Inside ALA

Responding to the Second Wave of the Digital Divide

By Corey Taylor | May 7, 2014

Progress has been made in closing the digital divide between computer-based tools and infrastructure, but an equally debilitating digital divide in internet literacy affects the American public, according to “Responding to the Second Wave of the Digital Divide,” a briefing of local government, public-policy, and library experts held May 6 at the National Press Club … Continue reading Responding to the Second Wave of the Digital Divide →

Summit on the Future of Libraries: Day Two

By Laurie D. Borman | May 5, 2014

“The future’s gonna happen, whether we agree to participate or not,” said Thomas Frey, executive director and futurist for the DaVinci Institute, to participants in “Libraries From Now On: Imagining the Future.” The event, a summit on the future of libraries held May 2–3 at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., included 80 foundation … Continue reading Summit on the Future of Libraries: Day Two →

Barbara Stripling

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

By Barbara K. Stripling | May 5, 2014

If you have heard me speak this year, then you’ve heard me repeat this often-quoted saying: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” I thought every library worker already had that mindset, that all of us want to change the lives of those we serve through our actions. How dismaying … Continue reading Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion →

Feldman Wins 2015 – 2016 ALA Presidency

by George M. Eberhart | May 2, 2014

Sari Feldman, executive director of the Cuyahoga County Public Library in Parma, Ohio, has been elected president of the American Library Association for the 2015–2016 term. Feldman received 5,184 votes, while her opponent, Maggie Farrell, dean of libraries at the University of Wyoming, Laramie, received 4,185 votes. As ALA president, Feldman will be the chief … Continue reading Feldman Wins 2015 – 2016 ALA Presidency →

ALA Selects 10 Public Libraries for Community Engagement Training

By Mariam Pera | April 22, 2014

On April 22, the American Library Association (ALA) announced the names of 10 public libraries selected to participate in an 18-month community engagement training program as part of the Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC) Public Innovators Cohort. More than 80 libraries applied to be part of the cohort, which is part of ALA’s LTC initiative—a national plan … Continue reading ALA Selects 10 Public Libraries for Community Engagement Training →

Public Libraries to Take Center Stage in Financial Literacy

by George M. Eberhart | April 7, 2014

The US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has announced a new partnership with public libraries to help them become a trusted source for unbiased financial education information and resources in their communities. “Libraries already play an important role in communities across the United States,” CFPB Director Richard Cordray said at an April 7 press conference … Continue reading Public Libraries to Take Center Stage in Financial Literacy →

An American in Paris

By Alan S. Inouye | March 28, 2014

Earlier this week, I had the privilege of talking about US library ebook lending at the Salon du Livre—the Paris Book Fair. Representing ALA, I served on the panel “La Diffusion du Livre Numérique dans les Bibliothèques aux USA: Points de Vue des Acteurs” (Dissemination of Digital Book Libraries in the USA: Views of the … Continue reading An American in Paris →

ALA Leadership Institute Participants Continue to Benefit

By | March 26, 2014

Last August, 40 librarians gathered at the Eaglewood Resort and Spa in Itasca, Illinois, to participate in the first ALA Leadership Institute. Facilitated by ALA past-president Maureen Sullivan and Association of College and Research Libraries content strategist Kathryn Deiss, the group learned about models of leadership and group dynamics, and shared ideas and research. They … Continue reading ALA Leadership Institute Participants Continue to Benefit →

Joint Statement from the Presidents of the Ethnic Caucuses of ALA (AILA, APALA, BCALA, CALA, REFORMA) and the American Library Association (ALA)

March 25, 2014

March 24, 2014 The values of diversity, equity, and inclusion form the foundation of the library profession and our professional associations. Those values have been challenged by the discriminatory enforcement of the “Stand Your Ground” law in Florida and the fact that ALA’s 2016 Annual Conference is scheduled for Orlando. The Executive Committee members of … Continue reading Joint Statement from the Presidents of the Ethnic Caucuses of ALA (AILA, APALA, BCALA, CALA, REFORMA) and the American Library Association (ALA) →

DCWG at PLA

By Alan S. Inouye | March 19, 2014

Cuyahoga County (Ohio) Public Library Director Sari Feldman and Multnomah County (Oreg.) Library Director Vailey Oehlke represented ALA’s Digital Content Working Group (DCWG) at last week’s Public Library Association Conference in Indianapolis. One of DCWG’s major activities at the conference was to host a session titled “Public Libraries in the Marketplace: The Business of Digital Content.” This … Continue reading DCWG at PLA →