Public Library Association Archives | Page 3 of 6

ALA Survey Shows Effects of Pandemic on Library Services

June 3, 2020

A new American Library Association (ALA) survey of US libraries, “Libraries Respond: COVID-19 Survey,” documents a shift in services to support students, faculty, and communities at large during the crisis and phased preparations for the months ahead. While virtually all libraries (99%) report limited access to the physical building, survey respondents shared leaps in the … Continue reading ALA Survey Shows Effects of Pandemic on Library Services →

How Public Libraries Are Responding to the Pandemic

April 9, 2020

For instance, most respondents (98%) reported their buildings were closed to the public but, in many cases, staff continued to expand access to digital resources, launch virtual programs, and coordinate services with local government agencies. The survey, conducted by PLA between March 24 and April 1, found that libraries are rapidly adapting services. A substantial majority … Continue reading How Public Libraries Are Responding to the Pandemic →

Newsmaker: Stacey Abrams

By Terra Dankowski | March 31, 2020

The spread of COVID-19 has ramped up significantly in recent weeks, and social distancing and self-quarantine have become facts of American life. Meanwhile, the US is conducting primary elections and the 2020 Census. How do you see these events being affected by the public health crisis? What can be done to encourage civic participation during … Continue reading Newsmaker: Stacey Abrams →

Blue heart on purple background with heartbeat graph.

Libraries’ Next “Act” in Health During COVID-19

By Leighann Wood | March 27, 2020

Through the Public Library Association’s (PLA) second annual Libraries Connecting You to Coverage initiative, libraries can access a suite of turnkey resources to start or increase efforts to educate and build awareness of health insurance coverage options, especially with the evolving workforce landscape. With the outbreak of COVID-19, many patrons may experience job cuts and … Continue reading Libraries’ Next “Act” in Health During COVID-19 →

Libraries React to Macmillan Embargo Lift

By Timothy Inklebarger | March 20, 2020

In an acknowledgment of the tough road ahead with the COVID-19 pandemic, Sargent said in a letter to librarians, “There are times in life when differences should be put aside.” He added that Macmillan would return to the pricing model in effect prior to the November 1 embargo. “In addition, we will be lowering some … Continue reading Libraries React to Macmillan Embargo Lift →

Samantha Bee speaks at the Closing Session of the Public Library Association 2020 Conference in Nashville February 29. Photo: Laura Kinser/Kinser Studios

High Stakes

By Terra Dankowski | March 1, 2020

“Of course we’re not living in the administration we want to be living in, naturally,” she told the crowd at the Closing Session of the Public Library Association 2020 Conference in Nashville on February 29. “As I sit here, the president is doing a press conference on coronavirus. I hope it goes really well and … Continue reading High Stakes →

‘We’re in the Social Justice Business’

By Terra Dankowski | March 1, 2020

“Stories have value. And I think that libraries have inherently gone down a path that people have value,” the award-winning anchor, entrepreneur, and television host said at the Public Library Association’s 2020 Conference in Nashville on February 29. She added: “Like assignment editors, very rarely do they get thanked.” In her Big Ideas session talk, … Continue reading ‘We’re in the Social Justice Business’ →

Burton Reist, assistant director for communications at the US Census Bureau

Closing In on the Census

By Terra Dankowski | February 29, 2020

“It’s a critical civic effort, it affects everything political and economic in communities,” said Larra Clark, deputy director of the Public Library Association (PLA), at “2020 Census Countdown: What You Need to Know,” a February 28 program at the PLA 2020 Conference in Nashville. “The census doesn’t happen in the quarters of Washington—it happens here,” … Continue reading Closing In on the Census →

‘Opportunity for Innovation’

By Terra Dankowski | February 29, 2020

“I had to come up with alternative solutions to navigate this world—solutions for accessing books, conversations, how to make friends,” Girma told the crowd at the Public Library Association’s 2020 Conference in Nashville on February 28. “It was frustrating growing up in a world full of barriers.” But Girma was clear that it was not … Continue reading ‘Opportunity for Innovation’ →

From left: Melanie Toledo (at podium), Carolyn Petersen, and Janessa Esquivel.

Supporting Tribal Libraries

By Terra Dankowski | February 28, 2020

At “Perspectives on Outreach to Tribal Libraries,” a February 28 program at the Public Library Association’s 2020 Conference in Nashville, librarians from tribal libraries and the state libraries that support them offered tips for successful collaboration. Have a purpose. Are you from a state or public library that wants to reach out and network with … Continue reading Supporting Tribal Libraries →

Calling on Co-Conspirators

By Terra Dankowski | February 28, 2020

Bettina Love, education professor and author of We Want to Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom (Beacon Press, 2019), posed this question to attendees of the Public Library Association 2020 Conference’s Big Ideas session in Nashville on February 27. In her dynamic talk, she confronted the ways in which … Continue reading Calling on Co-Conspirators →

Everyone Counts

By Terra Dankowski | February 27, 2020

“In 2018, I did not become governor of Georgia,” the nonprofit CEO, 11-year Georgia House representative, recent Democratic gubernatorial candidate, and author of the forthcoming Our Time is Now (Henry Holt and Co., June) told a packed auditorium at the Opening Session of the Public Library Association (PLA) 2020 Conference in Nashville on February 26. … Continue reading Everyone Counts →

Latest Library Links

16h

“Utrecht (Netherlands) University Library owns as many as about 900 books printed between 1450 and 1500, the first decades of printing in Europe. These so-called incunabula (books printed before 1501) will all be digitized in the coming years. Their catalog descriptions will also be improved and enriched, with a special focus on the material features of each individual book such as the binding, annotations, and former owners who wrote their names in the book. The project started in early 2025 and the first scans are now online.”

Utrecht University Library, Mar. 5
20h

Seth M. Porter writes: “As libraries navigate an era of rapid disruption—cultural shifts, institutional closures, mergers, relentless budget reallocations—adaptation is not optional. Those who fail to evolve with strategy and purpose will survive as a shell of themselves—if they survive at all. In this article, I’ll explore the balance between innovation and operational excellence and argue that both are essential for survival and sustained success. My approach integrates two core principles: the ‘borderlands of innovation,’ and a venture capital approach to betting on the future while maintaining operational excellence.”

Katina, Mar. 6
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Emily Young writes: “Each year, Beardsley and Memorial Library in Winsted, Connecticut, collects prom dress donations (from patrons and boutiques), and on three Saturdays in the spring, we put out racks of dresses for students in grades 11 and 12 to come in and ‘shop’ from, all for free! We also have purses, shoes, and jewelry from which they can choose. A hairstylist and makeup artist come in and give each of the girls a special makeover to inspire and teach them how to get ready for their prom night.”

Programming Librarian, Mar. 5
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Glen Benedict writes: “Patrons have a right to privacy in all interactions with their library. This includes book challenges, reconsideration requests, and similar services that libraries provide to their users. Publicly funded libraries, including those associated with public schools and universities, are government entities, and library users are entitled to petition under the First Amendment of the US Constitution. It is also important that libraries remain transparent about their processes and comply with laws regarding access to government information, such as the Freedom of Information Act or state open records laws.”

Intellectual Freedom Blog, Mar. 6
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Kelly Jensen writes: “The Moms For Liberty-affiliated review site BookLooks, which provides cherry-picked passages from novels so that members can lodge challenges of titles, is shutting down on March 23 [according to a March 10 notice on the site]. Whether or not this is a publicity stunt—there are more than a handful of institutions utilizing the site [including St. Francis (Minn.) Area Schools and Warren County (N.J.) Library]—is yet to be determined. But the announcement brings with it a load of questions in the broader context of book and curriculum censorship.”

BookRiot, Mar. 10, May 16, 2022; KMSP-TV (Eden Prairie, Minn.), Dec. 9, 2024; TAPInto Phillipsburg (N.J.), Nov. 25, 2024
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On March 7, ALA announced a change to the slate of candidates for 2026–2027 ALA president on the 2025 ALA election ballot. Andrea Jamison, assistant professor of school librarianship at Illinois State University in Normal, has withdrawn her candidacy for ALA president-elect and Intellectual Freedom Round Table director-at-large. Her name has been removed from the election ballot, which was sent to ALA members on March 10. ALA members may vote in the 2025 election from March 10–April 2. A recording of the March 7 candidates’ forum is available.

AL: The Scoop, Mar. 7
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Meaghan Darwish writes: “Abbott Elementary explored an important lesson on book bans in its March 5 episode, aptly titled ‘Books,’ which saw Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph), Ava (Janelle James), and librarian Ms. Inez (Cree Summer) combat the dangers of uninformed parents. While the series is always good about tackling topical issues, Abbott Elementary’s decision to address book bans in school libraries is especially appropriate, as more and more librarians are being forced to remove titles from the shelves across the country.”

TV Insider, Mar. 5

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