Forward Together Archives | American Libraries Magazine

Council I: Forward Together Work Begins

By Amy Carlton | June 28, 2021

The Virtual Council rules (CD#5.2) and agenda (CD#8.6) were adopted. The minutes from the 2021 ALA Midwinter Meeting and March Council Meeting Minutes (CD#2.3–2.4) were also adopted. Mike Marlin, chair of the Resolutions Committee, thanked his colleagues and bade farewell to retiring committee members before presenting his report (CD#10.2). The Committee on Committees (COC) report … Continue reading Council I: Forward Together Work Begins →

From the President, by Julius C. Jefferson Jr.

Moving Forward

By Julius C. Jefferson Jr. | June 1, 2021

Thanks to all who joined me last summer on the virtual “Holding Space” tour, a conversation series with libraries. I will forever remember you as faithful partners and travel companions as we faced seemingly insurmountable difficulties. Thanks in part to our advocacy, libraries secured federal relief funding of historic proportions. ALA staff and leadership managed … Continue reading Moving Forward →

Photo of ALA Executive Director Tracie D. Hall. Text says "From the Executive Director by Tracie D. Hall"

To Survive, We Must Transform

By Tracie D. Hall | June 1, 2021

My friend is a well-respected educational consultant and author of half a dozen books. In a phone call shortly after she returned home, I was delighted to learn that, though she was still weak and had limited mobility, she was finishing a book she had been working on before her illness. “I’m writing for a … Continue reading To Survive, We Must Transform →

Making a Difference

By Julius C. Jefferson Jr. | May 3, 2021

I am beginning to see the light at the end of a dark COVID-19 tunnel. Many of us have been vaccinated or will be soon—a critical step toward healing all the communities hit by the global pandemic. Another ray of light came on March 11, when the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 was signed … Continue reading Making a Difference →

March Virtual Council Meeting

By Amy Carlton | April 1, 2021

Jefferson took a moment at the beginning of the meeting to mark César Chávez Day, celebrated each year on the labor leader and civil rights activist’s birthday, March 31. Amy Lappin, chair of the Chapter Relations Committee (CRC), and Justin de la Cruz, chair of the Committee on Library Advocacy (COLA), presented the ALA Vaccine … Continue reading March Virtual Council Meeting →

Council I: Forward Together Reports Presented

By Amy Carlton | January 24, 2021

The minutes from the 2020 June, September, and December Virtual Council Meetings (CD#2, 2.1, 2.2) were adopted. ALA Executive Director Tracie D. Hall reviewed the Executive Board actions since the 2020 June Virtual Meeting (CD#15) and implementation of the 2020 Virtual Meeting Council Actions (CD#9). Patty Wong, chair of the Committee on Committees, presented the … Continue reading Council I: Forward Together Reports Presented →

A New Year of Hope

By Julius C. Jefferson Jr. | January 4, 2021

Similarly, 2020 made an indelible impression on the history of our country, and it has left us collectively exhausted. Many will remember it as the year we were locked down, Zoomed out, and either lonely or wanting to be alone. We lost loved ones, icons, and champions. We were confronted with furloughs and loss of … Continue reading A New Year of Hope →

ALA Council Holds Second Special Virtual Meeting

By Amy Carlton | December 3, 2020

Jefferson thanked the Forward Together Working Group (FTWG) and Council members for their work the past several months. FTWG cochairs Stephen Yates and Joslyn Bowling Dixon provided an update on the group’s activities since the summer (CD#51). It held six discussion sessions between August and November to give councilors time to review, consider, and discuss … Continue reading ALA Council Holds Second Special Virtual Meeting →

We the People

By Julius C. Jefferson Jr. | November 2, 2020

The primary focus of my ALA presidency is to serve the people—all people—with particular attention to those who were not included or who are underrepresented or forgotten. In my last column, I shared the idea behind ALA’s “Holding Space” tour, which began in July and featured virtual visits to 11 libraries across the country that … Continue reading We the People →

Latest Library Links

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Booklist Reader—a publication that offers diverse readers’ advisory recommendations, author interviews, original features, and top 10 lists for library patrons of all ages—is celebrating its first anniversary by launching a new print option for subscribers. Starting January 2023, monthly print quantities of 50–5,000 copies will be available for US and Canadian Booklist subscribers for an additional fee. The digital addition of Booklist Reader is already included as a Booklist subscriber benefit. “We’re excited by the number of libraries sharing Booklist Reader via their websites, but Booklist understands that not all library patrons do or can interact with their library digitally,” says Booklist Publisher George Kendall.

ALA: Booklist Publications, Sept. 27
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On September 27, the Executive Board of the American Library Association (ALA) sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray expressing concerns about threats directed at public and school libraries and library workers. The letter cites bombing or shooting threats in the past two weeks that have temporarily closed Hawaii State Public Library System, Salt Lake City Public Library, Denver Public Library, Fort Worth (Tex.) Public Library, and Nashville (Tenn.) Public Library. “Given the seriousness and proliferation of these threats of violence and other acts of intimidation increasingly taking place in America’s libraries, we are gravely concerned for the safety of library workers and the millions of Americans who visit libraries each day,” the letter states.

ALA, Sept. 27
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Erin Hennessy writes: “As bills hostile to LGBTQ communities, people of color, and women continue to proliferate, associations will increasingly face challenges. The uptick in these discriminatory laws at the state level flies in the face of the values and missions of many higher education organizations. Deciding where to host an annual national conference—and if or when to relocate—has become a much weightier and costlier decision, and one that is going to continue to surface for associations. Adding to the difficulty is the timeline and its associated costs; these conferences and annual meetings are usually booked multiple years out. It is critical for associations to have site-selection policies in place.”

Inside Higher Ed, Sept. 22
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Nicholas Brown writes: “The Center for Immigration Studies estimates that 67.3 million Americans speak a language other than English at home, a number that has more than doubled since 1990. That’s a huge number with powerful implications for social institutions, including libraries. For many of us, getting started serving those communities feels like an overwhelming task. I’m here to tell you—you can do it. Our library has made significant progress on expanding multilingual access, starting with hiring bilingual English/Spanish speakers for branches. There are a few lessons our library has learned along the way that can help your library advance this important work.”

WebJunction, Sept. 22
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Vitaly Friedman writes: “Given just how complex the web has become, it’s easy to overlook some fine little details just before the big release. And sometimes it’s difficult to pick out just the right technique or strategy to address a particular problem. That’s where design checklists can help.” Friedman provides a variety of user experience (UX) checklists that cover best design practices, accessibility, tables, research methods, and more.

Smashing Magazine, Sept. 8
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Alejandra Domenzain writes: “At a time when book bans are targeting marginalized voices, it’s more important than ever to ask: Why does access to these books matter? I want to argue that the stakes are high not just for expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion in children’s books, but that we need to go further to demand social justice books in our schools and libraries. Social justice books ask questions that inevitably expose differences in power and privilege. They make the reader accountable: Is this fair? Should we do something to change it? Because these questions may be inconvenient or uncomfortable, many educators reserve social justice books for occasions such as Black History Month or Cesar Chavez Day, when they can be confined to a narrow scope, often historical, rather than challenging our current policies, systems, and institutions.”

Latinxs in Kit Lit newsletter, Sept.
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Kathleen Hughes writes: “Job seekers with a criminal record face an enormous barrier to employment. While legal service providers can assist with the expungement process, they are predominantly located in urban centers, making access difficult for those in rural areas. In this episode of FYI: The Public Libraries Podcast, Adult Program Manager Elena Coelho and Assistant Branch Manager Marshall Shord, both from Worcester County (Md.) Library, share their experiences starting and running a bimonthly expungement clinic in an area with few pro bono legal resources.”

Public Libraries Online, Sept. 26

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