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Check Your Shelf

Library Cats and Library Ducks

Welcome to Check Your Shelf, where apparently it’s September now. I mean, I don’t care that it’s September, but I’m just saying…no one asked me.


Libraries & Librarians

News Updates

Public libraries in the Northeast report a recent rise in “first amendment audits.”

Perhaps not surprisingly, hostile school board meetings have members calling it quits.

Ohioans are increasingly turning to libraries for coronavirus testing.

Cool Library Updates

This library has started dressing up their (incredibly patient) library cat to promote the library, and the photos are ADORABLE.

The Jaffrey (NH) Public Library introduces a Farm Fresh Checkout refrigerator to promote food literacy.

Denver Public Library cards now give patrons free access to the Denver Tool Library, which normally charges $120 for a yearly membership.

Worth Reading

The US Copyright Office weighs in on Maryland’s new library eBook law.

Take a look at PLA’s 2020 Public Library Technology survey.

WiFi extenders vs. boosters vs. repeaters (helpful if your library is looking to loan out WiFi technology to patrons!)

Nothing to see here, just an adorable family of ducks waddling their way through a university library.

Book Adaptations in the News

Game of Thrones star Jacob Anderson has been cast as Louis in the upcoming adaptation of Interview With the Vampire.

The CW just ordered a series for Tom Swift, a Nancy Drew spinoff series.

Netflix announced an adaptation of Samanta Schweblin’s novel Fever Dream.

Lionsgate and Picturestart are adapting the YA horror graphic novel, Squad.

Season 2 of The Baby-Sitters Club will release on Netflix on October 11th.

Books & Authors in the News

Romance authors are teaming up to support Haiti earthquake relief.

After more than thirty years, a suspect has confessed to the murder of Lois Duncan’s daughter.

The Chelsea (MI) school board votes to keep The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison in the library, despite pushback from parents.

Salman Rushdie is serializing a new novella on Substack.

Numbers & Trends

3 in 5 Americans hope their summer reads will make them look smarter.

BTS leader RM unwittingly demonstrated the “K-pop effect” when he was spotted reading an out-of-print book, which ended up being republished and hitting the best-seller lists thanks to demand from K-pop fans.

How #BookTok is helping Canadian authors and retailers gain new audiences.

Award News

The 2021 Anthony Award winners have been announced!

The Children’s Book Committee at Bank Street College of Education has announced the creation of the Margaret Wise Brown Board Book Award.

The Republic of Consciousness just launched a new Prize for Small Presses in the US.

Bookish Curiosities & Miscellaneous

You know you’ve hit the big time when you’ve made it into the MLA Style Handbook, and TikTok has been added to MLA’s list of citation guidelines.

Words invented by authors.

New York’s legendary literary hangouts.

On the Riot

Billions of dollars in library funding hang in the balance during Congressional budget negotiations.

Advocate for a public good: library fundraising ideas.

A personal history of library use.

Every bookish movie coming to Netflix this fall.

The Hunger Games’s three-finger salute: a symbol of resistance to tyranny in Asia.

A better world for disabled readers.

A history of Little Golden Books.

An ode to the author’s note.

The best apps to sell used books.

And, you know, it’s okay if you don’t like to read.

Come work with Book Riot — we’re hiring an Ad Operations Associate! Apply by September 30th.


It’s a long weekend, friends. Take time for yourself, and I’ll see you on Tuesday!

—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.