public libraries Archives | Page 29 of 31 | American Libraries Magazine

A death cafe meets in the Ann Stevens Room in the Anchorage (Alaska) Public Library. Photo: Kris Green

When the Subject Is Death

By Timothy Inklebarger | October 30, 2015

Since the first gathering, named death café, was held in the US in Columbus, Ohio, in July 2012, the forums have spread across the nation. And many are beginning to appear in libraries, according to Lizzy Miles, an organizer for DeathCafe.com. Miles, who organized the Columbus death café, tells American Libraries that she was inspired … Continue reading When the Subject Is Death →

Many libraries purchase coloring books or print free pages online for their clubs. Other supplies—such as crayons, markers, and coloring pencils—are also provided.

Coloring Book Clubs Cross the Line into Libraries

By Alison Marcotte | October 30, 2015

Editor’s note: A shorter version of this article originally appeared in The Scoop in August. “We purchase a couple of coloring books, I print out some free coloring pages that are available online, and we just get together and color,” says librarian Kellie Porter, who started the library’s Coloring Club in May. The club has … Continue reading Coloring Book Clubs Cross the Line into Libraries →

Salt Lake City Public Library System staffers pose as characters from the Back to the Future films. From left, teen services coordinator Christina Walsh as Doc Brown, children's services coordinator Liesl Johnson as Marty McFly, and adult services coordinator Tommy Hamby as Jennifer Parker. Photo: Salt Lake City Public Library System

Marty, We’ve Got to Go Back—to the Library!

Many libraries are celebrating Back to the Future Day—October 21, 2015—with screenings of the Back to the Future trilogy and programming related to the films. The date, which is featured prominently in Back to the Future Part II, has been incorrectly depicted in internet hoaxes and memes for years. “We actually have a super fan … Continue reading Marty, We’ve Got to Go Back—to the Library! →

(left to right) Andy Cardimen, BMO Harris Bank managing director, Jackie Nytes, Indianapolis Public Library chief executive officer, Chris Cairo, director of project development at Indianapolis–Marion County Public Library, and Greg Ballard, mayor of Indianapolis, hold the One Book, Two Cities book selection, Vienna by Eva Menasse, at the program’s launch in December 2013. Photo: Indianapolis Public Library

The Indianapolis Public Library Goes Global

By Chris Cairo | September 29, 2015

With advanced technology and the ability to connect globally, the Indianapolis Public Library (IPL) formed partnerships with the eight international cities that are part of Indianapolis’s Sister City Program. IPL has made connections so far with Campinas, Brazil; Hangzhou, China; Cologne, Germany; and Piran, Slovenia. The first meetings involved a collection exchange between each city. … Continue reading The Indianapolis Public Library Goes Global →

A patron renews her driver’s license inside Ames (Iowa) Public Library in June. Iowa DOT unveiled 11 kiosks in libraries in May.

Driver’s License Kiosks Expand to Iowa Libraries

By Alison Marcotte | September 18, 2015

After a successful two-year pilot project to make driver’s license renewals easier for state residents via public kiosks, the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) began implementing similar kiosks in 11 libraries in late May. One of those kiosks is inside Ames (Iowa) Public Library. Mary Logsdon, the library’s adult services manager, says providing the … Continue reading Driver’s License Kiosks Expand to Iowa Libraries →

Los Angeles Public Library’s Central branch, partnering with Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles, provides free assistance filling out Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. The May 2014 event drew 120 attendees and resulted in 90 applications completed. Photo: Los Angeles Public Library

Librarians as Immigration Lawyers

By Terra Dankowski | September 17, 2015

“We realized we had to go for accreditation because there’s a fine line between legal advice and helping someone on the computer,” says Homa Naficy, chief adult learning officer for Hartford (Conn.) Public Library (HPL). Naficy is referring to Board of Immigration Appeals Recognition and Accreditation (BIA R&A), granted by the Department of Justice (DOJ), … Continue reading Librarians as Immigration Lawyers →

Library Card Spokesdog

By Sari Feldman | September 3, 2015

Snoopy has inspired all of us at Cuyahoga County (Ohio) Public Library (CCPL) to expand Library Card Sign-Up Month into a dog-tastic extravaganza. We are crowdsourcing a “top dog” to be featured on an official CCPL library card, and we’re giving customers the chance to create their own customized library cards during a special pet … Continue reading Library Card Spokesdog →

Woods Hole (Mass.) Public Library holds monthly coloring book clubs. The event attracts 15–20 people per month, ranging from tweens to 70 year olds.

Coloring Book Clubs Cross the Line into Libraries

By Alison Marcotte | August 24, 2015

“We purchase a couple of coloring books and I print out some free coloring pages that are available online, and we just get together and color,” says librarian Kellie Porter, who started the library’s Coloring Club in May. The club has seen about 15–20 members a month, ranging from tweens to 70-year-olds. “I really try … Continue reading Coloring Book Clubs Cross the Line into Libraries →

Ferguson, One Year Later

By Sarah Ostman | August 7, 2015

ALA: How are you feeling about the anniversary? Scott Bonner: Worried. Not knowing is the worst part. There’s a possibility that we’ll see a big crowd of protesters, and if the police react strongly, things could get rough. We just don’t know. I tend to be optimistic, but I was also optimistic about the grand … Continue reading Ferguson, One Year Later →

Richard Frieder (standing), community engagement director at Hartford Public Library, facilitates a community dialogue among neighborhood residents and Hartford police officers on the topic of community violence and public safety. The dialogue took place in June 2015 at Hartford Public Library's Barbour Street branch. (Photo: Judy Wyman Kelly)

Hartford Public Library Builds, Strengthens Community–Police Relationships

By Alison Marcotte | August 3, 2015

HPL is one of 10 public libraries in the US that have been participating in ALA’s Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC) initiative since April 2014. The initiative, in collaboration with the nonprofit Harwood Institute for Public Innovation, is an 18-month community engagement training program where libraries learn how to address challenges facing their community. (Read more … Continue reading Hartford Public Library Builds, Strengthens Community–Police Relationships →

The Washington Post on Libraries and Ebooks

By James LaRue | July 13, 2015

But I find myself wondering a bit about this paragraph: “As long as the reading public stays interested in print, libraries should not abandon it. At the same time, e-books are popular: Electronic waiting lists were hundreds of people long when e-books first arrived on the public library scene, though librarians say demand has leveled off somewhat … Continue reading The Washington Post on Libraries and Ebooks →

For the past five years, Schaumburg Township (Ill.) District Library has provided citizenship education for many area residents.

Becoming New Americans

July 7, 2015

Pat Barch, literacy coordinator for the library, says, “Our American Dream project is really very important to us, because the library has been providing citizenship classes for about five years now.” In recognition of the library’s five-year-long commitment to citizenship education, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services invited the library to host its third naturalization … Continue reading Becoming New Americans →

Latest Library Links

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“Disability Pride Month is a time to honor the history, achievements, and diverse experiences of people with disabilities. This curated collection features fiction and nonfiction titles for all ages that explore disability through the lens of pride, empowerment, and identity. Highlighting both visible and invisible disabilities, these stories reflect the richness and resilience of the disability community and the ongoing movement for inclusion and equal rights. Explore the display and celebrate the voices that challenge stigma, expand understanding, and inspire change.”

Baltimore County Public Library, July 1
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Heidi Blackburn, Chris Magee, and Trevor Watkins write: “George Mason University Libraries launched a yearlong Artificial Intelligence (AI) Community of Practice for library employees in fall 2024, focused on the use of specific AI tools for work and research best practices. We didn’t just explore what AI could do—we also asked what it should do, and how to use it responsibly in service to our patrons and profession. After participant feedback, the community was modified to focus on task-based themes. Prior experience with communities of practice made the creation of yet another community easier, but not without challenges.”

Choice 360: LibTech Insights, July 7
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Kelly Jensen writes: “After the Supreme Court ruled on Mahmoud v. Taylor on June 27, there were so many bad and misinformed takes. Is this a case that is going to be used to justify a lot more censorship, quiet and loud, and create a chilling effect in public schools? Absolutely. But we don’t need to bow to this case. ‘I’m scared’ and ‘What does this mean?’ Those responses are ones that are far more productive in the fight. There’s room to have legitimate feelings and room to talk about the next steps.”

Well Sourced, July 5
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Katie Burkholder writes: “After 15 years of working at the Pierce County Public Library in Blackshear, Georgia, where she advanced from part-time clerk to branch manager, Lavonnia Moore was unexpectedly and abruptly fired due to a display featuring a trans-inclusive children’s book. The patron-led display aligned with Georgia’s summer reading theme, ‘Color Our World.’ When a child at the library asked her to include the book When Aidan Became a Brother, she didn’t hesitate. Unbeknownst to Moore until her termination, this decision inspired an online hate campaign from the Alliance for Faith and Family.”

Rough Draft Atlanta, July 5
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Jennie Langberg writes: “When I started as a school librarian, I inherited a wonderful group of student volunteers: the Library Squad. The previous librarian sent me the names of her seven most trusted volunteers to help with shelving, bulletin boards, and a variety of library projects. Eager to offer volunteer opportunities to more students, I promoted Library Squad during English class orientations and was met with overwhelming interest. I learned a great deal about running a volunteer program from this experience and want to share the highs and lows with you.”

The Library Lab, June 29
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Katherine Gregory writes: “Mississippi State University, where I work as an assistant professor and director of the Mississippi Political Collections, is part of a national network of universities that hold and steward congressional papers. But support for this stewardship is in jeopardy. With the White House’s proposed elimination of independent granting agencies such as the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, it is unclear what money will be available for this work in the future.”

The Conversation, June 30
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Steve Tetrault writes: “In February 2024, I shared about the reintroduction of a physical library space into my middle school after five years without one. This past school year was the first September since 2018 that my middle school had a physical library space. That space came a longway in a year! In our first year of operation, our new library space increased circulation by more than 50%. It is incredible what a difference having physical access to books makes.”

Knowledge Quest, July 8; Feb. 8, 2024

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