Battledecks @ Annual

Nine extemporizing presenters will compete for prizes and glory in the Battledecks competition tonight at 5:30 p.m. in Washington Convention Center room 103A, immediately following the Exhibits Closing Program. Battledecks is often described as "PowerPoint Karaoke." Each contestant will give an impromptu presentation on a topic that will be assigned in the room, using slides they have never seen before. Despite these challenges, the results are frequently hilarious, thought-provoking, and surprisingly insightful.

June 9, 2010

Nine extemporizing presenters will compete for prizes and glory in the Battledecks competition tonight at 5:30 p.m. in Washington Convention Center room 103A, immediately following the Exhibits Closing Program.

Battledecks is often described as “PowerPoint Karaoke.” Each contestant will give an impromptu presentation on a topic that will be assigned in the room, using slides they have never seen before. Despite these challenges, the results are frequently hilarious, thought-provoking, and surprisingly insightful.

The field features four champions from previous Battledecks competitions at Midwinter, Internet Librarian, and Pres4Lib. They’ll be challenged by five newcomers hungry for their shot at the title, making this one of Annual’s most exciting competitions.

Battledecks is sponsored by American Libraries and the Learning Round Table.

“Fiber Beat logo exercise” image from http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikewade/3963459574/in/set-72157622474263886 /used under Creative Commons license.

Emerging Leaders Speak

Members of the 2010 class of ALA Emerging Leaders speak about their experiences so far and what they've gotten out of the program. ALA is now seeking applicants for the Emerging Leader class of 2011; learn more at http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/hrdr/abouthrdr/emergingleaders.cfm. Application deadline is July 31.

Latest Library Links

1h

Megan Janicki writes: “More than half of all public libraries each year apply for E-Rate funding to support the broadband capacity needed to serve our communities nationwide. Recent legal challenges threaten this program. Consumers’ Research has brought suits against the Federal Communications Commission in several appellate courts across the country, alleging that the Universal Service Fund [of which E-Rate is a part] contribution factor is unconstitutional. Now, the case is headed to the Supreme Court.” Share stories about what the E-Rate has meant for your community by emailing mjanicki@ala.org to contribute to amicus briefs ALA anticipates filing in support of the E-Rate.

Public Libraries Online, Nov. 22; Broadband Breakfast, Aug. 6
18h

ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom and the Writers Guild Initiative are hosting a unique series of writer’s workshops that help participants use writing to reflect on experiences, share insights, identify a path forward, and make their voices heard. The workshops will pair 25 librarians with professional film and television writers. All librarians are invited to apply by December 16. Participants will be randomly selected for the four-session online series taking place from February 1 through March 8, 2025.

Office for Intellectual Freedom, Nov. 20
21h

Cass Balzer writes: “What would you do to keep your child clean, dry, and healthy? Skip meals? Miss bill payments? Take on an extra job? For nearly half of US families with young children, the answer is: All of the above and more. A National Diaper Bank Network study found that in 2023, an unprecedented 47% of families with young children nationwide struggled to afford diapers. In response, libraries have stepped up to distribute these critical supplies. Though they can be challenging to fund and coordinate, these programs are immensely popular and—for many communities—vital.”

American Libraries Trend, Nov./Dec.
1d

Ana Ndumu writes: “For more than a century, American libraries of all types have helped immigrants integrate, worked with municipalities to cultivate welcoming communities, and supported laws to shape our immigration system. With immigrants making up 13.8% of our population, the US is more racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse than ever before. But for many library workers, staying abreast of the fraught immigration policy landscape is challenging. Laws shift rapidly, with initiatives introduced or eliminated according to political agendas. Here are additional resources library workers can use to educate themselves or network with others administering to immigrant communities.”

American Libraries column, Nov./Dec.
4d

Michael Kan writes: “Are you still using ‘chocolate,’ ‘naruto,’ or ‘monkey’ for your passwords? You really need to stop. All three are among the most commonly used passwords, putting your accounts at risk of hacking, according to new data from NordPass. The password manager’s sixth annual list of the top 200 most commonly used passwords is pulled from a 2.5TB dataset of stolen logins taken from various sources.” ZDNet offers tips for creating stronger passwords and improved security measures.

PC Mag, Nov. 14; NordPass, Nov. 13; ZDNet, Nov. 14
4d

John Sharp writes: “Athens and Fairhope are two fast-growing cities in the fastest-growing areas of Alabama, and there is no mistaking their conservative bona fides. But according to early statistics about library card applications, their libraries appear to be bucking a trend embraced by conservative-leaning groups and the Alabama GOP: Their patrons appear to be trusting the libraries. More than 60% of parents at Fairhope Public Library and Athens-Limestone County Public Library have signed off on all-access passes for their children with no restrictions on library usage.”

AL.com, Nov. 17
5d

Katie Gaddini writes: “Book bans may have mushroomed in the Trump era of reactionary politics, but they have a well-established history in America. One woman in particular, Norma Gabler, redefined the current strategy and logic behind modern book bans. Called ‘education’s public enemy number one,’ by critics in 1980, Gabler led the crusade against the so-called secular trend in school textbooks throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Even though Norma and her husband Mel worked together, Norma was the public face of their efforts for decades.”

Time: Made By History, Nov. 13

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Emerging Leaders Speak