Inside ALA Archives | Page 46 of 52 | American Libraries Magazine

Action Alert: Protect Library Funding, ALA President Urges Library Community

February 25, 2011

In anticipation of the U.S. Senate reconvening February 28, American Library Association President Roberta Stevens has issued this call to action through ALA’s Washington Office: “I am writing to you today to enlist your participation in an association-wide advocacy campaign to protect funding for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and the Improving Literacy … Continue reading Action Alert: Protect Library Funding, ALA President Urges Library Community →

From the Publisher: American Libraries Transition

January 19, 2011

As Editor and Publisher Leonard Kniffel leaves the helm of American Libraries and then takes on new responsibilities upon his return from a sabbatical, I would like to acknowledge his many contributions to the evolving character of our member magazine and all that it has become. Under his leadership and with the support and contributions … Continue reading From the Publisher: American Libraries Transition →

King Sunrise Celebration Features Michael K. Honey

January 11, 2011

“I grew up as a follower of Martin Luther King,” said Michael K. Honey, Fred T. and Dorothy G. Haley Endowed Professor of the Humanities and professor of labor and ethnic studies and American history, University of Washington, Tacoma. “When I was in high school, I followed his campaign for desegregation in the South on … Continue reading King Sunrise Celebration Features Michael K. Honey →

Council III: Governing Body Ends Session Early

January 11, 2011

The last session of ALA’s governing Council ended two-and-half hours early as the body sailed through its agenda. Council passed several items from the Constitution and Bylaws Committee and its Chair Tom Wilding, including: a change in the constitution regarding endowment trustees increasing the composition to no fewer than three nor more than six members; … Continue reading Council III: Governing Body Ends Session Early →

What Is the Future of ALA’s Midwinter Meeting?

January 11, 2011

“Over the past decade, the combination of technological change and economic stress has caused many members to question the way in which ALA groups accomplish work,” begins a White Paper on the ALA Midwinter Meeting (PDF file) published just ahead of this year’s Midwinter in San Diego. “In particular, they have raised issues relating to … Continue reading What Is the Future of ALA’s Midwinter Meeting? →

Council II: Association Programmatic Priorities for 2015 Approved

January 11, 2011

In its second session, ALA’s governing Council approved 2015 Programmatic Priorities, offered by ALA Treasurer Jim Neal (Council Document #13). The priorities are: diversity; equitable access to information and library services; education and lifelong learning; intellectual freedom; advocacy for libraries and the profession; literacy; organizational excellence; and transforming libraries. As finances seem to be heading in … Continue reading Council II: Association Programmatic Priorities for 2015 Approved →

New Congress Still Offers Opportunities for Libraries

January 9, 2011

“Libraries have traditionally done well under Republicans,” according to ALA Washington Office Director Emily Sheketoff, who told those attending the Washington Office Update Break-Out Session, “New Congress, New Challenges,” that “all is not bleak, but all is not well either.” Casey Dominguez, assistant professor of political science at the University of San Diego, provided an … Continue reading New Congress Still Offers Opportunities for Libraries →

Council I: Domestic Partner Job Listing Measure Passes

January 9, 2011

A measure that encourages clarification within job listings as to the presence or absence of domestic partner benefits was the sole action taken by the ALA’s governing Council during its first session today. Introduced by Peter Hepburn, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Round Table councilor, the resolution (Council Document #35) originally called for requiring potential … Continue reading Council I: Domestic Partner Job Listing Measure Passes →

Ted Danson on the Environment: No Doom and Gloom

January 9, 2011

“Don’t focus on the negative and scary,” actor Ted Danson advised at Roberta Stevens's President’s Program today during the ALA Midwinter Meeting in San Diego. In conversation with Stevens, the Emmy–award winning television and movie star and oceanic environmental activist warned of the perils of over-fishing, saying “the clock is ticking,” but “the problems are … Continue reading Ted Danson on the Environment: No Doom and Gloom →

“Our Authors, Our Advocates” Advocacy Tools Available

January 7, 2011

Public service announcements to help libraries promote ALA President Roberta Stevens’ “Our Authors, Our Advocates” national library advocacy public awareness campaign were unveiled today during the ALA Midwinter Meeting in San Diego. Library advocates can now download audio and video PSAs from such best-selling authors as Sharon Draper, Brad Meltzer, Sara Paretsky, and Scott Turow. The … Continue reading “Our Authors, Our Advocates” Advocacy Tools Available →

Past Presidents, Staff Gather to Thank Library Champions

January 7, 2011

I spotted ALA past presidents Peggy Sullivan, Beverly Lynch, Sarah Long, Barbara Ford, Loriene Roy, Leslie Burger, Camila Alire, and John W. Berry among the crowd gathered at the San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina this evening to say thanks to the Library Champions, Major Donors, members of the Legacy Society, and others who contribute … Continue reading Past Presidents, Staff Gather to Thank Library Champions →

Five Years of AL Direct

January 5, 2011

American Libraries Direct is celebrating its fifth birthday with the January 5, 2011, issue. The e-newsletter was launched on January 11, 2006, just prior to the ALA Midwinter Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. It was a modest affair, but since then it has grown to become an essential news resource for ALA members and nonmembers … Continue reading Five Years of AL Direct →

Latest Library Links

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Kelly Greig writes: “The century-old library in Stanstead, Quebec, that straddles the Canada-US border now has a new door so Canadians can get in after the US limited entry to the building last year. For decades, people in Stanstead were allowed to walk around the Haskell Free Library and Opera House, but last year the US limited access, [forcing potential Canadian users] to drive down the street and go through a border crossing just to get in the front door.” The newly installed door cost nearly $600,000.

CTV News (Toronto), Apr. 9; American Libraries Online, Apr. 14, 2025
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Sydney Butler writes: “Believe me, I know the pain of troubleshooting 3D prints to the point where I just feel like throwing my printer in the garbage and buying a new one. Tracing print issues back to specific printer problems can be a nightmare, but there are a few likely issues you should check before turning your printer into scrap.”

How-To Geek, Apr. 11
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Allen Jones and Sae Ra Germaine write: “Interlibrary lending and document delivery have never been neutral technical layers. They are shaped—sometimes constrained—by the platforms libraries choose to implement. Over the last 25 years, two broad models have emerged: centralized networks and regional or distributed networks. Against this backdrop, the National Library of Australia explored a third path: a national network of networks, which includes libraries of all types—academic, public, special, and corporate.”

Katina, Apr. 8
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William Bishop writes: “Digital books have grown in popularity over the past decade, but more Americans still read books in print than in digital formats. Overall, 75% of US adults say they have read all or part of at least one book in the past 12 months, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in October 2025. Much smaller shares say they have read an ebook or listened to an audiobook in the past year. While book reading is widespread, the survey also shows that participation in book clubs is much less common.”

Pew Research Center, Apr. 9
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Shana Lynch writes: “This year’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Index report reveals AI’s capabilities are advancing quickly; less so, our ability to measure and manage them. The annual AI Index has tracked the field’s evolution since 2017, measuring everything from technical capabilities and research output to societal impact and public perception. The new report shows that AI models are achieving breakthrough results in science and complex reasoning, but at a concerning environmental toll. Meanwhile, AI’s workforce disruption has moved from prediction to reality, hitting young workers first.”

Stanford University Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, Apr. 13
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On April 8, ALA announced the fourth and final round of recipients of its Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities grant, an initiative to help small and rural libraries increase the accessibility of facilities, services, and programs to better serve people with disabilities. The 300 funded proposals represent 46 US states and the Northern Mariana Islands, and 73% of selected libraries serve communities with populations of 5,000 or fewer. Fifty libraries will receive grants of $20,000, and 250 libraries will receive grants of $10,000.

ALA Public Programs Office, Apr. 8
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Cara Bertram writes: “On April 28, 1892, the first librarian of the Milwaukee Public Library (MPL), Klas August Linderfelt, was summoned to a meeting with library trustees and Mayor Peter J. Somers. There, Linderfelt was accused of embezzling $4,000, to which he admitted guilt and was subsequently arrested. Linderfelt’s arrest came as a shock to the library profession. Not only was he the head of the MPL, but he was also the president of both the ALA and the Wisconsin Library Association. A longtime and active member of ALA, Linderfelt was well liked by his colleagues, leaving them reeling at his arrest.”

ALA Archives, Apr. 10

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