How Technology Helps Foster Research Connections

January 28, 2019

Ngoc-Yen Tran, research impact librarian, and Emily Chan, interim associate dean for research and scholarship, both from San Jose State University, presented a plethora of data from various studies indicating that collaborating on research is up, and single author publication is down. In the first five years of College & Research Libraries’ existence, less than … Continue reading How Technology Helps Foster Research Connections


From left: YALSA President Crystle Martin, Coretta Scott King Chair Claudette McLinn, ALSC President Jamie Campbell Naidoo, ALA President Loida Garcia-Febo, and Reforma President Madeline Pena Feliz at the 2019 ALA Youth Media Awards presentation.

2019 Youth Media Award Winners

January 28, 2019

A list of all the 2019 award winners follows: John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature: Merci Suárez Changes Gears, written by Meg Medina, is the 2019 Newbery Medal winner. The book is published by Candlewick Press. Two Newbery honor books also were named: The Night Diary, written by Veera Hiranandani … Continue reading 2019 Youth Media Award Winners


Travel As a Political Act

January 28, 2019

“The book that beats mine [in sales] all the time is the guidebook to Disney World,” Steves told attendees of his Auditorium Speaker Series talk at the American Library Association’s 2019 Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in Seattle on January 27. “That’s la la land—I’m into gaining a better understanding of humanity.” Steves, who recently released … Continue reading Travel As a Political Act


Betha Gutsche (seated) and Jennifer Peterson at the "Return to the Real" session, ALA Midwinter Meeting, Seattle.

Getting Real Again

January 28, 2019

“These are the new shiny things for [teens and 20-somethings],” Betha Gutsche, WebJunction program manager at OCLC, told attendees at “Return to the Real: The Library As Social Connector,” a Symposium on the Future of Libraries session at the American Library Association’s 2019 Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in Seattle on January 26. Analog objects give … Continue reading Getting Real Again



Kate Deibel, inclusion and accessibility librarian at Syracuse University, speaks on disability access issues.

Always Use the Microphone

January 28, 2019

Kate Deibel opened her session, “Pushing on the Frontier: Disability Access and the Future of Libraries” on Saturday, January 26, at the ALA Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in Seattle, with this all-too-common question to make a point: “Always use the microphone. It’s one of the most important and easiest things you can do.” It helps … Continue reading Always Use the Microphone


2019 Carnegie Medal winners, The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai and Heavy by Kiese Laymon

2019 Andrew Carnegie Medal Winners Announced

January 27, 2019

The selections were announced January 27 at the Reference and User Services Association’s (RUSA) Book and Media Awards, sponsored by NoveList, during the ALA Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle. Makkai’s novel explores the complexities of friendship, family, art, fear, and love in WWI-era and present-day Paris and 1980s Chicago while … Continue reading 2019 Andrew Carnegie Medal Winners Announced


Melinda Gates and Nancy Pearl at the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Seattle.

The Moment of Lift

January 27, 2019

Melinda Gates opened her talk at the 2019 American Library Association’s (ALA) Midwinter Meeting in Seattle January 25 with effusive praise for her hosts. Her admiration for libraries is well documented: As cochair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, she has been at the forefront of philanthropic funding for libraries. The Gates Library Foundation, … Continue reading The Moment of Lift


ALA logo

Council I Votes on Sustainability

January 27, 2019

The minutes from the 2018 ALA Annual Conference (CD#2) were adopted. ALA Past President Courtney L. Young gave the report of the ALA Executive Director Search Committee (CD#34), which will begin its work in February. Candidates for Chapter Councilor to the committee are Susan Jennings, Samantha C. Helmick, Matt Beckstrom, and David Dahl. Councilor-at-large Round … Continue reading Council I Votes on Sustainability


Melissa Lockaby, assistant professor of library science at the University of North Georgia, demonstrates how not to greet patrons in libraries.

Soft Skills: Hard to Teach?

January 27, 2019

Melissa Lockaby, assistant professor of library science at the University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, drew on her background in human resources to present a career development workshop on “The Soft Skills: What Library School Doesn’t Teach You” at ALA’s 2019 Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in Seattle on Saturday, January 26. As a veteran library professional … Continue reading Soft Skills: Hard to Teach?


Top Ten Tweets

Midwinter 2019 Top 10 Tweets—Day 2

January 27, 2019

Me entering #ALAMW19 for the first time pic.twitter.com/Y3cJpb4iSR — Kelly Knox (@kelly_knox) January 26, 2019 We started the day with listening to the amazing Sylvia Acevedo. “Libraries change lives. I know you do; you changed mine.” -Sylvia Acevedo #alamw19 😍😭😍😭😍😭 pic.twitter.com/HWRgPRKsYh — Abby Johnson (@abbylibrarian) January 26, 2019 The exhibits were open for a full … Continue reading Midwinter 2019 Top 10 Tweets—Day 2