#alamw16 Archives | Page 3 of 4 | American Libraries Magazine

Attendees at the Collection Development Discussion Group

Collaboration and Competition in Collection Development

By Erika L. Jenns | January 10, 2016

To start the discussion, Priddle asked attendees to discuss any new or interesting collections, either at their own institutions or that they had heard about elsewhere. Lois Black, the special collections curator at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, mentioned a donation of 1,100 volumes from an alumnus to her institution. The donation was comprised largely … Continue reading Collaboration and Competition in Collection Development →

Beth Kilmarx (left) and Charlotte Priddle, RBMS Curators and Conservators Discussion Group co-conveners

Just Lines in a Spreadsheet?

By Erika L. Jenns | January 10, 2016

Nearly every special collections repository sends some items to an offsite storage facility. As a result, curators and conservators are dealing with issues related to access to and transport for those materials on an almost daily basis. When attendees were asked to raise a hand if their institution sent special collections materials, manuscript or print, … Continue reading Just Lines in a Spreadsheet? →

Kelly Coyle-Crivelli opens the Penguin Random House Book Buzz Theater session.

Something for Everyone

By Erika L. Jenns | January 10, 2016

Warcraft: Bonds of Brotherhood by Paul Cornell Axiom by Mark Waid Hellboy in Mexico by Mike Mignola; illustrated by Richard Corben, Mick McMahon, Fábio Moon, Gabriel Bá, and Dave Stuart Rivers of London: Body Work by Ben Aaronovitch The Blacklist Vol 1: The Gambler by Nicole Dawn Phillips Archie Vol. 1 by Mark Waid; illustrated by Fiona … Continue reading Something for Everyone →

Lizzie Velásquez at the ALA 2016 Midwinter Meeting

How One Person Can Change the World

By Amy Carlton | January 10, 2016

Velásquez sat down with American Libraries before giving the Arthur Curley Memorial Lecture at Midwinter and discussed her upcoming projects and how she feels now about social media. Her new memoir—her fourth book—will be released in spring 2017. She calls it “my dream book” and says it is more personal than the inspirational tomes she’s … Continue reading How One Person Can Change the World →

Council I Passes Resolution on Islamophobia

By Amy Carlton and Laurie D. Borman | January 10, 2016

President-Elect Julie B. Todaro, chair of the 2015–2016 Committee on Committees, presented the nominations for the 2016–2017 election by Council of three Executive Board members (CD#11). The nominees are Vicki Morris Emery, Andrew K. Pace, John C. De Santis, Karen E. Downing, Kimberly Ann Patton, and Ann Crewdson. There were no nominations from the floor. … Continue reading Council I Passes Resolution on Islamophobia →

Diversity Research Update

By Willie M. Miller | January 10, 2016

Sarah Lightner, Ohio State University, talked about her project, “Development of Texts That Mediate and Facilitate Diversity in Adolescent Classrooms,” which addressed the problem of barriers to fruitful discussion on the topics of race, gender, and sexuality in secondary classrooms. Lightner said her “research is a critical literary analysis for the purpose of creating alternative, … Continue reading Diversity Research Update →

Top Ten Tweets—Friday (Day 1)

By Julie Cai | January 10, 2016

The countdown to Midwinter 2016 is over. Midwinter is here! It’s day one and excitement is stirring IRL (in real life) and on the interwebs. Follow #alamw16 to keep up with what’s going on in Boston: You never know who you will meet at conference! This real talk delivered by author Cassandra Clare: The opening … Continue reading Top Ten Tweets—Friday (Day 1) →

Colleen Theisen, Susie Kirk, and Richert Schnorr

How Do You YouTube?

By Sanhita SinhaRoy | January 9, 2016

Theisen’s online video series, Staxpedition, tries to break down these barriers. “We have a will and an enthusiasm, but none of us knows anything about video, and we just really wanted to make them,” she said. Joining Theisen on the panel were Susie Kirk of Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, and Richert Schnorr of … Continue reading How Do You YouTube? →

YALSA Session Provides Learning Lab Insights

By Terra Dankowski | January 9, 2016

This is how Koh kicked off the “YALSA Trends Impacting YA Services: Competencies Needed to Provide Teen Library Services of the Future” program at ALA Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits on Saturday, showcasing the research she and June Abbas, an associate professor also at OU SLIS, conducted on informal learning and community learning centers in libraries. … Continue reading YALSA Session Provides Learning Lab Insights →

Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services explains merger between OLOS and Office for Diversity

Moving Beyond the OLOS / Diversity Office Merger

By Erika L. Jenns | January 9, 2016

In its role facilitating the merger, ALA’s Committee on Organization has put forth two changes to the OLOS Advisory Committee, changing its name to the “Equity and Inclusion Office Advisory Committee” and establishing its new mission (reprinted in full below). Unsurprisingly, the announcement of this merger caused concern among the members in attendance at the … Continue reading Moving Beyond the OLOS / Diversity Office Merger →

Building Fantastic Worlds for Tweens

By Phil Morehart | January 9, 2016

Moderated by noted fantasy editor Sharyn November, the forum was lively and often filled with laughter, with the authors feeding off the audience’s enthusiasm for the subject and their respective work. Notwithstanding the light tone, serious topics were addressed. Discussing depictions of young girls and boys in their work and in the fantasy genre as … Continue reading Building Fantastic Worlds for Tweens →

Colorado State Library School Libraries Infographic

Data Visualization for the
Rest of Us

By Sanhita SinhaRoy | January 9, 2016

So Hofschire and her colleagues created a one-page legal-size infographic that summed up more than two decades of data. While it was only a general snapshot, she says, “This was the piece that our users needed to start that conversation with their stakeholders.” And it had a tremendously positive impact. That was three years ago. … Continue reading Data Visualization for the
Rest of Us →

Latest Library Links

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Cara S. Bertram writes: “As we look forward to book award ceremonies at the ALA Annual Conference in San Diego this summer, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the history of one of the most prestigious children’s book awards, the Caldecott Medal. The idea was first presented in 1935 in a letter by Frederic G. Melcher,” who had established the Newbery Medal in 1921. Melcher’s suggestion was prompted when Professor May Hill Arbuthnot of Western Reserve University in Cleveland communicated the concern that the Newbery was not recognizing literature for the youngest children.

American Library Association Archives, Apr. 29
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Kristi Kellogg writes: “Images are an essential component of online content—and it’s obvious why. Images aren’t just pretty—they’re powerful marketing tools that help you stand out. Whether you’re creating a social media post, a webpage, an ebook, a blog post, or something else, adding visuals goes a long way in improving the overall user experience. However, you can’t just pull images off the internet and use them—and it’s your responsibility to determine if and how you can use the image without breaking the law.”

Search Engine Journal, Apr. 6
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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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