“These permission slips are for you to really think about what you want for yourself,” the bestselling author, marketer, and consultant told a morning crowd at the Public Library Association conference in Philadelphia on March 21, turning attention to notecards placed on the chairs. “You are all grown people making your own choices,” she said. … Continue reading Prioritizing Possibilities
These were some of the tough questions tackled by embedded social workers at “A Social Worker Walks into a Library,” a preconference of the Public Library Association Conference in Philadelphia on March 20. The session explored different models and approaches for administering social services, and how social work programs at public libraries began and evolved. … Continue reading A Social Worker Walks into a Library
These were some of the questions addressed at the “Legal Issues in Public Libraries Forum” at the American Library Association’s 2018 Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits on Sunday. The session, sponsored by the Public Library Association, brought together lawyers and librarians for a frank, casual conversation on some of the most contentious issues popping up at … Continue reading Legal Issues
The report is a joint effort of the Association for Library Service to Children and the Public Library Association, and was compiled by lead researcher Susan B. Neuman, professor of childhood education and literacy development at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University, along with coauthors Naomi Moland, professorial … Continue reading New Findings for Every Child Ready to Read in Public Libraries
The program was made possible from a pre-professional Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Through III, PLA sponsored paid, mentored public library internships for 50 high school juniors and seniors at 33 host libraries across the US, including two tribal libraries and sites in Alaska … Continue reading Inclusive Internship Initiative Concludes Summer Pilot
Neal says the Association has always had a group of library workers with practical and policy experience it could call on to testify before national committees and speak with the press on behalf of libraries. But that advocacy network, which was already small, is shrinking even more as longtime advocates retire or move out of … Continue reading Policy Corps: A New Generation of Advocacy
PLA recognizes that a connected library field is a strong library field. By sharing effective practices and working together to address common issues, libraries can leverage their resources for exponential impact. PLA provides training for leaders to make these connections through the academy and other networking opportunities. All leadership activities are based on a leadership … Continue reading PLA in Africa
“How do you overcome the difficulties and hardships that come along the way?” “Why are conversations about race so difficult?” These were only some of the insightful questions asked by the 50 teenagers participating in the inaugural cohort of the Inclusive Internship Initiative (III). Made possible by a grant from the Institute of Museum and … Continue reading The Next Generation of Librarians
That was the question at the center of “Improving Federal and State Policy to Support Family Engagement in Libraries,” a Saturday morning panel sponsored by the Public Library Association (PLA) at ALA’s 2017 Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in Atlanta. Caspe reinforced that family engagement is a shared responsibility, can happen anywhere, and can happen at … Continue reading Changing Policy to Support Family Engagement
Huffington, the Adult Author Lunch speaker at today’s Public Library Association 2016 conference in Denver, took the fall as a literal wake-up call. She had been “running on empty” with just 4–5 hours of sleep a night. She learned new ways to calm herself before bed, and slowly worked her way back up to eight hours … Continue reading Arianna Huffington Touts the Wonders of Sleep
In April 2013, Kentucky Circuit Courts ruled against the Campbell County Public Library and the Kenton County Public Library, a decision that would have resulted in the libraries losing property tax revenues dating as far back as 1979. Local library advocates appealed the ruling, and the Kentucky Court of Appeals has announced its decision to … Continue reading A Victory for Kentucky Libraries
Graham peppered his talk with anecdotes as he described how to create and maintain safer libraries. He should know. He’s a frequent presenter on security at ALA and the author of the 2006 classic Black Belt Librarians: Every Librarian’s Real World Guide to a Safer Workplace (now published as The Black Belt Librarian: Real-World Safety and … Continue reading To Catch a Library Thief: Black Belt Security
