(Nov 2020) News from the Philippines Association of Academic/Research Librarians: The 2020 PAARL Awards is now open for nominations for the following categories: • Academic Librarian of the Year • Outstanding Academic/Research Library of the Year Award • Outstanding Library Program Award • Innovative Library Design Award Please submit your nominations not later than…
(18 Nov 2020) The Japan Alliance of University Library Consortia for E-Resources (JUSTICE) and Elsevier, a global leader in research publishing and information analytics, have signed an agreement on a new three-year proposal for subscription publishing with measures to support Japan’s open access (OA) goals, effective January 1, 2021. This is the first such agreement for Elsevier in Japan…
(14 November 2020) Australia’s peak national library bodies want to see the federal government adopt a policy and strategy for combating misinformation and disinformation among individuals of all ages. The Australian Libraries and Information Association (ALIA), National and State Libraries Australia (NSLA) and National Archives of Australia all spoke of the looming threat of…
(7 Nov 2020) News from Japan: The Agency for Cultural Affairs is considering Copyright Law revisions to allow libraries to send digital versions of books directly to readers’ computers or smartphones, triggering fears among publishing houses of copyright infringement and a flood of pirated works. One proposal is to weaken the control copyright…
(20 Oct 2020) For a book lover, stepping into a bookstore is always exciting, but a new bookstore in China makes the experience absolutely spellbinding. Dujiangyan Zhongshuge, located in Chengdu, was designed by Shanghai-based architecture firm X+Living, which has created several locations for Zhongshuge. The two-story space appears cathedral-like, thanks to the mirrored ceilings and…
(11 Nov 2020) Rachel Esson has been appointed as New Zealand’s National Librarian Te Pouhuaki. Rachel takes up the role from within the National Library, where she currently serves as Director for Content Services. Te Tari Taiwhenua| Internal Affairs Deputy Chief Executive Information and Knowledge Services Peter Murray says this appointment panel was looking…
(12 Nov 2020) Overseas Vietnamese scientist Vo Ta Han has given 9,338 books, worth over VND26 billion (US$1.15 million), to universities in Vietnam. Scientist Han yesterday donated 942 books worth nearly VND3 billion ( or $130,397) to the library of the Ho Chi Minh City-based Van Hien University through the city Committee for Overseas…
(2 Nov 2020) News from Australia: One of the country’s major cultural institutions has admitted it failed to properly pay holiday and weekend penalty rates to more than 100 casual staff for two decades to the tune of $245,000. The National Library of Australia has agreed to pay back all the affected workers…
(5 Nov 2020) A rare 17th-century French book on Confucius, which was given as a national gift to President Xi Jinping by French President Emmanuel Macron last year, was officially handed over to the National Library of China in Beijing on Wednesday. Confucius ou la Science des Princes (Confucius, or the Science of the Princes),…
(5 Nov 2020) COVID-19 has transformed academic publishing, for books and journals. In this post Min Pun, shares his experiences as editor of two journals in Nepal. He outlines some of the opportunities posed by COVID-19, including the increased demand for research. However, there are also multiple barriers to the production and dissemination of knowledge…