Photo of Librarian's Library columnist Andy Gooding-Call

Decoding the Web

January 3, 2023

Learning from Libraries That Use WordPress: Content-Management System Best Practices and Case Studies By Kyle M. L. Jones and Polly-Alida Farrington The first part of this indispensable resource is an overview of WordPress. Not only does it cover the basics of this popular content management system, but it also includes the decision-making process for starting … Continue reading Decoding the Web


Librarian's Library by Allison Escoto

Tools of Engagement

November 1, 2022

Marketing with Social Media: A LITA Guide, 2nd edition Edited by Beth C. Thomsett-Scott Updated and extensive, this guide offers useful information on the finer points of using social media to market services and build community. Readers at all stages of their careers and at any experience level will find solid advice on choosing the … Continue reading Tools of Engagement


Librarian's Library by Araceli Mendez Hintermeister

Project Management Basics

September 1, 2022

Launching Large-Scale Library Initiatives: Innovation and Collaboration By Valerie Horton With years of library experience under her belt, Horton knows that project management involves various stages of planning and a careful balance of preparation, collaboration, and management of resources. In this title, Horton presents lessons and techniques from project management across various industries and adapts … Continue reading Project Management Basics


Librarian's Library by Allison Escoto

Diving into Diversity

May 2, 2022

  Public Libraries and Their Communities By Kay Ann Cassell Before a library can offer services and build collections for diverse patrons, it is important that it understands the makeup of its community. Cassell offers an introductory look at the basics of running a public library and speaks to how staffers can directly connect to … Continue reading Diving into Diversity


Librarian's Library by Araceli Mendez Hintermeister

Harbingers of Harmony

March 1, 2022

Library Next: Seven Action Steps for Reinvention By Catherine Murray-Rust The pandemic has presented libraries with unusual challenges, creating an atmosphere in which change comes quickly and often. Library Next offers takeaways and activities you can adapt to your work style and organizational culture while navigating new developments in the profession. A self-proclaimed library disrupter, … Continue reading Harbingers of Harmony


Stock image of people videoconferencing

Introducing LibLearnX

January 3, 2022

That planning comes to fruition when LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience debuts as an online event January 21–24. (ALA’s Executive Board voted in September to cancel the planned in-person component in San Antonio because of the ongoing pandemic and surge of COVID-19 variants, as well as the size, scope, and location of the event.) LibLearnX … Continue reading Introducing LibLearnX


Librarian's Library by Anna Gooding-Call

Mental Health in the Library

January 3, 2022

      Recipes for Mindfulness in Your Library: Supporting Resilience and Community Engagement Edited by Madeleine Charney, Jenny Colvin, and Richard Moniz Mindfulness is an accelerating trend in libraries, and this title is a great start for those interested in joining in. It explores how librarians have integrated mindfulness into their teaching, collections, services, … Continue reading Mental Health in the Library


11 Questions: Dan Freeman

November 30, 2021

Freeman is a Chicago native who lives in the near-north suburbs with his wife and two sons. He holds an MLIS from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He answered our 11 Questions to reintroduce himself to ALA members. Coffee, tea, other? Loose green tea—consumed hot when it’s cold out, iced when it’s warm. What’s the … Continue reading 11 Questions: Dan Freeman


In Practice, by Meredith Farkas

All Good Things …

June 1, 2021

What’s striking to me in hindsight is how homogeneous the magazine’s contributors and staff were back in 2007. It has been encouraging to see the efforts AL staffers have made to include writers of diverse backgrounds and points of view, and with that in mind, I’ve decided to end this column. There are so many … Continue reading All Good Things …


ACRL 2021 invited speakers (from left) Jennifer Brown, Jennifer Ferretti, and Charlotte Roh of We Here

ACRL Day Three: Recasting the Roles of Academic Libraries

April 16, 2021

Jenny Ferretti, We Here founder and digital initiatives librarian at Maryland Institute College of Art, opened the session “Systemic Oppression Requires Systemic Change: Recasting the Roles of Academic Libraries in Contemporary Contexts” by providing background on the racial past and present of libraries. Libraries, she said, are traditionally white-serving institutions, citing Todd Honma’s “Trippin’ over … Continue reading ACRL Day Three: Recasting the Roles of Academic Libraries



In Practice, by Meredith Farkas

Building Morale in a Pandemic

March 1, 2021

I’ve heard countless stories of library workers who have gone above and beyond to support their communities during this time. But I’ve also wondered how many libraries surpassed expectations to meet their staffers’ needs. I spoke with several librarians about what they’ve done to support their workers as whole people. Early in the pandemic, administrators … Continue reading Building Morale in a Pandemic