Libraries remained mostly strong at the ballot in 2024, but a decline in construction initiatives and tightening budgets speak to the need for increasingly strategic advocacy.
On March 5, Clarivate issued an update to its February 18 announcement of a new subscription-based content access strategy for ebooks and digital collections, acknowledging the need for community consultation and a new transition timeline. Because customers expressed that “the original communicated dates for the last orders would pose a considerable challenge,” the open letter stated, Clarivate will extend the ability to make perpetual purchases of print and ebooks on all platforms—including Ebook Central, OASIS, Rialto, and GOBI—through June 30, 2026.
Artificial intelligence is not a solution—it’s a tech tool that is only useful when it actually solves problems for learners and librarians. AI is everywhere you look today, from the big three search engines to the local library.
The Harvard Law School Library Innovation Lab has created a data vault to download, authenticate, and provide access to copies of public government data that may be in danger of disappearing. The project will collect major portions of the datasets tracked by data.gov, federal GitHub depositories, and PubMed—information of value for researchers, scholars, and policymakers. When the public-facing site launched on February 6, the data vault had collected metadata and primary contents for more than 300,000 datasets available on data.gov.
Many of the more than 80 executive orders issued by President Trump since Inauguration Day affect K-12 education, schools, and students as the Department of Education faces cuts from Elon Musk's DOGE group and a declaration for the department's "final mission" from new secretary of education Linda McMahon.
In 1987, Women’s History Month was formally recognized by presidential proclamation as a monthlong celebration to honor women’s contributions, accomplishments, and voices throughout U.S. history. The following books spotlight extraordinary women from the distant and not-so-distant past—women both imagined and real, both famous and little-known, coming from diverse cultures, countries, and continents.
James Tejani’s A Machine To Move Ocean and Earth: The Making of the Port of Los Angeles and America and Kathleen DuVal’s Native Nations: A Millennium in North America win the Bancroft Prize for books about U.S. history. Sophie Elmhirst’s Maurice and Maralyn: An Extraordinary True Story of Shipwreck, Survival and Love wins the Nero Gold prize. The Women’s Prize for Fiction longlist is announced. The publishing industry prepares for new U.S. tariffs. Plus, interviews with Laila Lalami, Lidia Yuknavitch, and Bruce Vilanch and new title bestsellers.
The Libby Award winners are announced, including Kristin Hannah’s The Women and Erik Larson’s The Demon of Unrest. The Audie Award winners are announced, with Barbra Streisand’s My Name Is Barbra winning Audiobook of the Year. Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hallis is Reese Witherspoon’s March book club pick. LibraryReads and LJ offer read-alikes for top holds title Blood Moon by Sandra Brown. Anthony Hopkins will release his memoir We Did OK, Kid on November 4. Plus, director Jon M. Chu previews the forthcoming Crazy Rich Asians TV series, based on the books by Kevin Kwan.
All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman leads holds this week. Also in demand are titles by Chris Bohjalian, Karen Russell, Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles, and Colleen Oakley. People’s book of the week is Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall. April's Indie Next Preview features #1 pick Tilt by Emma Pattee. Plus, Hoda Kotb announces a new book, Jump and Find Joy, due out September 23.
By Theresa Coleman, Mara Bandy Fass, and Annabelle Mortensen
Blood Moon by Sandra Brown is the top holds title of the week. LibraryReads and Library Journal offer read-alikes for patrons waiting to read this buzziest book.
The longlist for the Biographers International Organization’s Plutarch Award, the longlist for the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction by women and nonbinary writers, the finalists for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, and the shortlist for the Lionel Gelber Prize for books about international affairs are announced. Jenni Fagan’s memoir Ootlin wins the Gordon Burn Prize. The Help author Kathryn Stockett will publish her second novel in April 2026. Plus, Page to Screen and interviews with Abdulrazak Gurnah, Agustina Bazterrica, Zadie Smith, and Dennis Lehane.
The Sixth Wisconsin and the Long Civil War: The Biography of a Regiment, by James Marten, is a starred history selection. "Of great interest and value to Civil War enthusiasts, historians, and students, Marten’s account offers a detailed exploration of the war’s long-term impact. The book’s literary quality is exceptional, presenting a well-researched and engaging narrative that captivates from start to finish." In social sciences, Viet Thanh Nguyen's To Save and To Destroy: Writing as an Other is a starred title. "An essential addition for collections about the process and theory of writing, authors of diverse backgrounds, and particularly the experiences of Asian Americans, immigrants, and refugees in the United States." And Cataloging Library Resources: An Introduction, by Marie Keen Shaw, is a starred pro media selection. "A well-written, user-friendly text specifically geared toward library support staff and aligned with ALA’s Library Support Staff Certification. Best suited for staff members with little cataloguing experience who need to process materials, but also useful as a refresher for anyone who does not catalogue on a regular basis."
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