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.
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Cara Bertram writes: “Last summer, the American Library Association moved from its long-lived location at 50 E. Huron Street in Chicago to its new location off Michigan Ave. This office were the longest held headquarters that ALA had, it was by no means the first, nor was Chicago ALA’s original location. ALA’s history is filled with debates about locations and new homes.”
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Claire Sewell writes: “I’m a librarian, and throwing away books is a big part of my job. I love it! Why? Because it means more space on the shelves for new books and other materials that are of current interest to our patrons. Weeding is a fundamental part of the life cycle of the library, but I get it. The decisions librarians make to get rid of books are often confusing and mysterious, especially when a photo of a dumpster full of books starts making the rounds on the internet.”
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Raymond Pun writes: “For the first time, the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) was held online because of the continuing global pandemic. Between August 17–19, the virtual conference drew thousands of attendees from around the world to more than 150 sessions with topics that ranged from digital controlled lending to new skill sets for school librarians to climate impact on libraries.” Read coverage of other sessions and closing ceremonies.
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Tess Wilson writes: “United for Libraries’ 2021 Virtual Conference—a three-day event dedicated to the issues facing trustees, Friends, and foundations—kicked off August 17. The conference featured speakers and networking opportunities, and covered topics such as equitable collection development, fundraising collaborations, and inclusive leadership practices. Sessions underscored that stories—of individuals, of libraries, of communities—are at the core of library advocacy.”
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Alana Pockros writes: “Torrey Peters’s Detransition, Baby (designed by Random House’s Rachel Ake Keuch) has been one of the most consequential pieces of mainstream fiction to publish this year: a modern relationship story that offers a view into urban trans culture. It’s a singular book wrapped in a familiar package: neon color palette, sans serif title, ambiguous silhouettes. It is current proof that as with any other kind of graphic or textile design, book jackets are part of a trend cycle, borrowing from looks of the past, and absorbing styles from the present.”
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Petra Mayer writes: “This year’s summer reader poll was shaped by a series of ‘what ifs’—most importantly, what if, instead of looking at the entire history of the field the way we did in our 2011 poll, we focused only on what has happened in the decade since? These past 10 years have brought seismic change to science fiction and fantasy (sometimes literally, in the case of N. K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth series), and we wanted to celebrate the world-shaking rush of new voices, new perspectives, new styles, and new stories.”
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Penguin Random House has added the Amanda Gorman Award for Poetry to its US Creative Writing Awards. The award grants a $10,000 college scholarship to one public high school senior for an original literary composition in English. Submissions open October 1, and the award will be announced in June 2022.
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Team USA soccer star and activist Megan Rapinoe has started a new book club on the Literati platform. The Call In focuses on human stories, both fiction and nonfiction, that inspire readers toward meaningful action. The pick for September is Unbound by Tarana Burke.
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Librarians in the US serve different populations, each with a distinct set of needs. Among those are veterans, who often face unique challenges when returning to civilian life after their military service ends. Many of them turn to the library for help and resources, so it’s essential for library workers to know more about this community to better serve its members. On Episode 65 of Call Number with American Libraries, we look at library services to veterans.
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Amid rising concerns over misinformation online—including surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, especially vaccines—Americans are now a bit more open to the idea of the US government taking steps to restrict false information online. And a majority of the public continues to favor technology companies taking such action, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.
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If people have a problem with certain books in the Campbell County (Wyo.) Public Library, they need to go through the proper channels to challenge those books. That was the message that the library board had for the audience and county commissioners at a special meeting August 12. The meeting was well attended, but no public comment was allowed. Outside the building were library supporters protesting any censorship. It’s the latest episode in the controversy over the library’s inclusion and promotion of LGBTQ material to teens.
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