Skip to main content
American Libraries Magazine Menu
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Issue Archive
    • Features
    • Trends
    • Columns
    • Newsmakers
    • Spotlights
    • By the Numbers
    • Bookend
    • People
    • Library Systems Report
    • Design Showcase
  • AL Direct
  • The Scoop blog
  • Podcast
  • Webinars
  • JobLIST
  • Census
  • 2y
    5 Minute Librarian blog

    Courtney Wolfe writes: “As a programming librarian, it can be hard to consistently provide creative, original ideas for your patrons. But there’s a simple solution for librarians seeking support and inspiration: the blogosphere. On the web there are hundreds of librarians writing about everything from programming ideas to the comical (and sometimes irritating) things patrons do. Programming Librarian talked to a few of our favorite bloggers.”

    Programming Librarian, Apr. 16

  • Latest Library Links

    • 3d
      Signers of the Bill of Rights

      Jessie Kratz writes: “December 15 is Bill of Rights Day, which commemorates the ratification of the first 10 amendments to the US Constitution. For more information on events and resources at the National Archives, visit NARA’s Bill of Rights Day website. How much do you know about the Bill of Rights? We know a lot and have written quite a bit about it. Here are some facts about the Bill of Rights you might not know.”

      Pieces of History, Dec. 13

    • 3d
      Charlotte Mecklenburg (N.C.) Library

      Christine Schmidt writes: “When the journalism organization Report for America announced that it was placing 250 journalists into 164 local newsrooms, the list of beats they’d be covering didn’t seem out of the ordinary. It served as a to-cover list for local news. Then there’s this one, from Charlotte, North Carolina, public radio station WFAE, the local Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, and the Digital Public Library of America: a ‘unique partnership using both radio and Wikipedia to fill news deserts.’ WFAE will house a journalist who will work with a Wikipedia researcher, with the assistance of DPLA, to find Charlotte-related news at the library.”

      Nieman Lab, Dec. 12

    • 3d
      Wakelet logo

      Jennifer Sturge writes: “If you have not heard about Wakelet, it’s time to learn. If you are like me, you are always finding amazing resources, articles, and ideas floating around cyberspace. Wakelet makes curation easy and allows you to organize what you want to save, share, and comment upon. You can bookmark anything—videos, articles, music, or podcasts—and create collections while adding images and notes to yourself or others. Not only can Wakelet be a powerful tool for your own professional learning network, but it can also be a great tool to use with students in the school library.”

      Knowledge Quest blog, Dec. 13

    • 3d
      Letters of the Law, by Tomas L. Lipinski

      Tomas A. Lipinski writes: “Legal regulation of fake news in public spaces is difficult, if not impossible. As long as the speech is not defamatory, ‘the right to lie’ is constitutionally protected as free speech. Official filings are an exception: You cannot lie on your tax return, on a mortgage loan application, under oath, or otherwise on legal declarations subject to penalty of perjury. In theory, the proper response to false claims is more speech—that is, more open exchange in a free marketplace. Libraries can take a cue from this by offering programming and materials that help patrons discern truthful news from fake news.”

      American Libraries column, Dec. 13

    • 3d
      Seniors inside and outside of the Chicago Public Library Chinatown branch’s community room listen to Cantonese Opera, one of several events and activities the older patrons participate in. Photo by Michael Lee / Medill

      Michael Lee writes: “Since opening in 2015, the Chinatown branch of the Chicago Public Library has become a hub for seniors in the community to socialize, play board games, and participate in other activities. Like other public libraries nationwide, it is adapting to the changing needs of their residents in addition to its traditional role as a resource for books, periodicals, and DVDs. Libraries nationwide are looking for ways to support seniors, but not because they are changing their roles, said Maria Bonn, director of the library and information science master’s program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.”

      Medill Reports Chicago, Dec. 12

    • 3d
      Kathy Klaus's Library Cake

      Corin Balkovek writes: “Chances are, if you work in a library or have a bookish lifestyle and spend any time on social media, you’ve seen it: The Library Cake. With shelves packed to the brim, a table and chairs beset with reading materials and lamps, even miniature potted plants sitting outside the ‘front door,’ the intricate edible decorations take baked goods to the next level. But where did the Library Cake come from? Why was it created? ‘This cake was made for my daughter’s 21st birthday,’ wrote the Library Cake’s creator, Kathy Klaus, in our communications.”

      Book Riot, Dec. 13

    • 3d

      Cover of What Science Is and How It Really Works, by James C. ZimringJames C. Zimring writes: “Science seems under assault. Attacks come from many directions, ranging from the political realm to groups and individuals masquerading as scientific entities. There is even a real risk that scientific fact will eventually be reduced to just another opinion, even when those facts describe natural phenomena—the very purpose for which science was developed. Hastening this erosion are hyperbolic claims of ‘truth’ that science is often perceived to make and that practicing researchers may themselves project, whether intentionally or not.”

      The Scientist, Dec. 1

    View more Latest Library Links

    AL Live

    al-live-logo@2x

    AL Live screenshot with laptop



    American Libraries Magazine

    A publication of the American Library Association

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Flickr
    • Youtube
    • RSS
    • Pinterest
    • Advertising
    • About
    • Comment Policy
    • Contact
    • Subscriptions
    • Submissions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Copyright/Terms of Use Statement
    • Site Help
    American Library Association
    • ALA Home
    • JobLIST
    • ALA News
    • ALA Store
    • Strategic Directions

    50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611

    1.800.545.2433

    © 2009–2019 American Library Association