Fostering Family History Services: A Guide for Librarians, Archivists, and Volunteers, by Rhonda L. Clark and Nicole Wedemeyer Miller, offers practical advice, with bibliographical notes, on how to establish a family history service within the framework of existing programming and outreach. The authors assert that providing family history resources is more about offering guidance and … Continue reading All in the Family
The implication is clear: Those books are his pathway to a better life after the grime and gore and folly of the war. At the bottom we are reminded “Public library books are free,” and emblazoned across the top, in a strong but inviting serif font, all in gold capital letters: KNOWLEDGE WINS. It’s an … Continue reading Knowledge for the Win
Comics move online Independent audiobook and ebook publisher Recorded Books and comics distributor iVerse Media has partnered with IDW Publishing to update its Comics Plus: Library Edition service. Comics Plus: Library Edition supplies libraries with digital graphic novels and comics that can be accessed by patrons from any web-based device. Patrons can check out as … Continue reading Reading Remotely
DK Readers, new and improved Children are exposed to more images on a daily basis than at any time before. To help capture and hold their attention while assisting them with reading, illustrated reference publisher DK Readers has updated its beginner reading program. DK Readers develops reading programs for all ages. Earlier this July, DK … Continue reading Helping Young Readers
With this in mind, I challenged myself to not only build on ideas and successes within the Association and the profession but also reinforce themes I have focused on throughout my career. All the work on presidential initiatives is coordinated with teams of member experts as well as Association employee experts. Thus, Libraries Transform: The … Continue reading The Expert in the Library
At the same time, I felt like I had unlimited stores of passion, energy, and ideas that year. My colleagues took me seriously even though I was green, and some of those rookie ideas became services the library still offers, like chat reference. I frequently hear about new-to-the-profession librarians who are treated by their colleagues … Continue reading From Both Sides Now
Apollo automation at Biblionix Public library automation provider Biblionix has updated its award-winning integrated library system, Apollo, with new functions to make life easier for librarians. Apollo helps public librarians streamline their day-to-day tasks such as circulation management, collection management, and new patron sign-up. Because of its multi-tenant design, changes and updates are available as soon … Continue reading Streamlined Software
The Intellectual Freedom Manual is a guide to providing library service in support of First Amendment rights. For the manual’s 9th edition, the background information on its policies has been pulled into a separate volume, A History of ALA Policy on Intellectual Freedom: A Supplement to the Intellectual Freedom Manual, compiled by editor Trina Magi … Continue reading Preserving Our Values
What if I said that that’s not how that program—or any library program—should work? By running a program in that way you aren’t really supporting youth learning. Imagine instead if you: Start by asking youth to talk with one another, in small groups or in a full group, about what they like and don’t like … Continue reading Using Design Thinking
As a librarian who works for Georgia Libraries for Accessible Statewide Services—part of the Library of Congress National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped cooperative network—I feel a sense of oneness with less-served communities. After seeing this video, I believe Starbucks has reminded us of an insight we need to better integrate into … Continue reading Inclusivity in Any Library
A few days ago brought a minor news item describing refinements Google has made to the process to request the removal of links in search results that are “inadequate, irrelevant, or no longer relevant,” popularly known as the “right to be forgotten,” in response to a 2014 ruling by the European Court of Justice. Ever … Continue reading Forget Me Not
Thanks to my colleagues, I heard incredible stories about the library professional’s role in education, employment, entrepreneurship, engagement, and empowerment. From the librarian who stood for intellectual freedom by fighting to keep LGBT titles in her collection to the professional who developed a social media curation tool to support academic research at his university, there … Continue reading Gaining Insight
