Back when I was an MLS student, I received the kind of meaningful support from ALA that made me a lifelong admirer of this distinguished organization and its mission. It also reinforced why I was drawn to the profession after a career in library book distribution and bookstore retailing, where I witnessed firsthand how librarians … Continue reading Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Kelvin Watson
In recent years, ALA has experienced declining membership and conference attendance. Publishing, another key revenue stream, has struggled to meet its projections. ALA sold its Chicago headquarters, trading the expense of maintaining and upgrading that building for the obligation of a long-term lease. And there have been changes in key personnel in the Finance office. … Continue reading Meet the Candidate for ALA Treasurer: Peter Hepburn
The lineup also included familiar ALA conference components: high-profile speakers, networking opportunities, and celebrations of libraries, books, and authors. Originally scheduled to be held in person in San Antonio, the conference shifted to an all-virtual format because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Speakers get personal US Sen. Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) opened the conference in … Continue reading 2022 LibLearnX Wrap-Up
On January 26, Talsma earned a spot in Jeopardy! history when he unseated fellow contestant Amy Schneider, who had racked up a 40-game winning streak, the second highest on the iconic game show. Talsma, multimedia librarian at Chicago Ridge (Ill.) Public Library, was the most recent in an impressive line of successful library contestants that … Continue reading Newsmaker: Rhone Talsma
That planning comes to fruition when LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience debuts as an online event January 21–24. (ALA’s Executive Board voted in September to cancel the planned in-person component in San Antonio because of the ongoing pandemic and surge of COVID-19 variants, as well as the size, scope, and location of the event.) LibLearnX … Continue reading Introducing LibLearnX
Wong’s election makes ALA history At the conclusion of the 2021 Annual Conference Virtual, Patricia “Patty” M. Wong began her term as the first Asian American to serve as ALA president. The American Rescue Plan Act and libraries When President Biden signed into law the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 on March … Continue reading 2021 Year in Review
“My heart sank,” Ryan says. She had learned about these encounters in 2020 and knew what they entailed. In First Amendment audits, individuals arm themselves with video cameras, proclaim themselves “auditors,” and enter public buildings, like police precincts and libraries, to record alleged Constitutional violations. “I know what these people do, so when I heard … Continue reading Uptick in First Amendment Audits
He spoke with American Libraries about his librarian mother, what he’s learned from playwriting, and his recent $2.5 million gift to the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts campus at Lincoln Center, which will fund a new laboratory space. How did your mother become a school librarian? My mother had a great love … Continue reading Newsmaker: Harvey Fierstein
Hank, a Tennessee Walker–breed rescue horse, moseyed on into his hometown library in September 2021 for an equine-themed storytime that included a scavenger hunt, coloring contest, and prizes. While there, Hank received his first library card, in observance of Library Card Sign-Up Month. “This [event] really brought us a lot of faces that we don’t … Continue reading Bookend: Back in the Saddle
Gifts under $10 James Baldwin bookmark ($3.99) Save your place and make your mark with this handmade paper bookmark from KLigg Co. The two-by-six-inch design is crafted from 16-point paper and features Baldwin’s quote, “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” … Continue reading 2021 Holiday Gift Guide for Librarians and Book Lovers
ALASKA In October Juneau voted 6,580–1,786 in favor of renewing the city’s 3% temporary sales tax for five years. A portion of the approved tax goes toward supporting libraries. ARKANSAS On November 9 Little Rock approved a library levy increase from 3.3 to 3.8 mills by a vote of 4,842–1,973. The increase represents the first … Continue reading Referenda Roundup 2021: Final Report
Libraries notched many wins in 2021: In Illinois, the state’s April 6 election saw four of five ballot measures passing. To many library workers’ relief, a threatened reduction in Ohio’s support for public libraries—from 1.7% to 1.66% of the general fund—did not make it into the final version of the state’s budget. In addition, all … Continue reading Referenda Roundup 2021
