Category Archives: Libraries

Everything was beautiful and nothing hurt

Posted on September 27, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

The Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library opened in a donated storefront in the author’s hometown of Indianapolis in 2011. Over the years, the institution’s success as a tourist attraction and literary pilgrimage site made it obvious that the museum couldn’t … Continue reading →

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Forbidden Reads

Posted on September 25, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

I bet you thought that Banned Books Week would slip by without a mention from me; no chance of that. This week, September 22 through 28 is once again set aside to recognize the threat of censorship to any society. … Continue reading →

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Personal Demons

Posted on September 16, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

While cataloging a medieval manuscript the Centre for Research Collections at the University of Edinburgh encountered a curious text amid various alchemy recipes and treatises: precise instructions on how to summon a demon called Baron, graph included. Very little is … Continue reading →

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From New Zealand With Love

Posted on September 12, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

I’m currently in the middle of trip planning for a three week visit to New Zealand, so I have been reading lots of local media and blogs. In the process, I stumbled upon this heartwarming story about the generosity of … Continue reading →

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This is the month

Posted on September 4, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

September is Library Card Sign-up Month, a time when the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries nationwide join together to remind parents, caregivers and students that signing up for a library card is the first step towards academic achievement and … Continue reading →

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Fantastical Traveler

Posted on September 2, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

On August 22nd the Waukegan Public Library in Waukegan, Illinois, unveiled a 12-foot statue of Ray Bradbury on what would have been the late author’s 99th birthday. The stainless steel sculpture, titled “Fantastical Traveler,” features Bradbury riding a rocket ship … Continue reading →

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I Want A Flybrary Too

Posted on July 18, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Dubbed  “flybraries” ,small libraries filled with books for children, is a new project from EasyJet on its European flights. Over 60,000 books in 7 different languages ​​are available free on board their aircraft. EasyJet has partnered with publisher HarperCollins for the initiative which … Continue reading →

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It’s A Big World After All

Posted on July 4, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

In 1587, Italian cartographer Urbano Monte created the largest known map of Earth. His map consists of 60 panels that were designed to be assembled into a single planisphere —a circular map that rotates about a central axis— measuring 10 … Continue reading →

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Book Rescue

Posted on July 3, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

As a bookseller, one of the frequent calls that I receive is about rescuing wet books. This helpful video tutorial from the Syracuse University Libraries demonstrates one method for intervening to save a book that has been exposed to moisture. … Continue reading →

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where nothing is bought or sold

Posted on June 25, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

To the Central Library

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