Since 2013, 140 US public librarians have participated in the PLA Leadership Academy, which was developed in collaboration with Adam Goodman, director of the Center for Leadership at Northwestern University. With funding and support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Global Libraries program, PLA partnered with the African Library and Information Associations and Institutions … Continue reading PLA Debuts African Leadership Academy
Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan, Canada La Biblioteca Móvil, Guatemala Suzhou Library, China Inner Mongolia Library, China The recipients were selected by a team of IRRT members in consultation with then–ALA President Jim Neal, who recognized them at the 2018 ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition in New Orleans during the IRRT International Librarians Reception … Continue reading 2018 Presidential Citations
Hickok is international outreach librarian at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF). His initial role at the library was providing outreach and instruction to CSUF’s international student population. That led to an “aha” moment. “I realized for me to truly understand international students’ library experiences, I needed to see the libraries in their countries,” he says. … Continue reading Building Bridges to the East
The program offers daylong, immersive workshops in a variety of disciplines that can be brought to institutions around the world upon request. Led by experts in the field, these traveling workshops help academic librarians learn new skills and strengthen existing competencies to tackle the greatest issues facing the profession today. The program reaches hundreds of … Continue reading On the Road Again
The book in question was on heart health, and it helped a patron reclaim his life—so much so that he wanted to make a sizable donation to the Alexandria Library that would establish a travel fund for librarians. “I did not think it would happen,” said Thornley, who previously worked at Alexandria Library. “We didn’t … Continue reading Find Your Sister Library
The day-long event coincided with the Frankfurt Book Fair (October 8–15), which this year honored France and literature in French. Symposium discussions focused on the future of foreign language collections, libraries, and services, along with new and recurring trends in scholarship and the library profession. Library and scholarly communication professionals shared challenges and opportunities for … Continue reading Frankfurt: New Directions for Libraries, Scholars, and Partnerships
Currently the US provides 22% of UNESCO’s budget; our withdrawal will have a profound impact on the organization’s ability to provide invaluable information resources worldwide and training and programs on human rights issues such as gender equality. The American Library Association (ALA) values the promotion and advancement of education and libraries around the world. ALA … Continue reading UNESCO Withdrawal Will Slow Progress on Global Library Initiatives
First, American Libraries Associate Editor and Dewey Decibel host Phil Morehart talks with Sandra Uwiringiyimana, author of How Dare the Sun Rise: Memoirs of War Child (HarperCollins, 2017), which chronicles her life as a survivor of the 2004 Gatumba massacre in Burundi and as a refugee in the United States. They discuss the book, the … Continue reading Dewey Decibel Podcast: Dewey Goes Global
“It is time for you, at this conference, to engage and explore,” said Donna Scheeder, president of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), to the crowd gathered for the Opening Session of the 2017 World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) on August 20. “I’m sure among this group is a future IFLA president somewhere.” Speakers seemed … Continue reading Welcome to Wrocław
Since 1975 the United States has accepted more than 3 million refugees. Despite current restrictions, more than 45,000 arrived between October 2016 and June 2017. The American Library Association (ALA) recognizes America’s immigrants as strong and valuable members of the social fabric of this nation, and the Library Bill of Rights states that a person’s right … Continue reading Project Welcome
PLA recognizes that a connected library field is a strong library field. By sharing effective practices and working together to address common issues, libraries can leverage their resources for exponential impact. PLA provides training for leaders to make these connections through the academy and other networking opportunities. All leadership activities are based on a leadership … Continue reading PLA in Africa
Over the past year, while on sabbatical from my position at Portland (Oreg.) State University Library, I had the privilege of serving as a Fulbright Scholar in the department of information science at Jimma University in Jimma, Ethiopia. I had contacted a few different Ethiopian universities hoping to garner an invitation to join their faculty, … Continue reading An American Librarian Abroad
