3h
Want to get away from the hustle of conference and into the bustle of American Libraries’ home city? Here you’ll find staff members’ favorite jaunts—from neighborhoods gems to tourist attractions—just a bus, train, or bike ride away. Chicago’s grid system makes it an easy place to explore in between sessions, signings, and celebrations. Originally published for the 2023 Annual Conference, this overview contains recommendations that remain Chicago favorites.
American Libraries feature, June 2023
18h
Marshall Breeding writes: “The library technology industry is at a critical juncture, driven by uncertainties in funding and disruptions in technology, particularly around artificial intelligence. Business transitions have included changes in executive leadership, acquisitions, and new ownership. Despite these shakeups, most vendors advanced along their development road maps, with some launching new or improved products.”
American Libraries feature, June
21h
Jennifer Billock writes: “We’ve compiled a master list of restaurants and cafés to try while attending the 2026 Annual Conference and Exhibition. From healthy breakfasts to decadent splurges and feasts, these establishments will provide whatever you need to keep your energy up for a long day of learning or feed your soul afterward. Replace the standard tourist-trap meals with big and bold flavors from around the world. All the spots mentioned, organized by neighborhood, are easily accessible by public transit, a leisurely walk, or a quick ride share from McCormick Place.”
American Libraries feature, June
4d
Ojas Kulkarni writes: “Pro wrestling has happened in some very unusual places over the years. Fans have seen matches in stadiums and empty arenas, cruise ships, beaches, swamps, parking lots, malls, military camps, and even WWE headquarters. Now, another unexpected location has joined that list. Professional wrestling is taking place inside libraries. Lucha Libro was established in 2024 by Jerry Rocha and Victor Dwight. It combines children’s storytime with live professional wrestling. The wrestling style takes inspiration from the Mexican tradition of Lucha libre.”
Wrestlezone, June 12
4d
Emily Villanueva and Romany Craig write: “This article outlines the development and implementation of a pop-up reference service at the University of Lethbridge (Alberta) Library as an innovative response to declining reference interactions. This initiative was designed to connect with students who were unaware of the resources available at the library. Findings suggest that pop-up reference services play an important role in library outreach, providing individualized experiences that students desire while eliciting reference questions that otherwise would not have been asked.”
From lockdown to pop-up: Reimagining reference in a changed world
5d
Claire Baytas writes: “Librarians, faculty, students, and others across higher education are increasingly and understandably concerned about how widespread adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools is affecting the climate and the planet broadly speaking. In order for the higher education community to make informed choices about AI tools, AI literacy curricula must address these pressing environmental dimensions of the technology. We have published a LibGuide focused on the Environmental Impacts of AI. Its articles, reports, podcasts, videos, data trackers, and other types of resources address environmental impacts throughout the AI lifecycle.”
Ithaka S+R, June 9
5d
Eric Schwitzgebel writes: “Comparing online conferences now with what online conferences could become is like looking at Usenet in the 1980s and thinking that nothing much more could become of the internet. Just as few people in the 1980s could have imagined Facebook, Uber, and YouTube, few of us now have much idea what online conferencing could become if given the chance to flourish. So far, there’s no real equivalent to running across friends in the hallway and escaping for a coffee down the block. But other tools encourage one-on-one and small-group encounters in online conference applications.”
The Splintered Mind, June 11
