board of trustees Archives | American Libraries Magazine

In the Trenches

By Joseph Janes | November 1, 2016

That’s a great story, true or not, with an even better punch line. It likely produced a few knowing nods and wry smiles just now, and it’s also quite effective with people unfamiliar with what actually goes on libraries. They think we sit around all day shushing people and reading Good Books, as opposed to, … Continue reading In the Trenches →

Building a Better Board of Trustees

By Maria R. Traska | October 30, 2015

He dove into the web in the early 1990s, creating his first web page. Later, while at the Mid-Hudson Library System, he orchestrated web automation for 45 rural libraries in New York, for which he was named a Cybrarian of the Year in 1998 by then-telecom giant MCI Communications. Now a trustee of the Anne … Continue reading Building a Better Board of Trustees →

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Burkely Hermann writes: “Two years ago, the animated series Hilda premiered on Netflix, and a minor character called ‘The Librarian’ (voiced by Kaisa Hammurlund) quickly became a fan sensation. Although she only appears in about three minutes of the show’s first season, this feisty librarian has been mentioned in 20 fanfiction stories on Archive of Our Own and has a Tumblr blog dedicated to her. She has also been a subject of a lot of chatter among the fanbase, from Twitter to Reddit. The official Hilda Twitter account has described her as a mysterious librarian who has an unmatched, and extensive, ‘knowledge of cemetery records and mystical items.’”

I Love Libraries, Sept. 21
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In a first for IFLA, the 2021 World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) will be held online. Faced with continued uncertainty about the health, economic, and travel situation into 2021, it already seems clear that business-as-usual is not an option, the organization said in a September 22 statement.

IFLA, Sept. 22
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Rare books worth more than £2.5 million that were stolen from a warehouse in west London in a daring Mission Impossible-style heist have been found buried under the floor of a house in rural Romania. The recovery of the 200 books, which include first editions of significant works by Galileo and Sir Isaac Newton, is the culmination of a three-year police operation that involved raids on 45 addresses across three countries and led to charges against 13 people.

The Guardian (UK), Sept. 18
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Seattle historian and photographer Paul Dorpat has donated an extensive collection of historical artifacts to Seattle Public Library. Dorpat has written numerous books and cofounded Historylink, an online encyclopedia of Washington state history. The donated artifacts include pictures, books, documents, newspapers, pamphlets, slides, even a box filled with Dorpat’s personal notes.

KIRO-7 Seattle, Sept. 20
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Librarian Anna Gooding-Call writes: “The assumption that librarians are also babysitters is an old problem. While it’s hard for a librarian to refuse a parent who simply leaves their kid in the children’s room and hopes for the best, it’s not a librarian’s job to look after kids—not now, and not during normal times. I am here today to explain why librarians are not childcare.”

Book Riot, Sept. 18
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September is National Library Card Signup Month. In celebration of this initiative and five Omaha (Neb.) Public Library branches reopening September 21, check out these staff-recommended books about libraries and librarians. Find them and more at omahalibrary.org.

Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald, Sept. 20
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Librarian’s Library columnist Araceli Méndez Hintermeister writes: “The library’s influence extends beyond its walls. These selections offer ways librarians can engage their community via volunteer efforts, collaborations, advocacy, and more.”

American Libraries column, Sept./Oct.

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