American Libraries Magazine | The magazine of the American Library Association

The Impact of No Impact Man

Submitted by Laura Bruzas on Fri, 03/19/2010 - 16:16

“I don’t know what truth is. Truth is something unattainable. We can’t think we’re creating truth with a camera. But what we can do, is reveal something to viewers that allows them to discover their own truth.” –Michel Brault, cinematographer, cameraman, film director, screenwriter and film producer

I could not agree more. Over the years, I have seen many extraordinary films that have touched me and helped me see my own truth.

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One Library Braves the E-Newsletter Front

Submitted by Laura Bruzas on Tue, 03/16/2010 - 22:06

Where do libraries use the most paper? The answer: the library newsletter!

I recently caught up with Beth Keller, Marketing Specialist for the Highland Park (Ill.) Public Library, to ask how her library’s transition to a “paperless” e-newsletter was going. Here’s what she had to say:

“Our library used to mail newsletters to 13,000 households four times per year. Most were eight pages. Additional copies were printed for distributing in the Library.

Green Libraries in the Library Design Showcase

Submitted by Greg Landgraf on Tue, 03/16/2010 - 21:56

Coming in the April issue of American Libraries is our annual Library Design Showcase, but we’ve already started posting the much more thorough and much more focused online component.

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An Alternative Approach to Furnishing Your Library

Submitted by Laura Bruzas on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 22:22

As I look around my home and home office, I see many beautiful and unique pieces of gently used, durable furniture including chairs, tables, a desk, filing cabinets, wall clocks, lamps and a bookcase. The source of these items: resale and consignment shops, garage sales, and estate and community rummage sales.

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When Is a Book a Bag?

Submitted by Laura Bruzas on Tue, 03/09/2010 - 16:39

When It’s a BookBag, designed by Kathy Kelly.

Every day, each one of us is surrounded by an enormous amount of stuff that is continually updated, with the outdated version being tossed to make room for the new. A few common examples include phone books, association directories, and special event banners.

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You Won't Know if You Don't Ask

Submitted by Laura Bruzas on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 21:44

Gathering patron input is invaluable to understanding the needs and wants of your community. It’s also a wonderful way to build your library’s green treasure chest.

When was the last time you surveyed your patrons about green issues? Oftentimes, libraries survey their patrons but do not include a section that covers green topics. Below are a few fast and easy to implement survey ideas to address this:

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Styrofoam, Paper, Ceramic, Stainless Steel or Corn?

Submitted by Laura Bruzas on Tue, 03/02/2010 - 21:10

Does your library offer coffee and tea to its patrons and staff? If so, you may want to consider serving them in something other than a polystyrene (aka Styrofoam) cup—if you are not already doing so.

Why?

In addition to the potential health-related risks, there are environmental concerns:

Book Green Speakers Bigger than Your Budget

Submitted by Laura Bruzas on Thu, 02/25/2010 - 17:34

Have you ever attended a great program at your local library? A program that you remember years later as if it was yesterday?

Some of the very best programs that I’ve attended over the years included a big name speaker, a visionary who left me wanting to know more and do more.

In these economically challenging times, it can be tough to book a well-known speaker, especially on a dime. But it is not impossible.

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