All because she spoke at a public library board meeting last year. “I said, ‘Hate and fear have no place in Livingston Parish,’” says Jones. “It was an innocuous speech, a speech on censorship that any librarian would give.” The meeting, which occurred in July 2022, was intended to address general book content at Livingston … Continue reading How We Fight Back
“What Moms for Liberty isn’t doing is advocacy—it’s a takeover,” said Emily Amick, an attorney, social media influencer, and founder of political change nonprofit For Facts Sake. “I want to push you to think bigger about what we’re up against and how to fight it.” Amick was the featured speaker at “Fight Book Bans: Frame … Continue reading Methods for Mobilizing
As I contemplate the future of libraries, I am reminded of adrienne maree brown’s book Emergent Strategy. In the chapter “Intentional Adaptation: How We Change,” she describes the need to be an active participant in change—to not resist but embrace it—and to be as intentional as possible during the process while being in community with … Continue reading Until We Meet Again
It’s maddening that so few people outside the library profession—even those we work with—see what is going on. But unfortunately, it’s not surprising. These days, news events reported across too many platforms compete for our limited time and attention. As local news outlets diminish, so does reporting on community events like school or public library … Continue reading Let’s Get Loud
The four-day hybrid conference, now in its third year, is designed by and for authors, publishers, booksellers, and librarians. The first day of programming covered two curated tracks: “Libraries Are Essential” and “Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities in Conversation.” The tracks addressed several common themes, including how librarians are experiencing burnout as a result … Continue reading Standing Together
In summer 2021, several parents and community members challenged a handful of books at the school, including the memoir Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe. In response, Kirtley and about 40 of her peers met that fall at a student-run social justice club to discuss how to respond. They made plans to attend the next school … Continue reading Meeting The Challenge
This year, there is a remarkably brief window for action: the deadline for signatures is March 20. The Library Services and Technology Act (LTSA) letter, circulated by US Reps. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Don Bacon (R-Neb.), urges House of Representatives appropriators to provide $232 million for LSTA to fund a wide range of essential library … Continue reading ALA Launches FY2024 #FundLibraries Campaign
In a milieu of uncertainty caused by worldwide shutdowns, Brooks, executive director of Friends of the Library, Montgomery County (FOLMC) in Maryland and a United for Libraries board member, didn’t know if it was insensitive to ask the community to support the library with donations. She attended a workshop in 2020 on fundraising during a … Continue reading Getting Back to Giving Back
At “Library Workers: Organize and Activate,” a January 29 session at the American Library Association’s (ALA) 2023 LibLearnX conference in New Orleans, panelists described the campaigns—and injustices—that compelled them to first get involved with activism within the profession. The program, moderated by ALA President Lessa Kanani‘opua Pelayo-Lozada and ALA President-Elect Emily Drabinski, touched upon panelists’ … Continue reading Get Organized
One of our greatest strengths is the simple and singular tool of using our united voice. When we unite our voices: We have the volume and power of a choir to amplify messages and make positive changes. Our message is informed by our unique and varied life experiences, our ancestors, and the goals we have … Continue reading One Voice
In Episode 78, Call Number with American Libraries presents its “2022 Author Chats.” Featured in this installment are never-before-released clips from conversations with actor John Cho; Newbery Medal–winning graphic novelist Jerry Craft; comic book artist Kevin Eastman; broadcast journalist Maria Hinojosa; Banned Books Week honorary chair George M. Johnson; historian Ibram X. Kendi; and Newbery … Continue reading Call Number Podcast: 2022 Author Chats
American Libraries spoke with three members of the library community who have rallied in support of Ukraine through efforts to preserve cultural information, raise funds for its libraries and affected population, and help its refugees settle in new places: Kristin Parker, lead curator and manager of the arts at Boston Public Library (BPL); Michael Dowling, … Continue reading A Helping Hand
