Library Stuff

Press Release – “Vartan Gregorian, President of Carnegie Corporation of New York, today announced a grant of $5 million to the three New York City public library systems: the New York Public Library, Queens Library and Brooklyn Public Library. The grant will enhance the libraries’ ability to serve the public in general and the city’s 1.1 million public school children in particular.”

WSJ – “Somewhere—maybe forgotten under a sofa cushion, or jammed at the bottom of a long-abandoned backpack—is a copy of “Eating the Alphabet: Fruits & Vegetables from A to Z,” borrowed from the Brooklyn Public Library system on Feb. 28, 2001. It’s time to bring it back. Under a new amnesty program launched Thursday, the city’s three library systems will forgive all penalties on overdue books and other materials checked out by children under age 18. And that includes “Eating the Alphabet,” the Brooklyn system’s longest-lost item checked out by a young patron.

NY Post – “Shakespeare’s plays, Einstein’s theories — and porn queen Jenna Jameson’s steamy online sexcapades.

New Yorkers can take their pick at the city’s public libraries, thanks to a policy that gives adults the most uncensored access to extreme, hard-core Internet smut this side of the old Times Square.

The electronic smut falls under the heading of free speech and the protection of the First Amendment, library officials say.

“Customers can watch whatever they want on the computer,” said Brooklyn Public Library spokeswoman Malika Granville, describing the anything-goes philosophy that’s the rule at the city’s 200-plus branches.”

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