Author Archive: Judy Czarnik

Council II: Condemning Discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ Community

By Judy Czarnik | June 25, 2023

Andrew Pace, chair of the Committee on Organization (COO), provided an update on the committee (CD#27.1) and introduced the following action items: Modify the charge of the ALA Conference Committee Modify the name, charge, and composition of the ALA Council Orientation Committee Both motions carried. Toni Negro, chair of the Policy Monitoring Committee (PMC), proposed … Continue reading Council II: Condemning Discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ Community →

ALA Council II: Memorials and Resolutions

By Judy Czarnik | January 29, 2023

The agenda for Council III (CD#8.3) as amended with the point of order introduced by Libré Booker, ALA Executive Board member, was approved. Memorials were read for Deanna Bowling Marcum (M#1), Robert C. Delgadillo (M#2), Menahem Schmelzer (M#3), Barratt Wilkins (M#4), Betty Lee Sung (M#5), David Philip Norris (M#6), and Devona Pendergrass (M#7). A tribute … Continue reading ALA Council II: Memorials and Resolutions →

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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Kate Heston writes: “A federal grant that allowed the Flathead County (Mont.) Library to loan out internet hotspots dried up this week, and library trustees appear disinclined to continue the program. The hotspots first became available in 2020 via a Digital Competitive Grant from the National Telecommunication and Information Administration [which ended June 30]. Continuing the hotspot program struck Flathead County Library Board Trustee Doug Adams as inappropriate. ‘I am philosophically opposed to expanding welfare programs at any level of government,’ Adams said at the board’s June 26 meeting. ‘That’s exactly what this is.’”

Daily Inter Lake (Kalispell, Montana), July 1
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“On July 7, the Mellon Foundation announced the appointment of Carla Hayden as a senior fellow. Hayden will pursue scholarship, writing, and research projects while also serving as a strategic partner and counsel, working in collaboration with Foundation leadership and staff. She will advise on opportunities to support and advance libraries, archives, and other organizations in the public knowledge ecosystem. Hayden’s year-long appointment comes as libraries and public knowledge institutions navigating both historic challenges and transformative advances, including artificial intelligence and digital technologies, the need to ensure equitable access to information, decreasing federal funds for libraries, and escalating censorship efforts.”

Mellon Foundation, July 7
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Oguz Kayra writes: “An ancient marvel, unique in design and history, is being unearthed in the heart of southwest Türkiye. Archaeologists working in Stratonikeia, a vast ancient city located in Muğla Province and listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage Tentative List, have uncovered significant portions of a rare Roman-era library, shedding light on the intellectual and architectural grandeur of the time. Nestled at the intersection of four major streets in the city center, the library was originally constructed during the Hellenistic period and later redesigned in the Roman era.”

Arkeonews, June 24
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Jessica K. Anderson and Yan Quan Liu write: “Public libraries are institutions that connect individuals with resources. However, not all patrons see themselves reflected in the selected books, and others struggle to discover relevant results in the catalog due to outdated or problematic search terms. Two emerging strategies to address these issues are diversity audits and critical cataloging. Although there is substantial literature on both individually, there is a noticeable lack of studies examining the relationship between the two. Our aim was to identify choices among libraries that have conducted collection audits to reveal patterns that can inform institutions with similar needs.”

Library Resources & Technical Services, July
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Angela Hursh writes: “Libraries have great stories to tell. But getting the media to listen isn’t always easy. Here are the top 10 practical tips that Leslie Marinelli, communications manager at Forsyth County (Ga.) Public Library; Ray Holley, communications manager at Sonoma County (Calif.) Library; and I shared [at a recent online panel] for getting your library into the news.”

Super Library Marketing, June 30
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Pranay Parab writes: “I’ve mostly been really happy with my M1 MacBook Air, which I’ve been using for nearly three years now. However, I regret not going for the variant with 16GB of RAM. The newer laptop still occasionally slows down when I open too many browser tabs. Luckily, I did some troubleshooting and fixed the problem, and I’m here to share what I’ve learned with you. So, if Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari or other browsers are slowing down on your computer, try some of these tips to nip that problem in the bud.”

Lifehacker, June 26
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Victoria Cox writes: “LaRue County (Ky.) Board of Education heard both criticism and praise last week when members were asked to remove 14 books from the high school library. Although the vote was split, the board ultimately refused to ban the books, citing the need to uphold the constitutional rights of students” by a 4–1 vote. Books the board considered include The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood; Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi; Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas, and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.

LaRue County (Ky.) Herald News, June 25

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