The Scoop

Dewey Decibel Podcast: New Library Design

Inside the 2018 Library Design Showcase
August 31, 2018
IFLA Looks toward Athens and Auckland

WLIC 2018 closes in Kuala Lumpur with awards and honors
By Amy Carlton | August 30, 2018
Let’s Work Together

The IFLA president-elect’s session
By Amy Carlton | August 29, 2018
Blockchain in a flash

A short IFLA session on libraries and the new technology
By Amy Carlton | August 28, 2018
Successful Voter Outreach

Five ways to get your patrons ready for Election Day
By Maggie Bush | August 28, 2018
Marrakesh and More

IFLA sessions address global copyright and law libraries
By Amy Carlton | August 28, 2018
Safe Spaces and Social Media

Highlights from day two of the IFLA conference
By Amy Carlton | August 27, 2018
IFLA President’s Program Reunites Leaders

Past presidents take the stage to talk change
By Amy Carlton | August 26, 2018
IFLA Honors the Transformative Power of Libraries

Global conversation comes to Kuala Lumpur
By Amy Carlton | August 26, 2018
Advocating Before the Election

Find out where candidates stand on library issues
By David Shumaker | August 20, 2018
11 Questions with Anita Mechler

Meet the new executive director of YALSA
August 20, 2018
ALA Council Rescinds “Meeting Rooms: An Interpretation of The Library Bill of Rights”
August 16, 2018

Latest Library Links

17h

James Folta writes: “Last week a Silicon Valley startup announced a new kind of e-reader that you can wear on your face. Maybe it’s because I don’t often want to read while lying fully flat on my back with my arms at my side, but I don’t see a ton of utility for these book goggles. How do these new glasses stack up against all the other technology we already have to access text? Here is my definitive [and comedic] ranking of ways to get text into your brain,” from books and smartphones to refrigerator magnets and wax tablets.

Literary Hub, July 15
20h

Tony Phillips writes: “Copying data from an image into a Google Sheets file manually can be time-consuming and increases the chance of typos. Luckily, you can extract the information into your spreadsheet in just a few simple steps using the Optical Character Recognition tool in Google Drive. Here’s how.”

How-to Geek, July 9
23h

On July 18, ALA unveiled a new multi-year strategic plan aimed at strengthening libraries, growing the library workforce, driving innovation, and expanding community impact. The new plan is the result of a data-driven process conducted over several months in partnership with a strategic planning consultant. It was shaped by the insights of a Strategic Planning Task Force—a diverse group of member volunteers representing different sectors, roles, and perspectives from across the association. Key priorities include developing the library workforce pipeline, driving innovation and technology adoption, expanding advocacy efforts, and growing community programs.

ALA Communications, Marketing, and Member Relations Office, July 18
2d

Brandon Jarvis writes: “The Joint Legislative and Audit Review Commission presented a report to members of the General Assembly July 14 about books that are being removed from school libraries across Virginia. The report found that some school divisions are misinterpreting a 2022 law to justify removing titles. The law requires schools to notify parents if their children’s instructional materials include sexually explicit content. It does not require districts to remove books when a parent withholds consent; instead, schools are expected to provide alternative, non-explicit materials for those students.”

Virginia Scope, July 14; Virginia Joint Legislative and Audit Review Commission, July 14
2d

ALA is sending a delegation to the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in New York. ALA’s participation is a significant step in elevating libraries as key partners in global development and reflects ALA’s commitment to aligning library advocacy with the United Nations 2030 Agenda. ALA and New York Public Library’s Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library will present “Imperatives for Growth: Libraries as Catalysts for Inclusive Employment, Skills, and Prosperity,” on July 21 at 6 p.m. Eastern. Anyone can register to attend virtually.

ALA Communications, Marketing, and Media Relations Office, July 14
3d

Caelin Ross writes: “Librarians are trained to believe that if information exists, is published, and we can access it, then it’s ours to use. The idea that Indigenous communities might have sovereignty over how their knowledge is shared, taught, or represented often comes as a genuine surprise. And how uncomfortable it is for white folks who are allies to analyze their relationship to information critically. We cannot assume that there is always a ‘better’ way to be more inclusive; sometimes, it’s better to stay in our lane.”

ACRLog, July 9
3d

Susan Maguire writes: “At this year’s ALA Annual Conference, Booklist and LibraryReads teamed up for the popular Read ’n’ Rave, where superstar librarians scour the exhibit hall floor to find the books you’ll want to know about for late summer and fall. If you missed the event, or if you had trouble keeping up with the rapid-fire raving (can’t blame you!), here’s a list of the books everyone talked about.”

Booklist Online, June 30