Inside ALA Archives | Page 2 of 46 | American Libraries Magazine

Council I: Resolutions and Governance Policy

By Sallyann Price | June 25, 2022

The Rules and Guidelines for ALA Hybrid Council Meetings (CD#5.2) and the agenda for Council I (CD#8.6) were adopted without objection. The minutes from the January (LibLearnX) and March 2022 Council meetings (CD#2.1–2.2) were approved. ALA Executive Director Tracie D. Hall reviewed Executive Board actions taken since the 2022 January virtual meeting (CD#15.1), including the … Continue reading Council I: Resolutions and Governance Policy →

Hepburn Elected ALA Treasurer

April 13, 2022

Hepburn received 8,947 votes in the uncontested election. Hepburn will step into his role as treasurer at the close of the 2022 ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition in Washington, D.C. Upon learning the outcome of the election, Hepburn said, “What an incredible honor to be able to serve our association in this capacity and to … Continue reading Hepburn Elected ALA Treasurer →

Drabinski Wins 2023–2024 ALA Presidency

April 13, 2022

Drabinski received 5,410 votes, while her opponent, Kelvin Watson, executive director of the Las Vegas–Clark County (Nev.) Library District, received 4,622 votes. Upon learning the outcome of the election, Drabinski provided the following statement: “Thank you to everyone who participated in this election. I am humbled and excited to serve as your 2022–2023 president-elect. Thank … Continue reading Drabinski Wins 2023–2024 ALA Presidency →

ALA Stands with Ukrainian Library Community

March 1, 2022

ALA and its divisions support our Ukrainian colleagues and will work with the global library community to answer the appeal from the Ukrainian Library Association to provide accurate information as a means to support democracy and freedom of expression. ALA has adopted into its policies Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human … Continue reading ALA Stands with Ukrainian Library Community →

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

The Table and the Folding Chair

By Tracie D. Hall | March 1, 2022

In this fourth and final column introducing ALA’s newly implemented five-year strategic plan, I want to mine the connection between creating institutional belonging and facilitating the change management critical to organizational sustainability and impact. The first of these begets the second. In addition to the overarching goals of the new Pivot (or change management) Strategy, … Continue reading The Table and the Folding Chair →

2022 LibLearnX Wrap-Up

By Alison Marcotte | February 1, 2022

The lineup also included familiar ALA conference components: high-profile speakers, networking opportunities, and celebrations of libraries, books, and authors. Originally scheduled to be held in person in San Antonio, the conference shifted to an all-virtual format because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Speakers get personal US Sen. Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) opened the conference in … Continue reading 2022 LibLearnX Wrap-Up →

Council III: Actions and Updates

By Judy Czarnik | January 25, 2022

Libré Booker, an Executive Board member, motioned to extend the meeting for an additional 30 minutes. The motion was defeated. The agenda for Council III (CD#8.3) was adopted. Memorials were read for Barbara Froling Immroth (M#1), Mary Redmond (M#2), Kenya S. Flash (M#3), Manuel Urrizola (M#4), Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin (M#5), Teri Lesesne (M#6), and Lauren D. … Continue reading Council III: Actions and Updates →

Council II: Legislation Updates

By Judy Czarnik | January 21, 2022

Joseph A. Thompson Jr., Committee on Legislation chair, presented that committee’s report (CD#20), which includes federal funding, legislation, and advocacy updates. The agenda for Council II (CD#8.2) was adopted. Jim Neal, chair of the Committee on Organization, presented five action items (CD#27), all of which passed. The motions proposed revising the ALA Publishing committee charge; dissolving … Continue reading Council II: Legislation Updates →

Council I: Transforming ALA Governance

By Judy Czarnik | January 20, 2022

The Virtual Council Rules (CD#5) and agenda for Council I (CD#8.1) were adopted, as well as the minutes from the June 2021 Virtual Annual Council meetings (CD#2). ALA Executive Director Tracie D. Hall reviewed Executive Board actions since the June 2021 Virtual Meeting (CD#15) and implementation of the 2021 Virtual Meeting Council Actions (CD#9). Lessa Kanani’opua … Continue reading Council I: Transforming ALA Governance →

11 Questions: Dina Tsourdinis

January 11, 2022

A licensed certified public accountant, Tsourdinis holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) and is a member of the Illinois CPA Society and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Tsourdinis has worked in finance at several nonprofit and educational institutions in Chicago, including UIC, SOS Children’s Villages Illinois, … Continue reading 11 Questions: Dina Tsourdinis →

2021 Year in Review

January 3, 2022

Wong’s election makes ALA history At the conclusion of the 2021 Annual Conference Virtual, Patricia “Patty” M. Wong began her term as the first Asian American to serve as ALA president. The American Rescue Plan Act and libraries When President Biden signed into law the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 on March … Continue reading 2021 Year in Review →

Image of ALA President Patricia "Patty" M. Wong

Two Decades of ALA-APA

By Patricia "Patty" M. Wong | January 3, 2022

Through your ALA membership, you are already part of ALA-APA. And as president of ALA, I’m also president of ALA-APA, so this work is very close to my heart. I’m proud that the leaders who came before me had the foresight to establish ALA-APA to offer resources for librarians, library staff, and library managers to … Continue reading Two Decades of ALA-APA →

Latest Library Links

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Join ALA President Lessa Kanani‘opua Pelayo-Lozada at 1 p.m. Central on December 15 for “Our Brave Communities: Facing Censorship Head-On with ALA,” a conversation on censorship issues in libraries, related legislation, and how the Association is fighting book banning efforts. Panelists will include Martha Hickson (school librarian at North Hunterdon–Voorhees Regional High School District in Annandale, New Jersey), Brian Raitz (director of Parkersburg and Wood County Public Library in West Virginia), and Lisa Varga (executive director of the Virginia Library Association). Registration is required.

ALA Connect Live Series
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Juliana Kim writes: “When her author event at Pretty Good Books in Ashtabula, Ohio, had low turnout, Chelsea Banning was at her breaking point. ‘I was discouraged and bummed and I felt bad that the bookstore owner opened his store for me,’ she said. Banning tweeted about what happened with the intention of possibly deleting the tweet in a few hours. But that night, instead of taking down what she wrote, she stared at her tweet in shock as a mass of authors, including some of the most renowned novelists in the world, replied with their own experiences of low turnout.”

NPR, Dec. 6
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Lara Ewen writes: “After a year of unprecedented challenges and impressive successes, it’s time to celebrate the resilience of librarians. This holiday season, focus on gifts that highlight goodwill, inclusivity, and the joy of books. We’ve rounded up a list of presents that are fun, thoughtful, and affordable—most items are less than $40. And while you’re shopping, don’t forget to treat yourself, because everyone deserves a little extra kindness these days.”

AL Online, Dec. 7
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Richard Byrne writes: “This week is Computer Science Education Week. I’ve long thought that every student should have some experience with computer science. I was introduced to some computer science concepts when I was in elementary school in the 1980s through the use of Logo, and that experience is still beneficial to me today. If you would like to have your students get a little computer science experience this week, here are some good resources.” Tools include MIT App Inventor, Blackbird, and Scratch.

Free Technology for Teachers, Dec. 7
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Susie Mesure writes: “There is something about churning through books that induces envy and even admiration, never more than at this time of year when piles of finished tomes are splashed across social media. Bragging rights seem to go to those who have read lots of books and read them quickly – how many times have you seen someone boast about finishing 10 books in a year? What about five? But there is power in reading slowly.”

The Guardian, December 2
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Bruce Rosenstein writes: “In my recent guest post for the Wisdom Well blog of the entrepreneur/author Chip Conley, I wrote that he “has intuited that today we need a jolt of awareness that goes beyond knowledge workers (who may be an endangered species due to Artificial Intelligence/AI and other technological advances) to “wisdom workers.” Chip Conley’s latest, Wisdom at Work: The Making of a Modern Elder How to Reinvent the Second Half of Your Career, is included in my list of 55 select books below on longevity and productive aging.”

LLRX, November 29
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Lisa Kanarek writes: “I’ve lost my social skills!’ I texted to a friend while en route to my first in-person conference in four years. I had learned to appreciate the convenience of online learning. Virtual conferences aren’t going away—not everyone is comfortable traveling and spending time in meeting rooms surrounded by strangers. But in-person events are back, and when you’re ready to mingle with those who share a common interest, these tips can help you make the most of the experience.”

Wired, November 30

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