From the Trustees Archives | American Libraries Magazine

Principled Investments

By Brett Bonfield | May 11, 2026

ESG investing refers to the practice of incorporating environmental impact, social issues, and corporate governance into investing decisions. A series of United Nations–sponsored reports popularized the term in 2004, although some earlier investment funds practiced socially responsible investing. Some that remain popular and influential include: Calvert’s social investment fund, launched in 1982; TIAA’s CREF Social … Continue reading Principled Investments →

Making Sense of Endowment Distributions

By Brett Bonfield | February 9, 2026

What investments should I choose (e.g., stocks, bonds, exchange-traded funds, mutual funds)? Which financial services company fits my needs (e.g., Charles Schwab, Fidelity, TIAA, Vanguard)? How much will I take out of my account each year as a distribution? That last decision is significant, because it affects how long the money will last and continue … Continue reading Making Sense of Endowment Distributions →

An Introduction to the Endowment

By Brett Bonfield | October 17, 2025

ALA’s endowment is a major component of the Association’s finances, contributing millions of dollars each year to the budget to support ALA activities. It’s also one of the least visible aspects of Association operations, and investment activity can be complicated and intimidating to examine. The trustees value transparency and collaboration. In an effort to uphold … Continue reading An Introduction to the Endowment →

Latest Library Links

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Stony Evans writes: “My first year back in a school library was a challenge. After five years balancing roles as an Army National Guard company commander and a public library administrator, I had forgotten the sheer pace of the K–12 world. As the final weeks of the year arrived and the shelves began to fill back up for summer, I decided to try something new. I wanted to see the year through the lens of a student. How did the library impact them? What would they remember? The feedback didn’t just surprise me; it recharged me.”

Library Media Tech Talk, May 13
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Robin Camille Davis writes: “If there’s one piece of advice I have for updating lots of web pages or documents, it’s this: Turn it into a party. If your library’s staff is facing a huge amount of drudge work, like updating a hundred documents manually, you can make the task approachable by coordinating an edit-a-thon, an event in which staff members gather in a room for a couple of hours to tackle editing together. The edit-a-thon could take the form of a LibGuides shindig, a website cleanup, or an accessibility event.”

Choice 360 LibTech Insights, May 18
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Karin Greenberg writes: “For centuries, poets have attempted to put words to profound experiences. Using the monumental event of the Artemis II mission, I decided to challenge my high school students to give it a try. For this year’s April poetry competition, I asked them to write a poem focusing on the theme of time and space. A familiar refrain that high school educators hear from students is ‘How will this have anything to do with life?’ When we pair real events, especially intriguing ones, with literature and writing skills, we’re more likely to engage learners.

Knowledge Quest, May 19
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Matt Hollingsworth writes: “Alex Haley’s book Roots is included in an updated list of book titles to be removed from Knox County (Tenn.) Schools libraries. The schools previously removed other books from shelves due to the Age-Appropriate Materials Act including Water for Elephants, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and A Clockwork Orange. The state passed the Age Appropriate Materials Act in 2022, requiring schools to have a list of materials in their libraries and to have a policy for reviewing them for age appropriateness.” Roots is one of Tennessee’s state books, and members of the county Board of Education have pushed back against the removal.

WATE-TV (Knoxville), May 14; May 22, 2025; Aug. 30, 2022; WKRN-TV (Nashville), Mar. 29, 2024; WBIR-TV (Knoxville), May 18
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Eleanor Ball writes: “With summer break around the corner, I’m eagerly beginning to plan what books I might read this summer. I’m also reflecting on the books I read this year as I prepared to teach my own course, an artificial intelligence (AI) literacy elective, for the first time. Today, as we ease ourselves into summer break, I want to share four quickfire reviews of books I’ve recently read about pedagogy and AI. If you’re looking for something to read this summer, I hope you find something intriguing in this list!”

ACRLog, May 14
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Marydee Ojala writes: “Contingency plans should start with the premise that no library is completely immune from attack. In the case of the Canvas attack, the library can take on the role of help desk, as students may not know where else to turn for accurate information and will need advice, explanations, and a personalized roadmap of what to do next. This was not simply downtime; this was a major security breach. Warn students about the possibility of phishing emails. Look at existing collections that can provide alternatives to data provided on the Canvas platform.”

Information Today Europe, May 12
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Phil Morehart writes: “Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, The Go-Go’s, Vince Gill, Chaka Khan, and Weezer are some of the most successful musical artists in the world, and they’ve now been enshrined in the Library of Congress. On May 14, Acting Librarian of Congress Robert R. Newlen announced the latest round of recordings that will join the National Recording Registry. The 25 selections were chosen as audio treasures worthy of preservation for all time based on their cultural, historical, or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage.”

I Love Libraries, May 15

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