#alamw15 Archives | Page 4 of 5 | American Libraries Magazine

Saturday Ignite Session: Diversity, Website Optimization, and Partnerships

by George M. Eberhart | January 31, 2015

ALA held its first official Midwinter Ignite session on Saturday morning, after introducing them successfully at the ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas. Ignite presentations are five minutes long and are accompanied by 20 slides that advance automatically every 15 seconds, keeping both the speakers and their audience on their toes. The six topics presented … Continue reading Saturday Ignite Session: Diversity, Website Optimization, and Partnerships →

Comic Books Promote Literacy, Diversity

by Mariam Pera | January 31, 2015

“I can do with a picture so much more than I can do with words,” said Cece Bell, author of the graphic memoir El Deafo, during the ERT/Booklist Author Forum on Friday at the 2015 ALA Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits. Bell, who has a hearing disability, explained that simply writing about her experience of growing … Continue reading Comic Books Promote Literacy, Diversity →

Promotion for Craighead County (Ark.) Jonesboro Public Library's Concerts on the Lawn series

Targeted Library Marketing: Get A Little Risky

By Sanhita SinhaRoy | January 31, 2015

When Ben Bizzle joined the Craighead County (Ark.) Jonesboro Public Library in 2008, he helped introduce the staff to a culture of creativity where people were not afraid to fail. That philosophy has remained key for staff members as they have increased the library’s profile within the community by using technology, social media, and a … Continue reading Targeted Library Marketing: Get A Little Risky →

U.S. senator tells librarians: ‘Get organized’

by George Eberhart | January 31, 2015

The Washington Office Update program Saturday morning, “Whither Washington: The 2014 Election and What It Means for Libraries,” got off to a powerful start with the appearance of Richard Durbin, who has represented Illinois as a Democratic senator since 1997. Durbin claimed the ALA Midwinter Meeting audience with his reminiscence of working as a clerk … Continue reading U.S. senator tells librarians: ‘Get organized’ →

Top Ten(ish) Tweets – Friday (Day 1)

by Julie Cai | January 31, 2015

Wooo, it’s day one of Midwinter! The twitterverse is bustling with happy arrivals, anticipation, humor, inspiration, and a whole lot of festive spirit. Exhibits opened! Inspiration from the ERT/Booklist Author Forum … The #alaleftbehind were dealing with missing Midwinter in various ways … Some fluffy friends were also #alaleftbehind! Bonus tweet! Remember to use #alamw15 … Continue reading Top Ten(ish) Tweets – Friday (Day 1) →

Latest Library Links, January 31, 2015

January 30, 2015

Midwinter Meeting News US senator tells librarians: “Get organized” Welcome to Jason Segel’s Nightmare Ben Bizzle on targeted library marketing: Get a little risky Comic books promote literacy, diversity Ignite Session: Diversity, website optimization, and partnerships Booklist / ERT Author Forum: Bell, Smith, Mouly, Yang parts one and two (video) Author Cece Bell at Booklist / … Continue reading Latest Library Links, January 31, 2015 →

Knight News Challenge announces winners of $3 million in grants

By Sanhita SinhaRoy | January 30, 2015

ALA President Courtney L. Young opened the session, drawing a parallel between the mission of the Knight Foundation and ALA, both of which, she said, believe in the democratizing effect of keeping the public informed and engaged. This year’s News Challenge received 680 submissions, which were narrowed down to 41 semifinalists. In the end, 22 … Continue reading Knight News Challenge announces winners of $3 million in grants →

Selecting the (Mock) Newbery and Caldecott Winners

By Greg Landgraf | January 27, 2015

Zinkovich operates the mock election as an activity for 4th- and 5th-graders that takes place during the school’s end-of-day study hall period. At the beginning of the year, the group discussed criteria for the award. Since then, the club has met every three weeks to discuss books. “After a bit of trial and error, we’ve … Continue reading Selecting the (Mock) Newbery and Caldecott Winners →

Who Inspires You? Submissions

January 23, 2015

She’s the one who gave you your first library card as a child; introduced you to librarianship at a pivotal moment in your life; or served as a mentor and guide in your professional career. He’s the librarian who made you who you are today. They’re your inspiration. ALA members are telling American Libraries about … Continue reading Who Inspires You? Submissions →

2015 ALA Midwinter Preview

By Mariam Pera | January 2, 2015

Sandburg could have been talking about librarians. As societal and technological shifts continue to influence (and create gaps in) who has access to information and how, librarians’ roles as the bridges connecting different and diverse communities to relevant resources becomes more prominent. Big shoulders indeed. Librarians from around the world will arrive in Chicago for … Continue reading 2015 ALA Midwinter Preview →

Hot Eats for Cold Nights

By Kate Silver | December 30, 2014

While the ultimate Windy City comfort foods are the oh-so-familiar Chicago-style hot dogs and deep dish pizza, each neighborhood offers its own soothing culinary creature comfort: noodles in Chinatown, tacos in Pilsen, and reinvented diner fare in the trendy West Loop. (All of the spots listed within this guide are within an easy El or … Continue reading Hot Eats for Cold Nights →

Making the Most of Midwinter

By Mariam Pera | December 22, 2014

Staying up to date Experts will give the latest updates on policy, research, statistics, technology, and more in the News You Can Use sessions. Sponsors include ALA divisions and offices, the ALA Digital Content and Libraries Working Group, and high-profile external organizations. Hear your colleagues describe the latest in-house innovations at the ALA Masters Series. … Continue reading Making the Most of Midwinter →

Latest Library Links

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Maddie Hanna writes: “The Radnor school board voted April 22 to restore three books that were removed in February from Radnor (Pa.) High School’s library, after impassioned pleas from community members to reject censorship and support LGBTQ students. The board voted 6–0, with three members abstaining, to return Gender Queer, Fun Home, and Blankets to the high school library. The vote reversed decisions by an ad hoc committee appointed by the district’s superintendent that determined the books—all graphic novels, with some sexual depictions—were not age appropriate.”

Philadelphia Inquirer, Apr. 23; Patch.com, Mar. 7
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Jack Dura writes: “North Dakota’s Republican governor Kelly Armstrong on April 23 vetoed bills to further restrict sexual content in libraries and to create a private school voucher program, rejecting two measures that have seen widespread support by GOP governors in other states. The library bill would have expanded North Dakota’s 2023 prohibition on ‘explicit sexual material’ in public libraries to school districts, and require those entities to have policies for relocating such material ‘to an area in the library not easily accessible to minors.’” The Senate’s attempt to override the veto failed on April 25.

Associated Press, Apr. 23; KFYR-TV (Bismarck, N.D.), Apr. 26
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Since early April, numerous libraries and library organizations have received notices that their federal grant awards—such as those from the Institute of Museum and Library Services—have been terminated. ALA is responding to these politically motivated attacks on library funding with public advocacy and litigation. In addition, ALA has encouraged grantees who receive a termination notice to consider several suggestions.

ALA Public Policy and Advocacy Office, Apr. 22
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Anne Ford writes: “Adele Puccio, director of Maurice M. Pine Free Public Library in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, comes by her wedding dress obsession honestly. ‘When I was a kid, my great-aunt was the buyer at [famous New York bridal boutique] Kleinfeld’s, so I used to go over and look at all the dresses,” she says. “Other people were buying Seventeen; I was buying Brides.’ Decades later, Puccio’s passion now manifests itself in a rotating collection of vintage and modern bridal gowns, which she stores in her library office and loans to any bride who asks.”

American Libraries column, Mar./Apr.
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Martha Meyer writes: “About three in five young adults worldwide report they are “worried” about climate change, but 55% of teachers don’t address the topic because they feel unprepared to do so. And when it comes to books that present climate information to preschool- and elementary-age kids, many titles end up exacerbating readers’ fears or engaging in greenwashing. Our mid-size Midwestern public library thought: Why not develop an award to honor excellent titles that buck this trend?”

American Libraries column, Mar./Apr.
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“Greening your library with limited resources and lukewarm buy-in might seem overwhelming. But sustainability is also about committing to small changes. Here’s a list of low-lift ideas that libraries of any type or size can start incorporating.” Libraries can develop zero-waste programming, start seed libraries, forge partnerships to reuse waste, host repair cafes, and much more.

American Libraries feature, Mar./Apr.
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Minyoung Kim writes: “In the summer of 2024, I spent eight weeks at the American Antiquarian Society (AAS) for my first paper conservation internship. Under the guidance of Chief Conservator Babette Gehnrich—who has dedicated over 35 years to stewarding this remarkable collection—I had the privilege of engaging in various conservation projects. Through this internship, I came to appreciate how AAS’s vast collection, comprising over four million items, embodies American history not only through its texts and imagery but also through traces of use, repair, and past conservation efforts.”

Past is Present, Apr. 22

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