ALA 2012 Midwinter Meeting
Challenges to school libraries and all library budgets were popular topics at the 2012 Midwinter Meeting, held January 20–24 in Dallas. This year’s event drew 6,236 attendees and 3,693 exhibitors, compared to 7,549 attendees and 2,561 exhibitors in San Diego for the 2011 Midwinter Meeting, and 8,526 attendees and 2,569 exhibitors for Boston in 2010....
Public Information Office, Jan. 24

The librarians of Occupy Wall Street
Five librarians associated with the Occupy Wall Street movement’s People’s Library offered their views on democracy, protest, and the difficulties of providing reader’s services under radically different circumstances at “A Library Occupies Wall Street” January 21. All five spoke of their personal experiences as part of a working group to support a viable library in New York City’s Zuccotti Park from September 17 through November 15, 2011, when police evicted the Occupy Wall Street protesters and confiscated the library’s books, tents, and computers. A portion of their presentation is here....
AL: Inside Scoop, Jan. 21; Occupy Wall Street Library blog, Jan. 24

The value of quiet in a loudmouth world
One out of every two or three Americans is an introvert, said Susan Cain (right), author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. Cain addressed a crowd of roughly 300 people on January 21. She noted that many people in the US hide their introversion because we see ourselves as a nation of extroverts: “bold, alpha, and comfortable in the spotlight.”...
AL: Inside Scoop, Jan. 21

Harwood keynotes President’s Program
Author and philanthropist Richard C. Harwood (right) spoke at the ALA President’s Program January 22 on how libraries can improve America’s communities. He focused his talk on why libraries are needed today more than at any other time, and he looked at what it will take for libraries to be more significant in the lives of their communities....
AL: Inside Scoop, Jan. 24

John Green: Fighter for free speech
“Librarians adopted our social media presence way before anyone else,” said New York Times bestselling young adult author and vlogger extraordinaire John Green (right), who was at the Midwinter Meeting to promote his new book, The Fault in Our Stars. Wildly popular in the profession, Green addressed a crowd of approximately 600 people January 22 about how librarians can reach patrons through inventive social networking....
AL: Inside Scoop, Jan. 23

Honoring a legacy that still inspires
With a voice that echoed the melodious tone in sermons and speeches delivered by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Rev. Dr. Lewis V. Baldwin, an ordained minister, addressed the theme “Honoring a Legacy That Still Inspires” during the annual King Sunrise Celebration on January 23. Baldwin said he had many deep recollections of “a man righteous in his generation; a man who walked across the stage of history and left a legacy of achievement that will endure.”...
AL: Inside Scoop, Jan. 24

Jamal Joseph discusses life as a Black Panther
Support and education for today’s youth is the key to liberation. That was the overall message delivered by Jamal Joseph (right), author of the newly released Panther Baby: A Life of Rebellion and Reinvention (Algonquin Books), who delivered the 13th annual Arthur Curley Lecture January 21, in honor of the late former ALA president and director of Boston Public Library. Joseph told the story of his involvement with the Black Panther Party and how those experiences helped to groom him into a writer, producer, activist, poet, and educator....
AL: Inside Scoop, Jan. 24

Lynn Novick explains Prohibition
For its 22nd customer appreciation breakfast on Sunday, Alexander Street Press invited as keynote speaker Lynn Novick (right), codirector and coproducer with Ken Burns of the Prohibition documentary series. Novick provided some insight into the life of a documentary filmmaker and showed a clip from the series that featured home movies of flappers and speakeasies taken in the Roaring 20s....
AL: Inside Scoop, Jan. 22

Reimagining the Dallas Public Library
Dallas Public Library is moving to a more community-based, content-driven approach “not necessarily owning stuff anymore, but providing access to information,” DPL Interim Library Director Corinne Hill (right) told the audience attending the “Reimagining the Public Library in a Post-Recession Economy” program January 21. One of its newly-planned branches will have an artsy design with gallery space for artists, who in turn will provide children’s programming....
AL: Inside Scoop, Jan. 22

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Raphael speaks up for Dallas libraries
America’s libraries are stretching their resources to their limit in the face of extraordinary budgetary challenges. This is especially true of the Dallas Public Library system, which has made the most of its dwindling funds. In this opinion piece, ALA President Molly Raphael (right) urges Dallas officials to support their public library system....
Public Information Office, Jan. 21

Librarians hear messages of empowerment
Andrew Albanese writes: “When Molly Raphael became ALA President in 2011, she unveiled an agenda that focused on empowerment—and at the ALA 2012 Midwinter Meeting in Dallas, ‘empowerment’ has been an overarching theme. The Midwinter program has revealed a palpable desire for librarians to seize more control of their destiny, whether on legislative matters, their community presence, issues in scholarly communication, or the ever-complex ebook question.”...
Publishers Weekly, Jan. 23

Presidential Candidates Forum
2012 ALA Presidential Candidates Gina J. Millsap and Barbara K. Stripling respond to audience questions at the Presidential Candidates Forum (43:42) during the Midwinter Meeting in Dallas. ALA members in good standing as of January 31 can vote in the election beginning March 19....
AL Focus, Jan. 24

ALA Council
In its second session on January 23, ALA Council approved programmatic priorities in line with the ALA “Ahead to 2015” strategic plan and in preparation for the FY 2013 budget. Treasurer Jim Neal (no relation) provided an update on the $7 million Neal-Schuman Publishing acquisition. Council III covered such issues as discriminatory practices by publishers and the support of intellectual freedom in the Tucson Unified School District’s elimination of its Mexican-American studies program in a January 24 session that ended nearly two hours early....
AL: Inside Scoop, Jan. 24

Empowering Voices, Transforming Libraries
Buffy J. Hamilton writes: “The highlight of ALA Midwinter Day 2 for me was the first session of ‘Empowering Voices, Transforming Libraries’ with David Lankes, author of the New Atlas of Librarianship. Lankes kicked off the session with his talk, ‘Expect More: Our Most Important Conversation.’ Then small groups participated in conversations centered around exploring the inspirational goals of our communities.” Watch the video (6:58) and an interview with Lankes (2:11). ....
ALA Membership Blog, Jan. 24

Carl Harvey on the White House petition
AASL President Carl Harvey (right) explains (YouTube, 3:08) the petition before the Obama administration to ensure that every child in America has access to an effective school library program by providing dedicated funding as part of the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The petition may be signed by anyone 13 and older; it needs to have 25,000 signatures by February 4. ALA President Molly Raphael discusses the petition in this AL Focus video (4:30)....
ALA Membership Blog, Jan. 23; YouTube, Jan. 23

Libraries, meet Boing Boing
Frances Jacobson Harris writes: “Boing Boing is one of the coolest places on the internet. It’s edgy, irreverent, collaborative, and hugely popular. And guess what—Boing Boing has agreed to partner with ALA to help promote libraries. On January 21, I attended a brainstorming session at the Networking Uncommons to discuss how ALA members will contribute content to this effort. The result should drive lots of Boing Boing traffic to library blogs and news sources.”...
AL: E-Content, Jan. 21; Boing Boing, Dec. 15

Lisa Loeb’s ALA sing-along
Pop musician and children’s recording artist Lisa Loeb entertained nearly 400 people at the Wrap Up/Rev Up closing session January 23. The Grammy-nominated singer performed nine songs during the course of the closing session, including her popular “Stay,” “I Do,” several songs from her children’s sing-along books such as “The Disappointing Pancake,” and a couple of camp songs. Loeb is well-known for her cat-eyed glasses, which many fans refer to as her “sexy librarian look.”...
AL: Inside Scoop, Jan. 23

Advocacy without assumptions
Jennifer Martin, senior associate provost and dean of the Graduate School at Texas Woman’s University, offered her perspective as a nonlibrarian advocate for the university’s library at the Advocacy Institute Workshop on January 20. “I see libraries making a difference in the development of human capital, and I think we need to think about it in that way,” she declared....
AL: Inside Scoop, Jan. 20

Four cutting-edge library programs
The Office for Information Technology Policy and LITA have selected programs at Contra Costa County (Calif.) Library, New Canaan (Conn.) High School Library, New York Public Library, and Scottsdale (Ariz.) Public Library as the winners of the Association’s third annual contest to honor cutting-edge technologies in library services. This year’s winners represent creative engagement with technology trends, including QR codes, open source software, social media, GIS, and mobile applications....
Office for Information Technology Policy, Jan. 23

DeKalb County wins gaming gear from DEMCO
On January 20 in the exhibits hall, the Stonecrest branch of the DeKalb County Public Library in Lithonia, Georgia, was named the winner of DEMCO’s Gaming Gear Package for ALA’s 2011 National Gaming Day @ your library. Stonecrest will receive a DEMCO Triple Play Kiosk, a 42-inch LCD TV, and an Xbox 360 Kinect Bundle, a package valued at $3,000....
ALA Membership Blog, Jan. 22

An Emerging Leaders sampler
Here are three short interviews with ALA Emerging Leaders Jovanni Lota, John Jackson, and Yuan Li (right). They share their thoughts on their bright futures as librarians....
AL Focus, Jan. 23

Community connections at the Unconference
Nicole Pagowsky writes: “One of the major themes at this conference is community connections. This is being explicitly talked about in such sessions as David Lankes’s presentations and discussion, and it popped up in the Unconference January 20 as well. This theme is also going on within the community of librarians. This conference feels energetic and optimistic.”...
ALA Membership Blog, Jan. 21

Sights from a sunrise jog
More than 100 Midwinter attendees met at Dallas’s Reverchon Park before dawn for the 5K Fun Run. Part of the Think Fit initiative, the Fun Run returned to the ALA lineup after a hiatus of several years. It was moved to Midwinter from its traditional Annual spot in hopes of making it easier for attendees to participate. The winners this year were Eric Forte (right) and Nancy Fawley. The Fun Run is sponsored by Innovative Interfaces. Watch highlights on the video (4:26)....
ALA Membership Blog, Jan. 21

OIF offers eight recorded webcasts
The Office for Intellectual Freedom is offering eight recorded webcasts on vital topics in intellectual freedom. OIF’s “Intellectual Freedom Summer School” offered a series of five online learning programs for public, academic, and school librarians in August 2011. In November 2011, OIF and the IFLA Committee for Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression cosponsored “Intellectual Freedom across the Globe,” a series of three webinars on international issues. All are now available for purchase and viewing....
Office for Intellectual Freedom, Jan. 19

ALA and De Gruyter partner on German RDA
Berlin-based publisher De Gruyter announced the collaboration between themselves and ALA Publishing on the publication and distribution of a German-language version of RDA: Resource Description and Access. In addition to selling licenses for the RDA Toolkit in German-speaking countries, De Gruyter is licensed to sell the print version of the German-language RDA, scheduled for release later this year....
RDA Toolkit blog, Jan. 20

Create presentations that don’t put people to sleep
ALA Editions is offering a new workshop, “Creating Presentations that Don’t Put People to Sleep,” with Maurice Coleman on March 29. Learn how to banish that barrage of yawns, whether presenting to patrons, staff or the board of directors. Registration is available on the ALA Store at both the individual and group rates....
ALA Editions, Jan. 24

Manage your electronic resources
ALA TechSource has a new two-part workshop, “Managing Electronic Resources in Public Libraries,” with Michael Santangelo on March 7 and 14. With sound management of electronic resources, you will make better purchasing decisions and offer more content to your community. Registration is available on the ALA Store at both the individual and group rates....
ALA TechSource, Jan. 24

Ebook workshop with Sue Polanka
ALA TechSource will hold another session of its bestselling two-part workshop, “Integrating Ebooks and E-Readers into Your Library,” with Sue Polanka on April 4 and 11. Polanka will provide practical guidance on how to begin purchasing ebooks to lend electronically and how to purchase e-reader devices for patron use. Registration is available on the ALA Store at both the individual and group rates....
ALA TechSource, Jan. 24

Free Midwinter tech wrapup
ALA TechSource will continue its free, conference-wrapping webinars with the “2012 ALA TechSource Midwinter Tech Wrapup” on January 30. Our expert panel (Jason Griffey, Marshall Breeding, Sue Polanka) will present their observations and analysis of the top technology trends from the conference, as well as what they see as the implications for libraries. Register now....
ALA TechSource, Jan. 24

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What’s next for YA?
Buffy Hamilton writes: “One of the highlights of my first day at ALA Midwinter 2012 was attending the YALSA Research Forum, ‘What’s Next for YA?’ This session focused on the YALSA research agenda, the first update published since 1994, that was unveiled last October. The purpose of this research agenda is to help librarians serving young adults provide the best possible service as well as provide data to advocate for funding for services and materials for young people.”...
ALA Membership Blog, Jan. 23

Are school libraries endangered?
AASL has released the second set of video podcasts in its “30-Second Thought Leadership: Insights from Leaders in the School Library Community” series. The set features school librarian experts delivering brief and practical advice based on the themes of Knowledge Quest issues....
AASL, Jan. 24

AASL opens sixth year of “School Libraries Count!” study
AASL has launched the sixth year of its longitudinal study, “School Libraries Count!” A survey will gather basic data about the status of school library programs across the country; AASL will then use this information to develop advocacy tools to support school library programs at the local, state, and national levels. The survey is available online. The deadline is March 15....
AASL, Jan. 24

PLA 2012 Virtual Conference
Registration for the PLA 2012 Virtual Conference is now open. On March 15–16, PLA will share a condensed, live, and online PLA Conference with public librarians and public library workers who can’t make the trip to Philadelphia. Registration closes on March 2....
PLA, Jan. 19

New scholarship to attend PLA Conference
PLA is offering a scholarship to one library school student to attend the PLA 2012 Conference, March 13–17, in Philadelphia. The scholarship covers conference registration, four nights in a hotel, and up to $500 travel reimbursement. The deadline to submit a qualifying essay is February 1....
PLA, Jan. 24

Enter a video contest to win a trip to Philadelphia
If you plan on attending the PLA Conference in Philadelphia March 13–17, you can enter a contest by submitting a 60-second (or less) video telling PLA what you hope to get out of attending. One winner will receive a free registration, four nights in a hotel, and up to $500 reimbursement for travel to and from the conference. The deadline is February 1....
PLA, Jan. 22

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NMRT’s résumé review service
Nicole Pagowsky writes: “On Sunday I did a résumé reviewer shift for the New Member Round Table in the ALA JobLIST Placement Center. At every conference, NMRT offers this service—free—to anyone who would like their résumé (and sometimes also cover letter) reviewed. It’s an opportunity to talk about the job market and interviews with people who can share some good tips and info for those seeking employment.”...
ALA Membership Blog, Jan. 23

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Youth Media Award winners
ALA announced the top books, videos, and audiobooks for children and young adults—including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery, and Printz awards—at its Midwinter Meeting in Dallas. The announcement was webcast for those who could not attend. Winners are posting their reactions to the awards on the YMA YouTube channel....
Public Information Office, Jan. 23

Newbery and Caldecott winners
Jack Gantos, author of Dead End in Norvelt, and Chris Raschka, illustrator of A Ball for Daisy, are the 2012 winners of the John Newbery and Randolph Caldecott medals. The Newbery and Caldecott medals honor outstanding writing and illustration of works published in the United States during the previous year....
ALSC, Jan. 23

Tonatiuh, Garcia McCall win Pura Belpré Awards
Duncan Tonatiuh, illustrator of Diego Rivera: His World and Ours, and Guadalupe Garcia McCall, author of Under the Mesquite, are the 2012 winners of the Pura Belpré Illustrator Award and Author Award, which honor Latino authors and illustrators whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in children’s books....
ALSC, Jan. 23

Nelson, Evans win Coretta Scott King Awards
Kadir Nelson, author of Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans, and Shane W. Evans, illustrator of Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom, are the winners of the 2012 Coretta Scott King Book Awards honoring African-American authors and illustrators of outstanding books for children and young adults....
Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table, Jan. 23

Bryan wins CSK–Virginia Hamilton Award
Author, folklorist, poet, and illustrator Ashley Bryan (right) is the winner of the Coretta Scott King–Virginia Hamilton Practitioner Award for Lifetime Achievement. In 1962, he became the first African American to both write and illustrate a children’s book....
Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, Jan. 23

Josh Schneider wins Geisel Award
Author and illustrator Josh Schneider is the 2012 recipient of the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for Tales for Very Picky Eaters (Clarion). Each of the five chapters recounts James’s refusal to eat yet another disgusting, smelly, repulsive, lumpy, or slimy food. The Geisel Award is given to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States....
ALSC, Jan. 23

Where Things Come Back wins Printz Award
Where Things Come Back, written by debut author John Corey Whaley, published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, has won the 2012 Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature. Witty, sardonic Cullen Witter agonizes over the disappearance of his beloved brother, Gabriel, while everyone else in his stiflingly dull Arkansas town thrills to the apparent return of a long-extinct woodpecker. The title was also named the winner of the 2012 William C. Morris Award, which honors a book written for young adults by a previously unpublished author....
YALSA, Jan. 23

Susan Cooper honored with Edwards Award
Susan Cooper is the recipient of the 2012 Margaret A. Edwards Award that honors her significant and lasting contribution to YA writing for The Dark Is Rising Sequence. In one of the most influential epic high fantasies in literature, Cooper evokes Celtic and Arthurian mythology and masterly world-building in a high-stakes battle between good and evil, embodied in the coming-of-age journey of Will Stanton....
YALSA, Jan. 23

YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction
The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism, and Treachery, written by Steve Sheinkin and published by Flash Point/Roaring Brook Press, has been named the 2012 winner of the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults. This cradle-to-grave biography emphasizes the political, social, and military issues within the Colonial army and how Arnold ambitiously maneuvered his own career through grit and determination. The award honors the best nonfiction book published for young adults (ages 12–18) during a November 1–October 31 publishing year....
YALSA, Jan. 23

Batchelder Award honors Eerdmans Books
Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, an imprint of William B. Eerdmans Publishing, is the winner of the 2012 Mildred L. Batchelder Award for Soldier Bear, the most outstanding children’s book originally published in a foreign language and subsequently translated into English for publication in the United States. Originally published in Dutch in 2008 as Soldaat Wojtek, the book was written by Bibi Dumon Tak, illustrated by Philip Hopman, and translated by Laura Watkinson....
ALSC, Jan. 23

Carnegie Medal goes to Children Make Terrible Pets
Paul R. Gagne and Melissa Reilly Ellard of Weston Woods Studios, producers of Children Make Terrible Pets, are the 2012 recipients of the Andrew Carnegie Medal for excellence in children’s video. In this whimsical reversal of “Can I keep him?”, Lucy Bear finds a little boy in the forest and takes him home against her mother’s advice. Although she and Squeaker become best friends, Lucy soon discovers that taking care of her cute critter is not all fun and games. The narration is by Emily Eiden....
ALSC, Jan. 23

Melissa Sweet wins 2012 Sibert Medal
Melissa Sweet, author and illustrator of Balloons over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade (Houghton Mifflin), was named the winner of the 2012 Robert F. Sibert Medal for the most distinguished informational book for children published in 2011. The book tells the story of Tony Sarg, the artistic inventor who conceived of the huge balloons that float through New York City each Thanksgiving....
ALSC, Jan. 23

2012 Alex Awards
YALSA has selected 10 adult books with special appeal to teen readers to receive the 2012 Alex Awards. The awards, sponsored by the Margaret A. Edwards Trust, were created to recognize that many teens enjoy and often prefer books written for adults, and to assist librarians in recommending adult books that appeal to teens....
YALSA, Jan. 23

Odyssey Award goes to Listening Library
Listening Library, producer of the audiobook Rotters, has won the 2012 Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production. The Odyssey Award is given to the producer of the best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults. Rotters, written by Booklist editor Daniel Kraus and narrated by Kirby Heyborne, tells the strange tale of Joey, a 16-year-old whose mother has died. His struggle begins as he is dropped into the isolated world of his father, a grave robber....
YALSA, Jan. 23

2012 Fabulous Films for Young Adults
YALSA has announced its 2012 Fabulous Films for Young Adults. The list identifies a body of films relating to a theme that will appeal to young adults ages 12–18 and is presented annually at the ALA Midwinter Meeting. This year’s list includes 25 titles based on the theme “Song and Dance.”...
YALSA, Jan. 24

2012 Great Graphic Novels for Teens
YALSA announced its 2012 Great Graphic Novels for Teens. The list of 56 titles, drawn from 78 official nominations, is presented annually at the ALA Midwinter Meeting. The books, recommended for ages 12–18, meet the criteria of both good-quality literature and appealing reading for teens....
YALSA, Jan. 24

2012 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults
YALSA announced its 2012 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults list. The list for ages 12–18 is drawn from the previous two years of spoken-word releases and presented annually at the ALA Midwinter Meeting....
YALSA, Jan. 24

2012 Schneider Family Book Awards
Winners of the Schneider Family Book Award, which honors authors and illustrators for the for the artistic expression of the disability experience for children’s and adolescent audiences, were announced at the ALA Midwinter Meeting. Close to Famous by Joan Bauer was the winner in the middle school category; and The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen was the winner in the teen category....
Public Information Office, Jan. 23

Michael Morpurgo to deliver 2013 Arbuthnot Lecture
Children’s Laureate Michael Morpurgo will deliver the 2013 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture. Each year, an individual of distinction in the field of children’s literature is chosen to write and deliver a lecture that will make a significant contribution to the world of children’s literature. The lecture is delivered in April and subsequently published in Children and Libraries....
ALSC, Jan. 23

2012 Stonewall Book Awards
The Stonewall Book Awards are given annually to English-language works of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender experience. The winners are Bil Wright, Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy (Simon & Schuster); Wayne Hoffman, Sweet Like Sugar (Kensington); and Jonathan D. Katz and David C. Ward, Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture (Smithsonian)....
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table, Jan. 23

2012 Over the Rainbow list
The 2012 Over the Rainbow booklist, sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table, features quality fiction and nonfiction books for adults that are recognized for their authentic expression of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender experiences. This year’s list includes 74 titles published between July 1, 2010, and December 31, 2011....
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table, Jan. 23

2012 Rainbow Books list
The 2012 Rainbow Books list, a joint project of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table and the Social Responsibilities Round Table, was announced at the ALA Midwinter Meeting. The bibliography features recommended fiction and nonfiction titles for young readers, from birth through age 18, noted for their significant and authentic GLBTQ content. This year’s list includes 32 titles....
Social Responsibilities Round Table, Jan. 24

2012 Amelia Bloomer List
The Amelia Bloomer Project, a product of the ALA Social Responsibilities Round Table’s Feminist Task Force, has announced the 2012 Amelia Bloomer List, which consists of well-written and well-illustrated books with significant feminist content, intended for young readers from birth to 18 years old. This year’s list includes 78 titles published between July 1, 2010, and December 31, 2011....
Social Responsibilities Round Table, Jan. 23

Slang collection wins Dartmouth Medal
RUSA has selected Green’s Dictionary of Slang (Chambers) as the winner of its 2012 Dartmouth Medal, an annual award for a reference work of outstanding quality and significance. The dictionary was selected for its comprehensive and inclusive scholarship for slang in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, and other English-speaking countries....
RUSA, Jan. 22

Outstanding Reference Sources
RUSA has announced its selections for the 2012 Outstanding Reference Sources. This list of titles identifies the most important reference publications for small and medium-sized public and academic libraries published in a given year....
RUSA, Jan. 22

Notable Books List
RUSA has announced its selections for the 2012 Notable Books List—a source for very good and very important fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for the nation’s adult readers. The winners were selected by the Notable Books Council, a group of RUSA members and readers’ advisory experts from around the country. Since 1944, the council has annually selected a list of about 25 important books for adults....
RUSA, Jan. 22

RUSA’s inaugural Listen List
RUSA has made its selections for the 2012 Listen List: Outstanding Audiobook Narration juried list. The Listen List recognizes and honors the narrators who create extraordinary listening experiences meriting special attention by general adult listeners and the librarians who work with them....
RUSA, Jan. 22

Reading List of genre fiction
RUSA has announced the selections for its 2012 Reading List, which annually recognizes the best books in eight genres: adrenaline (including suspense, thrillers, and adventure), fantasy, historical fiction, horror, mystery, romance, science fiction, and women’s fiction. This year’s list includes novels that will please die-hard fans, as well as introduce new readers to the pleasures of genre fiction....
RUSA, Jan. 22

2012 Sophie Brody Medal for Jewish literature
Sacred Trash: The Lost and Found World of the Cairo Geniza by Adina Hoffman and Peter Cole (Schocken Books) was chosen by RUSA for this year’s Sophie Brody Medal, given to encourage, recognize, and commend outstanding achievement in Jewish literature published in the US. The book recounts the discovery and retrieval of worn-out Jewish documents from the Cairo Geniza that render a fascinating view of a 900-year span of a vibrant Mediterranean Jewish culture....
RUSA, Jan. 22

Morris wins 2012 Zora Neale Hurston Award
Vanessa Irvin Morris (right), assistant teaching professor at Drexel University, is the 2012 recipient of RUSA’s Zora Neale Hurston Award. The award honors librarians who have demonstrated leadership in promoting African-American literature. Morris was selected for her work in advocating collection building and readers’ advisory services for African-American literature....
RUSA, Jan. 22

Sarah L. Johnson wins 2012 Louis Shores Award
Sarah L. Johnson (right), professor of library services at Eastern Illinois University and author of the blog Reading the Past, is the 2012 winner of the RUSA Louis Shores Award. The award recognizes an individual reviewer, group, editor, review medium, or organization for excellence in book reviewing and other media for libraries. The awards committee praised her book reviews, blog and social media postings, readers’ advisory books, and review columns that serve as valuable tools for both readers and readers’ advisors....
RUSA, Jan. 22

BWI/YALSA collection development grants
Erik Carlson, teen librarian at the White Plains (N.Y.) Public Library, and Cynthia Shutts, teen librarian at the Romeoville, Illinois, branch of the White Oak Library District, have won 2011 BWI/YALSA Collection Development Grants....
YALSA, Jan. 24

Robert B. Downs Intellectual Freedom Award
The faculty of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have awarded Marianna Tax Choldin the 2011 Robert B. Downs Intellectual Freedom Award for her extensive contributions to intellectual freedom. A reception to honor Choldin took place at the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Dallas on January 21....
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign GSLIS, Dec. 14

2012 American Indian Youth Literature Awards
The American Indian Library Association has selected The Christmas Coat: Memories of My Sioux Childhood (2011), written by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve and illustrated by Ellen Beier; Free Throw (2011) and Triple Threat (2011), both written by Jacqueline Guest; and Pipestone: My Life in an Indian Boarding School (2010), written by Adam Fortunate Eagle, as winners of the fourth American Indian Youth Literature Awards....
Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, Jan. 23

2012 APALA Awards
The Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association has selected five books as winners of its 2012 Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature. The awards honor and recognize individual works with exceptional literary and artistic merit about Asian/Pacific Americans and their heritage. The awards are given in five categories: adult fiction, adult nonfiction, children’s literature, young adult literature, and picture book....
Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, Jan. 23

2012 William L. Crawford Fantasy Award
Genevieve Valentine was named winner of the 2012 William L. Crawford Fantasy Award for her novel Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti (Prime). The award, which includes a cash prize, is presented annually at the International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts, and is designated for an exceptionally promising writer whose first fantasy book was published the preceding year....
Locus, Jan. 24

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SOPA protest had an effect
On January 18, some of the internet’s largest entities blacked out their websites, including Wikipedia, in a protest against the SOPA and PIPA antipiracy bills. Wikipedia reported that 8 million US readers took Wikipedia’s suggestion and looked up their congressional reps from the site. Google reported that at least 4.5 million people had signed its petition asking lawmakers to reject the bills. Twitter said that 2.4 million SOPA-related tweets were sent in the first 16 hours of the day. Lawmakers in Congress have delayed further committee and voting action on both bills....
Los Angeles Times, Jan. 19; HuffPost Detroit, Jan. 24

Proposed reorganization angers Harvard library workers
Administration plans to reduce the size of the Harvard University Library workforce drew criticism January 24 from library workers and the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers. Library officials informed employees of the university’s exploration of a range of both voluntary and involuntary options in a series of January 19 town hall meetings. Library employees also expressed confusion over the details of the plan....
Harvard Crimson, Jan. 25

Appeals court: Sex offenders have a right to enter libraries
A federal appeals court ruled January 20 that a policy barring registered sex offenders from public libraries in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was unconstitutional, a decision that could have reverberations across the nation. “The First Amendment includes a fundamental right to receive information,” a three-judge panel of the Denver-based 10th US Circuit Court of Appeals wrote....
Reuters, Jan. 20

Google announces rigid privacy policy
Google said January 24 it will require users to allow the company to follow their activities across email, search, YouTube, and other services, a radical shift in strategy that is expected to invite greater scrutiny of its privacy and competitive practices. Consumers will have no choice but to accept the changes. The policy will take effect March 1 and will also impact Android mobile phone users....
Washington Post, Jan. 24

Europe weighs tough law on online privacy
Europe is considering a sweeping new law that would force internet companies like Amazon.com and Facebook to obtain explicit consent from consumers about the use of their personal data, delete that data forever at the consumer’s request, and face fines for failing to comply....
New York Times, Jan. 23

Tucson students protest school district’s folly
Hundreds of students walked out of their Tucson schools January 23 in a coordinated protest against the banishment of the district’s acclaimed Mexican-American Studies Program. In recent days, administrators and board members have issued a series of conflicting and inaccurate statements and carried out the extreme actions of confiscating books in front of children. The ALA Council passed a resolution January 24 that condemns the restriction of access to ethnic materials in schools, emphasizes the value of school libraries, and reiterates the Association’s professional commitment to intellectual freedom....
Huffington Post, Jan. 23; OIF Blog, Jan. 24

Has Mayor Emanuel met his match with Chicago librarians?
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has backed off on a cost-cutting move to close libraries on Mondays, despite the library union’s refusal to make concessions. Somehow on January 21 he found more than $2 million to do almost what they want: Rehire some of the employees who had been laid off and reopen the branches on Monday afternoons starting February 6. Still, library workers gathered January 23 to demand full reinstatement of Monday hours. Library workers say Monday mornings are usually a very busy time in the branches....
WBBM-TV, Chicago, Jan. 23; WBEZ-FM, Chicago, Jan. 23; Chicago Sun-Times, Jan. 24

Chicago Commissioner Mary Dempsey resigns
Chicago Public Library Commissioner Mary Dempsey has resigned and will be replaced in March by Brian Bannon, chief information officer for the San Francisco Public Library. Dempsey apparently was unwilling to preside over the dismantling of a library system she helped build, but agreed to postpone her departure to minimize the impact of the cuts....
Chicago Tribune, Jan. 25; Chicago Sun-Times, Jan. 25

Occupy Cal library protest ends
Campus officials and faculty leaders reached an agreement January 21 with a group of Occupy Cal protesters who had been conducting a study-in for three days to protest a change in library hours at the Anthropology Library on the University of California, Berkeley, campus. The agreement, signed by University Librarian Tom Leonard, calls for restoring the fall 2011 hours, which were trimmed due to the unexpected retirement of a staff member in December....
University of California, Berkeley, Jan. 22

Library unveils world’s largest football bracket
With the Super Bowl quickly approaching, the Indianapolis–Marion County Public Library decided to celebrate the event by unveiling the “World’s Largest Football Bracket” on January 20. The bracket stretches about 120-by-54-feet wide on the Central Library Atrium’s north glass wall. The display includes QR Code technology that can link users of smartphones to up-to-the-minute news articles related to both the AFC and NFC playoffs. Watch the video (0:59)....
Hendricks County (Ind.) Flyer, Jan. 23; YouTube, Jan. 20

West Virginia librarian faces up to 30 years
Former Taylor County (W.Va.) Library Director Marli Jenkins (right) pled guilty in county circuit court January 18 to felony embezzlement, falsifying accounts, and fraudulent use of an access device. Each count carries with it a sentence of not less than one year and not more than 10 years’ time served. Jenkins admitted using three library credit cards for personal use. She may also be required to make a restitution of more than $275,000....
Grafton (W.Va.) Mountain Statesman, Jan. 20

School librarian tries out for Ammo & Attitude
Stephanie Antley Herrmann, a 44-year-old librarian in the Union Parish School District in Farmerville, Louisiana, will be one of six contestants on Ammo & Attitude, an NBC Sports Network reality show that challenges women in outdoor adventure scenarios. To prepare, Herrmann has been immersing herself in a variety of new activities and skill sets, including archery, horseback riding, hunting, and shooting....
Monroe (La.) News-Star, Jan. 21

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ALA Midwinter Meeting in Dallas, Texas, January 20–24, 2012.

Visit the ALA YouTube channel to see coverage of the Midwinter Meeting.

Check out the ALA Midwinter Flickr photostream.

Keep track of Midwinter events and photos at the American Libraries #alamw12 feed.

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