Merrill-Oldham, Jan | American Libraries Magazine

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Jan Merrill-Oldham, 64, Malloy-Rabinowitz preservation librarian at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, from 1995 to 2010, died October 5.

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Megan Bennett writs: “Nearly 1.3 million people died from tuberculosis (TB) in 2023, according to the World Health Organization—despite a cure being developed decades ago. These deaths occur disproportionately in the world’s most poverty-stricken countries. John Green, the celebrated young adult author and vlogger, has been an advocate for TB treatment access since 2019, when he met Henry, a teenager with TB, during a trip to Sierra Leone. Green spoke with American Libraries about health equity and his connections to ALA.”

American Libraries Trend, Mar./Apr.
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Sarah Tribelhorn writes: “Although artificial intelligence (AI) offers immense potential to enhance services, library workers and others must consider its environmental impact. Training and operating AI tools like large language models, for instance, require substantial computational power. Data centers worldwide also use massive amounts of water to cool AI servers. A 2023 study from Cornell University estimates that by 2027, the water needed for AI could reach 1.7 trillion gallons—more than half of the water the UK uses in a year. Libraries and their decision makers should consider the following strategies when possible.”

American Libraries column, Mar./Apr.
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On March 15, ALA released a statement in response to the White House’s March 14 executive order calling for the elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the independent federal agency that supports libraries and museums in all 50 states and US territories through grants, research, and policy development. ALA’s statement reads [in part] as follows: “Americans have loved and relied on public, school and academic libraries for generations. By eliminating the only federal agency dedicated to funding library services, the Trump administration’s executive order is cutting off at the knees the most beloved and trusted of American institutions and the staff and services they offer. ALA implores President Trump to reconsider this short-sighted decision.”

AL: The Scoop, Mar. 17; ALA Public Policy and Advocacy Office, Mar. 15
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“Utrecht (Netherlands) University Library owns as many as about 900 books printed between 1450 and 1500, the first decades of printing in Europe. These so-called incunabula (books printed before 1501) will all be digitized in the coming years. Their catalog descriptions will also be improved and enriched, with a special focus on the material features of each individual book such as the binding, annotations, and former owners who wrote their names in the book. The project started in early 2025 and the first scans are now online.”

Utrecht University Library, Mar. 5
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Seth M. Porter writes: “As libraries navigate an era of rapid disruption—cultural shifts, institutional closures, mergers, relentless budget reallocations—adaptation is not optional. Those who fail to evolve with strategy and purpose will survive as a shell of themselves—if they survive at all. In this article, I’ll explore the balance between innovation and operational excellence and argue that both are essential for survival and sustained success. My approach integrates two core principles: the ‘borderlands of innovation,’ and a venture capital approach to betting on the future while maintaining operational excellence.”

Katina, Mar. 6
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Emily Young writes: “Each year, Beardsley and Memorial Library in Winsted, Connecticut, collects prom dress donations (from patrons and boutiques), and on three Saturdays in the spring, we put out racks of dresses for students in grades 11 and 12 to come in and ‘shop’ from, all for free! We also have purses, shoes, and jewelry from which they can choose. A hairstylist and makeup artist come in and give each of the girls a special makeover to inspire and teach them how to get ready for their prom night.”

Programming Librarian, Mar. 5
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Glen Benedict writes: “Patrons have a right to privacy in all interactions with their library. This includes book challenges, reconsideration requests, and similar services that libraries provide to their users. Publicly funded libraries, including those associated with public schools and universities, are government entities, and library users are entitled to petition under the First Amendment of the US Constitution. It is also important that libraries remain transparent about their processes and comply with laws regarding access to government information, such as the Freedom of Information Act or state open records laws.”

Intellectual Freedom Blog, Mar. 6

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