Mark Gould's blog

A just released national report reveals that libraries are playing an increased role as technology centers for communities throughout  the United States. Libraries provide essential resources for job-seekers and support for critical e-government services. But there is some bad news. Despite increased demand, budget cuts have forced libraries to scale back drastically on operating hours and access to services.

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Gay and Lesbian Pride Month is celebrated each year during  the month of June. The last Sunday in June is designated  as Gay Pride Day. On June 2, 2000, President Bill Clinton declared June "Gay & Lesbian Pride Month".In 2009, 2010, and 2011 U.S.

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Pam Muñoz Ryan, a long-time advocate on behalf of school libraries, has written more than thirty books for young people. She recently wrote an opinion piece on    the value of school libraries for Sign On San Diego, the website of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

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Deborah Lazar , a school librarian from the north suburbs of Chicago, is on a personal mission to raise funds for Haiti. She hopes her efforts will  build new libraries and restore old ones.

"One question people ask me, especially when they've seen pictures (of the country post-earthquake) is if the basic needs are so great, why do you focus on libraries," Lazar told the Winnetka Patch.

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In early March, HarperCollins, publisher of authors such as Anne Rice, Sarah Palin and Michael Crichton, announced that it will not allow any one copy of its e-books to be checked out from a library more than 26 times. After that, the license on the e-book will expire and libraries will have to decide whether to buy a new one, raising the possibility that e-books that are not repurchased would be available at the library for only about a year.

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More than 900 bookmobiles serve communities throughout the United States. A popular one is operated by the Skokie (Illinois) Public Library, a suburb of 60,000 people just northwest of Chicago. The bookmobile has been serving the community for fifty years.

According to an article in the Skokie News, “…The Skokie Bookmobile has never been more popular than it is right now. It's an often forgotten part of what makes this library so special and has earned it accolades throughout the state and beyond.

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More than two-thirds of adults responding to a January 2011 Harris Poll Quorum (PDF). created for the American Library Association said that the library’s assistance in starting a business or finding a job was important to them. These figures were up from a year earlier, testament both to Americans’ entrepreneurial spirit and libraries’ role in nourishing that spirit.

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Retiring Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley has renovated or built nearly 60 libraries in Chicago during his tenure.