A look back at some of the top stories from 2014.

2014 Year in Review

December 31, 2014

School Library Victories Successful grassroots efforts in Iowa and Vermont saw legislation that benefited school librarians, while states like Kansas are working to pass a mandate requiring that each school have a library staffed by a credentialed librarian. In June, Los Angeles Unified School District passed a budget that restored some school library services.   … Continue reading 2014 Year in Review


Lou Malnati's pizza

Hot Eats for Cold Nights

December 30, 2014

While the ultimate Windy City comfort foods are the oh-so-familiar Chicago-style hot dogs and deep dish pizza, each neighborhood offers its own soothing culinary creature comfort: noodles in Chinatown, tacos in Pilsen, and reinvented diner fare in the trendy West Loop. (All of the spots listed within this guide are within an easy El or … Continue reading Hot Eats for Cold Nights


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Making the Most of Midwinter

December 22, 2014

Staying up to date Experts will give the latest updates on policy, research, statistics, technology, and more in the News You Can Use sessions. Sponsors include ALA divisions and offices, the ALA Digital Content and Libraries Working Group, and high-profile external organizations. Hear your colleagues describe the latest in-house innovations at the ALA Masters Series. … Continue reading Making the Most of Midwinter


A girl reads to Minnie from K9 Reading Buddies of the North Shore.

Dog Therapy 101

December 22, 2014

“I started pitching it at the school, and my principal was absolutely against it,” Weibling tells American Libraries. The former 3rd-grade teacher, who was then working toward her master’s degree in library science, was eager to find new ways to get students excited about reading and comprehension. “Reading therapy dog programs weren’t common knowledge to … Continue reading Dog Therapy 101


Reading on the Inside

Reading on the Inside

December 8, 2014

The question startled librarian Dan Marcou. He had been sitting quietly at a small town library outside of the system where he works, waiting for his wife to finish some grad school research. When he looked up, he didn’t recognize the face immediately, a man holding the hand of a young boy. “Do you remember … Continue reading Reading on the Inside


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Rolling the Dice in an Academic Library

December 1, 2014

Admittedly, that last event may not be a traditional academic library service. But at Briggs, we’ve supplemented those traditional services by staying open until late in the evening one Friday every month to offer students the chance to unwind at Game Night @ Briggs Library. During Game Night, students can set aside their papers and … Continue reading Rolling the Dice in an Academic Library


Newsmaker: Ursula K. Le Guin

Newsmaker: Ursula K. Le Guin

November 27, 2014

In interviews, you’ve talked about your dismay with the direction of corporate publishing. Is that what led to your involvement with ALA’s “Authors for Library Ebooks” campaign? I think it was because I had blogged about the position of libraries in the new publishing world and worked with our library here in Portland. The whole … Continue reading Newsmaker: Ursula K. Le Guin


Z! Haukeness from the Shine Initiative—a nonprofit based in Madison, Wisconsin—keeps a prominent profile in a glass room in the middle of Madison Public Library, where he and a coworker spend 30 hours a week helping patrons find housing and jobs and apply for food stamps. Some people come just to talk through hardships, he says.

A Home to the Homeless

November 24, 2014

“First in, last to leave the library,” says Jane, describing herself and her homeless community. “It’s our routine.” Jane, who prefers not to give her last name, says she’s classified as chronically homeless. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development defines a chronically homeless person as an unaccompanied individual with a disabling condition who … Continue reading A Home to the Homeless


District Library Supervisors Under Duress

District Library Supervisors Under Duress

November 17, 2014

More than five years after the start of the Great Recession, school libraries in the US are in crisis, their budgets constricted and their staff short-handed or nonexistent. Professional staff positions are left vacant or filled by uncertified personnel, materials budgets slashed. Many library programs have been eliminated. Most of these actions are taken at … Continue reading District Library Supervisors Under Duress


Update: 6 Referenda to Watch

November 6, 2014

On Tuesday, we previewed six pivotal referenda across the country that put the fate of local library funding up for a vote. With all precincts now reporting, here’s a look at how the ballots were cast: Funding Approved Cape Elizabeth, Maine – Voters approved a plan to renovate and expand the Thomas Memorial Library. Falmouth, Maine … Continue reading Update: 6 Referenda to Watch


Election Day Results: Citizens Vote ‘Yes’ on Library Funding

November 5, 2014

Election Day 2014 turned out to be a success for many library systems across the country seeking to raise or continue funding. Here are some early returns on local library victories: Voters approved a $108.5-million plan by the Charleston County (S.C.) Public Library to build five new facilities, renovate 13 others, and complete a system-wide technology … Continue reading Election Day Results: Citizens Vote ‘Yes’ on Library Funding


James L. Gates Jr. (Photo: Milo V. Stewart Jr./National Baseball Hall of Fame)

Bookend: National Pastime

November 1, 2014

Since its opening in June 1939, the Hall has served as the cornerstone of baseball, honoring the sport’s greats and marking its significance in history over the years. Pictured here, James L. Gates Jr., library director, holds the promissory note for the sale of Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox to the New York … Continue reading Bookend: National Pastime