Washington School Libraries Rally

February 19, 2008

More than 100 people gathered at the state capitol steps in Olympia, Washington, February 1 to rally for school libraries. The rally, as well as an all-day summit, was the culmination of the work of a group of concerned Spokane mothers troubled at the cuts to school library media programs. This video presents speeches and … Continue reading Washington School Libraries Rally


Yo, ALA! 2008 Midwinter Wrap-up

February 7, 2008

ALA visited Rocky Balboa’s hometown of Philadelphia January 11-16 for the Midwinter Meeting, and this knockout video captures much of what made the week so hard-hitting: basketballers, whistleblowers, celebrity authors, catalogers, candidates, cheesesteaks, and more. Yo, ALA: We did it! More ALA videos available at alfocus.ala.org.


Q & A with Kareem

February 4, 2008

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar responds to audience questions at the ALA Midwinter Meeting President’s Program, January 13, 2008, speaking about his greatest basketball memory, the reason he changed his name, how to get reluctant youth to read, his new book On the Shoulders of Giants: My Journey Through the Harlem Renaissance, and more. More ALA videos available … Continue reading Q & A with Kareem


YALSA Gaming Extravaganza

January 31, 2008

Librarians at the Young Adult Library Services Association Gaming Extravaganza, held January 11 at the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia, share how they’re developing gaming in their libraries and the importance of creating a “safe place” youth, while librarian/gamer/author Eli Neiburger runs a live tournament and explains the secret of getting 115 boys to come … Continue reading YALSA Gaming Extravaganza


Youth Media Awards 2008

January 24, 2008

In just 60 seconds of images and sound, AL Focus Editor Dan Kraus conveys his impressions of the Youth Media Awards 2008. For a full list of the winners, go to www.ala.org/yma08. More ALA videos available at alfocus.ala.org.


Dancing with the ALA Stars

January 23, 2008

Highlights from the “Dancing with the ALA Stars” contest at the 2007 ALA staff Winter Event.


FBI Whistleblower Answers Questions

January 22, 2008

Despite a warning from his superiors, FBI Special Agent Bassem Youssef answered questions at a January 12 session of the ALA Midwinter Meeting. In 2002, Youssef blew the whistle to the director of the FBI and Congress that discriminatory practices within the Bureau were undermining the effectiveness of America’s counterterrorism efforts. In this video, Youssef … Continue reading FBI Whistleblower Answers Questions


Author Forum – Midwinter 2008

January 15, 2008

Best-selling historical novelists Mary Doria Russell (Dreamers of the Day) and Geraldine Brooks (People of the Book) talk about “book pusher” librarians, book lust, and where they stand on e-book readers like the new Amazon Kindle at the January 11 Exhibits Round Table Author Forum at the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia. More ALA videos … Continue reading Author Forum – Midwinter 2008


Booklist Editors Read for Fun 2007

January 8, 2008

The 2007 Editors’ Choice issue of Booklist also includes “Reading for Fun,” a roundup of each editor’s favorite personal reading choice of the year. In this video, seven of the editors get personal about unwieldy titles, Russian poetry, way-too-heavy hardbacks, and more. Check out more ALA videos at alfocus.ala.org.


Welcome to Anaheim – ALA Annual Conference 2008 Preview

November 29, 2007

Thinking about attending ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, California? After this rollercoaster ride of a preview (literally), you won’t be able to resist. Several Orange County librarians tell us about the obvious draws (Disneyland, shopping, the beaches) and some attractions you might not know about – including a beautiful library or two. Also covered: your … Continue reading Welcome to Anaheim – ALA Annual Conference 2008 Preview


A Conversation with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

November 27, 2007

Basketball legend and author Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the keynote speaker at the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia, January 11-16, and he sits down for a conversation about growing up with libraries, his committment to literacy and learning, and how books help young readers understand both past and present turmoil. More ALA videos at alfocus.ala.org.


AASL National Conference 2007

November 14, 2007

In this snapshot from the 13th American Association of School Librarians National Conference in Reno, Nevada, keynote speaker Dan Pink talks about his subversive high school librarian, keynote speaker Omar Wasow discusses how school libraries can compete in the age of Google, AASL President Sara Kelly Johns talks about the new AASL standards, and we … Continue reading AASL National Conference 2007