#alaac16 Archives | Page 2 of 6 | American Libraries Magazine

Top Ten(ish) Tweets – Monday (Day 4)

By Julie Cai | June 27, 2016

The end of conference means attendees are packing up, struggling to fit all their tote bags, ARCs, and swag into their luggage, and saying goodbye to old and new friends.

Marketing Your Library

By Terra Dankowski | June 27, 2016

Robbie Barber, media and education tech instructor at Woodland Middle School in Decatur, Georgia, kicked off her “Marketing Your Library: Developing Relationships Through Public Relations” session in a unique way: She shared her failures.

Jodi Shaw, Mary Beth Lock, Madeleine Charney, Raymond Pun

Striving for Sustainability

By Terra Dankowski | June 27, 2016

You might not give much thought to urban agriculture, campus conversations, reusable mugs, or student programs in the context of libraries or climate change, but the four librarians presenting “Planting the Seeds: Libraries and Librarians as Change Agents for Sustainability in Their Communities,” a session sponsored by the Sustainability Round Table at the American Library Association’s Annual Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, Florida, think these all have a role in combating environmental problems.

Jacquie Welsh, Leo Hayden, and Susan Woodwick

Preparing Inmates for Life After Prison

By Terra Dankowski | June 27, 2016

Jacquie Welsh was looking to undertake a project during her two-year residency at Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL), so she asked herself the question: “How can we innovate to make our libraries more accessible and more just?” What resulted was Pathways, a program designed to provide resources to those reentering the community after prison.

Holly Robinson Peete, RJ Peete, and Ryan Peete

Holly Robinson Peete with RJ and Ryan Elizabeth Peete: The Peete Street

By Meredith Myers | June 27, 2016

The girl from 21 Jump Street opened her Auditorium Speaker Series presentation talking about an entirely different street: Sesame Street.

Geek on the Cheap

By Phil Morehart | June 27, 2016

Successful geek programming for teens can be a costly endeavor. But there are shortcuts.

Programs for Diverse Teens

By Meredith Myers | June 27, 2016

Their program, “You Did What? Programs For Diverse Teens,” sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association, was so good it should have had a cover charge and two-drink minimum. Never has a morning meeting been more entertaining and made an audience of librarians wanting more. Programming ideas included an urban lit club; a game … Continue reading Programs for Diverse Teens →

Sustainable Thinking for Libraries

By Amy Carlton | June 27, 2016

Aldrich and her copresenter Matthew Bollerman of Hauppauge (N.Y.) Public Library, who spoke Saturday at the 2016 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, Florida, said libraries can become sustainable by focusing on the triple bottom line, a term borrowed from the accounting world. For libraries, this means finding the overlap between decisions that are environmentally … Continue reading Sustainable Thinking for Libraries →

Selections from the Prose Writings of Matthew Arnold, annotated by former University of Virginia President Edwin Alderman on the left, compared to a pristine copy downloaded from Google Books.

Hidden in Plain Sight

By George M. Eberhart | June 27, 2016

Three librarians from the University of Virginia described their Book Traces project, an effort to discover uniquely modified copies of pre-1923 books in the circulating collections of Alderman Library, in a Sunday program sponsored by the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services. Arts and Humanities Director Christine Ruotolo explained that the university has a long-standing tradition of emphasizing book history and bibliography and, because many of their books were originally donated by distinguished faculty and notable families in the Charlottesville area, many of them have potentially valuable modifications by their former owners—marginalia, inserts, inscriptions, annotations, and even doodles that can have evidential value for humanities scholars.

Council II Marks ALA’s 140th Anniversary

By Amy Carlton | June 27, 2016

Policy Monitoring Committee Chair Vicky Crone presented the Policy Monitoring Committee report (CD#17.1). A motion to insert a change to the policy manual adopted at the 2016 Midwinter Meeting passed. Sue Considine, chair of Committee on Organization, presented two action items (CD#27.1): Item 1 makes the definition of “subdivision” as an ALA division or round … Continue reading Council II Marks ALA’s 140th Anniversary →

From left: Joelle Pitts, Camille Chesley, Jami Schwarzwalder, Kelly Sattler, and Jeff Lacy

Gamification for Teens and College Students

By Kara Pauley | June 27, 2016

The panel included: moderator Breanne Kirsch, public services librarian at the University of South Carolina Upstate in Spartanburg; Joelle Pitts, instructional design librarian at Kansas State University Library in Manhattan, Kansas; Camille Chesley, reference and instruction librarian at the University of Montevallo in Alabama; Jami Schwarzwalder, teen librarian at South Hill Pierce County (Wash.) Library; … Continue reading Gamification for Teens and College Students →

Randa Kamal (left) and Diana Sayej-Naser

Academic Libraries in Palestine

By George M. Eberhart | June 27, 2016

Randa Kamal, director of the library at Al-Quds University in Jerusalem and president of the Palestinian Library and Information Association (PLIA), said one of the biggest challenges for her library is acquiring research materials. Books or journals that “discuss Palestinian culture or the Israeli-Arab conflict are prohibited” by the Israeli occupation forces and are subject … Continue reading Academic Libraries in Palestine →

Latest Library Links

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“A new Taylor Swift album is always a big event on the internet, including fans carefully reading into every line for hidden meaning—a little like close reading poetry. But while Swifties have celebrated Taylor Swift’s lyricism from the beginning, no album invites comparisons to literature quite like The Tortured Poets Department, if just for the title. Already, outlets have been putting together reading lists to pair with each song on the album. Here are just a few to get you started.”

Book Riot, Apr. 22
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Chris Hoffman writes: “When I was younger, I was told ‘never use your real name on the internet.’ But the world has changed, and I don’t follow that advice anymore. Likewise, there’s a lot of well-meaning online security advice that has outlasted its usefulness. There’s a core of truth to each one of the security practices I criticize below, but you shouldn’t blindly follow these old tips. At best, you’ll be wasting your time. At worst, you’ll be putting yourself more at risk. Read on to learn more about the five outdated security practices you shouldn’t use anymore.”

PC World, Apr. 17
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Bobbi L. Newman writes: “This week, an article from the BBC caught my attention: ‘Without support, many menopausal workers are quitting their jobs.’ Supporting employees going through menopause is important for those experiencing it and for everyone’s wellbeing. It reflects a commitment to employee wellbeing and a strategic approach to workforce management. Libraries can adopt strategies to support employees experiencing menopause, enhancing their wellbeing and workplace productivity. Remember, with all wellbeing, the goal is to support and empower staff to make the choices that best improve their health. Here are some practical approaches.”

Librarian by Day, Apr. 19; BBC, Apr. 9
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Libraries have a long history of helping to deliver on a wide variety of development goals, from literacy and school readiness to research productivity and urban cohesion. Their unique potential has been recognized not just by the governments or others that traditionally fund them, but also by a range of other funders, private and public alike. The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions has created a dataset to help librarians easily discover examples of private philanthropic grants, as well as other funding sources, that other libraries have been able to leverage.”

International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, Apr. 22
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Jackie Jennings writes: “It feels like the debate over whether #BookTok is bad has been raging since the moment the term was first coined. I’m starting off with a strong stance: BookTok is indeed bad. However, the problem with BookTok is not crappy books or bogus influencers. The problem with BookTok is TikTok itself. BookTok isn’t actually a community driven by fans, writers, influencers, or even publishers: it’s part of a social media corporation, controlled by the most mysterious, fickle god of all, the algorithm.” Not surprisingly, librarian recommendations can overcome some of BookTok’s limitations.

Jezebel, Apr. 18; Book Riot, Apr. 22
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ALA announced the launch of its state Intellectual Freedom Helpline grant program April 22. Over the next two years, 10 pilot program sites will operate a confidential reporting system that will help connect those experiencing censorship attempts with professional support, in-state peers, or referral to ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, as appropriate. State or school library associations or agencies wishing to either establish an Intellectual Freedom Helpline in their state or expand existing efforts may apply for $10,000 grants through July 14.

ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom, Apr. 22
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In celebration of the release of his latest nonfiction title, The Secret Lives of Booksellers & Librarians, bestselling author James Patterson is honoring select American Bookseller Association and American Library Association members with bonuses. He announced plans April 11 to give $200 each to 250 library workers across the country. The deadline for ALA members may nominate members to receive bonuses through April 30. Winners will be announced at ALA’s 2024 Annual Conference in San Diego.

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