Author Archive: Allison Escoto

Up to the Challenge

By Allison Escoto | November 1, 2021

Foundations of Intellectual Freedom By Emily J. M. Knox This text is a practical introduction to intellectual freedom in librarianship. It provides a broad overview, including historical perspectives, key US case law and precedents, a presentation of opposing viewpoints, and an examination of various professional codes of ethics, among other essential topics. The work also … Continue reading Up to the Challenge →

Pandemic Pivoting, Continued

By Allison Escoto | May 3, 2021

Going Virtual: Programs and Insights from a Time of Crisis By Sarah Ostman Going Virtual is a timely, practical guide that offers pragmatic advice and creative examples of programs for communities of all sizes and types. Divided into four sections—learning, conversation, connection, and entertainment—this book provides a wealth of ideas for programs that can be … Continue reading Pandemic Pivoting, Continued →

Empower, Provide, Engage

By Allison Escoto | November 2, 2020

Social Justice and Activism in Libraries: Essays on Diversity and Change Edited by Su Epstein, Carol Smallwood, and Vera Gubnitskaia For a holistic look at the role libraries can play in the realm of social activism, Social Justice and Activism in Libraries is a comprehensive collection of essays that covers a range of issues—including … Continue reading Empower, Provide, Engage →

Getting to Know You (Again)

By Allison Escoto | May 1, 2020

Collection Management Basics, 7th edition By Margaret Zarnosky Saponaro and G. Edward Evans Collection Management Basics sheds light on many facets of collection management. When it was first published in 1979, the landscape of library collections was much different, and this all-inclusive text has been revised through the years to keep up. Beginning with a … Continue reading Getting to Know You (Again) →

Latest Library Links

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Sallyann Price writes: “Actor and comedian Molly Shannon is perhaps best known for the larger-than-life characters she created over six seasons as a Saturday Night Live cast member. She talked about the vulnerability that forged those characters—and the real-life personalities that populate her forthcoming memoir Hello, Molly! (Ecco, April)—at the American Library Association’s LibLearnX conference on January 23 in conversation with author Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney. ‘I have so much respect for what you do and for writers in general,’ Shannon told Sweeney. ‘I think it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, ever. Way harder than performing.’ “

AL: The Scoop, Jan. 23
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Sanhita SinhaRoy writes: “How do you address low morale at your organization? What can you do to foster more diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in recruitment and retention? In her 15-minute ShopTalk session, “3 Reasons Your DEI Programs Are Not Working,” Elaina Norlin presented research and anecdotes from consulting on DEI issues to attendees of ALA’s LibLearnX virtual conference on January 23. Norlin, author of The Six-Step Guide to Library Worker Engagement (ALA Editions, 2021) and professional development and DEI program coordinator for the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries, said that recent studies show 92% of DEI trainings fail on multiple levels and can create more harm than good.”
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The American Library Association has selected The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu (Little, Brown and Company) by Tom Lin as the winner of the 2022 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance (Random House) by Hanif Abdurraqib as the winner of the 2022 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction. The selections were announced during ALA’s inaugural LibLearnX conference January 23 at the Reference and User Services Association’s Book and Media Awards virtual event. “Congratulations to both medalists for gifting readers with essential antidotes to the polarizing challenges we continue to face,” said Terry Hong, chair of the selection committee for the 2022 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence.”

AL: The Scoop, Jan. 23
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Terra Dankowski writes: “If you’ve ever wondered if your library should be doing more to support independent and self-published authors—such as holding book festivals featuring their work or including more of their titles on your shelves—Tejas Desai and Kacper Jarecki of Queens (N.Y.) Public Library (QPL) think the answer is yes. At ‘Supporting Indie Authors,’ an educational session at the American Library Association’s LibLearnX conference on January 22, Desai and Jarecki discussed how libraries can be a lifeline for independent and self-published authors and their readers—especially those who live in the communities they serve. ‘We’re firmly committed to the idea that everyone has a story,’ said Desai, assistant manager and supervising librarian at QPL’s Cambria Heights branch.”

AL: The Scoop, Jan. 22
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Carrie Smith writes: “As attention on trauma-informed care for library patrons grew, Karen Fisher, professor at University of Washington School of Information, began to wonder whether equal attention should be turned toward library workers. ‘We had a long list, pages and pages of incidents that we had been gathering from the media, all the types of stresses coming into library workplaces,’ said Fisher during the January 22 session ‘Trauma in the Library’ at ALA’s LibLearnX virtual conference. ‘We really wanted to turn it more inward and ask, What is the impact on staff?'”

AL: The Scoop, Jan. 22
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Chase Ollis writes: “The American Library Association (ALA) presented its annual I Love My Librarian Awards in a livestreamed ceremony at the inaugural LibLearnX event on January 22. The awards honor 10 librarians per year for outstanding service. This year’s recipients include three academic librarians, three school librarians, and four public librarians, including one prison librarian. ‘These 10 honorees are inspiring examples of what is possible in our profession,’ said ALA President Patricia ‘Patty’ M. Wong during the ceremony’s opening remarks. ‘Their stories are a testament to the profound leadership, compassion, and expertise of our nation’s librarians.’ “

AL: The Scoop, Jan. 22, Jan. 10
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Sanhita SinhaRoy writes: “As US demographics change and as the push to become a more inclusive and equitable society grows, libraries must follow suit. That was the message at ‘Advancing Race and Social Equity in Library Communications,’ a January 22 session at ALA’s LibLearnX virtual conference. Three members of Prince George’s County (Md.) Memorial Library System (PGCMLS) discussed the library’s ongoing antiracism and social equity work, how that work is reflected in its communications, and how it has strengthened the library’s role in the local and statewide community.”

AL: The Scoop, Jan. 22

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