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ALA’s Public Programs Office has announced that nominations for the 2023 Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award will be accepted until May 5. This $5,000 award recognizes outstanding humanities programming in grades K–8 that broadens students’ perspectives and helps them understand the wider world and their place in it. Program can be focused on subject areas such as social studies, poetry, drama, art, music, language arts, foreign language, and culture. Any US public or private school library that serves any combination of grades K–8 is eligible to apply, provided the library is staffed by a state-certified librarian. Read more about guidelines and previous winners. -
Charles Bethea writes: “House Bill 1467, enacted last July, mandates that books in Florida’s public schools be free of pornography and suited to ‘student needs,’ as determined by a librarian or school media specialist. Those specialists had been waiting for retraining guidelines, which only became available in January, according to Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association. Spar estimated that public school teachers in a third of the state’s counties have been instructed to box or cover up books until they’ve been reviewed for compliance with the new law. In Palm Beach County, two books were removed last spring in anticipation of the law, and Brevard County’s classroom libraries were ‘taking a pause’ on classroom libraries by the summer.”The New Yorker, Feb. 7; Florida Today, July 14, 2022; South Florida Sun Sentinel, Apr. 6, 2022
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ALA’s Games and Gaming Round Table is accepting applications for its annual Game On! grant program. A grant of $500 (or two grants of $250) will enable a library or libraries to develop gaming programs or collections for their communities. “We love to see innovative concepts that support diverse communities and bring people into the library,” says GameRT President Rebecca Strang. “Use your application to tell us a story about how your proposed program or collection will accomplish that.” ALA members at public, school, academic, and special libraries in the US and Canada are invited to apply by March 15. Libraries must show a plan for a sustainable gaming program, financial need, and institutional support. -
Jeralyn Darling writes: “Vermont State University plans to repurpose libraries on its five campuses and move to an all-digital academic library system when it launches as a unified institution in July. The changes come as the Vermont State Colleges System seeks to consolidate its sprawling network of campuses. Books, collections, and other materials are set to be redistributed, according to an FAQ published by the university. The announcement drew swift rebukes from some students. Alexia Murray, a freshman biology major on the Johnson campus, said she was weighing whether to stay enrolled in a school without a physical library and said she was worried for the school’s future.” -
In June 2022, ALA Council voted in favor of rescinding the ALA Constitution and tasking the ALA Constitution and Bylaws Committee with the creation of a revised set of ALA Bylaws that integrates content from the constitution into a single document. ALA Council held a required second vote to rescind the constitution in August 2022, again voting in favor. In a special session at LibLearnX on January 27, 98% of ALA Council voted in favor of adopting the general revision of the bylaws as amended, for submission to ALA membership. In the spring 2023 election (March 13–April 5), members will have an opportunity to vote to ratify the actions of Council that rescinds the ALA Constitution and adopts the general revision of the ALA Bylaws. For more information, see the ALA election page. -
Gary Phillips writes: “In an effort to combat the rise of misinformation, Garden State students are getting a new addition to their curriculums. Governor Phil Murphy signed bipartisan legislation (New Jersey Senate Bill 588) Wednesday that requires K–12 instruction on information literacy under the implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards. In doing so, the Democrat made New Jersey the first state with such a mandate. Under the new bill, students will develop critical thinking skills while learning how to find information, produce and spread information online, and the difference between facts and opinions. Per a news release, information literacy includes digital, visual, media, textual, and technological literacy.” -
ALA Treasurer Peter Hepburn writes: “We are approximately one-third of the way through ALA’s fiscal year, which runs from September 1, 2022, to August 31. The most uncertain days of the pandemic seem to be behind us. Like many of our libraries and, indeed, many of us, the Association has been through a lot. A lot. With some sense of relief, and even excitement about times ahead, I bring you an overview of the current state of ALA finance.” -
ALA President Lessa Kananiʻopua Pelayo-Lozada writes: “When faced with unprecedented and seemly insurmountable obstacles in the world and in libraries, I ask myself: What is our professional responsibility to one another to overcome shared challenges? The answer is often to connect to institutions of collective cooperation, like our democratic society and our member-led Association. One of our greatest strengths is the simple and singular tool of using our united voice. When we unite our voices, we have the volume and power of a choir to amplify messages and make positive changes.” -
As we greet 2023, American Libraries caps off 2022 with its Year in Review. Our staffers have compiled a list of the stories that affected libraries and librarians over the past year. From continued book challenges and the reversal of Roe v. Wade to preservation efforts in Ukraine and wins for rural and tribal libraries, the profession was at the forefront of some of 2022’s biggest news stories. -
Alison Marcotte writes: “Last year, ALA debuted LibLearnX virtually because of the pandemic. This year, for the first time, the conference will be held in person. LibLearnX—which will take place January 27–30 in New Orleans—is intended for members and nonmembers to engage in collaborative learning activities, networking opportunities, celebrations, and author talks. Designed for active learning, the conference will offer more than 120 educational sessions in various formats, created by and for library professionals. Additionally, LibLearnX sees the return of ALA’s Symposium on the Future of Libraries, as well as an all-new Governance Institute geared toward prospective leaders.” -
Emily Martin writes: “It’s time to expand your horizons, RPG-lovers! Whether you’re looking for the best fantasy RPGs aside from Dungeons & Dragons or whether you want to explore something entirely different, this list of tabletop role-playing games has a little bit of everything for you. We’ve got mysteries. We’ve got superheroes. We’ve got teen gangs. We’ve got vampires. We’ve got aliens. We’ve got cyberpunk. And so much more.” -
Lyndsay Wasko writes: “Here are some entirely satirical classes I would have liked to see in my MLIS course catalog. This list is based on my program, so your curriculum might have actually included a few of these. Jealous!” Wasko’s course offerings include Fantastic Cardigans and Where to Find Them, Dunking on Dewey, and Reluctant-But-Viral Librarian TikToking.
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