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Temple Grandin: The Varieties of Autistic Thought

January 27, 2013

For its 23rd customer appreciation breakfast on Sunday, Alexander Street Press invited as keynote speaker Temple Grandin, bestselling author, doctor of animal science, and autism activist. Grandin, who was diagnosed with autism at age 2 in 1949, advocates early behavioral or cognitive intervention to address this neural disorder in kids. She particularly worries about videogame … Continue reading Temple Grandin: The Varieties of Autistic Thought →

Public Library Users Want Both Books and Technology

By George Eberhart | January 22, 2013

A new report by the Pew Research Center indicates that free access to technology in public libraries is as important to Americans ages 16 and older as printed books and reference services. “Library Services in the Digital Age” (PDF file), released January 22 by the center’s Pew Internet and American Life Project, showed that 80% … Continue reading Public Library Users Want Both Books and Technology →

The Conversation Starts in Seattle

By Stephanie Kuenn | January 7, 2013

Our profession stands at a crossroads: How do libraries meld traditional roles and responsibilities with the changing expectations and needs of the communities they’re in? Joining the many different kinds of conversations at the ALA Midwinter Meeting, January 25–29, in Seattle, Washington, will help attendees address these and other urgent transformational issues facing libraries. ALA … Continue reading The Conversation Starts in Seattle →

The Library as Lifeline: Getting Past Superstorm Sandy

By Queens Library staff members | December 28, 2012

Library workers know that public libraries provide essential services. We live it every day. Until Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on tens of thousands in New York and New Jersey in October 2012, we at Queens Library didn’t realize how pivotal our role is in our communities. As the extent of the damage became apparent, so … Continue reading The Library as Lifeline: Getting Past Superstorm Sandy →

ALA and FIL: A Powerful Partnership

By Peggy Barber | December 21, 2012

Author Jonathan Franzen, an opening speaker at the Feria Internacional del Libro de Guadalajara (FIL) held November 24–December 2 in Guadalajara, Mexico, captured the event’s mainstream impact when he exclaimed, “How marvelous that the cultural calendar of Guadalajara is determined by books.” The 2012 fair marked the 13th year of the ALA-FIL partnership. The event … Continue reading ALA and FIL: A Powerful Partnership →

ALA Chapters Issue Joint Statement on E-Content Pricing

November 19, 2012

A majority of the 57 state and regional chapters of the American Library Association have signed a joint statement in opposition to the practices of publishers and distributors that have established unfair pricing in the sale of ebooks to libraries. ALA President Maureen Sullivan commented, “This joint statement underscores how critical this issue is for … Continue reading ALA Chapters Issue Joint Statement on E-Content Pricing →

Libraries Weather the Superstorm

By George M. Eberhart | November 4, 2012

Beyond temporary power outages and minor wind and water damage, libraries along the Atlantic coast weathered Superstorm Sandy fairly well, considering all the flooding and destruction inflicted on homes and businesses. Although some areas of central New Jersey were still without power six days after the storm, many public libraries in affected states were powered … Continue reading Libraries Weather the Superstorm →

Reports still coming in on library flooding from Hurricane Sandy

By George Eberhart | October 31, 2012

News coverage and reports from state libraries offered little information about damage to public and academic libraries in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, which hit the Atlantic Coast five miles southwest of Atlantic City, New Jersey, on the evening of October 29. Many public libraries, including the New York Public Library, remained closed on October … Continue reading Reports still coming in on library flooding from Hurricane Sandy →

Pew Study Looks at Younger Readers (16 – 29) and Libraries

October 23, 2012

A new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project looks at how young Americans interact with libraries and books of all types. Younger Americans’ Reading and Library Habits pulls out data from an earlier study on libraries to just look at readers aged 16–29. The results are relatively predictable. Despite dire warnings, this … Continue reading Pew Study Looks at Younger Readers (16 – 29) and Libraries →

How Libraries Count in the 2012 Election

By Beverly Goldberg | October 17, 2012

As icons of civic engagement in America, libraries are perfectly positioned to host voter registration drives and, as local statutes permit, be venues for early voting and Election Day polls. In this particularly spirited election year, libraries may be playing their largest role yet in such efforts. Consequently, they have also been drawn into the … Continue reading How Libraries Count in the 2012 Election →

ALA Releases “Ebook Business Models for Public Libraries”

August 8, 2012

Based on conversations with publishers and deliberations on the ebook market, the ALA today released “Ebook Business Models for Public Libraries” (PDF file) a report that describes general features and attributes of the current ebook environment and outlines constraints and restrictions of current business models. The report, which was created by the ALA Digital Content … Continue reading ALA Releases “Ebook Business Models for Public Libraries” →

ARL Meets in Chicago

May 4, 2012

The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) met in Chicago May 2–4 for its 160th Membership Meeting. The group meets twice a year in the spring and fall to review its finances, activities, projects, and priorities, and to allow its committees to convene. Founded in Chicago in 1932, ARL’s membership now consists of 126 academic, public, … Continue reading ARL Meets in Chicago →

Latest Library Links

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ALA announced the launch of its state Intellectual Freedom Helpline grant program April 22. Over the next two years, 10 pilot program sites will operate a confidential reporting system that will help connect those experiencing censorship attempts with professional support, in-state peers, or referral to ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, as appropriate. State or school library associations or agencies wishing to either establish an Intellectual Freedom Helpline in their state or expand existing efforts may apply for $10,000 grants through July 14.

ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom, Apr. 22
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In celebration of the release of his latest nonfiction title, The Secret Lives of Booksellers & Librarians, bestselling author James Patterson is honoring select American Bookseller Association and American Library Association members with bonuses. He announced plans April 11 to give $200 each to 250 library workers across the country. The deadline for ALA members may nominate members to receive bonuses through April 30. Winners will be announced at ALA’s 2024 Annual Conference in San Diego.
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Catherine Hollerbach writes: “In early 2020, when the world shut down for COVID, many people got interested in houseplants. Anne Arundel County (Md.) Public Library’s Crofton Library embraced this trend and then some!” While preparing to reopen after the COVID shutdown, the library installed plants at the information desk to discourage patrons from sticking their heads through gaps in newly installed acrylic shields. They were well received and cared for, and the library gradually added more plants and built educational tools, programming, and partnerships around the plants.

Public Libraries Online, Apr. 18
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Rodney Freeman writes: “I am proud to be a librarian—and rare. Less than 7% of librarians in the US are Black. Libraries symbolize the literacy that was denied to so many of our ancestors. For our enslaved forebears, something as fundamental as learning to read was illegal and dangerous, but they did it anyway. Separate but ‘equal’ schools and ‘colored’ libraries filled with cast-offs from white libraries were key features of the Jim Crow era. Today we are seeing the same impulse to distort access to information into a tool to suppress and control, and to make some people ‘other.’”

Newsweek, Apr. 16
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Lori Birrell writes: “Staff want to feel valued, and they want their work to have an impact. A reorganization process can help leaders to surface such areas of impact and give staff a feeling of empowerment and value. Practitioners considering any sized reorganization are strongly encouraged to consider what models and resources will best support them as they plan and lead this work. Regardless of the model or resources, any reorganization process should be more than just moving boxes and reporting lines around on an organizational chart.”

Library Leadership and Management, Apr. 15
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Megan Bennett writes: “Two decades ago, while Daily Show Senior Correspondent Dulcé Sloan was doing summer shows at a community theater in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, the library was her main hangout spot. In the small town of 9,000 people, it was a place to gather with other young actors—and the only place with internet access. American Libraries spoke with Sloan before her closing session at the Public Library Association 2024 Conference in Columbus, Ohio, about her new book, her journey in stand-up comedy, and her memories of libraries.”

American Libraries Trend, Apr. 17
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Ashley Cosby Fowlkes writes: “In February 2023, Warren County (Ky.) Public Library (WCPL) began working with LifeWorks at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, a residential community for neurodiverse young adults that focuses on independent living and job readiness. By May, WCPL opened a satellite location at LifeWorks—making it the state’s first public library branch dedicated to serving neurodiverse patrons. The satellite is designed to be a sensory-sensitive environment, enabling individuals with autism, ADHD, or other learning differences—who can become overstimulated in crowded public areas—to concentrate on their studies, read a book, or browse digital library resources.”

American Libraries Trend, Mar./Apr.

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