Rebecca Gerber's blog

Q. One of our regular library visitors asked what the library's plan for preventing the spread of the flu is.  He has asked whether we wipe down the books daily, or otherwise clean them to prevent transmission.  Does the ALA have information to help libraries on this subject?

Question: Due to budget cuts, my library is looking closely at the reference collection.  Are there any policies or guidelines for evaluating reference collections, especially in light of print and paid database resources?

“What should my kids read over the summer?” is a common question at this time of year.  With school letting out for the summer break, teachers and parents alike are searching for reputable lists of books for their students and children.  First, check with your local public library, which often has a summer reading program.

Question: Is there a standard library barcode identification system?

Have you ever wondered about the history of the library card?  Library cards now come in all shapes and sizes, and even children are urged to get one.

Briefly, the library card came into existence because of the development of the model for modern library circulation. The 1955 ALA publication, Charging Systems by Helen Thornton Geer, explains John Cotton Dana’s role in its creation around 1900, and the machine based on that model that was introduced by the Gaylord Brothers in 1932.

Question: We’d like to make our website available to patrons that have “smartphones”.  Do you have any resources to help us?

Question: What is the oldest university library?

Question: I know there are seals libraries can buy for children’s books that win awards from the American Library Association. Are there seals I can buy to put on the copies of those books that our library already owns that were named Notable Books for Children?

Answer:

Question:   Is there a collection development policy would address the shift from print to electronic materials, the selection criteria for such materials, and what kind of reference materials should be preferably purchased in electronic format compared to the ones we should keep in print format?