One in six American adults struggles with basic English literacy. That translates into 36 million people between the ages of 16 and 65 who grapple with reading on a daily basis, according to a 2013 study called Program for the International Assessment for Adult Competencies (PIAAC). Speakers Michelle H. Washington, director of ALA’s Office for … Continue reading Teaching Adults to Read
When Ben Bizzle joined the Craighead County (Ark.) Jonesboro Public Library in 2008, he helped introduce the staff to a culture of creativity where people were not afraid to fail. That philosophy has remained key for staff members as they have increased the library’s profile within the community by using technology, social media, and a … Continue reading Targeted Library Marketing: Get A Little Risky
ALA President Courtney L. Young opened the session, drawing a parallel between the mission of the Knight Foundation and ALA, both of which, she said, believe in the democratizing effect of keeping the public informed and engaged. This year’s News Challenge received 680 submissions, which were narrowed down to 41 semifinalists. In the end, 22 … Continue reading Knight News Challenge announces winners of $3 million in grants
Palfrey, who chairs the board of the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, spoke to 500 library leaders from around the world about the disconnect between research that shows Americans love their libraries and the electoral will necessary to preserve them. “We say we love libraries, … Continue reading A New Nostalgia for Libraries
Emanuel used the event to announce that Chicago Public Library (CPL) had just received a $400,000 grant from the Knight Foundation for its Internet to Go program, which will allow library patrons in six neighborhood branches where digital access is low to check out Wi-Fi hotspot devices for three weeks at a time. The grant … Continue reading Creativity and Play at the Next Library Conference
During the months of January and February 2014, the National Parliamentary Library of Ukraine found itself at the center of the anti-government clashes in Kiev…. Severe clashes between the protesters and government forces took place in front of the National Parliamentary Library. The square and streets around it were filled with smoke and fire from … Continue reading Ukrainian Library Association Releases Statement
“When you’ve been so deeply touched by violence, you don’t glorify it. You’re not fascinated by it in any way,” author Ishmael Beah told a captivated crowd of several hundred on Saturday afternoon at the Arthur Curley Memorial Lecture during the 2014 ALA Midwinter Meeting and Exhibits in Philadelphia. Beah grew up in the southern … Continue reading Tales of a Former Child Soldier
Among Sweet’s awards are a Caldecott Honor for A River of Words (Eerdmans, 2008) and, more recently, a 2014 Sibert Honor for A Splash of Red (Knopf), which was announced at the January 27 Youth Media Awards. Video: Melissa Sweet on the Influence of Libraries See, hear, and read more about what’s going on … Continue reading Interview with Melissa Sweet
Topics at this one-hour informal gathering ran the gamut, from conversations about the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to parental leave policies at various institutions to discussions about child care services, both at professional conferences and on campus. The consensus among attendees was that each employee felt she needed to advocate for herself when arranging … Continue reading Working Parents of Small Children, Unite
“We are in the business of making resources available, and we shouldn’t forget that,” said Emily Gore, director for content of the Digital Public Library of America. Gore was one of five panelists speaking to an estimated 200 attendees at LITA’s popular event reporting on changes and advances in technology. Each panelist and the moderator … Continue reading Top Tech Trends 2014
At a Sunday morning Midwinter session, presenters Chris Prom, Cara Bertram, and Denise Rayman, all from the U of I library, discussed the open-access repository, known as the ALA Institutional Repository (ALAIR), which has more than 3,000 cubic feet of physical records and more than 460 GB of digital records from the various divisions, offices, … Continue reading Preserving the Association’s History
Unlike TED (technology, entertainment, design) talks, TEDx is planned and coordinated at the local level and is meant to give communities, organizations, and individuals the ability to independently host TED-like events. Presenter Teri Skillman, outreach coordinator at the Hamilton Library of the University of Hawaii Manoa, has organized two such events—one in 2012 and the … Continue reading Bringing TEDx to the Library
