International Archives | Page 15 of 18 | American Libraries Magazine

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 →

With No Check in the Mail, Illinois Cooperatives Lay Off Dozens

By Leonard Kniffel | May 19, 2010

Illinois's nine library cooperatives are reeling from what Prairie Area Library System (PALS) Executive Director Michael Piper says may be the worst financial crisis in the state's history, "a game-changer." Already six months long, the wait for the state's overdue payments to libraries "will likely grow longer," Piper announced May 19, and "will probably persist … Continue reading With No Check in the Mail, Illinois Cooperatives Lay Off Dozens →

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Catherine Hollerbach writes: “In early 2020, when the world shut down for COVID, many people got interested in houseplants. Anne Arundel County (Md.) Public Library’s Crofton Library embraced this trend and then some!” While preparing to reopen after the COVID shutdown, the library installed plants at the information desk to discourage patrons from sticking their heads through gaps in newly installed acrylic shields. They were well received and cared for, and the library gradually added more plants and built educational tools, programming, and partnerships around the plants.

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Rodney Freeman writes: “I am proud to be a librarian—and rare. Less than 7 percent of librarians in the U.S. are Black. Libraries symbolize the literacy that was denied to so many of our ancestors. For our enslaved forebears, something as fundamental as learning to read was illegal and dangerous, but they did it anyway. Separate but ‘equal’ schools and ‘colored’ libraries filled with cast-offs from white libraries were key features of the Jim Crow era. Today we are seeing the same impulse to distort access to information into a tool to suppress and control, and to make some people ‘other.’”

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Lori Birrell writes: “Staff want to feel valued, and they want their work to have an impact. A reorganization process can help leaders to surface such areas of impact and give staff a feeling of empowerment and value. Practitioners considering any sized reorganization are strongly encouraged to consider what models and resources will best support them as they plan and lead this work. Regardless of the model or resources, any reorganization process should be more than just moving boxes and reporting lines around on an organizational chart.”

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Megan Bennett writes: “Two decades ago, while Daily Show Senior Correspondent Dulcé Sloan was doing summer shows at a community theater in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, the library was her main hangout spot. In the small town of 9,000 people, it was a place to gather with other young actors—and the only place with internet access. American Libraries spoke with Sloan before her closing session at the Public Library Association 2024 Conference in Columbus, Ohio, about her new book, her journey in stand-up comedy, and her memories of libraries.”

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Ashley Cosby Fowlkes writes: “In February 2023, Warren County (Ky.) Public Library (WCPL) began working with LifeWorks at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, a residential community for neurodiverse young adults that focuses on independent living and job readiness. By May, WCPL opened a satellite location at LifeWorks—making it the state’s first public library branch dedicated to serving neurodiverse patrons. The satellite is designed to be a sensory-sensitive environment, enabling individuals with autism, ADHD, or other learning differences—who can become overstimulated in crowded public areas—to concentrate on their studies, read a book, or browse digital library resources.”

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Araceli Méndez Hintermeister writes: “In the dynamic landscape of modern entrepreneurship, libraries emerge as powerful allies. The books in this collection delve into why and how libraries can be pivotal in supporting local businesses. Explore how libraries can serve as economic incubators and build relationships in the process.”

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Joe Árvai writes: “As artificial intelligence (AI) creeps further into people’s daily lives, so do worries about it. At the most alarmist are concerns about AI going rogue and terminating its human masters. But my own research as a psychologist who studies how people make decisions leads me to believe that all these risks are overshadowed by an even more corrupting, though largely invisible, threat. That is, AI is mere keystrokes away from making people even less disciplined and skilled when it comes to thoughtful decisions.”

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