Here is this week’s roundup of library news:

US Library News:

Public libraries vital role in digital empowerment (Digital Libraries Hub) – Infographic about the digital services libraries supply to communities.

New/Updated Resource Guides For Three Public Health Topics in the News (Infodocket) The Flint water crisis, the Califormia methane gas leak and the Zikka virus health risk are all matters of extreme interest right now.

Beyond Books: Why Some Libraries Now Lend Tools, Toys and More (US News & World Report) – The Library of Things: there is more than books, music and films available at your library now.

What happens when libraries are asked to help the homeless find shelter (Washington Post) – We are demanding a lot more of our libraries. Are the social services they are being asked to provide interfering with the libraries’ core mission?

California: First class of LA library’s online high school completion program earns diplomas (My News LA) – What an amazing idea for a Library Program!

International Library News:

Australia: Inside the NSW State Library’s $72m digitisation program (IT News) – How a 188 year old library struggles to preserve and access its content in the digital age.

Dubai to build Dh1 billion library shaped like a book (Gulf News) – Designed to hold millions of books, the library and culture center is intended to bridge the learning gap in the Arab world.

Policy and Privacy:

Designing for the Library Website (Michigan University Library) – There’s an specific set of goals and challenges in designing a library website.

OverDrive Local Content Lets Libraries Upload, Grow Their Local eBook Catalog (The Digital Reader) – As more and more people are publishing, the ability to add local authors to a library’s catalog is a necessary function.

Both LYRASIS and DuraSpace Boards Approve “Intention to Merge” But Deal Not Final (Infodocket) – LYRASIS and DuraSpace both provide important services to libraries,  archives and museums. They are seeking feedback from member organizations.

The IFLA Position on Public Lending Right (2016) (IFLA) – Public Lending Rights (PLR) don’t apply to ebooks and don’t exist in a lot of countries. Can we balance the rights of authors and users?

Copyright:

Europe’s top court mulls legality of hyperlinks to copyrighted content (Ars Technica) – One change in EU copyright law could threaten the Internet as we know it.

Reference and Statistics: 

New/Updated Resource Guides For Three Public Health Topics in the News (Infodocket) – Updated information on the Zika virus, the Lead in the Flint, Michigan Water supply crisis and the Aliso Canyon Natural Gas (Methane) Leak.

Reference: Facts and Stats About the Black Population in the United States (Black History Month 2016) (Infodocket) – Resourcesfor Black History Month

Digital Collections:

MSU Library, Yellowstone park launch ‘Yellowstone Collection (Montana University)

Plan to Digitize 32 Years of PBS NewsHour Programs (1975-2007) and Make Them Available Online Announced Today (Infodocket)

Idaho: Attorney General Makes Catalogue of Opinions, Annual Reports Available to the Public (AG.Idaho.gov)

Database of classical works now freely searchable (Cornell Challenge)

About once a week, I post links to digital-related library news articles and information about digital collections available online.  I also post other links of interest about the digital life daily on the Google Plus eBook Evangelist Page.