Archives

Is the Line Between Librarianship and Journalism Blurring?

By Barbara Jones | July 27, 2011

What do journalists and librarians have in common? How can collaboration on their common ground make libraries and the media better for our democracy? More than 125 attendees worked on these questions for two days in April at the first-ever conference of its kind—“Beyond Books: News, Literacy, Democracy, and America’s Libraries”—immediately preceding the National Conference … Continue reading Is the Line Between Librarianship and Journalism Blurring? →

Daniel Ellsberg

July 26, 2011

Forty years ago, Daniel Ellsberg leaked the Pentagon Papers, documents that revealed the secret history of the United States’ involvement in Vietnam from 1945 to 1967. Since then, Ellsberg has been a lecturer, writer, and activist on controversial U.S. interventions and the need for patriotic whistleblowing. Ellsberg was a prominent guest at Annual in New … Continue reading Daniel Ellsberg →

Empowering Voices

By Molly Raphael | July 26, 2011

We are living in extraordinary times. Throughout the library world, reductions in financial resources threaten our survival. At the same time, many libraries are experiencing large increases in demand and usage. In academic, public, school, and special libraries, these challenges call for all of us to work together and build a better future for all … Continue reading Empowering Voices →

New from ALA Editions

by Karen Muller | July 25, 2011

Between 2004 and 2008, four major studies were conducted by researchers. The results all pointed to positive trends in public library growth, with commensurate need for more librarians, especially in the face of the predicted retirements of “baby boomer” librarians. But then the current recession hit. A Strong Future for Public Library Use and Employment, … Continue reading New from ALA Editions →

Conquering the Digital Divide

By Karen Muller | July 20, 2011

“The digital divide gets bridged in public libraries everywhere in America,” said Mary Dempsey, Chicago Public Library commissioner, as she announced the expansion of a popular digital media center for youth in June. Recent books provide insights on how to bridge the divide, explain why we need to, and offer some research to help make … Continue reading Conquering the Digital Divide →

How One Library Digitized Its Community’s Newspapers

By Allison Quam | July 20, 2011

The Winona Newspaper Project, an open, noncommercial digital archive, is providing access to a number of historic periodicals of Winona, Minnesota, a mid-sized city in the southeastern part of the state. The project is an indispensable resource for Winona State University’s Darrell W. Krueger Library and university faculty and students, as well as for local … Continue reading How One Library Digitized Its Community’s Newspapers →

E-books, Young Professionals, and Reinventing ALA

Keith Michael Fiels | July 18, 2011

ALA’s Executive Board and governing Council spent much of their time during Annual Conference in New Orleans discussing—and acting on—a series of recommendations from five special task forces charged with exploring important issues facing libraries and the Association. Council’s Equitable Access to Digital Content Task Force has been studying the challenges and potential solutions in … Continue reading E-books, Young Professionals, and Reinventing ALA →

Libraries and the Future of Electronic Content Delivery

By Lisa Carlucci Thomas | July 13, 2011

“Libraries are about content plus community,” says Michael Porter. “What does that mean in a world where in 5, 10, or 20 years the vast majority of content is electronic?” Porter draws on two decades of experience as a librarian, speaker, and writer to envision an organization that will take a leading role in charting … Continue reading Libraries and the Future of Electronic Content Delivery →

New Technologies, New Directions Emerge at ALA 2011

By Lisa Carlucci Thomas | July 13, 2011

Technology, innovation, and convergence were all on display inside the bustling 2011 ALA Annual Conference exhibit hall in New Orleans. Aisles of publishers with bright, appealing print-book displays and long lines of fans awaiting author signings gave way to technology pavilions with presentation seating and numerous demonstrations in progress. Conference attendees flocked to the exhibits, … Continue reading New Technologies, New Directions Emerge at ALA 2011 →

Who’s the Boss?

By Jamie E. Helgren and Linda Hofschire | July 12, 2011

The survival of many public libraries has been threatened as their funding has dried up in recent years. City and county officials are casting about for a lifesaver, and some have snagged a promising catch in the form of private companies that take over the management of public libraries. A September 26, 2010, New York … Continue reading Who’s the Boss? →

Dead Trees We Have Known

by Will Manley | June 20, 2011

One of my biggest mistakes as a library administrator was getting rid of the card catalog. No, I’m not talking about replacing it with a digital version. Everyone did that back in the ’80s. That was a no-brainer. What I mean is that after we installed the OPAC, I sent the physical card catalog into … Continue reading Dead Trees We Have Known →

As They Like It

Joseph Janes | June 13, 2011

One of the best parts of my job, especially this time of year, is marveling at great achievements; how splendid it was to witness an old friend and erstwhile student, Eric Meyers, defend his dissertation last month. Eric’s dissertation covered a lot of territory; he studied the relationship between group information-seeking processes and the products … Continue reading As They Like It →

Latest Library Links

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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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Kelly Jensen writes: “The Moms For Liberty-affiliated review site BookLooks, which provides cherry-picked passages from novels so that members can lodge challenges of titles, is shutting down on March 23 [according to a March 10 notice on the site]. Whether or not this is a publicity stunt—there are more than a handful of institutions utilizing the site [including St. Francis (Minn.) Area Schools and Warren County (N.J.) Library]—is yet to be determined. But the announcement brings with it a load of questions in the broader context of book and curriculum censorship.”

BookRiot, Mar. 10, May 16, 2022; KMSP-TV (Eden Prairie, Minn.), Dec. 9, 2024; TAPInto Phillipsburg (N.J.), Nov. 25, 2024
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On March 7, ALA announced a change to the slate of candidates for 2026–2027 ALA president on the 2025 ALA election ballot. Andrea Jamison, assistant professor of school librarianship at Illinois State University in Normal, has withdrawn her candidacy for ALA president-elect and Intellectual Freedom Round Table director-at-large. Her name has been removed from the election ballot, which was sent to ALA members on March 10. ALA members may vote in the 2025 election from March 10–April 2. A recording of the March 7 candidates’ forum is available.

AL: The Scoop, Mar. 7
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Meaghan Darwish writes: “Abbott Elementary explored an important lesson on book bans in its March 5 episode, aptly titled ‘Books,’ which saw Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph), Ava (Janelle James), and librarian Ms. Inez (Cree Summer) combat the dangers of uninformed parents. While the series is always good about tackling topical issues, Abbott Elementary’s decision to address book bans in school libraries is especially appropriate, as more and more librarians are being forced to remove titles from the shelves across the country.”

TV Insider, Mar. 5

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