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Check Your Shelf

Please Don’t Donate These Books

Welcome to Check Your Shelf, where I am slowly melting in the 90-degree June heat. When did it get so blasted hot??


Libraries & Librarians

News Updates

In the world of library-related monopolies, OverDrive is acquiring Kanopy.

ALA’s Joint Digital Content Working Group has put out a call for change in the library ebook market.

The child-friendly Drag Queen Story Time has been moved from the Derry (NH) library to a private venue after community backlash.

Washington DC public school librarians staged a silent “read in” protest to make sure all DC public schools have a full-time librarian, and to appeal to the DC Council to take measures to improve student literacy rates.

A Louisiana judge supports a prison’s decision to take printed books from inmates amid the pandemic.

Cool Library Updates

This teen activist sows seed libraries across the US.

How the Los Angeles Public Library made libraries cool.

Worth Reading

Libraries find new value in offline engagement.

A look inside Philip Roth’s and Marlin Brando’s personal libraries.

Book Adaptations in the News

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner is set for a feature adaptation with MGM.

Shadow and Bone has been renewed for a second season with Netflix.

N.K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth trilogy landed a 7-figure deal, and she’ll be adapting the books herself!

Taylor Jenkins Reid’s new book, Malibu Rising, will be adapted as a TV series for Hulu.

Jane Casey’s latest novel, The Killing Kind, has been optioned for TV.

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner is in the works as a drama series at Fox.

MGM is adapting Norman Partridge’s horror novel, Dark Harvest.

20th Century is developing a new Master and Commander film, with Patrick Ness adapting the script.

Lionsgate is adapting Steven Rowley’s latest novel, The Guncle, for film.

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese is being adapted.

Khaled Hosseini is adapting his own book, A Thousand Splendid Suns.

Jamie Lee Curtis’ production banner and Blumhouse Television are developing a series based on Patricia Cornwell’s books.

Books & Authors in the News

Readers are angered over an Anne Frank reference in Elin Hilderbrand’s new book, Golden Girl. In response, Hilderbrand has asked for the reference to be removed from the novel.

Andrew Cuomo refuses to release records related to his American Crisis book.

Naomi Wolf’s Twitter account has been suspended after she tweeted anti-COVID vaccine misinformation.

Jeanette Winterson burns her own books in protest at “cosy little blurbs.”

Numbers & Trends

TikTok is driving a surge in demand for YA fiction.

Award News

The winners of the 2021 Nebula Awards have been announced.

The 2021 Indie Book Award winners are announced.

Check out the 2021 Orwell Prize shortlists.

C.J. Prince wins the inaugural Sisters in Crime Pride Award.

On the Riot

Why you should start a student library assistant program in your library.

For the love of virtual library events.

Please don’t donate these books.

WorldCat: Your one-stop library catalog.

Do you really own your ebooks?

How to use the Kindle app on your PC.

Book vending machines are the best vending machines.

On the unpredictable impact of books.


Okay, stay cool literally and figuratively, friends. I’ll see you next week!

—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.