Let’s see, which of my various forms of geekdom have I copped to in this column? Game shows? Check. Olympics? Check. On to reality TV, I guess. Not the Bachelorette / Real Housewives / Jersey Shore type of show (ick); think more Amazing Race, Dancing with the Stars, and of course Project Runway. I love Runway because … Continue reading I’m Sorry, You’re Out
Laura Bush became a librarian for the same reason many of us did—she loved books. In case you were wondering, and in case you haven’t read her autobiography, Spoken from the Heart, she does have a library science degree (from the University of Texas) and she did work as a librarian, first at a branch … Continue reading A Friend in the White House
The FY2010 roller-coaster ride is just about over, and many a library advocate is undoubtedly glad to see the back of it. There’s a curious symmetry about the timing: Thousands of tenacious front-line library supporters are taking stock of their finalized local budgets even as a swarm of library boosters descended on Capitol Hill June … Continue reading Libraries Reach FY2011 – Some Relieved, All Wary
During my travels as president-elect, I often spoke about the challenges and opportunities of becoming 21st-century libraries that incorporate new formats, technologies, and ways of learning. By transforming libraries for this new era, we are leaders in a rapidly changing and increasingly global economy that depends on people getting the right information, at the right … Continue reading Advancing Advocacy
Grassroots advocates in Boston were thrilled to learn June 21 that library officials were indefinitely postponing the closure of four branches that had been planned for months. The news came as hundreds of library workers at the Charlotte (N.C.) Mecklenburg Library and Los Angeles Public Library were coming to grips with layoff notices. “We’ve been … Continue reading Boston Branches’ Reprieve Dimmed by Layoffs, Closures Elsewhere
The students are skeptical when the librarian says, “I want everyone to take out their cell phones and check to see if you can get reception in the library.” The young scholars hesitantly pull out their mobile devices unsure of what to make of this request. “Your assignment is to charge up your phones for … Continue reading Unquiet Library Has High-Schoolers Geeked
Readers’ Advisory mavens Jessica E. Moyer and Kaite Mediatore Stover tapped the expertise of some fellow enthusiasts, and The Reader’s Advisory Handbook is the result. Sarah Statz Cords offers advice on adding nonfiction to the readers’ advisory equation, David Wright covers adult storytime, and Heather Booth discusses expanding readers’ advisory service to young adults. These … Continue reading New from ALA
“Library fines got you down? Help build our Facebook page to 500 people & I'll waive fines of two students.” This message streamed across the Luria Library’s Twitter feed. In less than 140 characters, it perfectly portrays the playful and forgiving nature of its library director, and demonstrates the rising value of social capital, which … Continue reading Social Eyes
Espionage and library science seem an odd mix, but it’s certain, according to Rosalee McReynolds and Louise S. Robbins, that Philip and Mary Jane Keeney, who were called to testify before the House Committee on Un-American Activities in 1950, were spies. As related in The Librarian Spies: Philip and Mary Jane Keeney and Cold War … Continue reading Librarian Spies
July 1 is fast approaching, bringing a new fiscal year for many libraries around the country. However, that’s the only certainty in many communities as advocates tenaciously continue their campaigns to keep as many library facilities open and staffed as possible. The libraries of New York City, Brooklyn, and Queens are rallying supporters on the … Continue reading Rallies, Rallies, Everywhere as Final Budget Votes Loom
There are two things that Congress and Libraryland need to eliminate from their thinking before government information can truly move into the digital age. The first is the word “printing,” as in Government Printing Office (GPO). The second is the word “documents,” as in Superintendent of Documents (SuDoc), the branch of GPO that actually runs … Continue reading GPO Must Go
The Oxford English Dictionary has been called the world’s greatest dictionary, and it has been joined by what might be called the world’s greatest thesaurus, Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary. This is no ordinary synonym-finder. More than 40 years in the making, it covers nearly a million words and expressions from Old English … Continue reading Historical Thesaurus
