Author Archive: Todd Stephens

It’s in the Bag

By Todd Stephens | September 1, 2023

Spartanburg County is the fifth most populated county in South Carolina—and it’s growing. In 2022, it had close to 346,000 residents, but nearly 14% of them were living at or below the federal poverty line, with an estimated 11% of children experiencing food insecurity. To help address these issues of affordability and access, Spartanburg County … Continue reading It’s in the Bag →

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Allison Escoto writes: “There’s no doubt about it. Librarianship can be a demanding career path, and the quest to find just the right work-life balance while managing stress is perennial. This eclectic collection of books speak to that delicate balance by covering the importance of wellness, preventing burnout, practicing mindfulness, and essential self-care practices.”

American Libraries column, May
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Emily Drabinski writes: “When you’re president of the ALA, you get asked a lot of questions. But here’s one that’s hard to answer: ‘What’s your favorite library?’ When you’ve seen as many amazing libraries as I have, it’s impossible to choose, so my favorite library is always the most recent one I’ve visited. As much as individual libraries are distinct, they also have a lot in common. Librarians select, acquire, describe, organize, and provide access to information. These fundamentals might look different in time and place, but they remain the core of our profession.”

American Libraries column, May
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Marshall Breeding writes: “The library technology industry had a quiet year in 2023. But in the absence of major business moves and acquisitions, companies set their sights on executing strategies to strengthen their market position. Previous cycles of business consolidation have yielded a layered landscape with distinct levels of competition. Competition at each level remains vigorous. Libraries may have fewer product choices because of past acquisitions, but the options remaining are distinctive. Most libraries can choose between for-profit and nonprofit vendors, and between proprietary and open source products.”

American Libraries feature, May
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ALA’s redesigned website went live on April 30. Upgrades include simplified menus, smoother navigation, enhanced functionality, and fewer pages for a cleaner experience. The enhanced calendar collects all events in one place with filters to search by topic, event type, location, audience, and more. A new awards and grants interface makes it easier to find and apply for funding opportunities. The new site is compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.2, and the Reference and User Services Association’s Accessibility Assembly is continuing efforts to improve accessibility.

ALA, Apr. 30
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Tania Otero Martinez writes: “Since a shocking plunge in math and reading scores on the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress, educators, administrators, and policymakers have grappled with how to address learning challenges following the pandemic. One factor that has largely escaped notice, however, is the role school libraries and librarians play in academic performance. School libraries are too often treated as a luxury rather than an essential part of the public education system with a proven impact on learning. It is time to turn around years of disinvestment in school libraries and librarians.”

Center for American Progress, Apr. 18
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Cynthia Hudson Vitale writes: “The Association of Research Libraries has issued Research Libraries Guiding Principles for Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI technologies, and in particular, generative AI, have significant potential to improve access to information and advance openness in research outputs. AI also has the potential to disrupt information landscapes and the communities that research libraries support and serve. The increasing availability of AI models sparks many possibilities and raises several ethical, professional, and legal considerations. These principles will serve as a foundational framework for the ethical and transparent use of AI and reflect the values we hold in research libraries.”

Association of Research Libraries, Apr. 25
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Orlando Mayorquín writes: “Less than two weeks after a Pennsylvania school board unanimously voted to cancel a gay author’s antibullying speech at a middle school, the board voted Wednesday night to reverse its decision and reinstate the event amid pressure from parents, students, and administrators. The 5-to-4 vote by the Cumberland Valley School District’s board came in front of scores of community members who packed a high school auditorium and, for several hours, chastised the board for having canceled the event featuring the actor and author Maulik Pancholy over what they said were homophobic concerns.”

New York Times, Apr. 24

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