Libfocus Link-out for August 2026

Welcome to the August edition of the Libfocus link-out, an assemblage of library-related things we have found informative, educational, thought-provoking and insightful on the Web over the past while.

 
As Gov. Healey weighs library bill, readers say: let librarians decide.
In this article for Boston.com, Annie Jonas looks at bill S.2696, which is under consideration by the Governor of Massachusetts this month. The bill would give librarians more power to choose and display books and make it more difficult for books to be pulled from the shelves. Crucially, it would also protect librarians from being penalised due to their collection decisions.

Their Library feature in Clash Magazine.
Ever wondered about the literary influences behind the music? Well look no further than the 'their library' feature in Clash Magazine. Add some strange, funny and inspiring titles to your TBR list with recommendations from NYC group Slow Fiction, Nell Mescal, Neil Hannon from the Divine Comedy and more.

Refusal as Instruction: Equipping Patrons to Resist AI, Data Brokers, Big Tech, & More.
A journal article by Hannah Cyrus on technology refusal classes she runs at her library, including
‘Avoiding AI’. Cyrus advocates that libraries as values-driven organizations have a role to play in
facilitating patrons’ rejection of technology, just as much as in their adoption of it.

Pat Donlon obituary: First woman director of a national institution, librarian and academic.
Following the passing of Pat Donlon, the Irish Times looks back on her life as the first woman Director of a national institution, librarian, and her part as one of a remarkable generation of Irish women who were among the first in their families to attend university in the 1960s.

Rethinking Rankings: A Moral Ambition?
Lizzie Gadd examines in her article in the Bibliomagician global university rankings through the lens of meaningful social change. She applies the historian’s Rutger Bregman’s six warning signs that a common practice may be wrong to shortcomings of university rankings.

Reimagining openness in academic libraries: Reflections from ALN conference 2026.
Open Research Librarian Abi Harrison-Henshall and Open Research Specialist Dr Sarah Kneen from the University of Manchester report on the Academic Libraries North 2026 Conference, which asked participants to think beyond Open Access as simply making research free to read. This summary piece raises some important questions currently being discussed in research libraries.

A ‘bananas’ order for 5,000 obscure titles from a bookshop in Galway fuels suspicion.
A wave of mystery bulk book purchases is puzzling European booksellers, with many suspecting the titles are being bought for AI training rather than readers. The trend raises concerns about copyright, publishing ethics, and AI's impact on the book industry.

‘More real than anything you’ll see scrolling’: the radical resurgence of UK fanzines, 50 years after punk.
Fifty years after punk zines like Sniffin’ Glue, DIY music fanzines are enjoying a revival across the UK as fans seek a more personal, tangible alternative to algorithm-driven online culture. From Glasgow to Belfast, creators are using self-published magazines to build communities, document local music scenes and celebrate independent voices.

6 reasons libraries should look beyond the MLS.
Bryn Geffert argues that MLS requirements hinder academic libraries and instead calls for recognising alternative credentials and interdisciplinary expertise in recruitment.

The case for a professional foundation in librarianship.
Responding to Bryn Geffert, Bobbi Newman and Sam Helmick counter that the Master of Library Science and professionally trained librarians remain more essential than ever.