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Students at a teacher’s college in Parwan Province, Afghanistan, learn about the Darakht-e Danesh Library.

2018 Presidential Citations

By Phil Morehart | July 18, 2018

Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan, Canada La Biblioteca Móvil, Guatemala Suzhou Library, China Inner Mongolia Library, China The recipients were selected by a team of IRRT members in consultation with then–ALA President Jim Neal, who recognized them at the 2018 ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition in New Orleans during the IRRT International Librarians Reception … Continue reading 2018 Presidential Citations →

John Hickok (center) interacts with students at a school in Kandal Province, Cambodia.

Building Bridges to the East

By Michael Dowling | July 18, 2018

Hickok is international outreach librarian at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF). His initial role at the library was providing outreach and instruction to CSUF’s international student population. That led to an “aha” moment. “I realized for me to truly understand international students’ library experiences, I needed to see the libraries in their countries,” he says. … Continue reading Building Bridges to the East →

Community Colleges of Spokane (Wash.) librarians Melinda Martin (left) and Heather Morgan at an Assessment in Action RoadShow delivered to community college librarians in Washington state.

On the Road Again

By Chase Ollis | July 18, 2018

The program offers daylong, immersive workshops in a variety of disciplines that can be brought to institutions around the world upon request. Led by experts in the field, these traveling workshops help academic librarians learn new skills and strengthen existing competencies to tackle the greatest issues facing the profession today. The program reaches hundreds of … Continue reading On the Road Again →

Carvey uses CNC technology to mill wood, plastic, circuit boards, and other materials.

Make It 3D

By Carrie Smith | July 18, 2018

Carvey When Inventables launched Carvey in 2015, it was one of the first fully enclosed desktop computer numerical control (CNC) carvers, solving a problem many other subtractive manufacturing machines posed: They were large, noisy, and produced a lot of dust. Billed as a “3D carver,” Carvey works within many of the same design principles of … Continue reading Make It 3D →

Bookend: Midday Masquerade

July 18, 2018

Bethany Mitchell, technology assistant at Vestavia Hills (Ala.) Library in the Forest, peers through a jester cutout. From left: Aisha Conner-Gaten (instructional design librarian at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles), Tracy Drake (archivist at Chicago Public Library), and Aurelia Mandani (technology services librarian at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Boulder Labs Library in … Continue reading Bookend: Midday Masquerade →

Latest Library Links

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Ann Baillie writes: “After nearly 10 years, Stranger Things has ended, and the patrons at my library can’t stop talking about it. Our 7th- and 8th-graders are discussing the show the most. These conversations usually end with a question: ‘Now what should I do?’ I always answer the question the same way. ‘Read a book perfect for Stranger Things fans, of course!’ If you also have some Stranger Things fans at your library, here are some great books to recommend.”

ALSC Blog, Jan. 14
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Teague Bohlen writes: “Working with the Colorado State Library’s Institutional Library Development group, Prison Motivators (PRISM) set out to answer relatively simple questions: Do prison libraries help people? And if so, how? The resulting PRISM Project report shows that ‘sentiments regarding prison libraries from both currently and formerly incarcerated people were overwhelmingly positive,’ notes Charissa Brammer, director of Library Research Service with the Colorado State Library. The report identifies 13 prosocial behaviors associated with prison library use.”

Westword (Denver), Jan. 16
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Martin Austermuhle writes: “Ebooks—both the digital and audio versions—are more expensive than their physical counterparts. It’s a fiscal challenge public libraries across the country are facing. A bill being considered by the D.C. Council would broadly restrict DC Public Library from buying ebooks from publishers that charge excessive prices or attach conditions on their use. The bill includes a provision saying it would only take effect if 10 other states with a combined population of 50 million people pass similar measures. Connecticut already has, and variations have been debated in New Jersey and Massachusetts.”

The 51st, Jan. 15; Library Futures, May 20, 2025; Readers First, June 2, 2025; Massachusetts Sen. Paul Feeney, Nov. 14, 2025
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Todd Bishop writes: “The Microsoft Library in Redmond, Washington, has long been a quiet anachronism in the middle of the high-tech campus, a place where authors gave talks and employees checked out old-fashioned paper books, including titles recommended by CEO Satya Nadella and other execs. That chapter of the company’s history is now closing. The Verge [paywalled] broke the news January 15 that Microsoft’s traditional library is going away as part of what Microsoft described internally as a shift to a ‘modern, AI-powered learning experience.’”

GeekWire, Jan. 15; The Verge, Jan. 15
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Laurie Robinson writes: “A new national resource is available to help libraries prepare for major community emergencies—including pandemics, natural disasters, and societal crises—before they hit. Centering Community: Library Staff Responding to Crisis—A Field Guide, developed through the University of Maryland’s Ready NOW project, provides practical strategies and examples to help libraries support their communities before, during, and after disruptions of varying scale. The Field Guide introduces a set of nonsequential, iterative practices that libraries can revisit over time.”

University of Maryland College of Information, Jan. 14
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Daniel Pfeiffer writes: “Pew publishes two social media reports at the end of every year, one on American adults, and the other on American youth. The results aren’t altogether surprising, but they offer some guidance on social media strategy for library outreach, advocacy, and promotion for the coming year. Below are the findings that stood out to me: Facebook is still kicking, video platforms reign supreme, and Reddit and LinkedIn may be worth a try.”

Choice 360: LibTech Insights, Jan. 14
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Lisa Shin writes: “As someone who grew up being scared to present in front of an audience, even in front of family during holiday karaoke time, I never thought I would turn into an ambivert of sorts. Alone time is much appreciated; however, there is this heartwarming feeling that is so unique to meeting and connecting with people with similar interests, passions, and experiences. As I slowly wade into the winter semester of my first year as an academic librarian, I wanted to share some anecdotes in hopes of helping out a fellow introvert!”

ACRLog, Jan. 17

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