“Food connects us to someone we miss,” says Rosie Grant, digital librarian for American Jewish University in Los Angeles and outreach and communications manager at UCLA. “It connects all of our senses to that person or memory.” Grant, who is known as @ghostlyarchive on TikTok, went viral last year for trying recipes etched on gravestones … Continue reading Recipe in Peace
As of late, bureaucratic practices in higher education have been steeped in a neoliberal ideology that manifests as managerialism, or applying a corporate model to run a nonprofit or academic institution. Neoliberalism emphasizes capitalist free-market values, including a focus on efficiency, maximizing productivity, and individualism over collectivism. With managerialism, academic libraries are asked to adopt … Continue reading Question the Bureaucracy
For some people experiencing burnout, the solution has been quiet quitting, the phenomenon of employees doing the absolute bare minimum. The quitting part is a misnomer. Individuals aren’t quitting their jobs; they are setting clear boundaries. Quiet quitting is about self-preservation. A January survey found that more than one-third of US workers have disengaged (up … Continue reading Don’t Ignore Quiet Quitting
In Episode 83, Call Number highlights how libraries and librarians are supporting small business owners—particularly those who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color. First, American Libraries Associate Editor Megan Bennett talks with Madeleine Ildefonso, managing librarian at Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL). They discuss LAPL’s Be a Successful Street Vendor program, a new offering … Continue reading Call Number Podcast: Supporting Small Business
Many academic libraries have pivoted away from subject-based or discipline-based liaison models, which have traditionally relied on designated staffers to build relationships with faculty and act as points of contact for specific services. They are now switching to team-based models that prioritize functions like teaching, learning, research support, outreach, and collection strategies. The idea is … Continue reading Sustainable Service Models
During the panel discussion “Building Bridges into Library Leadership,” five women who were recently appointed to top positions within their institutions shared experiences, challenges, and advice, highlighting the importance of expanding opportunities for women. Rachel Rubin, dean of libraries and archives at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, in Canada, encouraged those in hiring … Continue reading What Leadership Looks Like
American Libraries spoke with the creators of two initiatives—virtual reality programs for medical students at Greenblatt Library at Augusta (Ga.) University (AU) and a specialized book club for pediatric staff at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). Both innovations were presented at the 2022 Medical Library Association’s Annual Conference and demonstrate the impact of medical librarianship. … Continue reading On the Cutting Edge
Here’s what I found in my research—which involved 1,200 newspaper and periodical articles—when I looked into her story. After graduating in 1952 from the historically Black college and university of Miles College in Fairfield, Alabama, Lucy and her friend Pollie Myers decided to apply to the all-white University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Because neither identified … Continue reading Another Hidden Figure in Library History
Swamp pop was a favorite among teens in the region, according to Sandy Himel, associate professor and head of government information and the Cajun and Creole Music Collection at University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette). She grew up with it, and it holds a special place in her heart. “I’m a native of Ville … Continue reading Bookend: Beats from the Bayou
In sharing my frustration with others, I learned there was nothing novel about this scenario. Other librarians had experienced this phenomenon, which I refer to as a pipeline issue. The experience led me to write a paper, “Best Practices for Talent Acquisition in 21st-Century Academic Libraries,” rethinking traditional approaches to recruitment and retention. I went … Continue reading Leveraging Talent
Assessment work is multifaceted and needs both leadership and expertise to be successful. When assessments include matters of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), you have an even more complex situation. Traditional library assessment practices often exclude DEI elements, or many academic libraries may be unsure about DEI assessments. Yet it’s crucial to consider: If institutions … Continue reading The Value of a DEI Audit
“You’re gonna get on a tour with a real local, born and raised,” says Meader, who is also reference librarian at Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) in South Portland. “The route literally goes by where I work [and] my high school.” During the two-hour excursion, the tour van stops at three lighthouses, including Spring Point … Continue reading Bookend: The Man with a Van
