Editors note:Duck of the Weekis a new section in Around the O Workplace that highlights UO employees and their work. Each story features an interview with one employee, in his or her own words, with light editing for clarity and length only.

Rayne Vieger

E-Learning & OER Librarian

How long have you worked at the UO?

Ive been here at UO for 19 months now.

Tell us about your work:

I am an e-learning and open educational resource (OER) librarian, which consists of two main roles. For the e-learning side of my job, I serve as an instructional designer within the library. I advance the librarys presence in online learning and design online learning supports for students.

I also raise awareness about textbook affordability and the need for open educational resources, or OERs. OERs are free and openly licensed course materials or textbooks that can help ensure that all students have access to course materials on the first day of class regardless of their financial situation. I teach workshops and collaborate with individual faculty members, librarians and instructional designers. Beyond that, I am also a liaison between the library department and our statewide OER coordinator to help connect faculty with resources as they transition to lower-cost options for their courses.

When I first joined the UO community, awareness about textbook affordability was fairly low. Interest about this issue is definitely gaining traction now though because students are really invested in it. As librarians, we cant change tuition costs or student fees, but we can affect the textbook prices by choosing open textbooks or other lower-cost options through the library.

What does your typical day look like?

On the OER side of things, my responsibilities vary day to day. I do a lot of outreach to individual faculty to help them learn more about low-cost alternatives for their courses as well as the cost-based textbooks that theyre currently using. Im also co-leading a Textbook Affordability Task Force sponsored by the Office of the Provost this fall, where we are working to create a textbook affordability strategic plan for the university.

In terms of e-learning, my job changed quite a bit once we all went remote and students didnt have access to the physical library anymore. I worked with Information Services and UO Online to create a librarian role within Canvas to help connect students with their subject liaison librarian and make sure that they had the research support they needed within the learning management system. I also worked with a team of librarians to develop a suite of library tutorials for students learning online for the very first time. These videos were designed to help students navigate different library services and resources that they might need throughout the remote learning period.

My job is unique in that I work with everyone, whereas other librarians focus on specific disciplines. I serve the whole university and anyone who wants to transition with lower-cost options. I have worked with the UO Composition Program and other departments who are interested in OER to find low-cost alternatives for traditionally high-cost textbooks.

What do you like about working at the UO?

As someone who is in a brand-new job at the UO, I have to rely on strong relationships across campus to raise awareness about OER and the issue of textbook affordability. With that in mind, I feel incredibly grateful for the wonderful partnerships Ive created across campus within the library, UO Online, Teaching Engagement Program (TEP), Office of the Provost, and ASUO too. They have been wonderful colleagues to work with and have all expressed support and interest in OER. Thats what I enjoy mostconnecting with faculty who are interested in OER, and working with really wonderful colleagues that help amplify this message across campus.

What keeps you motivated?

Students are definitely my biggest motivation since they are the entire reason why my career has been in higher education. Especially during this remote learning period, I empathize with students who are learning online for the very first time and are struggling to make ends meet financially. I believe that the pandemic has only increased the need to focus on textbook affordability because many students are out of work right now, which translates into a significant financial impact. The faculty I talk to often think that books make up such a small part of the overall student cost, but lots of times students choose not to purchase them in order to meet other basic needs like food and rent. Choosing not to purchase a text can have a disproportionate effect on a students education, so I am motivated to ensure that they have the best possible learning experience at the UO through equitable access to course materials.

I am also constantly inspired by the students I have interacted with in ASUO. They are such amazing leaders and have made textbook affordability and OER a priority this year. Thats been really cool to see, and I feel really grateful that I get to partner with them on that.

What is something people may not know about you?

When I came to Oregon five years ago, it was actually for a job at Oregon State University as an instructional designer and instructional design manager. My husband is also a professor of history at Oregon State, so were kind of a divided house. I started out as a Beaver and then later became a Duck, so that might make me a platypus!

Rayne Vieger is part of UO Libraries.

Do you know someone who should be Duck of the Week?Nominate a UO employee.

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Raising awareness about access to affordable textbooks | Around the O - AroundtheO

Euclid Public Library already has a full roster of virtual programming on its calendar, but most recently launched access to Tutor.com, a virtual tutoring service that provides assistance to learners of all ages on a one-to-one basis.

Euclid Public Library cardholders have free access to Tutor.com's services, which include academic assistance across almost every subject such as help with ACT and SAT tests, writing coaches and various practice quizzes.

The library's Marketing and Communications Manager Ashley Gowens said she is excited about launching their partnership with Tutor.com and for students to see what a great resource it can be.

"As soon as you click in your information from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, they have over 30,000 tutors that have been vetted that are available for patrons during that period of time to assist with anything that they need," Gowens said.

"The fact that you can [virtually] drop off a paper and someone can review it and provide you with feedback for free. Those are resources that are priceless, especially in the schools right now," she added.

Gowens said that Tutor.com also offers services for adults looking for career coaching, resume reviews and other similar resources.

Prior to the pandemic, library staff used to offer students homework help but since the library is now running with limited services in the building itself to reduce the spread of COVID-19, Gowens said she was concerned about all the students who regularly utilized that program.

"As soon as our doors closed, we knew that was going to be a barrier that we had to find a solution to fix," she said.

One of the ongoing virtual discussions the library offers on its YouTube channel is "Graphic Novel Friday."

She said the partnership with Tutor.com, which officially launched Dec. 1, came right on time amid many schools operating their classes entirely remotely.

More information on how to access the platform with a Euclid Public Library card can be found at http://www.euclidlibrary.org/content/tutorcom-available-now.

While tutoring access is the newest addition to the library's online services, staff has transitioned many other classes and programs to be available virtually.

Book discussions, arts and crafts classes and yoga sessions are just a few on the library's calendar.

"We're excited because we were able basically to take all of those programs that we offered in the library and do them all virtually and our staff really took to it. Our patrons were also excited to connect with our staff," Gowens said.

She explained that the library had never offered virtual programs in the past, so transitioning to a fully online format was a major undertaking. Gowens said she has been impressed with their staff's ability to adapt and the overall success of the programs.

"We realized really early in the pandemic that we had to pivot, and the best opportunity we had was online," she said.

The full calendar of virtual events and instructions on how to register for them can be found on the library's website.

See the article here:
Euclid Public Library adds access to virtual tutoring to its online services - News-Herald.com

So, we had to revamp how we do things and take the service to the community, Tolman added.

The first thing they developed was curbside pick-up, where customers could go online, look at the librarys catalog, make their selections and then pick up the items they checked out at the front doorsafe and effective. Patrons could also call into the library and staff would help them place a hold on an item. All library locations continue to be closed to in-person browsing in order to combat the pandemic. Therefore, these remote services remain key for customers until the library locations reopen for in-person service. The library has also begun offering computer reservation slots for those without computer access.

Customers check out e-books and audiobooks online, especially after the library launched Hoopla, which is an online service that also provides movies, comics, TV shows and more. With Hoopla, several customers can check out the same item at the same time; they dont have to wait for the item to be returned to the library before they can check it out.

Each year the library would hold its annual Summer Reading Challenge, to encourage youth to read each year during the summer, Tolman said. But this year, the library has experienced some of the highest numbers of youth participants in the program. The library is also experiencing more attendance in Childrens Story Time, which has gone online. Book club meetings have gone online via videoconferencing, too, and the approach has led to more participation than in-person meetings.

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Flagstaff Public Library finds new ways to reach communities during the pandemic - Arizona Daily Sun

Rockland Public Library will offer a Zoom presentation for adults and teens called Creating Calm in a Chaotic World: Stress-Reduction Tips and Techniques via Zoom on Thursday, December 17, at 2 p.m. The interactive session, led by librarians Patty King (shown, left) and Jessie Blanchard (right), will feature strategies for addressing stress, including mindfulness, movement and self-care. They will also share resources that can serve as a stress reduction toolkit. To register, email pking@rocklandmaine.gov by noon on the day of the event. Beginning on Monday, December 14, adults and teens are invited to pick up a Stress Less Bag at the library, filled with items that may help reduce anxiety. Supplies are limited; participation in the Thursday program is not required to obtain a bag. For more information, call 594-0310.

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Stress Reduction Tips Offered in Rockland Library Presentation - Freepress Online

Installation views, Poetry and Patronage: The Laubespine-Villeroy Library Rediscovered, October 16 through May 16, 2021, Thaw Gallery. Graham S. Haber photo

By Rick Russack,

NEW YORK CITY From now through May 16, the Morgan Library & Museum in New York City presents Poetry and Patronage: The Laubespine-Villeroy Library Rediscovered. The exhibition brings together, for the first time in almost 450 years, some of the most spectacular bindings from the library of Claude III de Laubespine, one of the great but little-known bibliophiles of the French Renaissance.

During the Renaissance, manuscript and printed books and their fine bindings were symbols of the wealthy and cultured. Claude III de Laubespine (1545-1570) met all the criteria. He was a member of an influential family, many of whom held high offices during the reigns of French kings Henry II and Charles IX. His father, Claude II, played an important role in both domestic and foreign policy and was a chief advisor to Catherine de Medici, mother of Charles IX. Claude II, a secretary of state, married into a rich and cultivated family, thus acquiring several homes. Other members of his family were also holders of important posts.

Claude III de Laubespine grew up at the royal court and, with just a three-year difference in age, was close to the future king Charles IX. At the age of 16, following in his fathers footsteps, he also became a secretary of state, a position about equivalent to a cabinet secretary in the United States government, and rose high enough in the royal entourage of Charles IX to be entrusted with missions abroad. As his father had done, he also married a wealthy heiress, Marie Clutin, and his wifes wealth allowed him to live a lavish lifestyle. He was one of Charles IXs most trusted advisors and clearly a member of the jet set of his day. Among the extravagant dinner services and long dining tables where the aristocracy came to gather in his many homes, Laubespine had shelves to fill, and he did so with books.

Saint Albertus Magnus (1193?-1280) Postillatio in Apocalypsim (Commentary on the Book of Revelation), Basel: Jacob von Pfortzheim, 1506. The Morgan Library & Museum, purchased in 1912. Graham S. Haber photo

Claude III de Laubespine was passionate about poetry and praise. Several of the outstanding poets of the era, such as Pierre de Ronsard and Philippe Desportes, seeking patronage from Claude IIIs family, composed elegant tributes in verse praising him; his father, Claude II; his sister, Madeleine, and her husband, Nicolas de Villeroy.

Claude III de Laubespine built an extensive library, of which poetry was only one facet, and he patronized the leading bookbinders of the Renaissance, whose workshops were creating the finest bindings in France. Some of those shops had also worked for Jean Grolier (1479-1565), the famed Treasurer-General of France whose library has gained international renown. Laubespines great credibility in the bibliosphere, although rivalling that of Grolier, has not been recognized until now.

A simple explanation for the disparity is that Groliers books were clearly identified with his name and crest, but Laubespines were not. Identifying his books and tracing their fate was difficult and not finally resolved until this exhibition.

In 1993, Isabelle de Conihout, guest curator for this exhibition, became intrigued and began her quest to establish the scope and fate of the dispersed collection as she located as many books as possible. She invested years of research and travel to numerous libraries in Europe and around the United States to first understand the scope of his collection, research the material, and then gather it for this exhibit. She has contributed a major essay to the catalog that accompanies the exhibition.

Circle of Jean Decourt (circa 1530-after 1585), Portrait of Madeleine de Laubespine, dame de Villeroy, Sixteenth Century, oil on panel. Collection of William Kopelman.

She determined that Claude III de Laubespine and his sister, Madeleine were close in age and apparently fond of one another. Madeleine was also a talented poet and patron of literature and author of at least 59 sonnets as well as some erotic poems. She also married well, choosing Nicolas de Neufville, sieur de Villeroy, who would also become a secretary of state, serving four successive kings of France until his death in 1617. Claude III had no children, leaving his estate to be divided between his sister Madeleine and a younger brother. The division of that estate was contorted but it eventually became clear to de Conihout that Claude IIIs library passed to Madelaine and then to her husband. Following his death, and after the sale of the family home that contained the library in 1640, dispersal followed and most of the books went to leading Parisian book collectors.

In a 2015 interview, when de Conihout joined Christies as a specialist in Parisian books, she was asked about the most memorable moment of her career. Her reply was my discovery of the Renaissance library of Claude de Laubespine. She described a moment at the Bibliothque nationale de France where she found two circa 1560 beautifully bound books on architecture, each with a distinctive shelf mark in a Sixteenth Century hand, but no further identification as to whom they had belonged. In her words, I went on searching and finally found in the BnF 40 volumes in extraordinary bindings, all bearing the same shelf-marks, which I called the cotes brunes. I continued my search in other Parisian libraries where I found about 40 additional volumes, still revealing nothing about their original owner. In British and American libraries, and in a few private collections, I eventually had discovered more, about 120 altogether, but still with no clue as to original ownership.

It was in a literary manuscript that I finally picked up the trail. The finely bound manuscript, with a double C repeated, was believed to have belonged to King Charles IX. Upon opening it I was surprised to find my cote brune written on the fly-leaf. The volume was an early luxurious calligraphic edition of the love poems of the French court poet Philippe Desportes, and it contained a final sonnet from about the year 1570. In it Desportes mourns his wise, happy, and perfect friend, Claude de Laubespine. That was the clue I needed and I was finally able to solve the mystery. This exhibit, and the accompanying catalog, are the result of her search.

Francesco Colonna (d 1527) Hypnerotomachia Poliphili (The Strife of Love in a Dream by the Lover of Polia), Venice: Aldus Manutius [for Leonardus Crassus], December, 1499. The Morgan Library & Museum, purchased with the Irwin collection, Graham S. Haber photo

The organizing curator, John Bidwell, Astor curator of printed books and bindings at the Morgan, said, Isabelles research in the history of the Laubespine-Villeroy library has greatly enhanced our understanding of book collecting during the French Renaissance. The fine bindings were works of art in their own right, reflecting the knowledge, wealth and taste of the collectors who commissioned them. The Morgans director, Colin B. Bailey concurred, This is an exhibition that revisits the central role of bindings in our collection and, at the same time, one of the most splendid libraries of the French Renaissance. The exhibition takes a close look at the art of connoisseurship through the detailed task of reuniting an exquisite set of bindings that have been separated for over four centuries. Isabelle de Conihouts scholarship allows us to see that fine bindings were works of art in their own right, reflecting the knowledge, wealth and taste of the connoisseurs who commissioned them and the artisans who created them.

The exhibition includes a copy of Jacopo Vignolas Regola delli cinque ordini darchitettura of 1564 as well as Hypnerotomachia Poliphili (1499) by Francesco Colonna, the latter which curators called one of the greatest illustrated books of all time.

Theyre all lovely books, but in my opinion, the most spectacular are bound by Atelier au Vase, said Bidwell. Remember that very few of these bindings can be attributed to a person. Sometimes you know about a royal binder, there are documents that will give you that name, but otherwise youre dealing with eponymous workshops. In the exhibit, youre seeing the work of different workshops of that time.

Both of the above titles were produced by Atelier au Vase and are of a large size.

Vitruvius Pollio (active First Century BCE) I dieci libri dellarchitettura (On the Art of Building in Ten Books), translated with a commentary by Daniele Barbaro, Venice: Francesco Marcolini, 1556. The Morgan Library & Museum, gift of Paul Mellon, 1979. Janny Chiu photo

The size gave the binder a greater canvas to work with, Bidwell said.

One of the outstanding features of what we call primitive or empty fanfare binding is that you get this exquisite ornamental design with these perfectly spaced comparments everything just falls into place.

The ornamentation does nothing to mute the subtle glow and quality feel of the Moroccan leather.

In Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, this is brought one step further by treating that leather with powdered gold, an extra luxurious touch, which is rare. You can tell Laubespine the collector regarded this one book as special.

Not much is known of Atelier au Vase, Bidwell said, with only recent research revealing the bookbinders existence.

There are generations of bookbinding scholars who have worked on the French Renaissance, which is a high point in the whole history of binding, Bidwell said. Like many fields of art history, there is a constant attribution and reattribution of books. The Atelier au Vase is an example of these recent attributions.

Sperone Speroni (1500-1588) Dialoghi (Dialogues) Venice: Sons of Aldus Manutius, 1546. Barbier-Mueller Foundation for the Study of Italian Renaissance Poetry (University of Geneva) / e-codices Virtual Manuscript Library of Switzerland.

The Morgan Library & Museum began as the private library of financier Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913), one of the preeminent collectors and cultural benefactors in the United States. As early as 1890 Morgan had begun to assemble his collections, which included more than books. Mr Morgans library, as it was known in his lifetime, was built between 1902 and 1906 adjacent to his New York residence at Madison Avenue and 36th Street. The library was designed by Charles McKim of the firm of McKim, Mead and White and cost $1.2 million. It was made a public institution in 1924 by Morgans son John Pierpont Morgan Jr, in accordance with his fathers will.

Pierpont Morgans immense holdings ranged from Egyptian art to Renaissance paintings to Chinese porcelains. For his library, Morgan acquired illuminated, literary and historical manuscripts, early printed books and Old Master drawings and prints. To this core collection, he added the earliest evidence of writing as manifested in ancient seals, tablets, and papyrus fragments from Egypt and the Near East. Morgan also collected manuscripts and printed materials significant to American history. The institution has continued to acquire rare materials, but the bindings collection, which comprises about a thousand volumes, is outstanding. They also have three copies of the Gutenberg bible, one of which is complete.

For information, http://www.themorgan.org or 212-685-0008.

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Poetry and Patronage: The Laubespine-Villeroy Library Rediscovered - Antiques and the Arts Online

Alexander Citys Adelia M. Russell Library will be updating its computer lab with a new federal grant money from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), library director Amy Huff announced Tuesday.

Funding will go towards updating computers in the main library and Mamies Place Childrens Library. At present, the majority of the computers are 2013 models which makes it difficult to run software updates, Huff said.

Adelia M. Russell library applied for the IMLS grant in December 2019. Factored into the consideration process is the number of patrons without broadband, making them more reliant on library technology and Wi-Fi. Only 70.4% of Alex City households have broadband internet subscription, 10% below the national average, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates, while 81.6% of Alex City households own a computer.

Before the pandemic, approximately 100 patrons enter the main computer lab each day; at least one-third of which use the public access computers, Huff said. This includes 19 public access desktops, 10 computers used for computer classes and one for proctored online tests. Mamies Place has eight public access computers for children, used for schoolwork, games and access to learning resources.

With the new technology and equipment provided by this grant patrons will have the advantage

whether they are checking an email, taking a test, researching family history, job searching, or

catching up on the latest news, Huff said.

Other patrons rely on computer access for job searches, personal admin like insurance and social security and medical appointments, many of which are now online.

As pillars of the community, libraries and museums bring people together by providing

important programs, services, and collections, IMLS director Crosby Kemper said. These institutions are trusted spaces where people can learn, explore and grow. IMLS is proud to support their initiatives through grants as they educate and enhance communities.

The library has just received the funding and will be making purchases every the next several months. Patrons can expect all updates to be implemented by June, Huff said.

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Adelia M. Russell Library awarded technology grant for nearly one-third of residents without broadband - The Alexander City Outlook

The library foundation announced Tuesday, Dec. 8, it has selected JLG Architects to be the project's architect of record and JE Dunn to serve as construction manager. JLG was founded in Grand Forks and now has offices in North Dakota, Minnesota and South Dakota, while JE Dunn, headquartered in Kansas City, has a large footprint across the country, including offices in Dickinson and Williston, N.D. Contract negotiations with both companies are underway, according to a news release.

In September, the foundation picked Norwegian-American architecture firm Snhetta to design the high-profile project. However, library CEO Ed O'Keefe said "its important to have a North Dakota firm take the lead" that's where JLG comes in. The company's "critical role" will involve holding all of the contracts for Snhetta and its subcontractors while working with JE Dunn to "realize the vision of the project," O'Keefe said.

This is a North Dakota initiative bringing North Dakota jobs, said Ken Vein, the library's director of design and construction. The Architect of Record and Construction Manager are just the start of what will be a multi-year, multi-million-dollar investment in North Dakota.

The foundation also announced Tuesday it is adding new offices in Bismarck and Medora, as well as two new full-time staffers in the state. Tony Erickson, of Grand Forks, will serve as the associate director of design and construction, and Amy McCann, of Medora, joins as the administrative director of design and construction, according to the release.

The project has picked up steam in the last six months, culminating in October when the foundation announced it had reached a goal of raising $100 million in private donations, including $50 million from Rob and Melani Walton of the Walmart fortune. The milestone came with the promise of public funding as the foundation unlocked an endowment that Gov. Doug Burgum and the state Legislature approved last year.

As part of the deal to receive public money, the foundation will pay $300,000 to the city of Dickinson as reimbursement for planning on the library that was previously slated for the city. The foundation announced it will also set aside $10 million by the end of 2021 to be given to Dickinson State University to establish a digital archive of Roosevelt-related documents.

The proposed library is meant to honor and recount the complex story of Theodore Roosevelt, the one-time governor of New York who became the 26th president of the United States. As a young man, Roosevelt spent parts of three years hunting and ranching in present-day western North Dakota before his career in national politics took off.

O'Keefe said the foundation hopes to have the library open to the public by 2024 or 2025.

Contact Jeremy Turley at jturley@forumcomm.com or on Twitter at @jeremyjturley.

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North Dakota architecture, construction firms hired to help build Roosevelt library - Grand Forks Herald

Qatar National Library is taking a leading role in preserving the culture and history of Qatar, the Gulf, and the Arab and Islamic worlds. To fulfil this important mission, the Librarys facilities are equipped with the resources, technology and infrastructure to provide the highest quality digitization of heritage items, preserving them and making them accessible to researchers for generations to come, while also making them freely available to the entire world.

Digitization describes a process where physical materials are converted into digital versions which can be understood and stored by computers.The Library has, at the time of writing, digitized over 10 millionpages from various collections including 5 millionArabic pages from Qatar National Librarys Heritage Collection and nearly 2.8 millionpages from the Arabic Collection of New York University.

Digital conversion of materials has advanced rapidly in the past few years, with Qatar National Library at the forefront of this process in the Middle East and on the world stage.The Library digitizes information via Optical Character Recognition (OCR), the technical practice of extracting text from images. The process itself is becoming popular in terms of usage and research, as it spans multiple areas of science, including image processing, machine learning, information retrieval and artificial intelligence.

Hany Abdellatif, Head of Digitization Services at Qatar National Library, is responsible for overseeing the Librarys huge digitization efforts:

Using OCR images brings the documents to life and allows users to discover every bit of information stored within. At the Library, we have mastered multiple techniques and algorithms to capture text; these methods include both human and automated process.

The marriage of human interaction with technological advances, he says, is vital to ensuring the success of the process:

We have built an accurate system which streamlines our work, and harmonizes the roles and responsibilities between humans and machines to reach the maximum quality of the extracted text. With the proper tools and algorithms, the Librarys digitization team has built a system which covers 99% of printed Arabic text based on shape, quality and size. Its a process which has taken some time to master, but we now have a system that is accurate and reliable.

The Librarys digitization technicians scan a wide variety of heritage items, including rare manuscripts, books, maps, newspapers, magazines, photos and microfilms. Technicians then go through each individual item to ensure its quality is controlled, performing tasks such as colour curve correction, editing resolution settings, image compression and noise removal.

Nasser Al-Ansari, Director of IT Operations and Infrastructure at Qatar National Library says the Librarys digitization processes tie inwith its overall mission to preserve Islamic history and culture, and technological advances are making this vision become reality.

The Library is committed to the preservation of heritage items not only in our region, but across the entire Islamic world. We have come a long way in building a reliable process to digitize content for the benefit of spreading rich Arabic knowledge, and we are committed to working harder to fulfil that goal. Having access to the latest technology at the Library enables us to realise this ambition.

In addition to ongoing efforts to digitize the Librarys collections of rare books, manuscripts, maps and photographs, the Librarys Digitization Center works on digitization projects with other heritage collections in Qatar and international institutions. These include projects at New York University (NYU) of more than 8,000 Arabic books in NYU library collections, which will also be available on Qatar National Librarys online platforms.

Nasser Al-Ansari adds: Our teams goals are numerous; we want to increase and enhance the visibility, accessibility and usability of the Librarys collections, and those of other organizations, including unique and rare materials that meet research and educational needs. We also want to provide access to collections at the Library which can no longer be physically available due to their fragile condition.

Preservation has developed into a critically important part of managing Qatar National Librarys most precious assetsits collection. Digitization is a key cog in this process, and the Librarys digitization technicians are acutely aware of the importance of their role.

Hany Abdellatifsays:We also hope to encourage the creation of digital Arabic content, while protecting the original materials by reducing frequent handling during reference use, and maintain important Arab and Islamic heritage and historical materials, preserving our history for many years to come.

Nasser Al-Ansari also sees digitization as complimenting other preservation and conservation services:

Digitization is part of a package of long-term investment for our heritage items, and an important section of our preservation and conservation services. Unlike microfilm, digital images dont help to preserve the original; digitization assists us by reducing physical wear and tear on the original. Its therefore vital that we see digitization not as replacement for a proper preservation program, based on conservation treatments or improved storage conditions, but as part of this holistic process of conservation of our treasures.

Read this article:
Qatar National Library Making Sense of the Past in a Digital World - Al-Bawaba

I am one of the frequent users of the National Library in Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur. I have been using this library for decades. Im extremely disappointed that the National Library has chosen to remain closed for CMCO for several months now.

I, among other users, demand for the management of the National Library to justify its decision to not allow the public to borrow its books as usual. If F&B businesses, retail outlets, and offices are operating as usual, with stringent SOPs such as masks and social distancing, why cant the National Library do the same? After all, that was precisely the SOP that the libraries took between the MCO and CMCO!

I made several trips to the National Library during the several months that it was open this year, and I did not see anything peculiar or risky at all. After all, this is the new norm.

And just how long will the National Library remain closed? Until the end of Covid? Until the vaccine comes?

I thank the National Library for being generous in not issuing fines for books that are returned late due to its closure. However, I am afraid the National Libraries simply does not understand the very trait of its core customers WE WANT TO READ BOOKS! Not just online ones!

Besides, the online books offered by the National Library are extremely limited.

To the National Library (as well as community libraries), please understand your customers!

A VERY FRUSTRATED CUSTOMER

Kuala Lumpur

See the article here:
The National Library does not understand its customers - The Star Online

By Tara OConnor, Local Democracy Reporter

Dozens of families came out to support their local library amid fears council cuts could see it closed for good.

The future of five Croydon libraries has been left hanging in the balance as the council works to close a 67m gap in the budget.

Croydon council has said Broad Green, Bradmore Green, Sanderstead, Shirley and South Norwood libraries could all be lost.

As part of a 500,000 council plan, South Norwood Library was due to move from its current outdated and inaccessible Lawrence Road site into a new space in Station Road, on the ground floor of Brick by Brick development Pump House.

However, a year after it was set to open, building delays mean that the transition is yet to happen. And now the council says it is one of the five in Croydon that may close.

More than 100 protesters gathered outside Pump House on Saturday.

Libby Hamilton, whose petition to save the library has gained 2,600 signatures, said: There was one little kid holding a sign saying whats a library mummy? we really want our children to know what a library is and appreciate it.

Ms Hamilton, who has lived in the area since 2007, works in childrens publishing and regularly takes her two-year-old son Jacob to the library.

She added: We wont find out until January what is being proposed, but whatever happens with the building as a whole, we need a library within that building staffed by librarians.

We are really in danger that the council suggests we have a room full of books managed by volunteers.

It is like saying we can have a disco but no DJ or a church without a pastor.

Childrens author Laura Henry, creator of Jo Jo and Gran Gran on CBeebies, attended the protest.

Afterwards, she tweeted: I lived in South Norwood for 10 years. My sons and I practically lived in this library.

Libraries are the heart of a community and books and reading are super important.

A public consultation on the plans is set to take place, where proposals for the libraries will become cleared.

Last week, cabinet member for leisure, Councillor Oliver Lewis, said: The following factors have been taken into account in our decision making. Things like footfall, book issues, PC sessions, geography, cost of repairs and maintenance.

On that basis we will be going out on consultation on the closure or alternative cost neutral models of operation of five libraries.

The new Friends of South Norwood Library is looking for volunteers to join the group and has planned a zoom meeting for anyone interested on Thursday at 7.30pm.

For more details click here.

Pictured top, and inset, protesters out on force at the weekend

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Dozens of families come out in support of five Croydon libraries threatened with closure - London News Online