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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 →

Library Design Showcase 2012: Service Flexibility

Greg Landgraf | February 28, 2012

Library needs change as service populations shift, technology marches on, and ideas for new services blossom. These changes can happen over years, but they can also happen day-to-day as patrons seek a venue to serve their needs of the moment. The following buildings have built-in flexibility to adapt to what their patrons require. Angelo State … Continue reading Library Design Showcase 2012: Service Flexibility →

Library Design Showcase 2012: Reuse and Restoration

Greg Landgraf | February 28, 2012

It’s not always feasible to update an existing building for use as a library rather than constructing new, but when it is possible it has the potential to save money, reduce environmental impact, and preserve pieces of local history. The following libraries have all successfully transformed existing spaces—some libraries, some not—to suit current and coming … Continue reading Library Design Showcase 2012: Reuse and Restoration →

Library Design Showcase 2012: Technology Enabled

Greg Landgraf | February 28, 2012

Librarians know that technology is as much a part of the modern library as books are. The following facilities have incorporated technology into their construction projects in innovative ways. University of Akron, Ohio, Bierce Library Technology Enabled: Bierce Library’s renovation is intended to create a contemporary learning commons that facilitates interaction between students and staff … Continue reading Library Design Showcase 2012: Technology Enabled →

Library Design Showcase 2012: The Outdoor Library

Greg Landgraf | February 28, 2012

A library’s building is important, but its exterior can be as well. Many libraries have found ways to integrate the outdoors into their regular services. The following libraries have all found ways to give their patrons the opportunity to enjoy the library and the fresh air at the same time. North Carolina State University, D. … Continue reading Library Design Showcase 2012: The Outdoor Library →

Library Design Showcase 2012: Youth Spaces

Greg Landgraf | February 28, 2012

Kids are one of the core audiences for many libraries. Spaces serving them are wildly diverse, both in form and in function—a pre-kindergartner has very different needs from a teenager. Following are several outstanding spaces for young patrons. Fort Vancouver Regional Library District, Vancouver (Wash.) Community Library Youth Spaces: The Early Learning Center at the … Continue reading Library Design Showcase 2012: Youth Spaces →

“Book Traffickers” Meet Tucson Ban on Mexican-American Studies

By Beverly Goldberg | February 22, 2012

Educators in the Houston metro area are readying a “book trafficker” caravan that would travel March 12–18 from Houston, Texas, to Tucson, Arizona, to donate books about the Mexican-American experience to four volunteer libraries. The donations are meant to counter the January removal of at least seven titles from Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) … Continue reading “Book Traffickers” Meet Tucson Ban on Mexican-American Studies →

The Coolness Factor

By Will Manley | February 22, 2012

Age among librarians used to be fairly easy to determine, but no longer in our era of nips, tucks, Botox, and hair coloring. You can’t just come out and ask someone his or her age. We all know that in today’s world such a question is not only impolite but possibly even discriminatory. My suggestion … Continue reading The Coolness Factor →

Newsmaker: Jamal Joseph

February 22, 2012

AMERICAN LIBRARIES: Your book offers so many lessons, especially for today’s youth. Is that why you decided to tell your story? JAMAL JOSEPH: It actually is. I work with young people in New York and travel the country speaking to high school and college students. The book is written through the curious eyes and passionate … Continue reading Newsmaker: Jamal Joseph →

Latest Library Links

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“Disability Pride Month is a time to honor the history, achievements, and diverse experiences of people with disabilities. This curated collection features fiction and nonfiction titles for all ages that explore disability through the lens of pride, empowerment, and identity. Highlighting both visible and invisible disabilities, these stories reflect the richness and resilience of the disability community and the ongoing movement for inclusion and equal rights. Explore the display and celebrate the voices that challenge stigma, expand understanding, and inspire change.”

Baltimore County Public Library, July 1
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Heidi Blackburn, Chris Magee, and Trevor Watkins write: “George Mason University Libraries launched a yearlong Artificial Intelligence (AI) Community of Practice for library employees in fall 2024, focused on the use of specific AI tools for work and research best practices. We didn’t just explore what AI could do—we also asked what it should do, and how to use it responsibly in service to our patrons and profession. After participant feedback, the community was modified to focus on task-based themes. Prior experience with communities of practice made the creation of yet another community easier, but not without challenges.”

Choice 360: LibTech Insights, July 7
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Kelly Jensen writes: “After the Supreme Court ruled on Mahmoud v. Taylor on June 27, there were so many bad and misinformed takes. Is this a case that is going to be used to justify a lot more censorship, quiet and loud, and create a chilling effect in public schools? Absolutely. But we don’t need to bow to this case. ‘I’m scared’ and ‘What does this mean?’ Those responses are ones that are far more productive in the fight. There’s room to have legitimate feelings and room to talk about the next steps.”

Well Sourced, July 5
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Katie Burkholder writes: “After 15 years of working at the Pierce County Public Library in Blackshear, Georgia, where she advanced from part-time clerk to branch manager, Lavonnia Moore was unexpectedly and abruptly fired due to a display featuring a trans-inclusive children’s book. The patron-led display aligned with Georgia’s summer reading theme, ‘Color Our World.’ When a child at the library asked her to include the book When Aidan Became a Brother, she didn’t hesitate. Unbeknownst to Moore until her termination, this decision inspired an online hate campaign from the Alliance for Faith and Family.”

Rough Draft Atlanta, July 5
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Jennie Langberg writes: “When I started as a school librarian, I inherited a wonderful group of student volunteers: the Library Squad. The previous librarian sent me the names of her seven most trusted volunteers to help with shelving, bulletin boards, and a variety of library projects. Eager to offer volunteer opportunities to more students, I promoted Library Squad during English class orientations and was met with overwhelming interest. I learned a great deal about running a volunteer program from this experience and want to share the highs and lows with you.”

The Library Lab, June 29
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Katherine Gregory writes: “Mississippi State University, where I work as an assistant professor and director of the Mississippi Political Collections, is part of a national network of universities that hold and steward congressional papers. But support for this stewardship is in jeopardy. With the White House’s proposed elimination of independent granting agencies such as the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, it is unclear what money will be available for this work in the future.”

The Conversation, June 30
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Steve Tetrault writes: “In February 2024, I shared about the reintroduction of a physical library space into my middle school after five years without one. This past school year was the first September since 2018 that my middle school had a physical library space. That space came a longway in a year! In our first year of operation, our new library space increased circulation by more than 50%. It is incredible what a difference having physical access to books makes.”

Knowledge Quest, July 8; Feb. 8, 2024

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