Let's get the "Word on the Web" and check out some recent topics of interest and discussion from the tech, literary, library, and arts and entertainment intersections of the World Wide Web in October 2014.

• We Need Diverse Books, the nonprofit grassroots organization addressing the lack of diverse, non-majority narratives in children’s literature, has partnered with School Library Journal to develop an education kit for teachers, librarians, and booksellers to help them present diverse titles to their patrons and students; as well as collaborating on an diversity-focused event to be held in association with the 2016 American Library Association Midwinter Meeting in Boston and a We Need Diverse Books Diversity Festival to be held in summer 2016 in the Washington, DC, area.
   
• Soundtrack maestro and musician Danny Elfman talks with The Onion's A.V. Club about his writing process (like coming up with the fully formed Simpsons theme in his head while stuck in traffic on an LA freeway) and discusses some of the highlights and obscurities of his vast catalog of works.
   
• Ever wonder why books have certain aromas? Open Culture gives us the science behind the smells. Now they need to figure out how to make Scratch 'N Sniff infographics!
   
• Along with Marvel's huge announcement for Phase 3 of their cinematic universe (including future films starring Black Panther, Dr. Strange, Captain Marvel, and The Inhumans, to name just a few), Comics Alliance packs a punch (and POW! and ZAP! too) with their visual guide to the next few years of comic book-inspired films and adaptations.
   
• With the fall of autumn leaves comes awards season for all kinds of multimedia. Finalists were recently announced for this year's National Book Awards. The winners for Fiction, Nonfiction, Young People's Literature, and Poetry will be awarded November 19. Search through our catalog and check out all the nominated titles!
   
• Ever wonder what your favorite actor or musician likes to read? Flavorwire runs down the Favorite Books of 50 Cultural Icons such as Bill Murray (Laurens Van Der Post's A Story Like The Wind and A Far Off Place), J.K. Rowling (Roddy Doyle's The Woman Who Walked Into Doors), Nikola Tesla (Goethe’s Faust), Michelle Obama (Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon), George R.R. Martin (J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, natch!), Dolly Parton (Watty Piper's The Little Engine That Could), and David Bowie (who lists more than 100 books as his favs).
   
• Neither the NSA nor FCC can bully librarians when it comes to government surveillance. This timely Washington Post article explores and discusses the ongoing fight that your local neighborhood libraries face daily to ensure their and your freedom and privacy to read, watch, learn, and discover without prejudice or scrutiny.
   
• Technical.ly gives a recap of the #RiseConf14 conference that was held in Philadelphia last week, a gathering of national leaders in Civic Tech discussing how public-private partnerships are being shaped through the web, IT processes, and the creative economy.
   
• Library Journal talks tech in the first installment of a new monthly column covering the intersection of libraries and self-publishing.
   
• Finally, just in time for Halloween, a boo-tiful selection of vintage Halloween mask and costumes.

Once you've checked out all of the above links, don't forget to subscribe to the Free Library of Philadelphia blog right here!
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