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For more ALA and library news on a daily basis, check the American Libraries website
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Jennifer Burek Pierce writes: “Last fall, I paid close attention to early childhood literacy, striking up conversations and creating lengthy lists of resources. My obsessive information seeking supports students in my community engagement class who are helping Sioux City (Iowa) Public Library staffers locate area organizations with an interest in children’s reading. Library Director Betsy Thompson regards early childhood literacy as an essential aspect of community wellness and a key to economic development. She wants to start a conversation with others who want to support parents and caregivers in encouraging the development of a child’s language skills before school starts. She’s not alone.”...
American Libraries column, Jan./Feb.
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Bailey Brewer writes: “When Erica Freudenberger, director of the Red Hook (N.Y.) Public Library, set out to make change in her community, she knew she couldn’t do it alone—she would need the community itself to help her. And though her community is small—1,900 people inhabit the village of Red Hook—it has proven itself mighty, making changes that community members have wanted to see for many years. Of course it wasn’t Freudenberger and the community alone who made these changes happen; it was thanks in part to an initiative called Libraries Transforming Communities.”...
American Libraries feature
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Sponsored Content
Recorded Books is pleased to announce the launch of an online book club celebrating classic literature.
Free to both libraries and their patrons, the Literary Classics Online Book Club hosts online discussions of classic works via Facebook, Twitter, and the club’s blog. While books are selected from the Classics Collection on OneClickDigital (featuring free ebook and e-audio titles with unlimited simultaneous access), library patrons are also able to access the title in any format from any other source.
January’s discussions have already begun with the club’s first selection, Hamlet. |
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In recognition of National Blood Donor Month, Librarians Build Communities, an ALA Membership Initiative Group, has organized a community blood drive during the 2015 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Chicago, with special thanks to LifeSource. Conference attendees are encouraged to join LBC in this life-saving event on Saturday, January 31, and Sunday, February 1, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the end of aisle 4800 in the ALA Exhibit Hall. ALA and LBC recognize there are many restrictions regarding blood donations. Here are some tips on how to prepare....
ALA Chapter Relations Office, Jan. 20; LifeSource
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A new committee is getting a head start on selecting the prestigious 2016 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction, awards that reflect the expert judgment and insight of library professionals who work closely with adult readers. The schedule for the awards will change in 2016 to the shortlist announcement in October and winner announcements in January at the ALA 2016 Midwinter Meeting. The schedule to date has been April (shortlist) and June (winners) for books published in the previous year. The celebratory event will continue to be held at ALA Annual Conference....
RUSA, Jan. 22
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“Swords, Dragons, and Spells: Libraries and User Privacy,” a project briefing presented at the Coalition for Networked Information’s December 2014 member meeting, explored the privacy challenges generated by web analytics, search engine optimization, and web-tracking software and surveyed the real-world data environments that libraries are working in. Panelists were Peter Brantley, Marshall Breeding, Eric Hellman, and Gary Price. A video (44:23) of the presentation is now available....
Coalition for Networked Information, Jan. 23; YouTube, Jan. 23
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John Klima writes: “This is the first in a series of posts about some technology I’ve introduced or will be introducing to my library. In my mind, the library is a place where the public can learn about new and emerging technologies without needing to invest in them. To that end, I’ve formed a technology committee at our library that will meet quarterly to talk about how we’re using the existing technology in the building and what type of technology we could introduce. I’ve wanted a 3D printer forever. So we bought a machine, set it up, and started printing a bunch of objects. Now the question I ask is: What’s next?”...
LITA Blog, Jan. 23
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Ben Silverman writes: “PC gamers haven’t seen much love from Microsoft over the past few years, but the company is aiming to change that with Windows 10. During its Windows 10 event on January 21, Microsoft ran through a variety of ways its upcoming operating system will improve gaming for PC, tablet, phone, and, pleasantly, Xbox One owners. Here’s what’s coming.”...
Yahoo! Tech, Jan. 21 |
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What are the greatest novels of the opening years of this tumultuous century? In search of a collective critical assessment, BBC Culture contributor Jane Ciabattari polled several dozen book critics, including Parul Sehgal (New York Times Book Review), Lev Grossman (Time), Tom Beer (Newsday), Jessa Crispin (Bookslut), C. Max Magee (The Millions), Donna Seaman (Booklist), Laurie Muchnick (Kirkus Reviews), and many more. Each named their picks for the best novels published in English since January 1, 2000. They named 156 novels in all, and based on the votes, these are the top 12....
BBC Culture, Jan. 19
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Meredith Mann writes: “To celebrate Lewis Carroll’s birthday on January 27, let’s venture down the rabbit hole to explore depictions of Alice, his most famous creation, here at the New York Public Library. Lewis Carroll, the writing pseudonym of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, conceived of Alice’s story as an entertainment for Lorina, Alice, and Edith Liddell, daughters of Oxford colleague Henry Liddell and his wife, also named Lorina. He presented the handwritten manuscript of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to namesake Alice Liddell (right) as a Christmas present in 1864.”...
New York Public Library blogs, Jan. 21 |
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If you are a blogger looking for free photos to use in your blog posts or a designer looking for free photography to use in your designs, then check out these websites and you will find some of the best free stock photos. All of the photos that you will find are free to use for commercial purposes, without asking permission. Some are licensed under Creative Commons....
designskilz, Jan. 14 |
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