I learned so much from that ruin. I learned the term flipping houses. I learned that wealthier people saw the homes in our neighborhood as “assets” but not places they themselves would ever live. But even more than that, before the property was sold to flippers, I learned about the gray market and the underground … Continue reading ‘Scared Money Don’t Make None’
Assessment work is multifaceted and needs both leadership and expertise to be successful. When assessments include matters of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), you have an even more complex situation. Traditional library assessment practices often exclude DEI elements, or many academic libraries may be unsure about DEI assessments. Yet it’s crucial to consider: If institutions … Continue reading The Value of a DEI Audit
Marketing with Social Media: A LITA Guide, 2nd edition Edited by Beth C. Thomsett-Scott Updated and extensive, this guide offers useful information on the finer points of using social media to market services and build community. Readers at all stages of their careers and at any experience level will find solid advice on choosing the … Continue reading Tools of Engagement
Johnson, who is serving as honorary chair of Banned Books Week this year, spoke with American Libraries about their book, why it’s being challenged, and how it can serve as a call to action. All Boys Aren’t Blue has been challenged and banned in many schools across the US and has appeared on ALA’s Top … Continue reading Newsmaker: George M. Johnson
Environmentally sound Fulton County (Ga.) Library System, Central Library in Atlanta The interior design of the renovated downtown Central Library prioritizes accessibility, flexibility, and transparency, with large windows, multipurpose collaboration spaces, and a two-story atrium wrapping around a central staircase. The building, which is LEED Gold–certified, also emphasizes sustainability. By renovating instead of building entirely … Continue reading 2022 Library Design Showcase
Interior signage includes identification signs for service points, office room numbers, elevators, stairways, restrooms, entrances, and exits; directional signs; signs for orientation (call number ranges, floor directory); and regulatory signs (fire exits, fire alarm pulls). Exterior signage usually includes signs for site identification, entrances, exits, parking (and accessible parking), and directional signs. At its most … Continue reading Show and Tell
“We saw how hard it was for [residents] to get electricity, rent an apartment, open a bank account, or pick up their children from school” without them, says Damaris Gonzalez, an immigration rights organizer with the nonprofit Texas Organizing Project (TOP), which has been advocating for enhanced library cards in the state. These cards are … Continue reading ID Made Easier
In January, images of some unusual new workstations at Fairfield Area Library—part of Henrico County (Va.) Public Library (HCPL)—went viral on social media and across national and international news media. What caught people’s attention: the way the desks with attached play areas for babies and small children allowed adults to work comfortably at computers while … Continue reading A Carrel and a Corral
The library ecosystem encompasses the life cycles of both our users (to provide representation and touchstones at each stage of a person’s life) and library workers (to assist at each stage of our careers). Seasons come and go, but libraries are always present: creating community, ensuring representation, and upholding our values. Here are some roles … Continue reading Representation Matters
In the present age of neo-censorship—which journalist Rohan Jayasekera describes as “a kind of control on opinion that moves beyond the traditional model” (that of the state, the law, and the secret police) to now include “big business, courtrooms, schools, newsrooms [that] block ideas out of habit, or prejudice, or fear”—the contemporary answer to Juvenal’s … Continue reading Librarianship as Resistance
Here are some strategies that helped us along the way: Talk with colleagues. Building worker power begins when workers talk with one another about their experiences on the job. When my colleagues and I started talking more, we realized that many of us shared the same issues and were able to discuss what we believed … Continue reading United We Stand
