For daily ALA and library news, check the American Libraries website or subscribe to our RSS feed.
|
|
|
Here’s a thread you may have missed: The ALA BiblioQuilters will be auctioning off several quilts at the ALA Annual Conference in Orlando to help raise money for library students. The group is made up of 15–20 active quilters who work in and with libraries—including librarians, staff, trustees, friends, and vendors. By auctioning off their quilts at Annual Conference, they support students who are enrolled or who will enroll in library school....
American Libraries feature, Mar. 29 |
|
The Freedom to Read Foundation and the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are partnering to offer an online, graduate-level course on intellectual freedom for LIS students around the country. The course will be taught by GSLIS professor Emily Knox (right). “Intellectual Freedom and Censorship” is a two-credit course and will meet online Tuesdays from August 23 to October 11. Applications for half-scholarships are due May 2....
Freedom to Read Foundation, Mar. 28 |
|
|
Want to find out the best way to advocate for libraries in your state? Join your state library association, also known as an ALA chapter, right now and let them show you how it’s done. It’s imperative—now more than ever—to support your state library association’s efforts to advocate for and support libraries, librarians, and library workers within your state. Your ALA chapter membership will also benefit you personally and professionally....
ALA Membership blog, Mar. 29 |
|
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal (right) on March 28 vetoed a controversial religious liberties bill that had provoked outrage from ALA, Hollywood, sports leagues, and corporations for what critics said was its discrimination against gay and transgender people. Deal’s decision comes two weeks after the state legislature passed House Bill 757 aimed at shoring up the rights of religious organizations to refuse services that clash with their faith, particularly with regard to same-sex marriage....
Washington Post, Mar. 28; AL: The Scoop, Mar. 25 |
|
|
Almost 8,000 library jobs in the UK have disappeared in six years, about 25% of the overall total, an investigation by the BBC has revealed. Over the same period, some 15,500 volunteers have been recruited and 343 libraries have closed, leading to fears about the future of the profession. Children’s author Alan Gibbons said the public library service faced the “greatest crisis in its history.” Librarian Ian Anstice, who runs the Public Libraries News website in his spare time, said the cuts are “without precedent.”...
BBC News, Mar. 29 |
|
Sarah Perez writes: “Twitter announced March 29 an effort to make its service more accessible to those who are visually impaired. Specifically, the company is now allowing users to add descriptions to images as ‘alt text.’ This lets people who are taking advantage of assistive technology, including screen readers and braille displays, the chance to hear what an image is about even when they can’t make out the details or see it. To use the feature, you’ll have to go into the app’s accessibility settings.”...
TechCrunch, Mar. 29; Twitter blog, Mar. 29 |
|
At one time, it was a challenge to discover usable language-learning apps for storytime that were also good enough to recommend to parents. Thankfully, developers have produced more options for kids interested in language learning via a tablet. Here are some apps that are well designed, easy to navigate, and full of interactive ways to grasp definitions, pronunciation, or even a new alphabet....
ALSC Blog, Mar. 28 |
|
|
Deanna Marcum (right) writes: “In the digital era, library leadership requires recalibration. I am especially concerned about executive leadership because most of the individuals who are under consideration for these positions have at least one foot in the print world, but they are responsible for articulating the digital library’s mission and vision. Most have been trained to focus on local collections, but now a national or global mindset is key. And this requires a different kind of leadership.”...
Ithaka S+R, Mar. 28
|
|
Jason Griffey writes: “Decentralized systems will provide the information and services of the next big shift in computing: the Internet of Things. These systems are robust bulwarks against censorship, control, and the whims of shareholder-driven corporations. Libraries can support a decentralized system with both computing power and lobbying muscle. The fights libraries have pursued for a free, fair, and open internet show that we are players in the political arena, which is every bit as important as servers and bandwidth.”...
Boing Boing, Mar. 28
|
|
Eric Griffith writes: “We all know we’re supposed to back up our data. We could go so far as to say that a backup of digital data is essential to a person’s well-being and peace of mind. Why, then, do so many people still not bother to back up? Perhaps it’s because backing up takes some effort. In the past, it’s been complicated. Now, thanks to new software, hardware, and services, it’s easier than ever. Here’s a quick look at the types of backup available, as well as the tools you’ll need to pull it off.”...
PC Magazine, Mar. 24
|
|
This resource guide was created in direct response to the multiple requests made by educators, parents, and students. Like 11-year-old Marley Dias (right), creator of the #1000BlackGirlBooks campaign, so many have asked for books with black girls as the main characters. And because of these requests, the Grassroots Community Foundation has received thousands of books. Here they are sharing the first 700 book titles. Beginning in April, each month the foundation will provide updates of new books....
Grassroots Community Foundation
|
|
Emily Temple writes: “CNN got you down? Fox News just too much? Here are some suggestions of books that will help you escape from the media while still maintaining your intellectual integrity. That is, they’re escapist in the good, absorbing way, not the yikes-this-is-garbage way. Down the rabbit hole is a fine place to hide yourself right now, but even rabbit holes have dirt bottoms, and once you get there, you’ll need a new book. Here are 25 novels to consider.”...
Flavorwire, Mar. 28
|
AL Direct is a free electronic newsletter emailed every Tuesday and Friday to personal members of the American Library Association.
|
|
Send news and feedback: aldirect@ala.org
Direct ad inquiries to: mstack@ala.org
AL Direct FAQ: americanlibrariesmagazine.org/al-direct
All links outside the ALA website
are provided for informational purposes only. Questions about the
content of any external site should be addressed to the administrator of
that site.
AL Direct will not sell your email to outside parties, but your email may be shared with advertisers in this newsletter should you express interest in their products by clicking on their ads or content. If the advertisers choose to communicate with you by email, they are obligated to provide you with an opportunity to opt-out from future emails in compliance with the CAN-SPAM act of 2003. Read the ALA privacy policy.
American Libraries
50 E. Huron St.
Chicago, IL 60611
800-545-2433, ext. 4216
ISSN 1559-369X
|
