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Latest Library Links, January 14, 2014

January 26, 2015

ALA News New e-rate implementation begins The Daniel W. Lester Library Postcard Collection Midwinter Meeting News Policy Revolution! update Division News LLAMA call for mentors and mentees Awards & Grants The life of a book award committee member Libraries in the News Passions flare on proposed Chicago parkland site for Obama library Wichita votes to … Continue reading Latest Library Links, January 14, 2014 →

Latest Library Links, January 15, 2015

January 26, 2015

ALA News ALA President's Message: Everyone's work Survey on equity, diversity, and inclusion Midwinter Meeting News Five Chicago attractions for visitors on a budget Awards & Grants 2014 Jane Yolen Mid-List Author Award 2015 Digital Book Awards 2015 Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award Wikipedia wins 2015 Erasmus Prize Libraries eligible for 2015 Innovations in Reading Prize … Continue reading Latest Library Links, January 15, 2015 →

Latest Library Links, January 16, 2015

January 26, 2015

ALA News School librarians and intellectual freedom web meetings Webinar: Understanding credit scores and reports Awards & Grants Honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Newbery Visionaries at the Darien Library 2014 Margaret A. Edwards Collection Development Grant winners Libraries in the News Four Queens Library vice-presidents resign Guam has not had any … Continue reading Latest Library Links, January 16, 2015 →

Frederick E. Berry Library and Learning Commons, Salem (Mass.) State University

Submit Your Architectural Project to the 2015 Library Design Showcase

By Phil Morehart | January 23, 2015

We are looking for libraries that are shining examples of innovative architecture and that address patrons’ needs in unique, interesting, and effective ways. Previous submissions have consisted of projects ranging from innovative kids’ spaces and outdoor facilities to expanded high-tech academic libraries and restorations of libraries devastated by natural disasters. If your library is on … Continue reading Submit Your Architectural Project to the 2015 Library Design Showcase →

A Drone’s-Eye-View of a Wintery Chicago

January 23, 2015

If recent news about Chicago's polar vortex has you wondering about what to wear for the Midwinter Meeting, we have one piece of advice: Layer up. The cityscape is still breathtaking, as this bird's-eye video from a drone shows.

Latest Library Links, December 22, 2014

January 23, 2015

Midwinter Meeting News Making the most of Midwinter American Libraries Online Libraries use dog therapy programs to reach reluctant readers Libraries in the News Nigerian government urged to establish libraries in prisons Detroit Public Library adds free digital download service Three cities bid for Obama Presidential Library Issues Sony leak reveals efforts to revive SOPA … Continue reading Latest Library Links, December 22, 2014 →

Mind the Gap

By Jennifer Burek Pierce | January 22, 2015

Last fall, I paid assiduous attention to early childhood literacy, striking up conversations on the subject and creating lengthy lists of resources. My obsessive information seeking supports students in my community engagement class who are helping Sioux City (Iowa) Public Library (SCPL) staffers locate area organizations with an interest in children’s reading. Library Director Betsy … Continue reading Mind the Gap →

Everyone’s Work

By Courtney L. Young | January 15, 2015

I believe diversity is an essential value for everyone working in a library or pursuing a degree in library and information science or a related field. Libraries that have the most significant impact on their communities understand and embrace the importance of diversity. They showcase their librarians, staff, and volunteers as members of a vibrant … Continue reading Everyone’s Work →

Who Will Shape the Future?

By Keith Michael Fiels | December 23, 2014

In May, then-President Barbara Stripling brought together a hundred individuals—and about half from outside the library community—at the Library of Congress to discuss the future of libraries. In the process, these individuals also helped launch a new ALA Center for the Future of Libraries. Later that month, Miguel Figueroa was named director of the … Continue reading Who Will Shape the Future? →

Outcomes-Based Futures

By Linda W. Braun | December 18, 2014

Three-dimensional printers, apps, social networks. It’s easy to get caught in the trap of responding to the newest technology or educational stratagem when planning your program of service for youth and their families. Instead, start by thinking about the impact you want to have on children and teens and develop services that support those. For … Continue reading Outcomes-Based Futures →

2 Minutes Behind the Scenes at ALA

December 8, 2014

As we gear up for the 2015 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Chicago next month, check out this two-minute time-lapse video that documents the work that went into setting up—and breaking down—the 2014 ALA Annual Conference this past summer in Las Vegas.

Latest Library Links

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Anita Sundaram Coleman writes: “The ALA Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy Working Group has released a draft guidance document for libraries. This is a good document. It says, in one quiet clause buried in its appendix, that AI should enable ‘human flourishing—including mental and social wellness.’ But neither it nor we may know what that means yet. That’s what this section is for. Before we delve into flourishing, we need the rule: ‘Question the chatbot back on everything. Verify anything that carries your name. Triangulate, with other AI tools and with non-AI sources.’”

Infophilia: A Positive Psychology of Information, May 9
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A new report from PEN America found that 3,743 unique titles were removed from at least one school library or classroom during the 2024–2025 school year. “In the last school year, we found a surge in the banning of nonfiction titles. We documented bans on over 1,100 unique titles that are educational or informational books for young people—textbooks or reference texts on a wide range of subjects, history books, biographies, and autobiographies.” The most common topics in banned titles included violence, death and grief, and empowerment and self-esteem.

PEN America, May 7
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Nominations are being accepted through September 1 for ALA honorary membership, the Association’s highest honor, which is bestowed on a living person whose contribution to libraries and/or librarianship, or a closely related field, is so outstanding that it is of lasting importance to the advancement of the whole field of library service. Honorary members are elected for life by vote of the ALA Council upon recommendation of the ALA Executive Board. Newly elected honorary members will be formally recognized at the Opening General Session during the 2027 ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition.

ALA Governance Office, May 6
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Jessica Brownley writes: “As we observe Mental Health Awareness Month, I’ve been thinking about the role libraries play in supporting the emotional well-being of children in library programs. In a recent art program, a participant became frustrated when their painting did not turn out the way they expected. They stopped following instructions, changed their work, and eventually became tearful. These kinds of moments are not unusual in library spaces. Emotional reactions can show up quickly and may seem big compared to the situation—but they are very real for the child experiencing them.”

ALSC Blog, May 6
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Brett Bonfield writes: “When it comes to the ALA’s more than $66 million endowment, we trustees are mindful of the ethical impact of the Association’s investments. That’s where ESG, or environmental, social, and governance, investing comes in. ESG investing refers to the practice of incorporating environmental impact, social issues, and corporate governance into investing decisions. This column will answer the primary questions that endowment trustees are asked about ESG investments and how ALA approaches them.”

American Libraries Online, May 11
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Dan Montgomery writes: “While the commemoration of ALA’s 150th anniversary kicked off in January, ALA staff and member leaders have been building momentum toward its largest in-person celebration, the 2026 Annual Conference and Exhibition in our hometown of Chicago. I feel honored and privileged to be here in this moment as we celebrate this Magnificent Milestone! (Did you catch my Chicago pun?) I invite you to join your colleagues at Annual to observe our past, reflect on our present, and envision our future.”

American Libraries column, May
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Anne Ford writes: “For 150 years, ALA has shaped the landscape of libraries and the profession itself—but its leadership has often reflected the racial and gender biases of society at large. For this special anniversary issue, American Libraries spoke with eight barrier-busting Association leaders about their struggles, triumphs, breakdowns, and breakthroughs. The stories and lessons they share reveal how diversity fuels and transforms the power of libraries everywhere.”

American Libraries feature, May

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