Author Archive: Larra Clark

From left: ALA President Loida Garcia-Febo; Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby; and Annie E. Casey Foundation President and CEO Lisa Hamilton at the US Census Bureau’s Census Day press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., April 1, 2019.

ALA Joins Groups Opposing Census Citizenship Question

By Larra Clark | April 2, 2019

“Accurate and reliable census information features in an astonishing array of decisions, from where voters cast their ballots, to where small businesses choose to invest, to how the federal government allocates money, to how emergency responders prepare for natural disasters, among many others,” the brief states. The brief argues that the US Commerce Department’s addition … Continue reading ALA Joins Groups Opposing Census Citizenship Question →

2020 Census (Image: Rebecca Lomax/American Libraries)

Census Resources for Libraries

By Gavin Baker and Larra Clark | January 15, 2019

Libraries across the country will offer information about the Census and provide technology access to residents completing it online for the first time. Some questions to consider: Will your library need additional computers for residents to complete their Census questionnaire online? Will you work with other community stakeholders to present meetings or programming to inform … Continue reading Census Resources for Libraries →

Complete Count Committees bring local stakeholders together to educate their community on the importance of the census. Image: Kentucky Youth Advocates

Getting Ready for the 2020 Census

By Gavin Baker and Larra Clark | September 11, 2018

CCCs provide information to community members about the Census. State, local, or tribal governments or community-based organizations form the committees and invite public officials and community leaders to participate. Most CCCs include representatives from a broad range of industries and organizations because so many segments of a community have a stake in ensuring a fair, … Continue reading Getting Ready for the 2020 Census →

ALA Urges Commerce Department to Reject Census Citizenship Question

By Gavin Baker and Larra Clark | August 9, 2018

The comments submitted by the coalition elaborate on the harm that would result from adding such a question to the 2020 Census, including diminished data accuracy, an increased burden of information collection, and an added cost to taxpayers. The submission also points to the US Census Bureau’s own January 19 technical review, in which Associate … Continue reading ALA Urges Commerce Department to Reject Census Citizenship Question →

Students in the Soufrière (St. Lucia) Young Authors project work on their projects during the weeklong workshop.

Soufrière Young Authors Project

By Larra Clark | April 28, 2017

The Soufrière Young Authors project has published six books since its first workshop in April 2016. Its goal is to produce all of its students’ books and distribute them widely on the 27-mile-long island. Peace Corps volunteer Grace Kilbane and Soufrière Public Library Librarian Catherine Prospere developed the project as a way to increase literacy … Continue reading Soufrière Young Authors Project →

Attendees at the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions Global Vision Workshop, April 4-5, in Athens, Greece.

IFLA Seeks Global Vision for Libraries

By Larra Clark | April 13, 2017

“Today we begin a very important journey,” said IFLA President Donna Scheeder, stating that the issues facing libraries today require “individual commitment to a collective and joint response to achieve a common vision. If we are to succeed, we must act.” The opening speaker for the President’s Meeting, Dave Snowden, founder and chief scientific officer at … Continue reading IFLA Seeks Global Vision for Libraries →

Marijke Visser, associate director of ALA's Office for Information Technology Policy, looks on as students build Kano computer kits at the ConnectHome anniversary event.

ConnectHome Marks One-Year Anniversary

By Larra Clark | July 21, 2016

The public–private partnership brings together internet service providers, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector to narrow the digital divide for families with school-aged children who live in HUD-assisted housing. It builds on the ConnectED initiative to connect 99% of K–12 students to high-speed internet in classrooms and libraries by 2018. In a July 14 media … Continue reading ConnectHome Marks One-Year Anniversary →

ALA at SXSW: A Preview of Events in Austin

By Larra Clark | March 8, 2016

The Center for the Future of Libraries takes the stage March 8 at SXSWedu with “Hacking Education through Libraries,” and Director Miguel Figueroa will be joined by school library leaders to explore ways that librarians can be change agents and address such issues as equity, access, social justice, free-ranging learning, and development of new literacies. … Continue reading ALA at SXSW: A Preview of Events in Austin →

Screenshot from Queens Library's Virtual Library.

Discovery and Delivery: Keep Calm and Make It Real

By Larra Clark | December 7, 2015

Watson joined Queens three years ago as chief innovation and technology officer under his motto of “keep calm and make it real.” Learning about the progress he and his team have made over that time was exhilarating. Taking lessons from his time at Ingram, Borders, and the US Department of Agriculture, Watson focused on breaking … Continue reading Discovery and Delivery: Keep Calm and Make It Real →

Empowering Libraries to Innovate

By Larra Clark | June 18, 2015

At the same time, ALA and libraries have been exploring additional options for empowering our users to discover and publish digital content, considering privacy and preservation concerns, and expanding the lens of focus to other forms of digital content. The most recent round of John S. and James L. Knight Foundation challenge grants intersects in … Continue reading Empowering Libraries to Innovate →

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The two services that operate interlibrary loans, deliver books across the province, and provide support and training for library staff have taken a huge budget hit from the Ontario government. The Southern Ontario Library Service and the Ontario Library Service-North will see their budgets halved for the 2019–2020 fiscal year. “We’ve pretty well been operating with no increases for quite a long time,” said Barbara Franchetto, chief executive officer of the southern service, where government funding is dropping from $3.1 million to $1.5 million.

Toronto Star, Apr. 18
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Many New England towns claim to have the oldest libraries in their state. In New Hampshire, for example, the Portsmouth Athenaeum was founded as a private library in 1817, 16 years before the Peterborough Town Library. But Peterborough, funded by taxpayers from the start, claims to be the oldest tax-supported library. But this list is limited to the oldest libraries that lend books. So Peterborough in, Portsmouth out. Here are six of the oldest libraries in New England, one in each state.

New England Historical Society
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As American communities face increasing levels of social and economic division, a new report showcases how five US cities are reimagining public spaces—parks, trails, plazas, libraries—to bring residents together and revive neglected neighborhoods. The report, Common Goals, Different Approaches, commissioned by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, traces projects in Akron, Chicago, Detroit, Memphis, and Philadelphia to revitalize and connect civic assets as a means to influence positive social and economic outcomes. The efforts are part of the “Reimagining the Civic Commons” initiative.

Knight Foundation, Apr. 18
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Jennifer Nalewicki writes: “Inside Alaska Resources Library and Information Services, a library on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus, are shelves upon shelves of archival boxes, each carefully labeled with its specific contents—a perfectly preserved carcass of a ring-necked pheasant nestled in one, a mounted black rockfish in another. The collection has grown to include hundreds of specimens, making ARLIS the only known library in the US to hold such a taxidermic trove. It is not only open to the public, but its items can be checked out just like one would a library book—the only thing you need is an Anchorage public library card.”

Smithsonian, Apr. 18
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The LGBTQ community wants to be normal, not controversial. That’s what community members and library staff told Anne Arundel County (Md.) Library trustees at an April 17 meeting. Although this year’s 16 mainly LGBTQ-centered programs are already being planned, the board heard a second round of public comment. The programs were deemed “possibly controversial” by libraries CEO Skip Auld, in accordance with library policy. But there’s still confusion over whether the board should be required to vote on programming.

Annapolis (Md.) Capital-Gazette, Apr. 18
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This year’s IFLA World Library and Information Congress in Athens, Greece, August 24–30 will take you on another brilliant adventure. Exciting sessions, workshops, library visits, endless networking opportunities and on top of that a cultural evening set in one of the most prominent landmarks in the city. This not-to-be-missed event will take place at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre located in Kallithea neighborhood. The WLIC early registration deadline is May 15; ALA members can register at the IFLA member rate through ALA’s member code US-0002.

IFLA WLIC Newsletter, Apr.
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Victor Hugo’s classic 1831 novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame has jumped to the top of Amazon France’s bestseller list following the cathedral’s devastating fire on April 15. As of April 18 there were four separate editions of the novel in the online store’s top 10 list, with a number of books on the building’s history, including one retailing at €85, also seeing a spike in sales. More than €800 million has been raised to help rebuild the famous Gothic cathedral.Two French booksellers are calling for publishers of Hugo’s book to make a donation to the fund, the BBC has reported.

The Bookseller (UK), Apr. 18

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