Karen Keninger became director of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., in March. She is the first person who is blind to direct the Braille and talking-book program. Keninger is former director of the Iowa Department for the Blind, a provider of … Continue reading An Interview with Karen Keninger
[EDITOR’S NOTE: American Libraries conducted the following interview with writer Jonah Lehrer on July 29, one day before news broke that Lehrer was resigning from his position as staff writer at The New Yorker. It was discovered that he had fabricated quotes from singer-songwriter Bob Dylan and had included those quotes in his bestselling book … Continue reading A Day Before Disgrace
Anne Enright, author of The Forgotten Waltz, and Robert K. Massie, author of Catherine the Great, were the first winners of the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction respectively. The winners were announced at ALA’s Annual Conference in Anaheim, California, on June 24. Booklist Editors Donna Seaman and Brad Hooper … Continue reading First Winners of Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction, Nonfiction
The Special Libraries Association, the international association of information professionals and special librarians in corporations, business, science, government, and academic institutions, met in Chicago July 15–18 for its annual conference and expo. The small group (final attendance hasn’t been tallied, but past conferences averaged 4,000–6,000), a fraction of the number who attended the 2012 ALA … Continue reading SLA in Chicago Enchants, Challenges Special Librarians
Interested buyers found tech products that press beyond established boundaries as well as those that enable bread-and-butter library activities in the Anaheim Convention Center during the 2012 ALA Annual Conference. Products ranged from discovery services that aim to deliver access to the universe of library collections to new library management systems bringing together print, electronic, … Continue reading Vendors Showcase Their Wares in Anaheim
The lazy days of summer are here—a time to relax, vacation, and sun by the pool. It’s also a time to catch up on all those good books you didn’t have time to read all year. For students, this season can be especially prime reading months. While public libraries have traditionally provided space for schoolchildren … Continue reading Summer Reading Goes to School
More than two years after the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010, vast numbers of Haitians are still struggling just to return to something resembling normal life. The first thing you see in the capital city of Port-au-Prince is miles and miles of “Tent City,” as the temporary housing has come to be … Continue reading Haiti Rising from the Rubble
You may have wondered whether you hold the copyright to work you’ve put many hours into creating on the job. Who holds the copyright to works created by teachers or librarians? Short answer: In general, when employees create works as a condition of employment, the copyright holder is the employer. As a school librarian or … Continue reading Copyright for Librarians and Teachers, in a Nutshell
If you think it is hard to explain to nonlibrary users what a librarian does, try explaining the job of a cataloger. Not long ago (when I was still in library school), if someone had asked me what exactly a cataloger is, my answer would have been, “a guardian of the catalog.” This still holds … Continue reading Cataloging Then, Now, and Tomorrow
Bannon, who earned his MLIS from the University of Washington in 1999, joined CPL in March 2012, succeeding Mary Dempsey, who stepped down after nearly 18 years as commissioner. Now, several months into his new role, Bannon—who says he has “hit the ground running”—took a break from his whirlwind introduction to CPL and the city … Continue reading Newsmaker: Brian Bannon
Attendees say ALA’s Annual Conference is the “best gathering for professional development opportunities, exhibits and vendor reps, and networking possibilities that a librarian is likely to find” and “the gold standard in professional development and networking.” Join the discussion during ALA’s 136th Annual Conference in Anaheim, California, June 21–26. Hear from the two winning authors … Continue reading Annual Conference Preview: Transforming Our Libraries, Ourselves
Libraries are constantly evolving to adapt to the needs and desires of our users. Most of these changes have occurred inside our buildings, from obtaining cutting-edge technology to providing self-service and redesigned spaces. While these changes have been vital, they have failed to increase our presence in the community. How can we truly demonstrate our … Continue reading Community Reference: Making Libraries Indispensable in a New Way
