public libraries Archives | Page 7 of 26 | American Libraries Magazine

Call Number Podcast: Gale Presents Upskilling at the Public Library

October 6, 2022

On this bonus episode of Call Number, host Diana Panuncial learns more about Gale Presents: Udemy from one of its instructors, Kyle Pew. Pew is a Microsoft-certified Trainer and a certified Microsoft Office Master Instructor, and he has been teaching and consulting for 20-plus years on various computer applications. He has facilitated courses that range … Continue reading Call Number Podcast: Gale Presents Upskilling at the Public Library →

ID Made Easier

By Cass Balzer | September 1, 2022

“We saw how hard it was for [residents] to get electricity, rent an apartment, open a bank account, or pick up their children from school” without them, says Damaris Gonzalez, an immigration rights organizer with the nonprofit Texas Organizing Project (TOP), which has been advocating for enhanced library cards in the state. These cards are … Continue reading ID Made Easier →

Newsmaker: John Cho

By Diana Panuncial | July 14, 2022

Your book Troublemaker draws from your own experience. What inspired you to put those memories into a novel—especially one for young readers? I started reflecting on the ’92 riots-slash-uprisings because of the events of 2020 and the murder of George Floyd. We were stuck at home watching the news coverage of the Black Lives Matter … Continue reading Newsmaker: John Cho →

KayCee Choi (standing at left) and Alicia Deal (standing at right), librarians at Dallas Public Library, present at "Deaf Culture: A Strategy for Inclusive Deaf Community Engagement,” a June 26 session at ALA’s 2022 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Washington, D.C. Photo by Rebecca Lomax for American Libraries.

Deaf Is a Culture

By Terra Dankowski | June 26, 2022

“After joining ALA, I saw a lot of changes,” said Hagemeyer, who now leads Bridging Deaf Cultures, an interest group of ALA’s Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services. While services and outreach to Deaf people have improved over the last 50 years, libraries could be doing more in this area. That was the takeaway … Continue reading Deaf Is a Culture →

Tina Chenoweth, interim manager of the Charleston County (S.C.) Public Library (CCPL) Bees Ferry West Ashley branch, speaks at “Animal Crossing’s Enduring Success: Building Community Relationships Through Collaborative Online Gaming,” a session held June 26 at the 2022 American Library Association Annual Conference and Exhibition in Washington, D.C.

An Island of Community

By Diana Panuncial | June 26, 2022

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a collaborative, cozy, social simulation video game for the Nintendo Switch where players create their own characters and design their own island. In addition to the upkeep of owning an island, players can visit each other’s islands, trade in-game items, and help one another complete tasks. The video game was … Continue reading An Island of Community →

A photo of Jennifer Johnson, the author of June's Youth Matters column

In Training

By Jennifer Johnson | June 1, 2022

That short exchange planted a seed in my mind: Could public libraries find ways to give kids hands-on library experience in a real-life work environment? If we are to foster learning in innovative ways, shouldn’t we offer opportunities for children who have an interest in libraries? Is this feasible on a library-wide scale? It turned … Continue reading In Training →

A Career Path for Youth

May 2, 2022

An October 2021 webinar convened by the Public Library Association (PLA) and members of LibsWork, a national networking group focused on workforce and small business development, explored the ways in which libraries can support young people as they enter the workforce amid these ongoing challenges. Librarians and workforce development professionals shared how such programs are … Continue reading A Career Path for Youth →

A toddler at Arlington Heights (Ill.) Memorial Library (AHML) enjoys tummy time while playing with Peek-a-Boo Mirror, a sensory toy in AHML’s collection.

A Sense of Support

By Annemarie Mannion | May 2, 2022

That experience more than 13 years ago inspired her to start BTPL’s Youth Accessibility Support Collection, a set of items designed to meet the needs of children with various types of disabilities and learning needs. Since 2009, families have been borrowing from the collection, which includes adaptive toys, sensory storytime boxes, speech therapy cards, and skills … Continue reading A Sense of Support →

Period. End of Story.

By Lara Ewen | May 2, 2022

“The products are important, and normalizing the conversation is important,” says Eiko La Boria, founder and CEO of The Flow Initiative, a New Jersey–based organization devoted to stamping out social, cultural, and economic inequities associated with “period poverty.” She says libraries are a natural partner for her organization’s outreach: “I wanted to implement greater access, … Continue reading Period. End of Story. →

Antiracist Storytimes

By Emily Udell | May 2, 2022

“It was just joyful,” says Jessica Ralli, coordinator of early literacy programs at BPL. “It was a very diverse crowd and majority nonwhite.” About 75 families attended the event, which was minimally marketed because of concerns about gatherings amid the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus. “The content was timely,” says Ralli, “and … Continue reading Antiracist Storytimes →

Patron Xander Dianen returns a wagon to Summers County (W.Va.) Public Library.

An Uphill Battle

By Austin Persinger | May 2, 2022

At the core of library work are stories. We listen to our patrons’ stories when we perform a reference interview, readers’ advisory, or a community needs assessment. We interpret these stories to supply our users with the best information and resources to fit their situation. Often, this is simple, but other times this requires close … Continue reading An Uphill Battle →

Meeting Every Maker

By Abigail L. Phillips and Amelia M. Anderson | May 2, 2022

Acknowledging that gap, our research team set out to explore the accessibility of public library makerspaces. We did this through focus groups with disability advocates and stakeholders, with grant support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Every makerspace is different, we learned, but there were some common themes in our discussions with participants. … Continue reading Meeting Every Maker →

Latest Library Links

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Jackie Edwards writes: “As spring rolls around, seasonal allergies can flare up among library workers, resulting in symptoms like sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, itchy eyes, ears, and nose, coughing, and asthma. Not only are these symptoms detrimental to well-being and productivity, but they can also mean you’re less able to provide excellent customer service to library users. Fortunately, by purifying the air, preventing mold, and keeping your work area clean, you can improve indoor air quality and combat allergies in your library.

Library Worklife, Apr.
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In Episode 94, Call Number celebrates Preservation Week, to be held this year April 28–May 4. The week’s events aim to raise awareness of the role libraries and cultural institutions play in protecting historic and culturally significant collections. Segments include Traci Sorell, honorary chair of this year’s Preservation Week, discussing the role of preservation in telling stories; Kathleen Monahan, special collections public services supervisor at Boston Public Library, addressing the importance of security in preservation; and Rosie Grayburn and Melissa Tedone, cofounders of the Poison Book Project, talking about research on potentially toxic bookbinding materials from the 19th century.

AL: The Scoop, Apr. 15
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Leigh Kunkel writes: “The legalization of marijuana in many states and municipalities in recent years has created a newly legal industry and budding entrepreneurs who can benefit from the expertise of business librarians. As soon as Washington state introduced an initiative to legalize recreational cannabis use in 2012, Seattle Public Library librarian Jay Lyman started fielding questions from potential entrepreneurs. Since then, 24 states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational cannabis use, and 14 more have legalized medical use of cannabis. This cultural shift brings a new opportunity for libraries to step in with support services.”

American Libraries Trend, Mar./Apr.
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ALA launched its “Reader. Voter. Ready.” campaign, calling on advocates to sign a pledge to be registered, informed, and ready to vote in all local, state, and federal elections in 2024. Available resources include a 2024 voter engagement guide for libraries, a tip sheet to share with community leaders and partners, highlighting the ways libraries support voter participation and education, and a one-pager, “Voters Count on Libraries: The Numbers,” illustrating libraries as centers of civic lift and patron engagement with library services. ALA is collaborating with partners to provide nonpartisan resources and learning opportunities for librarians.

ALA Public Policy and Advocacy Office, Apr. 10
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Joyce McIntosh writes: “Each year the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) distributes Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund Programming Grants to organizations to support activities that raise awareness of intellectual freedom and censorship issues during Banned Books Weeks. Grants are awarded for $1,000 and applications are accepted through April 30. FRTF also offers the annual Gordon M. Conable Conference Scholarship for library school students and new professionals to attend ALA’s Annual Conference. The scholarship provides conference registration, transportation, six nights of housing, and a $300 stipend for meals and other expenses. The application deadline is April 26.”

Freedom to Read Foundation, Mar. 28, 29
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Bobbi L. Newman writes: “Psychological safety, a term coined to describe an environment where individuals feel free to express their thoughts without fear of repercussion, is not just a nice-to-have; it’s essential for workplace wellbeing. It fosters innovation, encourages the sharing of ideas, and supports mental health. Librarians can struggle with psychological safety because we prefer the veneer of niceness over almost all else. We often conflate niceness with kindness. It is hard to have psychological safety when teammates are afraid to express thoughts and be their authentic selves because any type of nonconformity is perceived as not nice.”

Librarian by Day, Apr. 5
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Joy DuBose writes: “Many people remember playing the original Oregon Trail in school to learn about the historical Oregon Trail and the tribulations of those who traveled it. But, unless you are familiar with games or know what to look for, you may not know what is currently available or how games have changed. Many games were created with education in mind, and there are a great deal more entertainment games that can also be used for education.” Examples include Super Algebrawl, Turing Complete, Kerbal Space Program, and even Stardew Valley.

Choice 360 LibTech Insights, Apr. 8

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