Entries by vivienne

Food and Drink – Libya

Libyan Jewish cuisine has unique dishes, such as mafrūm and lubya be’selk, that are typically eaten on Shabbat and holidays. This article discusses the food and drink of the Jews of Libya and the role of food in everyday and festival life.

Millennials in Public Libraries?

More than half of adults between ages 18-35 visited a public library in the course of a year, according to a 2016 Pew study, compared to 45% between the ages of 36-51 and 43% between 52 and 70. This may be in part because libraries are changing and offering new services, like courses in practical subjects, and providing social space.

Who’s reading now?

When Out of Print was released, one out of four Americans did not read a single print book in an entire year. In 2016, this number had not changed (recent Pew study).
What else is new? Among those who did read, 65% had read a print book, 28% had read an e-book, and 14% had “read” (listened to) an audio book.

Short Books

Best-selling author James Patterson has decided to try to reach people who have given up on reading by bringing out a series of short books — 150 pages or less — that will sell for under $5 and can be read in a single sitting. Patterson will write some of the planned two-titles-per-month series, which will be published by Little, Brown, co-author some, and select the authors of the others.

Authors Guild v. Google

Three authors, joined by the Authors Guild, have asked the Supreme court to overall a decision permitting Google Books to copy books under copyright and to provide access to “snippets.” The authors claim that the project adds nothing new to the originals and therefore does nothing to reshape their character in a “transformative” use. The case is Authors Guild v. Google, docket 15-849