That was the question Tara Susman-Peña, senior technical expert at IREX, posed to attendees at the outset of “Bridgebuilding: Fostering Community Engagement, Dialogue, and Interactions in Libraries,” a July 1 session at the American Library Association’s 2024 Annual Conference and Exhibition in San Diego. The US is enduring a period marked by division, social isolation, … Continue reading Bringing Civility Back to Civic Life
“Wait, why do you have a máscara?” the boy asked. She explained that she uses it to tell stories, and showed him a chapter book in English and Spanish that features luchadores. The boy returned to his shelter and shared the book with his peers. Suddenly, all the boys were asking for books about luchadores. … Continue reading ‘Meaningful, Powerful Work’
For its part, San Diego Public Library (SDPL), in partnership with the City of San Diego and the nonprofit Media Arts Center San Diego (MACSD), launched a paid internship program comprising a six-week video production training course taught by visual artists and film producers. The classes offered hands-on opportunities to pitch a documentary idea, shoot … Continue reading Lights, Camera, Internship
Through the Diverse Librarianship Career Training and Education (DLCTE) program, seniors from Sumner High School (SHS) in St. Louis can intern for nearby St. Louis Public Library (SLPL), learning the ropes of librarianship while getting paid. DLCTE is a three-year project of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), funded by an Institute of Museum and Library … Continue reading A New Class of Librarians
To help acquaint faculty members with the facility and build strong relationships with them, we designed an engaging in-person event called Summer Fest at our Hazy Library and Learning Center. During Summer Fest, which took place June 2022, our 24 attendees received a passport directing them to explore seven stations placed throughout our two-floor library, … Continue reading Campus Connections
Informal caregivers may include grandparents, cousins, nannies, shift-swapping parents, and older siblings. They may provide part-time or full-time care. Some are paid; many are not. Ultimately, without FFN care, it would be difficult or impossible for many parents to work. In my home state of Colorado, formal childcare is in short supply. The options aren’t … Continue reading Inclusive Early Literacy
You might be thinking, “Our school library has a brand?” Most of us associate the word with a name, logo, tagline, and design elements that a corporation uses to distinguish itself from others. It also involves marketing and merchandising to promote the organization’s product or service. When all these components are combined, the result is … Continue reading Show Yourself
Community-led planning is a method for making decisions that puts power in the hands of the community rather than the library. They have real responsibility, authority to make decisions, and accountability for the outcomes. Librarians serve as conveners and facilitators, providing access to library resources and support. The library cannot and should not try to … Continue reading Working Hand in Hand
Authors told inspiring stories and emphasized the importance of having open conversations. Presenters addressed the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI), covering different ways librarians have started using the technology, as well as measuring its impact. Speakers tackled critical topics in the profession, including intellectual freedom, community engagement, and leadership and management. A different dialogue Opening … Continue reading 2024 LibLearnX Wrap-Up
“[Twitch is] where gamers are,” Brown said. “That’s where we really wanted to do some outreach.” She discussed the pros and cons of using Twitch, ideas for library programs that can be livestreamed, and how the popular platform enables libraries to reach new audiences at “Low Stress, High Mayhem: Using Twitch for Professional Development and … Continue reading Playing to the Crowd
The average collection date was 2002 and the average circulation rate was 461 books per month. Since Blaylock and FCHMS’s library media specialist, Khris Hutson, began making improvements last January, they have raised the collection date to 2008—and in fall 2023, they recorded 1,277 books circulated per month. This is one of the ways that … Continue reading Pivot! Pivot!
Spartanburg County is the fifth most populated county in South Carolina—and it’s growing. In 2022, it had close to 346,000 residents, but nearly 14% of them were living at or below the federal poverty line, with an estimated 11% of children experiencing food insecurity. To help address these issues of affordability and access, Spartanburg County … Continue reading It’s in the Bag
