Catherine Caliva Schweinsberg Rood, 66, who retired as library services director for Brevard County, Florida, in 2012, died September 29. Rood worked for Brevard County Library Services for 32 years and oversaw the library as it transitioned to new technology, including downloadable ebooks and growing internet use.
October 17 Melissa Tracy joined the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) and Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) as marketing and programs specialist.
Nettie B. Taylor, 102, who was elected an ALA Honorary Member in 2005, died October 21. Taylor’s career spanned nearly seven decades. She spent 40 years with the Maryland State Department of Education, where she worked to evolve small community libraries into county public library systems, strengthened resource sharing through the Maryland State Library Network, … Continue reading Taylor, Nettie
Shepp was hired in 2014 as the facility’s first professional librarian and has been busily cataloging its more than 10,000 books, rearranging them into 28 thematic collections and seeing that its rare newspapers and pamphlets are digitized. “In addition to multiple collections that focus on aspects of Spiritualism, others cover the suffrage and freethought movements,” … Continue reading Bookend: A Librarian with Spirit(s)
We know that equity, diversity, and inclusion are instrumental to the success of libraries. As the American Library Association (ALA) gears up for its 2017 Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits (January 20–24) in Atlanta, it’s important to reflect on a variety of recent events—from the unrest after the presidential election to the Pulse nightclub shooting to … Continue reading 2017 ALA Midwinter Preview
American Libraries teamed with Creative Loafing Atlanta, the city’s weekly independent newspaper, to bring Midwinter guests a broad selection of restaurants to enjoy before and after their conference activities, all located within a reasonable distance from the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta. Downtown Alma Cocina 404-968-9662 191 Peachtree St. NE Alma Cocina serves … Continue reading Eating in the ATL
Hayden Becomes 14th Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, 2003–2004 American Library Association (ALA) president and former director of Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, made history by becoming the first African American and the first woman to head the Library of Congress. She was sworn in September 14. ESSA Shows ALA’s Grassroots Advocacy … Continue reading 2016 Year In Review
This year we took a closer look at the population density of the communities that placed library referenda before the voters. The Institute of Museum and Library Services groups the nation’s 17,566 library outlets into four geographic locales: cities, suburbs, towns, and rural areas. While all public libraries strive to transform communities through innovative programs … Continue reading Referenda Roundup 2016
The ultimate goal of the embedded business librarian is to become integrated in the business community as much as possible, and not be viewed strictly as “the library” or “the librarian.” This attitude and relationship will guide how librarians function in this position and will affect the activities they participate in, the committees that they … Continue reading Embedded Business Librarianship
Marcou is a corrections librarian with Hennepin County (Minn.) Library, and his patrons are the residents of Hennepin County Jail. He remembers the first time he saw one of his favorite patrons back in jail after being released just a few weeks earlier. “It was this very eyeopening moment,” says Marcou. “I thought, ‘I enjoy … Continue reading Keeping Inmates on the Outside
The city council voted to remove the popular kitty—who had lived in the library for nearly six years—after council members cited potential allergy issues. The story was picked up by ABC News, the Huffington Post, and the Associated Press; support poured in from as far away as Australia; and more than 5,000 people signed a … Continue reading Library Cats Leave Some Sneezing, Others Feline Fine
NJSL and other libraries nationwide have been joining forces with state agencies to improve their patrons’ access to assistive technology. Through a partnership with New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CBVI), TBBC has partnered with seven public libraries to provide accessibility programs for patrons with visual impairments. “Public libraries are learning centers … Continue reading Bringing Assistive Technology to Patrons
