#wlic2016 Archives | Page 2 of 2 | American Libraries Magazine

Marie Ostergaard, head of community engagement at Dokk1, describes the Danish cultural center as the “living room of the city.”

Moving Beyond the “Third Place”

By Phil Morehart | August 17, 2016

Marie Ostergaard, head of community engagement at Dokk1, a large cultural center in Aarhus, Denmark, that includes the Aarhus Public Library, led the session with a detailed presentation on the Dokk1 project and how it reenvisions the library-going experience. Dokk1 is a massive, open-air complex located in the city center on the waterfront that encompasses … Continue reading Moving Beyond the “Third Place” →

Garrett Scott (left), an antiquarian bookseller in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Edwin C. Schroeder, director of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University, presented their recommendations on preventing and uncovering theft in libraries.

Security, Inventory, and Provenance

By George M. Eberhart | August 17, 2016

Michael Zubal, a manager of Zubal Books in Cleveland, Ohio, related two instances when his store was involved with stolen books. The first took place in 1995 when he purchased a first edition of Tarzan and the Lost Empire (1929) by Edgar Rice Burroughs from an individual who came into the store. Shortly afterwards he … Continue reading Security, Inventory, and Provenance →

Sam Meister, preservation communities manager at the Educopia Institute, discusses the preservation of digital data in disasters.

Preparing for the Worst

By Phil Morehart | August 16, 2016

The panelists addressed the topic from a variety of angles. Bogdan Filip Zerek, head of the conservation department at the National Library of Poland, presented an exhaustive study of how the library combated the effects of water damage in the Krasiński Palace in Warsaw, built in the 17th century, which houses the library’s iconographic collections. … Continue reading Preparing for the Worst →

After the program, the fellows took a bus to the newly renovated Main Library of the Columbus Metropolitan Library. The reception was held in the new reading room that overlooks a topiary garden.

Reception Celebrates 2016 IFLA Fellows

By Rebecca Lomax | August 16, 2016 The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) 2016 National Committee awarded 180 fellowships to librarians and information professionals from North America and beyond to attend IFLA World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) 2016 in Columbus, Ohio. The fellows were selected from more than 3,000 applicants and represent 75 countries. The National Committee more … Continue reading →

Eddy Maepa, executive director for core programs at the National Library of South Africa in Pretoria, discusses his library's efforts to comply with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

National Libraries and Sustainable Development

By George M. Eberhart | August 16, 2016

Lili Boshevska, director of the University St. Kliment Ohridski Library in Bitola—one of five national libraries in Macedonia—said that the majority of the UN goals are already mirrored in national policy. “Sustainability is possible,” she said, “but there is still much to be done by 2030.” Combating poverty by eradicating illiteracy is one of Macedonia’s … Continue reading National Libraries and Sustainable Development →

Keynote speaker Loida Garcia-Febo, a library consultant with international expertise and a member of the IFLA governing board, addressed how libraries are using their powers to do good around the world.

Libraries Improving Lives in Asia and Oceania

By George M. Eberhart | August 15, 2016

Section Chair Jayshree Mamtora said that the problems these countries face—relations with indigenous peoples, developing economies, immigration, climate change, multilingual populations, and communication over vast distances—are all being addressed by libraries that are experimenting with new ways of contributing to the social and economic development of the communities they serve. Keynote speaker Loida Garcia-Febo, a … Continue reading Libraries Improving Lives in Asia and Oceania →

Ohio’s Native American history was celebrated with the drumming of the Red Circle Singers.

IFLA Opening Session Highlights

By Rebecca Lomax | August 15, 2016

Skip Prichard, president and CEO of OCLC, addresses the crowd at the Industry Symposium during the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions' World Library and Information Congress in Columbus, Ohio, August 14.

OCLC: Purpose, Place, and People

By George M. Eberhart | August 15, 2016

OCLC made use of the occasion to showcase its services at its “Industry Symposium” on August 14. President and CEO Skip Prichard compared the work of OCLC with the Disneyland attraction It’s a Small World, saying that “Making the big world of information small enough to manage is what we do.” Prichard added that OCLC … Continue reading OCLC: Purpose, Place, and People →

Latest Library Links

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Elisa Shoenberger writes: “These days, it seems that humor and murder mysteries go together like cookies and milk. With films like Knives Out and See How They Run and television shows like Only Murders in the Building, it seems that murder mysteries with a lot of humor are fashionable right now. Plus, we’re going to get the film adaptation of Richard Osman’s delightful The Thursday Murder Club later this year. I’ve put together a list of recently published humorous murder mystery books.”

Book Riot, Feb. 17
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Pranay Parab writes: “Google’s recent foray into artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t going to stop anytime soon. While you can hide Google Workspace’s Gemini buttons and prompts for now, you can’t actually stop the company from continuing to build its apps around a technology that revolves around getting its hands on as much data as possible. I rely on Google Docs for collaboration, but the company’s AI push has got me looking for alternatives, even if Google currently denies using your data to train its models. On that note, these are the best AI-free, encrypted alternatives to Google Docs.”

Lifehacker, Feb. 13
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Elizabeth Coen and Mary Manning write: “In the winter of 2023, we reimagined the curricular design of an undergraduate survey course called American Drama. We wanted students to think deeply about the nature of representation in American theatre, and whose voices are traditionally privileged in play anthologies and theatrical productions and whose voices are not. We also wanted students to examine these privileges and gaps through primary and secondary source research—through group discovery and ‘play’ in the archives and in the stacks.”

TPS Collective, Feb. 14
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Suzan Karabakal writes: “As a UX research and design student at the School of Information, I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to conduct user research on Library Search, the University of Michigan Library’s discovery layer, last summer. My goal was to uncover how novice users approach Library Search features and functions, and to identify design opportunities to improve student experiences. After conducting interviews with librarians in the Learning and Teaching division, student employees who provide ‘Ask a Librarian’ services, and undergraduate students, I compiled a list of five key findings and five key design recommendations.”

University of Michigan Library, Feb. 13
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María Evelia Emerson writes: “Diversity audits, like much of librarianship, are not a simple box to check off once complete. Collections, as well as other programs and services, need to be consistently revisited in order to stay abreast of current trends and make sure that libraries strive to be as inclusive as possible. Although this requires time (something few librarians have an abundance of), without consistent check-ins, reviews, and feedback, collections and services are at risk of catering to a specific group of people, without taking into account the variety and differences of experiences and needs that make up our society.”

Portal: Libraries and the Academy, Jan.
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ALA’s Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services will host “Libraries Respond: Racial Healing and Transforming Communities through Mental Health Practices,” a virtual panel discussion, on February 25 at 3 p.m. Central. The 90-minute event will feature mental health professional Grace Le sharing her expertise on how mental health can impact our individual journeys towards racial healing, and a moderated panel of ALA leaders sharing perspectives and experiences on collective community healing towards racial equity and our roles in our library spaces. Register to receive the Zoom link.

ALA Office for Diversity, Literacy, and outreach Services
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Michelle Reed and Tova Gaster write: “Neo-Censorship in US Libraries: An Investigation into Digital Content Suppression, a new Library Futures report, dives into an underreported area of library censorship—database bans that restrict youth access to ebooks, research resources, and other digital content. While bans on beloved print books are often more visible, challenges to databases and digital collections risk restricting children from viewing a wide range of content—from breast cancer awareness to resources for identifying and reporting sexual abuse.”

Library Futures, Feb. 13

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