CLEM FATALE HAS BEEN BETRAYED

April 4, 2025 8:30 am ,

London, 1951: Clem Fatale, the youngest crook in the city, is on a mission to find her dad. Jimmy Fatale, notorious jewel thief and leader of the Spider Gang, has gone missing and with him the greatest prize in London: the Fool’s Canary.

Along with her prisoner and/or sidekick Gilbert (depends who you’re asking), Clem sets off on a rip-roaring chase through the London underworld. Racing through dodgy dives, glamorous nightclubs, greasy spoons and secret alleyways, Clem and Gilbert are soon pursued by a host of friends and foes.

Will Clem find her father in time? Or will the most sinister villain this side of the river put a stop to all her plans?

A rollicking middle grade series full of madcap escapades, fast-talking dames and unlikely heroes, perfect for fans of MURDER MOST UNLADYLIKE, ENOLA HOLMES, ADVENTURES ON TRAINS and Katherine Woodfine.

illustrated by Honie Beam

Eve really has written the ultimate pacey thriller for MG readers, literally every page has drama and/or intrigue. I read pretty fast and felt quite breathless with how quickly everything happened! She had good reasons for writing in this way, and she has written a fab piece for TeenLibrarian about it:

How to help dyslexic children foster a love of books by Eve Wersocki-Morris

When I wrote my latest book, Clem Fatale Has Been Betrayed, my central aim was to make it entertaining. I packed in twists and turns, mysteries and moments of mayhem, whenever I felt like a chapter was getting a little too slow. I have always liked fast and funny books. As a child, I really struggled to read some of the long, complicated epics my classmates were reading – no matter how beautiful the covers or how much my friends raved about the stories. I found it really hard to focus on books which had more description than action and always found my mind wandering off (often coming up with my own story based on the beautiful illustrations on the book’s cover).

When I was twelve years old I was diagnosed with dyslexia. I was really worried that this meant books weren’t for me. Luckily books and I have continued to have a lifelong friendship!

Here are some of my top tips in helping dyslexic kids engage with books:

  1. Let them pick their own books – I soon found out that I liked fast and exciting books with lots of action. Even if I didn’t understand every word, finding out what happened next helped keep me motivated to read on!
  2. Listening to audiobooks is good – the recent NLT research has shown us that children and young people are listening to a lot of audio and podcasts. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I loved audiobooks as a child. I loved listening to them over and over again and then going away and re-reading the physical book. Even if I was often reading by memory, it helped give me confidence and enjoyment in reading alone.
  3. Talk as you read – books are for fun! Stories are for sharing! Parents and teachers, when you’re listening to a dyslexic child read aloud make sure you get them excited in the story. Discuss clues and theories – don’t focus too much on the words they’ve got wrong.

Books are for everyone and we shouldn’t let anyone miss out on the amazing worlds inside their pages.

Clem Fatale Has Been Betrayed by Eve Wersocki-Morris is out now (Little Tiger)

Eve Wersocki Morris grew up in North London and has been making up stories her whole life. Diagnosed with dyslexia aged 12 and called out by a teacher as the ‘worst speller in the class’, she is now the author of two novels for older MG readers, with her debut The Bird Singers now nominated for multiple awards. A standout performer at school events thanks to a background in drama, Eve is also a volunteer with Coran Beanstalk Literary Charity.

Posted in: essays, MG

Libraries Hit by IMLS Defunding

April 3, 2025 7:58 pm ,

Libraries across the country have started feeling the effects of the IMLS being effectively shut down and having grants cancelled. If you search for IMLS on any social media site you will see dismayed reports from Libraries and Library Workers documenting in real time what is happening in their branches.

The Hoopla digital service has become an early casualty in a number of library services affected by the cuts. The Columbus-Lowndes Public Library, Tombigee Regional Library System, Jackson George Regional Library System, and the First Regional Library System are services that have posted on their social media sites that due to grants being cancelled Hoopla was no longer available to their patrons.

Hoopla is a relatively expensive service for libraries to provide and even before DOGE took aim at the IMLS libraries were letting their subscriptions to the service lapse.

On March 24, Sacramento Public Library announced that they were discontinuing Hoopla on May 4th. While the timing could have been coincidental, coming soon after DOGE first entered IMLS headquarters, it may be that they moved to preemptively offset a potential loss of grant funding.

As Libraries discover what the loss of essential grants entail, it is likely that more will be forced to cancel their subscriptions to popular, yet costly digital services.

I will be documenting the effects of the IMLS cuts as and when news from libraries across the US breaks. If any library workers and/or patrons discover what is happening in their libraries you can contact me confidentially here if you wish to share this information.

The Dixie Regional Library System and Blackmur Memorial Library have also announced a pause on Hoopla due to IMS defunding. The Library of Hattiesburg, Petal, and Forrest County has announced a reduction from eight to four monthly loans on Hoopla, they are currently able to do this thanks to continuing county support.

State Libraries have started receiving notifications that their LSTA grants have been terminated:

I've obtained a copy of the letter sent by IMLS Acting Director Keith Sonderling to state library grantees letting them know their funding was being pulled, effective immediately:

— Marisa Kabas (@marisakabas.bsky.social) 2025-04-03T18:47:21.193Z

The California State Library has been notified by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) that, effective April 1, 2025, the 2024-25 federal grant awarded under the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) has been terminated.

Posted in: Libraries, News

(Don’t Create) the Library Torment Nexus

April 1, 2025 6:46 pm ,

I have been doing some deep thinking about the use of AI in Libraries, and like many other colleagues I reached the inescapable conclusion that there is currently no ethical way to use generative AI at all, let alone within Libraries.

As information professionals, Library Workers have historically and contemporaneously firmly positioned ourselves on the side of copyright protection and against piracy and intellectual property theft. It is widely documented that generative AI programs have been trained on illegally downloaded and stolen materials so I am constantly being surprised and horrified when I see colleagues gushing about how much fun they are having learning to use generative AI in their libraries, “It saves so much time”, “I no longer have to think too much about creating lesson plans”. I have been urged not to worry too much about it as AI is the wave of the future and that there is a push to get governments to regulate the companies creating AI programs to make sure that AI training is done legally, but the genie is out of the bottle on that one and barely a day goes by without authors and artists posting more evidence that their works have been stolen by multi-billion dollar organizations to feed the beasts that are their generative AI programs.

Libraries are not immune to the looming threat of generative AI, there have already been reports of AI slop (this is a real term for works created by AI trained on pirated works) appearing on digital platforms such as Hoopla that are available through libraries. I fear that in the not too distant future library services will incorporate AI programs to complement and eventually cut down on paid staff.

Databases containing information about read-alikes, pen names, ghost writers, genres as well as every user-generated tag and category you can think of will be fed into a program that will be able to spit out recommendations when a patron types in a question looking for more books in specific genres or on certain subjects. If such a program is integrated into library management software it will eventually be able to create a patron profile and generate suggestions based on a patron’s reading history and general preferences as well as their use of library digital media and what they access online through library computers. The potential for privacy violations aside, this type of program may end up funneling readers into a reading cul-de-sac, keeping them reading books that they like, which may not seem like a problem but this could prevent them from finding new authors, or reading outside their comfort zones and broadening their reading horizons.

If library services are outsourced and run by for profit entities that own publishing companies, it is entirely possible that an AI program will eventually have enough data scraped from library users to determine the most popular items loaned out by the library; books and stories can then be algorithmically generated, then published by the publishing arm of the company (or just be made available in e-format to keep physical costs down), the local authority that pays the company to run their libraries will be charged for these slop titles that are placed into the collection. They will be catalogued by another AI program and made generally available for library users, eventually it will become a perfect circle of AI generated works based on other slop works that were once based off actual works created by humans.

This horror story may seem like the stuff of paranoid fantasy, but with the current push for AI in all industries it is only a matter time before it is integrated into pubic services and services that once relied on human interaction will be rolled into an customized library AI program.

Posted in: Advocacy, i-Brarian, Libraries

Responses to the IMLS Raid from Libraries across the USA

March 26, 2025 11:31 pm ,

This is a round up of responses to the DOGE raid on the IMLS from Libraries and Library Associations from around the United States. Obviously it is not an exhaustive list but I will add links as they pop up on my radar.

Michigan

Michigan Library Association https://www.milibraries.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1744%3Ajoint-statement-on-imls-from-michigan-libraries–museums–and-archives—advocacy—news—michigan-library-association&catid=27%3Anews-mla&Itemid=292

Peter White PL Michigan https://pwpl.info/post-4169/#

California

San Carlos Library (California) https://sancarlosfriendsofthelibrary.org/2025/03/20/library-supporters-take-action-now/

California Library Association: https://www.cla-net.org/news/news.asp?id=696351

California infographic https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.cla-net.org/resource/resmgr/legislative/legislative_priorities/savelsta_funding.pdf

Montana

Montana Libraries: https://montanansforlibraries.org/mla-statement-on-the-executive-order-to-eliminate-imls/

South Dakota

South Dakota https://www.sdlibraryassociation.org/page/Advocacy

Minnesota

Minnesota Library Association: https://www.mnlibraryassociation.org/news/696318/MLA-Statement-on-the-Executive-Order-Targeting-the-Institute-of-Museum-and-Library-Services-IMLS-.htm

Wisconsin

Madison Wisconsin: https://www.cityofmadison.com/news/2025-03-19/local-museums-and-libraries-rally-support-for-the-institute-of-museum-and-library

Kenosha Library Wis: https://mykpl.info/blogs/post/building-opportunity-why-imls-funding-matters/

New York

New York Library Association: https://nyla.memberclicks.net/assets/ADVOCACY/Legislative-Initiatives/NYLA%20-%20Statement%20on%20EO%20to%20eliminate%20IMLS.pdf

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Library Association: https://www.masslib.org/public-statements.html

Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners: https://mblc.state.ma.us/mblc_blog/ & https://mblc.state.ma.us/federal-cuts.php

Vermont

Vermont Library Association: https://vermontlibraries.org/vermont-library-association-statement-of-support-of-the-institute-of-museum-and-library-services

Brooks Memorial Library Vermont: https://brookslibraryvt.org/2025/03/21/imls-executive-order/

Springfield Town Library Vermont: https://www.facebook.com/100064776275606/posts/1067704085398791/?_rdr

New Hampshire

Portsmouth Public Library NH https://www.portsmouthnh.gov/library/news/IMLS

Paul Memorial Library NH https://newfieldslibrary.org/important-info-on-library-services-in-nh/

Manchester Libraries NH https://manchesterlibrary.org/read/36990

Maine

Maine Libraries Association: https://www.mainelibraries.org/News/13476036

York Public Library Maine https://yorkpubliclibrary.org/the-institute-for-museum-and-library-services-york-public-library/

New Jersey

New Jersey Library Association https://www.njla.org/news/institute-of-museum-and-library-services-imls

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Library News: https://compendium.ocl-pa.org/imls-update/

Virginia

Virginia https://www.facebook.com/LibraryofVA/posts/pfbid0PnYA6yk8USXt1wopdzPx5eaXZFWXDUvHiWc8ULRBT5nZTj97tswuoYwkopVLYvVtl

West Virginia

Brook County Libraries West Virginia https://www.brookecountylibs.org/post/imls-funding-issues

Indiana

Pulaski County Public Library Indiana https://www.pulaskicounty.lib.in.us/blog-entries/federal-imls-funding-cuts-how-might-affect-pcpl

Illinois

Illinois RAILS https://railslibraries.org/news/120102

Illinois Heartland Library System: https://www.illinoisheartland.org/news/content/march-14-executive-order-imls-funding

Missouri

Boonslick regional Library MO https://www.boonslickregionallibrary.com/2025/03/18/new-executive-orders-potential-impact-on-libraries/

Cass County Library MO https://www.casscolibrary.org/library-funding-in-jeopardy/

Kentucky

Kentucky Library Association https://www.thelakenews.com/articles/state-library-executives-send-out-call-for-kentuckians-to-support-the-institute-of-museum-and-library-services/

Mississippi

Mississippi Library Association https://mla42.wildapricot.org/

Louisiana

Livingstone Parish Library Alliance Louisiana https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02q3vD79suuSTcJUb7hrUmdCCNtVE58W8duBm5HJ6caNz2MTNGSzRu9LNVGJLbK7Srl&id=100085642450138

Oklahoma

Friends of Libraries in Oklahoma https://www.facebook.com/FOLIOOKFriends/photos/update-on-imls-funding-from-the-oklahoma-state-librarian-natalie-curriethe-imls-/1047848477368568/?_rdr

Kansas

Johnson County Library Kansas https://jocolibrary.org/our-stories/imls-executive-order-what-know

Kansas Library Association: https://www.facebook.com/kansaslibraryassociation/posts/pfbid02AeMp3LYqwztdoJPY72Gg5ZWRRUKxTdo65gLijNRtaL9hmx85wEjCe6dqd1YUZnJtl

Other

Mid America Arts Alliance https://www.facebook.com/kcmaaa/posts/-urge-your-senators-and-representatives-to-protect-imls-funding-share-this-alert/1481718886531930/

Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) https://www.apalaweb.org/apala-statement-on-executive-order-to-dismantle-imls-2025/

Posted in: Advocacy, Libraries, News

What will be lost if the IMLS is dismantled?

March 20, 2025 6:56 pm ,

The Institute of Museum and Library Services funds hundreds of initiatives in museums and libraries across the USA. Most of these are invisible because they just work and they support projects that most people don’t notice because they have always been there or are services that are so closely intertwined with the mission of libraries that it seems impossible to imagine that they may not always be available.

These are just some of the essential services that are covered in many libraries by the IMLS.

Are you aware that Inter-Library Loans (ILL) are made possible through IMLS funding? Find out more here: https://action.everylibrary.org/imlsill

Broadband access: Libraries play a significant role in providing digital access and encouraging adoption of internet use, which impacts the health and vitality of communities. The IMLS FY 2015 Public Library Survey showed that 99.2% of public libraries provide internet access. IMLS’s largest grant program, Grants to States, helps libraries assess connectivity needs, procure affordable broadband services, complete E-rate applications, train staff, and obtain technology.

Veteran Services: Community Salute is an IMLS initiative aimed at strengthening the ability of libraries, archives, and museums (LAMs) to respond to the needs of the nation’s 22 million veterans and military families.

Maker Spaces: IMLS funds important work to advance research, promote professional development, and support promising practices for makerspaces and maker programming nationwide. 

Early Learning: IMLS supports the goals of the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. In recent years, the agency has invested over $2 million in grants to libraries and museums to improve school readiness, reduce summer reading loss, and lower chronic school absence.

Workforce Development: IMLS supports grants to states that promote workforce development through libraries. In the latest Five-Year Plans (2023-2027) from the State Library Administrative Agencies, over half of states and territories (53%) indicated activities related to workforce development, and almost half (44%) indicated plans to coordinate with workforce agencies. Grant-funded library projects demonstrate a range of approaches.

Digital Initiatives: Expanding digital access: IMLS supports projects that increase digital inclusion, broadband access, and digital literacy, giving communities access to information on a wide spectrum of topics, such as education, workforce development, public safety, and health.

Digitizing collections: New technologies help museums improve how they collect, preserve, and enable the use of cultural collections. IMLS supports projects that expand the capacity of museums to serve as memory institutions.

Facilitating open research: Researchers and scholars rely on digital technologies like open source software, as well as open science, open scholarship, and open data. IMLS supports grants that build the technology used for research and scholarly communications.

Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response: IMLS has invested in building the capacity of museums and libraries to prepare for and respond to disasters. As holders of cultural and natural heritage, these institutions can experience catastrophic losses as the result of natural and other disasters; however, they can also be integral to community efforts to recover and build resilience.

Accessibility: IMLS funding helps increase accessibility and maximize inclusion at museums and libraries throughout the nation. Grant projects have focused on improving the accessibility of nature center wildlife trails, training school librarians to better serve students with disabilities, and developing services for children with autism spectrum disorders.

STEM: IMLS supports STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education through discretionary grant programs, the Grants to States program, and special initiatives.

Civic Engagement: IMLS has a proud legacy of supporting the critical work that museums and libraries do to engage the citizens in their communities and expand access to and information on voting.

Discover what the IMLS has funded on a state by state level: IMLS Interactive Map

Posted in: Advocacy, Libraries

The Institute of Museum and Library Services

March 20, 2025 3:37 pm ,

UPDATE:

On Monday March 31st, journalist Marisa Kabas broke the news that staff at IMLS were being placed on administrative leave for up to 90 days:

This is the email just received by IMLS staffers placing them on paid administrative leave for up to 90 days. “Please understand that this action is not punitive but rather is taken to facilitate the work and operations of the agency.”

— Marisa Kabas (@marisakabas.bsky.social) 2025-03-31T18:56:42.273Z

This will effectively halt all work being done by employees at the Institute. There are also, as yet uncorroborated reports that a swathe of grants and contracts are in the process of being cancelled.

The DOGE Axe Comes for Libraries and Museums – Wired

The Institute of Museum and Library Services has long received bipartisan support. But after years of trying, President Donald Trump has delivered it a crushing blow.

EveryLibrary Statement on IMLS Staff Administrative Leave:

EveryLibrary expresses deep appreciation and unwavering support for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) staff, who were placed on administrative leave as of today following the Trump Administration’s Executive Order…

The Institute for Museum and Library Services Was Just Gutted – Kelly Jensen Book Riot

Entire staff at federal agency that funds libraries and museums put on leave – NPR

Created by an Act of Congress (the Museum and Library Services Act of 1996) The Institute of Museum Services, which was established in 1976 was merged with the Library Programs Office of the Department of Education. By doing this, Congress achieved the aim of creating an agency that could strategically support libraries and museums in the USA.

The IMLS is the main source of Federal support for Libraries and Museums in the USA. The mission of IMLS is to advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. [source: https://www.imls.gov/about/learn-about-imls/our-mission-vision]

On March 14, President Donald Trump targeted the IMLS and several other agencies in the Executive Order titled Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy. Now as the IMLS was created by an Act of Congress, a mere EO is not enough (legally speaking) to destroy a Federal Agency, but as the actions of the current administration via the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have run roughshod over the parts of the federal government that President Trump and other members of the cabal running the US government disagree with have shown, until courts and Congress stand up against this lawlessness, they seem set on ignoring the checks and balances that have formed part of the US government since it was founded.

So libraries that are reliant on IMLS grants to keep their doors open may have service standards imposed upon them to keep their funding or face massive staff cuts and even closure. Of course it will be painted as IMLS grants paying for Drag Queen Storytimes and DEI events. Focusing on the worst human impulses to support what is being done – You don’t want YOUR tax dollars to pay for that do you? The fraud/waste/abuse playbook is already in play across the government.

The Deputy Secretary of Labor, Keith Sonderling was named Acting Director of the IMLS and is expected to enter the IMLS today, backed by a team from DOGE. [source: Marisa Kabas https://bsky.app/profile/marisakabas.bsky.social/post/3lkr67qbqe22i]

LINKS

ALA FAQ: Executive Order Targeting IMLS

Stop What You Are Doing and Talk to Your Patrons About the Proposed IMLS Cuts Today! by Becky Spratford – concrete actions people can take to protest the attack on the IMLS

Seeds of Innovation: Defending IMLS

Actions you can take to protest the proposed axing of the IMLS:

Take Action To Save Federal Funding for Libraries!

Show Up for Libraries

Find your members of Congress here: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member

Call them with this app: https://5calls.org/

Or fax them: https://faxzero.com/fax_congress.php

Urgent: Act Now to Save IMLS

LIVE UPDATES OF DOGE IN IMLS:

Reddit user Ruskiytroll is posting on the fednews subreddit about the DOGE takeover of the IMLS: https://www.reddit.com/user/ruskiytroll

r/fednews is an unofficial secure platform for US Federal employees to discuss work-related topics, share perspectives, and stay informed.

News:

Keith E. Sonderling Sworn In as Acting Director of Institute of Museum and Library Services

WASHINGTON – Deputy Secretary of Labor Keith E. Sonderling was sworn in as Acting Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) today, after being designated to the role by President Donald J. Trump. IMLS, an independent government agency, is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s museums and libraries.

“It is an honor to be appointed by President Trump to lead this important organization in its mission to advance, support, and empower America’s museums and libraries, which stand as cornerstones of learning and culture in our society. I am committed to steering this organization in lockstep with this Administration to enhance efficiency and foster innovation. We will revitalize IMLS and restore focus on patriotism, ensuring we preserve our country’s core values, promote American exceptionalism and cultivate love of country in future generations,” said Acting Director Sonderling.

Source: White House Announces Keith E. Sonderling as IMLS Acting Director

Federal agency responsible for library and museum funding gets a visit from DOGE -NPR

Latest Trump cuts put summer reading, mobile libraries and local museums in jeopardy – USA Today

Board Advising IMLS Tells Acting Director Mandates ‘Cannot’ Be Hindered – Publishers Weekly

The National Museum and Library Services Board has laid out the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ statutory obligations in a letter to its acting director, Keith Sonderling, as supporters continue to speak out on behalf of the embattled federal agency

Library Advocates Rally as Trump Targets Federal Funding – New York Times

Library supporters are rallying to the defense of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, warning that the Trump administration’s efforts to pare back or even eliminate the agency will damage institutions across the country and potentially violate the law

Posted in: Advocacy, Libraries, News

Carnegies Shortlists

March 15, 2025 6:28 pm ,

UK based readers have surely (hopefully) seen by now that the shortlists for the Carnegie awards for outstanding writing and illustration for children have been published!

The Carnegies celebrate outstanding achievement in children’s writing and illustration and are unique in being judged by children’s and youth librarians, with the respective Shadowers’ Choice Medals voted for by children and young people.

16 books have been shortlisted in total, with eight in each category for the Carnegie Medal for Writing and Carnegie Medal for Illustration; whittled down from the 35 longlisted titles by the expert judging panel which includes 14 librarians from CILIP: the library and information association’s Youth Libraries Group. Click here to read more about the fantastic books that have been chosen.

The 2025 Carnegie Medal for Writing longlist is (alphabetical by author surname):

  • Treacle Town by Brian Conaghan (Andersen Press)
  • The Things We Leave Behind by Clare Furniss (Simon & Schuster UK)
  • The Final Year by Matt Goodfellow, illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton (Otter-Barry Books)
  • King of Nothing by Nathanael Lessore (Bonnier Books UK)
  • Little Bang by Kelly McCaughrain (Walker Books)
  • Glasgow Boys by Margaret McDonald (Faber & Faber)
  • All That It Ever Meant by Blessing Musariri (Zephyr, Head of Zeus)
  • Play by Luke Palmer (Firefly Press)

The 2025 Carnegie Medal for Illustration longlist is (alphabetical by illustrator surname):

  • The Invisible Story by Wen Hsu Chen, written by Jaime Gamboa, translated by Daniel Hahn (Lantana)
  • Grey by Lauren Child, written by Laura Dockrill (Walker Books)
  • I Love Books by Mariajo Ilustrajo (Quarto)
  • Clever Crow by Olivia Lomenech Gill, written by Chris Butterworth (Walker Books)
  • Letters in Charcoal by Juan Palomino, written by Irene Vasco, translated by Lawrence Schimel (Lantana)
  • Homebody by Theo Parish (Macmillan Children’s Books)
  • Wolf and Bear by Kate Rolfe (Macmillan Children’s Books)
  • Flying High by Yu Rong, written by Cao Wenxuan, translated by Simone-Davina Monnelly and Jake Hope (UCLan Publishing)

Ros Harding, Chair of Judges for The Carnegies 2025, said:

“On behalf of the judging panel, I would like to offer a huge congratulations to all the shortlisted authors and illustrators. The two lists highlight the diversity and high quality within publishing for children and young people in the UK. Many of the titles on the writing shortlist deal with themes around masculinity and boys finding their place in society, and the shortlisted authors successfully tackle these big ideas through believable and relatable characters, whilst avoiding lecturing young people. The concept of stories plays an important part in the shortlisted books across both lists, whether this is about the joy that can be found through discovering books or about the stories we tell ourselves and others to make sense of the world around us. It is wonderful to see such a inclusive range of cultures, experiences, voices and illustrative styles feature in the shortlisted books and as a judging panel, we are so excited to be a part of introducing these incredible books to the shadowing groups.”  

A couple of my favourite novels are up for the writing medal, but I am extra-specially excited that Homebody is on the illustration list, I reviewed it here, but it will definitely reinvigorate the age-old request from shadowing leaders to have age categories and not just the two awards (Matt blogged about the idea years ago) as Macmillan have a suggested age on the back cover of 14+.

Posted in: Awards, Carnegie, Carnegies

Structural Librarianship will not save you: the Library of Congress Subject Headings edition

March 14, 2025 4:43 pm ,

Just heard that the Library of Congress is working on updating its subject headings to reflect the Gulf of Mexico being unilaterally renamed The Gulf of America, they appear to be doing the same to Denali to reflect the reversion to Mount McKinley.

Mount Denali LCSH change

Professional Library Organizations are always too close to those in power to actually do much for the actual people that work in libraries or those that actually use libraries. To keep libraries going sure they make recommendations and run events but to remain close to those with their hands on the levers of power, the organizations that profess to represent libraries and librarians remain silent (& complicit) in erasure.

Changing subject headings (we are oft told) takes time, it is the same with library classification systems – look at how horrible the Dewey Decimal System still is in parts even with decades of protest and library workers pleading with the OCLC to make Dewey truly representative of the world we live in. The sudden lurch of the Library of Congress to reflect the will of the current administration is shocking, more for the speed of this change, rather than the change itself which appears to be incredibly unpopular amongst a large number of library workers.

These changes have not yet been approved and there is still time to register disapproval of these proposals but it remains to be seen if it will slow down or even stop these proposed changes. You can find out how to protest here

Change does not come from above, it is the library workers on the frontlines that help the people they are serving change their lives often in spite of the directives from those running the libraries they work in.

Posted in: Uncategorized

Coyote Run by Lilith Saintcrow

February 25, 2025 11:27 pm ,

THE RUNNER

Just behind the front lines of a war they call ‘civil’, the shifter called Coyote is tough, fast, ugly-and known for taking jobs nobody else will.

THE JOB

Marge’s sister is locked in a prison camp civilians shouldn’t know about, deep in enemy territory. Rescuing her will take a plan made of weapons-grade insanity.

THE TRICK

To get in, all Coyote has to do is get caught.

THE PAYOFF

None, unless the satisfaction of killing an old enemy counts. And maybe a few small bounties from murdering fascist clones…

RUN, COYOTE. RUN.

Bloody and brutal while being utterly engrossing, I found Coyote Run to be exactly what I needed when Horned Lark sent me a review copy juuuuuust before the election last year. I finished reading it on November 4 and was quietly confident that the fascist future we feared would not happen just yet.

Well I was wrong!

I picked up Coyote Run on November 6 and reread it again, filled with bile and fury that so many people had listened to the hate spewed on the election trail and thought “Yup, that’s the guy for us!” Coyote Run did not bring me peace on the second reread, but I achieved a visceral satisfaction at the bloody violence and retribution meted out on the fascist lackeys that got in Coyote’s way during her mission.

War is, as they say, Hell, but in this future dystopia our guide through the Inferno that the Disunited States has become is not Virgil, but rather a genetically modified shapeshifter named Coyote. She will get you to where you need to go and possibly save some lives on the way!

Coyote Run is stripped down storytelling, just muscle, bone and connective tissue, everything extraneous feels like it has been surgically removed! The sights, sounds and ambience is masterfully described in a text so spare, but you can still feel the dirt under your feet, the heat of the sun and the burn of alcohol that is (barely) a step up from engine degreaser. You also feel the hurt and anger that Coyote carries, as well as the burning need for revenge. This is not just a roaring rampage story, there is also empathy and heart to balance out the fury. It is so damn good!

Lilith Saintcrow is an artist; be warned though, Coyote Run is more Guernica than Sistine Chapel but it will still hold your attention and rip your breath away!

If you are looking for something to remind you that fascists can not only be fought, they can be beaten and left hanging in a town square then coyote Run is the book for you. It is also great if all you want is a two-fisted tale of war and retribution, and maybe even a glimmer of hope for the future!

Coyote Run is written by Lilith Saintcrow and published by Horned Lark Press antifascist and in your face – check them out and see what else they have available!

Buy this book (available wherever good books are sold), or request that your local library purchase copies – they generally listen to their patrons when it comes to adding books to their collection, that way you can recommend it to everyone you know and maybe get together with them and talk about it afterwards! Honestly building, and sustaining communities is one of the ways we will get through the next few years!

Posted in: Books, Reviews

New Literary Foundation announces awards for children’s authors

February 25, 2025 6:10 pm ,
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The newly launched GLL Literary Foundation has selected 17 children’s authors from across the UK to receive bursary placements for 2025 worth up to £4,000 each.

The Foundation was established in November 2024 to support ‘up and coming’ children’s authors who are based in Bromley, Dudley, Greenwich, Lincolnshire and Wandsworth – all areas where GLL operates public libraries under its ‘Better’ brand.

Authors across all genres of children’s literature were encouraged to apply, including picture books, early readers, chapter books, poetry, non-fiction, novels graphic and verse novels.  Nominations were accepted from the authors’ publishing representative with the entry criteria stating that applicants be required to have published between one and three books in the past five years. 

Entries were assessed by a board of trustees drawn from GLL libraries, children’s librarians and the publishing world.  The successful authors for 2025 are:

  • Marcela Ferreira – Bromley – OUP UK
  • Alex Falase Koya – Bromley – OUP UK
  • Adeola Sokunbi – Bromley – Nosy Crow
  • Alom Shaha – Bromley – Scribble UK
  • Jesse Kaur – Dudley – Mantra Lingua
  • Janelle McCurdey – Greenwich – Faber and Faber
  • Sharada Keats – Greenwich – Scholastic
  • Robert Pearce – Greenwich – Graffeg
  • Hannah Moffatt – Greenwich – Everything With Words
  • Rachel Cooke – Lincolnshire – Mama Makes Books
  • Bethany Walker – Lincolnshire – Scholastic
  • Helen Hancocks – Lincolnshire – Walker
  • Nathanael Lessore – Wandsworth – Hot Key Books
  • Fay Evans – Wandsworth – Flying Eye Books
  • Olivia Wakeford – Wandsworth – Harper Collins Children’s Books
  • Nadine Wild Palmer – Wandsworth – Pushkin Children’s Books
  • Jack Meggitt Phillips – Wandsworth – Farshore

Each of the successful authors will receive £750 alongside additional ‘in kind’ support that includes being partnered with a local librarian mentor (Literary Foundation Champion), who will help deliver a series of author events and provide networking opportunities with local booksellers, publishers, literary festivals and schools.  Authors will also be offered three online training courses on brand identity, marketing and business planning.

Rebecca Gediking, Head of Libraries for GLL said: “We are delighted to welcome such a great and inspiring group of authors to be part of the GLL Literary Foundation. We look forward to bringing together all people locally and nationally to support our authors, encourage reading and champion public libraries.”

Renowned children’s author and GLL Literary Foundation trustee Mo O’Hara added: “I’m so excited that our first cohort of GLL Literary Foundation authors is being announced. This is such an amazing opportunity for them to learn new skills and gain confidence in so many aspects of our industry.  I hope that they’ll build up a great network with their librarian champions and also with each other.  It’s so great to have a ready-made support group in an industry with so many challenges.  Well done to our fantastic GLL team for 2025!”

Alom Shaha, GLL Literary Foundation supported author from Bromley said: “I’m delighted and honoured to have been awarded a GLL Literary Foundation fellowship. Growing up as an immigrant on a council housing estate, my local library, and the librarians who worked there, were a hugely positive influence on me. They didn’t just help develop my love of books, they also provided a safe place to play with toys and activities which I didn’t have access to at home.

“I have gained so much from my use of public libraries throughout my life and I am so excited about this fellowship. I know I will gain a lot from the experience, but I hope there will also be lots of opportunities for me to give something back.”

For further information visit: https://www.better.org.uk/library/gll-literary-foundation

Posted in: News