At ALA’s second-annual LibLearnX, presenters shared different approaches and a refreshed outlook for dealing with the swell of book bans and censorship attempts happening across the country. Authors and illustrators took to the stage to offer stories of hope and struggle and showed the power of centering narratives from those who are Black, Indigenous, and … Continue reading 2023 LibLearnX Wrap-Up
Murphy, product management director at Gale, moderated “All Together Now: Changing Lives through Library Adult Education and Learning Resources,” a January 29 session sponsored by Gale at the American Library Association’s 2023 LibLearnX conference in New Orleans. Joining her to discuss why adult learning programs are critical and how libraries can help serve these patrons … Continue reading Life-Changing Learning
Or, as she described it, a “community instigator”—connecting people and their shared experiences through music. “I realized that I’m not alone, I’m not an aberration,” she said. “That thing just goes in a circle, and then that circle becomes bigger than me. It becomes this spiraling thing that starts to hold us all. And it’s … Continue reading Exploring Identity
“This is the obstacle we face—and money and time is not something libraries have a lot of,” said Peter Coyl, director and CEO of Sacramento (Calif.) Public Library, at the American Library Association’s (ALA) 2023 LibLearnX conference in New Orleans on January 29. “If you’re experiencing lots of challenges, it’s possible that it’s something that’s … Continue reading Same Fight, New Tactics
An estimated 200 people attended the 6:30 a.m. celebration Sunday, January 29, at ALA’s 2023 LibLearnX conference. Twenty library leaders from across the profession took the stage to read passages from The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr., focusing on the civil rights leader’s time in Chicago in 1966, when he shifted the movement’s efforts … Continue reading ‘A Lens of Care’
A list of all the 2023 award winners follows: John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature: Freewater, written by Amina Luqman-Dawson, is the 2023 Newbery Medal winner. The book is published by JIMMY Patterson/Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Three Newbery Honor Books also were named: Iveliz Explains It All, written by … Continue reading 2023 Youth Media Award Winners
“Sometimes, parents will ask us, ‘What can we do with a cup?’” said Amy Kraemer, youth services librarian at Keene (N.H.) Public Library (KPL). “Maybe your kid thinks it’s a cup, maybe they don’t. You can fill it up with beans and shake it, make a parachute out of it. Let your kid think about … Continue reading Tinker, Tailor, Little Makers
Smith discussed his journey in crafting his narrative nonfiction book, How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning With the History of Slavery Across America (Little, Brown and Company, 2021), and his upcoming poetry collection, Above Ground (Little, Brown and Company, March), at his January 29 featured speaker session at the American Library Association’s 2023 LibLearnX … Continue reading Our Collective Histories
At “Library Workers: Organize and Activate,” a January 29 session at the American Library Association’s (ALA) 2023 LibLearnX conference in New Orleans, panelists described the campaigns—and injustices—that compelled them to first get involved with activism within the profession. The program, moderated by ALA President Lessa Kanani‘opua Pelayo-Lozada and ALA President-Elect Emily Drabinski, touched upon panelists’ … Continue reading Get Organized
That quote from a ninth grader was collected as researchers studied the effects of large-print books on youth literacy. In collaboration with Thorndike Press, Project Tomorrow—a national nonprofit supporting K–12 education—found positive results after introducing large print to students in grades 3–12, particularly those who struggled with reading. Project Tomorrow CEO Julie Evans discussed the … Continue reading Big Print Helps Young Readers
“Our school district is rural,” said Julie Curry, principal of John K. Hubbard Elementary School and chair of the PLS Board of Trustees. “A lot of [students] didn’t have Wi-Fi at home.” So she partnered with the local Pioneer Library System (PLS) to address the learning loss that occurred in children during virtual schooling through … Continue reading Recovering from Learning Loss
The agenda for Council III (CD#8.3) as amended with the point of order introduced by Libré Booker, ALA Executive Board member, was approved. Memorials were read for Deanna Bowling Marcum (M#1), Robert C. Delgadillo (M#2), Menahem Schmelzer (M#3), Barratt Wilkins (M#4), Betty Lee Sung (M#5), David Philip Norris (M#6), and Devona Pendergrass (M#7). A tribute … Continue reading ALA Council II: Memorials and Resolutions
