After a federal judge overturned the dissolution of the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences, the agency has reinstated all of their federal grants. “This action supersedes any prior notices which may have been received related to grant termination,” according to a notice on their website. “Grantees should access the agency’s electronic grants management system for further information.” “Restoration of these grants is a massive win for libraries of all kinds in all states,” American Library Association president Sam Helmick said in a statement. “Every public, school and academic library and their patrons benefit from the research findings and program […]
Libraries
Preliminary Injunction Halts Cuts to IMLS
Twenty-one states won a preliminary injunction against the Executive Order to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Minority Business Development Agency, and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. The court also denied a request by the defendants, which include President Trump, to stay the decision for seven days. “This Executive Order violates the Administrative Procedures Act in the arbitrary and capricious way it was carried out,” Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. writes in an order from the US District Court of Rhode Island. “It also disregards the fundamental constitutional role of each of the branches of our […]
Judge Issues “Narrow TRO” Blocking Further Dismantling of the IMLS
The American Library Association has won an initial victory in its lawsuit to block the dismantling of the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services. US District Court Judge Richard J. Leon agreed to “issue a narrow TRO preserving the status quo as of this Order.” That restraining order prevents for now “any further actions to dissolve IMLS or its operations,” including no further layoffs or placing of employees on administrative leave. Additionally, the agency “shall not further pause, cancel or otherwise terminate IMLS contracts or fail to fund such grants or contracts” for any reason other than contractual non-compliance. […]
Hoopla Removes Summary Titles, AI-Generated Content
Hoopla is working to remove AI-generated books from its platform, which provides ebooks to libraries, 404 Media reports. According to an email the company sent to libraries, they have removed some publishers and authors that provide “poor-quality and/or poor-quality AI-generated content.” They also told librarians that they are removing all summary titles “with some exceptions” (like CliffNotes), updating their “collection development policy to ensure we adhere to and evolve with industry best practices,” and giving librarians the option of contacting Hoopla directly.
IPG to Offer Client Digital Product to Libraries for Perpetual Access
Independent Publishers Group (IPG) has paired with the Digital Public Library of America to offer “tens of thousands of ebook and audiobook titles” from a number of their publisher clients for outright purchase and perpetual access, rather than time- or usage-limited access. IPG recently sold their digital distribution business to Bookwire. Clearly welcomed by libraries, unfortunately the announcement engages in inflammatory and disingenuous rhetoric. They claim that, “Since the advent and spread of digital content, libraries have only been able to license ebooks and audiobooks from publishers and aggregators with no option to buy, trapping libraries in licensing agreements where […]
NYPL Tries New “Orphan” Works Workaround
The New York Public Library has developed a novel, permission-based approach to try to bring potentially in-copyright “orphan works” of scholarship back into general availability. The problem, as they have identified through a variety of efforts, is that often neither the author not the publisher is certain whose permission is needed to digitize and make available out-of-print or otherwise commercially dormant books that may still be covered by copyright. And the expense — and potential liability — of doing the research or granting permission without certainty about the rights makes the risks outweigh the potential benefits of agreeing to republication. […]