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  • Headshot of Ken Bigger

    Literacy in a Post-Truth World

    Finding consensus and common ground in polarizing times

    By Ken Bigger | May 31, 2023
  • Painted rocks memorializing the children and teachers who died at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas.

    Hope and Healing in Uvalde

    One year after the tragedy, a look at how the town’s library has helped a community recover

    By Nora Neus | May 22, 2023
  • An image of 24 icons representing different technology devices and processes for the 2023 Library Systems Report

    2023 Library Systems Report

    The advance of open systems

    By Marshall Breeding | May 1, 2023
  • Photo of Ava Kirtley, who raised money to purchase books from frequently banned lists and gave them away to teens in Walla Walla, Washington.

    Meeting The Challenge

    Teens take a stand in the intellectual freedom fight

    By Emily Udell | May 1, 2023
  • The Library's Guide to Sexual and Reproductive Health Information, Barbara A. Alvarez

    Let’s Talk about It

    Providing sexual and reproductive health information

    By Barbara A. Alvarez | May 1, 2023
  • Ikebana

    Flower Power

    Traditional Japanese art of floral arranging helps library patrons go with the flow

    By Alison Marcotte | May 1, 2023
  • A photo of one of the Wi-Fi-enabled benches installed by the Pioneer Library System in Oklahoma

    Sit and Surf

    High-tech benches bridge digital divide

    By Bill Furbee | May 1, 2023
  • Opioid Outreach

    One library worker takes to the streets to fight fentanyl-related overdoses

    By Jessia Arsenio | May 1, 2023
  • Angie Thomas

    Newsmaker: Angie Thomas

    Author and activist on writing fantasy and advocating for young people

    By Diana Panuncial | May 1, 2023
  • An image of Minecraft's Uncensored Library.

    By the Numbers: Freedom of the Press

    Stats relating to the intersection of libraries and press freedom

    By Megan Bennett | May 1, 2023
  • Head curator Jenny Robb poses with collection items from the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum

    Bookend: A Library of Laughs

    By Megan Bennett | May 1, 2023
  • Photo of ALA Executive Director Tracie D. Hall. Text says "From the Executive Director by Tracie D. Hall"

    Reading for Our Lives

    The rise in censorship is a litmus test of our democracy

    By Tracie D. Hall | May 1, 2023

Latest Library Links

  • 1w

    Painted rocks memorializing the children and teachers who died at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas.Nora Neus writes: “On a recent spring Saturday morning in Uvalde, Texas, young library patrons were learning how to set off a volcano. With help from Michelle Ramirez, outreach coordinator for the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas, kids carefully poured vinegar into a glass bottle with baking soda. Almost instantly, the concoction bubbled up and overflowed, to shrieks of joy and giggles. But the activity wasn’t just for fun. It was part of a grief counseling session for children following the massacre at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022, that killed 19 students and two teachers.”

    American Libraries feature, May 22

  • 1w

    Microphone in front of a rainbow sound waveSheree Strange writes: “Nothing beats a good podcast while doing chores, taking a drive, working out, or even making dinner. And of course, we especially cannot resist podcasts about books. We want to hear about hot new releases, indie titles we missed, and creepy books to keep us awake all night long. Not to mention those coveted author interviews and spicy opinions. Find the best bookish podcasts—and we say “bookish” because not all are limited to solely book talk. A few will cover multiple topics.”

    The Uncorked Librarian, May 20

  • 1w

    Landisville Middle SchoolChris Reber writes: “Ten students at Landisville (Pa.) Middle School staged a walkout and protest Tuesday morning in opposition to proposed school district policies that they call censorship. The Hempfield School District board of directors is considering a set of policies that would lay the groundwork for reviewing and potentially removing library books deemed sexually explicit or inappropriate for students. The students said the policies would hurt their education and infringe on their civil rights.”

    LNP Lancaster Online, May 17

  • 1w

    Tapes of sound effects in the USC Sound Effects LibraryJason Scott writes: “While there are plenty of items at the Internet Archive that have no obvious home elsewhere online, there are also cases where we hold a copy of a frequently-available set of material, but we can provide it for much easier distribution and preview, including the ability to download the entire original set of files in one fell swoop. Such it is with the USC Sound Effects Library, a collection of .WAV files taken from rapidly crumbling magnetic tape and presented for reference, enjoyment and even projects.”

    Internet Archive Blogs, May 20

  • 1w

    Woman's hands holding up old photographTate Ryan-Mosley writes: “Robyn Caplan understands the fragility of digital memories intimately. After tragically losing both of her parents in recent years, Caplan treasures the digital possessions she inherited. She cherishes her mom’s iPad, access to their email inboxes, and message threads with both of them. It allows her to see the world through the eyes of her parents, she says. But on May 16, Google announced that starting in December 2023, it would delete personal accounts that haven’t been active in over two years. Photos, emails, and docs attached to inactive accounts will all be eradicated as part of the policy.”

    MIT Technology Review, May 19

  • 1w

    Soap bubbleDavid Nield writes: “Your laptop is going to pick up dust, grime, and fingerprints as you use it day to day—and not only does this make it less appealing to look at and work with but it also encourages bacteria to set up home on your portable computer and can reduce its lifespan. Like your bathroom or your car, it’s a good idea to regularly clean your laptop, and it’s not difficult to do. You may already have everything you need for the job, and if not, the necessary supplies can be sourced inexpensively.”

    The Verge, May 16

  • 1w

    PEN America logoAndrew Albanese writes: “In response to a troubling wave of book bans, PEN America, Penguin Random House, a group of authors, and a group of parents have filed a federal lawsuit against a Florida school district over the ‘unconstitutional’ removal of books from school libraries. The suit, filed on May 16 in the Northern District of Florida in Pensacola, alleges that administrators and school board members in Florida’s Escambia County School District are violating the First Amendment as well as the 14th Amendment (the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution) because the books being singled out are ‘disproportionately books by non-white and/or LGBTQ+ authors.’”

    Publishers Weekly, May 17

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