Latest Library Links
-
Pia Ceres writes: “While homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, it has never been considered the American norm. In 2019, homeschooled students represented just 3.2% of US students in grades K–12, or around 1.7 million students. By comparison, 90% of US students attend public school. But a March 2021 report from the US Census Bureau indicates an uptick in homeschooling during the pandemic: In spring 2020, 5.4% of surveyed households reported homeschooling their children (homeschooling being distinct from remote learning at home through a public or private school). By fall 2020, the figure had doubled to 11.1%. The pandemic may also have given rise to a more diverse group of homeschoolers.” -
Mark Lawton writes: “In September 2018, Rodney E. Freeman Jr. was at home lying on his couch when he heard about Botham Jean. Jean, a 26-year-old Black accountant in Dallas, had been shot and killed by his neighbor, a white Dallas police officer, when she entered his apartment thinking it was her own. The incident compelled Freeman to consider how Black men are perceived in the US. Freeman is one of a number of archivists who have chosen to create their own archives around the Black experience in America rather than participate in an institutional archive, such as those maintained by universities or other large library systems.” -
IFLA’s World Library and information Congress 2021 platform is now open. IFLA WLIC 2021 will be held August 17–19, spanning three time zones. On the website, you’ll find information about the theme and subthemes and of course, how to register and take advantage of the Early Bird rates. IFLA has lowered its fees to widen inclusivity and encourage the broadest possible attendance to its first virtual conference.International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, June 3
-
ALA announced on June 2 that former President Barack Obama will be the Closing Session speaker at ALA’s Annual Conference and Exhibition Virtual. He will appear noon–1 p.m. Central on Tuesday, June 29, in conversation with Lonnie G. Bunch III, the 14th secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and first African American appointed to the role. They will be introduced by ALA President Julius C. Jefferson Jr. -
ALA Executive Director Tracie D. Hall writes: “Whether on a personal, institutional, or policy level, the pandemic has repeatedly shown us that a return to normal is neither possible nor a worthy goal. The normal that some may long for was not just, equitable, or inclusive. Yet it is clear that any real national recovery is dependent on these tenets. If survival necessitates transformation, transformation requires accountability. There must be a means of identifying not just that we’ve changed, but what we have changed into and what that change will mean or do for others.” -
This year’s Annual Conference—the third ALA conference to go virtual during the coronavirus pandemic—brings together an exciting lineup of speakers and educational sessions designed to engage members in a week of collaboration and connection. Tune in to hear from leading authors, thinkers, and activists, and explore programs and panel discussions devoted to the library workplace, issues relating to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and more. -
ALA is pleased with the White House’s fiscal year budget proposal submitted May 28 before Congress, which includes federal funding increases designated for libraries. The budget supports $265 million in total for IMLS in FY 2022, including $197 million for the IMLS-administered Library Services and Technology Act, and $28 million for Innovative Approaches to Literacy, administered through the Department of Education. The proposed number for the full IMLS budget saw an increase of $8 million from last year. -
A recent report from Denmark has shone a new light on the different ways in which public libraries make a difference to people’s lives, and how we can measure this. While data about usage can offer some insights, measuring impact is often more difficult. Christian Lauersen, director of Roskilde (Denmark) Library spoke about his research in an interview with IFLA.International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, June 2
-
Andrew Albanese writes: “A Maryland state bill that would ensure public libraries the right to license and lend ebooks that are available to consumers in the state is now law. In a May 28 letter to Maryland Senate president Bill Ferguson, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan informed legislators that the library ebook bill (HB518 in the House of Delegates and SB432 in the Senate) was among the many bills that would become law without the governor’s signature—normal procedure in the state, where the legislature typically passes hundreds of bills each session.” -
Jennifer Garry writes: “Summertime often means visits to the beach. Like everything with kids, going to the beach can lead to lots of questions. Is seaweed a weed? Do jellyfish have brains? Why would someone throw their garbage in the ocean? If you don’t have all of the answers (and, honestly, even if you do), this collection of books will inspire and delight ocean enthusiasts while creating conservationists in the process.” -
ALA President Julius C. Jefferson Jr. writes: “With my final column as ALA president, I’d like to look back over the past year and offer thanks. Thanks to all who joined me last summer on the virtual “Holding Space” tour, a conversation series with libraries. I will forever remember you as faithful partners and travel companions as we faced seemingly insurmountable difficulties. Thanks in part to our advocacy, libraries secured federal relief funding of historic proportions.” -
Terra Dankowski writes: “In 1986, Friends of Libraries USA President Frederick G. Ruffner Jr. had the ambitious idea to start the Literary Landmarks Association, an organization that would encourage the development of historic literary sites across the US. For those hitting the open road this summer, American Libraries has curated glimpses of some of these inspiring attractions—many of them outdoors and conducive to social distancing. Read on, mask up, and follow our route to literary greatness.”
All links outside americanlibrariesmagazine.org are provided for informational purposes only. Questions about the content of any external site should be addressed to the administrator of that site.