Author Archive: Jessica Cilella

Graphic: Libraries use tech tools to fight fake news (Illustration: Drew Bardana)

Check Your Facts

By Jessica Cilella | November 1, 2019

The Albuquerque Journal’s coverage of the event was headlined “Drag Queens Dazzle at Library Storytime,” while enthusiastic parents voiced support on the library’s Facebook page. Other Facebook commenters voiced opposition, sharing links to conservative websites and articles with headlines like “Parents Beware—Registered Sex Offenders Are Performing for Small Children at Drag Queen Story Hours in Public Libraries” … Continue reading Check Your Facts →

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During the pandemic, libraries have gotten creative to continue serving their communities while maintaining social distancing. Middletown, Connecticut’s Russell Library has been bringing literary discussions into the great outdoors with its Book Yak on a Kayak events. The library started hosting outdoor book discussions two summers ago with its wildly popular Book Talk on a Walk program. It worked so well on land that the library decided to try it out on the water: In 2019, the library partnered with the Middletown Recreation Department to lend kayaks and host discussions on a local lake. Book Yak on a Kayak returned in summer 2020. While COVID-19 prevented the library and the recreation department from loaning kayaks, many community members attended on their own boats.

I Love Libraries, Oct. 16
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Heads of library services in the UK fear the success of digital and remote lending during lockdown could threaten their physical facilities, with the potential for “brutal” cuts on the way, according to a new report. The Libraries in Lockdown report, published October 13 by Libraries Connected, showed ebook use increased by 146% during the period, and the increase has largely been sustained, with increases in individual services ranging between 38% and 714%. Library membership remained stable, with some services seeing spikes of up to 32% despite the facilities’ closure. However, some respondents said the lockdown success “could be viewed, erroneously, as a substitute for a physical offer, or adequate as a definition of a ‘comprehensive and efficient’ library service under the Libraries Act.”

The Bookseller (UK), Oct. 13
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Lindsey Simon writes: “Librarians work all over the world, from big cities and suburbs to the furthest reaches of the planet. Case in point: Edgardo Civallero is a librarian stationed in the Galápagos, an archipelago off the coast of Ecuador known for influencing Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. Civallero is part of the the Charles Darwin Foundation, a scientific organization dedicated to preserving the islands’ biodiversity. The foundation’s research station features a library and archive that Civallero is tasked with coordinating.”

I Love Libraries, Oct. 19
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Iowa City Public Library is working toward committing 30% of library resources to BIPOC communities by FY 2022 and looking for alternatives to police intervention for library policy violations. ICPL released its strategic plan for 2021–2023 on September 23, which outlined these objectives. Director Elsworth Carman said the objective to commit a certain percentage of resources for and with BIPOC populations was a response to the Black Lives Matter movement and an acknowledgement that public libraries can do more to represent their communities.

Daily Iowan, Oct. 4
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As curator of the archives of the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Ward Eldredge deliberated what would need to be done if the nearby Castle Fire continued its approach toward the parks’ headquarters. The archives contain the 130-year history of Sequoia, the country’s second-oldest national park. All of it was at risk. As park rangers and other local residents evacuated their homes the afternoon of September 14, Eldredge called Emily Lin, the University of California Merced librarian whom he knew from work digitizing collections from the parks’ archives, and UC Merced staff soon set out on the 150-mile drive to the parks’ headquarters.

University of California Merced, Oct. 15
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In 1990, R.E.M. posed for ALA’s READ campaign to promote the pleasure and importance of reading. This iconic image, taken more than 30 years ago, will now be available in puzzle form to R.E.M. fans and a new generation of readers. All R.E.M. proceeds from the sale of the puzzle will benefit the ALA and Books for Keeps, an Athens, Georgia-based grassroots effort to get books into the hands of children who might not otherwise have books at home. The puzzle retails for $30 and will be available exclusively in the band’s online store at REMHQ.com.

ALA Communications and Marketing Office, Oct. 9
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As these continue to be challenging and uncertain times, the Friends of ALSC will be funding the renewal of 50 ALSC and ALA memberships to members who have recently been furloughed, laid off, or otherwise unemployed. COVID-19 disproportionately and negatively impacts communities of color, therefore, these memberships will prioritize individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color. Prioritizing ALSC’s BIPOC members will further support ALSC’s strategic objective of increasing the intentional retention of a diverse membership, while reducing barriers to participation. Submit your application by November 13.

ALSC

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