This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Flatiron Books, publishers of Unstoppable Moses by Tyler James Smith.
Library Of Congress Launches Screening Room
The Library of Congress has digitized hundreds of films and made them available to the public. The National Screening Room website hosts home movies of Liza Minnelli, Thomas Edison footage, and more from the Library of Congress’s collection of more than 1.6 million items. The website has launched with 281 titles covering fiction, non-fiction, newsreels, and home movies from 1890 to 1999. More will be added each month.
Carnegie Medal Promises Action Over Lack Of Diversity
The UK’s oldest prize for children’s books has promised to make some changes in light of a review of its lack of diversity. The statement from the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education arrives in the wake of outrage at the all-white, 20-author longlist for the 2017 Carnegie. The Carnegie prize is judged by the UK’s librarians, 97% of whom self-identified as white in a 2015 survey. The prize, established in 1935, has never been won by a black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) writer.
Goodnight, Sweet Elf
After 40 years, ElfQuest is coming to an end. One of the longest-running fantasy series ever, creators Wendy and Richard Pini began their passion project in 1978 and haven’t quit since. Now, they’re stepping back to allow other creators to tell stories from the world of ElfQuest. The last storyline, The Final Quest, wrapped up on the 40th anniversary of the publication of the first issue.