#alamw18 Archives | Page 2 of 4 | American Libraries Magazine

Naomi Lederer, professor and college liaison librarian at Colorado State University (CSU) Libraries, shares CSU's Money Smart Week activities with Michael Dowling, director of the American Library Association’s (ALA) Chapter Relations Office.

Teaching Patrons Dollars and Sense

By Terra Dankowski | February 12, 2018

“Why libraries? This is what we do,” said Michael Dowling, director of the American Library Association’s (ALA) Chapter Relations Office. “We’re an objective space,” he said, noting that libraries offer the accessibility, confidentiality, safety, and educational resources conducive to promoting financial literacy. Dowling was joined by Naomi Lederer, professor and college liaison librarian at Colorado … Continue reading Teaching Patrons Dollars and Sense →

Council II Discusses ALA Reorganization Ideas

By Amy Carlton | February 12, 2018

Policy Monitoring Committee (PMC) member Jennifer Boettcher presented the PMC report (CD#17) with three action items. The first motion proposed that text on politics in American libraries be incorporated into the ALA Policy Manual. The second motion proposed that text on equity, diversity, and inclusion be added to the Policy Manual. The third motion proposed to add definitions of … Continue reading Council II Discusses ALA Reorganization Ideas →

Top Ten Tweets–Sunday (Day 3)

By Crystal Carrazco | February 12, 2018

It began with Junot Diaz’s amazing speech and Q&A. Thanks to Junot for his inspiring words for librarians of color! – and for attending the @reformanational fundraiser last night. 🇩🇴 #alamw18 pic.twitter.com/9Eba9PPmMH — Madeline Peña (@madelinepena) February 11, 2018 Afterwards, a few lucky folks got a picture with him! https://twitter.com/JoChenCham/status/962822448528875520 In the Networking Uncommons, people … Continue reading Top Ten Tweets–Sunday (Day 3) →

Are Libraries Neutral?

By Amy Carlton | February 12, 2018

The program featured a sprawling discussion in which multiple definitions of neutrality were proposed, and various positions were argued for and against them. The rhetoric was lively and occasionally prickly on the stage, in the audience, and on social media. Are libraries neutral spaces? Have they ever been? You're not going to want to miss … Continue reading Are Libraries Neutral? →

“Every Person Matters”

By Sanhita SinhaRoy | February 12, 2018

An estimated 230 people attended the 6:30 a.m. celebration, joined by more than two dozen library leaders who read passages, made short speeches, and recited poems that recognized King’s legacy and advocated for peace and social justice. The event was sponsored by the American Library Association’s Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services, the Social Responsibilities … Continue reading “Every Person Matters” →

“Millennials Aren’t Better, Just Different!”

By Miranda Doran-Myers | February 12, 2018

In a packed room, a panel of millennial managers held a discussion titled “A New Generation in Charge: How Millennial Leadership is Changing Library Staffing,” which took place as part of the Symposium on the Future of Libraries at the 2018 American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in Denver on Sunday. The panel … Continue reading “Millennials Aren’t Better, Just Different!” →

Legal Issues

By Terra Dankowski | February 11, 2018

These were some of the questions addressed at the “Legal Issues in Public Libraries Forum” at the American Library Association’s 2018 Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits on Sunday. The session, sponsored by the Public Library Association, brought together lawyers and librarians for a frank, casual conversation on some of the most contentious issues popping up at … Continue reading Legal Issues →

2018 Andrew Carnegie Medal Winners Announced

February 11, 2018

The selections were announced February 11 at the Reference and User Services Association’s (RUSA) Book and Media Awards sponsored by NoveList, during the ALA Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. From New York mobsters to the first woman diver at the Brooklyn Naval Station during WWII to the archetypally motley … Continue reading 2018 Andrew Carnegie Medal Winners Announced →

Junot Díaz Gets Real

By Phil Morehart | February 11, 2018

Junot Díaz, author of the Pulitzer Prize–winning novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Riverhead Books, 2007), and the upcoming kids’ picture book Islandborn (Dial Books, 2018), delivered a love letter to libraries when he addressed a capacity crowd as an Auditorium Speaker at the 2018 Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in Denver. The talk was boisterous and effusive with … Continue reading Junot Díaz Gets Real →

Blockchain, Open Civic Data, and TV White Space

By George M. Eberhart | February 11, 2018

Sue Alman, a full-time lecturer at the SJSU iSchool, outlined her study of how libraries can use blockchain technology in support of city or community goals. Blockchain, most closely associated with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, is a highly secure ledger system that records digital transactions. Alman said that her goal is to engage in a … Continue reading Blockchain, Open Civic Data, and TV White Space →

Measure, Strengthen, Support, and Evaluate

By Miranda Doran-Myers | February 11, 2018

This session and discussion took place as part of the News You Can Use track of the 2018 ALA Midwinter Meeting and Exhibits in Denver. Linda Hofschire, director of the library research service at the Colorado State Library in Denver; Martha Adkins, assistant professor and reference librarian at the University of San Diego; and Christine … Continue reading Measure, Strengthen, Support, and Evaluate →

Protecting Your Pages with Policy

By Amy Carlton | February 11, 2018

The toolkit fully revises and updates a previous workbook and now includes information for public and academic libraries in addition to school libraries. It is divided into four sections: an overview of why libraries need a selection policy; the basic components of a policy; reconsideration procedures and processes; and an appendix with a bibliography, core … Continue reading Protecting Your Pages with Policy →

Latest Library Links

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John Warner writes: “I understand what people mean when they invoke the term ‘institutional neutrality,’ but I don’t know how it’s workable in today’s world. Higher education institutions are built upon a foundation of actual values, values that are, by definition, not neutral. The Kalven report, the Rosetta Stone of institutional neutrality produced by a faculty committee at the University of Chicago in 1967, is not a call to make all work emanating from an institution ‘neutral,’ but is instead a call to make the atmosphere for scholarly inquiry and debate as free as possible.”

Inside Higher Ed, Nov. 15
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Angela Hursh writes: “Ever wondered how your library’s email performance compares to others? Benchmarks help you understand how well your emails perform in key areas and identify opportunities for improvement. They also allow you to compare your email marketing performance, set goals, and stay on top of trends. However, the lack of industry benchmarks for email marketing metrics specific to libraries has been bugging me. Metrics from similar industries don’t fully capture the unique aspects of promoting a library. To help libraries accurately measure their email effectiveness, we’ve created the first-ever library email benchmark report.”

NoveList, Oct. 22
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Rachel Hendrick writes: “Students and library vendors are pushing artificial intelligence (AI) adoption in higher education, but there are very few resources that help librarians and scholars separate the wheat from the chaff. Luckily, we here at Choice love a good assessment rubric. (In fact, we made a PDF of our assessment rubric.) Even the least tech-savvy of us can use a very simple AI literacy framework to think critically about whether an AI application is worth your time.”

Choice 360 LibTech Insights, Nov. 13
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Rowana Miller writes: “In my experience, many young library-goers identify as storytellers but not writers. These are the kids who draw Captain-Underpants-style cartoons, who craft meticulous Minecraft universes, and who plot elaborate Dungeons and Dragons campaigns, but who believe that ‘writing’ is limited to five-paragraph essays. But when children draw the connections between their natural storytelling proclivities and the written word, they can become self-motivated to develop the communication skills that will help them for the rest of their lives. Libraries, I believe, are uniquely positioned to help children make this connection.”

ALSC Blog, Nov. 15
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ALA has reopened its search for an executive director in partnership with executive search firm Isaacson, Miller. A committee of ALA member leaders will oversee the search. The selected candidate will succeed Interim Executive Director Leslie Burger, who was appointed in November 2023. “We are excited to embark on our search for a new executive director,” said ALA President Cindy Hohl. “This leadership position is critical as we navigate the years ahead. We seek candidates who have knowledge of the library community and the urgent issues we face.”

ALA Communications, Marketing, and Media Relations Office, Nov. 14
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Emily Weak writes: “Something I always hear from hiring managers is that they want to build a resilient, diverse workforce. Sometimes we say we want a resilient workforce, but what we mean is that we want staffers who are willing to go above and beyond, or to do more with less. These concepts are deeply entrenched in librarianship, but I think we’re beginning to see how they can cause problems. Instead of trying to hire people who will do more with less and who will thrive amid adversity, let’s think about resilience as an organizational feature.”

American Libraries column, Nov./Dec.
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Elisabeth B. White writes: “How can librarians ensure their instruction materials are as accessible as possible? One way is through Universal Design for Learning Guidelines, a set of best practices to improve teaching and learning and create inclusive and equitable educational experiences for all students. The guidelines include three principles that instructors must provide via multiple means: engagement (the ‘why’ of learning), representation (the ‘what’ of learning), and action and expression (the ‘how’ of learning). However, to create a truly equitable educational experience, school library workers need to consider accessibility principles as well.”

American Libraries feature, Nov./Dec.

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