Library staffer felt 'threatened' after GOP candidate complained about Pride Month display

An 18-year-old page at the Prairie du Chien (Wisc.) Memorial Library said they felt threatened and intimidated after Republican congressional candidate Derrick Van Orden complained about displays celebrating Pride Month. Van Orden, who recently moved to Prairie du Chien, visited the library June 17 and began to “aggressively” question the pride display in the library’s children’s section, the page said in an interview August 17, adding that Van Orden eventually obtained a library card and checked out all but one book from the display.

La Crosse (Wisc.) Tribune, Aug. 22

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Janice Chuang writes: “Public library storytimes are more than just a fun time for children; beneath the read-alouds, songs, fingerplays, bubbles, and movement activities are abundant opportunities to support children’s literacy learning. One way to do this is by incorporating the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), an educational theory by Lev Vygotsky, into storytime planning and design. With a little bit of foreplanning, we can structure literacy experiences to align with children’s developmental levels. This article provides an introduction and practical tips for storytime providers on how to intentionally scaffold learning during picture book reading in storytime using the ZPD.”

Public Libraries Online, Nov. 2
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“Last spring, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) subcommittee of the Association of College and Research Libraries’ Value of Academic Libraries Committee shared a survey to check the temperature of DEI at our institutions and within our units. The two questions we posed were: What does equity mean to you or your library? What is the status of DEI programs and initiatives at your institution? Based on your anonymous responses, we identified a few trends and common challenges, which we hope can strengthen our unity towards addressing these challenges.”

ACRL Insider, Oct. 30
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Byron Tate writes: “A proposal to cut funding to Saline County (Ark.) Library by a third was narrowly defeated on November 3. Saline County Quorum Court voted in May to place a measure on the ballot, giving voters the opportunity to cut the library’s tax base of 1.7 mills to 1.1 mills, which would have amounted to a loss of $1.7 million. The attempt to reduce the funding has its roots in a disagreement that Saline County Judge Matt Brumley and Republicans on the Quorum Court” had over library content with former Executive Director Patty Hector.

Arkansas Times, Nov. 4, May 18; Arkansas Advocate, Aug. 27
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Megan Bennett writes: “In response to the proliferation, and polarized response to, of the use of artificial intelligence (AI), ALA designed its Guidance on the Use of AI in Libraries to help institutions develop AI policies and procedures with professional values in mind. American Libraries spoke with AI Policy Working Group cochairs Chip McAuley and and Ed Sanchez about the origins of the guidance and how the working group aimed to represent library workers with varying perspectives on AI use.”

AL: The Scoop, Nov. 3
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Witt Salley writes: “A library can collect thoughtful teen feedback and still leave participants unsure how their answers informed a decision. Teens contribute time and ideas, and they deserve to know what the library did with their input and what happens next. Building on the Association for Library Service to Children’s discussion of program evaluation, I recommend identifying the decision teens can influence and planning how staff will report back before collecting feedback.”

ALSC Blog, Oct. 31
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Lori Misaka and Jessica Regitano write: “Have you ever been asked to explain the American Association of School Librarians’ (AASL) National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries to a colleague, an administrator, or someone who wants to know more about what happens in your school library? Maybe you’ve been the one asking those questions yourself! That’s where the “Getting Started with the AASL Standards” one-pager comes in. This resource was created to help school librarians introduce the standards in a way that’s approachable, practical, and easy to share.”

Knowledge Quest, Oct. 27
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Rachel Bachman writes: “After enough time reading to children, you begin to notice certain patterns. Not necessarily in what books they enjoy, but in how they enjoy them. Some children want to hear the same story a hundred times. Others have very strong opinions about the second page. Some listen with rapt attention, while others appear to be conducting an entirely unrelated investigation of the ceiling tiles. Which brings me to my entirely unscientific attempt at classification. After years of reading picture books to children, I have concluded that there are several distinct species of storytime attendee.”

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