At the recent Public Library Association conference in Philadelphia, my friend and Booklist columnist David Wright, who was giving a presentation on literary fiction, used a term I had never heard, translit, to describe that boundary-breaking kind of novel that shatters all the too-often pigeonholing categories we use to compartmentalize modern fiction. The term, David … Continue reading Translit: New Genre Collapses Time and Space
Admit it: You snag free books and party at receptions. But who would come to PLA2012 if there weren’t also meaningful programs, new products, great speakers, and networking opportunities? At ALA’s Public Library Association (PLA) National Conference in Philadelphia March 13–17, more than 6,000 attendees packed meeting rooms and the exhibit hall for all of … Continue reading PLA 2012: Powerful Advice, Practical Solutions
In the six years since Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans has begun the process of rebuilding, slowly yet persistently returning to life. The city's public libraries are no exception: Libraries in New Orleans served as one of the beacons of hope, but in the wake of Katrina many libraries were severely damaged and their collections ruined. … Continue reading Forging a Resilient Revitalization
