As much as LJ editors love to read, we also hold deep admiration for book and cover design. Each year we gather to debate how image, text, and color help create the mood of a book and invite readers into the story. These 10 choices represent the standout covers from our best books and highlight trends in jacket design, arresting imagery, and just how important the aesthetics of book art can be.
On November 19, the Urban Libraries Council (ULC) released a report presenting the results of its 2024 Library Insights Survey, which charts the successes and challenges North American public libraries have seen in service to their communities since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Takeaways included a steady increase in attendance since the lows of 2022, with some notable differences in how libraries are being used.
The election is over, and the reactions are emotional and raw. Some people are cheering; others crying. America is still as divided politically and socially as the day before. Putting those things aside, let’s look ahead from an information & library perspective. What’s in store for us as individuals, families and communities? Are there lessons learned from the campaigns and result from an information perspective? What might the next few years look like for libraries and librarians and those who use and rely on library resources and service? Are there opportunities for libraries to serve and thrive or will it require us to play defense in order to simply survive?
What we think of as “reference” has steadily evolved with technology. Now “reference” is more likely than not to be synonymous with “database.” Most of the publishers in this month’s Reference section offer digital databases alongside—or in lieu of—traditional printed reference materials like books and periodicals.
One painful part of living through the pandemic for me was the sense that Americans were failing one another. Recent catastrophic weather events have brought back that same sense of unease. When deadly Hurricanes Helene and Milton made landfall in October, conspiracy theorists suggested they were manufactured for political benefit. Federal relief efforts were stymied by online misinformation, and a man was arrested for threatening FEMA workers. America, we’re not okay.
“A lot of us are working remotely, not everyone has the resources to have a room for an office or a large enough space, or to take care of the whole family and accommodate office activities. So, some people still need space to go to for work, and the library seems to be meeting that demand.”
Modern libraries aren’t just places for reading and research. They’re vibrant and active community centers where the people and programming play just as critical a role as the collections.
A national network of organizations revitalizing communities through public spaces, Reimagining the Civic Commons offers helpful information for libraries to connect their efforts to larger goals, as well as to the work of their neighbors.
Brandon Sanderson’s Wind and Truth leads holds this week. People’s book of the week is Trial by Ambush: Murder, Injustice, and the Truth About the Case of Barbara Graham by Marcia Clark. Jon Ransom wins the Polari Book Prize. LJ's Best Books 2024 arrives, NYT names 100 Notable Books of 2024, and NPR releases their 2024 Books We Love. Costco announces it will stop selling books year-round in stores. Plus, LJ’s December starred reviews.
Weike Wang's Rental House is a starred fiction selection. "Wang writes a quiet, introspective novel of relationships, family obligations, and resentments that build over time and what makes a family. Highly recommended." In romance, His Girl Hollywood, by Maureen Lee Lenker is a starred selection. "Lenker (It Happened One Fight) writes a romance novel that also embraces the real struggle of women in the 1930s who wanted a career outside the home. The story balances the trials and tribulations of love, longing, and ultimately, success." And S.J. Bennett's A Death in Diamonds is a starred mystery. "This installment [book four in the 'Her Majesty the Queen Investigates' series] is the most polished in Bennett’s intriguing series featuring Queen Elizabeth, her network of women assistants, historical figures, and actual events. Anglophiles and fans of historical mysteries will enjoy."
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