Author Archive: Judy Czarnik

Council III: Actions and Updates

By Judy Czarnik | January 25, 2022

Libré Booker, an Executive Board member, motioned to extend the meeting for an additional 30 minutes. The motion was defeated. The agenda for Council III (CD#8.3) was adopted. Memorials were read for Barbara Froling Immroth (M#1), Mary Redmond (M#2), Kenya S. Flash (M#3), Manuel Urrizola (M#4), Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin (M#5), Teri Lesesne (M#6), and Lauren D. … Continue reading Council III: Actions and Updates →

Council II: Legislation Updates

By Judy Czarnik | January 21, 2022

Joseph A. Thompson Jr., Committee on Legislation chair, presented that committee’s report (CD#20), which includes federal funding, legislation, and advocacy updates. The agenda for Council II (CD#8.2) was adopted. Jim Neal, chair of the Committee on Organization, presented five action items (CD#27), all of which passed. The motions proposed revising the ALA Publishing committee charge; dissolving … Continue reading Council II: Legislation Updates →

Council I: Transforming ALA Governance

By Judy Czarnik | January 20, 2022

The Virtual Council Rules (CD#5) and agenda for Council I (CD#8.1) were adopted, as well as the minutes from the June 2021 Virtual Annual Council meetings (CD#2). ALA Executive Director Tracie D. Hall reviewed Executive Board actions since the June 2021 Virtual Meeting (CD#15) and implementation of the 2021 Virtual Meeting Council Actions (CD#9). Lessa Kanani’opua … Continue reading Council I: Transforming ALA Governance →

Latest Library Links

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Hannah Natanson writes: “On a hot, dusty Wednesday afternoon, 10 girls gathered in their high school library to talk about a book the adults said they weren’t allowed to read. The teens came complaining about tests and chattering about TikTok dances—but they quieted when Ella Scott, the 16-year-old cofounder and copresident of the Vandegrift High School (Tex.) Banned Book Club, cleared her throat. Ella looked at her notes for the club’s 14th meeting, convened to review I. W. Gregorio’s None of the Above. The book tells the story of Kristin, a high school student who discovers she is intersex, a condition in which people are born with atypical combinations of chromosomes, hormones, gonads, or genitals. In December, the Leander (Tex.) Independent School District had banned the novel from classroom libraries and from use in high school student book clubs—along with 10 other books.”

The Washington Post, May 22
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Austin Persinger writes: “Last November, our local police department wrote on Facebook that it had received complaints about misused and abandoned shopping buggies strewn about Hinton, our city of 2,800 people. The police, using the tools at their disposal, threatened disciplinary measures for what it referred to as the unlawful removal of buggies. I thought this was a knee-jerk reaction and not the best solution for the situation. I read this story through the lens of a rural librarian conducting a reference interview. The story that I heard was that there are lower-income people in our community who take these carts because they live in a food desert and lack reliable transportation.”

American Libraries Trend, May
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Annemarie Mannion writes: “When her son brought home speech cards from elementary school to help him better learn and articulate words, Jen Taggart could barely see what the cards depicted. The cards had been duplicated and the images were blurry, says Taggart, head of youth services at Bloomfield Township (Mich.) Public Library (BTPL). That experience more than 13 years ago inspired her to start BTPL’s Youth Accessibility Support Collection, a set of items designed to meet the needs of children with various types of disabilities and learning needs. Since 2009, families have been borrowing from the collection, which includes adaptive toys, sensory storytime boxes, speech therapy cards, and skills development sets.”

American Libraries Trend, May
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livius writes: “Librarians at the Leeds (U.K.) Central Library took advantage of the lockdowns to thoroughly survey and catalogue the rare book and special collections. In the process, they documented more than 3,000 items that had fallen through the cracks, including a Bible so small that you need a magnifying glass to read it.” The survey also found a copy of Oliver Twiss, a low-cost contemporary that lifts heavily from Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist.

The History Blog, May 9; The Independent (U.K.), May 5
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The Public Library Association is now accepting applications for public libraries to receive funding to conduct digital literacy workshops using DigitalLearn.org resources. The PLA Digital Literacy Workshop Incentive Program, supported by AT&T, provides up to $7,000 to support outreach and training in local communities. The application deadline is June 10. Library staff can learn more about this opportunity on May 19, 2022, at 1 p.m. Central as part of the PLA Digital Literacy Workshop Incentive Office Hour. The webinar also will be archived and posted online.

Public Library Association, May 17
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Julie Kim writes: “Watching an adorable kid lovingly curl up with their favorite stuffed animal can be achingly cute … until you think about where that stuffie has been. The sandbox, the car trunk, the dog’s mouth—oh, my! And then, ugh, what’s been on that stuffie (I have observed a kid burying boogers into the fur of their favorite stuffed lion). Officially grossed out? Fortunately, many stuffed animals and plush dolls are machine-washable. Vinyl dolls should never be submerged in water. But with some supplies and techniques, you can remove grime and even undo a doll’s marker makeover.”

New York Times, May 12
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In Episode 71 of Call Number with American Libraries, “Setting Up for Self-Care,” we celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month, observed each May. The importance of self-care has become clearer than ever in recent years, especially in the age of the pandemic. In this episode, AL editors speak with Randa Lopez Morgan about Louisiana State University Library’s Relaxation Room, Rebecca Tolley about her book A Trauma-Informed Approach to Library Services, and Michelle Schaub, who implemented yoga classes in the Monona (Wis.) Grove High School library.

AL: The Scoop, Apr. 16

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