Author Archive: Payal Patel

Shifting the Narrative

By Payal Patel | March 28, 2023

“Everything we believe comes from a story we’ve been told,” McGhee said. “So, ask: ‘Who is selling us these stories?’” The New York Times–bestselling author and board chair of racial justice advocacy organization Color for Change shared key insights from her 2021 book, The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can … Continue reading Shifting the Narrative →

Screenshot of "Building Bridges into Library Leadership" presentation

What Leadership Looks Like

By Payal Patel | March 28, 2023

During the panel discussion “Building Bridges into Library Leadership,” five women who were recently appointed to top positions within their institutions shared experiences, challenges, and advice, highlighting the importance of expanding opportunities for women. Rachel Rubin, dean of libraries and archives at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, in Canada, encouraged those in hiring … Continue reading What Leadership Looks Like →

Latest Library Links

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Nick Tanzi writes: “Whenever an emerging technology arises, there are inevitably those who will question the value and relevance of the library. Throughout my career, I have heard some version of the refrain ‘Why do I need the library when I have:’ the World Wide Web, Google, ereaders, the iPad, or ChatGPT. In each instance, the library adopted, and/or adapted to these technologies. As we enter the age of artificial intelligence, we can expect the same skeptical voices challenging the relevance of our institutions. A closer look at the library and our brand reveals that their value has only grown.”

The Digital Librarian, Nov. 7
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Shannon Young writes: “In June, Prince George’s County (Md.) Memorial Library System embarked on a partnership with Maryland Public Television (MPT) to develop programs that empower families and caregivers to cultivate healthy media habits. MPT’s Early Learning Media Ambassador initiative is tailored for early childhood educators interested in helping families and caregivers learn how to use media effectively. The material provided by MPT includes Media STEPs, which outline strategies like selecting appropriate content, talking about what children are seeing, exploring new things that they learned, and playing in both virtual and physical environments.”

ALSC Blog, Nov. 9
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Alejandro Marquez and Brady Niemitalo Woods write: “While loneliness is a common experience, it is not evenly distributed. Some are more likely to experience loneliness. Factors include low income, parenthood, singleness, and age. LGBTQ people, minorities, and women are more likely to experience loneliness than the average. Libraries have long served as community spaces where people can connect, learn, and engage with others. Yet in a digital age, the sense of isolation among library users has become a growing concern. In this blog post, we explore the issue of loneliness in libraries and discuss strategies for librarians to address it.”

ACRLog, Nov. 11
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ALA announced on November 11 the candidates running for ALA president for the 2026–2027 term, and the candidates running for ALA treasurer for 2025–2028. Lindsay Cronk, dean of libraries at Tulane University in New Orleans; Andrea Jamison, assistant professor of school librarianship at Illinois State University in Normal; and Maria McCauley, director of libraries at Cambridge (Mass.) Public Library are candidates for the 2026–2027 presidency of the ALA. Larry Neal, library director of Clinton-Macomb Public Library (CMPL) in Michigan, and Joel Thornton, associate dean of collections and scholarly communication for University of Utah in Salt Lake City, are candidates for ALA treasurer for 2025–2028. ALA also announced 21 councilor-at-large candidates. Members interested in running by petition for ALA leadership positions may do so by completing a candidate biographical information form and a petition form with the signatures of no fewer than 200 ALA current personal members (25 members for Council positions) by December 13.

AL: The Scoop, Nov. 11
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Emily Weak writes: “Something I always hear from hiring managers is that they want to build a resilient, diverse workforce. Sometimes we say we want a resilient workforce, but what we mean is that we want staffers who are willing to go above and beyond, or to do more with less. These concepts are deeply entrenched in librarianship, but I think we’re beginning to see how they can cause problems. Instead of trying to hire people who will do more with less and who will thrive amid adversity, let’s think about resilience as an organizational feature.”

American Libraries column, Nov./Dec.
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Alison Marcotte writes: “In 2023, ALA’s Public Programs Office launched the largest grant initiative in the Association’s history—the Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC): Accessible Small and Rural Communities grants. During the first round of funding, 240 small and rural libraries, located within towns with populations of under 25,000 people, received awards of $10,000 or $20,000 to improve the accessibility of their facilities, services, and programs. American Libraries spoke with five libraries that participated in the program’s inaugural year about their projects’ impact on those they serve.” Applications for the third round of LTC funding will be accepted through December 11.

American Libraries feature, Nov./Dec.
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“There is some research that indicates winter is the most stressful season of the year: Our environment gets colder and darker, and winter holidays can be major stressors due to finances, family, and more. To usher in fall’s transition into winter, our November booklist has fiction and nonfiction titles all about kindness. That means a lot of things, such as: practicing kindness towards ourselves to promote self-care and wellbeing, practicing kindness towards others to strengthen empathy towards others, and practicing kindness toward our environment to better sustain our world.”

Denver Public Library, Nov.

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