Council II Passes Three Resolutions

June 30, 2014

ALA Council breezed through its second session on June 30, closing in under an hour and a half.

Retiring councilors were recognized by ALA President Barbara Stripling. The Policy Monitoring Committee’s resolution (Council Document #17.1) passed to improve member access to ALA governing unit information, which requires governing bodies of divisions and round tables to make meeting minutes available with 30 days of their meetings.

The Committee on Organization’s resolution (CD#27.1) passed to amend the ALA Policy Manual to require committees to submit reports biannually to the ALA executive director, as well as re-petitioning terms for Membership Initiative Groups.

Julius C. Jefferson Jr. submitted a report (CD#22.1) on activities of the Freedom to Read Foundation.

In new business, a resolution (CD#45) passed to encourage Congress to grant budget autonomy to the District of Columbia government to allow city services, including libraries, to remain open during a federal government shutdown.

Keith Michael Fiels reported that as of the close of business on Sunday, June 29, there were 12,806 registered attendees and 5,588 exhibitors, for a total of 18,396 attendees—a better-than-projected number of attendees. “All in all, a successful conference,” he said.

Read about the June 28 Council I meeting here.

See, hear, and read more about what’s going on at Annual—in real time and after.

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40m

In Episode 94, Call Number celebrates Preservation Week, to be held this year April 28–May 4. The week’s events aim to raise awareness of the role libraries and cultural institutions play in protecting historic and culturally significant collections. Segments include Traci Sorell, honorary chair of this year’s Preservation Week, discussing the role of preservation in telling stories; Kathleen Monahan, special collections public services supervisor at Boston Public Library, addressing the importance of security in preservation; and Rosie Grayburn and Melissa Tedone, cofounders of the Poison Book Project, talking about research on potentially toxic bookbinding materials from the 19th century.

AL: The Scoop, Apr. 15
19h

Leigh Kunkel writes: “The legalization of marijuana in many states and municipalities in recent years has created a newly legal industry and budding entrepreneurs who can benefit from the expertise of business librarians. As soon as Washington state introduced an initiative to legalize recreational cannabis use in 2012, Seattle Public Library librarian Jay Lyman started fielding questions from potential entrepreneurs. Since then, 24 states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational cannabis use, and 14 more have legalized medical use of cannabis. This cultural shift brings a new opportunity for libraries to step in with support services.”

American Libraries Trend, Mar./Apr.
1d

ALA launched its “Reader. Voter. Ready.” campaign, calling on advocates to sign a pledge to be registered, informed, and ready to vote in all local, state, and federal elections in 2024. Available resources include a 2024 voter engagement guide for libraries, a tip sheet to share with community leaders and partners, highlighting the ways libraries support voter participation and education, and a one-pager, “Voters Count on Libraries: The Numbers,” illustrating libraries as centers of civic lift and patron engagement with library services. ALA is collaborating with partners to provide nonpartisan resources and learning opportunities for librarians.

ALA Public Policy and Advocacy Office, Apr. 10
4d

Joyce McIntosh writes: “Each year the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) distributes Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund Programming Grants to organizations to support activities that raise awareness of intellectual freedom and censorship issues during Banned Books Weeks. Grants are awarded for $1,000 and applications are accepted through April 30. FRTF also offers the annual Gordon M. Conable Conference Scholarship for library school students and new professionals to attend ALA’s Annual Conference. The scholarship provides conference registration, transportation, six nights of housing, and a $300 stipend for meals and other expenses. The application deadline is April 26.”

Freedom to Read Foundation, Mar. 28, 29
4d

Bobbi L. Newman writes: “Psychological safety, a term coined to describe an environment where individuals feel free to express their thoughts without fear of repercussion, is not just a nice-to-have; it’s essential for workplace wellbeing. It fosters innovation, encourages the sharing of ideas, and supports mental health. Librarians can struggle with psychological safety because we prefer the veneer of niceness over almost all else. We often conflate niceness with kindness. It is hard to have psychological safety when teammates are afraid to express thoughts and be their authentic selves because any type of nonconformity is perceived as not nice.”

Librarian by Day, Apr. 5
4d

Joy DuBose writes: “Many people remember playing the original Oregon Trail in school to learn about the historical Oregon Trail and the tribulations of those who traveled it. But, unless you are familiar with games or know what to look for, you may not know what is currently available or how games have changed. Many games were created with education in mind, and there are a great deal more entertainment games that can also be used for education.” Examples include Super Algebrawl, Turing Complete, Kerbal Space Program, and even Stardew Valley.

Choice 360 LibTech Insights, Apr. 8
5d

“In 2022, as part of Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC), ALA launched a grant opportunity for hundreds of small and rural libraries looking to better serve the needs of patrons with disabilities. [Nonprofit research organization] Knology has been analyzing reports by LTC libraries to share what they are learning with the field. By hosting conversations with neurodivergent members of their communities, LTC libraries have been learning how to take into account their specific needs and priorities. Below, we draw on LTC libraries’ interim report data to present three priorities that neurodivergent patrons expressed wanting to see addressed at their library.”

Programming Librarian, Apr. 5