Author Archive: Carrie Smith

Meeting the Future Head-on

By Carrie Smith | January 25, 2021

It’s a timely, if violent, image: The pandemic has accelerated numerous technological changes, including digitization, automation, and remote work. In the midst of this upheaval, the Hawaii State Library system has partnered with Oceanit to help dodge any metaphorical punches by bringing artificial intelligence (AI) technology, along with job training and mentorship for students, to … Continue reading Meeting the Future Head-on →

Jeff Pinsker, Erica Ruscio, and Rebecca Strang

Let’s Play Online

By Carrie Smith | January 25, 2021

Strang was joined by Erica Ruscio, young adult librarian at Ventress Memorial Library in Marshfield, Massachusetts; Dan Major, adult services library at Orion Township (Mich.) Public Library (OTPL); and Jeff Pinsker, CEO of Amigo Games, for “Virtual Gaming Programs: Resources for Fighting Social Isolation with Gaming,” a session sponsored by the Games and Gaming Round … Continue reading Let’s Play Online →

Caring for the Caretakers

By Carrie Smith | January 24, 2021

“Most of us are managing multiple stresses at once. Some are related to the pandemic, and some are related to normal life,” said Melissa Glenn, health and social services coordinator for King County (Washington) Library System (KCLS). “Working from home, witnessing racial violence, political tension—these are all things can cause distress, especially when they are … Continue reading Caring for the Caretakers →

Julia Gelfand, Shannon Lichty, Sarah Sansbury, and Amber Seely

Meeting Digital Challenges

By Carrie Smith | January 23, 2021

Last year saw unprecedented increases in digital lending. Digital collections aren’t new to libraries, but coronavirus precautions have led many library users to try out ebooks, digital audiobooks, and other online offerings for the first time. Shannon Lichty, vice president of partner services for OverDrive, moderated a panel of academic, public, and school librarians in … Continue reading Meeting Digital Challenges →

Christian Cooper, Marie Javins, and Alitha Martinez

Making Better Myths

By Carrie Smith | January 23, 2021

Cooper, joined by DC Comics Executive Editor Marie Javins, artist and illustrator Alitha Evelyn Martinez, and moderated by Andrew Aydin, former aide to the late Rep. John Lewis and coauthor of his March graphic novel trilogy, discussed bringing new voices to comics at “REPRESENT!: Stories of Personal Experiences, Unheard Voices, and Social Change—a Panel” at … Continue reading Making Better Myths →

A clock next to calendars listing different numbers of days representing REALM test result quarantine periods

REALM Test Results

By Carrie Smith | January 4, 2021

Since May, the REopening Archives, Libraries, and Museums (REALM) project—an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)–funded collaboration between OCLC and the research and development organization Battelle—has been studying surface transmission risks of common library and museum materials. Results from the first five rounds of tests, illustrated in this infographic, show that the virus’s survival … Continue reading REALM Test Results →

Destiny facilitates holds and curbside pickup.

Remote Realities

By Carrie Smith | January 4, 2021

Follett Destiny User: Craig Seasholes, librarian at Dearborn Park International Elementary School in Seattle What is Destiny? Destiny is a library management system that allows cataloging, inventory, and usage reports for print and electronic resources. Destiny Discover is the student-facing catalog that allows students to log in, download electronic resources, and put holds on books. … Continue reading Remote Realities →

Staff (top) and patron views of Curbside Communicator.

Don’t Touch

By Carrie Smith | September 1, 2020

Curbside Communicator Unique’s Curbside Communicator automates curbside pickups for holds and creates a simple communication link between patrons and library staff to facilitate the process. Rather than requiring patrons to reserve a time slot in advance, Curbside Communicator allows patrons to arrive anytime during designated hours and use their mobile devices to check in and … Continue reading Don’t Touch →

Infobase’s Films on Demand fashion studies streaming video collection includes more than 1,300 titles.

Arts Online

By Carrie Smith | July 1, 2020

Infobase Infobase is one of the largest providers of streaming services to libraries. Its Films on Demand service provides more than 42,000 streaming videos to academic libraries on a variety of subjects. Each video is divided into searchable segments, and users can create and bookmark their own segments. Downloadable and searchable transcripts accompany each video, … Continue reading Arts Online →

Serving the Transgender Community

By Carrie Smith | June 29, 2020

In “Serving the Transgender Community: It’s More Than Just Bathrooms!,” an American Library Association (ALA) Virtual program sponsored by the ALA Rainbow Round Table and moderated by Deb Sica, deputy county librarian at Alameda County, panelists discussed things libraries can do to serve the needs of the transgender community. Transgender and nonbinary members of the … Continue reading Serving the Transgender Community →

Making Comics History: Malaka Gharib and Tasha Spillet-Sumner

This Moment in Comics

By Carrie Smith | June 29, 2020

With Tasha Spillett-Sumner, author of the Surviving the City graphic novel series, Gharib discussed the role of the comics industry in this historic moment of uprisings against white supremacy and structural inequality at “A Comics History in the Making,” moderated by Alea Perez, president of the American Library Association’s (ALA) Graphic Novels and Comics Round … Continue reading This Moment in Comics →

Twitch and Discord in libraries panelists Michael Dunbar-Rodney and Lorin Flores

How Libraries Can Use Discord and Twitch

By Carrie Smith | June 26, 2020

Lorin Flores and Michael Dunbar-Rodney, librarians at San Antonio (Tex.) Public Library, discussed how libraries can take advantage of these emerging online streaming platforms to reach new audiences and expand digital services during the COVID-19 pandemic in their ALA Virtual 2020 session, “Twitch and Discord in Public Libraries: New Opportunities for Adult Services.” Twitch, a … Continue reading How Libraries Can Use Discord and Twitch →

Latest Library Links

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On March 3 ALA welcomed the introduction of the Build America’s Libraries Act in the House of Representatives by Reps. Andy Levin (D-Mich), Don Young (R-Alaska), and 52 cosponsors. The legislation would provide $5 billion to support long-term improvements to library facilities, including addressing needs that have arisen due to COVID–19. The bill would enable libraries to better serve rural, low-income and underserved areas, as well as people with disabilities and other vulnerable library users. ALA is asking library advocates to urge their Representatives and Senators to join as cosponsors of the Build America’s Libraries Act.

ALA Public Policy and Advocacy Office, March 3
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The Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) issued a statement March 3 recognizing and strongly condemning the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes that have permeated our country over the past year. The statement reads in part, “Our Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities have been deeply impacted by attacks that have caused physical and psychological harm.” Read the full statement with links to resources.

APALA, March 3
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In the fall and winter of 2020, New America embarked on a snapshot study to gather data on how—or if—people were discovering, accessing, and using their public libraries during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on materials that libraries made available online. Their findings, which include data from a national survey of 2,620 people, highlight the need for more inclusivity, more focus on providing internet access, and more awareness-raising initiatives with local organizations and schools. Read the full report.

New America, March 1
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Dr. Seuss Enterprises announced March 2 that it would no longer publish six of the author and illustrator’s early works that “portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong.” While some pundits and politicians claimed the move was akin to book burning, OIF Director Deborah Caldwell-Stone said that Dr. Seuss Enterprises’ move is “well within their rights” and doesn’t mean that the six titles will necessarily be banned. “They haven’t asked for anyone else to remove the books from their collections, whether it’s libraries, schools, or personal collections,” she says. She confirms that, as the ALA’s lists of banned and challenged books attest, “diverse topics like LGBTQ themes and characters or books that deal with racial justice” have been more frequent targets of complaints.

Yahoo News, March 2
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As of March 1, Twitter has started applying labels to tweets that may contain misleading information about COVID-19 vaccines, in addition to its continued efforts to remove the most harmful COVID-19 misleading information from its service. The company is also introducing a strike system that determines when further enforcement action is necessary.

Twitter blog, March 1
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Brendan Dowling writes: “For over a year, Heights Libraries (Cleveland Heights, Ohio) has held monthly programs surrounding The 1619 Project, The New York Times’s long-form journalism project that investigates how slavery molded the United States’s economy, politics, and social structure. Outreach Librarian John Piché spoke with us about best practices for holding your own program, community engagement, and partnering with local organizations.

Public Libraries Online, Feb. 24
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Registration for the ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition, June 23–29, is now open. The event will include educational programming, the News You Can Use series, memorable featured speakers, special author events, The Library Marketplace, Presidents’ Programs, Discussion Groups, leading authors, live-chat presentations, and networking opportunities. The list of Featured Speakers will be announced soon.

ALA Conference Services, March 2

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