Just look at Seattle Public Library, which in July partnered with the University of Washington’s acclaimed KEXP radio station to make its extensive archive of live performances by both local and national acts available for library users. “We see the KEXP offerings as an added bonus to our music collection,” Seattle City Librarian Marcellus Turner … Continue reading Live at Your Library!
But don’t despair, said David Connolly, who compiles ALA’s JobLIST, a resource for career advice and job search information. The market is back to pre-2008, he said. “We may be treading water, but at least, it’s not getting worse.” In fact, according to Connolly, experienced librarians can anticipate a relatively strong job market because the … Continue reading Toughing It Out in a Tight Job Market
These days it’s more important than ever to communicate with people outside of the library world—“civilians,” as library consultant Joan Frye Williams calls them. Community publications offer endless opportunities to share stories of library resources, services, and needs with our users, potential users, and funders. Let’s look at how we can increase the visibility and … Continue reading Writing for Civilians
Specialized health care libraries have been taking it on the chin. The American Hospital Association library budget has been repeatedly cut over the past few years. The American Medical Association’s library quietly closed in March. In July, the American Dental Association’s library budget was slashed, and eight of 13 library staffers expect to lose their … Continue reading American Dental Association Library May Be Set to Close
“We forgot a long time ago what situation constitutes normal and what situation does not,” said Saad Eskander, director of the Iraq National Library and Archives, after almost a decade of war that followed the 2003 US invasion of Iraq. Since the American troop withdrawal last year, “life has not changed for the overwhelming majority … Continue reading Terror Has Not Withdrawn: Daily Life for Librarians in Iraq
While major urban centers like New York, Miami, and Los Angeles have always drawn new immigrants, there are many pockets of new Americans now living in mid-size US cities due to job opportunities and proximity to families and former neighbors from their homes abroad. Some come to the US without significant digital literacy skills, and … Continue reading New Americans and the Digital Literacy Gap
The 40 continuous hours of Library 2.012, the “Future of Libraries” free conference, which ran from October 3 through October 5, featured 150 presentation sessions and more than a dozen keynote addresses from across the globe. Topics ranged from physical and virtual learning spaces to evolving professional roles in today’s world, organizing and creating information, … Continue reading Library 2.012 Conference Explores the Future of Libraries
Terry Kendrick is the guru of strategic marketing in libraries. His book Developing Strategic Marketing Plans That Really Work is a must-read, and he writes, speaks, and runs workshops on marketing libraries all over the UK and in no fewer than 26 countries abroad. He also brings a nonlibrary perspective to the table, lecturing in … Continue reading Marketing Your Library
“Writing Women Back into History” is the theme for National Women’s History Month, March 2010, the annual celebration of women in the United States. For years women’s contributions were routinely underestimated or ignored even in the history of our own profession. While this still remains the case for much of history, the second wave of … Continue reading How to Celebrate Women’s History @ Your Library
The trend of establishing and maintaining a personal brand has been a hot topic for some time with the public at large, traceable as far back as 1937 and Napoleon Hill’s self-help classic Think and Grow Rich, if Wikipedia is to be believed. Unsurprisingly, personal branding has also caught on with librarians, notoriously preoccupied as … Continue reading Personal Branding for Librarians
Beyond temporary power outages and minor wind and water damage, libraries along the Atlantic coast weathered Superstorm Sandy fairly well, considering all the flooding and destruction inflicted on homes and businesses. Although some areas of central New Jersey were still without power six days after the storm, many public libraries in affected states were powered … Continue reading Libraries Weather the Superstorm
Imagine the library from hell: stacks filled with unseen dangers; furniture that’s been overturned and tossed into makeshift barriers; groans, shrieks, and manic laughter as frantic patrons struggle in dim, emergency lighting to find safety from monsters lying in wait to terrify, give chase, and contaminate them with a single touch. This was the scene … Continue reading Zombies Invade the Library
