Podcast panel at the PopTop Stage, ALA 2019 Midwinter Meeting, Seattle. From left to right: Gwen Glazer, Joseph Janes, Adriane Herrick Juarez, Phil Morehart.

Podcast Pros

January 27, 2019

Phil Morehart, host of the Dewey Decibel podcast and senior editor of American Libraries, assembled a panel of librarian podcasters to tackle this question and others at “So You Want to Podcast…,” a PopTop Stage program at the American Library Association’s 2019 Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in Seattle on January 26. Joining moderator Morehart in … Continue reading Podcast Pros


Sarah Studer and Arnold Phommavong at the "Libraries Transform: Social Innovation" program at the ALA 2019 Midwinter Meeting in Seattle.

Innovating with Creativity and Empathy

January 27, 2019

“[It’s remembering that] the people most affected by the problem have the best ideas on how to solve the problem,” said Sarah Studer, assistant director of the Arthur W. Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business. Studer shared with library professionals her philosophy on collective action and using business … Continue reading Innovating with Creativity and Empathy



ALA President Loida Garcia-Febo at the Rally for Libraries, Seattle Public Library.

Libraries = Strong Communities Tour Reaches Seattle

January 26, 2019

An estimated crowd of 150 vociferous library supporters, many holding signs supporting public and school libraries, gathered about the podium as Garcia-Febo fired up the crowd with a stirring call to action on behalf of libraries of all types. Several audience members held up signs with the hashtag #spslibrarians in support of libraries in Seattle … Continue reading Libraries = Strong Communities Tour Reaches Seattle



Tom Brooks, Cobb County (Ga.) Public Library System. Screenshot from Advocacy Storytelling 101 video

ALA Launches Advocacy Resources

January 25, 2019

ALA’s advocacy web pages are organized around developing and cultivating library advocates; providing step-by-step suggestions for anyone who wants to become more active in strengthening ALA’s voice; and advancing the national, state, and local conversations about library and information policy. The concrete examples of storytelling, relationship building, and year-round advocacy are designed to encourage ALA … Continue reading ALA Launches Advocacy Resources



Rick Steves Photo: Tim Frakes

Newsmaker: Rick Steves

January 18, 2019

Steves will appear as an Auditorium Speaker at the American Library Association’s 2019 Midwinter Meeting in Seattle on January 27 to talk about the third edition of his book, Travel as a Political Act (Hachette Book Group, 2018). This month he releases Rick Steves Classroom Europe, a searchable resource of video clips that he hopes … Continue reading Newsmaker: Rick Steves



Preview of the American Library Association's 2019 Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in Seattle.

2019 Midwinter Preview

January 2, 2019

Featured speakers Opening Session Friday, January 25, 4–5:15 p.m. Philanthropist Melinda Gates, cofounder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has dedicated her life to transforming the health and prosperity of families, communities, and societies. Core to her work is the empowerment of women and girls. Gates is the author of the forthcoming The Moment … Continue reading 2019 Midwinter Preview


Happy hour special at Miller’s Guild. Photo: Miller’s Guild

Emerald City Eats

January 2, 2019

Then, like the tech industry that refueled Seattle’s ailing aerospace economy, the food scene exploded. Cooking became an art, and the materials needed to create that art were close at hand—right at the famous Pike Place Market. The “buy fresh, eat local” philosophy, which places a premium on sustainable fishing and organic farming practices, now … Continue reading Emerald City Eats


Emily Cabaniss, company librarian and music assistant for the Seattle Opera. Photo: Kelly Clare Photography

Bookend: The Show Must Go On

January 2, 2019

“I hadn’t realized this kind of work was possible,” she says. “Every opera company has a person called a librarian, but they’re usually an orchestra librarian”—typically a music preparation specialist with ensemble experience who doesn’t, like Cabaniss, hold an MLIS. Hired in 2014 as the company’s first information professional, Cabaniss makes sure the artistic, music, … Continue reading Bookend: The Show Must Go On