November/December 2021

Features & Trends

Illustration of a library building with small business owners (lawn care, baker, contractor) inside and outside (Illustration: Gaby FeBland)

Big Ideas for Small Business

By Claire Zulkey

In fact, the number of minority-owned small businesses that reported trying and failing to get a loan to help with the pandemic was 60% greater than nonminority-owned small businesses, according to an August 2020 study by the US Chamber of Commerce and MetLife. Additionally, minority-owned small businesses were almost 10% more likely to report that … Continue reading Big Ideas for Small Business →

A protester at the Save Niles Library rally in July. Organizers met at a local park, then marched to the library for a public hearing on proposed budget cuts.

A Conflict of Values

By Cass Balzer

Incumbent trustee Becky Keane-Adams responded immediately, saying she wholeheartedly disagreed. “Books are windows,” she began. “If you open a book and you can never see yourself in it, then it’s hard to figure out who you are.” The comments of Makula—elected in April along with candidates Olivia Hanusiak and Suzanne Schoenfeldt, who like Makula identify … Continue reading A Conflict of Values →

Conversations Creating Change

By Phil Morehart

In September 2020, the American Library Association’s (ALA) Public Programs Office announced it would provide nearly $2 million in grants to small and rural libraries of all types to help them address pressing concerns in their communities. Through this Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC): Focus on Small and Rural Libraries grant program, more than 600 libraries … Continue reading Conversations Creating Change →

Columnists

Latest Library Links

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The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions’ Libraries Serving Persons with Print Disabilities Section (LPD) is producing Guidelines for Inclusive Library Services for Persons with Print Disabilities. The Guidelines are designed to serve as a tool and a resource for libraries, librarians, and library staff, enabling them to begin to provide, continue to provide, or enhance existing accessible and inclusive library services for persons with print disabilities in their library communities. LPD is seeking feedback on the draft document by March 7.

IFLA, Jan. 31
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Heidi Yarger writes: “Memorizing poetry has allowed me to focus on the words in front of me, bit by bit, in profound ways. Much like aspects of librarianship, the process is iterative and reflexive. As I’m learning a new poem, I often find myself re-reciting the lines I’m trying to get down throughout the day in moments when I would’ve checked my phone. I must stay present and attentive to each word. I truly feel the process has been good for my health these last few months.”

ACRLog, Jan. 29
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“Sociologist, author, and New York University professor Eric Klinenberg believes that libraries are the greatest social infrastructure our country has. “I don’t know of another institution that has the capability to make such a diverse set of people feel dignified and welcome when they walk in the door,” Klinenberg told attendees at the outset of United for Libraries Virtual, a three-day virtual conference hosted by United for Libraries July 30–August 1, 2024. American Libraries highlights some key takeaways from the conference.”

American Libraries feature, Jan./Feb.
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Kali Jaye writes: “In 2019, the World Health Organization recognized burnout as an occupational phenomenon, describing it as ‘a condition resulting from chronic workplace stress that hasn’t been successfully managed.’ Burnout is what’s happening when you’re exhausted even though you sat at a desk all day, you’re starting to hate your job, and you’re wondering what’s wrong with you and why you can’t just get it together. So how can we, as individuals and organizations, best prevent and respond to burnout? The opposite of burnout, according to [psychology researcher Christina] Maslach and colleagues, is engagement.”

Scholarly Kitchen, Jan. 27; World Health Organization, May 28, 2019
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Ann Baillie writes: “As youth librarians, we want our services to be accessible to all our patrons. We use visual schedules in our programs and provide patrons with access to accessible technology. Our websites should be accessible, too. Depending on how your library controls its website, you may even have a built-in accessibility checker to make sure each webpage meets accessibility standards. If you upload PDFs to your library’s website, such as a programming brochure or book lists, here are some tips to make your PDF accessible.”

ALSC Blog, Jan. 24
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Leigh Reagan Smith writes: “On January 9, the Teton County (Wyo.) Library Board voted unanimously to adopt a book sanctuary resolution and to sign a Declaration of Democracy, two measures being taken by libraries across the country to preserve and foster intellectual freedom and its role in democracy, according to the Board. The resolution references Article 1, Section 20 of the Wyoming Constitution, which states in part that ‘every person may freely speak, write and publish on all subjects.’”

Buckrail (Jackson Hole, Wyo.), Jan. 21
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Alexandra Boris writes: “A leisure reading collection within academic libraries may be tended with care or fall by the wayside when resources are needed elsewhere. It can be overwhelming to find oneself responsible for a collection that has not been the priority. This case study will discuss how a relatively stagnant leisure reading collection was revived to engage users with library spaces and collections. While such a task can seem challenging at the beginning, intentional selection, care, and marketing can increase the accessibility, visibility, and usability of the collection.”

The Journal of Creative Library Practice, Jan. 25

View more Latest Library Links

November/December 2021

Features & Trends

Big Ideas for Small Business

A Conflict of Values

Conversations Creating Change

Decolonizing the Catalog

The Necessity of Collaboration

Newsmaker: Padma Lakshmi

By the Numbers: Food

Bookend: The Right Track

Acing the Interview

Cafés with a Conscience

Broadcasting the Past

Columnists

Building a Better Tomorrow

Fighting Medical Racism

Diagnose and Fix

Up to the Challenge

In Your Neighborhood

Membership as a Movement

Solidarity on Sustainability