The Scoop
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California Libraries in Wildfires’ Wake
November 16, 2018“Miraculously, the Paradise branch of the Butte County Library system is still standing,” says Butte County Library Director Melanie Lightbody, noting that it’s one of the only remaining structures in the town. The remaining five branches in the system are still operational and have become information centers, offering computers, Wi-Fi, and printers to help displaced … Continue reading California Libraries in Wildfires’ Wake
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Focusing on Teen Needs
November 7, 2018Three key takeaways from the symposium: Students need computational thinking (CT) to succeed. YALSA 2018 Symposium attendees had an opportunity to experience CT in action in “It’s True: Computational Thinking and Libraries Are a Perfect Match,” an interactive session led by Marijke Visser, associate director and senior policy advocate for the American Library Association’s Public … Continue reading Focusing on Teen Needs
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YALSA 2018 Symposium Celebrates YA Literature
November 5, 2018Sabaa Tahir, author of the An Ember in the Ashes series, talked about the first time she saw herself in a book. It was in the 4th grade, she said, and there was a Muslim character in the story—the first one she had ever seen. She said she checked out the book 50 times in … Continue reading YALSA 2018 Symposium Celebrates YA Literature
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Libraries and the 2020 Census
October 30, 2018On October 25 at the Chicago Public Library, ALA—alongside partners Forefront, Voices for Illinois Children, and the US Census Bureau—explored how to create the most inclusive count possible. This meeting was part of a Census Solutions Workshop, one of many being hosted around the country. The room was packed with nearly 80 participants, including roughly … Continue reading Libraries and the 2020 Census
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Library Zombie Workshop Is a No-Brainer Success
October 30, 2018That’s what it took to come up with the idea of the Zombie Pandemic Preparedness Workshop, held October 25 at Gwinnett County (Ga.) Public Library’s (GCPL) Suwanee branch. The workshop taught attendees how to plan and prepare for a real-life pandemic. Participants learned crucial tips such as the importance of having an emergency supply kit … Continue reading Library Zombie Workshop Is a No-Brainer Success
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Hour of Code $500 Mini-Grants Available
October 26, 2018“We hope these grants will build excitement for CSEdWeek and encourage libraries to start their own computational thinking (CT) programs,” says Marijke Visser, associate director and senior policy advocate in ALA’s Washington Office and lead on the Ready to Code team. Libraries Ready to Code, an ALA initiative sponsored by Google, aims to ensure libraries … Continue reading Hour of Code $500 Mini-Grants Available
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Collaborating for Civic Engagement
October 26, 2018Brian Bannon, commissioner and CEO of Chicago Public Library (CPL), and Louise Bernard, museum director of the forthcoming Obama Presidential Center (OPC), spoke on October 26 of their partnership to create deeper engagement between the two institutions and with the city and its people. In May, the Chicago Tribune reported that CPL would embed a … Continue reading Collaborating for Civic Engagement
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Setting 21st-Century Standards
October 26, 2018Garcia-Febo used the opportunity to recognize the work of school libraries, especially highlighting the library at Cranston High School East for adopting the American Association of School Librarians’ National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries. Librarian and Media Specialist Heidi Blais, who was named Cranston’s Teacher of the Year in 2014, … Continue reading Setting 21st-Century Standards
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Game Changers for Libraries
October 26, 2018When Skip Prichard opened the 2018 OCLC Americas Regional Council Conference on October 25 in Chicago, the president and CEO of OCLC ran through a list of changes that have occurred in recent years to the ways in which we live and work. “What influences change is control,” he told the more than 200 people … Continue reading Game Changers for Libraries
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The Haunting of Peoria Public Library
October 26, 2018What’s going on at Peoria (Ill.) Public Library? Is the building possessed by spirits hovering above cursed ground? Or are these apparitions just a sign that librarians have been spending too much time in the stacks? Do not attempt to adjust your audio. In Episode 31, “The Haunting of Peoria Public Library”—our special Halloween episode … Continue reading The Haunting of Peoria Public Library
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Company to Supply Free Narcan to Libraries
October 24, 2018The drug maker announced the offer—which also includes distributing Narcan to 2,700 local YMCAs—at the White House, where President Trump signed legislation that aims to curb the opioid crisis. Emergent BioSolutions spokesman Thom Duddy says the company’s announcement is not directly related to the legislation, but the administration requested the company to participate in the … Continue reading Company to Supply Free Narcan to Libraries
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ALA Unveils 2019 Carnegie Medals Shortlist
October 24, 20182019 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction shortlist titles include: Nonfiction Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company That Addicted America, by Beth Macy (Little, Brown and Company). Macy’s years of reporting on the still-unfolding US opioid crisis earned her remarkable access to people whose lives have been upended. Dopesick is a timely … Continue reading ALA Unveils 2019 Carnegie Medals Shortlist
