Month: March 2024

Libraries struggle to afford the demand for e-books, seek new state laws in fight with publishers

natixis-ezine

Read time : 3 mins

Level : Advanced

Casey Rosseau prepares to walk his dog Darcy while listening to an e-book in West Hartford, Conn., Feb. 1, 2024. Rosseau, who estimates he reads about 200 books a year, said he’d like to see more regulation of what publishers can charge libraries. Libraries have been grappling with soaring costs of digital titles, both e-books and audio books, that libraries typically lease from publishers for a year or two, with limited usage. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

By SUSAN HAIGH Associated Press

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Whenever bestselling author Robin Cook releases a new medical thriller, the head of the public library in West Haven, Connecticut knows demand for digital copies will be high. So will the price.

Like many libraries, West Haven has been grappling with the soaring costs of e-books and audiobooks. The digital titles often come with a price tag that’s far higher than what consumers pay. While one hardcover copy of Cook’s latest novel costs the library $18, it costs $55 to lease a digital copy – a price that can’t be haggled with publishers.

And for that, the e-book expires after a limited time, usually after one or two years, or after 26 check outs, whichever comes first. While e-books purchased by consumers can last into perpetuity, libraries need to renew their leased e-material. Continue reading

International Women’s Day is a celebration and call to action. Beware the flowers and candy

natixis-ezine

Read time : 4 mins

Level : Intermediate

FILE – Women attend a protest marking International Women’s Day, March 8, 2023, in Berlin, Germany. Women across the world will demand equal pay, reproductive rights, education, justice and other essential needs during demonstrations marking International Women’s Day on Friday, March 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)

By REGINA GARCIA CANO Associated Press

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Women across the world will demand equal pay, reproductive rights, education, justice, decision-making jobs and other essential needs during demonstrations marking International Women’s Day on Friday.

Officially recognized by the United Nations in 1977, International Women’s Day is commemorated in different ways and to varying degrees in places around the world. Protests are often political and, at times, violent, rooted in women’s efforts to improve their rights as workers.

Demonstrations are planned from Tokyo to Mexico City, and this year’s global theme is “Inspire Inclusion.”

Here is what to know about the March 8 global event:

WHAT IS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY?

International Women’s Day is a global celebration — and call to action — marked by demonstrations, mostly of women, around the world, ranging from combative protests to charity runs. Some celebrate the economic, social and political achievements of women, while others urge governments to guarantee equal pay, access to healthcare, justice for victims of gender-based violence and education for girls. Continue reading

Kids are using phones in class, even when it’s against the rules. Should schools ban them all day?

natixis-ezine

Read time : 3 mins

Level : Advanced

A ninth grader places his cellphone into a phone holder as he enters class at Delta High School, Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, in Delta, Utah. At the rural Utah school, there is a strict policy requiring students to check their phones at the door when entering every class. Each classroom has a cellphone storage unit that looks like an over-the-door shoe bag with three dozen smartphone-sized slots. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

By JOCELYN GECKER AP Education Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — In California, a high school teacher complains that students watch Netflix on their phones during class. In Maryland, a chemistry teacher says students use gambling apps to place bets during the school day.

Around the country, educators say students routinely send Snapchat messages in class, listen to music and shop online, among countless other examples of how smartphones distract from teaching and learning.

The hold that phones have on adolescents in America today is well-documented, but teachers say parents are often not aware to what extent students use them inside the classroom. And increasingly, educators and experts are speaking with one voice on the question of how to handle it: Ban phones during classes. Continue reading