During the pandemic, Christian County (Mo.) Library was looking to launch an ongoing service series that would bring staffers and patrons together outdoors. So it turned to some of the rural area’s oldest and most scenic spaces: cemeteries. In 2021, the library started its Uncovering History: Gravestone Cleaning program series. Participants meet monthly from May … Continue reading A Monumental Task
“It is an idea that there’s no place where I end and you begin,” explained Shola Richards, opening keynote speaker of the 2024 Public Library Association (PLA) conference in Columbus, Ohio, on April 3. Richards—author of professional development books Go Together: How the Concept of Ubuntu Will Change How We Work, Live, and Lead (Sterling … Continue reading How We Work
To fill in service gaps exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Warren County (Ky.) Public Library (WCPL) opened four satellite libraries. These one-room, full-service satellites, housed by community partners, are meant to support populations that would otherwise struggle to visit a full-size branch because of socioeconomic, transportation, or other barriers. Last year, WCPL debuted a satellite … Continue reading Meeting Neurodiverse Needs
Community-led planning is a method for making decisions that puts power in the hands of the community rather than the library. They have real responsibility, authority to make decisions, and accountability for the outcomes. Librarians serve as conveners and facilitators, providing access to library resources and support. The library cannot and should not try to … Continue reading Working Hand in Hand
El Progreso Memorial Library (EPML) in Uvalde, Texas, is one of an increasing number of libraries, with help from community partners, organizing programming about handling grief during the holiday season. EPML has been a center for grief recovery since May 25, 2022. The day before, the community faced the unimaginable tragedy of losing 21 community … Continue reading Holiday Healing
Library Collaborations and Community Partnerships: Enhancing Health and Quality of Life This title showcases libraries as vital collaborators in communities through their efforts to foster engagement, build connections, and serve as partners in leadership. Firsthand accounts of projects and programs help illustrate the ways these institutions are uniquely positioned to recognize local needs and facilitate … Continue reading Knowledge Creates Power
“The presidency that is the main thrust of this particular story is also the story of the first digital president,” said Obama Presidential Center museum director Dr. Louise Bernard. Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden interviewed Bernard and Chicago Public Library Commissioner Chris Brown about the Center at the American Library Association’s Annual Conference and … Continue reading A Presidential Center Preview
LaFromboise, American Indian Library Association (AILA) past president and director of library services at Medicine Spring Library at Blackfeet Community College in Browning, Montana, shared her story at the AILA President’s Program, “Food is Medicine in Medicine Spring Library: Food Sovereignty Needs in a Tribal Library,” at the American Library Association’s 2023 Annual Conference and … Continue reading Food as Medicine
