Columns Archives | Page 52 of 52 | American Libraries Magazine

Going the Distance

Editor's Letter
By Leonard Kniffel | September 23, 2009

The future of online learning is now, says Kenneth E. Hartman, academic director for Drexel University Online and chairman of National Distance Learning Week (November 9-13). His article in this issue makes a compelling case for online education in general and distance learning in particular. Earlier this year, I taught a one-week summer course in … Continue reading Going the Distance →

Once in a Lifetime

President's Message
By Jim Rettig | July 23, 2009

If you find the no-frills Billy Goat Tavern on a list of restaurants for the America Library Association’s Annual Conference in Chicago, the likely reason is that it inspired and remains true to the 1970s Saturday Night Live “Cheezborger! Cheezborger! No Coke,pepsi!” skit. Walls decorated with blowups of columns by Mike Royko and others celebrate … Continue reading Once in a Lifetime →

Sweet Home Chicago

Editor's Letter
By Leonard Kniffel | July 23, 2009

Hardly anyone I know in Chicago is actually from Chicago, born and raised here that is. Most of my friends and colleagues are from someplace else, a lot of us from Michigan. I always tell people back home in Detroit that if the Midwest were a country, Chicago would be the capital, so I feel … Continue reading Sweet Home Chicago →

Open Discovery Interfaces

Dispatches from the Field
By Marshall Breeding | June 1, 2009

Discovery interfaces allow libraries to offer more modern tools to their users for searching library collections. While the ILS serves as the automation environment for library staff, the discovery interface extracts data from the ILS and other repositories and gives end users a centralized index with new search capabilities. Almost all commercial library automation vendors … Continue reading Open Discovery Interfaces →

Open Source Public Workstations

Dispatches from the Field
By John Houser | May 1, 2009

In a time where an economic downturn and concerns about climate change are influencing library managers' decisions, many libraries are looking for ways to save money and reduce environmental impact. Open source operating systems and software applications can decrease power utilization while providing a positive patron experience. Prior to 1999, mentions of any open source … Continue reading Open Source Public Workstations →

Beyond the Barriers

Another Story
Jospeh Janes | October 1, 2008

A quest for real-time gold Beeeeeeeeep. Alarm. 4:50. Predawn. Downstairs. Coffee. Eyes . . . opening . . . slowly. Countdown. 2,008 drummers, thousands more dancers, singers, athletes from all around the world, a couple of speeches, a flying gymnast lighting the torch, and the unsettling feeling that it can’t possibly only be 9 o’clock. … Continue reading Beyond the Barriers →

Why Johnny Can’t Search

Another Story
by Joseph Janes | January 2, 2007

A couple of generations ago, a catchphrase entered the American lexicon, representing growing concern about the quality of education and in particular a perceived decline in literacy. “Why Johnny Can’t Read,” from the title of 1955 book by Rudolf Flesch, became a byword for the perception of relaxed standards and concomitantly lower achievement in schools. … Continue reading Why Johnny Can’t Search →

Latest Library Links

1d

A couple of years before a fire devastated the National Museum of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro in September, Google’s Arts and Culture team started working with the museum to digitize the collection. Just a few months after the inferno, Google reopened the museum doors in virtual form using Street View imagery and digital exhibits. No virtual tour can replace a physical museum or the estimated 20 million artifacts that the blaze destroyed. But tools such as 3D scanning, hi-res photography, and virtual and augmented reality can offer some form of preservation.

Engadget, Dec. 13
1d

By one count, there are more than 7,200 escape room environments in 1,445 cities in 105 countries. So why not in libraries? ALA Publishing eLearning Solutions will host a new 90-minute workshop, “Creating Escape Room Programs and Other Immersive Experiences in Libraries” with Ellyssa Kroski, on February 7. Kroski will show you how you can create an escape room experience from scratch, regardless of your level of personal experience. Registration is through the ALA Store.

eLearning Solutions, Dec. 14
1d

After weeks of negotiations in Congress and with key library advocates across the country, the Museum and Library Services Act has stalled in the offices of House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). The Senate passed the bill on December 4 by unanimous consent. Now, in the final hours of the 115th Congress, Ryan and McCarthy are denying their commitment to bring the bill to the House floor. ALA advocates have generated more than 1,200 tweets and 2,100 emails to their representatives, alerting them to this delay and urging Ryan and McCarthy to keep their promise.

AL: The Scoop, Dec. 14
1d

Alan S. Inouye writes: “The library e-content outlook for 2019 is mixed with significant challenges and opportunities, according to ALA leaders and key publishing industry stakeholders, who held a series of meetings in New York City December 3–5 on e-content and ebooks policy. ALA President Loida Garcia-Febo and Sari Feldman, past president of ALA, met with Hachette Book Group, Penguin Random House, Macmillan Publishers, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, the Book Industry Study Group, and the Authors Guild.”

AL: The Scoop, Dec. 14
1d

Police are on the hunt for a gunman who fatally shot a library worker who had stopped at an ATM in Miami Gardens, Florida, on December 11 and county officials are now offering a $13,000 reward for information. Officers discovered 47-year-old Jaime Humet behind the wheel of his car suffering from a gunshot wound after an apparent robbery attempt. Humet had worked for the Miami-Dade Public Library System for 20 years, most recently with the Miami Lakes branch. Humet is described as a loving, law-abiding family man who lived with his mother and dogs.

WSVN-TV, Miami, Dec. 11
1d

Dana Staves writes: “Food science is fun to witness. It’s exciting to master. And when you begin to understand the mechanics—the chemistry—of what’s happening in your kitchen, it changes your relationship to the food you’re making. Whether you are an avid cook, a science enthusiast, or just someone who likes to eat, reading about food science can be fascinating and illuminating. Here’s a list of 10 food science books that will enhance your relationship with your food.”

Book Riot, Dec. 14
1d

Seventy libraries have been selected to participate in ALA’s Great Stories Club series on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation, a thematic reading and discussion program series that will engage underserved teens through literature-based library outreach programs. The club will feature books that can help readers look beneath the surface of racism and explore the power of young people taking a stand against injustice. The grantees represent 46 public libraries, 13 school libraries, four academic libraries, five community college libraries, one prison library, and one cultural center library.

Public Programs Office, Dec. 13

View more Latest Library Links