Following my return in August from the 76th International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions General Conference and Assembly in Gothenburg, Sweden, I was interviewed on two successive days about the state of America’s libraries by David Graham of Newsweek and Bob Edwards of Sirius XM Radio. I was heartened by the interest of the … Continue reading With a Little Help from Our Friends
A new Delaware law that went into effect September 15 is enabling public libraries to get their internet use policies ready for the inevitable influx into their facilities of patrons wielding wireless devices. HB 340 extends libraries’ acceptable-use policies to any mobile devices that individuals bring onto library premises, and specifies that, while in the … Continue reading Acceptable-Use Policies Go Mobile in Delaware
I’ve spoken to library staff from libraries all over North America and have heard countless stories about innovative new services that failed. I always ask people why they think the initiative didn’t work at their library and the answer has always been about the culture—whether it was because of controlling IT staff, managers who wouldn’t … Continue reading Nurturing Innovation
When she was researching her first book, The Dead Beat: Lost Souls, Lucky Stiffs, and the Perverse Pleasures of Obituaries (2006), Marilyn Johnson decided that “the most engaging obit subjects were librarians,” especially since so many of their obituaries contained some form of the sentence: “Under her watch, the library changed from a collection of … Continue reading Outside In
Serials Solutions announced September 13 that its web-scale discovery product Summon has reached the 100-customer mark. (The company chosen not to name its 100th customer because “it’s a three-way dead-on tie,” according to media representative Beth Dempsey.) The single-search-box serials discovery service went on sale in July 2009. “The proof that our approach is working … Continue reading Summon Summons 100th Customer
Libraries around the country and the world are hosting events this month as part of the September Project, a grassroots effort to encourage library programming about freedom during the month of September. The September Project was founded in 2004 by Sarah Washburn, library program manager at TechSoup, and David Silver, associate professor of media studies … Continue reading Libraries Host September Project Programming
South African librarian Ellen Tise is president of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, 2009–2011. American Libraries caught up with her during the 76th IFLA World Library and Information Congress, August 10–15, in Gothenburg, Sweden, where she talked about international relations, energizing the profession, and open access to knowledge. American Libraries: How was … Continue reading Ellen Tise on International Relations, Energizing the Profession, and Access to Knowledge
The Midwest City (Okla.) Library and a Muslim pre-K–10 school in this Oklahoma City–area community have collaborated on an exhibit in the library’s lobby of student paintings that interpret the Islamic tradition of the 99 Muslim names of God. Debuting August 15, the exhibit created by the Muslim Mercy School is scheduled to run through … Continue reading Islamic Library Exhibit Outshines National Rancor
A tireless crusader for international cooperation and exchange, Jesus Lau is currently serving on the Governing Board of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. At IFLA’s August conference in Gothenburg, Sweden, he talked with American Libraries about the value of his international activites, especially his ongoing involvement with the American Library Association. Lau … Continue reading Mexican Library Association President Jesus Lau on International Engagement
Scenes from the seventh National Conference of African American Librarians, "Culture Keepers VII: Bridging the Divide with Information Access, Activism, and Advocacy, held August 4-8, in Birmingham, Alabama, hosted the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA).
Thanks to the vision and perseverance of Yohannes Gebregeorgis, founder of Ethiopia Reads, a new library worthy of any developed country opened August 20 in Mekele, the first of its kind in this small and grindingly poor city. The Segenat Children and Youth Library in the region of Tigray is located in a sturdy, free-standing … Continue reading Ethiopia Reads
With the fall election season gearing up across North America, it seemed that the staff of the Calgary (Alberta) Public Library was doing its part to get out the vote when the Canadian Broadcasting Company reported August 25 that the library had launched a “Don’t Be an Idiot” PR campaign to promote its upcoming mayoral-candidate … Continue reading Canadian Library Squelches Rumors of a “Don’t Be an Idiot” Campaign
