Last week it was announced that Better World Books has raised $4.5 million including a $2.5 commitment from the Social Enterprise Expansion Fund of Good Capital.I have been following this company for a while and on the face of things they are doing many positive things and are deserving but there is something unsettling about this company. As much as I desire to support a socially responsible company involved with books something about Better World Books just doesn't sit right with me. They seem to be lacking a sense of humility and transparency that I would think would need to...
A New Dawn at the Library of Congress
Tomorrow for the first time in 18 years the bronze doors leading to the Great Hall of the Thomas Jefferson Building will open to the public and the Library of Congress Experience will begin.The LOC Experience is the marriage of some of the treasures of the world's largest library with the latest interactive technology. These new technologies "will make the Library of Congress and its collections more dynamic and accessible than ever."The "new exhibitions enhanced by interactive technology will offer a chance to experience rare and unique items, such as the rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, the Gutenberg...
Emory University Unleashes The Danowski Poetry Collection
Emory University kicked off National Poetry Month with a bang. They had three Pulitzer Prize winning poets (Mark Strand, W.D. Snodgrass and Richard Wilbur) headlining a conference titled “A Fine Excess: A Three-Day Celebration of Poetry.” It was during this event that Emory took the wraps off what some say is the most important collection of English-language poetry in the world. It was the first public display of the fruits of the Raymond Danowski Poetry Library which they acquired in 2004. The 75,000 rare books, posters, periodicals and recordings that make up the collection is "a nearly complete record of...
AbeBooks to Buy Chrislands
AbeBooks will announce shortly that have acquired Chrislands.Chrislands is a company that provides low-cost websites to online booksellers. For as little as $19.99 a month and a $200 set up fee they can get you enjoying all the benefits of e-commerce.Apparently, as with all of AbeBooks past acquisitions, they will continue to exist independently of the mothership.No telling how this fits into Abe's overall strategy.
Book Neglect : Russian Style
Images from an abandoned library somewhere in Russia.Are there are too many books in the world?Unless this is a Friends of the Library reject pile something has gone terribly wrong.A few more images at English RussiaThanks to The Millions for the lead