Dear Reader, This past week has been the longest month of the year. A lot has been happening fast. Here’s the latest from Library Journal: The American Library Association canceled its annual conference for the first time since 1945, to slow the spread of COVID-19. The Association is still working hard behind the scenes, however, successfully advocating for library funding in the Congressional stimulus package and proceeding apace with its internal presidential election. Macmillan was the final Big Five Publisher to announce it won’t exhibit at BookExpo, rescheduled from May to July, following Simon & Schuster and HarperCollins earlier in the week; nonetheless Reed Exhibitions has yet to cancel the tradeshow or its associated consumer book fair, BookCon. Both are held at New York’s Javits Center, which is currently repurposed as a hospital. Most U.S. public libraries are finally closed to the public, an LJ survey found, after intense advocacy on the part of librarians. However many still have staff reporting to work onsite, and some are sadly laid off: one such librarian offers financial resources for her colleagues in the same boat. Meanwhile, LJ checks in on Canadian libraries and those around the world. Medical librarians are mostly remote but ready to serve the doctors and nurses fighting the coronavirus while Maker librarians from all types of libraries are turning their skills and equipment to producing personal protective equipment for frontline medical staff whose lives are threatened by shortages. Though many publishers are pushing the publication dates on their forthcoming titles forward to allow for in-person book tours, book sales have proven resilient so far, according to NPD Book Scan authors and other literary luminaries are executing a quick pivot to online conversation, and big book news continue to make headlines: Woody Allen’s memoir found a new publisher and a surprise instant release and Andy Weir, of The Martian fame, announced both a book and a film deal. If you’re looking for titles to beef up your e-collections and promote to your readers who are home and looking for distraction, LJ has you covered with the best of winter/spring debuts; mysteries, suspense and thrillers; horror; sports for those in withdrawal from the canceled seasons; and 80 standout starred titles in all genres and subjects. Need some pure escapism? Check out these virtual tours of eight world-class libraries from around the globe. Last but hopefully not least, LJ and its sister publications have made all their content free to access, so you can get the news you need from wherever you are. And that coverage continues—if your library is providing innovative distance service, let us know on Twitter or Facebook or email me at mschwartz@mediasourceinc.com. Be Well and Stay Safe, Meredith Schwartz Editor-in-Chief |