“We used to have an event in Glen Ellyn called BookFest involving local merchants and the library,” says Susan DeRonne, adult department director at Glen Ellyn Public Library (GEPL). “[It] had a tent where self-published authors could sell their works, and it became more and more popular in its last years.” GEPL is one of … Continue reading Solving the Self-Published Puzzle
In the wake of this news, attorney Roberta Kaplan keynoted the Opening General Session. Kaplan successfully argued United States v. Windsor, the 2013 case that ruled part of the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional. She referred to Windsor as the “big kick in the butt” that moved the Supreme Court forward on a series of … Continue reading Pride and Diversity at Annual 2015
Diversity was a major theme of this year’s meeting. It culminated at the Youth Media Awards ceremony, where ALA President Courtney L. Young observed the need for all children to have access to materials that reflect their experiences. “Our country is a melting pot of cultures, yet the percentages of children’s books released each year … Continue reading Midwinter 2015: Members Talk Diversity and Technology
The basic concept of a seed library is fairly simple: Gardeners “check out” seeds to plant in their own gardens, and when the growing season is done, they save seeds from the plants they grew and return them for other gardeners to use next year. In practice, seed libraries adapt this basic concept to the … Continue reading Not Your Garden-Variety Library
Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from an article in the January/February 2015 issue of American Libraries. The rise of seed exchanges—now numbering more than 300 across the US—has been accompanied by plenty of enthusiasm from librarians and patrons. But Cumberland County (Pa.) Library System’s Simpson Seed Library attracted a whirlwind of controversy and misinformation … Continue reading Seed Libraries and State Laws
Information is an important tool in fighting the outbreak. Alison Blaine, a master’s student at the University of North Carolina School of Information and Library Science and a research assistant in the UNC Davis Library’s Research Hub, is part of an interdisciplinary team that developed ebolainliberia.org, a website that provides data and news about the … Continue reading Tracking Ebola in Liberia
The Institute of Museum and Library Services and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation made $100,000 grants this past November to eight libraries and four museums to plan and design their own digital learning labs where teens can hang out, mess around, and geek out. In the process, these young patrons learn to … Continue reading Geek Out
As the transformation of libraries continues, it follows that the physical structure would have to transform as well to support changes in services, missions, and audiences. The 2012 Library Design Showcase highlights the best in new and newly renovated library buildings, divided into sections that each focus on one architectural aspect. Sections will be posted … Continue reading Library Design Showcase 2012
Plainfield (N.J.) Public Library Small Projects, Big Impact: A rainforest theme carries through the renovation of Plainfield Public Library’s Children’s Library, which serves a community with no movie theater or themed recreational sites. Thatched huts provide quiet reading areas, while a built-in puppet stage is camouflaged within a 60-foot rainforest mural. The space can also … Continue reading Library Design Showcase 2012: Small Projects, Big Impact
The informal parts of Midwinter—those personal meetings that take place outside of the official sessions, often over a good meal—can be among the most rewarding. Fortunately, Dallas offers plenty of options for tasty meals. Here, several Dallas librarians have shared some of their favorites. Near the convention center Within walking distance of the Convention Center, … Continue reading Dining in Dallas
Gaming has gained a foothold in libraries, with good reason. It’s a popular service, and one that can offer educational, community, and information literacy benefits. Here we present three short articles on gaming in libraries. In “Serving Players through Selection,” Erik Bobilin and Nicole Pagowsky of 2011’s Emerging Leaders Team G discuss their research on … Continue reading Achievement Unlocked
As video games gain influence in our culture, the need to preserve them for future study gains importance as well. “The computer game industry has had a major impact on the film industry,” said Richard Pugh of the Library of Congress’s Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation in Culpeper, Virginia. “The two industries have been feeding … Continue reading Preserving Bits
