Top Ten Tweets—Thursday (Day 0)

By Julie Cai | January 9, 2016

And it’s conference time again, everyone! As we gear up for Midwinter, we’re keeping our eyes out on all your tweets to see how you’re prepping for and experiencing the conference!

On the way to conference . . .

Asked old roommate to disguise the cat as a very small librarian & sneak him into #alamw16 so I can say hello. She doesn't seem convinced.

— Kate (@kclayb) January 7, 2016

Dear cat,

Out of the suitcase, please. It suffices for me to bring your legend to #alamw16; your fur is optional.

Love,
Galen

— Galen Charlton (@gmcharlt) January 7, 2016

My cat has halted my packing for #alamw16. 😹 @alamw pic.twitter.com/smp7GLOPne

— Librarian for Books (@Librarian4Books) January 7, 2016

What we're listening to on the way to #alamw16 : 5% eavesdropping on fellow travelers; 45% saved library podcasts; 50% @HamiltonMusical

— Fake Library Statistics (@FakeLibStats) January 7, 2016

We never forget those who are #alaleftbehind!

https://twitter.com/readitrealgood/status/685032456274063360

Whether you're in Boston or #alaleftbehind, rock out with our #alamw16 playlist. https://t.co/gAcIp0WVT4

— Library Lost & Found (@LibLostFound) January 7, 2016

Watching all of you tweet about #ALAMW16 like: pic.twitter.com/wotIqGdsNF

— Eric Smith (@ericsmithrocks) January 7, 2016

Use #alamw16 to tag all your tweets concerning Midwinter. It was a slow day on the twitterverse, but we expect to see a lot more buzz as the conference begins!

Tagged Under

James LaRue is the new director of ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom.

11 Questions with James LaRue

Meet the new director of ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom

Ken Burns on “Grover Cleveland, Again!”

Latest Library Links

7h

A newly published research study from the American Association of School Librarians’ peer-reviewed online journal, School Library Research, investigates self-censorship of controversial topics in collection development. In “To Add or Not to Add: An Examination of Self‐Censoring Behaviors among School Librarians,” information science professors Jennifer Moore and Alissa Tudor use survey data to examine which controversial or frequently challenged topics school librarians chose not to collect. The research found that there were high amounts of self-censorship around books that dealt with sexual content, abortion, and self-harm.

American Association of School Librarians, Dec. 3; School Library Research, Volume 27
13h

Frank Strong writes: “Day one of pre-filing of bills for the 2025 Texas legislative session treated us with several attempts to further restrict reading rights for Texans. The headliner of those bills is House Bill 183, which would enable the State Board of Education to review and remove books from all public schools in the state, essentially creating a statewide banned books list. But it won’t be the only one. Below are six more antibook bills you should watch out for—and publicize, and speak out against, and fight—in the new year.”

Anger & Clarity, Nov. 29
1d

“In today’s society, libraries stand out as among the last truly public institutions. Providing access to resources without financial, social, or physical barriers, public libraries make a unique contribution to promoting individual and collective flourishing throughout the communities they serve. The New York Public Library’s Strategy and Public Impact team and the Humanities and Human Flourishing Project at the University of Pennsylvania’s Positive Psychology Center in Philadelphia have released a new report as part of an ongoing collaboration to study and advocate for the role of public libraries in the communities they serve.”

New York Public Library, Nov.
2d

ALA’s Games & Gaming Round Table announced the winners of its 2024 Platinum Play Hall of Fame Awards on December 2, representing the best games for library collections or programming released in the last two to 10 years. The “Platys” Class of 2024 includes longstanding favorites such as Splendor and Azul, approachable program-friendly titles like Just One and Exploding Kittens, the tournament-friendly Super Smash Bros. Melee, geolocation game Pokémon Go, and ‘80s throwback RPG Kids on Bikes.

ALA Games and Gaming Round Table, Dec. 2
2d

Samantha Kretschmer writes: “A staff survey conducted by administration at my library two years ago pointed to a general feeling of discontent amongst staff. The administration formed a Staff Advisory committee, which I was tasked with chairing. The point of this committee was to promote understanding and cooperation between the various branches and departments of the library; to promote productive cooperation between staff, management, and administration; to provide a place for a constructive exchange of ideas; to serve as a channel for staff questions, comments, and concerns; and to help create a community amongst staff.”

ALSC Blog, Nov. 28
2d

James Folta writes: “Authors Against Book Bans (AABB), a coalition of writers and creative workers who ‘stand united against the deeply unconstitutional movement to limit the freedom to read,’ released an open letter on social media November 25 demanding publishers prepare for the incoming Trump administration. The AABB conducted open forums with authors, and compiled their concerns and demands for the coming years. The letter outlines collective worries about the Trump administration and its threats, and how authors hope the corporations they work with will counter those coming dangers.”

Literary Hub, Nov. 26
3d

Rose Horowitch writes: “An alarming phenomenon has sprung up over the past few years: Many students are arriving at college unprepared to read entire books. The problem does not appear to be that ‘kids these days’ are incurious or uninterested in reading. Instead, young people might be responding to a cultural message: Books just aren’t that important. The professors I spoke with didn’t think their students were lazy. They saw that their students’ schedules are crowded with activities that are less about personal development and more relevant to future employment.”

The Atlantic, Nov. 29