International Archives | Page 15 of 18 | American Libraries Magazine

IFLA in Gothenburg, Day 5: Exhibits, Programs, Networking Are All about Language

August 14, 2010

During one of the IFLA sessions here in Gothenburg, Sweden, I took a seat in what turned out to be a lousy place for the acoustics. Major programs during this year's World Library and Information Congress were largely in English, which is a second language to most Swedes, but listening to speakers of other languages … Continue reading IFLA in Gothenburg, Day 5: Exhibits, Programs, Networking Are All about Language →

IFLA in Gothenburg, Day 4: Haitian Librarians Describe Destruction, Acknowledge Assistance

August 13, 2010

On January 12, 2010, a devastating earthquake turned an ordinary day into a day of horror and destruction for Haiti. On the fourth day of the 76th General Conference and Assembly of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions August 13, in Gothenburg, Sweden, two Haitian librarians came forward to tell their stories and … Continue reading IFLA in Gothenburg, Day 4: Haitian Librarians Describe Destruction, Acknowledge Assistance →

IFLA in Gothenburg, Day 3: Partnerships, Awards Include Gates $1 Million to Greece

August 12, 2010

Day three of the World Library and Information Congress of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) was a day of awards, honors, and the announcement of new partnerships. IFLA Secretary General Jennefer Nicholson and Ismail Serageldin of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt signed an agreement at the conference–which is taking place in … Continue reading IFLA in Gothenburg, Day 3: Partnerships, Awards Include Gates $1 Million to Greece →

IFLA in Gothenburg, Day 2: Opening Event, Swedish Style, with Jan Eliasson

August 11, 2010

It began with the guitar stylings of Thomas Andersson, crested with a keynote address by Jan Eliasson, former president of the 60th session of the United Nations General Assembly, and ended with a get-up-and-dance happening to the music of Sweden's most famous pop singers Abba. In between, the opening ceremony of the 76th General Conference … Continue reading IFLA in Gothenburg, Day 2: Opening Event, Swedish Style, with Jan Eliasson →

IFLA in Gothenburg, Day 1: The American Agenda

August 11, 2010

For American delegates, the annual conference of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) traditionally begins with a pep talk, officially known as "Caucus: U.S.A." The August 10 meeting was an opportunity for old friends to reunite and for first-time delegates to get the lay of the land—in this case Gothenburg, Sweden—from seasoned … Continue reading IFLA in Gothenburg, Day 1: The American Agenda →

Camden City Libraries May be Rescued by the County System

By Beverly Goldberg | August 9, 2010

Within four days of the Camden (N.J.) Free Public Library board voting August 5 to shutter the entire three-branch system and empty the facilities of their collections and equipment by the end of December, Camden Mayor Dana L. Redd announced that she is in talks with the county to have the city libraries absorbed into … Continue reading Camden City Libraries May be Rescued by the County System →

Support for Virginia Construction Projects Unwavering

By Leonard Kniffel | July 17, 2010

Despite the continued economic downturn, at least three significant construction projects in Virginia are continuing as originially proposed. Plans for a new main library in are “on schedule,” Norfolk (Va.) Public Library Director Norman Maas told American Libraries July 13. “We hope to have the new building open in the next 36 months, and another … Continue reading Support for Virginia Construction Projects Unwavering →

California Groups Oppose Library Privatization Talks

By Beverly Goldberg | July 14, 2010

Several nonprofits in San Joaquin County, California, are sounding the alarm as the county board of supervisors considers the privatization of the management of Stockton–San Joaquin County Public Library (SSJCPL). “People have a right to be informed about this quiet move toward privatizing the library,” asserted Severn Williams, spokesperson for the SSJCPL Friends as well … Continue reading California Groups Oppose Library Privatization Talks →

Town Officials Threaten Cash-Strapped Board for Trimming Library Hours

By Beverly Goldberg | July 6, 2010

Outraged at the prospect of no library service on Fridays due to lack of funding, the city council of Wheaton, Illinois, is considering an ordinance to require the Wheaton Public Library to remain open at least four hours per day for a six-day week during the summer and a seven-day week during the school year. … Continue reading Town Officials Threaten Cash-Strapped Board for Trimming Library Hours →

Boston Branches’ Reprieve Dimmed by Layoffs, Closures Elsewhere

By Beverly Goldberg | June 22, 2010

Grassroots advocates in Boston were thrilled to learn June 21 that library officials were indefinitely postponing the closure of four branches that had been planned for months. The news came as hundreds of library workers at the Charlotte (N.C.) Mecklenburg Library and Los Angeles Public Library were coming to grips with layoff notices. “We’ve been … Continue reading Boston Branches’ Reprieve Dimmed by Layoffs, Closures Elsewhere →

Rallies, Rallies, Everywhere as Final Budget Votes Loom

By Beverly Goldberg | June 9, 2010

July 1 is fast approaching, bringing a new fiscal year for many libraries around the country. However, that’s the only certainty in many communities as advocates tenaciously continue their campaigns to keep as many library facilities open and staffed as possible. The libraries of New York City, Brooklyn, and Queens are rallying supporters on the … Continue reading Rallies, Rallies, Everywhere as Final Budget Votes Loom →

California School District Closes All K – 5 Libraries

By Beverly Goldberg | June 2, 2010

All eight elementary-school libraries in the Natomas Unified School District closed indefinitely as of May 26 to plug $1.6 million of the district’s $17.3-million budget gap by the end of FY2012–13. “These cuts are a last resort,” district spokesperson Heidi Van Zant told American Libraries. “We have deep, deep, deep regret about this action, which … Continue reading California School District Closes All K – 5 Libraries →

Latest Library Links

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Year-end “best of” lists are a common phenomenon, and many libraries have created lists of staff or patron picks of their favorite reads of the year. See staff picks from Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Seattle Public Library, Kent (Mich.) District Library, Los Angeles Public Library, New York Public Library, Chicago Public Library, Farmington (Conn.) Libraries, and King County (Wash.) Library System. Seattle Public Library and Kent (Mich.) District Library have also released lists of patron favorites

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Dec. 11; Seattle Public Library; Kent (Mich.) District Library, Nov. 20, Dec. 13; Los Angeles Public Library, Dec. 16; New York Public Library, Nov. 26; Chicago Public Library, Nov. 18; Farmington (Conn.) Libraries, Dec. 6; King County (Wash.) Library System; Seattle Times, Dec. 17
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The Library of Congress announced 25 additions to the National Film Registry December 17. The new selections date back nearly 130 years and include a diverse group of films, filmmakers, and Hollywood landmarks. The selections range from Annabelle Serpentine Dance, a silent film created to entice audiences at the dawn of cinema in 1895 to the 2010 film The Social Network. Films are selected for their cultural, historic, or aesthetic importance, and this year’s selections bring the number of films in the registry to 900.

Library of Congress, Dec. 17
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Douglas Soule writes: “To support some of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ most prominent and controversial K–12 education laws, Florida has agreed to spend millions of dollars on a service it says is a tool for transparency. But free expression advocates warn it could be a vehicle for censorship. In a contract signed this September, the Florida Department of Education agreed to pay up to $15.6 million over four years to Maryland-based education technology company Trinity Education Group. The company has been tapped to develop a ‘statewide, centralized, easily accessible’ system for people to review and even object to instructional materials and library books in Florida school districts.”

Tallahassee Democrat, Dec. 12
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Olivia Olander and Jeremy Gorner write: “Starting this year, public libraries in Illinois had a choice: Adopt principles against book banning or give up state grants. [About 40] school districts, many of them in deeply conservative areas of south and central Illinois, appear to have taken the latter option. Administrators at some of those districts acknowledged being concerned about giving up any measure of control on what books are allowed on their schools’ library shelves. Some 700 school districts statewide have regularly applied for state library grant funding in the last two years.”

Chicago Tribune, Dec. 8
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Despina Gerasimidou and Maela Rakočević Uvodić write: “Displaced persons are scattered all over the world looking for the safest place for them and their families to settle and when they move to a new country are faced with legal, cultural, educational, and economic challenges, while in need of information, guidance, and support. The new IFLA Guidelines for Libraries Supporting Displaced Persons showcase how libraries can champion their core mission for universal and equitable access to information, ideas, and works of imagination, aiming at social, educational, cultural, democratic, and economic well-being.”

International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, Dec. 16
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Rebecca Bryant writes: “In 2021, the University of Calgary Libraries in Alberta launched a multilingual reference chatbot by leveraging a commercial product that combines a large language model with retrieval-augmented generation technology. The chatbot is trained on the library’s own web content, including LibGuides and operating hours, and is accessed from the library’s website. Before launch, the implementation team estimated that the chatbot could answer 14%–24% of reference chat questions, but today the chatbot answers about 50% of all questions with a rating of at least 4/5.”

Hanging Together, Dec. 12
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Chase Ollis writes: “On December 16, ALA announced 10 recipients of the 2025 I Love My Librarian Award, nominated by library users for their expertise, dedication, and impact in their communities. Four academic librarians, three public librarians, and three school librarians were selected to receive the 2025 award. ALA received nearly 1,300 nominations from library users across the country. Nominations highlighted librarians’ outstanding service in expanding access to literacy and library services, outreach to their communities, and supporting the needs of the most vulnerable. Each honoree will receive a $5,000 cash prize and complimentary registration and a travel stipend to attend ALA’s LibLearnX conference in Phoenix.”

AL: The Scoop, Dec. 17

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