To address the needs of patrons, a new circulating library will be built inside of the main branch to replace the Mid-Manhattan library. However, some are concerned that this will result in the availability of fewer books, as the main branch is currently a non-circulating research library. Additionally, the potential for overcrowding in the main branch would also need to be addressed.

Funding for the project will come from the city, donations, and the sale of library properties. The total cost of the project is about $1 Billion. While librarians have expressed concern about the elimination of positions and city residents have questioned the ability to invest in such an undertaking during an economic downturn, the project is meant to revitalize the libraries and meet the needs of all New Yorkers who use the branches to study, read, take classes, and use computers for free.

Read more at http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/16/books/new-york-public-library-revives-its-overhaul-plan.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1

Read the Library Journal article here and Amigos statement here.

The BA argued that “There are no comprehensive guidelines for voluntary-run libraries and we cannot believe they will be sustainable in the long term.” Prominent library campaigner Desmond Clarke also added, “The committee’s decision to inquire into library closures indicate they are very much aware of the level of public concern and anger. While people understand that cuts are necessary, there is a strong feeling that these have been disproportionate and too little has been done to improve operational efficiency and reduce the 151 separately managed authorities.”

To view the complete article at the Bookseller, go to: http://www.thebookseller.com/news/libraries-are-essential-trade-tells-mps.html

“These standards differ from previous versions by articulating expectations for library contributions to institutional effectiveness,” said University of Nevada-Las Vegas Dean of University Libraries Patricia Iannuzzi, who chaired the SLHE task force. “They also differ structurally from the previous version by providing a comprehensive framework using an outcomes-based approach, with evidence collected in ways most appropriate for each institution.”

To access a copy of the approved standards as well as to sign up for a introductory webcast, please go to:

 http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/standards/standardslibraries.cfm

These cover the details of what semantic web technology can do for you as a publisher and why you should care. To discuss it in more detail, you can contact Rebecca Appleby in our Cambridge, MA office (rebecca.appleby@publishingtechnology.com).

PCG will leverage its expertise in the international library market to promote and sell these prestigious collections, published entirely in digital format for the first time.

More information on this announcement to follow.

As Steve Bosch from University of Arizona commented, “It seems that publishers may be listening to librarians who are increasingly vocal about the need to bridge the gap between reduced budgets and increasing subscription prices”

Despite a positive outlook, many libraries still face budget cuts. As the article highlights:

“Nevertheless, as libraries struggle with budget cuts, even these lower projected price increases could mean more cancelled periodicals. As reported in LJ’s Periodicals Price Survey, 34 percent of 450 respondents to EBSCO Information Services’ 2011 Library Collections and Budgeting Trends Survey—mostly academic libraries—reported budget cuts for 2011, and 44 percent expected cuts in the next fiscal year. The migration from print—or print plus online—to online only will continue in 2012, and subscriptions in all formats will be subject to cancellation to fit within budget parameters.”

Please visit The Library Journal website for additional information on this article : http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/community/academiclibraries/892115-265/ebsco_projects_4_to_6.html.csp

In a recent letter posted on the harvard.edu website, Provost Alan Garber explains the shift in more detail:

“This affinity group model maintains the individuality of the libraries while providing mechanisms for the cross-campus collaboration that the system needs for its strategic development and overall organizational effectiveness. An organizational design can be viewed on the Library Transition website. Although this plan is the product of a broad set of conversations across the libraries and the Schools, flexibility will be an integral part of the plan’s implementation.”

To read more on this announcement please visit the following link: http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k77982&pageid=icb.page459518.