"Book Traffickers" to Cross the Cactus Curtain of Arizona

Some brave educators calling themselves "Libro Traficante" in Houston are delivering books based on the Mexican-American experience, the very type of books that were removed from the Tuscon unified school district last month, to four volunteer libraries in Arizona.  The Mexican American Studies (MAS) program was infamously outlawed in Arizona by a 2010 statute.  This statute stated that any program was outlawed that
promote the overthrow of the US government, promote resentment toward a race or class of people, are designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group, or advocate ethnic solidarity instead of the treatment of pupils as individuals.
The ALA denounced the ban as the suppression of open inquiry and free expression … on the basis of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
The Tuscon school district had to abide by the law or lose 10 percent of its funding.
Officially 7 titles were removed but others say that 88 titles were eliminated.  A list is provided at Librotraficante. 
No word as of yet from Exalted Cyclops Jan Brewer.

Source American Libraries

Patron-Proof Pelican iPad Case

Photo Charlie Sorrel

I had been reading a lot about the Mediasurfer self-service Apple iPad checkout kiosk system for libraries that was on display at the ALA Midwinter Meeting.  It was mentioned that patrons could possibly take them home overnight and my initial reaction was, "I hope that kiosk comes with an iPad factory."   I posted a comment on the No Shelf Required and Sue Polanka said that the iPad was encased in a hard plastic frame that looked durable.  But, she added, the screen was exposed.  A perpetually exposed screen is doomed, I thought. Well now there is the Pelican iPad case as seen over at Gadget Lab.  This thing looks stampede proof.  The case snaps shut, protecting the screen while not in use, and it can hold a Bluetooth keyboard and a iPad Power Brick.  The case is $50 which is very cheap for what you get, but it adds to the iPad's already steep price (and bad sweatshop karma).  However, that is way better than an iPad shattered on a patron's linoleum.