Features Archives | American Libraries Magazine

Illustration of a woman "surfing" on a library card through different icons related to library systems including a book, a money sign, and an ebook

2024 Library Systems Report

By Marshall Breeding | May 1, 2024

Previous cycles of business consolidation have yielded a layered landscape with distinct levels of competition. At the top, a handful of large organizations with considerable resources—Clarivate, EBSCO Information Services, Follett School Solutions, and OCLC—continue to expand their portfolios, covering multiple business sectors and library types. Middle-tier companies, including Axiell, ByWater Solutions, The Library Corporation (TLC), … Continue reading 2024 Library Systems Report →

Show Yourself

You might be thinking, “Our school library has a brand?” Most of us associate the word with a name, logo, tagline, and design elements that a corporation uses to distinguish itself from others. It also involves marketing and merchandising to promote the organization’s product or service. When all these components are combined, the result is … Continue reading Show Yourself →

Newsmakers: Maia Kobabe and Sarah Peitzmeier

By Sarah Hunter | May 1, 2024

Sarah, what made you want to turn your academic research into a comic? Peitzmeier: I do a lot of different types of research on topics like cancer prevention and gender-based violence prevention. But this work on binding has received the most public interest. I’m often getting emails from trans teens who, for example, want to … Continue reading Newsmakers: Maia Kobabe and Sarah Peitzmeier →

Drew Evans seated on a pickleball court with books about pickleball propped up on the net

Bookend: Holding Court

By Greg Landgraf | May 1, 2024

Drew Evans, a retired law librarian who has previously worked at Kansas State University in Manhattan and Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, took up the sport about seven years ago. “I was hooked from the first hit,” he says. “You’re about 14 feet from your opponent, and that allows for a lot of social interaction … Continue reading Bookend: Holding Court →

Newsmaker: Dulcé Sloan

By Megan Bennett | April 17, 2024

In the small town of 9,000 people, it was a place to gather with other young actors—and the only place with internet access. “‘Okay, let me check my email,’” she recalls. “’Let me check my bank balance; yep, it’s still low.’” Sloan says library staff were “very confused” about what was happening: “Why are 10 … Continue reading Newsmaker: Dulcé Sloan →

Reading Between the Bots

March 1, 2024

According to a May 2023 survey of academic librarians by Leo S. Lo, professor and dean of the College of University Libraries and Learning Sciences at University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, about 45% of respondents said they have a moderate understanding of AI concepts and principles. Seventy-four percent underscored the urgent need to address … Continue reading Reading Between the Bots →

The World of AI

By Emily Udell | March 1, 2024

A hot topic in many industries, generative artificial intelligence (generative AI) has increasingly occupied our cultural consciousness since the large language model ChatGPT debuted for public use in November 2022. Some libraries are playing a unique role in charting a path through this new technological territory as the boundaries of AI’s uses and impacts continue … Continue reading The World of AI →

A photo of Moxie, an artificial intelligence robot used at Santa Ana Public Library.

Realizing Potential

By American Libraries staff | March 1, 2024

As many types of AI become commonplace, library workers in particular will be at the forefront of evaluating their significance in the information realm. American Libraries touched base with professionals at five public, school, and academic libraries who are using, and innovating with, this emerging technology. Robots in Residence Santa Ana (Calif.) Public Library Some … Continue reading Realizing Potential →

Screencap from Grammarly's text generator depicting a passage with a prompt to rewrite with a food pun

Common Forms of AI

March 1, 2024

Text generators Tools that generate text based on user prompts. Examples: copy.ai, Anyword, Peppertype, Grammarly Uses: Automate drafting of routine documents like overdue notices or new cardholder welcome messages, draft marketing copy or web page text Controversies: » Sports Illustrated was recently criticized for publishing AI-generated product reviews on its website, which it blamed on … Continue reading Common Forms of AI →

Newsmaker: Hanif Abdurraqib

By Donna Seaman | March 1, 2024

You explore basketball from many perspectives throughout your new book. Can you sum up the game’s meaning to you? Growing up, we had a basketball hoop on our garage, and people I loved, thought about, and cared for would gather around. As a kid, obviously, I was not thinking about basketball as a fully encapsulating … Continue reading Newsmaker: Hanif Abdurraqib →

Kathleen Donahoe, robot archive processing archivist at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), poses with a selection of robots in CMU's archive.

Bookend: Completing the Circuit

By Carrie Smith | March 1, 2024

How do you archive a robot? This is the question that Kathleen Donahoe, robot archive processing archivist at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Libraries in Pittsburgh, and a team of archivists, roboticists, and preservation experts seek to answer through the Robotics Project, which launched in 2019. “There are just so many layers to how a robotics … Continue reading Bookend: Completing the Circuit →

Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Sam Helmick

By Sam Helmick | March 1, 2024

Together we will write the next chapter of ALA’s legacy. With tremendous passion for the work and impact of libraries, I stand for election as ALA president and seek to leverage this great opportunity to promote, uplift, encourage, and endorse you, your steady efforts, and the values we represent as a profession. As an ALA … Continue reading Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Sam Helmick →

Latest Library Links

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Cara S. Bertram writes: “As we look forward to book award ceremonies at the ALA Annual Conference in San Diego this summer, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the history of one of the most prestigious children’s book awards, the Caldecott Medal. The idea was first presented in 1935 in a letter by Frederic G. Melcher,” who had established the Newbery Medal in 1921. Melcher’s suggestion was prompted when Professor May Hill Arbuthnot of Western Reserve University in Cleveland communicated the concern that the Newbery was not recognizing literature for the youngest children.

American Library Association Archives, Apr. 29
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Kristi Kellogg writes: “Images are an essential component of online content—and it’s obvious why. Images aren’t just pretty—they’re powerful marketing tools that help you stand out. Whether you’re creating a social media post, a webpage, an ebook, a blog post, or something else, adding visuals goes a long way in improving the overall user experience. However, you can’t just pull images off the internet and use them—and it’s your responsibility to determine if and how you can use the image without breaking the law.”

Search Engine Journal, Apr. 6
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Rachée Fagg writes: “Reading, a gateway to knowledge and empowerment, serves as the cornerstone of education worldwide. However, for English as a Second Language (ESL) students, the journey of mastering this essential skill can present unique challenges. Traditional reading materials, laden with text, often intimidate and discourage ESL learners, hindering their progress. Wordless books, as the name suggests, eschew conventional text in favor of vivid illustrations that narrate compelling stories. By relying solely on visuals, these books transcend language barriers, inviting readers of all ability levels to embark on imaginative journeys.”

ALSC Blog, Apr. 26
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Keahi Adolpho and Stephen G. Krueger write: “This comprehensive review illuminates the current state of scholarly literature on trans and gender diverse inclusion in libraries, with the intention to provide a foundation and identify gaps for further research. We found that, with the exception of works on archives and cataloging, little scholarly literature goes beyond introductory talking points on basic information about trans and gender diverse people. We conclude with a call for much more in-depth research on this essential topic.”

In the Library with the Lead Pipe, Apr. 24
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Allison Escoto writes: “There’s no doubt about it. Librarianship can be a demanding career path, and the quest to find just the right work-life balance while managing stress is perennial. This eclectic collection of books speak to that delicate balance by covering the importance of wellness, preventing burnout, practicing mindfulness, and essential self-care practices.”

American Libraries column, May
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Emily Drabinski writes: “When you’re president of the ALA, you get asked a lot of questions. But here’s one that’s hard to answer: ‘What’s your favorite library?’ When you’ve seen as many amazing libraries as I have, it’s impossible to choose, so my favorite library is always the most recent one I’ve visited. As much as individual libraries are distinct, they also have a lot in common. Librarians select, acquire, describe, organize, and provide access to information. These fundamentals might look different in time and place, but they remain the core of our profession.”

American Libraries column, May
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Marshall Breeding writes: “The library technology industry had a quiet year in 2023. But in the absence of major business moves and acquisitions, companies set their sights on executing strategies to strengthen their market position. Previous cycles of business consolidation have yielded a layered landscape with distinct levels of competition. Competition at each level remains vigorous. Libraries may have fewer product choices because of past acquisitions, but the options remaining are distinctive. Most libraries can choose between for-profit and nonprofit vendors, and between proprietary and open source products.”

American Libraries feature, May

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