#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. https://twitter.com/madelineipena/status/962761215016685568 Afterwards, a few lucky folks got a picture with him! https://twitter.com/JoChenCham/status/962822448528875520 In the Networking Uncommons, people de-stressed by playing a too-real game of Cards Against Librarianship. https://twitter.com/Madam_Pince/status/962807774173376514 Others opted for meeting with colleagues and brainstorming instead! Thanks to @MelissaZD for organizing a storytime deep dive … 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

1h

Tess Prendergast writes: “As someone who teaches contemporary children’s literature, I have been following the surge of picture books about climate and environment topics for several years. While there has been some great scholarly research about such books, I have devised a simple framework for grouping these kinds of books. This four-tiered categorization may help you decided what to read, suggest, or display in various scenarios and for different audiences.”

ALSC Blog, Apr. 11
21h

Max Eddy writes: “It’s a nightmare scenario: You’ve protected all of your online accounts with two-factor authentication (2FA), but then your phone is broken, lost, or stolen, and you’re locked out of everything. Past You’s effort to protect Future You has made Present You’s life a living hell. 2FA is supposed to keep attackers and scammers out of your online accounts, but what if something happens to your second factor? With a little planning, you can reduce that risk and still keep your accounts safe.”

New York Times Wirecutter, Apr. 12
1d

Nik Altenberg writes: “About 100 librarians and their supporters rallied outside San Francisco Public Library’s Main Library on April 9 to demand the city hire security guards for every branch. Workers decried a lack of security at most of the city’s branches and said they are often forced to de-escalate volatile situations and step into the role of providing security themselves. The rally is the latest in a series of union actions [from 10 unions representing more than 25,000 city workers across city departments] seeking to draw attention to what they say is a pervasive understaffing crisis.”

KQED-TV (San Francisco), Apr. 9
2d

“Two years after Brooklyn Public Libraries’ (BPL) launch of Books Unbanned, an initiative to protect the freedom to read for young people, In Their Own Words: Youth Voices on Books Unbanned gives new insight into the impact of censorship on teen and young adults across the US and how restrictions and other barriers to access build upon and reinforce each other. The new report, published April 11 by BPL and Seattle Public Library, analyzes 855 stories shared by young people who signed up for a free Books Unbanned ecard from April 2022 through December 2023.”

Seattle Public Library, Apr. 11
2d

Samantha Guss, Sojourna Cunningham, and Jennifer Stout write: “Recruitment and retention are both critical to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in academic libraries, and failing to improve retention has and will continue to derail these initiatives. Research that addresses retention tends to focus on proposed strategies, such as stay interviews (structured interviews aimed at strengthening employee and employer relationships) and mentorship programs. But there is no agreed-upon definition of retention that would allow us to assess these strategies. We should recognize that involuntary staying can be just as negative an outcome for the individual and the organization as leaving, setting the stage for legacy toxicity.”

In The Library With The Lead Pipe, Apr. 10
3d

Jackie Edwards writes: “As spring rolls around, seasonal allergies can flare up among library workers, resulting in symptoms like sneezing; runny or stuffy nose; itchy eyes, ears, and nose; coughing; and asthma. Not only are these symptoms detrimental to well-being and productivity, but they can also mean you’re less able to provide excellent customer service to library users. Fortunately, by purifying the air, preventing mold, and keeping your work area clean, you can improve indoor air quality and combat allergies in your library.”

Library Worklife, Apr.
3d

In Episode 94, Call Number celebrates Preservation Week, to be held this year April 28–May 4. The week’s events aim to raise awareness of the role libraries and cultural institutions play in protecting historic and culturally significant collections. Segments include Traci Sorell, honorary chair of this year’s Preservation Week, discussing the role of preservation through storytelling; Kathleen Monahan, special collections public services supervisor at Boston Public Library, addressing the importance of security in preservation; and Rosie Grayburn and Melissa Tedone, cofounders of the Poison Book Project, talking about their research on potentially toxic bookbinding materials from the 19th century.

AL: The Scoop, Apr. 15

View more Latest Library Links