Melinda Gates (Photo: Jason Bell)

Newsmaker: Melinda Gates

March 1, 2019

Gates spoke with American Libraries at the 2019 American Library Association Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits—where it was revealed that she would serve as this year’s honorary chair of National Library Week. The Moment of Lift is about lifting up women and girls. What do you mean by lift, and why is it so important? I … Continue reading Newsmaker: Melinda Gates


Attendees crowd around travel author Rick Steves for autographs following his Auditorium Speaker Series presentation at the 2019 ALA Midwinter Meeting. Photo: Cognotes

2019 Midwinter Wrap-Up

February 5, 2019

The Emerald City played host to more than 9,200 attendees (as compared with 8,036 in 2018 and 8,995 in 2017), who came to soak up the words of big-name speakers, learn from the practices of their peers, and network around subjects practical and theoretical. As with recent Midwinters, many sessions focused on the empowerment of … Continue reading 2019 Midwinter Wrap-Up



Top Ten Tweets

Midwinter 2019 Top 10 Tweets—Day 4

January 29, 2019

We started the day bright and early with the Youth Media Awards. My 2nd time hearing the announcements in person and just as thrilling! #caldecott #newbery #alayma19 #alamw19 pic.twitter.com/KBozSWatjE — Julie Hembree (@mrs_hembree) January 28, 2019 https://twitter.com/agentpenfold/status/1089999113280782343?s=21 Forget the Super Bowl, we have the @ALALibrary Awards!!!! Congrats to all the winners and thank you to … Continue reading Midwinter 2019 Top 10 Tweets—Day 4


Estelita's Library founder Edwin Lindo speaks at the ALA Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in Seattle.

A Tiny Space for Big Issues

January 29, 2019

Estelita’s Library opened only eight months ago in Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood with a goal to be a community space where people feel at home enough to have the kinds of tough conversations that typically don’t happen in coffee shops—on social justice topics like race, poverty, and gentrification. Edwin Lindo, the library’s founder, spoke about … Continue reading A Tiny Space for Big Issues




Minding Professional Ps and Qs

January 28, 2019

“The whole point of professional etiquette is that you want to make the other person feel comfortable,” Calvin said. The pair discussed three aspects of etiquette geared toward making other people comfortable in a work environment: professional attire, professional communication, and professional dining skills. Determining how to dress in a new work environment can be … Continue reading Minding Professional Ps and Qs


Racial Equity Panel Addresses Bias in Library Work

January 28, 2019

Goodwin began by asking, “Why focus on race?” Infant mortality rates are 10 times higher for people of color than for their white counterparts, regardless of any other aspect of their identity. Race, zip code, and gender affect a person’s success across many arenas, such as education, health, and criminal justice. According to Goodwin, “Racial … Continue reading Racial Equity Panel Addresses Bias in Library Work


20 Years of the MLK Sunrise Celebration

January 28, 2019

Virginia Moore, past chair of ALA’s Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT) Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Task Force, talked about the origins of the annual Midwinter celebration. “Libraries lead the way,” she said. “Keep the dream alive.” Satia Orange, former director of ALA’s Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, reminded the more than 200 attendees … Continue reading 20 Years of the MLK Sunrise Celebration


ALA logo

Council II: Resolutions and Organizational Effectiveness

January 28, 2019

Policy Monitoring Committee (PMC) Chair Gladys Smiley Bell presented the PMC report (CD#17) with three action items. Motions to insert a new interpretation of Library-Initiated Programs as a Resource into B.2.1.11 of Library Bill of Rights, a new interpretation on Services to People with Disabilities into B.2.1.21 of the Library Bill of Rights, and the … Continue reading Council II: Resolutions and Organizational Effectiveness