Uncategorized Archives | Page 46 of 58 | American Libraries Magazine

Massive SirsiDynix Reorganization Streamlines Customer Service

By Sean Fitzpatrick | May 12, 2010

Company announces new logo, new brand, and "all hands on deck" approach to customer service SirsiDynix announced May 12 that the company is undertaking a massive overhaul that will include consolidating its customer support staff under one roof, launching a new website, unveiling a new brand, revamping its Customer Support Center, and expanding the firm's … Continue reading Massive SirsiDynix Reorganization Streamlines Customer Service →

Ruling: Washington Libraries Can Deny Adults Unfiltered Internet

By Beverly Goldberg | May 10, 2010

The Washington Supreme Court issued a 6–3 decision May 6 that affirmed a rural library system’s policy of refusing to temporarily disable an internet filter at an adult’s request. The ruling does not alter federal case law. Filed with the U.S. District Court in Spokane in 2006, Bradburn v. North Central Regional Library had been remanded … Continue reading Ruling: Washington Libraries Can Deny Adults Unfiltered Internet →

Winning the Budget Wars

May 6, 2010

Library publications and blogs are filled with two types of articles these days: horror stories and fantasies. First, the horror stories. These are the news reports of budget cuts, most of which are in fact quite horrible. Academic Library X is getting its budget cut by 30%; School District Y is firing all of its … Continue reading Winning the Budget Wars →

Ohioans Approve 86% of Library Levies

By Beverly Goldberg | May 5, 2010

Voters in Ohio turned out in overwhelming support of their public libraries at primary ballot boxes May 4, the Ohio Library Council reported May 5. Out of a total of 29 public library levy issues (PDF file), 25 were approved—18 of which were first-time requests. Library officials sought the additional funding to mitigate an 18% … Continue reading Ohioans Approve 86% of Library Levies →

Reference Renaissance

By Mary Ellen Quinn | April 30, 2010

Although some may question the notion of a reference renaissance (did reference ever really die?), few would deny that “reference has been transformed from an area that focused on resources and artifacts to one that explores a human process of questioning, contextualizing, and learning.” So notes the introduction to Reference Renaissance: Current and Future Trends, … Continue reading Reference Renaissance →

Communities Thrive @ your library

April 28, 2010

With Americans turning to libraries in record number for employment resources and technology support, the nation’s libraries marked National Library Week, April 11-17, with exhibits, programs, and activities celebrating libraries and community and cultural centers. Libraries nationwide contributed photos to American Libraries, which we collected here. Bestselling author Neil Gaiman, National Library Week honorary chair, … Continue reading Communities Thrive @ your library →

Titles for Teens

By Mary Ellen Quinn | April 27, 2010

Librarians who work with teens will welcome these useful guides. In Booktalking with Teens, Kristine Mahood explains how to use booktalks to engage teens with the library. She discusses what teens are reading (and how to find out); surveys various genres, including graphic novels and classics; and outlines the steps in making booktalking a success. … Continue reading Titles for Teens →

Faculty Survey Tracks Changing Perceptions of Libraries

By Gordon Flagg | April 21, 2010

A new survey of U.S. colleges and universities has some troubling findings for libraries about their declining use by faculty, but also holds clues as to how they can maintain their relevance. The report of the results, Faculty Survey 2009: Key Strategic Insights for Libraries, Publishers, and Societies (PDF file), summarized the findings as: “Basic scholarly … Continue reading Faculty Survey Tracks Changing Perceptions of Libraries →

2010 HAPLR Index Released

By Thomas J. Hennen Jr. | April 20, 2010

The 2010 version of Hennen’s American Public Library Ratings, using the latest federal data reported by 7,930 public libraries in the United States, was released April 15. Published since 1999, the HAPLR Index identifies the public libraries in America with the highest input and output measures. As index author, I add the scores for each … Continue reading 2010 HAPLR Index Released →

Dipping into the Stream

By Meredith Farkas | April 20, 2010

When you think of Twitter, you might think of Oprah. You might think of Ashton Kutcher. But do you think of Roy Tennant, Jessamyn West, and ALA’s Association of College and Research Libraries? While social networks are useful for keeping up with celebrities, friends, and family, they’re also valuable professional networking tools that can connect … Continue reading Dipping into the Stream →

Tell Us a Story

By Leonard Kniffel | April 20, 2010

There’s nothing quite so satisfying as a good story well told. We all tell stories, and libraries are the best places in the world to share them. With a growing national trend toward taking advantage of the cultural and literary programs, personalized professional learning assistance, and community social hub that good libraries offer their constituents, … Continue reading Tell Us a Story →

The Biggest Front Porch

By Joseph Janes | April 20, 2010

There are few pleasures in life as rewarding as being in the presence of a great storyteller—an opportunity I get every year when the University of Washington SLIS hosts the Spencer Shaw Lecture, in honor of our beloved emeritus faculty member. This year’s treat was Patricia McKissack, whose talk was titled “On the Front Porch … Continue reading The Biggest Front Porch →

Latest Library Links

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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, Arizona. 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 librarians who have organized programs for local patrons who love Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and K-Pop, as well as librarian and Grammy Award–winning French horn player Joy Worland. 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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Mel Baldwin writes: “Regardless of why someone comes into a library, every patron should be free to interact with staff, browse materials, and use the internet without fear of harassment or worse. That freedom depends on libraries upholding patron privacy. With nearly 400 active anti-trans bills pending in state legislatures as of April 2024, it is a dangerous time in the US to be gender nonconforming, someone whose gender expression does not align with the traditional male or female binary. And for trans people of color, studies show the risk of discrimination and violence is higher.”

American Libraries column, June
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Greg Landgraf writes: “On a school morning last September, small groups of 5th-graders crowded around tools connected to scientific research—a microscope, a robotic camera, and even a snake named Morgan Freeman—clipboards and pencils in hand. They were at the Melrose branch of Roanoke (Va.) Public Libraries (RPL), judging graduate students from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg on their research. The event was RPL’s second Flip the Fair, introduced in 2022 to help graduate students develop skills to effectively communicate their research while engaging local elementary students with STEM topics and the library.”

American Libraries Trend, June
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Aaryn Bierly writes: “Disability Pride Month is traditionally celebrated in July to celebrate the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. The ADA regulates laws regarding service animals, requires employers to accommodate their employees’ physical and medical needs, stipulates the number and placement of accessible parking spaces and restrooms, and more. One in five Americans has some type of disability that makes working more difficult, and the ADA has made working conditions easier for a significant number of Americans. We’ve got several great lists of books for kids and teens of different ages featuring characters with a range of disabilities.”

Herrick District Library (Holland, Mich.), July 1

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