The Scoop

Inclusive Internship Initiative Begins Another Chapter

PLA program preps teens to give back through the library
By Diana Panuncial | June 18, 2019
Strengthening the ALA Endowment

Ensuring the Association’s financial outlook stays healthy for many years to come
By Rod Hersberger | June 18, 2019
Dewey Decibel Podcast: Insider’s Guide to Washington, D.C.

Episode 39 looks at things to do during the 2019 ALA Annual Conference
June 14, 2019
Texas Librarians Help Capitol Hill Slide into Learning

ALA showcases libraries before Congress’s summer recess
By Megan Ortegon | June 7, 2019
Dewey Decibel Podcast: The Buzz on Library Gardens

Episode 38 looks at library gardens and beehives
May 31, 2019

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Celebrating LA Libraries

Libraries = Strong Communities tour stops in California
By Steve Zalusky | May 21, 2019
11 Questions: Sheryl Reyes

Meet the new director of Governance
May 16, 2019
A Conversation with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor at the 2019 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition in Washington, DC
May 9, 2019
11 Questions: Tammy Dillard-Steels

Meet the new executive director of YALSA
May 7, 2019
Reaching Out to Russian Libraries

Garcia-Febo brings Libraries = Strong Communities message to Moscow
By Steve Zalusky | May 2, 2019
Dewey Decibel Podcast: AI in Academic Libraries

Episode 37 looks at libraries working with artificial intelligence
April 30, 2019
Community Collaboration at DPLAFest 2019

Tools for libraries to share collections and connect with their users
By Carrie Smith | April 22, 2019

Latest Library Links

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Danika Ellis writes: “I’ve been running The Lesbrary since 2010, and during that time, I’ve learned a lot about book blogging. I still feel like a beginner in many ways, and I’m always hoping to improve, but I have found a few tips and truths that have made book blogging better for me. Here are the top 11 things that I wish I had known in the beginning—it would have made the process a lot smoother! If you are an aspiring book blogger, or even someone who has been book blogging for a while, hopefully some of these will be useful for you.”

Book Riot, June 20
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Scott Jaschik writes: “The library at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway has a sign that it places outside. Sometimes it shows routine information, such as hours. In June, as part of the Pride celebrations nationally, librarians placed on the sign a quote from Lady Gaga: ‘Being gay is like glitter. It never goes away.’ The library posted a photo of the sign to its Facebook page, with a link to its compilation of relevant resources on campus and in the area. The sign was up for one day before President Houston Davis ordered it removed, explaining that ‘it was not OK for the university sign to be used to make a personal statement or advocate for a personal viewpoint.’”

Inside Higher Ed, June 20
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In 1864, Abraham Lincoln made a rare wartime trip out of Washington to visit a charity event in Philadelphia raising money to care for wounded soldiers. He donated 48 copies of the Emancipation Proclamation to be sold for fundraising. But it turns out he received a gift in return: a bible whose pages were edged with gilt and decorated with the words “Faith,” “Hope,” and “Charity.” Historians have rediscovered the bible, a unique artifact that they did not know existed. On June 20, it will go on display for the first time at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois, a bequest from the family of the Rev. Noyes W. Miner.

New York Times, June 19
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The tools of the digital age—computers, the internet, online training programs—are sometimes branded as a threat to the public library’s relevance. But that argument ignores people who value their local branches precisely because of the access they provide to those tools and to educators who know how to use them. Talk to Marijke Visser, ALA associate director and senior policy advocate, and you’ll hear story after story of patrons accessing libraries in ways that could only happen in the 21st century: ranchers in rural Nebraska bidding virtually at bull auctions; farmers in Iowa using a 3-D printer to create missing tractor pieces; veterans in Kentucky using teleconferencing to connect with their doctors.

The Atlantic: ReThink Original, June 19
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Becca Munson writes: “The last two weeks of school are hard. We see the finish line in sight, but there are so many steps to reach it. Our classroom teachers feel the same way. This is a great time to encourage others and create an inviting atmosphere for teachers by asking them to stop by during planning time or breaks. In the school library, we try to creatively draw teachers into the space as a way to support them. It is a great way to increase positive interactions with all staff. I am always hopeful that these connections help with the following school year as we work with teachers to plan lessons, events, and other activities. Here are a few ways we invite connections with other staff members.”

Knowledge Quest blog, June 20
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Applying an informal and practical approach, Mona Kerby’s new second edition of An Introduction to Collection Development for School Librarians, published by AASL and ALA Editions, provides beginning librarians with the essential steps to effectively manage a vibrant school library collection. Kerby argues that building a quality collection is no longer enough and offers strategies to ensure that learners actively engage with the materials. Supported by the National School Library Standards and ALA/AASL/CAEP standards for university preparation programs, this resource introduces the key collection development components.

ALA Editions, June 19
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Hillsborough County (Fla.) Public Library is hoping to cater to the bookworms who may not have access to materials. Its mobile library program, Library2Go, makes it easy for avid readers to borrow books and rent movies without ever leaving their homes. The service, once known as the Bookmobile, was recently revamped, making it accessible to everyone. “Our mission is to go to those who normally can’t get to the branch, whether it be physical needs, disabilities, or monetary,” said Deshaun Johnson, a Library2Go staffer. The service has expanded to provide wireless printing, provide library cards, and mobile hot spots.

WTVT-TV, Tampa, Fla., June 16