Featured speakers Opening Session Friday, January 25, 4–5:15 p.m. Philanthropist Melinda Gates, cofounder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has dedicated her life to transforming the health and prosperity of families, communities, and societies. Core to her work is the empowerment of women and girls. Gates is the author of the forthcoming The Moment … Continue reading 2019 Midwinter Preview
Then, like the tech industry that refueled Seattle’s ailing aerospace economy, the food scene exploded. Cooking became an art, and the materials needed to create that art were close at hand—right at the famous Pike Place Market. The “buy fresh, eat local” philosophy, which places a premium on sustainable fishing and organic farming practices, now … Continue reading Emerald City Eats
Michelle Obama at Annual At the Annual Conference of the American Library Association (ALA) in New Orleans, former First Lady Michelle Obama and Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden conversed before an overflow crowd of 8,000. Obama spoke about her family, her career, and writing her memoir—and about getting her first library card at age 4. … Continue reading 2018 Year in Review
As told to Anne Ford American Libraries asked seven librarians—public, academic, and school; urban and rural—their thoughts about the many directions in which their profession finds itself pulled. “At the end of the day, somebody is dying.” Chera Kowalski Assistant to the Chief of Staff Free Library of Philadelphia Chera Kowalski has received national media … Continue reading Other Duties as Assigned
More than 35 states have introduced legislation to protect net neutrality, although only four (California, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington) have passed laws. Several governors have also issued executive orders related to net neutrality. The details of state net neutrality actions vary significantly, but common provisions are: prohibiting all internet service providers (ISPs) in a state … Continue reading The State of Net Neutrality
“I hadn’t realized this kind of work was possible,” she says. “Every opera company has a person called a librarian, but they’re usually an orchestra librarian”—typically a music preparation specialist with ensemble experience who doesn’t, like Cabaniss, hold an MLIS. Hired in 2014 as the company’s first information professional, Cabaniss makes sure the artistic, music, … Continue reading Bookend: The Show Must Go On
6 Number of years since the American Library Association last held its Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in the Emerald City. 85 Number of years that the Blue Moon Tavern—an iconic bar in Seattle’s University District—has been in operation. The watering hole was reputedly popular among poets Allen Ginsberg, Carolyn Kizer, Theodore Roethke, and Dylan … Continue reading By the Numbers: Literary Seattle
In the last two years, Penn State University Libraries has seen rapid adoption of its information literacy microcredentials among students. Microcredentials—transferable forms of metadata-encoded, performance-based educational credits—are not new; they started gaining traction in academic libraries around 2012. What is different at Penn State is that to help manage the sudden volume of badge submissions, … Continue reading The Making of a Microcredential
“I thought that maybe something similar could advance the city’s goals of getting information out to the public,” Griffin says. He adapted the format to allow residents one-on-one time with several local leaders at a single event. He wanted to appeal to people who might not feel comfortable speaking up at a city meeting or … Continue reading Lawmaker Matchmaker
Karna Younger, faculty engagement librarian at Kansas University Libraries, says the idea of research sprints—during which faculty and librarians work together for about a week on the same project, and, more importantly, in the same space—is not a wholly new idea. But the approach is being formalized into a method that can be replicated. “It … Continue reading Academic Speed Trials
“Miraculously, the Paradise branch of the Butte County Library system is still standing,” says Butte County Library Director Melanie Lightbody, noting that it’s one of the only remaining structures in town. While the library was not destroyed by the fire, the building and its contents have suffered extensive smoke damage. The five other branches in … Continue reading California Libraries in Wildfires’ Wake
As a first step, a three-member ALA Workplace Wellness Advisory Committee and I collaborated with the American Library Association–Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA) to renew the wellness website started by former ALA President Loriene Roy (2007–2008). Thanks to graduate students in Roy’s School of Information class at University of Texas at Austin, the site has been … Continue reading Immerse Yourself in Wellness
