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A financially motivated data theft and extortion group is attempting to inject itself into the Iran war, unleashing a worm that spreads through poorly secured cloud services and wipes data on infected systems that use Iran’s time zone or have Farsi set as the default language. Experts say the wiper campaign against Iran materialized this […]
Interested in learning more about what’s new in the Library of Congress digital collections? The Signal shares regular updates to our digital collections and we love showing off our colleagues’ hard work from across the Library. Read on for a sample of recent additions and a few favorite highlights. Click here for all previous updates. This 1920 guide to Ann […]
The U.S. Justice Department joined authorities in Canada and Germany in dismantling the online infrastructure behind four highly disruptive botnets that compromised more than three million Internet of Things (IoT) devices, such as routers and web cameras. The feds say the four botnets — named Aisuru, Kimwolf, JackSkid and Mossad — are responsible for a […]
I found this post by John Rush to be a fascinating read. Come for the vibe-coded infographics and confirmation that eggs are indeed more expensive, but stay for the deep dive into co-working with multiple AI tools. It’s also another reminder that, particularly around OCR, some tools are vastly better than others, so don’t get […]
Happy Spring to all our By the People crowdsourced transcription program volunteers! Every year, the By the People team publishes a “happy birthday to us” blog post right here on the Signal (you can check out previous years’ editions here and here). We turned seven during the Fall of last year and we’ve been waiting to make a very exciting announcement: Our volunteers completed one million transcriptions! By the People volunteers […]
A hacktivist group with links to Iran’s intelligence agencies is claiming responsibility for a data-wiping attack against Stryker, a global medical technology company based in Michigan. News reports out of Ireland, Stryker’s largest hub outside of the United States, said the company sent home more than 5,000 workers there today. Meanwhile, a voicemail message at […]
Microsoft Corp. today pushed security updates to fix at least 77 vulnerabilities in its Windows operating systems and other software. There are no pressing “zero-day” flaws this month (compared to February’s five zero-day treat), but as usual some patches may deserve more rapid attention from organizations using Windows. Here are a few highlights from this […]
In this interview, David Neil discusses his experience working as a User Experience Designer in Design and Development at the Library of Congress. He shares behind-the-scenes insights about some favorite Library products, advice for practitioners, reflections on the past and future of technology, and his own near-term plans as he retires. Leah: Hello, David. Could you tell […]
AI-based assistants or “agents” — autonomous programs that have access to the user’s computer, files, online services and can automate virtually any task — are growing in popularity with developers and IT workers. But as so many eyebrow-raising headlines over the past few weeks have shown, these powerful and assertive new tools are rapidly shifting […]
The Library of Congress is seeking our next Innovator in Residence to start in September 2026! We will fund an individual up to $90,000 per year, for a maximum of two years, to create a transformative digital work with Library of Congress collections for the American people and to serve as an ambassador for the Library. This is a mostly remote residency experience […]
Mychal Threets Photo: Random House Children’s Books Generations of fans of the long-running PBS staple Reading Rainbow most likely tuned in on the family TV. Now a growing generation of young readers can stream the reboot on YouTube, hosted by children’s librarian Mychal Threets, who started his career in the San Francisco Bay Area and […]
Illustration: Visual Generation Bad-news fatigue is real for library advocates who feel like every year is more hostile than the one before it. Since about 2021, coordinated groups of parents and elected officials, with support from well-funded networks, have increasingly pushed to outsource librarians’ curatorial authority through parental consent policies and external review boards, all […]
Photos: Daniel Thornberg (Capitol), Maksym Yemelyanov (library) You don’t need to stream C-SPAN or binge West Wing reruns to know that the annual US federal budget process isn’t always linear or logical. Progress is incremental, margins are razor-thin, and, as the library community has felt acutely over the last year, victories are rarely final. To […]
Illustration: Visual Generation Getting started with web accessibility improvements can feel overwhelming. The ultimate goal should be a website that maximizes accessibility and considers inclusive access in all decisions. But even incremental improvements have real benefits. A good approach is to look at the most high-impact changes you can make early in the process to […]
I am honored to stand for election as president-elect of ALA. My career has been shaped by a profound belief in the power of libraries to advance equity, expand opportunity, and strengthen our democracy. For more than two decades, I have served in leadership roles across ALA, state associations, and professional divisions, and throughout that […]
Libraries changed my life. As a Hispanic, first-generation high school and college graduate, born and raised in South Texas, every book I read and every library activity I participated in helped shape my understanding of the world. My state and national library associations furthered my library leadership journey by expanding my professional networks and growth […]
The Airport Library at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport provides physical books, oversized chairs, and charging access. Photo: Chad Showalter/Kenton County (Ky.) Public Library The layover was supposed to last two hours. Instead, it stretched into four or five. Traveling alone through Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), a woman wandered the concourse looking to pass the […]
Photo: Kings Mountain National Military Park/Open Parks Network 400Approximate number of libraries operated by the National Park Service (NPS). 3.5 millionNumber of materials housed in the NPS History Collection at the Harpers Ferry (W.Va.) Center for Media Services. The collection includes art, documents, photos, sound recordings, uniforms, and other objects. 25Number of parks represented in the […]
Librarians are used to being generalists, able to research all kinds of questions. But when someone seeks help filling out a form or understanding their rights, those same staffers may be wary of crossing the line from legal reference to unauthorized practice of law. Moreover, public library collections often have few legal resources for patrons. […]
Fundraising is a perennial concern for libraries of all types and sizes, regardless of location. With federal funding increasingly threatened, library professionals will be called on to source money for collections, programming, and beyond. These titles are valuable resources and guides through the labyrinthine process of fundraising. Winning Grants, 3rd edition By Stephanie K. GerdingThis […]
