January/February 2013

Features & Trends

In Central America, Community-Minded Libraries Become Community Funded

By Carol A. Erickson

The homicide rate in Honduras is among the highest in the world. Decades of corruption have gnawed through government and police forces from top to bottom. Trafficking of cocaine and drugs—destined north to Mexico and the United States—is rampant, as is underemployment throughout the country. And as in any culture, Honduran children are especially susceptible … Continue reading In Central America, Community-Minded Libraries Become Community Funded →

10 Great Technology Initiatives for Your Library

By Ellyssa Kroski

Today’s hottest web and mobile technologies are offering libraries a new world of opportunities to engage patrons. Ultra-popular social media websites and apps combined with the availability of affordable cloud-based services and the evolution and adoption of mobile devices are enabling librarians to share and build communities, store and analyze large collections of data, create … Continue reading 10 Great Technology Initiatives for Your Library →

Libraries Help Homeowners Fight Foreclosure

By Deniz Koray

SoCal’s housing crisis The default rate among county homeowners increased by more than 230% from 2006 to 2008, according to InnoVest Resource Management, which posts monthly housing statistics dating back to 1991 from the San Diego County Recorder’s Office. During that same time, the number of defaults grew from almost 10,300 to more than 34,000. … Continue reading Libraries Help Homeowners Fight Foreclosure →

Manufacturing Makerspaces
By the Editors
University’s App Provides Tour of Black History
By Megan Cottrell
Unlocking the Riches of HathiTrust
The Conversation Starts in Seattle
By Stephanie Kuenn
A Q&A with Midwinter Speaker Peter Block
By Jordan Brandes
Seattle: Food Heaven
By Connie Adams
Dine Around Seattle
By Lindsay Rosales
2012 Year in Review
By the editors of American Libraries
Library Design Showcase Has Moved to September/October 2013
2012 I Love My Librarian Award Winners Honored
By Sally Chapralis
American Dental Association Library May Be Set to Close
By Maria R. Traska

Columnists

Latest Library Links

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ALA’s Games and Gaming Round Table is now accepting applications for the “Game On!” grant, which provides $2,000 to help a library or libraries develop gaming programs or collections for their communities. The grant has doubled in size over 2024 thanks to a $1,000 donation match from Cards Against Humanity, whose support will continue through 2029. The deadline for applications is March 10, and the grant winner will be announced at GameRT’s “ALA Play” event at the 2025 ALA Annual conference in Philadelphia in June.

ALA Games & Gaming Round Table, Jan. 12
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Jackie Partch writes: “Graphic novels are wildly popular with kids–and librarians also know that they can help build visual literacy skills, increase reading confidence and strengthen vocabulary knowledge. Kids who read graphic novels also show increased reading motivation. So why not offer a graphic novel book group at your library? [At our system,] librarians who want to offer a Graphic Novel Club participate in a planning session each summer. We brainstorm a list of potential titles beforehand, and during the session we narrow down that list to 12-14 titles and divide them up to write short booktalks.”

ALSC Blog, Jan. 9
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Emily Jaeger-McEnroe writes: “Many information evaluation methods include values like objectivity and authority that imply that only traditional scholarly sources are acceptable for inclusion in scholarly work. Although this is often a desirable outcome, it can bias research to exclude groups traditionally disenfranchised from scholarship, such as Indigenous, racialized, queer, and disabled communities. The CRAAP (Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose) test, originally created in 2004, is a commonly taught method of source evaluation. This article presents a few simple modifications to the CRAAP test that provide a means to evaluate marginalized information and prevent its exclusion.”

College & Research Libraries News, Jan.
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Kelly Jensen writes: “One of the trends we’ll see in book censorship over 2025 is the increased use of unprofessional, politically driven book review websites like BookLooks to make decisions in professional library and educational settings. BookLooks is the most well-known website for unprofessional, biased book reviews. That’s because it is a tool created by a former Moms for Liberty member and continues to be the tool they put their weight, energy, and time behind. But if your knowledge ends there, you’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”

Book Riot, Jan. 10
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Peter Hepburn writes: “When I look back at previous columns and reflect on my term as treasurer, which ends June 30, I realize just how much has happened—and been accomplished—over the past three years. For one, I’m proud of finishing the work started under my predecessor, Maggie Farrell, on the financial piece of the ALA Operating Agreement, which governs the relationship between ALA and its membership divisions. I’m also pleased with the progress made in improving communication within the Association on finances. I am not, however, greatly encouraged by the current financial health of the Association.”

American Libraries column, Jan./Feb.
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Alison Marcotte writes: “Welcome to the Valley of the Sun, the Big Saguaro, the Silicon Desert. Phoenix is known for its picturesque landscapes, hearty succulents, and scorching heat, but come January 24–27 the city will usher in a different kind of vibrancy and warmth: the community, creativity, and connections of ALA’s LibLearnX conference. LibLearnX 2025 will bring together authors, thought leaders, and subject matter experts at the Phoenix Convention Center for educational programs, awards, celebrations, and networking opportunities. This year’s programmatic theme is ‘Reimagine, Refocus, Reset: Charting a Path for the Future.’”

American Libraries feature, Jan./Feb.
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Clare Starkey, Haley Lykins, and Kelli Hansen write: “In the spring of 2024, Special Collections at the University of Missouri [in Columbia] hosted a series of field trips for every sixth grader in the local public school district, more than 1,300 students. This workshop gave students a chance to experience ancient writing technologies from across Africa and Asia while interacting with primary sources, to complement the school curriculum on ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and China. This post will cover the advantages and pitfalls of hands-on teaching on a large scale, and strategies to make the most of a shoestring budget and a small staff.”

TPS Collective, Jan. 2

View more Latest Library Links

January/February 2013

Features & Trends

In Central America, Community-Minded Libraries Become Community Funded

10 Great Technology Initiatives for Your Library

Libraries Help Homeowners Fight Foreclosure

Manufacturing Makerspaces

University’s App Provides Tour of Black History

Unlocking the Riches of HathiTrust

The Conversation Starts in Seattle

A Q&A with Midwinter Speaker Peter Block

Seattle: Food Heaven

Dine Around Seattle

2012 Year in Review

Library Design Showcase Has Moved to September/October 2013

2012 I Love My Librarian Award Winners Honored

American Dental Association Library May Be Set to Close

Columnists

Develop Your Emotional Intelligence

E-Discovery with QR Codes

Hot Country

Engaging Our Communities

Why Do Publishers Hate Us?

Teacher Librarian Tips

Disaster Recovery, Going Green, Protecting Privacy: How We Do Librarianship

Reenvisioning ALA

What You Can Do about Ebooks and Libraries

Digitized to Distraction

Libraries as Safe Spaces