On My Mind, by Elizabeth M. Johns

Remote Control?

September 1, 2020

My information literacy classes, like so many others, have largely shifted to video chat platforms. It was a difficult, abrupt switch, even for those of us who have taught online for years. As online learning librarians know, a lesson designed for a physical classroom cannot easily move to an online space but requires transformation for … Continue reading Remote Control?


BOOKHUB offerings available from Van Meter (Iowa) Community School District.

School Librarians Face Reopening Challenges

August 14, 2020

“Part of our unwritten plan is to spend those first precious weeks when we can be together in person teaching those skills needed to access learning in a remote, virtual environment,” says Jennisen Lucas, district librarian for Park County School District and 2021–2022 American Association of School Librarians (AASL) president-elect. “We hope we will have … Continue reading School Librarians Face Reopening Challenges



Living Languages

Embracing Diverse Narratives

March 1, 2018

Living Language for Libraries Living Language for Libraries, from Books on Tape, provides access to online courses for more than 20 languages, teaching grammar, vocabulary, and culture from beginner to advanced levels. Courses include traditional tools such as flashcards and audio recordings as well as games designed by native speakers and other learning tools that … Continue reading Embracing Diverse Narratives


Meredith Farkas

A Learning Organization

March 1, 2016

There is no one working in a library who wouldn’t benefit from continuous learning. At some institutions, only those in professional positions are granted time and money for professional development. This not only creates an uncomfortable divide between colleagues, it also suggests that only professionals really need to learn on the job. This couldn’t be … Continue reading A Learning Organization


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Annual Conference Preview: Transforming Our Libraries, Ourselves

June 13, 2012

Attendees say ALA’s Annual Conference is the “best gathering for professional development opportunities, exhibits and vendor reps, and networking possibilities that a librarian is likely to find” and “the gold standard in professional development and networking.” Join the discussion during ALA’s 136th Annual Conference in Anaheim, California, June 21–26. Hear from the two winning authors … Continue reading Annual Conference Preview: Transforming Our Libraries, Ourselves



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Time to Dine in Anaheim

April 2, 2012

Even a decade ago, the area immediately surrounding the Anaheim Convention Center was more culinary wasteland than Shangri-La. How times have changed. These days your greatest quandary may be choosing where to dine, so bountiful are the options. “A number of celebrated chefs and restaurateurs are paying attention to Orange County,” says local food blogger … Continue reading Time to Dine in Anaheim


Hot Issues Drive ALA Presidential Priorities

March 30, 2012

The focus on electronic publishing and access through libraries to digital editions (ebooks) has been intense, particularly in recent months. The policies and practices of the “Big Six” publishers—Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin, Random House, and Simon & Schuster—in relation to access to ebooks through libraries (or lack thereof), have elicited strong responses from across the library … Continue reading Hot Issues Drive ALA Presidential Priorities



The Conversation Continues @ your library

March 6, 2012

Many librarians are already exploring new ways to engage, embed, and integrate libraries into the life of their communities. Academic librarians are eager to deepen their engagement on campus—embedding services in the teaching, learning, and research processes. School librarians strive to collaborate more closely with teachers and integrate their programs directly into the curriculum. Public … Continue reading The Conversation Continues @ your library