pew-nonbook

September 27, 2021 150 × 100 Who doesn’t read books in America?

Chart: Who hasn’t read a book in the past 12 months? (Pew Research Center)

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Since early April, numerous libraries and library organizations have received notices that their federal grant awards—such as those from the Institute of Museum and Library Services—have been terminated. ALA is responding to these politically motivated attacks on library funding with public advocacy and litigation. In addition, ALA has encouraged grantees who receive a termination notice to consider several suggestions.

ALA Public Policy and Advocacy Office, Apr. 22
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Anne Ford writes: “Adele Puccio, director of Maurice M. Pine Free Public Library in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, comes by her wedding dress obsession honestly. ‘When I was a kid, my great-aunt was the buyer at [famous New York bridal boutique] Kleinfeld’s, so I used to go over and look at all the dresses,” she says. “Other people were buying Seventeen; I was buying Brides.’ Decades later, Puccio’s passion now manifests itself in a rotating collection of vintage and modern bridal gowns, which she stores in her library office and loans to any bride who asks.”

American Libraries column, Mar./Apr.
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Martha Meyer writes: “About three in five young adults worldwide report they are “worried” about climate change, but 55% of teachers don’t address the topic because they feel unprepared to do so. And when it comes to books that present climate information to preschool- and elementary-age kids, many titles end up exacerbating readers’ fears or engaging in greenwashing. Our mid-size Midwestern public library thought: Why not develop an award to honor excellent titles that buck this trend?”

American Libraries column, Mar./Apr.
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“Greening your library with limited resources and lukewarm buy-in might seem overwhelming. But sustainability is also about committing to small changes. Here’s a list of low-lift ideas that libraries of any type or size can start incorporating.” Libraries can develop zero-waste programming, start seed libraries, forge partnerships to reuse waste, host repair cafes, and much more.

American Libraries feature, Mar./Apr.
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Minyoung Kim writes: “In the summer of 2024, I spent eight weeks at the American Antiquarian Society (AAS) for my first paper conservation internship. Under the guidance of Chief Conservator Babette Gehnrich—who has dedicated over 35 years to stewarding this remarkable collection—I had the privilege of engaging in various conservation projects. Through this internship, I came to appreciate how AAS’s vast collection, comprising over four million items, embodies American history not only through its texts and imagery but also through traces of use, repair, and past conservation efforts.”

Past is Present, Apr. 22
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ALA and the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) organized the inaugural ALA School Librarians Conference in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, April 15–16. The event brought together a lineup of school librarians and education experts from around the world, with the goal of fostering a reading culture and enhancing school library systems across the region. It was planned in conjunction with the Sharjah Book Authority, the Emirates Library and Information Association, and the Combined Book Exhibit. AASL President Becky Calzada delivered the keynote address.

Sharjah 24 (United Arab Emirates), Apr. 15
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Alison Marcotte writes: “About a decade ago, filmmaker Dawn Logsdon started documenting life in libraries throughout the country. Since she began filming, public libraries have been on the front lines of a battlefield over intellectual freedom, facing threats of closures and an unprecedented surge of book challenges and bans. In the upcoming documentary Free for All: The Public Library, which premieres April 29 on PBS’s Independent Lens, Logsdon and codirector Lucie Faulknor trace the public library’s history since the late 19^th century. American Libraries spoke with the duo about libraries in today’s sociopolitical climate and the unsung heroes in library history.”

American Libraries Trend, Apr. 23

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