libraries
« Previous EntriesProtesting CPSIA - an activists’ guide for bookstores and libraries
Friday, May 15th, 2009As people are beginning to realize, the recent passage of CPSIA has deep ramifications for education and literacy, reducing access to books in stores, libraries and charities. Hardest hit are the economically disadvantaged children among us. Here are some ideas to help get started in protesting and raising support for the repeal of this disastrous [...]
Introducing Biblio UK
Monday, May 4th, 2009We’re very pleased to announce that we have quietly snuck the new Biblio UK site out the back door of our skunkworks!
The new site is focused largely on serving European customers who are looking to source second hand and antiquarian books “locally” from the UK or other parts of Europe.
While a few other companies already [...]
Department of Justice opens antitrust inquiry into Google - finally!
Wednesday, April 29th, 2009In perhaps one of the best bits of book-world news that we’ve seen in awhile, the New York Times is reporting today that the US DOJ has finally opened an antitrust inquiry into Google’s book scanning project.
For awhile, it was really looking as if Google was going to get away with breaking copyright law and [...]
How to clean and repair ex-library books
Monday, April 27th, 2009One very common question we receive from customers is, “how can I take all the library markings off of an ex-library book?
Its very tempting, as book collectors, to want to malign libraries for the damage they do to books. But as Stephen (whose parents were librarians) has often defended to me: “How many books do [...]
Why should I care about e-books? Lessons learned the hard way from the newspaper biz
Thursday, April 23rd, 2009I had the dubious privilege of working in the newspaper industry in the final heady years before its collapse. It has often worried me that the book industry carries a similar hubris about technology as newspapers did in, say, 2001.
My job as director of online at the time was to usher in “new media” [...]
CPSIA, Schmipsia - Who cares?
Wednesday, April 8th, 2009Childrens’ book author Carol Baicker-McKee does. She is doing what many others should be doing - taking an activist approach to the unfortunate CPSIA bill and putting a little heart and soul (and sweat) behind it.
She’s devoted most of her blog recently to covering CPSIA as it related to childrens’ books - well worth a [...]
American Library Association urges citizens to take action on CPSIA bill
Monday, April 6th, 2009The ALA (American Library Association) is urging citizens to take action on the CPSIA bill, and urge their representative to support the amendment recently put forward by Rep. Fortenberry of Nebraska that would exempt childrens’ books from the burdensome legislation.
The ALA has made it very easy - please take a moment now to use [...]
Booksellers continue to be weighed down by CPSIA and whether to test for lead
Monday, March 30th, 2009The debate regarding childrens’ books and CPSIA continues to be an albatross around the neck of booksellers everywhere. According to the Wichita Eagle, a Nebraska congressman has introduced a bill (last Monday) that would exempt books from the toxic law. He also has a position statement on books and CPSIA his official website. While he’s [...]
Where The Wild Things Are–The Movie
Thursday, March 26th, 2009Yes, it’s true. Maurice Sendak’s beloved children’s classic, Where the Wild Things Are, has been adapted for the silver screen and is directed by Spike Jonze. Jones and Dave Eggers of A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius fame, wrote the screenplay together.
The best thing about the film? The “wild things” appear to be live-action, NOT [...]
2009 Award-winning children’s books
Monday, January 26th, 2009The ALA (American Library Association) announced the winners this morning for three prestigious awards to childrens’ authors.
John Newbery Medal
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman - “Neil Gaiman’s eagerly awaited middle-grade take on Rudyard Kipling’s THE JUNGLE BOOK features Nobody, a boy raised by graveyard inhabitants instead of animals. Having escaped his family’s murderer and wandered [...]