Many libraries don’t screen films. Many just “play and walk away.” Here’s how to make your screening a quality cultural event equal to your book discussions. Your library’s films are some of the highest-quality work in your building, often unjustly ignored, maligned, and simply consigned to “popular material” (Charles Dickens or Alfred Hitchcock, anyone?) when … Continue reading How to Offer More than a Movie
The three-branch Santa Clarita (Calif.) Public Library opened its doors over the Fourth of July weekend as an independent city system for the first time since city officials voted in August 2010 to depart from the County of Los Angeles Public Library. By all accounts, hundreds flocked to the openings to check out materials, eyeball … Continue reading Privatization – and Pushback – Proceed in Santa Clarita
Between 2004 and 2008, four major studies were conducted by researchers. The results all pointed to positive trends in public library growth, with commensurate need for more librarians, especially in the face of the predicted retirements of “baby boomer” librarians. But then the current recession hit. A Strong Future for Public Library Use and Employment, … Continue reading New from ALA Editions
“The digital divide gets bridged in public libraries everywhere in America,” said Mary Dempsey, Chicago Public Library commissioner, as she announced the expansion of a popular digital media center for youth in June. Recent books provide insights on how to bridge the divide, explain why we need to, and offer some research to help make … Continue reading Conquering the Digital Divide
The Winona Newspaper Project, an open, noncommercial digital archive, is providing access to a number of historic periodicals of Winona, Minnesota, a mid-sized city in the southeastern part of the state. The project is an indispensable resource for Winona State University’s Darrell W. Krueger Library and university faculty and students, as well as for local … Continue reading How One Library Digitized Its Community’s Newspapers
ALA’s Executive Board and governing Council spent much of their time during Annual Conference in New Orleans discussing—and acting on—a series of recommendations from five special task forces charged with exploring important issues facing libraries and the Association. Council’s Equitable Access to Digital Content Task Force has been studying the challenges and potential solutions in … Continue reading E-books, Young Professionals, and Reinventing ALA
“Libraries are about content plus community,” says Michael Porter. “What does that mean in a world where in 5, 10, or 20 years the vast majority of content is electronic?” Porter draws on two decades of experience as a librarian, speaker, and writer to envision an organization that will take a leading role in charting … Continue reading Libraries and the Future of Electronic Content Delivery
Technology, innovation, and convergence were all on display inside the bustling 2011 ALA Annual Conference exhibit hall in New Orleans. Aisles of publishers with bright, appealing print-book displays and long lines of fans awaiting author signings gave way to technology pavilions with presentation seating and numerous demonstrations in progress. Conference attendees flocked to the exhibits, … Continue reading New Technologies, New Directions Emerge at ALA 2011
The one-hour PBS documentary special Not In Our Town: Light in the Darkness screened Monday during ALA in New Orleans, in advance of its September 21 national broadcast. The preview screening was part of Not In Our Town’s outreach to libraries nationwide, to invite them to use the film and related resources for free community screenings … Continue reading Free to Libraries: PBS Filmmakers Offer “Not in Our Town” Program Aids
Eight members of the new Polish American Librarians Association met informally over lunch at the National World War II Museum on Sunday during ALA in New Orleans to discuss the organization’s goals and objectives, which include the possibility of applying for affiliation with ALA. But first things first. PALA, which was incorporated in Chicago in … Continue reading Polish-American Librarians Aim to Raise Public Awareness
On Monday, June 27, the “Out of the Closet and Into the Library: LGBTQ Programming” panel discussed how to develop and implement LGBTQ programming in your library. The panelists were from both public and academic libraries and approached the topic of incorporating the programming from the perspective of the institutions they served. Bleue Benton, collection … Continue reading LGBTQ Programming in Your Library
The folks at Wikipedia “are lovers of the institutions of knowledge” and definitely libraries, said Sue Gardner at ALA President Roberta Stevens’s special program Sunday at ALA in New Orleans. The executive director of the Wikimedia Foundation, which operates Wikipedia, said that the wiki is not opposed to traditional media; and, in fact, “we want … Continue reading Sue Gardner Calls for Librarians to Dive in to the World of Wikipedia
