As you approach retirement and need to rely on investments to cover living expenses, the standard advice is to shift your portfolio toward bond-based ETFs or mutual funds. Bonds have had fewer and less dramatic booms and busts. For this reason, they are generally considered less risky than stocks. On average, over the long term, … Continue reading Limiting Risk in the Face of Uncertainty
Laufey is no stranger to the power of a library card. In 2025, the musician collaborated with four major US public library systems—Boston, Fulton County (Ga.), LA County, and Phoenix—and Reykjavík (Iceland) City Library to release Laufey Book Club library cards to encourage more library card sign-ups. The limited drop was a hit; most libraries … Continue reading One for the Collection
As our nation marks its 250th year and E-Rate reaches its 30th anniversary, we should be celebrating a program that has expanded information access for all Americans. Unfortunately, opponents argue that because E-Rate has succeeded, we no longer need it. But success is precisely why it must continue. Just as our streets and roads require … Continue reading Save Our E-Rate
At the Opening General Session, journalist, author, and podcaster Rachel Maddow set the tone for a convening that was both celebratory and deeply reflective on what’s happening in the world. Shifting demographics, rapid advances in technology, and the rise of authoritarianism are all affecting how libraries serve their communities. But libraries give Maddow cause for … Continue reading 2026 Annual Conference Wrap-Up
On June 11, Joey Wender, executive director of the Schools, Health, and Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition, published the following column in Benton Institute for Broadband and Society Digital Beat. It is reprinted here with permission. The FCC Is Asking Whether to End E-Rate Every school and library should answer On June 4, the Federal Communications … Continue reading A New Threat to E-Rate
ESG investing refers to the practice of incorporating environmental impact, social issues, and corporate governance into investing decisions. A series of United Nations–sponsored reports popularized the term in 2004, although some earlier investment funds practiced socially responsible investing. Some that remain popular and influential include: Calvert’s social investment fund, launched in 1982; TIAA’s CREF Social … Continue reading Principled Investments
If a majority of the 101 eligible staff members out of 161 ALA employees vote to unionize, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) will certify the new union. Votes will be counted May 27. In a March 2 open letter, 40 staff members announced their plans to unionize with the American Federation of State, County, … Continue reading ALA Workers Move to Unionize
Prior to 2023, each chapter onboarded incoming chapter leaders individually, supplemented by ALA advocacy training focused on topics, not roles. But in response to rising attacks on libraries—including censorship of library materials, defunding efforts, and disinformation campaigns about the profession—ALA shifted its approach and began a new pilot program to provide intensive training to all … Continue reading A Crash Course in Advocacy
What investments should I choose (e.g., stocks, bonds, exchange-traded funds, mutual funds)? Which financial services company fits my needs (e.g., Charles Schwab, Fidelity, TIAA, Vanguard)? How much will I take out of my account each year as a distribution? That last decision is significant, because it affects how long the money will last and continue … Continue reading Making Sense of Endowment Distributions
After the threats to federal library funding in the past year, the fiscal year (FY) 2026 appropriations bills signed by President Trump on February 3 included an increase in federal funding for libraries. Less than a year ago, an executive order threatened to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the only source … Continue reading Federal Funding for Libraries Prevails
The Telecommunications Act of 1996, signed into law on February 8, expanded the definition of essential communications services to include telecommunications and high-speed internet. It established the E-Rate program, which provides schools and libraries with discounts on internet and other telecommunications services and the equipment they need to use them. Today, virtually all public libraries … Continue reading 30 Years of E-Rate
Uncertainty may be the most notable overarching theme of federal policy in the past year. Legal challenges and other acts of resistance by librarians have prevented, overturned, or at least delayed some of the administration’s most notable attacks on libraries from taking effect. In other cases, policy changes have been announced that may affect libraries … Continue reading One Year of the Trump Administration
