I’ve been a big advocate of open source software since I learned about the model of software licensing and development 10 years ago. I am a big believer that many minds produce great things, so the idea that a community of users would develop and improve software to the benefit of the community really appealed … Continue reading Open Source, Open Mind
Reforma, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking, celebrated 40 years of advocacy at its 4th National Conference in Denver, September 15–18. Fittingly, the conference, whose theme was: “Elevating Latino Library Services to a Higher Level,” coincided with the Diez y Seis de Septiembre (the anniversary of … Continue reading Reformistas Gather to Reflect, Recharge as Group Turns 40
“All of you represent assets in your communities that truly make a difference,” Texas State Librarian Peggy Rudd told more than 320 librarians gathered in Frisco, Texas, September 8–11, for the 2011 Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL) Annual Conference. An affiliate of the American Library Association, ARSL is a nationwide network of library … Continue reading A Big Gathering of Small and Rural Libraries
The only recourse after disaster strikes is to recover and learn from it. The library community is well aware of the horror visited upon the Eastern seaboard by Hurricane Irene, and, hearteningly, how communities are strategizing about how they’ll restore library services even as they struggle to repair and rebuild other essential town infrastructure. Transplanted … Continue reading Unavoidable Disasters and Unfathomable Disconnects
Over the past decade, a large number of academic libraries have created online learning objects for their patrons. Whether it was a basic guide on doing research or a suite of tutorials for every database and topic, there has been growing recognition that learning objects are an important way to instruct patrons at their point … Continue reading Tutorials That Matter
The survival of many public libraries has been threatened as their funding has dried up in recent years. City and county officials are casting about for a lifesaver, and some have snagged a promising catch in the form of private companies that take over the management of public libraries. A September 26, 2010, New York … Continue reading Who’s the Boss?
The one-hour PBS documentary special Not In Our Town: Light in the Darkness screened Monday during ALA in New Orleans, in advance of its September 21 national broadcast. The preview screening was part of Not In Our Town’s outreach to libraries nationwide, to invite them to use the film and related resources for free community screenings … Continue reading Free to Libraries: PBS Filmmakers Offer “Not in Our Town” Program Aids
At the invitation of the vendors, I spent a chunk of time Monday at three booths in the exhibit hall in New Orleans during ALA to hear the lowdown on the new Springer Reference Database, Centurion Technologies’ Energy Saver, and Ship Index, the brainchild of Mike and Peter McCracken. Every night libraries around the country … Continue reading Exhibit Hall News: Springer “Pedia,” Centurion Rebates, Ship Index
A report by the Presidential Task Force for Improving the Effectiveness of ALA’s Council (Council Document #45), chaired by past ALA president Jim Retting, was the hot topic on the agenda of the third session of the Association’s governing Council in New Orleans. Three of the many suggestions required and received formal action. Others, except … Continue reading Council III: Effectiveness Task Force Recommendations Dominate Session
Eight members of the new Polish American Librarians Association met informally over lunch at the National World War II Museum on Sunday during ALA in New Orleans to discuss the organization’s goals and objectives, which include the possibility of applying for affiliation with ALA. But first things first. PALA, which was incorporated in Chicago in … Continue reading Polish-American Librarians Aim to Raise Public Awareness
On Monday, June 27, the “Out of the Closet and Into the Library: LGBTQ Programming” panel discussed how to develop and implement LGBTQ programming in your library. The panelists were from both public and academic libraries and approached the topic of incorporating the programming from the perspective of the institutions they served. Bleue Benton, collection … Continue reading LGBTQ Programming in Your Library
You can’t go wrong if you attend a program that America’s favorite librarian Nancy Pearl has anything to do with, and the early risers who showed up for “Libraries and Bookstores: Strange Bedfellows?” this morning at the ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans weren’t disappointed. Joining Pearl on this panel of librarians and booksellers were … Continue reading Librarian-Bookseller Panel Urges Programming Partnerships
