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The Scoop

Online Docs: Collaborative Document Editing on ALA Connect

One in a series of introductory screencasts created by the ALA Emerging Leaders Group I FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://connect.ala.orgYou and your group members can now collaborate on and keep track of your ALA work all in the same spot with ALA Connect's Online Docs!
September 15, 2009
Manage Your ALA Commitments

One in a series of introductory screencasts created by the ALA Emerging Leaders Group I FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://connect.ala.orgIf you're part of any of the thousand member groups in ALA Connect, you are probably juggling time commitments from committees, events, or other association work. While ALA Connect can't help you organize your personal life, it can clearly and concisely organize your ALA work in one central location. This is how you do it.
September 15, 2009
Profiles and Networks: Finding People on ALA Connect

One in a series of introductory screencasts created by the ALA Emerging Leaders Group I FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://connect.ala.orgUsing ALA Connect, ALA members can create a personalized network with colleagues, friends, classmates, and others around interests, issues, events, and more.Each ALA member has an ALA Connect profile, always accessible from the left sidebar. Your profile is already populated with membership information from the ALA membership database.
September 15, 2009
Using ALA Connect with Your Existing Social Media Tools

One in a series of introductory screencasts created by the ALA Emerging Leaders Group I FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://connect.ala.orgALA recognizes that many of its members are well-versed in online social media tools. Connect isn't intended to be a replacement for your favorite social media network, but it makes it easy to share information with your networks with just a few simple clicks.
September 15, 2009
Dog Loving Librarians Who Knit and Watch Lost: Creating Communities in ALA Connect

One in a series of introductory screencasts created by the ALA Emerging Leaders Group I FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://connect.ala.orgSo say you're a dog-loving librarian who likes to knit and watch Lost, and you're looking for other librarians who share your interests. But how do you find them?Sure, you could try using your expert web-searching skills, and maybe you'd even find a hit or two. Here's someone who enjoys Lost, knitting, and is a librarian, AND loves dogs. It's a perfect score.
September 15, 2009

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ALA Connect Promotional Video

Promotional video for ALA Connect produced by the ALA Emerging Leaders Group I.FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://connect.ala.org
September 15, 2009
Melina Marchetta Printz Awards speech

Melina Marchetta, author of the Printz Award-winning "Jellicoe Road," delivers a speech at the 2009 Michael L. Printz Awards, July 13, in Chicago.
September 10, 2009
Terry Pratchett 2009 Printz Awards speech

Terry Pratchett, author of the Honor Book "Nation," delivers a speech at the 2009 Michael L. Printz Awards, July 13, in Chicago.
September 10, 2009
Margo Lanagan 2009 Printz Awards speech

Margo Lanagan, author of the Honor Book "Tender Morsels," delivers a speech at the 2009 Michael L. Printz Awards, July 13, in Chicago.
September 10, 2009
E. Lockhart 2009 Printz Awards speech

E. Lockhart, author of the Honor Book "The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks," delivers a speech at the 2009 Michael L. Printz Awards, July 13, in Chicago.
September 10, 2009
M. T. Anderson 2009 Printz Awards speech

M. T. Anderson, author of the Honor Book "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves," delivers a speech at the 2009 Michael L. Printz Awards, July 13, in Chicago.
September 10, 2009
Milan Stays Open Till Midnight for IFLA Cultural Evening
September 3, 2009

Latest Library Links

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Allison Escoto writes: “There’s no doubt about it. Librarianship can be a demanding career path, and the quest to find just the right work-life balance while managing stress is perennial. This eclectic collection of books speak to that delicate balance by covering the importance of wellness, preventing burnout, practicing mindfulness, and essential self-care practices.”

American Libraries column, May
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Emily Drabinski writes: “When you’re president of the ALA, you get asked a lot of questions. But here’s one that’s hard to answer: ‘What’s your favorite library?’ When you’ve seen as many amazing libraries as I have, it’s impossible to choose, so my favorite library is always the most recent one I’ve visited. As much as individual libraries are distinct, they also have a lot in common. Librarians select, acquire, describe, organize, and provide access to information. These fundamentals might look different in time and place, but they remain the core of our profession.”

American Libraries column, May
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Marshall Breeding writes: “The library technology industry had a quiet year in 2023. But in the absence of major business moves and acquisitions, companies set their sights on executing strategies to strengthen their market position. Previous cycles of business consolidation have yielded a layered landscape with distinct levels of competition. Competition at each level remains vigorous. Libraries may have fewer product choices because of past acquisitions, but the options remaining are distinctive. Most libraries can choose between for-profit and nonprofit vendors, and between proprietary and open source products.”

American Libraries feature, May
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ALA’s redesigned website went live on April 30. Upgrades include simplified menus, smoother navigation, enhanced functionality, and fewer pages for a cleaner experience. The enhanced calendar collects all events in one place with filters to search by topic, event type, location, audience, and more. A new awards and grants interface makes it easier to find and apply for funding opportunities. The new site is compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.2, and the Reference and User Services Association’s Accessibility Assembly is continuing efforts to improve accessibility.

ALA, Apr. 30
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Tania Otero Martinez writes: “Since a shocking plunge in math and reading scores on the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress, educators, administrators, and policymakers have grappled with how to address learning challenges following the pandemic. One factor that has largely escaped notice, however, is the role school libraries and librarians play in academic performance. School libraries are too often treated as a luxury rather than an essential part of the public education system with a proven impact on learning. It is time to turn around years of disinvestment in school libraries and librarians.”

Center for American Progress, Apr. 18
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Cynthia Hudson Vitale writes: “The Association of Research Libraries has issued Research Libraries Guiding Principles for Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI technologies, and in particular, generative AI, have significant potential to improve access to information and advance openness in research outputs. AI also has the potential to disrupt information landscapes and the communities that research libraries support and serve. The increasing availability of AI models sparks many possibilities and raises several ethical, professional, and legal considerations. These principles will serve as a foundational framework for the ethical and transparent use of AI and reflect the values we hold in research libraries.”

Association of Research Libraries, Apr. 25
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Orlando Mayorquín writes: “Less than two weeks after a Pennsylvania school board unanimously voted to cancel a gay author’s antibullying speech at a middle school, the board voted Wednesday night to reverse its decision and reinstate the event amid pressure from parents, students, and administrators. The 5-to-4 vote by the Cumberland Valley School District’s board came in front of scores of community members who packed a high school auditorium and, for several hours, chastised the board for having canceled the event featuring the actor and author Maulik Pancholy over what they said were homophobic concerns.”

New York Times, Apr. 24

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