archives Archives | Page 8 of 8 | American Libraries Magazine

Ellis Island, 1913. An image from DPLA's exhibition on emigrants leaving Europe for America.

A Digital Library for Everyone

By Megan Cottrell | April 15, 2013

Two Italian kids, planting their feet in America for the first time on Ellis Island in 1913. What had they left behind? And what lay ahead for them? It’s this photo—and others like it—that got Maura Marx into a bit of trouble. Marx is director of the effort to launch the Digital Public Library of … Continue reading A Digital Library for Everyone →

Georgia Archives to Stay Open

By Sanhita SinhaRoy | October 18, 2012

“Georgia’s Archives are a showcase of our state’s rich history and a source of great pride,” Deal said. In September, following the announcement of the closure, ALA President Maureen Sullivan wrote a letter to Gov. Deal, expressing her concern and dismay. Calling the Georgia State Archives a “treasure trove of unique documents and official records,” … Continue reading Georgia Archives to Stay Open →

Think Digitization During Preservation Week

By Julie A. Mosbo | April 25, 2012

For libraries and archives, digitizing materials has become a key concern, especially as more and more patrons and users go online to research information. But several factors must be considered: Copyright law Librarians interested in beginning a digitization project must first consult copyright laws. If the item is in the public domain, copyright is fairly … Continue reading Think Digitization During Preservation Week →

Latest Library Links

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Blake Brittain writes: “Shira Perlmutter, the US Copyright Office director fired by the Trump administration sued President Donald Trump and other government officials on May 22, arguing her firing was unconstitutional and should not be allowed to take effect.” According to Copyright Lately, Perlmutter’s motion for a temporary restraining order “lays out a broader purpose: to block what she portrays as an Executive Branch power grab—one that’s already disrupting operations, stalling critical policy work, and threatening the independence of the agency tasked with administering the nation’s copyright laws.”

Reuters, May 23; Copyright Lately, May 26
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Lizzie Ramirez writes: “Library board meetings have become ground zero for debates about banning certain books or making them harder for children to access. But Assemblywoman Brittney Miller (D-Las Vegas) is hoping to defuse the controversies through AB416, a bill that takes decisions about book removals out of local school and library officials’ hands and instead moving them to court. The bill would also criminalize trying to share sensitive information about library employees or threatening them as felonies.” The bill passed the Assembly May 21, but must pass several other legislative steps to become law.

Nevada Independent, May 22
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Mike Heuer writes: “A Texas public library did not violate patrons’ right to free speech by removing books due to their content, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans ruled on May 23. The entire appellate court, in a 10–7 decision, overturned federal district court and appellate court rulings finding the Llano County (Tex.) Library System erred in removing 17 books due to their content. The majority decision also ruled that the library’s collection decisions are government speech and not subject to First Amendment–based free speech challenges.”

United Press International, May 24; Bloomberg Law, June 6, 2024
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On May 19, Teresa “Teri” Anderson became executive director of the Association of College and Research Libraries, one of the largest ALA divisions. Before joining ALA, Anderson spent more than three decades at ASIS International, a professional organization for security management professionals. She held several positions at the organization, most recently serving as vice president of innovation and outreach, a role in which she provided subject matter expertise and liaised with partners across the security industry. Anderson is a certified association executive through the American Society of Association Executives. She answered our 11 Questions to introduce herself to ALA members.

AL: The Scoop, May 27
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Rachel Milburn writes: “Teen advisory boards (TABs) are an excellent resource for libraries. TABs are the perfect group to promote a library’s young adult collection. What better way to do this than through social media? Plano (Tex.) Public Library regularly includes our TAB in social media posts to promote all sorts of things, including our collections. Our teens (and their caregivers) sign photo release forms, which allows us to include them in our online presence. Here are a few easy ways to incorporate your library’s TAB in social media posts.”

Young Adult Library Services Association: The Hub, May 23
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Kwame Alexander writes: After the firings of Carla Hayden and Shira Perlmutter from the Library of Congress, “It feels urgent for us, as citizens, to gather and plan together how to respond to this attack on our freedom to read, write, and learn. We are bringing together some smart folks, including Jason Reynolds, Ibram X. Kendi, Meg Medina, Amanda Jones, and Tracie D. Hall, to speak out about what intellectual freedom means to us and form an action plan to stand up for these freedoms.” The rally will be held May 31 at DC Public Library’s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library at 5 p.m. Eastern and livestreamed for those not able to attend in person.

Kwamealexander.com; DC Public Library
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Danielle Melia, Lauren Kawasaki and Reshma Seth write: “George A. Jackson Elementary School’s library wants to provide a dynamic and inclusive learning environment. That makes podcasting a perfect fit. It gives students a platform to express their creativity, explore new ideas, and collaborate with peers while learning real-world skills. Our podcast project started as a collaboration between librarian Danielle Melia and coteachers Lauren Kawasaki and Reshma Seth. We wanted our 4th-graders to work in pairs to create an episode related to our unit on natural hazards. Students developed episodes to answer thought-provoking questions.”

American Libraries Trend, May

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