, offensive language, unsuited to age group

What My Mother Doesn't Know, by Sonya Sones
Reasons: sexism, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America, by Barbara Ehrenreich
Reasons: drugs, inaccurate, offensive language, political viewpoint, religious viewpoint

Revolutionary Voices edited by Amy Sonnie
Reasons: homosexuality, sexually explicit

Twilight (series), by Stephenie Meyer
Reasons: sexually explicit, religious viewpoint, violence, unsuited to age group

m.librarycat.risd.edu - Mobile RISD/ATH Catalog

The RISD/ATH catalog is now available in a mobile version.
Simply point your smartphone or iPod touch with wireless to m.librarycat.risd.edu

Use the mobile library catalog to search and find titles, check your library record, place holds and renew online- anywhere, any time

Made in the UK Research Guide

To accompany the new exhibition at the RISD Museum, see the Made in the UK Research Guide for links to local copies of the exhibition catalogue and additional sources on the artists included in the exhibition.

Central Falls' Adams Memorial Library

Central Falls' Adams Memorial Library needs your help and is throwing one helluva party to prove it!

The library is a crucial institution that saw its city funding eliminated in the face of Central Falls' municipal fiscal meltdown at the beginning of summer.

Reopened by volunteers in August, the library is currently open to the public for 3 days a week. Volunteers not only provide library services, even purchasing books if they're not in stock, but also do things like vacuum the floors and scrub the sinks. It's not glamorous, but it's necessary.

Now the volunteers are looking to take things to the next level.

We're throwing a fundraiser on September 30, hoping to raise enough money to hire a library director and expand library hours.

The Adams Memorial Library Autumn Gala will feature live entertainment, open bar, heavy hors d'oeuvres and fantastic silent auctions.

Bob Drouin & Friends are providing live music that will infuse the library with Traditional flavor. Crooner Steve Lombardi will fill the outside tents with his Rat Pack showmanship. Big Nazo and TEN31 Productions will bring their special brands of magic to the night. Tom's Market will provide heavy hors d'oeuvres while Bartending by Dennis will provide an open bar. Yep: open bar.

Add to that silent auctions that will feature the best of local merchants as well as special access to area artists and we're looking at one helluva night. The fun starts at 6:30PM.

So come share in an unforgettable night and help support Central Falls' library. Tickets can be purchased online at cflibrary.org/gala.

Brown Validation Reader Cards

Earlier this year, a card-activated turnstile system was installed in Brown's Rockefeller Library. Only Brown ID card holders may enter through the turnstile without staff assistance. All RISD patrons (and other non-Brown ID holders) must register and then be buzzed in by library staff to enter the building.

To streamline this process, the Rockefeller Library is issueing validation reader cards to RISD users. These cards will enable RISD ID holders to swipe to get into the building without waiting. The cards will be issued at the Rockefeller Library only; however, they can be used at either the Rock or Sciences Library. In order to register for a card, a RISD patron would need to come to the Rock and receive a card. The cards will remain active for one year. They can't be used to check out books and do not have any identifying information.

You need to have an up-to-date RISD library record before getting this card. You can check the status of your RISD library record by logging into my record in the online catalog and checking your exp date. For directions see here. You can update your record at the Circulation desk or calling 709-5901.

Anonymous paper sculptures in Scotland’s libraries

From boingboing

"An anonymous sculptor has been leaving gorgeous carved-book sculptures in Scotland's libraries, along with little notes of encouragement. Some are left out in the open; others are hidden away and may have sat a long time before being discovered."

Mysterious Paper Sculptures

Early Journal Content on JSTOR, Free to Anyone in World

On September 6, 2011, JSTOR announced that they are making journal content in JSTOR published prior to 1923 in the United States and prior to 1870 elsewhere freely available to anyone, anywhere in the world. This “Early Journal Content” includes discourse and scholarship in the arts and humanities, economics and politics, and in mathematics and other sciences. It includes nearly 500,000 articles from more than 200 journals. This represents 6% of the content on JSTOR.

More info.

Tutorial on accessing the free content.

JSTOR Service Alert

On Friday, September 9 and Saturday, September 10, JSTOR will be performing site maintenance that requires a “read-only” period for these two days. During this scheduled maintenance, users will be able to search, browse, and access and download PDF files for content in JSTOR. They will not be able to save citations, reset passwords, create or update MyJSTOR accounts, or purchase articles.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and appreciate your patience as we work to improve JSTOR.

Please feel free to contact support@jstor.org with any questions.

CCS Graphic Novel Library saved from hurricane flood waters

How to Save a Graphic Novel Library

The books held in the Schulz Library at the Center for Cartoon Studies were saved through the heroic efforts of dedicated students, faculty and fans who evacuated the books to safety late Sunday night. Long live Schulz Library!