2017 ReferenceUSA Award for Excellence in Reference and Adult Services

“The Jacket from Dachau: One Survivor’s Search for Justice, Identity, and Home” LibGuide was selected as the 2017 winner of the RUSA ReferenceUSA Award for Excellence in Reference and Adult Services for its well-organized and accessible presentation of information about the Holocaust. Spearheaded by Leslie Ward and Christine (Mi Seon) Kim of the Kurt R. Schmeller Library, Queensborough (N.Y.) Community College, the LibGuide was developed to accompany an exhibition.

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Caitlin Hobbs writes: “There are now a lot of ethical schools of thought out there—more than just Socrates—and it can be a little scary to try to get through them, especially considering the jargon they use. Here, I’ve put my degree to good use by collecting some books on ethics, written with the common person in mind, to help get you started with ethical thinking.”

Book Riot, Aug. 2
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As of August 8, ALA has begun accepting education program proposals for its next Annual Conference and Exhibition, to be held in Chicago June 23–27, 2023. Proposals will be accepted through a single submission site for all ALA divisions, round tables, committees, and offices. The deadline to submit content is midnight Eastern on September 16. For more information, consult the FAQ at alaannual.org.

ALA Conference Services, Aug. 5
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Roy Rivenburg writes: “More than half of America’s 9,000 public library districts now lend nontraditional objects, says Maria McCauley, president of the Public Library Association. Many have also revamped their event calendars to include such programs as punk rock aerobics, speed dating, cow milking demonstrations, and indoor miniature golf. The beyond-books trend began, depending on who is asked, either a decade ago in Sacramento, California, or in the 1800s, most notably in Braddock, Pennsylvania, a Pittsburgh suburb whose library featured a boxing ring, eight billiards tables, a swimming pool, a bowling alley, a game room, and a 964-seat music hall with cushioned opera chairs.”

The Christian Science Monitor, Aug. 3; American Libraries feature, June 2017
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On August 9, the ALA Executive Board issued a statement in response to proposed state legislation that would censor library materials or put at risk the library workers who provide access to information, including information about reproductive health care. “ALA stands committed to the free, fair, and unrestricted exchange of ideas and the right of library patrons to seek information free from observation or unwanted surveillance by the government or other third parties, in accordance with the law and the US Constitution,” the statement reads. “The passage of [recent state legislation prohibiting abortion]—and proposals to adopt similar legislation in other states—has prompted concerns that provisions within those bills may be used to pursue criminal or civil charges against library workers.”

AL: The Scoop, Aug. 9; ALA, Aug. 9
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ALA will hold its 2022 Virtual Volunteer Fair from 3–5 p.m. Central on September 14. The fair is an opportunity for ALA members to speak with committee members and staff liaisons in breakout rooms and learn about the ALA groups that are offering volunteer opportunities. ALA members can drop in and out of the event as needed, but registration is required. A schedule and list of breakout sessions will be sent to registered attendees prior to the event.

ALA Governance, Aug. 8
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Nell Clark reports: “An ornate pencil drawing of a dragon; a floral postcard congratulating a 40th birthday, never mailed; a silver crochet hook. All of these items share a connection: They were left behind in books returned to the Oakland (Calif.) Public Library. Librarian Sharon McKellar collects the found artifacts and posts them in a collection titled Found in a Library Book. McKellar was fascinated by the things she’d find at the library and the anonymous glimpses into people’s lives they offered. She thought the public may be interested too, so nearly 10 years ago she began adding found items to the library’s website.”

NPR: Morning Edition, Aug. 2
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Alec Schemmel writes: “A public library in Oregon plans to hold a donation kickoff Thursday to launch a local high school’s gender-affirming closet, which will offer clothes, makeup, and accessories to transgender students. Driftwood Public Library in Lincoln City, Oregon, has set up a wishlist for those who can’t attend Thursday’s donation drive. Included on the wishlist were chest-binders and TransTape, fake eyelashes, makeup, underwear, and other clothing. ‘Many students that are transgender and/or nonbinary are not supported by their parents nor can showcase it with their daily clothing choices,’ reads the Driftwood Public Library’s website. ‘These students will be able to go into the closet and take anything that they may need to identify however they are comfortable within their clothing. It will also have makeup brochures and different resources that they can reach out to.’”

KOMO-TV (Seattle), Aug. 3

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