solar eclipse Archives | American Libraries Magazine

Anne Holland demonstrates an eclipse-related activity by using a flashlight and a toy tree to cast a shadow.

Preparing for the Next Great American Eclipse

By Greg Landgraf | June 25, 2023

Librarians hoping to avoid last-minute scrambling to prepare for the upcoming annular (on October 14, 2023) and total solar (on April 8, 2024) eclipses visible in the continental United States attended the session “A Procrastinator’s Guide to the 2023/2024 Solar Eclipses” at the American Library Association’s 2023 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago on June … Continue reading Preparing for the Next Great American Eclipse →

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Logan Finney writes: “Larsen-Sant Public Library in Preston, Idaho, will temporarily restrict public access to its building starting May 6 in response to a new state law that opens libraries to lawsuits if minors access inappropriate content on the shelves. ‘In order to comply with House Bill 710 we are closing the library to the public.’ according to a notice on the library’s website.” The library will move young adult books with LGBTQ+ themes or characters to the adult section. Library staffers hope to reopen by June 3, and suggested patrons should direct questions or “strong feelings” to Idaho Gov. Brad Little and local lawmakers.

Idaho Reports, May 3
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Jashayla Pettigrew writes: “Following a days-long occupation, Portland (Ore.) State University (PSU) library isn’t projected to re-open until later this fall. According to a letter sent to the campus community this afternoon, PSU President Ann Cudd toured Branford Price Millar Library on May 3 and realized it was ‘not suitable for occupation.’” Pro-Palestinian protestors occupied the library for three days until they were removed by police May 2. Damage includes messages painted on the walls, furniture overturned or blocking entrances, broken glass, and missing fire extinguishers.

KOIN-TV (Portland, Oregon), May 4; The Oregonian/OregonLive, May 3
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The US Department of Transportation announced May 1 that its Build America Bureau (BAB) has approved its first Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) loan for up to $26.8 million for the Mt. Vernon (Wash.) Library Commons Project. The project covers half of a city block in Mt. Vernon and includes a public library, community center, commercial kitchens, electric vehicle chargers, and other amenities, all within walking distance of a multimodal transportation center. TOD is a new category of project for BAB, which offers below-market rate financing on infrastructure projects.

US Department of Transportation, May 1
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Sara Goek writes: “The Association of College and Research Libraries joined ALA, the Association of Research Libraries, and the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries in a comment objecting to the proposed elimination of the Academic Libraries component from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), the interrelated surveys conducted each year by the National Center for Education Statistics. The associations strongly object to the elimination of academic library data from IPEDS, believing it is essential to understanding the value of libraries and their contributions to the mission of higher education.”

ACRL Insider, May 3
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Sarah Hunter writes: “In early 2020, Maia Kobabe (e/em/eir) was wrapping up promotion for eir memoir Gender Queer when e received an email out of the blue from Sarah Peitzmeier, a social epidemiologist working in LGBTQ+ health at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Peitzmeier, a fan of Kobabe’s work, wanted to collaborate with em on an illustrated guide based on her research on current chest-binding practices. The resulting book became Breathe: Journeys to Healthy Binding. American Libraries spoke with Kobabe and Peitzmeier about their new title, their collaboration, and the importance of making evidence-based information about trans health care widely available.”

American Libraries Trend, May
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Frank Strong writes: “On May 5, many Texas school districts held elections for their boards of trustees. For months I’ve tracked contested races in 23 districts where there have been controversies about books, book bans, and censorship. The results were… great, overall!” Thirteen districts definitively rejected slates of candidates supported by Moms for Liberty, 1776 Project PAC, and other procensorship groups. Seven districts had mixed or neutral results, while candidates opposed to the freedom to read won in three. The results “don’t necessarily capture the balance of power in a given district,” but “these elections provide a strong foundation from which we can start restoring sanity to school boards next year.”

Anger & Clarity, May 6
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Sarah Ravits writes: “The Louisiana House of Representatives April 30 passed a bill loosening hiring requirements for library directors across the state, a move that could make it easier for conservative local officials to hire supporters of book banning. House Bill 974 (formerly HB-168) by Rep. Josh Carlson (R-Lafayette) removes a requirement that candidates for library director positions have master’s degrees in library sciences, which are accredited by the ALA. Librarians and anti-censorship advocacy groups, including the Louisiana Citizens Against Censorship, view this bill as an attack on librarians’ credentials and an attempt to undermine ALA.”

NOLA.com Gambit, Apr. 30

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