April fools – OPEN SHELF

No Fool’s Day

We at Open Shelf didn’t publish an April Fool’s issue .. now is not the time for pranks, even those focused on satirical articles, short stories and mystery podcasts. What do people (readers) need right now? Positivity and something to do.

From the Editor

To leave or not to leave: The case of Ex-Libris, the Remainders and the Library Union

In 2016, mayhem was unleashed when the Ontario Library Association (OLA) departed from the Canadian Federation of Library Associations (CFLA). The assumption was that the OLA would depart from the CFLA in an orderly and a swift fashion. That assumption was wrong.

April Special Issue

The mid-career malaise of a library cat

Questions like “Why am I here?” “What are my future goals?” and “What the fluff am I doing with my life?” are all perfectly normal during your mid-career moment. Here are the top five ways that library cats can battle the mid-career blahs with cat-itude!

April Special Issue

Disquiet, in charcoal

A relatable, library-themed, short story.

April Special Issue

Staffless libraries: Have they been hacked, or worse, are they alive?

You may have heard that some libraries have removed staff members from the equation so automatic doors and machines can greet patrons. Artificial intelligence allows libraries to provide this staffless branches option to patrons. However, they may be causing a larger problem. We've learned that the machines in one public library may have developed a mind of their own!