Gray, Jody | American Libraries Magazine

Jody Gray, director of the Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services, left ALA September 6.

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Kim Chandler writes: “The Alabama Public Library Service Board of Trustees voted Thursday to withhold state funding from the Fairhope Public Library after complaints from conservative parents about books in the teen section. Board Chairman John Wahl, who is also the chair of the Alabama Republican Party, said board members believe the Fairhope library is in violation of state policies to protect children from inappropriate materials. The books cited by the upset parents included Sold, a National Book Award finalist about a girl who is sold into sexual slavery in India. Read Freely Alabama has started a fundraiser to try to replace the $42,000 in state funding.”

Associated Press, Mar. 21
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Christine Park writes: “In 1985, anthropologist James C. Scott published Weapons of the Weak: Everyday Forms of Peasant Resistance, illustrating the ‘prosaic but constant struggle’ of Malaysian villagers indirectly dissenting against the power holders. Since January of this year, there have been seemingly unending and concentrated attacks on [redacted] policies as the new administration has made it a cornerstone of its agenda to combat ‘wokeness’ in America. But it’s fitting to utilize the tools that we have, and not comply in advance. For example, instead of removing any mention of [redacted], we can use visual tools to highlight the absurd and pervasive assault on our First Amendment rights.”

RIPS Law Librarian Blog, Mar. 20
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Megan Nigh writes: “Getting books into your library is one half of the equation, but the other half is getting them into the hands of your teens. Handselling can be effective, but we can’t always be there for every teen looking for their next read. So how do we engage and entice teens to pick up a book? Check out some ideas [including special teen displays, on-shelf recommendations, and light-hearted gimmicks] that worked for us!”

Young Adult Library Services Association: The Hub, Mar. 21
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ALA sent a letter March 20 to Keith E. Sonderling, the new acting director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), warning him not to cut library programs required by federal law. The letter was sent in response to President Trump’s March 14 executive order, “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy,” which calls for IMLS’s elimination. Outlining the Congressional mandate of the Museum and Library Services Act (MLSA) of 2018, which was signed by President Trump, ALA urged Sonderling to follow provisions of the MLSA and avoid violating federal law. Additionally, the National Museum and Library Services Board sent Sonderling a letter outlining IMLS’s statutory obligations.

ALA Public Policy and Advocacy Office, Mar. 20; Publishers Weekly, Mar. 24
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Peter McCabe and Anna Mehler Paperny write: “US authorities said March 21 they are closing Canadian access to a library straddling the Canada-US border. The Haskell Free Library and Opera House is located between the towns of Stanstead, Quebec, and Derby Line, Vermont. The library’s entrance is on the Vermont side. Previously, Canadian visitors were able to enter using the sidewalk and entrance on the American side. Under the new rules, Canadians would need to go through a formal border crossing before entering the library.” The Department of Homeland Security told Reuters the move was in response to drug trafficking, but provided no evidence of such activity.

Reuters, Mar. 21
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Megan Bennett writes and David Alvarado illustrates: “In 1979, Berkeley (Calif.) Public Library became one of the first libraries to start a tool lending program. Today, library patrons can choose from dozens of household options, from lawn mowers to miter saws, cold-press juicers to knife sharpeners. Public libraries continue to adopt this model. These Library of Things collections allow carbon footprint–conscious locals to buy less, monitor their usage of natural resources, appreciate nature, and create a more sustainable environment. Here’s an illustrated list of 21 popular tools promoting sustainability available in library collections across the US and Canada.”

American Libraries feature, Mar./Apr.
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Jodi Fortino writes: “Some Lee’s Summit (Mo.) School District Board of Education members said they’ve heard from parents concerned about what content their children can access in school libraries. Starting this month, parents can place their student on a restricted checkout status. Parents can call their school’s librarian and list up to 20 titles that their student won’t be able to check out. School librarians said they received 89 formal reconsideration requests in the 2022–2023 school year, but none of them came from parents whose children had checked out a book.” No requests were received in the 2023–2024 school year.

KCUR-FM (Kansas City, Mo.), Mar. 10

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