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Ricky Espinosa writes: “In my 25 years of working in libraries, I coordinated many library moves. The question of how much space is needed is a constant concern. Libraries grow and shrink based on the size of their collections. Calculating the growth of spaces and collections can be a source of anxiety for library managers, who must evaluate the various factors that affect growth from their own perspective. Many times the calculations fail, resulting in a building that is too large or too small.”...
American Libraries feature, Sept./Oct. |
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Joseph Janes writes: “Hmmm, where was I? Ah yes, running for ALA President. That was, to say the least, quite the ride. I got to meet and talk with lots of great people and share my vision for the profession with many of you, so I have to say I enjoyed most of it. Right up until the end. Losing was hard, particularly as close as it was (22 votes, for those who are counting). And I won’t lie, it still hurts a little. What did I learn?”...
American Libraries column, Sept./Oct. |
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Sponsored Content
Banned Books Week celebrates YA books in 2015
Banned Books Week is the annual celebration of the freedom to read and will be observed in libraries, schools, bookstores, and other community settings across the nation and around the world.
Celebrate Banned Books Week by reading or listening to a banned book. See a list of some banned books available on audio from Recorded Books and check out these links on censorship.
Here are two additional resources:
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 Abby Johnson writes: “Children learn through play. In fact, play helps them develop early literacy and school-readiness skills, and it can be a load of fun. So how do librarians encourage play within library spaces and programs? There is a wide range of possibilities, no matter what your budget may be. An amazing play space can make your library a destination for young patrons, as it has at the Barrington Area (Ill.) Library.”...
American Libraries column, Sept/Oct. |
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Alison Marcotte writes: “Born and raised in Cincinnati to an art teacher mother, Jon Muth has been drawing since childhood. Today the award-winning illustrator and children’s book author is known for his acclaimed picture books. Muth’s Zen Socks (Scholastic) will be released September 29, and a Celebrity READ poster he illustrated for ALA will be available October 19. American Libraries spoke with Muth about his influences, upcoming projects, and the role libraries have played in his life.”...
AL: The Scoop, Sept. 10 |
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Bundle registration for the 2016 Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference is now open. Bundling the registration for both conferences saves up to $130 and offers the opportunity to book housing for Midwinter immediately. The conversation starts in Boston, January 8–12, at ALA Midwinter Meeting and Exhibits and continues at ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, June 23–28....
Conference Services, Sept. 9 |
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The New York Public Library announced September 10 that it is dramatically increasing hours—including Sunday service at four additional branches—and expert staff as a result of the city’s unprecedented $43 million increase in operating funding to its three library systems. In total, the library will hire approximately 100 new librarians and other public service positions; more than half of those librarians will be children and young adult specialists, contributing to NYPL’s strong focus on early literacy and preparing children for school....
New York Public Library, Sept. 10 |
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In July, the Kilton Public Library in West Lebanon, New Hampshire, was the first library in the country to become a Tor exit relay. The library allowed Tor users around the world to bounce their internet traffic through the library, thus masking users’ locations. But soon, state authorities received an email about it from an agent at the Department of Homeland Security and the library pulled the plug. Trustees will vote on whether to reinstate it on September 15....
ProPublica, Sept. 10; Library Freedom Project; EFF Action Center |
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Roger C. Schonfeld writes: “Many MLS programs have in recent years been organized as parts of schools that also offer degrees in information, communication, or education. This week brought news of the proposal that the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign be revamped (PDF file) as the School of Information Sciences. In many cases, the programs are not blended strategically but rather managed largely separately.”...
Ithaka S+R Blog, Sept. 10 |
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Shaunacy Ferro writes: “The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has adopted a clever approach to studying the state’s bat populations: using local libraries. Officials in Southeast Alaska have been monitoring the bat population in the area for several years, but they have recently upped their game by recruiting citizen scientists. In several Alaskan cities, library cardholders can now check out the equipment necessary to complete acoustic driving surveys of local bat populations.”...
Mental Floss, Sept. 10; Alaska Fish and Wildlife News, Apr. 2014; Alaska Public Media, June 19; Discover: The Crux, Sept. 8
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While tourists bustled in and around the museum side of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois, on a recent summer day, the library portion was quiet. Beyond collecting documents connected to Lincoln, the library holds the papers of governors, legislators, soldiers, sundry bureaucrats, and just regular folks. But because of staffing cuts and attrition, services have been reduced and work backlogs grow....
Springfield Illinois Times, Sept. 10 |
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Chris Hoffman writes: “The majority of people use very weak passwords and reuse them on different websites. How are you supposed to use strong, unique passwords on all the websites you use? The solution is a password manager. Password managers store your login information for all the websites you use and help you log into them automatically. They encrypt your password database with a master password—the master password is the only one you have to remember.”...
How-To Geek, Sept. 9 |
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Next week, more than 260 libraries across the United States, Canada, and Australia will participate in Outside the Lines, a weeklong initiative September 13–19 that celebrates the creativity and innovation happening in libraries. Building upon the success of last year’s inaugural event, Outside the Lines is an opportunity for libraries to reconnect with the communities they serve through events and campaigns that get people thinking and talking about libraries in a new way....
Outside the Lines, Sept. 9 |
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Daniel Kraus writes: “Twilight, many still believe, represents everything wrong with YA. Today, the dust has cleared, the vampire craze has dwindled, and Stephenie Meyer’s influence is either less pervasive or more ingrained. Is the novel what we remember it to be? Let’s take a second look, but with the open mind and benefit of the doubt we might extend to other authors.”...
Booklist Online, Sept. 10 |
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