#alaac23 Archives | Page 2 of 4 | American Libraries Magazine

Council III: Inquiry into Conference Date Changes Approved

By Megan Bennett | June 26, 2023

The meeting began with memorial resolutions honoring Josephine Maria (Riss) Fang (M-#8); David Goodman (M-#9); Chris Cottrill (M-#10); Jen Angel (M-#11); Bill Ott (M-#12); Kristen A. Cooper (M-#13); Esperanza Bravo de Varona (M-#14); Helene Lafrance (M-#15); James Henry Jacobs, Jr. (M-#16); Paul Cappuzzello (M-#17); Patricia A. Wand (M-#18); David S. Baugh (M-#19); Rebecca Taylor Bingham … Continue reading Council III: Inquiry into Conference Date Changes Approved →

Andiswa Mfengu, lecturer in the Department of Knowledge and Information Stewardship at the University of Cape Town talks about how the OCLC New Model Library Framework applies to libraries in Africa at the American Library Association's 2023 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago.

A Global New Normal

By Carrie Smith | June 26, 2023

The session “From Pandemic to Endemic: Global Experiences and Perspectives on an OCLC New Model Library Framework” brought together library workers from three continents alongside members of the research team who created the model to explore commonalities and key differences in how international libraries experienced the pandemic. Clara M. Chu, director of the Mortenson Center … Continue reading A Global New Normal →

Jarrett J. Krosoczka, author of the Lunch Lady series, speaks at "Listen to Win: Hearing from Audiobook Winners and the Judges Who Select Them,” a June 26 session at the American Library Association’s 2023 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago.

Making Audiobooks Special

By Diana Panuncial | June 26, 2023

“I had heard that for years, and years, and years,” he said. When he got the chance to turn the series into audiobooks, he dived deep into such ideas and experimented with all the ways he could bring a graphic novel to life for listeners as an audio producer for the Lunch Lady series. At … Continue reading Making Audiobooks Special →

Becky Calzada wearing a blue blouse, glasses and holding right hand in air as she speaks into microphone

Become Challenge-Ready

By Sanhita SinhaRoy | June 26, 2023

By working on these two areas, libraries can better prepare for potential materials challenges at their institutions, according to panelists on “Is Your Library Challenge-Ready?” a June 26 program at the American Library Association’s 2023 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago. “We can’t just hope it doesn’t happen and not be prepared for it,” said … Continue reading Become Challenge-Ready →

Planting Seeds of Joy

By Diana Panuncial | June 26, 2023

That was the question presented by Rebecca Hass, programming and outreach manager at Anne Arundel County (Md.) Public Library, at “Building Joy-Centric Libraries,” a June 26 session held during the American Library Association’s 2023 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago. Hass discussed the concepts of joy, how it can be worked into every interaction into … Continue reading Planting Seeds of Joy →

Jeanie Austin speaks at a podium during a session at ALA's Annual Conference and Exhibition.

Setting the Standards

By Megan Bennett | June 26, 2023

“I stood up and said, ‘I’m going to become a librarian,’” James remembered. “The laughter was quite intense.” Despite being told it was “unrealistic,” James went on to receive his master’s degree in information science from University of Texas at Austin in 2007. Since then, he’s worked with several American Library Association (ALA) groups advocating … Continue reading Setting the Standards →

James Patterson on Libraries, Librarians, and Book Bans

By Greg Landgraf | June 26, 2023

Patterson’s upcoming book, The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians: True Stories of the Magic of Reading (Little, Brown, 2024), shares stories from dozens of librarians and booksellers. But he attended American Library Association’s 2023 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago largely in support of Amina Luqman-Dawson, whose Freewater won both the Newbery Medal and … Continue reading James Patterson on Libraries, Librarians, and Book Bans →

Children’s book author and poet Nikki Grimes at the American Library Association’s 2023 Annual Conference and Exhibition on June 24.

Completing the Walk

By Terra Dankowski | June 25, 2023

Children’s book author and poet Nikki Grimes strode to the podium and read passages from her forthcoming title, A Walk in the Woods (Neal Porter Books, September). The audience at the American Library Association’s 2023 Annual Conference and Exhibition on June 24 was rapt. The room was still, except for some rustling and verse, a … Continue reading Completing the Walk →

Stephanie Robertson, assistant professor and outreach librarian at Brigham Young University-Hawaii, speaks at the “It’s Not Either/Or!: How to Include Open Access Materials to Transform Curriculum and Collections” session at the American Library Association’s Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago June 25.

Blending Open Access and Traditionally Published Materials

By Greg Landgraf | June 25, 2023

“I think that to have a collection that is high-quality and has the layers of complexity you would expect from a collection, you need both OER and traditionally published materials,” said Robertson, assistant professor and outreach librarian at Brigham Young University-Hawaii, in the “It’s Not Either/Or!: How to Include Open Access Materials to Transform Curriculum … Continue reading Blending Open Access and Traditionally Published Materials →

Mark Oshiro (left) and Robin Gow speak at the “Beyond the Middle School Rainbow: Intersectionality in LGBTQIA+ Middle Grade Books” session on June 25 at ALA's Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago.

‘The Kids Get It’

By Megan Bennett | June 25, 2023

Having access to stories about young, queer girls of color, she said, could have avoided years of shame. “It could’ve made me feel like even if my parents don’t know about this, there are people out there who are just like me, and I’m going to be okay one day,” Ortega said. “It would’ve not … Continue reading ‘The Kids Get It’ →

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden smiles on stage at the "In Conversation with Carla Hayden" session at the ALA Annual Conference

A Presidential Center Preview

By Greg Landgraf | June 25, 2023

“The presidency that is the main thrust of this particular story is also the story of the first digital president,” said Obama Presidential Center museum director Dr. Louise Bernard. Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden interviewed Bernard and Chicago Public Library Commissioner Chris Brown about the Center at the American Library Association’s Annual Conference and … Continue reading A Presidential Center Preview →

Melanie Huggins, executive director of Richland Library in Columbia, South Carolina, speaks in front of microphone with her hands in air

Rethinking Everything

By Sanhita SinhaRoy | June 25, 2023

Huggins co-presented with Patrick Quattlebaum, CEO of Harmonic Design, an Atlanta-based service design company, at “Leadership by Design: A Human-Centered Approach for Library Leaders,” a June 25 session of the American Library Association’s (ALA) 2023 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago. Library leaders across the country—new and seasoned alike—are facing increasingly complex community challenges, from … Continue reading Rethinking Everything →

Latest Library Links

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Megan Bennett writes: “From the iconic to the incendiary, political messages like these have emblazoned buttons and pins since the start of US elections. Since 2012, Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has been archiving political buttons. The collection now spans thousands of items over a century’s worth of campaigns and causes. The collection has approximately 4,800 buttons and pins and 200 stickers. Most fit into one of three categories: campaigns (local and national), sociopolitical movements, and community organizations like unions.”

American Libraries column, Nov./Dec.
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Cindy Hohl writes: “Recognizing all of humanity in libraries requires a thoughtful approach and a humble spirit. I believe that we, as information professionals, have been called to this work because of our shared values. Every day, library workers provide a vital public function. We are entrusted to serve our communities, and we know that the best way to serve the public good is to welcome everyone into libraries to access accurate information.”

American Libraries column, Nov./Dec.
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Anne Ford writes: “For Susan Brown, December 17, 2004, was a perfectly normal day—until she saw the elevator doors open. Brown, director of Transylvania University’s J. Douglas Gay Jr./Frances Carrick Thomas Library in Lexington, Kentucky, was walking past the staff elevator on the library’s main level when the doors parted and she reflexively glanced inside. Her gaze locked on the great red books held by two young men inside. On the 20th anniversary of what became known as the Transy book heist, American Libraries looks back at one of the most brazen and puzzling thefts ever to take place in an academic library.

American Libraries feature, Nov./Dec.
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Chase Hunter writes: “Chabot College Library and Learning Center in Hayward, California, held a ceremonial opening last week, but students have already gone so often that it’s quickly become a campus cornerstone. More than 35,000 Chabot College students have visited the new library and learning center—the tallest building on campus—this semester, already surpassing last year’s total. The new building’s geometric clean lines and splashes of orange—the school’s color—over a chrome exterior is attracting students in a way that Chabot College hasn’t experienced since the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The Mercury News (San Jose, California), Oct. 28
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Michelle Ehrhardt writes: “Like the Metaverse and NFTs before it, it feels near impossible to follow tech news right now without hearing about Artificial Intelligence (AI). I understand it can get annoying: The tech is still in development, and everyone’s still figuring out the ethics of generating AI Art, or how to make it not suck. It’s tempting to write AI off entirely. There are a few key use cases I’ve found where AI shines better than pretty much any other alternative. As an AI skeptic, here’s where I think AI is most useful.”

Lifehacker, Oct. 28
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Katherine Klosek writes: “The Librarian of Congress—based on recommendations by the register of copyrights—issued an expansion to the 2021 Digital Millennium Copyright Act regulation that permits researchers to circumvent technological protection measures to conduct text and data mining research. The updated regulation clarifies that academic researchers can securely access research collections of literary works or motion pictures hosted by other institutions of higher education for purposes of collaboration, or to facilitate their own independent research projects.”

Association of Research Libraries News, Oct. 28
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Michele Gile and Matthew Rodriguez write: “A group of Huntington Beach (Calif.) residents known as ‘Protect HB’ said they’ve gathered enough valid signatures to try repealing a new ordinance that could impact which books are put on public library shelves. More than 15,000 people have signed a petition that’s headed to the city clerk. If valid, voters will decide whether the city council majority’s community parent-garden review board [which has relocated books on puberty and potty training to the adult section] will exist.”

KCAL-TV (Los Angeles), Oct. 28

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