Annual 2008 Wrap-up

Over 22,000 attendees soaked up the rays in Anaheim, California June 26-July 2 at the 2008 ALA Annual Conference. This brief compendium of conference highlights includes such luminaries as Jamie Lee Curtis, Dean Koontz, Lisa Loeb, Wes Studi, Vernon Jordan, Ron Reagan, Khaled Hosseini, Diahann Carroll, and events like the Parade of Bookmobiles, the Book Cart Drill Team Championship, and a musical number by the members of RUSA. More ALA videos available at alfocus.ala.org.

July 15, 2008

Over 22,000 attendees soaked up the rays in Anaheim, California June 26-July 2 at the 2008 ALA Annual Conference. This brief compendium of conference highlights includes such luminaries as Jamie Lee Curtis, Dean Koontz, Lisa Loeb, Wes Studi, Vernon Jordan, Ron Reagan, Khaled Hosseini, Diahann Carroll, and events like the Parade of Bookmobiles, the Book Cart Drill Team Championship, and a musical number by the members of RUSA. More ALA videos available at alfocus.ala.org.

Gee willakers! Check out this swell 1950's-style educational film that gives you the A-B-Cs of having a jim-dandy time at Annual Conference. It's packed with so many super tips that every Billy and Sue out there will exclaim, "Golly! Can we watch it again?" Yes indeedy, you can! (Stick around afterwards for a few bloopers, too.) More ALA videos available at alfocus.ala.o

Speaking Technically 2008

Seven leading publishers shared their insights on the future of reference databases at American Libraries' second annual "Speaking Technically" panel at ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim. Moderated by American Libraries Direct Editor George Eberhart, the panelists talked about their new products and ideas for enhanced services. The panel was comprised of representatives from Gale/Cengage Learning, Alexander Street Press, Ebrary, EBSCO Publishing, Greenwood Publishing Group, Capital IQ, and ProQuest. More videos at alfocus.ala.org.

Latest Library Links

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Tova Gaster writes: “Library Futures’s new research report, ‘Keeping an Open Mind: Awareness, Use, and Perspectives of OER in Public Libraries,’ takes a first look at how public librarians are using and perceiving open educational resources (OER). Library Futures surveyed public librarians about their use and awareness of OER via the Public Library Association mailing list from January–March 2024 and received 107 usable responses. Our flagship survey revealed that public librarians are very interested in OER, but many lack the resources, education, or support to bring interest into action.”

Library Futures, Nov. 22
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Jack Wallen writes: “Bluesky is a breath of fresh air. You’re not force-fed ads, nor are there algorithmic suggestions to clutter up your feed. Even better, there’s so much positivity. That alone is worth the time to migrate. But how do you get started? It took you years to collect those followers on Twitter. Will it take years to do the same on Bluesky? No. Bluesky’s starter packs are customized collections of accounts pre-loaded with users interested in different subjects.” Librarian Paul Jewell has created an information literacy starter pack.

ZDNet, Nov. 26; Information Literacy Weblog, Dec. 2
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A newly published research study from the American Association of School Librarians’ peer-reviewed online journal, School Library Research, investigates self-censorship of controversial topics in collection development. In “To Add or Not to Add: An Examination of Self‐Censoring Behaviors among School Librarians,” information science professors Jennifer Moore and Alissa Tudor use survey data to examine which controversial or frequently challenged topics school librarians chose not to collect. The research found that there were high amounts of self-censorship around books that dealt with sexual content, abortion, and self-harm.

American Association of School Librarians, Dec. 3; School Library Research, Volume 27
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Frank Strong writes: “Day one of pre-filing of bills for the 2025 Texas legislative session treated us with several attempts to further restrict reading rights for Texans. The headliner of those bills is House Bill 183, which would enable the State Board of Education to review and remove books from all public schools in the state, essentially creating a statewide banned books list. But it won’t be the only one. Below are six more antibook bills you should watch out for—and publicize, and speak out against, and fight—in the new year.”

Anger & Clarity, Nov. 29
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“In today’s society, libraries stand out as among the last truly public institutions. Providing access to resources without financial, social, or physical barriers, public libraries make a unique contribution to promoting individual and collective flourishing throughout the communities they serve. The New York Public Library’s Strategy and Public Impact team and the Humanities and Human Flourishing Project at the University of Pennsylvania’s Positive Psychology Center in Philadelphia have released a new report as part of an ongoing collaboration to study and advocate for the role of public libraries in the communities they serve.”

New York Public Library, Nov.
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ALA’s Games & Gaming Round Table announced the winners of its 2024 Platinum Play Hall of Fame Awards on December 2, representing the best games for library collections or programming released in the last two to 10 years. The “Platys” Class of 2024 includes longstanding favorites such as Splendor and Azul, approachable program-friendly titles like Just One and Exploding Kittens, the tournament-friendly Super Smash Bros. Melee, geolocation game Pokémon Go, and ‘80s throwback RPG Kids on Bikes.

ALA Games and Gaming Round Table, Dec. 2
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Samantha Kretschmer writes: “A staff survey conducted by administration at my library two years ago pointed to a general feeling of discontent amongst staff. The administration formed a Staff Advisory committee, which I was tasked with chairing. The point of this committee was to promote understanding and cooperation between the various branches and departments of the library; to promote productive cooperation between staff, management, and administration; to provide a place for a constructive exchange of ideas; to serve as a channel for staff questions, comments, and concerns; and to help create a community amongst staff.”

ALSC Blog, Nov. 28

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Annual 2008 Wrap-up

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Speaking Technically 2008