Headshots of authors Jennifer Embree and Neyda Gilman

Growth Report



March 3, 2025

At the time, we each were working independently on similar, smaller projects within BUL’s Science Library, like using a small area to feature some of the library’s sustainability resources and research happening on campus, as well as providing meeting spaces for sustainability-focused student clubs. But we recognized we could think bigger. In 2020, we received … Continue reading Growth Report


Headshot of Martha Meyer

Nurturing Nature



March 3, 2025

Our mid-size Midwestern public library thought: Why not develop an award to honor excellent titles that buck this trend? In 2022, Evanston (Ill.) Public Library (EPL) announced the inaugural recipients of its Blueberry Awards. These awards, the first of their kind in the library world, recognize and elevate fiction and nonfiction books that teach children … Continue reading Nurturing Nature


Headshot of Sarah Tribelhorn

Assessing AI



March 3, 2025

Training and operating AI tools like large language models, for instance, require substantial computational power. Generating one image could use as much energy as charging an average smartphone, according to a 2023 study by AI developer Hugging Face and Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, the first study of its kind to measure the carbon and … Continue reading Assessing AI


Librarian's Library by Allison Escoto

Sustainable Efforts



March 3, 2025

Information for Sustainable Development: Technology, People, and Society By G. G. Chowdhury and Sudatta Chowdhury Sustainability is a worldwide endeavor, and the participation of information professionals in its achievement is front and center in this book. The authors parse out the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals and explain that the sharing of data and … Continue reading Sustainable Efforts



Peter Hepburn headshot

Moving Forward on Finances



January 2, 2025

For one, I’m proud of finishing the work started under my predecessor, Maggie Farrell, on the financial piece of the American Library Association (ALA) Operating Agreement, which governs the relationship between ALA and its membership divisions. I’m also pleased with the progress made in improving communication within the Association on finances. I am not, however, … Continue reading Moving Forward on Finances


Headshot of Library's Library columnist Reanna Esmail

A Storied History



January 2, 2025

The Library: A Fragile History By Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen The global history recounted in this six-part title demonstrates the role information access plays in societies, with the final two sections focusing on the US and the West. Although its length may seem overwhelming, this is a straightforward read whose clear message that … Continue reading A Storied History



Portrait of Lorin M. Flores

Small Victories



November 1, 2024

Microlearning involves condensing instructional content into bite-sized chunks of information for maximum cognitive impact. Typically, instructional content is delivered online asynchronously, meaning microcourses can easily fit into a learner’s schedule as desired. Ideally, each course should range from five to 10 minutes to make the information graspable and maximize engagement, with the intention that learners … Continue reading Small Victories



Portrait of Tess Prendergast

The Upside to Asides



November 1, 2024

Early literacy activities are certainly fun—but also valuable. For parents and caregivers who are already reading, writing, talking, singing, and playing with their children, offering tips might seem superfluous. But many aren’t aware that simple, everyday activities—such as listing different food items in the grocery store—can benefit their child’s early language and literacy development and … Continue reading The Upside to Asides


Headshot of Ana Ndumu

Serving New Neighbors



November 1, 2024

With immigrants making up 13.8% of our population, the US is more racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse than ever before. But for many library workers, staying abreast of the fraught immigration policy landscape is challenging. Laws shift rapidly, with initiatives introduced or eliminated according to political agendas. For instance, library workers may be interested in … Continue reading Serving New Neighbors