Author Archive: Greg Landgraf

Khole Kash reads "Stella Brings the Family," at Mobile (Ala.) Public Library on September 8.Photo: WPMI

Drag Storytimes Bring Fierceness—and Fierce Opposition

By | September 20, 2018

But while queens have proven their ability to turn the party with fantastic fashions and tales of individuality and acceptance, pockets of resistance remain. Some programs held in libraries still draw protests, as organized opposition groups insist that these storytimes aren’t appropriate for children. Lafayette (La.) Public Library (LPL) is currently facing protests of a … Continue reading Drag Storytimes Bring Fierceness—and Fierce Opposition →

Data Collection and Privacy

By | September 4, 2018

It’s an example of learning analytics, the use of data to understand and optimize learning and learning environments. The general concept isn’t new—the university’s announcement noted that student retention has been studied for more than 30 years—but the amount of data that is easy to generate with card swipes has exploded in recent years. And … Continue reading Data Collection and Privacy →

Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews will appear at Annual Conference on June 22. Photo: Mathieu Bitton

2018 Annual Conference Preview

By | June 1, 2018

This preview offers a small sample of what to expect. For a complete listing of events, visit 2018.alaannual.org. Conference highlights ALA welcomes former First Lady Michelle Obama as its Opening General Session speaker. 4–5:15 p.m. on Friday, June 22. The lawyer, philanthropist, and author of the forthcoming memoir Becoming will reflect on social and political … Continue reading 2018 Annual Conference Preview →

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When Ransomware Attacks

By | June 1, 2018

County Librarian Todd Stephens says that he and his colleagues suspect the attack came through an infected email message opened by a staff member, though the exact mechanism is uncertain. The anonymous attacker demanded 3.6 to 3.8 bitcoins in payment—then valued at about $36,000. Ransomware, a form of computer malware that encrypts a victim’s data … Continue reading When Ransomware Attacks →

A portrait of Nugget, Duke University's famous golden retriever, is added to the reading room at Duke’s Rubenstein Library on Sunday, April 1.

April Foolswatch 2018

By | April 5, 2018

A purrfect library Noting the popularity of Bertie, the library cat at the University of Nottingham (England) Hallward Library and inspired by Nottingham’s Kitty Café, Hallward Library announced that it would turn its top floor into the #Cattic, where students can study surrounded by cats. “We’re working closely with our vet school to ensure the … Continue reading April Foolswatch 2018 →

National Library Week promotional materials through the ages. Photos: ALA Archives

“Wake Up and Read” to “Libraries Lead”

By | March 1, 2018

The American Library Association (ALA) and the American Book Publishers Council formed the National Book Committee (NBC) in 1954 to fight these trends. One of their ideas: a National Library Week (NLW). The concept wasn’t new. As Larry T. Nix’s Library History Buff blog notes, at the 1922 ALA Annual Conference ALA’s Publicity Committee had … Continue reading “Wake Up and Read” to “Libraries Lead” →

2018 Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in Denver. Illustration: Kimberly Sly/Albie Designs

2018 Midwinter Preview

By | January 2, 2018

Featured Speakers Opening Session Friday, February 9, 4–5:15 p.m. Marley Dias, who started the #1000blackgirlbooks campaign as a 6th grader, will have a conversation with Patrisse Cullors, artist and cofounder of the Black Lives Matter movement, to reveal the determining factors and mindsets that motivated each of them to take action and how different generations … Continue reading 2018 Midwinter Preview →

Jessie Carney Smith in 1965, her first year as a university librarian at Fisk University in Nashville.

Blazing Trails

By | January 2, 2018

American Libraries spoke with five leading African-American librarians about their careers, the changes they have witnessed over the decades, and the current issues in librarianship. While no two people have the same story, all five interviewees note inclusivity as an important theme. They discuss libraries as safe havens, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the … Continue reading Blazing Trails →

Annie Lewis (left), librarian at Multnomah County (Oreg.) Library, listens as Nancy Herrera, librarian at Contra Costa County (Calif.) Library, makes her presentation at the 2016 ALA Leadership Institute in Itasca, Illinois. The institute—developed and led by former ALA President Maureen Sullivan (2012–2013)—offers midcareer librarians the opportunity to take part in a four-day immersive leadership development program.

Leading to the Future

By | March 1, 2017

The goal, says former ALA President Maureen Sullivan, is to introduce theories, concepts, and practices for effective leadership and “help people develop self-awareness of their strengths and areas for development.” Sullivan, who developed and leads the institute with library consultant Kathryn Deiss, says the institute accomplishes this goal with a mixture of presentations, small group … Continue reading Leading to the Future →

Library professionals joined the Atlanta March for Social Justice and Women on January 21. Photo: Cognotes

2017 Midwinter Wrap-Up

By | March 1, 2017

One response was direct and immediate action, with at least 200 information professionals joining the Atlanta March for Social Justice and Women on January 21. That event was part of the Women’s Marches series of protests, which drew an estimated 60,000 participants in Atlanta and as many as 4.6 million worldwide. Midwinter attendees gathered in … Continue reading 2017 Midwinter Wrap-Up →