Uncategorized Archives | Page 21 of 58 | American Libraries Magazine

The Conversation Continues @ your library

Many librarians are already exploring new ways to engage, embed, and integrate libraries into the life of their communities. Academic librarians are eager to deepen their engagement on campus—embedding services in the teaching, learning, and research processes. School librarians strive to collaborate more closely with teachers and integrate their programs directly into the curriculum. Public … Continue reading The Conversation Continues @ your library →

Key Strategies Discussed

By Keith Michael Fiels | March 6, 2012

ALA’s Executive Board discussions during the 2012 Midwinter Meeting in Dallas focused on some key Association initiatives. The ALA Strategic Plan (PDF file) outlines Association goals and objectives and provides a framework for plans, strategies, and initiatives on a day-to-day and year-by-year basis. This past fall, the board met with the leadership of ALA’s 11 … Continue reading Key Strategies Discussed →

It’s Always Time for CE-TV

By Linda W. Braun | March 6, 2012

Have you heard of Khan Academy? Sal Khan started the organization in the belief that people could learn by watching short, targeted videos online. Subjects run the gamut: from algebra to art history to the principles of banking to taking the SAT. He began by remotely tutoring his cousin in 2004 and created videos to … Continue reading It’s Always Time for CE-TV →

Oscar Nod to Fantastic Flying Books Shows Love for Libraries

By Beverly Goldberg | February 29, 2012

A film allegory that celebrates the curative power of story in general—and reading in particular—won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short February 26. The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, a wordless film whose most inspiring scenes take place in a fanciful library full of living books, was produced by start-up Moonbot Studios … Continue reading Oscar Nod to Fantastic Flying Books Shows Love for Libraries →

A Hazy Shade of (Mid)winter

By Joseph Janes | February 28, 2012

You know that feeling you get when you come home from a conference, and it’s all kind of a blur? That’s been my post-Midwinter experience. Of course, it came right after being housebound for several days during a rare Seattle snowstorm, so I was happy just to be somewhere sunny and warm, no matter how … Continue reading A Hazy Shade of (Mid)winter →

Library Design Showcase 2012: The Shape of Things

Greg Landgraf | February 28, 2012

Libraries aren’t just giant boxes with books, and one of the striking things about submissions to the Library Design Showcase this year was the uniqueness of many of the shapes found within the library. For this final section of the Showcase, we highlight some of the distinct forms and patterns used in new and renovated … Continue reading Library Design Showcase 2012: The Shape of Things →

Library Design Showcase 2012: Collaborative Learning

Greg Landgraf | February 28, 2012

It’s hardly news anymore: The library is no longer a place for (just) solitary silence. The following facilities have made a special effort to provide space for cooperation and collaboration, while still respecting other patrons’ desires for silence. North Carolina State University Libraries, D. H. Hill Library, Raleigh Collaborative Learning: The renovated Hill Library created … Continue reading Library Design Showcase 2012: Collaborative Learning →

Library Design Showcase 2012: Finding Your Way

Greg Landgraf | February 28, 2012

Helping people navigate their way through a new library is an important design consideration. The following libraries use a variety of methods, both subtle and overt, to help patrons know where they are and where they want to go. McAllen (Tex.) Public Library, Main Library Finding Your Way: A patterned wood soffit runs the length … Continue reading Library Design Showcase 2012: Finding Your Way →

Library Design Showcase 2012: Small Projects, Big Impact

By Greg Landgraf | February 28, 2012

Plainfield (N.J.) Public Library Small Projects, Big Impact: A rainforest theme carries through the renovation of Plainfield Public Library’s Children’s Library, which serves a community with no movie theater or themed recreational sites. Thatched huts provide quiet reading areas, while a built-in puppet stage is camouflaged within a 60-foot rainforest mural. The space can also … Continue reading Library Design Showcase 2012: Small Projects, Big Impact →

Library Design Showcase 2012: Green Facilities

Greg Landgraf | February 28, 2012

Green construction has been a growing trend for several years. Daylighting, green roofs, solar panels, water management, and certification under the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) continue to gain popularity. The following libraries are each notable for their sustainability features. San Diego County Library, Fallbrook Branch Green Facilities: … Continue reading Library Design Showcase 2012: Green Facilities →

Library Design Showcase 2012: Super Schools

Greg Landgraf | February 28, 2012

With the success of the recent White House petition on school libraries, the American public has asserted its support for this vital aspect of childhood education. The following schools have demonstrated their understanding of the centrality of their libraries by creating spaces that support 21st-century learning. Monroe High School Campus Library, New York City Monroe … Continue reading Library Design Showcase 2012: Super Schools →

Library Design Showcase 2012: Building for Accessibility

Greg Landgraf | February 28, 2012

Ensuring that all people can use a library regardless of age, background, or physical ability is one of the profession’s central tenets. These projects have put special effort into making sure that the finished building is accessible to all. Strathcona County (Alb.) Library Building for Accessibility: Eleven “living room” spaces, sprinkled throughout two floors, offer … Continue reading Library Design Showcase 2012: Building for Accessibility →

Latest Library Links

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Alvin Wanjala writes: “The rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots has popularized the term large language model (LLM), the underlying AI tech working behind the scenes. LLMs generate output based upon a predicted set of language in response to the user input, making it appear as if the AI is capable of thinking for itself. But LLMs aren’t the only large models in town; large action models (LAMs) could be the next big thing in AI. An LAM is an artificial intelligence system capable of understanding human input and performing a corresponding action.”

MakeUseOf, July 11
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Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky, was partially evacuated July 15 after university officials received an email claiming “In the name of Donald Trump I have hidden highly lethal lead azide devices in the library and cafeteria.” Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, evacuated its library and dining halls after receiving bomb threats July 11. Evacuation orders in both cases were lifted after searches found no bombs. Many public libraries in Illinois, Minnesota, and other states have experienced threats over the past year, most recently at River Forest (Ill.) Public Library.”

WDRB-TV (Louisville, Ky.), July 15; WGAL-TV (Lancaster, PA), July 15; Book Riot, July 16; WLS-TV (Chicago), July 9
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C. Allison Sills writes: “In the dance between safeguarding patron privacy and navigating the law, community colleges confront a pivotal question: How do we fulfill our legal obligations without compromising the ethical and legal bedrock of our profession? In North Carolina, where I work, since the Parents’ Bill of Rights became state law in December 2023, community colleges have been pressured to compulsorily activate all patron checkout history for the first time in decades. The need to shield individuals’ privacy from potential abuse is paramount.”

College & Research Libraries News, July
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Steph Campbell writes: “From a combination of hype from Stranger Things, captivating performances on Critical Role, acceptance of ‘nerd culture,’ and so many other reasons, tabletop role-playing games have greatly increased in popularity over the past few years, and youth activities are reflecting this. Running games is often seen as the core for facilitating this interest, but you can connect your library’s book collection to this too. By displaying books that focus on themes from your library’s game sessions, you can help players find other stories that they relate to.”

ALA Games & Gaming Round Table, July 11
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Share innovative strategies and resources with your peers by submitting an education program proposal for the 2025 LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience, taking place January 24–27, 2025, in Phoenix. The submission site is open now through August 12. The programmatic theme of LibLearnX 2025 is Reimagine, Refocus, Reset: Charting a Path for the Future. The LibLearnX Program Submission Guide provides detailed explanations of the learning formats and step-by-step instructions for submitting a proposal. Consult the Program Proposal Rubric for evaluation criteria and scoring and view a video on using the submission site to create and submit your proposal.

ALA Conference Services, July 15
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Summer is in full swing. This means getting outside, soaking up some sunshine, and listening to our favorite tunes—from oldies-but-goodies to today’s hits. In Episode 97, Call Number covers music. This episode includes conversations with librarian and Grammy Award–winning French horn player Joy Worland, as well as librarians who have organized programs for local patrons who love Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and K-Pop. Attendees of ALA’s 2024 Annual Conference and Exhibition in San Diego also share memories of the first concert they attended.

AL: The Scoop, July 15
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Sheila Craft-Morgan writes: “Citations are a key measure of the impact of a researcher’s work. However, research in a variety of disciplines has found that women are less likely to be cited than men; citations contain geographic bias; and the Matthew effect—in which those who begin with advantage continue to gain advantage—leads to more citations for prominent scholars in a specific discipline. These findings contribute to the notion that scholarly knowledge comes from a homogenous group of researchers, thereby overlooking the contributions of other groups.”

American Libraries column, June

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