Author Archive: Laurie D. Borman

ESSA Act passes the U.S. House of Representatives

By Laurie D. Borman | December 2, 2015

American Association of School Librarians (AASL) President Leslie Preddy and American Library Association (ALA) President Sari Feldman released the following joint statement in response to today’s vote. “The AASL and ALA commend the House for passing the Conference Report, which has multiple provisions included as part of Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) that would support effective school library … Continue reading ESSA Act passes the U.S. House of Representatives →

Caldecott-winning author Brian Selznick talked about his story process and how important librarians have been to him since elementary school.

Brian Selznick, Digital Research, and the Digitally Naive

By Laurie D. Borman | November 9, 2015

There was no snoozing through Selznick’s early morning talk about his story process and how important librarians have been to him since elementary school in East Brunswick, New Jersey. Selznick, a 2008 Caldecott Medal winner for his self-illustrated book The Invention of Hugo Cabret, had everyone laughing and sighing over his beautiful illustrations and stories … Continue reading Brian Selznick, Digital Research, and the Digitally Naive →

Making Connections, Makerspaces at AASL15

By Laurie D. Borman | November 7, 2015

At the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) National Conference on Friday, Rohl introduced a group of administrators with Project Connect, who are helping to empower their school library programs. Project Connect is a panel of superintendents, district-level librarians, and AASL leaders who are focused on advocating for effective school libraries and helping develop future-ready librarians. Follett sponsored … Continue reading Making Connections, Makerspaces at AASL15 →

High Strung entertains attendees outside the exhibit hall at the 17th American Association of School Librarians (AASL) National Conference and Exhibition in Columbus, Ohio.

AASL Conference Opens with IdeaLab

By Laurie D. Borman | November 6, 2015

Before the opening general session even began, hundreds of school librarians met at IdeaLab, a sort of digitally enhanced poster session, with tabletop video displays on topics from STEM and STEAM, national standards, Common Core, and more. Karen Nourse Reed and Jennifer “Megan” Carlton, of the James E. Walker Library at Middle Tennessee State University … Continue reading AASL Conference Opens with IdeaLab →

Task Forces on LIS Accreditation Announced

By Laurie D. Borman | October 30, 2015

The two task force charges and memberships are: Task Force on Accreditation Process and Communication CHARGE: To make recommendations to the ALA Executive Board on the following areas: External Communications, including the importance of LIS education to the profession, the academy, and the public; the celebration of the strength of LIS programs; and advocacy and … Continue reading Task Forces on LIS Accreditation Announced →

2015 ALA Leadership Institute

By Laurie D. Borman | August 13, 2015

Each year, a committee (which includes Library Leadership and Management Association leaders but not Sullivan or Deiss) reviews applications to choose a diverse mix of participants based on type of library (public, academic, school, special, etc.), organizational responsibility, geography, gender, and race/ethnicity. About twice as many librarians apply as are selected, according to Sullivan. This selective … Continue reading 2015 ALA Leadership Institute →

Sari Feldman at the ALA Inaugural Brunch

New Public Awareness Campaign Announced

By Laurie D. Borman | June 30, 2015

President Feldman thanked Past President Young, and presented her with a Tiffany bracelet on behalf of the Association as the audience gave Young a standing ovation. Libraries Transform, a new public awareness campaign to elevate the ways libraries support individual opportunity and community progress, was the focus of new ALA President Sari Feldman’s speech at … Continue reading New Public Awareness Campaign Announced →

Council III Memorials and Actions

By Laurie D. Borman | June 30, 2015

ALA President Courtney Young opened the Council III meeting at 7:45 on June 30, and former ALA President Barbara Stripling announced it closed just before 10 a.m., with numerous actions and reports. Council members stood as memorials were read for Gail A. Schlachter, David Cohen, Charles Benton, Cynthia D. Clark, Ruth C. Carter, William Vernon … Continue reading Council III Memorials and Actions →

What It’s Like to Win

By Laurie D. Borman | June 29, 2015

Anthony Doerr and Bryan Stevenson talk with American Libraries about winning the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction. Anthony Doerr: Bryan Stevenson:

Anthony Doerr (left) with his book. Bryan Stevenson

Doerr, Stevenson win 2015 Andrew Carnegie Medals

By Laurie D. Borman | June 28, 2015

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA’s all-time lead scorer, Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, and a New York Times–bestselling author, offered the keynote address. His first novel, Mycroft Holmes, about Sherlock Holmes’s older brother, will be published this fall by Titan Books. Abdul-Jabbar said his father was an avid reader who gave him books to find answers … Continue reading Doerr, Stevenson win 2015 Andrew Carnegie Medals →

Loriene Roy honored by American Indian Library Association

By Laurie D. Borman | June 27, 2015

Roy, former president of both AILA and ALA, is of the Anishinaabe/White Earth Nation. She was honored by the AILA with its highest award at the event in San Francisco, coinciding with the 2015 ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition. Roy is a professor in the School of Information at the University of Texas at Austin, … Continue reading Loriene Roy honored by American Indian Library Association →

National Library Workers Day

By Laurie D. Borman | April 14, 2015

To honor them, the American Library Association–Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA) gathered testimonials about library workers from all 50 US states, the District of Columbia, and some international libraries, and posted them as a “Galaxy of Stars” on the National Library Workers Day page. Here are just a few of the people mentioned there: “Lori Dekydtspotter, from … Continue reading National Library Workers Day →

Latest Library Links

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Max Eddy writes: “It’s a nightmare scenario: You’ve protected all of your online accounts with two-factor authentication (2FA), but then your phone is broken, lost, or stolen, and you’re locked out of everything. Past You’s effort to protect Future You has made Present You’s life a living hell. 2FA is supposed to keep attackers and scammers out of your online accounts, but what if something happens to your second factor? With a little planning, you can reduce that risk and still keep your accounts safe.”

New York Times Wirecutter, Apr. 12
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Nik Altenberg writes: “About 100 librarians and their supporters rallied outside San Francisco Public Library’s Main Library on April 9 to demand the city hire security guards for every branch. Workers decried a lack of security at most of the city’s branches and said they are often forced to de-escalate volatile situations and step into the role of providing security themselves. The rally is the latest in a series of union actions [from 10 unions representing more than 25,000 city workers across city departments] seeking to draw attention to what they say is a pervasive understaffing crisis.”

KQED-TV (San Francisco), Apr. 9
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“Two years after Brooklyn Public Libraries’ (BPL) launch of Books Unbanned, an initiative to protect the freedom to read for young people, In Their Own Words: Youth Voices on Books Unbanned gives new insight into the impact of censorship on teen and young adults across the US and how restrictions and other barriers to access build upon and reinforce each other. The new report, published April 11 by BPL and Seattle Public Library, analyzes 855 stories shared by young people who signed up for a free Books Unbanned ecard from April 2022 through December 2023.”

Seattle Public Library, Apr. 11
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Samantha Guss, Sojourna Cunningham, and Jennifer Stout write: “Recruitment and retention are both critical to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in academic libraries, and failing to improve retention has and will continue to derail these initiatives. Research that addresses retention tends to focus on proposed strategies, such as stay interviews (structured interviews aimed at strengthening employee and employer relationships) and mentorship programs. But there is no agreed-upon definition of retention that would allow us to assess these strategies. We should recognize that involuntary staying can be just as negative an outcome for the individual and the organization as leaving, setting the stage for legacy toxicity.”

In The Library With The Lead Pipe, Apr. 10
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Jackie Edwards writes: “As spring rolls around, seasonal allergies can flare up among library workers, resulting in symptoms like sneezing; runny or stuffy nose; itchy eyes, ears, and nose; coughing; and asthma. Not only are these symptoms detrimental to well-being and productivity, but they can also mean you’re less able to provide excellent customer service to library users. Fortunately, by purifying the air, preventing mold, and keeping your work area clean, you can improve indoor air quality and combat allergies in your library.”

Library Worklife, Apr.
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In Episode 94, Call Number celebrates Preservation Week, to be held this year April 28–May 4. The week’s events aim to raise awareness of the role libraries and cultural institutions play in protecting historic and culturally significant collections. Segments include Traci Sorell, honorary chair of this year’s Preservation Week, discussing the role of preservation through storytelling; Kathleen Monahan, special collections public services supervisor at Boston Public Library, addressing the importance of security in preservation; and Rosie Grayburn and Melissa Tedone, cofounders of the Poison Book Project, talking about their research on potentially toxic bookbinding materials from the 19th century.

AL: The Scoop, Apr. 15
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Leigh Kunkel writes: “The legalization of marijuana in many states and municipalities in recent years has created a newly legal industry and budding entrepreneurs who can benefit from the expertise of business librarians. As soon as Washington state introduced an initiative to legalize recreational cannabis use in 2012, Seattle Public Library librarian Jay Lyman started fielding questions from potential entrepreneurs. Since then, 24 states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational cannabis use, and 14 more have legalized medical use of cannabis. This cultural shift brings a new opportunity for libraries to step in with support services.”

American Libraries Trend, Mar./Apr.

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