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NYPL School Outreach Librarian Tiffany James writes: “For many New Yorkers, this time of commemoration is a moment to teach, discuss, and reflect on our recent history with readers who had not yet been born. As the book discussion, recommendations, and resources below attest, there are lots of ways to explore 9/11 and the legacy of that terrible day with kids and teens, both in the classroom and at home.”
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Robert “Jay” Malone took the helm of ALA’s Association of College and Research Libraries on September 7. As ACRL’s new executive director, Malone will lead the largest of ALA’s eight divisions, which includes more than 9,000 individual and institutional members. Malone answered our 11 Questions to introduce himself to ALA members.
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ALA is working with state chapters and state libraries in the Gulf region and East Coast to gather and provide reports of libraries that were damaged during Hurricane Ida. ALA will be providing updates through its media channels and on its Disaster Relief Fund website. Members and library supporters interested in helping rebuild libraries to help their communities recover can donate at https://ec.ala.org/donate (select Disaster Relief Fund).
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In our September/October issues, we examine the lasting effects of the September 11, 2001, attacks on libraries and librarians. The stories in this special report include: a look back at the 21 libraries destroyed in the World Trade Center and the documentation activities that followed this immense cultural loss; recollections from librarians who countered post–September 11 ignorance and bigotry with programs and information about Islam and the Middle East; a profile on the public library of Gander, Newfoundland—a small Canadian town that found itself in the spotlight when 6,500 travelers were diverted there after the attacks; an overview of two archives preserving the broadcasts and digital ephemera of September 11; and an interview about privacy and surveillance with the Connecticut Four, the four librarians who challenged the Patriot Act and government overreach that followed the attacks. Twenty years on, these accounts remain powerful and relevant, serving as a reminder of the profession’s role in telling and keeping our collective history.
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Andrew Albanese writes: “US Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter concluded that a court would likely find Maryland’s recently passed library ebook law to be preempted by federal copyright law under a legal doctrine known as ‘conflict preemption.’ But in her nine-page opinion, Perlmutter did not find the Maryland law to be ‘expressly’ preempted by the Copyright Act, as opponents of the law have contended, and conceded that the cases she used to reach her ‘conflict preemption’ determination (which relies heavily on a 1999 decision in Orson Inc. v. Miramax) may not be a perfect fit.”
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Using a new documentary, Overdue: The Value of School Librarians, librarians throughout Rhode Island are trying to dispel the misconceptions about school librarians as tight, quiet, stoic and rigid. These librarians want to show that libraries can be safe places for student empowerment, transform libraries into learning communities, and prove that reading is fun. Produced by the School Librarians of Rhode Island and in collaboration with the University of Rhode Island, the short film shows the impact of school librarians.
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Justin Wm. Moyer writes: “When supporters of D.C. Public Library’s Mt. Pleasant branch printed shirts that said, ‘What’s more punk than the public library?’ earlier this year, they thought they would sell 50. Instead, they’ve sold 7,000, made $100,000, and started a viral campaign that’s redefining a community resource typically associated with shushing.”
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Booklist, ALA’s review publication, proudly announces the launch of Booklist Reader, a new digital library patron–facing magazine featuring diverse readers’ advisory recommendations for readers of all ages. Each month, Booklist Reader will showcase top-10 lists; must reads; interviews with (and articles by) top authors and illustrators; and adult, youth, and audio recommendations for all communities and all who love to read. Booklist Reader will be freely available to all from now through the December 2021 issue.
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ALA announced September 3 that Robert “Jay” Malone will become the new executive director of the Association of College and Research Libraries. Malone’s first day in his new role will be September 7. An experienced association executive with more than three decades of success in academia and learned societies, Malone will lead the largest of ALA’s eight divisions, home to more than 9,000 individual and institutional members. Malone comes to ALA from the History of Science Society.
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Five libraries are winners of the 2021 Library Building Awards, sponsored by Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures (a division of ALA) and the American Institute of Architects. The awards recognize the best in library architecture and design and are open to any architect licensed in the United States. Projects may be located anywhere in the world.
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ALA Executive Director Tracie D. Hall writes: “Almost a year ago, guided by member leaders and staff, ALA began work on a pivot strategy. Titled ‘The Pathway to Transformation,’ the five-year plan culminates in 2026—the year ALA turns 150—and is guided by ALA’s mission, core values, and a commitment to deepening ALA’s equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice–centered work and impact.”
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Each year, ALA recognizes the achievements of more than 200 individuals and institutions with an array of awards. This year’s winners, chosen by juries of their colleagues and peers, embody the best of the profession’s leadership, vision, and service as well as a continued commitment to diversity, equality, education, and outreach. This selection represents only some of those honored in 2021; see the complete list.
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