Inside ALA Archives | American Libraries Magazine

ALA Presidential Candidates Emily Drabinski and Kelvin Watson

Drabinski, Watson Seek 2023–2024 ALA Presidency

October 5, 2021

The October 5 presidential candidates statement reads as follows: Emily Drabinski, interim chief librarian at the Graduate Center, City University of New York, and Kelvin Watson, executive director of Las Vegas–Clark County (Nev.) Library District, are the candidates for the 2023–2024 presidency of the American Library Association (ALA). Drabinski has served as chair of the … Continue reading Drabinski, Watson Seek 2023–2024 ALA Presidency →

ALA Announces LibLearnX Will Be Virtual

September 15, 2021

On September 15, the American Library Association (ALA) Executive Board issued a statement about transitioning LibLearnX (LLX), ALA’s upcoming conference, to a virtual-only format. The full statement follows: The American Library Association’s Executive Board announced today that LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience, scheduled for January 21–24, 2022, in San Antonio, will take place virtually. “Given the … Continue reading ALA Announces LibLearnX Will Be Virtual →

11 Questions: Robert “Jay” Malone

September 8, 2021

As ACRL’s new executive director, Malone will lead the largest of ALA’s eight divisions, which includes more than 9,000 individual and institutional members. Prior to ALA, Malone worked at the History of Science Society, where he served for 23 years, helping the organization further its advocacy goals; promote equity, diversity, and inclusion; create a fundraising … Continue reading 11 Questions: Robert “Jay” Malone →

ALA Executive Board Opposes Censorship of Programs Addressing Racial Injustice, Black American History, and Diversity Education

August 18, 2021

The American Library Association is committed to upholding our core values, which include equitable access to knowledge, social justice, and intellectual freedom. As members of a profession committed to free and equitable access to information and the pursuit of truth, we stand firm in opposing any effort to suppress knowledge, to label “controversial” views, or … Continue reading ALA Executive Board Opposes Censorship of Programs Addressing Racial Injustice, Black American History, and Diversity Education →

11 Questions: Kevin Strowder

July 9, 2021

As head of ODLOS, Strowder will oversee a unit that manages prominent programs, initiatives, awards, and relationships that support equity and inclusion through a lens of social justice. Strowder answered our 11 Questions to introduce himself to ALA members. Coffee, tea, other? Tea is the best! I specifically love a brand of Earl Grey tea … Continue reading 11 Questions: Kevin Strowder →

From the Executive Director by Tracie D. Hall

A Little Light to See By

By Tracie D. Hall | July 8, 2021

I was almost through with a first draft when a nagging truth asserted itself, insisting I speak to it: that the challenges, uncertainties, and indeed, opportunities we have faced during and emerging from the pandemic have taken their toll on us, in the form of worry, fatigue, and stress. And yes, though I firmly and … Continue reading A Little Light to See By →

Libraries Connect Us

By Patricia "Patty" M. Wong | July 8, 2021

Taking on the struggle against racism, prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination is central to ALA’s mission of fostering cultural understanding and defending equity, diversity, and inclusion. In that spirit, my presidential plans focus on equity at the intersection of service. During my term, I will advocate for four initiatives, collectively called “Libraries Connect.” The first focus … Continue reading Libraries Connect Us →

Council III: Resolutions and Updates

By Amy Carlton | June 29, 2021

Memorials were read for John T. Ma (M#9), Vartan Gregorian (M#10), Kathie Coblentz (M#11), Henrietta M. Smith (M#12), Cheryl McCarthy (M#13), Eleanor “Penny” Brome (M#14), Latanya N. Jenkins (M#15), Anita Schiller (M#16), Xiaoqiu Li (M#17), Bernadette Storck (M#18), William C. Robinson (M#19), Margaret R. Myers (M#20), Michele Leber (M#21), Leonard Kniffel (M#22), William G. Asp … Continue reading Council III: Resolutions and Updates →

Council II: Restructuring and Sustainability

By Amy Carlton | June 28, 2021

ALA Executive Director Tracie D. Hall presented the review of Executive Board actions taken since the 2021 Midwinter Meeting (CD#15.1) and the implementation report on Council actions taken at Midwinter (CD#9.1). In a carryover from Council I earlier in the day, Forward Together Resolutions Working Group (FTRWG) cochairs Christina Rodriques and Jack Martin presented their … Continue reading Council II: Restructuring and Sustainability →

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 →

Hands holding small red heart with banner -- text reads The ALA COVID Library Relief Fund

ALA Distributes COVID-19 Emergency Relief

June 25, 2021

Through the ALA COVID Library Relief Fund, grantees representing academic, public, school, and tribal libraries will receive grants between $30,000 and $50,000 to support library services and operations. The ALA COVID Library Relief Fund represents a significant nonfederal grant opportunity for libraries. The funds support libraries’ efforts to increase and enhance technology access, collection development, … Continue reading ALA Distributes COVID-19 Emergency Relief →

11 Questions: Mary Davis Fournier

June 16, 2021

Prior to ALA, Fournier worked in neighborhood development, as program director at the nonprofit Near South Planning Board in Chicago. There she directed the Printers Row Lit Fest, the largest free outdoor literary showcase in the Midwest, and the Authors in the Schools literacy program. She also worked in higher education as programming associate at … Continue reading 11 Questions: Mary Davis Fournier →

Latest Library Links

11h

The American Library Association (ALA) announced the return of the Spectrum Doctoral Fellowship Program, which seeks to recruit diverse LIS faculty members. The program, to be run in partnership with University of South Carolina’s School of Information Science, will recruit a cohort of 8-10 racially and ethnically diverse doctoral students focused on advancing racial equity and social justice in library and information science curricula. “There have been many discussions about the lack of diversity in the profession, and that includes the classrooms as well,” said Kevin Strowder, director of ALA’s Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services, in an October 14 statement. An information session for the fellowship will take place November 3; applications for the program open November 4.

ALA's Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services, Oct. 14
11h

After 10 years of renovations, construction has been completed on the Richelieu site of the National Library of France (formerly known as Bibliotheque du Roi) in Paris. Improvements to the 300-year-old campus, known for its arts and heritage collections, include façade restoration, an interior garden installation, and facilities maintenance. Though the library has maintained hours during construction, the site is expected to fully reopen to the public in summer 2022.

ArchDaily, Oct. 13
12h

Kristen A. Graham writes: “The Philadelphia School District, with 200-plus schools, employed 176 certified school librarians in 1991. Today, that number is fewer than 10. Philadelphia has the worst ratio of school librarians in the country. Building 21’s new homespun library has no budget, no librarian, and was built entirely with used and new books donated or purchased cheaply at yard sales or through online marketplace sites. Though it lacks computers, a digital circulation system, or any of the sophisticated bells and whistles that are the hallmarks of better-resourced schools, the Building 21 library feels like a gift, says Simone Burrell, a recent graduate.”

Philadelphia Inquirer, Oct. 16; Jan. 24, 2020
12h

Melissa Stewart and Marlene Correia write: “So often educators favor fiction for read-alouds, book talks, book clubs, classroom instruction, and special assignments. They seem to believe that young readers prefer fiction, and yet wide-ranging research clearly shows that many students enjoy nonfiction as much as or more than fiction. To help students make sense of the wide world of nonfiction, we advocate the Five Kinds of Nonfiction classification system.”

MiddleWeb, Oct. 13
15h

Suzie Glassman writes: “My daughter is part of the 15–20% of students and adults living with a language-based learning disability. Once we diagnosed her dyslexia, I understood she needed the help of assistive technology to learn at a rate on par with her classmates, but I wasn’t sure where to start. In honor of Dyslexia Awareness Month this October, I reached out to several assistive technology experts to find out what technology they recommend for facilitating and improving reading, writing, spelling, and math.”

Wired, Oct. 16; International Dyslexia Association
15h

The Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums (ATALM) has received $3.6 million from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) under the American Rescue Plan to help Native cultural organizations recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. On October 18, ATALM and NEH announced in a press release that this money has been earmarked for subgrants for up to 175 Native cultural institutions and their partners. Awards will range from $5,000 to $50,000 and may be used to rehire furloughed employees, prepare facilities for reopening, document cultural practices, and create new exhibits and programs. Applications open October 20.

Association for Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums, Oct. 18
16h

K. W. Colyard writes: “The most influential sci-fi books of all time have shaped not just science fiction and its myriad subgenres, but horror, fantasy, and manga, as well. Filmmakers have drawn inspiration for the stories between their covers, and real-world STEM developments have been made in their names. Without these books, for better or worse, our world would not be what it is today.”

Book Riot, Oct. 12

View more Latest Library Links