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Welcome to Check Your Shelf.
Why no, I’m not writing this newsletter with CNN election updates open in another tab…why do you ask?
Libraries & Librarians
News Updates
Recent vandalization at major libraries has focused on voter intimidation.
Penguin Random House extends its open license for online readings through March 31st.
Cool Library Updates
A look at how libraries are lifelines for formerly incarcerated people.
Worth Reading
How does your inclusion statement measure up?
The socially distanced library: staying connected in a pandemic.
What an accurate presidential library for Donald Trump would look like.
Book Adaptations in the News
Mindy Kaling is producing and starring in the film adaptation of Jennifer Weiner’s Good In Bed.
The Things They Carried is being adapted for film.
The CW is producing a series based on Tom Swift, which will feature a Black, gay lead.
Netflix renews The Baby-Sitters Club for a second season.
Casting update for Robert Harris’ Munich.
Season 3 of American Gods will air on Starz on January 10th.
Books & Authors in the News
Former Homeland Security official Miles Taylor reveals that he was the anonymous author of A Warning.
Author Rachel Caine has passed away from cancer.
The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association issued a complaint to the governor about an elementary school in Burnsville using the book Something Happened In Our Town: A Child’s Story About Racial Injustice for a fourth grade assignment.
Cheryl Strayed is bringing back her Dear Sugar column!
Reese Witherspoon picks Group: How One Therapist and a Group of Strangers Saved My Life by Christie Tate as her next book club pick.
Simon Cowell and his son Eric have launched a competition for children’s book authors. They’re looking for a writer to help them launch their upcoming book series.
Numbers & Trends
Publishers are planning to slow their roll after the election when it comes to political titles.
Award News
The World Fantasy Awards have been announced.
The shortlist for the Staunch Book Prize has been announced, which celebrates mystery & thriller novels that don’t feature violence against women.
The Waterstones Book of the Year shortlist has been released.
Citizenship is an outdated requirement for literary prize eligibility.
Pop Cultured
Oscar Isaac is in talks to star in Marvel’s Moon Knight series at Disney Plus.
Bookish Curiosities & Miscellaneous
Is your library doing any remote NaNoWriMo programming, or encouraging patrons to sign up? Take a look at their website for ideas!
Toni Morrison’s library is up for sale.
Did you know that your brain processes genre fiction and literary fiction differently?
On the Riot
5 haunted libraries in 5 different countries.
10 horror podcasts if you aren’t quite ready to give up Halloween.
Story time is coming to public restrooms.
An open letter to all the books this reader has lied about reading.
I think this might take the cake for the longest week in 2020 (so far). I have no idea how this newsletter will find you when you read it on Friday, but let’s be nice to ourselves this weekend. I’ll catch you next week
—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.