ALA Midwinter Meeting and Exhibits Archives | Page 9 of 12

Council I Votes on Sustainability

By Amy Carlton | January 27, 2019

The minutes from the 2018 ALA Annual Conference (CD#2) were adopted. ALA Past President Courtney L. Young gave the report of the ALA Executive Director Search Committee (CD#34), which will begin its work in February. Candidates for Chapter Councilor to the committee are Susan Jennings, Samantha C. Helmick, Matt Beckstrom, and David Dahl. Councilor-at-large Round … Continue reading Council I Votes on Sustainability →

Melissa Lockaby, assistant professor of library science at the University of North Georgia, demonstrates how not to greet patrons in libraries.

Soft Skills: Hard to Teach?

By Lindsay Gypin | January 27, 2019

Melissa Lockaby, assistant professor of library science at the University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, drew on her background in human resources to present a career development workshop on “The Soft Skills: What Library School Doesn’t Teach You” at ALA’s 2019 Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in Seattle on Saturday, January 26. As a veteran library professional … Continue reading Soft Skills: Hard to Teach? →

Midwinter 2019 Top 10 Tweets—Day 2

By Crystal Carrazco | January 27, 2019

Me entering #ALAMW19 for the first time pic.twitter.com/Y3cJpb4iSR — Kelly Knox (@kelly_knox) January 26, 2019 We started the day with listening to the amazing Sylvia Acevedo. https://twitter.com/abbylibrarian/status/1089229910940372992 The exhibits were open for a full day today and well, some attendees, couldn’t contain themselves. https://twitter.com/_ACoops_/status/1089299370552356864 It’s also a great day to stop by a booth and … Continue reading Midwinter 2019 Top 10 Tweets—Day 2 →

Podcast panel at the PopTop Stage, ALA 2019 Midwinter Meeting, Seattle. From left to right: Gwen Glazer, Joseph Janes, Adriane Herrick Juarez, Phil Morehart.

Podcast Pros

By Terra Dankowski | January 27, 2019

Phil Morehart, host of the Dewey Decibel podcast and senior editor of American Libraries, assembled a panel of librarian podcasters to tackle this question and others at “So You Want to Podcast…,” a PopTop Stage program at the American Library Association’s 2019 Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in Seattle on January 26. Joining moderator Morehart in … Continue reading Podcast Pros →

Sarah Studer and Arnold Phommavong at the "Libraries Transform: Social Innovation" program at the ALA 2019 Midwinter Meeting in Seattle.

Innovating with Creativity and Empathy

By Terra Dankowski | January 27, 2019

“[It’s remembering that] the people most affected by the problem have the best ideas on how to solve the problem,” said Sarah Studer, assistant director of the Arthur W. Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business. Studer shared with library professionals her philosophy on collective action and using business … Continue reading Innovating with Creativity and Empathy →

Sylvia Acevedo at the ALA 2019 Midwinter Meeting in Seattle.

Gratitude and Rocket Science

By Amy Carlton | January 27, 2019

Acevedo grew up on a dirt road in the desert of Las Cruces, New Mexico, the daughter of a Mexican-American father and a Mexican mother who spoke little English. They moved often and sometimes had to live with relatives because money was tight. But young Sylvia excelled in school, went to college and was one … Continue reading Gratitude and Rocket Science →

ALA President Loida Garcia-Febo at the Rally for Libraries, Seattle Public Library.

Libraries = Strong Communities Tour Reaches Seattle

By Steve Zalusky | January 26, 2019

An estimated crowd of 150 vociferous library supporters, many holding signs supporting public and school libraries, gathered about the podium as Garcia-Febo fired up the crowd with a stirring call to action on behalf of libraries of all types. Several audience members held up signs with the hashtag #spslibrarians in support of libraries in Seattle … Continue reading Libraries = Strong Communities Tour Reaches Seattle →

Midwinter 2019 Top 10 Tweets—Day 1

By Crystal Carrazco | January 26, 2019

While it’s the first day, some people are still flying in and Find The Librarian is still being played by some folks. I love flying to ALA conferences because I can identify all the different species of librarians at 100 paces and so it’s great for my field journal #alamw19 — Beth DeBold (@eliza_audacis) January … Continue reading Midwinter 2019 Top 10 Tweets—Day 1 →

Midwinter 2019 Top 10 Tweets—Day 0

By Crystal Carrazco | January 25, 2019

First, we are excited for those of you who are joining us for your first ALA conference! #alamw19 So excited for my first ALA conference! Ready to learn, share and create something amazing! — Jenna James (@SoulSearchingJJ) January 25, 2019 Before you left the house, you had to make sure you packed the essentials. … Continue reading Midwinter 2019 Top 10 Tweets—Day 0 →

Newsmaker: Rick Steves

By Terra Dankowski | January 18, 2019

Steves will appear as an Auditorium Speaker at the American Library Association’s 2019 Midwinter Meeting in Seattle on January 27 to talk about the third edition of his book, Travel as a Political Act (Hachette Book Group, 2018). This month he releases Rick Steves Classroom Europe, a searchable resource of video clips that he hopes … Continue reading Newsmaker: Rick Steves →

Preview of the American Library Association's 2019 Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in Seattle.

2019 Midwinter Preview

By Greg Landgraf | January 2, 2019

Featured speakers Opening Session Friday, January 25, 4–5:15 p.m. Philanthropist Melinda Gates, cofounder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has dedicated her life to transforming the health and prosperity of families, communities, and societies. Core to her work is the empowerment of women and girls. Gates is the author of the forthcoming The Moment … Continue reading 2019 Midwinter Preview →

Reading Room at University of Washington’s Suzzallo Library (Photo: Katherine B. Turner)

By the Numbers: Literary Seattle

By Alison Marcotte | January 2, 2019

6 Number of years since the American Library Association last held its Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in the Emerald City. 85 Number of years that the Blue Moon Tavern—an iconic bar in Seattle’s University District—has been in operation. The watering hole was reputedly popular among poets Allen Ginsberg, Carolyn Kizer, Theodore Roethke, and Dylan … Continue reading By the Numbers: Literary Seattle →

Latest Library Links

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Rachée Fagg writes: “Reading, a gateway to knowledge and empowerment, serves as the cornerstone of education worldwide. However, for English as a Second Language (ESL) students, the journey of mastering this essential skill can present unique challenges. Traditional reading materials, laden with text, often intimidate and discourage ESL learners, hindering their progress. Wordless books, as the name suggests, eschew conventional text in favor of vivid illustrations that narrate compelling stories. By relying solely on visuals, these books transcend language barriers, inviting readers of all ability levels to embark on imaginative journeys.”

ALSC Blog, Apr. 26
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Keahi Adolpho and Stephen G. Krueger write: “This comprehensive review illuminates the current state of scholarly literature on trans and gender diverse inclusion in libraries, with the intention to provide a foundation and identify gaps for further research. We found that, with the exception of works on archives and cataloging, little scholarly literature goes beyond introductory talking points on basic information about trans and gender diverse people. We conclude with a call for much more in-depth research on this essential topic.”

In the Library with the Lead Pipe, Apr. 24
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Allison Escoto writes: “There’s no doubt about it. Librarianship can be a demanding career path, and the quest to find just the right work-life balance while managing stress is perennial. This eclectic collection of books speak to that delicate balance by covering the importance of wellness, preventing burnout, practicing mindfulness, and essential self-care practices.”

American Libraries column, May
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Emily Drabinski writes: “When you’re president of the ALA, you get asked a lot of questions. But here’s one that’s hard to answer: ‘What’s your favorite library?’ When you’ve seen as many amazing libraries as I have, it’s impossible to choose, so my favorite library is always the most recent one I’ve visited. As much as individual libraries are distinct, they also have a lot in common. Librarians select, acquire, describe, organize, and provide access to information. These fundamentals might look different in time and place, but they remain the core of our profession.”

American Libraries column, May
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Marshall Breeding writes: “The library technology industry had a quiet year in 2023. But in the absence of major business moves and acquisitions, companies set their sights on executing strategies to strengthen their market position. Previous cycles of business consolidation have yielded a layered landscape with distinct levels of competition. Competition at each level remains vigorous. Libraries may have fewer product choices because of past acquisitions, but the options remaining are distinctive. Most libraries can choose between for-profit and nonprofit vendors, and between proprietary and open source products.”

American Libraries feature, May
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ALA’s redesigned website went live on April 30. Upgrades include simplified menus, smoother navigation, enhanced functionality, and fewer pages for a cleaner experience. The enhanced calendar collects all events in one place with filters to search by topic, event type, location, audience, and more. A new awards and grants interface makes it easier to find and apply for funding opportunities. The new site is compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.2, and the Reference and User Services Association’s Accessibility Assembly is continuing efforts to improve accessibility.

ALA, Apr. 30
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Tania Otero Martinez writes: “Since a shocking plunge in math and reading scores on the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress, educators, administrators, and policymakers have grappled with how to address learning challenges following the pandemic. One factor that has largely escaped notice, however, is the role school libraries and librarians play in academic performance. School libraries are too often treated as a luxury rather than an essential part of the public education system with a proven impact on learning. It is time to turn around years of disinvestment in school libraries and librarians.”

Center for American Progress, Apr. 18

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