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Sitting area with fireplace in Brown County Library, East branch.

Submissions Open for Library Design Showcase

January 2, 2025

We are looking for examples of innovative library architecture that address patrons’ needs in unique and effective ways. We are especially interested in submissions from libraries that are approaching design with sustainability, accessibility, and smaller budgets in mind. Partial renovations, projects under $1 million, and school libraries are encouraged to apply. To be eligible, projects … Continue reading Submissions Open for Library Design Showcase →

Doreen Horstin, manager of San Francisco Public Library’s Park branch, adds a book to the Read to Recovery shelves, which provide free addiction recovery materials to patrons.

No Questions Asked

By Aviva Bechky | January 2, 2025

Then, without checking out these titles, these patrons leave. They may mark up the books they take. They won’t return the materials. And, according to Doreen Horstin, manager of San Francisco Public Library’s (SFPL) Park branch, this is just fine. These patrons are participants in Read to Recovery, an SFPL program that has been providing … Continue reading No Questions Asked →

Two teens wearing aprons work side-by-side at a metal counter, arranging an array of cheese, meat, fruit, vegetables, and crackers on their boards.

Crafting Charcuterie

By Rosie Newmark | January 2, 2025

Inspired by the library’s popular how-to charcuterie events for adults, staffers Amanda Krumrine and Nancy Farace have hosted two teen snack-board classes to engage young patrons. In these classes, teens learn how to make the boards by laser-cutting wood in the makerspace at CCPL’s Exploration Commons location and later assembling the meats, cheeses, and other … Continue reading Crafting Charcuterie →

In Living Color

By Cass Balzer | January 2, 2025

In recent years, libraries of all sizes have begun adding color-corrective glasses to their Library of Things collections. Made possible primarily through partnerships with manufacturers, patrons can test these glasses out before committing to purchasing their own pair. Removing barriers Color blindness, also known as color vision deficiency, affects about 350 million people worldwide, primarily … Continue reading In Living Color →

Newsmaker: Neko Case

By Megan Bennett | January 2, 2025

Growing up in remote, rural areas, singer-songwriter Neko Case found that her love of reading provided an escape. In her forthcoming memoir, The Harder I Fight the More I Love You (Hachette, January), she recalls repeatedly flipping through the same October 1972 issue of Mad magazine, poring over her stepdad’s collection of archaeology books, and … Continue reading Newsmaker: Neko Case →

Jabba the Hutt figurine from the Nicholas A. Salerno Star Wars Collection at Arizona State University

By the Numbers: Literary Phoenix

By Megan Bennett | January 2, 2025

American Library Association’s LibLearnX Conference in Phoenix will take place Jan. 24–27. 28,000 Number of Indigenous artists represented in the Billie Jane Baguley Library and Archives (BJBLA), located within the Heard Museum in Phoenix. Like the museum, BJBLA’s holdings include traditional and contemporary American Indian artists’ art, written works, and biographical information. $500 Amount that … Continue reading By the Numbers: Literary Phoenix →

Caelin Ross, performing arts librarian at Arizona State University Library in Tempe, poses with items from its Theatre for Youth and Community Collection.

Bookend: Curtains Up

By Megan Bennett | January 2, 2025

“You can learn so much … from plays written for, with, and by youth,” says Ross, performing arts librarian at Arizona State University (ASU) Library in Tempe, noting that young imaginations allow for more “interesting and experimental” presentations. Ross oversees ASU’s Theatre for Youth and Community Collection. Founded in 1979, the university says it is … Continue reading Bookend: Curtains Up →

Cindy Hohl, president of the American Library Association

Our Winter Count

By Cindy Hohl | January 2, 2025

My hope for the future is that we live in peace among all that is living. I believe in the power of the human spirit, and I offer humble observance to those who left us this past year, the many loved ones who have walked on to another journey. May their journeys be honored by … Continue reading Our Winter Count →

Moving Forward on Finances

By Peter Hepburn | January 2, 2025

For one, I’m proud of finishing the work started under my predecessor, Maggie Farrell, on the financial piece of the American Library Association (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, … Continue reading Moving Forward on Finances →

A Storied History

By Reanna Esmail | January 2, 2025

The Library: A Fragile History By Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen The global history recounted in this six-part title demonstrates the role information access plays in societies, with the final two sections focusing on the US and the West. Although its length may seem overwhelming, this is a straightforward read whose clear message that … Continue reading A Storied History →

2024 ALA Award Winners

September 3, 2024

Ernest A. DiMattia Award for Innovation and Service to Community and Profession Jennie Pu Pu, director of Hoboken (N.J.) Public Library (HPL), has transformed the library into a community hub with robust programming, pop-up libraries in schools, and partnerships with more than 50 local organizations. As part of a multimillion-dollar historic restoration of the main … Continue reading 2024 ALA Award Winners →

Photo of the indoor garden at Downtown Reno Library of Washoe County (Nev.) Library Syste

Bookend: Lushness in the Library

By Anne Ford | September 3, 2024

Hewitt C. Wells, the library’s architect, wanted to build it in a park. When that plan fell through, he decided to build “a park in the library,” Ryan says. Completed in 1966, it won the 1968 Industrial Landscape Award (presented by Lady Bird Johnson) and was named to the National Register of Historic Places in … Continue reading Bookend: Lushness in the Library →

Latest Library Links

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Brett Bonfield writes: “When it comes to the ALA’s more than $66 million endowment, we trustees are mindful of the ethical impact of the Association’s investments. That’s where ESG—or environmental, social, and governance—investing comes in. ESG investing refers to the practice of incorporating environmental impact, social issues, and corporate governance into investing decisions. This column will answer the primary questions that endowment trustees are asked about ESG investments—and how ALA approaches them.”

American Libraries Online, May 11
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Dan Montgomery writes: “While the commemoration of ALA’s 150th anniversary kicked off in January, ALA staff and member leaders have been building momentum toward its largest in-person celebration, the 2026 Annual Conference and Exhibition in our hometown of Chicago. I feel honored and privileged to be here in this moment as we celebrate this Magnificent Milestone! (Did you catch my Chicago pun?) I invite you to join your colleagues at Annual to observe our past, reflect on our present, and envision our future.”

American Libraries column, May
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Anne Ford writes: “For 150 years, ALA has shaped the landscape of libraries and the profession itself—but its leadership has often reflected the racial and gender biases of society at large. For this special anniversary issue, American Libraries spoke with eight barrier-busting Association leaders about their struggles, triumphs, breakdowns, and breakthroughs. The stories and lessons they share reveal how diversity fuels and transforms the power of libraries everywhere.”

American Libraries feature, May
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Thomas W. Ganzevoort writes: “Columbus (Ga.) State University’s Simon Schwob Memorial Library is home to one obsolete feature: the library’s loading dock, an original part of the 1975 structure. Rarely used after the library basement was renovated in 2012, the loading dock was repurposed as a patio deck. A 2019 renovation added safety gate and railing, a fresh coat of paint and some picnic tables. However, something was still missing. During Spring Break 2026, what has become known as the Library Mural Project reached its fruition, when an army of volunteers descended on the loading dock to make the mural a reality.”

Georgia Library Quarterly, vol. 63, no. 2, May 1
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Adrienne De Luna writes: “Passive programming gets a bad reputation. But in the right environment—especially in youth services—passive programming isn’t just helpful. It’s essential. Not all passive programming works. And when it doesn’t, it’s usually not because of the idea—it’s because of the execution. Most passive programs fall flat when they are too complicated, not immediately visible, overexplained, not relevant to the age group, or left out too long.”

Youth Services Playbook, May 1
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Mars Brint writes: “In honor of Preservation Week, I’d like to discuss the importance and enjoyment of digging through old records. People want to know their history, understand their roots, and create a connection with the past, and it is such a pleasure to be able to help bridge that information and share resources. So I’ve decided to include some of my own basic tips, tricks, and resources that can help others find genealogical information in a pinch.”

NMRT Notes, May 1
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Aaron Tay writes: “Evaluation frameworks are a serious thread in information literacy, collection assessment, and procurement. The demand for them is real. My worry is that many evaluation matrices try to do too much at once. They aim to be universal. They give every criterion a score. They weight too many things equally. They also rely heavily on qualitative impressions, including for the thing that matters most when evaluating search tools: Whether the tool can retrieve and rank useful material.”

Aaron Tay’s Musings about Librarianship, Apr. 29

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