The Best Audiobooks of 2023 By Sarah Hashimoto The experiences that authors and narrators supply to those who read with their ears seem to resonate ever more strongly, as our annual list of the best audiobooks, 10 fiction and 10 nonfiction, attests. | Rural Library Collaborative and State Libraries Launch AI Project By Hallie Rich Over the past year, members of the Collaborative Institute for Rural Communities & Librarianship have been working to identify and prioritize key issues affecting the rural community and library ecosystem. On February 1, they announced their first major initiative: the launch of the State Libraries and AI Technologies (SLAAIT) Project. Led by Dr. R. David Lankes, The Virginia & Charles Bowden Professor of Librarianship at the University of Texas at Austin, SLAAIT is a joint project of 14 state libraries and the Gigabit Libraries Network to understand the opportunities, challenges, and risks associated with AI and the library sector. | Artificial Intelligence Discussions Take Prominent Role at LibLearnX 2024 By Matt Enis Artificial intelligence (AI) was a hot topic at this year’s American Library Association LibLearnX conference in Baltimore, January 19–22, with multiple presentations, panels, and workshops covering the technology and its impact on libraries and the people they serve, touching on both AI’s potential and its current flaws. | The Best Videos of 2023 | Features By Jeff T. Dick Film is a deeply satisfying medium, supplying a myriad of delights for those who prefer their stories and learning in visual form. Our list of the best feature films released on DVD/Blu-ray in 2023 ranges from this year’s Oscars contenders to older movies getting fresh editions and attention. | The Best Videos of 2023 | Documentaries By Joshua Blevins Peck Documentary films are a unique visual outlet for creative nonfiction, journalism, memoir, history, and more. Our list of the best documentaries released on DVD/Blu-ray in 2023 explores topics as diverse as sports and space. | Hachette Will Go on the Stock Market | Book Pulse By Sarah Wolberg Hachette’s parent company, Vivendi, will put the publisher on the stock market. Tieshena Davis is elected board chair of the Independent Book Publishers Association; she will be the first person of color to lead the board. In Germany, a nationwide reading competition offers evidence that parents will read more if their children ask to read together. European publishers call on EU committee to approve AI act. | The Women by Kristin Hannah Tops Holds Lists | Book Pulse By Kate Merlene Kristin Hannah’s The Women leads holds this week and is also People’s book of the week. Other buzzy books include titles by Ali Hazelwood, Freida McFadden, and Jonathan Kellerman. Michelle Obama wins the Grammy for best spoken word album, for the narration of her book, The Light We Carry, and J. Ivy’s The Light Inside wins for best spoken word poetry album. Audiofile announces the February 2024 Earphones Award winners. | Shortlist for Bread and Roses Award for Radical Publishing | Book Pulse By Sarah Wolberg The shortlists are announced for the Bread and Roses Award for Radical Publishing and the Pol Roger Duff Cooper Prize. The longlist for the Republic of Consciousness Prize is released. The owner of the Hugo Awards trademark has censured the administrators of the 2023 Chengdu Hugos and announced several resignations. Anne Edwards, the “Queen of Biography,” has died at 96. Horror writer Brian Lumley has died at 86. Plus new title best sellers. | Audie Awards Finalists Are Announced | Book Pulse By Kate Merlene Finalists for the 2024 Audie Awards are announced. Good Material by Dolly Alderton is February’s Read with Jenna pick. LibraryReads and LJ offer read-alikes for House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas. Interviews arrive with Kiley Reid, Dolly Alderton, Emily Nagoski, Sarah Ditum, Alexander Sammartino, and Amina Akhtar. Gillian Flynn’s Dark Places will be adapted as a limited series at HBO. | WEB-FIRST REVIEWS OF BOOKS AND MEDIA | Nino Bulling's Firebugs is a starred graphic novel. "A tender, probing exploration of queer identity in a world seemingly on the verge of collapse, brought to life with warmth and grace by Bulling’s (Cutes: Collected Queer and Trans Comics) exceptionally fluid, emotionally evocative linework." The Wives: A Memoir, by Simone Gorrindo, is a starred memoir. "A fearless, engaging, and important memoir about how one person’s decision to serve in the military affects their entire family. Readers will learn the true meaning of military service through the wider lens of its impact on families and communities." Leadership from Bad to Worse: What Happens When Bad Festers, by Barbara Kellerman, is a starred Business & Management selection. "This work nicely addresses the chaos that afflicts government and business and emphasizes the troubling increased support of today’s demagogues. It’s a reminder that the time to turn from this dangerous path is quickly running out. Essential for libraries supporting political science and business curricula." See All Reviews››› | Job Zone utilizes unique job matching technology to help you find the perfect job (and employers find the perfect candidate), whether you’re actively seeking or just keeping an eye out for your possibilities. 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Wake County Public Libraries is seeking a Library Director. | |