The Scoop

Spectrum’s Significance
By Carli V. Lowe | June 27, 2018
The Spectrum Leadership Institute is a a three-day experience that highlights cross-cultural models of leadership and features national library and community leaders. It is open to participants in the ALA Spectrum Scholarship Program, which actively recruits and provides scholarships to American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Middle Eastern and North African, and/or Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander students to … Continue reading Spectrum’s Significance →
“I Can’t See Not Giving Me to You”
By Carrie Smith | June 26, 2018
Danley is a national and international slam poetry champion, the Maryland Library Association’s 2018 Poet of the Year, and a Kennedy Center master teaching artist. She closed the Auditorium Speaker Series on Monday, June 25 at the 2018 ALA Annual Conference and Exhibits in New Orleans with a warm and sometimes humorous performance addressing powerful … Continue reading “I Can’t See Not Giving Me to You” →
Top 10 Tweets—Tuesday Edition
By Heather Cho | June 26, 2018
You wore your nice socks. dressed up fancy in my @OutofPrintTees banned books #socks for the last day of #alaac18 pic.twitter.com/QABM6rzfZu — Louisa Lebwohl (@llebwohl) June 26, 2018 You made it to the Closing General Session. https://twitter.com/kjanek/status/1011629531881525248 And you’re happy you did. Almost in tears listening to @violadavis tell us how libraries provide access to … Continue reading Top 10 Tweets—Tuesday Edition →
An AI Lab in a Library
By George M. Eberhart | June 26, 2018
“AI began to be used more in the 1980s, when expert systems were developed to mimic the human decision-making process,” Kim said. The technology has advanced profoundly because the internet “allows a vaster scale of data, and high-speed computing has multiplied the power of processing.” Advances in artificial neural networks have produced a technique called … Continue reading An AI Lab in a Library →
Urging Leaders and Moving Diverse Librarians’ Careers Forward
By Carli V. Lowe | June 26, 2018
Panelists reflected on their paths to their current leadership positions, and shared advice with a room full of current MLIS students and recent graduates. The panel included Anthony Davis from California State University, Fullerton; Nancy Kirkpatrick from Midwest Collaborative for Library Services; Cynthia Hohl from Kansas City (Mo.) Public Library; and Kirk MacLeod from the Open … Continue reading Urging Leaders and Moving Diverse Librarians’ Careers Forward →

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2018’s Top Tech Trends
By Carrie Smith | June 26, 2018
Independent technology consultant Marshall Breeding moderated the discussion, which focused on upcoming technological shifts such as: Quantum Computing Jason Bengtson, assistant director of library IT services at Kansas State University Libraries, kicked things off by explaining quantum computing. While traditional, digital computers use bits (which store a 1 or 0), a quantum computer uses qubits, … Continue reading 2018’s Top Tech Trends →
Collaboration is Key
By Terra Dankowski | June 26, 2018
A room full of library professionals shouted out the answers: “Build a better team!” “Increase awareness!” “Reach new audiences!” “Share resources!” “Take pressure off overworked librarians!” “Build capacity!” “Avoid duplicating efforts!” For attendees at “Collaboration is Key: Steps to Building Great Partnerships with Outside Organizations,” an Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies–sponsored program at … Continue reading Collaboration is Key →
Viola Davis Takes a Bow
By Terra Dankowski | June 26, 2018
“This is one of my favorite cities,” she announced to an auditorium packed with library professionals. “You can blow a fuse in this city, though, between the vodka and the fried oysters.” Oscar, Emmy, and Tony-winning actor Davis was the Closing Session speaker at the American Library Association’s 2018 Annual Conference and Exhibition in New Orleans … Continue reading Viola Davis Takes a Bow →
Michael W. Twitty: Author, Culinary Historian, and an “Agent of Change”
By Sally Stieglitz | June 26, 2018
Although sharing that his favorite Southern foods include barbecue, buttermilk pie, gumbo, and jambalaya, The Cooking Gene author Michael W. Twitty said he never intended to write a cookbook; instead, he wanted to research and document the journeys of his ancestors in the American South through the evidence of their foods and cooking methods. “I think we’re … Continue reading Michael W. Twitty: Author, Culinary Historian, and an “Agent of Change” →
Council III: Memorials, Tributes, Resolutions
By Amy Carlton | June 26, 2018
Memorials were read for Herbert Biblo (M#7), Heather Lanier (M#8), John Byrum (M#9), Mary Lynette Larsgaard (M#10), Bernard (Bernie) A. Margolis (M#11), deg farrelly (M#12), Krista McKenzie (M#13), and Stephanie Squicciarini (M#14). Tributes were offered to honor the 50th ALA anniversary of Lois Ann Gregory-Wood (T#4), to mark the retirement of Pat May (T#5), and … Continue reading Council III: Memorials, Tributes, Resolutions →
How to Start a Podcast
By Terra Dankowski | June 26, 2018
Panel moderator Phil Morehart, associate editor of American Libraries, picked the brains of prolific Libraryland podcasters from wildly different professional backgrounds to help attendees understand what kind of content, show formats, gear, marketing, branding, and partnerships have made their shows successful—and how they got started. (Full disclosure: Terra works on the Dewey Decibel podcast.) Finding their niche … Continue reading How to Start a Podcast →
ALSC Charlemae Rollins President’s Program
By Lisa Krok | June 26, 2018
ALSC President Nina Lindsay kicked things off, revealing that the Caldecott award has an 87% rate of white authors, those of whom have mainly white characters. Librarian Charlemae Rollins was a critical voice in materials that reflect the black experience, and was the namesake of the program. Up first on the panel was Ebony Thomas, … Continue reading ALSC Charlemae Rollins President’s Program →

Latest Library Links

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Emily Wagner writes: “A five-person panel of Ohio community leaders explored employment issues August 9 during ‘Libraries Educate Today’s Workforce for Tomorrow’s Careers,’ an event organized by four Ohio library partners and the American Library Association. The discussion—which focused on libraries as an essential component in creating, sustaining, and retaining a viable workforce—brought together leaders from all levels of government and community nonprofits.”

AL: The Scoop, Aug. 14
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Broward County (Fla.) Library System has stopped the use of its 3D printers over fears they could be used to print guns or other weapons. The decision was made August 13, a week after a man was shot outside its downtown Fort Lauderdale branch August 7. Broward County is also home to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where a gunman killed 17 people in February. ALA recently released resources for libraries to draft policies on 3D printer use and weapons.

AP, Aug. 13; AL: The Scoop, Aug. 9; Miami Herald, Aug. 7
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After last week’s news that a knot of four snakes was found in D.C. Public Library’s Georgetown branch, causing the building to be closed for two days to remove them, Erin Bartnett began investigating other nonhuman library lovers. She reports on the furred and feathered friends—from cats to bats to lemurs—who have found their way into libraries in recent years, some welcome and some decidedly not.

Electric Lit, Aug. 14; Washington Post, Aug. 7; Duke Today, June 7, 2010
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Jason B. Jones writes: “Digital projects often bring together many different members of an institution, or several institutions, and those members often have very different statuses: students (undergraduate or graduate), workers in precarious positions, those with permanent positions, etc. Understanding and properly valuing all of this work, and the disparate effects such work has on the different people who perform it, is an ongoing challenge. To help people begin to approach this problem, the Digital Library Federation’s Working Group on Labor in Digital Libraries has produced an invaluable Research Agenda: Valuing Labor in Digital Libraries.”

Chronicle of Higher Education, Aug. 13
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Ashley A. Smith writes: “A report released August 13 by Ithaka S+R examines what community college students say are their goals and challenges when navigating their institutions and how campus libraries may help them with their needs. The report, Amplifying Student Voices: The Community College Libraries and Academic Support for Student Success Project, found that two-year students see their institutions as accessible and affordable, but they face challenges when balancing work, finances, their classes, transportation to and from campus, and navigating the resources colleges offer.”

Inside Higher Ed, Aug. 13
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Tegan Beese writes: “We’ve all had it. Where you take a patron over to the YA area and no matter what you show them, nothing is catching their attention. Maybe they want something different, maybe they read everything you suggested, or maybe they just want to read adult fiction. Whatever the reason, there are lots of options and it’s always great to have these titles handy! Here are some adult titles from different genres that would appeal to teenagers.”

Teen Services Underground, Aug. 9
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Jon Brodkin writes: “A US appeals court has blocked the Federal Communications Commission’s attempt to take a broadband subsidy away from Tribal areas. The FCC decision, originally slated to take effect later this year, would have made it difficult or impossible for Tribal residents to obtain a $25-per-month Lifeline subsidy that reduces the cost of internet or phone service for poor people. But on August 10, a court stayed the FCC decision pending appeal, saying that Tribal organizations and small wireless carriers are likely to win their case against the commission.”

Ars Technica, Aug. 13, July 6

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