The Scoop

Saving Our Stories

AJL Conference 2022 underscores the role librarians, archives, and creators play in preserving Jewish heritage
By Sally Stieglitz | July 1, 2022
Avoid the Cookie-Cutter Library

Observation and ethnographic design offer lessons in inclusion
By Carrie Smith | June 30, 2022
Making Trouble

Luvvie Ajayi Jones on disruption, kindness, and owning biases
By Terra Dankowski | June 28, 2022
Money Know-How

Libraries can empower communities with financial education
By Sanhita SinhaRoy | June 27, 2022
‘This Is a Movement’

Asian American representation in children's books has improved, but panel says there's more work to be done
By Terra Dankowski | June 27, 2022
Solving Worker Struggles

Former Georgia Tech dean recommends ways to alleviate labor challenges
By Greg Landgraf | June 27, 2022
Council III: Intellectual Freedom Takes Center Stage

Council revisits ALA’s core governing documents
By Sallyann Price | June 27, 2022
Uplifting Underrepresented Readers

Authors discuss the importance of shining a light on insider narratives
By Diana Panuncial | June 27, 2022
Join the Hub

Binghamton University Libraries creates a place to connect on sustainability
By Terra Dankowski | June 27, 2022
‘We Are Not Okay’

Supporting the LGBTQ+ community at the library
By Sanhita SinhaRoy | June 26, 2022
The Lean, Mean, Green Dream

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cocreator Kevin Eastman reflects on comics career
By Sanhita SinhaRoy | June 26, 2022
Embarking on a Quest

Fandom-based challenges brought a community together and promoted small businesses during the pandemic
By Diana Panuncial | June 26, 2022

Latest Library Links

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ALA’s Games and Gaming Round Table is now accepting applications for the “Game On!” grant, which provides $2,000 to help a library or libraries develop gaming programs or collections for their communities. The grant has doubled in size over 2024 thanks to a $1,000 donation match from Cards Against Humanity, whose support will continue through 2029. The deadline for applications is March 10, and the grant winner will be announced at GameRT’s “ALA Play” event at the 2025 ALA Annual conference in Philadelphia in June.

ALA Games & Gaming Round Table, Jan. 12
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Jackie Partch writes: “Graphic novels are wildly popular with kids–and librarians also know that they can help build visual literacy skills, increase reading confidence and strengthen vocabulary knowledge. Kids who read graphic novels also show increased reading motivation. So why not offer a graphic novel book group at your library? [At our system,] librarians who want to offer a Graphic Novel Club participate in a planning session each summer. We brainstorm a list of potential titles beforehand, and during the session we narrow down that list to 12-14 titles and divide them up to write short booktalks.”

ALSC Blog, Jan. 9
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Emily Jaeger-McEnroe writes: “Many information evaluation methods include values like objectivity and authority that imply that only traditional scholarly sources are acceptable for inclusion in scholarly work. Although this is often a desirable outcome, it can bias research to exclude groups traditionally disenfranchised from scholarship, such as Indigenous, racialized, queer, and disabled communities. The CRAAP (Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose) test, originally created in 2004, is a commonly taught method of source evaluation. This article presents a few simple modifications to the CRAAP test that provide a means to evaluate marginalized information and prevent its exclusion.”

College & Research Libraries News, Jan.
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Kelly Jensen writes: “One of the trends we’ll see in book censorship over 2025 is the increased use of unprofessional, politically driven book review websites like BookLooks to make decisions in professional library and educational settings. BookLooks is the most well-known website for unprofessional, biased book reviews. That’s because it is a tool created by a former Moms for Liberty member and continues to be the tool they put their weight, energy, and time behind. But if your knowledge ends there, you’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”

Book Riot, Jan. 10
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Peter Hepburn writes: “When I look back at previous columns and reflect on my term as treasurer, which ends June 30, I realize just how much has happened—and been accomplished—over the past three years. For one, I’m proud of finishing the work started under my predecessor, Maggie Farrell, on the financial piece of the ALA Operating Agreement, which governs the relationship between ALA and its membership divisions. I’m also pleased with the progress made in improving communication within the Association on finances. I am not, however, greatly encouraged by the current financial health of the Association.”

American Libraries column, Jan./Feb.
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Alison Marcotte writes: “Welcome to the Valley of the Sun, the Big Saguaro, the Silicon Desert. Phoenix is known for its picturesque landscapes, hearty succulents, and scorching heat, but come January 24–27 the city will usher in a different kind of vibrancy and warmth: the community, creativity, and connections of ALA’s LibLearnX conference. LibLearnX 2025 will bring together authors, thought leaders, and subject matter experts at the Phoenix Convention Center for educational programs, awards, celebrations, and networking opportunities. This year’s programmatic theme is ‘Reimagine, Refocus, Reset: Charting a Path for the Future.’”

American Libraries feature, Jan./Feb.
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Clare Starkey, Haley Lykins, and Kelli Hansen write: “In the spring of 2024, Special Collections at the University of Missouri [in Columbia] hosted a series of field trips for every sixth grader in the local public school district, more than 1,300 students. This workshop gave students a chance to experience ancient writing technologies from across Africa and Asia while interacting with primary sources, to complement the school curriculum on ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and China. This post will cover the advantages and pitfalls of hands-on teaching on a large scale, and strategies to make the most of a shoestring budget and a small staff.”

TPS Collective, Jan. 2