Features Archives | Page 84 of 93 | American Libraries Magazine

Plugging into the TED conference @ your library

By Gabriella Radujko | January 25, 2011

Princeton (N.J.) Public Library hosted a two-day TEDx event, December 7-8, 2010, while thousands of “Tedsters” simultaneously attended over 100 similarly organized events about women’s issues in cities as diverse as Geneva, Pittsburgh, and Dubai. TEDx events, spinoffs of the TED annual nonprofit conference whose mission is “ideas worth spreading” are free, independent, and highly … Continue reading Plugging into the TED conference @ your library →

Telephone Reference: A Children’s Author Learns to Work the Wires

By Johanna Hurwitz | January 24, 2011

When I was growing up in the Bronx during the 1940s and ’50s, my family was the only one in our apartment building to own a telephone. It meant we could be in communication with family and friends. And for our neighbors, it meant they were secure in knowing that my mother would let them … Continue reading Telephone Reference: A Children’s Author Learns to Work the Wires →

Get Ahead of Outsourcing

By John Huber | January 19, 2011

How will politicians and library leaders respond to the challenges of shrinking budgets, increased community expectations, and ever aggressive competition? One approach is to replace current library management teams with private profit-driven companies whose first strategy is to attack labor cost. In a September 26 New York Times article titled “Anger as a Private Company … Continue reading Get Ahead of Outsourcing →

Is the Association Ripe for Rebellion?

By Jim Rettig | January 4, 2011

During my 34 years as a member of ALA I have heard others—some members, some former members, some never a member—complain about the Association and its value. Complaints I have heard again and again include: It costs too much. It should be possible to join one of the Association’s 11 divisions without joining ALA. It … Continue reading Is the Association Ripe for Rebellion? →

The Year in Review 2010

By American Libraries Editorial Staff | 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

By Sarah Anne Murphy | 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 →

When There Is No Frigate But a Book

By Sara Zettervall | December 22, 2010

“I am writing this letter to tell you that I am personally very, very satisfied with your services at the Adult Corrections Facility. I am also grateful that I could get books ordered for me to help me take my medical board certification even while I am serving my time. I cannot stop thanking every … Continue reading When There Is No Frigate But a Book →

12 Ways Libraries Are Good for the Country

By Leonard Kniffel | 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 →

Where to Eat at Midwinter

By Linda Salem | 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 →

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 →

When Small Is All

By Jane Pearlmutter and Paul Nelson | 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 →

Booking to the Future

By Jamie E. Helgren | 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 →

Latest Library Links

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Sarah Wild writes: “The Library of Congress (LC) is home to more than 175 million works humans have produced, from ebooks to ancient scrolls, which it aims to preserve for future generations. But even a library this extensive can only preserve a fraction of the books published annually around the world, let alone other formats. To learn more about how LC makes its weighty decisions about shaping our society’s collective memory, Scientific American spoke with the library’s collection development officer Joseph Puccio, who retired last month, and director for preservation Jacob Nadal.”

Scientific American, July 16
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Nick Tanzi writes: “For many library workers (and the public at large), artificial intelligence (AI) is an unfamiliar, poorly-understood technology. This is unsurprising when we look at the speed at which AI has been moving; we are in an environment of constant change, rapid innovation, and little regulation. There are enough problematic aspects of AI (algorithmic bias, hallucination, privacy concerns, etc.) where it would seem prudent to simply avoid the technology, at least until things settle further. This would be a mistake! Early engagement is critical to understanding artificial intelligence, and a working knowledge of AI within the library is necessary.”

The Digital Librarian, July 17
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Shannon McClintock Miller writes: “Genrefication is the process of organizing, classifying, and categorizing items into genres, making it easier for our readers to browse and find books they want to read. It also helps our teachers find books they want to tie to the curriculum and use with their students in the classroom. I would love to share 10 tips for genrefication that I have used within our library at Van Meter (Iowa) School.”

The Library Voice, July 21
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Michael Kimmelman writes: “The other day, I wrote about two new branch libraries in New York City, which share an unusual feature: They’re both paired with 100 percent affordable housing developments. The economics of building subsidized housing in America depends on land that costs little or nothing, which almost inevitably means building on public land. But having sold off much of what it owned, New York no longer has a large inventory of big, usable lots for deeply affordable projects. The city does own library branches, however. And they occupy public land in the heart of many neighborhoods.”

New York Times Headway, July 17
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Cindy Hohl writes: “As we look ahead to meet the information needs of our membership, it is important that we stand united to remember why we work in this trusted profession. ALA has some big goals ahead with the hiring of the next ALA executive director, celebrating the Association’s 150th anniversary, creating a strategic plan to elevate the role of ALA throughout the field, and ensuring that we have strong member leadership to offer guidance and support. Our core values help us see that what one holds sacred is a touchstone in advancing this work as we strive to serve everyone in #AGoodWay together.”

American Libraries column, July/Aug.
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Trey Walk writes: “Over the past few years, new policies and laws in Florida have stopped teachers from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity, while also repressing any honest efforts to grapple with systemic racism and slavery. [But] many people have taken a stand against these prejudiced policies, including in Florida. Their goal: to build a brighter future for the state. We hope today’s leaders fighting censorship in Florida can offer a blueprint to people across the US to further truly free and just education.”

Human Rights Watch, July 18
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Angela Dennis writes: “Young scholars, parents, and staff from the East Tennessee Freedom Schools program, a local summer enrichment program, marched in downtown Knoxville July 17 to protest literary censorship in public schools and libraries across the country. Recent legislation in Tennessee has fueled concerns about literary censorship. In May, Gov. Bill Lee signed into law an expansion of the Age-Appropriate Materials Act. Opponents fear the new law might exclude the perspectives of marginalized groups in educational materials. The Knox County Schools Board recently revised its library policy to align with the new state law, further fueling debate.”

Knoxville News Sentinel, July 18

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