Archives

Cox, Krista L.

April 14, 2014

January 6 Krista L. Cox became director of public policy initiatives at the Association of Research Libraries.

Chapa, Joan

April 14, 2014

January 1 Joan Chapa became director of marketing at Marcive, Inc. in San Antonio, Texas.

Brooker, Roberta L.

April 14, 2014

December 27 Roberta L. Brooker retired as Indiana state librarian after 25 years of service.

Benedict, Leann

April 14, 2014

December 21 Leann Benedict became director of St. Charles Parish (La.) Library.

An Egg-ceptional Exhibit Benefits Hurricane-Ravaged Library

April 11, 2014

Easter eggs of every description, some 5,000 in all, are being exhibited as a fundraiser for Schoharie (N.Y.) Free Library every weekend in April through Easter Sunday. The Mildred Vrooman Easter Egg Exhibit in Schoharie includes elaborate egg-based scenes that feature backdrops and accessories made of materials such as costume jewelry, fur, shell, ribbons, and … Continue reading An Egg-ceptional Exhibit Benefits Hurricane-Ravaged Library →

Library: The Most Beautiful Word?

By Arthur Plotnik | March 24, 2014

You might have missed it, but a passage in author Christopher Hitchens’s 2010 memoir, Hitch-22, triggered a happy buzz among library bloggers at the time, and it can still judder the heart of library lovers. These days any good word about libraries is cheering, and Hitchens exalted the word library itself. He wrote, “The lexicographer … Continue reading Library: The Most Beautiful Word? →

Blankenship, Stefanie

March 7, 2014

January 2 Stefanie Blankenship became librarian at the Oaklawn branch of Cranston (R.I.) Public Library.

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss

By Chris Francis | March 5, 2014

The variety of costumes on display weren’t limited to Cats in Hats. Tuscaloosa (Ala.) Public Library saw Horton from Horton Hears a Who, thanks to members of the Tuscaloosa Children’s Theatre Seussical cast. Activities around the country included a wide variety of children’s crafts, such as a pipe cleaner sculpture created by Bozeman (Mont.) Public … Continue reading Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss →

Emerging Leaders Poised for Action at Midwinter

By Laurie D. Borman | March 3, 2014

Whether you braved the weather for the 2014 Midwinter Meeting or not, we’ve got you covered in the March/April issue of American Libraries. Our wrapup gives you the highlights, with links to interview videos that help bring the meeting alive. In addition, you can check out more of the Midwinter coverage on our Inside Scoop … Continue reading Emerging Leaders Poised for Action at Midwinter →

Pace, Charles

February 22, 2014

January 6 Charles Pace became executive director at Gwinnett County (Ga.) Public Library.

Fraser, Brytani

February 22, 2014

January 18 Brytani Fraser became librarian at the Claremont and Conover branches of Catawba County (N.C.) Library System.

Mitchell, Elaine

February 22, 2014

November 26, Elaine Mitchell, 89, former conference service coordinator for ALA’s Conference Services, died.

Latest Library Links

1h

On May 19, Teresa “Teri” Anderson became executive director of the Association of College and Research Libraries, one of the largest ALA divisions. Before joining ALA, Anderson spent more than three decades at ASIS International, a professional organization for security management professionals. She held several positions at the organization, most recently serving as vice president of innovation and outreach, a role in which she provided subject matter expertise and liaised with partners across the security industry. Anderson is a certified association executive through the American Society of Association Executives. She answered our 11 Questions to introduce herself to ALA members.

AL: The Scoop, May 27
5h

Rachel Milburn writes: “Teen advisory boards (TABs) are an excellent resource for libraries. TABs are the perfect group to promote a library’s young adult collection. What better way to do this than through social media? Plano (Tex.) Public Library regularly includes our TAB in social media posts to promote all sorts of things, including our collections. Our teens (and their caregivers) sign photo release forms, which allows us to include them in our online presence. Here are a few easy ways to incorporate your library’s TAB in social media posts.”

Young Adult Library Services Association: The Hub, May 23
6h

Kwame Alexander writes: After the firings of Carla Hayden and Shira Perlmutter from the Library of Congress, “It feels urgent for us, as citizens, to gather and plan together how to respond to this attack on our freedom to read, write, and learn. We are bringing together some smart folks, including Jason Reynolds, Ibram X. Kendi, Meg Medina, Amanda Jones, and Tracie D. Hall, to speak out about what intellectual freedom means to us and form an action plan to stand up for these freedoms.” The rally will be held May 31 at DC Public Library’s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library at 5 p.m. Eastern and livestreamed for those not able to attend in person.

Kwamealexander.com; DC Public Library
8h

Danielle Melia, Lauren Kawasaki and Reshma Seth write: “George A. Jackson Elementary School’s library wants to provide a dynamic and inclusive learning environment. That makes podcasting a perfect fit. It gives students a platform to express their creativity, explore new ideas, and collaborate with peers while learning real-world skills. Our podcast project started as a collaboration between librarian Danielle Melia and coteachers Lauren Kawasaki and Reshma Seth. We wanted our 4th-graders to work in pairs to create an episode related to our unit on natural hazards. Students developed episodes to answer thought-provoking questions.”

American Libraries Trend, May
1d

Cinzi Lavin writes: “In the summer of 2023, a controversial book—Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe—was removed from the shelves of the small Connecticut library where I worked as a part-time paraprofessional. The removal was done in transgression of the library board’s book reconsideration policy. Our small staff was upset and bewildered. As the granddaughter of Europeans who fled to the US to escape fascism just before World War II, I found that the fight against this injustice in our library became very personal. I offer the following considerations to other small libraries facing similar challenges.”

American Libraries column, May
1d

Rosie Newmark writes: “While creating one of their in-house brews, employees at Johnson City (Tenn.) Brewing Company brought in some unexpected assistants to pour barley into the batch: library staffers. The pre-Prohibition-style lager they crafted together was called 1895, a nod to the founding year of Johnson City Public Library, located just a few blocks from the brewery’s downtown taproom. The partnership marks a growing trend of libraries working with local brewers to create signature drinks for fundraising and awareness campaigns that expand the library’s visibility to younger adult crowds.”

American Libraries Trend, May
1d

On May 20, the Trump administration filed a status report describing its compliance with a federal judge’s preliminary injunction in Rhode Island v. Trump, which ordered the administration to restore terminated Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) staff and grants to recipients in 21 plaintiff states. However, the Administration has filed an appeal and requested a stay of the order. ALA has filed its own, nationwide challenge to the elimination of IMLS, ALA v. Sonderling. A temporary restraining order on May 1 halted further actions to dismantle the agency, and a ruling on ALA’s request for a preliminary injunction is expected by May 29.

ALA Public Policy and Advocacy Office, May 21; AL: The Scoop, May 2

View more Latest Library Links