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Winners of the 2016 Congressional App Challenge meet in Washington, D.C., on April 4, 2017, with Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) speaking in the background.

Libraries in the #HouseofCode

By Shawnda Hines | April 11, 2017

Some of this year’s winners included: Organized College Planner (Zach Burke, Illinois’ 9th congressional district) keeps track of passwords, deadlines, and course application requirements. Election Connection (Santiago Torres, Christopher Leung, Christopher Jhaveri, and Jason Kwan, California’s 39th congressional district) provides information to help voters make more educated decisions about candidates and ballot propositions. STEMLink (Nikhil Sharma, … Continue reading Libraries in the #HouseofCode →

Ready to Code

By Linda W. Braun | September 1, 2016

The OITP–Google project, Libraries Ready to Code, launched in April 2016 and will continue through the fall of this year. The team working on the project hosted focus groups and one-on-one interviews and conducted site observations in order to learn what’s going on across the country. As project researcher for this initiative, I wanted to … Continue reading Ready to Code →

Maya Penn speaks during the Auditorium Speaker Series at the 2016 ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, Florida.

Maya Penn’s Ideas Inspire

By Amy Carlton | June 26, 2016

Maya Penn says she started her first business when she was just a kid, selling plastic pizzas to her stuffed animals. But that was only make-believe. She started her real first business years later, at the ripe old age of 8—an Etsy shop called Maya’s Ideas, selling headbands she sewed herself using recycled and repurposed fabrics, with a portion of the profits going to charity.

Attendees learn CAD modeling in the COLab at the 2016 Public Library Association Conference in Denver.

How-To Lessons, Makerspaces, and Coding

By Laurie D. Borman | April 8, 2016

Colorado businesses and libraries partnered in COLab, where attendees could try out 3D printing with a printer made in Colorado, as well as other makerspace projects that are part of the partnership. At the Take Charge Lounge, spin bikes were set up with a phone charger attached to the flywheel, making it freewheeling charging. Programs … Continue reading How-To Lessons, Makerspaces, and Coding →

A Learning Organization

By Meredith Farkas | March 1, 2016

There is no one working in a library who wouldn’t benefit from continuous learning. At some institutions, only those in professional positions are granted time and money for professional development. This not only creates an uncomfortable divide between colleagues, it also suggests that only professionals really need to learn on the job. This couldn’t be … Continue reading A Learning Organization →

Building the New Nostalgia

By Erika L. Jenns | June 27, 2015

Dale Dougherty, founder and executive chairman of Maker Media; Jennifer Pahlka, founder and executive director of Code for America; John Palfrey, head of school at the Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts; and Meaghan O’Connor, assistant director for programs and partnerships at the District of Columbia Public Library offered insightful remarks. Each tried to answer that … Continue reading Building the New Nostalgia →

Learning to Code

By Andromeda Yelton | May 15, 2015

For my Library Technology Report, I reached out to the LITA-L, Code4Lib, and LibTechWomen discussion lists, as well as my own network, to survey librarians on how they use code in their jobs. I looked for people who are not primarily developers and who could share examples of short scripts. I also asked for recommendations … Continue reading Learning to Code →

Get Cracking on Code

By Kate Silver | March 30, 2015

In a matter of months, Ferguson took a series of free coding classes through the library. It opened up an array of career possibilities, and he was quickly hired as a front-end web developer with an advertising agency. “When I was working as a paralegal, I had reached the ceiling,” says Ferguson. “Whereas with web … Continue reading Get Cracking on Code →

People on the streets of Austin, Texas, and on the SxSW exhibit hall floor show their support for libraries with their new lib*interactive tattoos.

Ideas and Inspiration: Day Four of SXSW

By Maryann James-Daley | March 17, 2015

But I’m getting ahead of myself. I had breakfast at the modern marvel that is the Lamar Whole Foods (no kidding, the flagship store is an awe-inspiring stop for out-of-towners) and then started my day with a bunch of my favorite people: librarians! The meet-up welcomed librarians and librarian-friendly technologists from across the globe, and the … Continue reading Ideas and Inspiration: Day Four of SXSW →

Geeking Out at SXSW: Day Two

By Maryann James-Daley | March 15, 2015

After my revised Saturday plan to go to an informal librarian breakfast meet-up was derailed, I found myself in the Austin Convention Center, standing in a common area in front of a tray full of Legos. What a wonderful way to jumpstart your day (and brain) with a little free-building. Little did I know that … Continue reading Geeking Out at SXSW: Day Two →

Latest Library Links

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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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In Episode 94, Call Number celebrates Preservation Week, to be held this year April 28–May 4. The week’s events aim to raise awareness of the role libraries and cultural institutions play in protecting historic and culturally significant collections. Segments include Traci Sorell, honorary chair of this year’s Preservation Week, discussing the role of preservation through storytelling; Kathleen Monahan, special collections public services supervisor at Boston Public Library, addressing the importance of security in preservation; and Rosie Grayburn and Melissa Tedone, cofounders of the Poison Book Project, talking about their research on potentially toxic bookbinding materials from the 19th century.

AL: The Scoop, Apr. 15
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Leigh Kunkel writes: “The legalization of marijuana in many states and municipalities in recent years has created a newly legal industry and budding entrepreneurs who can benefit from the expertise of business librarians. As soon as Washington state introduced an initiative to legalize recreational cannabis use in 2012, Seattle Public Library librarian Jay Lyman started fielding questions from potential entrepreneurs. Since then, 24 states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational cannabis use, and 14 more have legalized medical use of cannabis. This cultural shift brings a new opportunity for libraries to step in with support services.”

American Libraries Trend, Mar./Apr.
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ALA launched its “Reader. Voter. Ready.” campaign April 10, calling on advocates to sign a pledge to be registered, informed, and ready to vote in all local, state, and federal elections in 2024. Available resources include a 2024 voter engagement guide for libraries, a tip sheet to share with community leaders and partners, highlighting the ways libraries support voter participation and education, and a one-pager, “Voters Count on Libraries: The Numbers,” illustrating the role libraries play as centers of civic lift and patron engagement with library services. ALA is collaborating with partners to provide nonpartisan resources and learning opportunities for librarians.

ALA Public Policy and Advocacy Office, Apr. 10
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Joyce McIntosh writes: “Each year the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) distributes Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund Programming Grants to organizations to support activities that raise awareness of intellectual freedom and censorship issues during Banned Books Week. Grants are awarded for $1,000 and applications are accepted through April 30. FTRF also offers the annual Gordon M. Conable Conference Scholarship for library school students and new professionals to attend ALA’s Annual Conference and Exhibition. The scholarship provides conference registration, transportation, six nights of housing, and a $300 stipend for meals and other expenses. The application deadline is April 26.”

Freedom to Read Foundation, Mar. 28, 29

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