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The Year in Review 2010

January 3, 2011

1. Supply and Demand Several Fox TV affiliates aired a segment June 28 titled: “Are Libraries Necessary, or a Waste of Tax Money?” The answer should have been apparent before the question was even asked: Gate counts and circulation documented that libraries were more in demand than ever, and patrons were not about to surrender … Continue reading The Year in Review 2010


Info Pro: Adopting Tools from the World of Business Consulting

Info Pro: Adopting Tools from the World of Business Consulting

January 3, 2011

As professionals serving increasingly business-savvy consumers, librarians must realize that we are, in fact, consultants. As such, we need to adopt some of the tools and thinking of business consultants to better communicate our value to library customers. We do that by creating what is called a ServiceScape environment, which is essential for building and … Continue reading Info Pro: Adopting Tools from the World of Business Consulting



12 Ways Libraries Are Good for the Country

December 21, 2010

Americans love their libraries, and advances in technology have multiplied the ways in which libraries enrich the quality of life in their communities. Whether they are in an elementary school or a university, a museum or a corporation, public or private, our nation's libraries offer a lifetime of learning. To library supporters everywhere—Friends, trustees, board … Continue reading 12 Ways Libraries Are Good for the Country


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Where to Eat at Midwinter

December 17, 2010

Everyone needs to eat, and San Diego offers plenty of terrific options. Highlighted here are mostly restaurants in and near the Gaslamp Quarter, convenient to the San Diego Convention Center and most ALA hotels, with a few farther-flung possibilities. The Gaslamp Quarter, bounded by 4th and 6th Avenues, Broadway, and Harbor Drive, is a historic … Continue reading Where to Eat at Midwinter


Neil Gaiman

Ted Danson, Neil Gaiman Headline Midwinter

December 13, 2010

Business meetings, celebrity authors—including Ted Danson, Kathy Reichs, Andre Dubus III, and Neil Gaiman—visits with vendors, and an abundance of discussion opportunities will highlight the American Library Association’s Midwinter Meeting in San Diego, January 7-11, at the San Diego Convention Center and area hotels. The eyes of the publishing world will turn to California’s second … Continue reading Ted Danson, Neil Gaiman Headline Midwinter


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When Small Is All

December 7, 2010

In 2007, the 9,214 public libraries in the United States served 97% of the total population, a figure that has remained steady for more than a decade. But while large public libraries may serve the majority of Americans—nearly 75%—small public libraries offer the most outlets. The majority of public libraries (88%) are located in small … Continue reading When Small Is All


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Booking to the Future

November 30, 2010

It’s no secret that librarians like books. For decades, those pages sandwiched between rectangles of cardboard have been the primary reason librarians sought and secured employment. As methods of communication and information sharing evolve, however, books have begun to transform, sparking a debate not only among book publishers and readers but librarians as well. In … Continue reading Booking to the Future


U.S. Poet Laureate W. S. Merwin Talks with Librarians

November 24, 2010

Before assuming his post as U.S. Poet Laureate on October 25, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner W. S. Merwin met with a select group of librarians at New York City’s Poets House for an afternoon of reading and conversation. A nonprofit organization, Poets House hosted the event as part of “One City, Many Poems,” a discussion … Continue reading U.S. Poet Laureate W. S. Merwin Talks with Librarians


Austin Shooting

How to Be Prepared in Case Violence Strikes

November 17, 2010

The library workplace is no more immune to violent incidents than any other venue, sad to say, and just as vulnerable to physical attacks by troubled colleagues as from visitors. Consider these headline-grabbing situations, all taking place in libraries within a three-week period this fall: A 19-year-old freshman toting an AK-47 (surveillance video, 1:37) enters … Continue reading How to Be Prepared in Case Violence Strikes


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Giving out Money: Helping Students Find Local Scholarships

November 17, 2010

Here’s the problem: How does Suzie Senior find out about the local Kiwanis scholarship? Or the one offered by the local hospital? Or the one offered by the local cancer support group? Who in your community collects information on scholarships offered by local clubs, service organizations, and other mostly nonprofits? Not the college or high … Continue reading Giving out Money: Helping Students Find Local Scholarships


Chicano Librarianship

Chicano Librarianship

November 2, 2010

August 29, 2010, marked the 40th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium in East Los Angeles, and it brought back many memories. I was part of a library contingent marching in 1970 in protest of the disproportionate number of Mexican Americans dying in the Vietnam War; some 30,000 other Chicanos were marching too. After the police … Continue reading Chicano Librarianship