American Libraries spoke with three members of the library community who have rallied in support of Ukraine through efforts to preserve cultural information, raise funds for its libraries and affected population, and help its refugees settle in new places: Kristin Parker, lead curator and manager of the arts at Boston Public Library (BPL); Michael Dowling, … Continue reading A Helping Hand
First, Call Number host Diana Panuncial speaks with Kristin Parker, lead curator and manager of the arts at Boston Public Library. Parker is part of a network of first responders working against the clock to preserve Ukraine’s cultural history and provide preservation advice to library workers on the ground. Next, American Libraries Editor and Publisher … Continue reading Call Number Podcast: Support for Ukraine
The citations began as an initiative of 2007–2008 ALA President Loriene Roy. Presented by the International Relations Round Table, the awards recognize exemplary services and projects that draw attention to libraries creating positive change, demonstrating sustainability, and providing a model for others to follow. This year’s winners are Run Run Shaw Library at City University … Continue reading 2022 International Innovators
Nonfiction All the Kremlin’s Men: Inside the Court of Vladimir Putin, by Mikhail Zygar (PublicAffairs, 2016) Russian journalist Zygar portrays four Putins—“Putin I the Lionheart,” “Putin II the Magnificent,” “Prince Dmitry,” and “Putin the Terrible”—while presenting a thorough accounting of his many crimes against humanity. What Zygar discovered is that Putin’s inner circle has been … Continue reading Reading Ukraine
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
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a body of scientists convened by the United Nations, issued an assessment so stark, the UN secretary-general called its findings a “code red for humanity.” Writing in The New York Times in response to the report, Greta Thunberg and other young climate activists took adults to task: “For children … Continue reading Solidarity on Sustainability
Gander’s small airport had evolved from a strategic post during World War II to a refueling station for transatlantic flights during the 1950s and 1960s. The planes began arriving on the day of the attack. Soucy, now retired, and then–GPRL Manager Glenda Peddle, who died in 2018, knew people working in air traffic control who … Continue reading A Safe Haven in the Sea
50 Number of countries represented at the United Nations (UN) Conference on International Organization in San Francisco from April 25 to June 26, 1945. Representatives wrote a charter for the UN with the hope of preventing another world war. The organization officially formed four months later, on October 24. 1947 Year the UN General Assembly … Continue reading By the Numbers: United Nations Day
The citations began as an initiative of former ALA President Loriene Roy (2007–2008). Presented by the International Relations Round Table, the awards recognize exemplary services and projects that draw attention to libraries that are creating positive change, demonstrating sustainability, and providing a model for others. The winners are Nazarbayev University Library in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan; Red … Continue reading 2021 International Innovators
The Presidential Citations began as an initiative of former ALA President Loriene Roy (2007–2008). Presented by the International Relations Round Table, the awards recognize exemplary services and projects that draw attention to the potential for library services to create positive change, demonstrate sustainability, and provide a model for others. The winners are: Fran Galovic´ Public … Continue reading International Innovators
Among the camp’s adult population, literacy is low: 79% of its residents are from the agricultural region of Dara’a in southern Syria, where people are typically less educated than in a metropolis like Damascus. Before the Syrian civil war, Syrian schools and universities were considered among the best in the Arab world. Resourcefulness and creativity … Continue reading Bringing Books to the Desert
Siyawash’s voice cracks as he recounts this scene from a small village in Afghanistan. Siyawash, a student at Jahan University in Kabul, is founder and chief of a small organization called Read Books (in Pashto: Ketab Lwast), a mobile effort to improve youth literacy rates in Afghanistan by providing books and reading instruction to children … Continue reading Bikes and Books in Afghanistan
