Archives

Violence Grips Karachi, but U.S. Consulate Announces Plans to Reopen IRC Library

October 20, 2010

In the midst of new outbreaks of violence in Pakistan, the United States Consulate in Karachi has announced plans to reopen its Information Resource Center, which has been closed for four years. Schools and universities in Karachi shut down October 20 and library programs were cancelled after a group of armed men opened fire in … Continue reading Violence Grips Karachi, but U.S. Consulate Announces Plans to Reopen IRC Library


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A Friend in the White House

July 5, 2010

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


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Annual Conference 2010 Preview

June 3, 2010

ALA’s Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., June 24-29, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center (WWCC) and surrounding hotels offers a full program agenda and an array of guest speakers culminating with members converging on Capitol Hill to express their support for library-friendly funding and policies to the U.S. Congress. The effort is designed to … Continue reading Annual Conference 2010 Preview


Chalkboard Heroine

April 20, 2010

One might reasonably think I’m beyond having a favorite teacher. Having turned in all my assignments and completed my formal education years ago, such a declaration might seem a tad unnecessary. A note on author Nikki Grimes’s Facebook page, though, called my attention to Teacher Appreciation Day, recognized early each May. Her words, to say … Continue reading Chalkboard Heroine


The Pixelated Campus

March 9, 2010

"There is no frigate like a book,” Emily Dickinson wrote long ago, “to take us lands away.” Only the foolhardy would quibble with her eloquent, 19th-century paean to the written word, and librarians aplenty support reading as a vehicle for escape and learning alike. Yet in the current century, more and more librarians themselves opt … Continue reading The Pixelated Campus


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Arnold Adoff on African-American Literature and the Legacy of Virginia Hamilton

February 23, 2010

The legacy of Virginia Hamilton, described as “America’s most honored writer of children’s literature,” continues through the efforts of her husband, poet and anthologist Arnold Adoff, who spoke exclusively with American Libraries during February’s observance of Black History Month. Hamilton, who died February 19, 2002, wrote more than 40 award-winning books. Through those books, her scores … Continue reading Arnold Adoff on African-American Literature and the Legacy of Virginia Hamilton


Redeeming Our Relevance

October 27, 2009

A friend and I have an ongoing disagreement about teens and libraries, which runs something like this: I notice the latest study showing that adolescents don't turn to libraries to meet their information needs, and I utter dismayed comments about all the wonderful resources intended for younger library users. My friend begs to differ, usually … Continue reading Redeeming Our Relevance


Cuts, Freezes Widespread in Academic Libraries

May 13, 2009

Many academic libraries are facing major planned or potential budget cuts as the nation’s economic meltdown plays itself out. Online reports and announcements from major U.S. universities show that significant budget cuts may be widespread among members of the Association of Research Libraries and other college and university libraries across the country. The NorthEast Research … Continue reading Cuts, Freezes Widespread in Academic Libraries


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OCLC’s Andrew Pace Reveals Plans for Web-Scale Management

April 28, 2009

The executive director for networked library services at the world’s largest library consortium paints the big picture regarding OCLC’s web-platform initiative in an April 24, 2009, conversation with American Libraries Editor-in-Chief Leonard Kniffel. American Libraries: Who is the target market for this new management service? Andrew Pace: You’re talking about the web-scale management services, not … Continue reading OCLC’s Andrew Pace Reveals Plans for Web-Scale Management