Book Club Central Archives | American Libraries Magazine

Book Club Central Anatomy of a Miracle by Jonathan Miles

Anatomy of a Miracle Is New Book Club Central Pick

March 13, 2018

In a starred review, Booklist calls Anatomy of a Miracle “vibrant, bustling, and humorous…. A nuanced and endlessly entertaining exploration of the age-old debate between faith and reason.” Kirkus Reviews writes, “Miles possesses a rare and admirable command of structure and style, shifting smoothly from Afghan patrol tactics to Catholic doctrine to neurological science; his sentences are thick … Continue reading Anatomy of a Miracle Is New Book Club Central Pick →

2017 Year in Review

By the editors of American Libraries | January 2, 2018

Saving Federal Funding Thanks to extensive grassroots efforts by ALA members, in September the Senate Appropriations Committee approved an increase of $4 million in funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services, all of which would go to the formula-based Grants to States program. The bill also included increased funding in FY2018 for a … Continue reading 2017 Year in Review →

Dewey Decibel Podcast: Looking Back at Books

By Phil Morehart | December 29, 2017

First, American Libraries Associate Editor Terra Dankowski talks with author Stephanie Powell Watts in a conversation taped right after her book No One Is Coming to Save Us was announced by Sarah Jessica Parker as the first selection in ALA’s Book Club Central. Next, American Libraries Associate Editor and Dewey Decibel host Phil Morehart speaks … Continue reading Dewey Decibel Podcast: Looking Back at Books →

Stay with Me is New Book Club Central Pick

December 13, 2017

Set in Nigeria, Stay with Me gives voice to both husband and wife as they tell the story of their marriage and the forces that threaten to tear it apart. The New York Times called Stay with Me “[A] stunning debut novel…. At once, a gothic parable about pride and betrayal; a thoroughly contemporary—and deeply moving—portrait … Continue reading Stay with Me is New Book Club Central Pick →

New Pick for Book Club Central

October 11, 2017

The selection helps kick off the 12th annual National Friends of Libraries Week, October 15–21, an initiative of United for Libraries. The celebration recognizes the advocacy and fundraising efforts of Friends groups across the country. Parker is an honorary lifetime board member of United for Libraries, a division of ALA. United for Libraries President Steve … Continue reading New Pick for Book Club Central →

The crowd reacts to Hillary Rodham Clinton at the Closing General Session. Photo: Cognotes

2017 Annual Conference Wrap-Up

By Anne Ford | July 19, 2017

Teens and tots At the Opening General Session, Girls Who Code founder Reshma Saujani kicked things off with a few startling statistics: Last year, the United States graduated 40,000 computer science majors for 500,000 open jobs. Only one in four American high schools offer computer science as part of the curriculum. And today, only 18% … Continue reading 2017 Annual Conference Wrap-Up →

Sarah Jessica Parker Unveils ALA’s Book Club Central

By Terra Dankowski | June 26, 2017

“No one could leave the house without something to read,” Parker fondly recalled that rule of her mother’s before a packed auditorium at the President’s Program of the American Library Association’s (ALA) Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago on June 24. Growing up, Parker and her seven siblings were constantly shuttled to the Clifton branch of … Continue reading Sarah Jessica Parker Unveils ALA’s Book Club Central →

Newsmaker: Sarah Jessica Parker

By Anne Ford | June 1, 2017

Parker will recommend various titles for Book Club Central over the coming months; she plans to reveal the first during the June 24 President’s Program at the ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago. She recently spoke with American Libraries about being a lifelong bookworm. Where does your love of reading come from? My mother … Continue reading Newsmaker: Sarah Jessica Parker →

Libraries Transform: A Progress Report

By Jeff Julian | June 1, 2017

More than 6,900 libraries and library advocates have joined the campaign since it launched in October 2015. From legislative advocacy meetings to social media campaigns, many libraries are using the tools to demonstrate the power of speaking in one distinct, energetic voice for the library profession. In year two, the campaign continues to focus on … Continue reading Libraries Transform: A Progress Report →

At the Heart of Our Work

By Julie B. Todaro | June 1, 2017

I continue to be honored to represent our profession in our ongoing and successful challenge to federal funding issues. And we continue to communicate and educate stakeholders about our work, its value, and the very need for our existence. Many libraries face similar challenges more regularly, and I have a newfound appreciation and respect for … Continue reading At the Heart of Our Work →

Latest Library Links

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Joe Árvai writes: “As artificial intelligence (AI) creeps further into people’s daily lives, so do worries about it. At the most alarmist are concerns about AI going rogue and terminating its human masters. But my own research as a psychologist who studies how people make decisions leads me to believe that all these risks are overshadowed by an even more corrupting, though largely invisible, threat. That is, AI is mere keystrokes away from making people even less disciplined and skilled when it comes to thoughtful decisions.”

The Conversation, Apr. 12
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Tess Prendergast writes: “As someone who teaches contemporary children’s literature, I have been following the surge of picture books about climate and environment topics for several years. While there has been some great scholarly research about such books, I have devised a simple framework for grouping these kinds of books. This four-tiered categorization may help you decided what to read, suggest, or display in various scenarios and for different audiences.”

ALSC Blog, Apr. 11
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Max Eddy writes: “It’s a nightmare scenario: You’ve protected all of your online accounts with two-factor authentication (2FA), but then your phone is broken, lost, or stolen, and you’re locked out of everything. Past You’s effort to protect Future You has made Present You’s life a living hell. 2FA is supposed to keep attackers and scammers out of your online accounts, but what if something happens to your second factor? With a little planning, you can reduce that risk and still keep your accounts safe.”

New York Times Wirecutter, Apr. 12
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Nik Altenberg writes: “About 100 librarians and their supporters rallied outside San Francisco Public Library’s Main Library on April 9 to demand the city hire security guards for every branch. Workers decried a lack of security at most of the city’s branches and said they are often forced to de-escalate volatile situations and step into the role of providing security themselves. The rally is the latest in a series of union actions [from 10 unions representing more than 25,000 city workers across city departments] seeking to draw attention to what they say is a pervasive understaffing crisis.”

KQED-TV (San Francisco), Apr. 9
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“Two years after Brooklyn Public Libraries’ (BPL) launch of Books Unbanned, an initiative to protect the freedom to read for young people, In Their Own Words: Youth Voices on Books Unbanned gives new insight into the impact of censorship on teen and young adults across the US and how restrictions and other barriers to access build upon and reinforce each other. The new report, published April 11 by BPL and Seattle Public Library, analyzes 855 stories shared by young people who signed up for a free Books Unbanned ecard from April 2022 through December 2023.”

Seattle Public Library, Apr. 11
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Samantha Guss, Sojourna Cunningham, and Jennifer Stout write: “Recruitment and retention are both critical to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in academic libraries, and failing to improve retention has and will continue to derail these initiatives. Research that addresses retention tends to focus on proposed strategies, such as stay interviews (structured interviews aimed at strengthening employee and employer relationships) and mentorship programs. But there is no agreed-upon definition of retention that would allow us to assess these strategies. We should recognize that involuntary staying can be just as negative an outcome for the individual and the organization as leaving, setting the stage for legacy toxicity.”

In The Library With The Lead Pipe, Apr. 10
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Jackie Edwards writes: “As spring rolls around, seasonal allergies can flare up among library workers, resulting in symptoms like sneezing; runny or stuffy nose; itchy eyes, ears, and nose; coughing; and asthma. Not only are these symptoms detrimental to well-being and productivity, but they can also mean you’re less able to provide excellent customer service to library users. Fortunately, by purifying the air, preventing mold, and keeping your work area clean, you can improve indoor air quality and combat allergies in your library.”

Library Worklife, Apr.

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