June 2023

Features & Trends

2023 Annual Conference Preview

By Bill Furbee

The conference, which will be held June 22–27 at McCormick Place, promises to showcase conversations and innovations that will help to shape the future of libraries for years to come. This preview offers a small sample of what to expect. For registration information and a complete list of events, visit alaannual.org. Featured speakers Check the … Continue reading 2023 Annual Conference Preview →

A photo of deep dish pizza from Pizano's Pizza and Pasta, broth being poured over foie gras at Moody Tongue, and pig face topped with an egg at Girl & the Goat

Second to None

By Kate Silver

Below you’ll find some favorite spots within a walk, train ride, cab, or water taxi from McCormick Place and downtown hotels. Many were also featured in my guidebook, Frommer’s Chicago Day by Day (2019). Others have opened more recently, during the pandemic. Let the eating begin! South Loop, Hyde Park, and Near South Side Medici … Continue reading Second to None →

Welcome to the Windy City

Walk or bike from the convention center If you’re looking for a quick way to get some fresh air, the Burnham Wildlife Corridor starts at McCormick Place and runs south to 47th Street. Throughout this stretch of revitalized prairie are five Gathering Spaces designed and installed by local artists and community groups. The nearest, just … Continue reading Welcome to the Windy City →

Columnists

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The American Library Association and Unite Against Book Bans will host a Rally for the Right to Read: Uniting for Libraries & Intellectual Freedom at the Chicago Hilton on Thursday, June 22, 2023. Part of the 2023 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition, the program will feature anti-censorship activists from around the nation, the 2023 recipients of ALA intellectual freedom awards and internationally renowned author and scholar Dr. Ibram X. Kendi. A conference badge or a receipt for conference registration must be presented for entry. Admission is free, and donations to the Unite Against Book Bans campaign are encouraged.

ALA, June 5
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Want to get away from the hustle of conference and into the bustle of American Libraries’ home city? Here you’ll find staff members’ favorite jaunts—from neighborhoods gems to tourist attractions—just a bus, train, or bike ride away. Chicago’s grid system makes it an easy place to explore in between sessions, signings, and celebrations. Options to enjoy art, architecture, sports, history, and even nature are readily available.

American Libraries feature, June
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Ross Johnson writes: “Thirty days hath Pride month, and even in a year that’s been particularly fraught from the perspective of LGBTQ+ rights, that means you should have plenty of time to watch a few movies when you’re not tossing bricks, getting harassed at a Target, or disassociating to the new Kylie Minogue single. Though queer onscreen representation has definitely increased in recent years, the movies remind us that queer people (and queer films) didn’t just arrive on the scene—they’ve been here since the beginning.”

Lifehacker, June 1
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Sammy Ekaran writes: “Getting the perfect 3D print is challenging, especially if the design is detailed. It is important to carefully adjust the 3D printer and the slicer settings to achieve the desired results. Making these adjustments manually is difficult until you use a test print like a 3D Benchy. This unique design can help you assess the capabilities of your machine, optimize the settings for your specific designs, and use the results to tweak your settings until you achieve the perfect results.”

MakeUseOf, June 4
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Monica Westin writes: “While the popular history of the internet valorizes Silicon Valley coders, many of the original concepts for search emerged from library scientists focused on the accessibility of documents in time and space. Their advances can be seen everywhere in the current online information landscape, from general approaches to ingesting and indexing full-text documents, to free-text searching and a sophisticated algorithm utilizing previous saved searches of others. These and many other approaches developed by campus pioneers are still used by the multibillion-dollar businesses of web search and commercial library databases today.”

Aeon, June 5
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The Freedom to Read Foundation filed an amicus curiae brief with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in Leila Green Little, et al. v. Llano County, et al., a lawsuit challenging the Llano County government’s decision to remove a large number of books from the Llano County Library shelves because certain library users, county residents, and county officials complained that the books’ contents were objectionable. The plaintiffs argue that the removal of books from the library’s collection violates the plaintiffs’ First Amendment right to access those books in the library.

ALA, June 2
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Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada writes: “As I look back on our year together, I remain inspired and encouraged by our brave communities. Despite the obstacles we face, libraries remain valued, trusted institutions. I know this because libraries are constantly evolving places, and our workers stand up to the test of constant change, ensuring our communities have access to information, the freedom to read, and a love of lifelong learning, now and for years to come.”

American Libraries column, June

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June 2023

Features & Trends

2023 Annual Conference Preview

Second to None

Welcome to the Windy City

Culturally Diverse Collections

Fresh Ideas

Personal Care

Special Delivery

Older Beginners

Newsmaker: Ken Jennings

By the Numbers: Gardening

Bookend: At the Heart of Medical History

Columnists

Confessions of a Bad Librarian

Until We Meet Again

Don’t Ignore Quiet Quitting

Listen and Learn

Books Model Behaviors

Let’s Get Loud

Seize the Data

Building Diverse Collections

May 2023

March/April 2023

January/February 2023