book clubs Archives | Page 2 of 2 | American Libraries Magazine

A Novel Idea

By Apryl Flynn Gilliss | May 13, 2014

In our more modern, connected, and ever-busy age, however, traditional library book clubs have been undergoing a quiet revolution. Lack of time, scheduling conflicts, mobility issues, desire for anonymity, and other factors have moved the conversation online—namely onto social media. Tech-savvy librarians aware of these trends are using emerging technologies to both enhance physical book … Continue reading A Novel Idea →

Working Parents of Small Children, Unite

By Sanhita SinhaRoy | January 26, 2014

Topics at this one-hour informal gathering ran the gamut, from conversations about the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to parental leave policies at various institutions to discussions about child care services, both at professional conferences and on campus. The consensus among attendees was that each employee felt she needed to advocate for herself when arranging … Continue reading Working Parents of Small Children, Unite →

Latest Library Links

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Marshall Gunnell writes: “People often use Zoom for work meetings and conference calls, but it doesn’t have to be all work and no play. You can create your own custom background image and stand out from the crowd while remaining professional. Professional designers can, of course, create their own Zoom backgrounds in software like Photoshop, but not all of us have that kind of talent. Luckily, there are online applications at your disposal that require little-to-no experience to use. Plus, a majority of them are free.”
How-To Geek, June 4
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Ottawa (Ont.) Public Library staff are bracing for a “logistical nightmare” when the library begins to accept returns June 8 after nearly three months of shutdown. The library has more than 500,000 items out on loan, everything from books and DVDs to musical instruments and even telescopes, said Donna Clark, manager of branch operations. “Normally they’d all have a staggered return date and there would be an ebb and flow of returns. But these items have been sitting in people’s homes since Mach 16 or before.” Borrowers will be asked to place their material in cardboard boxes, which will then be taken inside to be quarantined. The libraries are still closed to the public, so there will be room for them to be stored.
Ottawa (Ont.) Sun, June 3
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Richard Byrne writes: “We have a bunch of bird feeders hanging outside our house. My daughters love seeing the various birds that visit our feeders. There are many birds that I can’t identify right away. That’s why I’ve installed the Audubon Bird Guide app on my Android phone. When you open the app, tap on ‘identify bird’ and you’ll be taken to a screen where you then make a few selections to narrow down the list of birds in your area. Those selections include your location, the month, the relative size of the bird, the color(s) of the bird, and activity of the bird. After making those selections you’ll see a list of birds with pictures. You can also listen to recordings of bird calls to further help you identify the bird that you saw.”
Free Technology for Teachers, June 4
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Anne Ford writes: “If your library were offered two chances to save a life, would it take them? The response might seem like an obvious ‘yes.’ But for many public libraries the answer is more nuanced. In October 2018, Emergent BioSolutions, the company that manufactures the opioid overdose reversal drug Narcan (generic name: naloxone), issued a press release offering two free doses of Narcan to every public library and YMCA in the US. The response to that offer has been ‘lighter than we anticipated,’ said Thom Duddy, Emergent BioSolutions’ vice president of communications. Of the 16,568 individual central and branch library buildings in the country, only about 357, or 2.2%, have accepted.”
American Libraries Trend, June
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Rae-Anne Montague writes: “We all know about schoolyard bullying. Let’s focus on how school librarians can help stop it. As our schools and communities grapple with fostering a broader recognition of sexual orientation and gender identity diversity, school librarians play crucial roles in building a welcoming environment and providing access to inclusive resources and services. Social stigma of non-mainstream experiences in schools, particularly among LGBTQ+ students, is reinforced by a lack of accurate information and positive media representation. For educators and students, this results in a knowledge gap. The width and depth of that gap and the collective efforts to bridge it vary dramatically.”
American Libraries column, June
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Anthony DePalma writes: “Is there any land more seductive yet more mystifying than Cuba? Any place so singularly linked to revolution yet invariably associated with classic American cars, decked out in sluttish pink paint? Cuba is so close to us that we think we know it, but preconceived notions—about health care, education or culture—fill in for what that proximity blurs. Those classic Chevys? There’s usually rust under the shiny paint. Every Cuban I’ve met has told me the same thing about life there: Es complicado. It’s complicated. Although Cuba remains off limits to most Americans, there are ways to achieve an understanding of this island of illusions. Here are some reading recommendations.”
Literary Hub, June 4
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Laura Sackton writes: “I’ve put together a list of 45 upcoming books by Black authors that you can preorder right now. Buying books by Black authors is one tangible way to listen to, celebrate, and uplift Black voices. I included books from as many genres as possible on this list. But these books are only a drop in the bucket; there are many more upcoming books by Black authors than I could possibly fit in. Preorder these books if you can. Shout about them on social media. Black writers today are creating so much beautiful work that deserves celebration and recognition from every single one of us.”
Book Riot, June 4

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