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On September 15, the American Library Association Executive Board issued a statement about transitioning
LibLearnX (LLX), ALA’s upcoming conference, to a virtual-only format.
Read the full statement....
AL: The Scoop, Sept. 15
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Booklist Adult Books Editor Donna Seaman writes: “Colson Whitehead’s two most recent novels—The Underground Railroad (2016) and The Nickel Boys (2019)—both won Pulitzer Prizes. The Underground Railroad was also honored with the National Book Award and the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction, and it has been adapted into a miniseries on Amazon Prime Video. He has now written his first heist novel, Harlem Shuffle (Doubleday, September). American Libraries spoke with Whitehead about the novel, the significance of the Sixties (and Seventies), and how the film Jaws led him to the library.”...
American Libraries Trend, Sept./Oct.
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Each year, ALA recognizes the achievements of more than 200 individuals and institutions with an array of awards. This year’s winners, chosen by juries of their colleagues and peers, embody the best of the profession’s leadership, vision, and service as well as a continued commitment to diversity, equality, education, and outreach. This selection represents only some of those honored in 2021;
see the complete list....
American Libraries feature, Sept./Oct.
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Diana Panuncial writes: “The livestreaming platform Twitch is primarily used by gamers who broadcast themselves playing videogames. Anyone can watch from anywhere for free. Twitch is most popular among teens and early adults, who often produce their own content in addition to viewing others’ streams. The pandemic further expanded Twitch’s popularity among those who are streaming activities other than gaming, like crafting, drawing, or even just discussing their interests. The platform is appearing in youth programs at libraries not only because of its ability to connect people virtually but also to showcase potential careers in the gaming industry.”...
American Libraries Trend, Sept./Oct.
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Emily J. M. Knox writes: “I have started so many communications over the past few months with ‘This has been an incredibly difficult year.’ Difficult doesn’t quite describe what we all went through, of course, but words like agonizing or excruciating are not appropriate in the missives I send as interim associate dean for academic affairs in the iSchool at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The past 18 months have been a period of improvisation and uncertainty, but the lessons learned will have long-term effects on LIS education and preparing faculty and students for the next crisis.”...
American Libraries column, Sept./Oct.
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ALA is launching a bimonthly series of live conversations between ALA President Patricia “Patty” M. Wong and library practitioners who are keeping their communities connected with high-speed broadband, technology, and digital skills training. The first Connectivity Corner will take place September 17, 2–2:45 p.m. Eastern through ALA’s Instagram account (@americanlibraryassociation). Wong will talk with Chris Martinez, division director of information technology at Harris County (Tex.) Public Library, about his library’s efforts to connect households without internet access....
ALA Public Policy and Advocacy Office, Sept. 10
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Kelly Jensen writes: “In Florida, a June law
forbade the teaching of critical race theory in classrooms, and throughout the rest of the country, parents, community members, and lawmakers have worked to
eliminate materials from classrooms—both curriculum and supplemental—that offers nonwhitewashed history, social and cultural insight, or literature. And in
one central Pennsylvania school district, students have spoken up, demanding that materials by Black and brown authors be reinstated in the classroom.”...
Book Riot, June 15, Aug. 10, Sept. 9; Allentown (Pa.) Morning Call, Sept. 1
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Sarah Sax writes: “When a heat wave hit the Pacific Northwest in late June, many cities and residents found themselves facing shockingly high—and
lethal—temperatures: up to 116 degrees Fahrenheit in Portland, Oregon, for example. Hundreds of people across the region died. For many, the safest and most accessible place to escape the heat was also free—the library.”...
High Country News, Sept. 13; Scientific American, July 22
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Eric Griffith writes: “Is it even possible to take control of your own personal privacy online? Ultimately, the only way to stay truly anonymous online is ... not to go online at all. That’s not a real option for most of us, though. Here’s a rundown of what you can do to minimize spying, targeted ads, and ID theft as you explore the online world.”...
PC Mag, Sept. 8
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In a global survey fielded last month, more than half of those who are unvaccinated in more than 50 countries indicated they definitely or probably won’t get a COVID-19 vaccine. A new dashboard launched September 13 by the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs unpacks the survey findings and helps explain why—and how experts can work to increase acceptance rates. The center is based at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health....
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Sept. 13
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Library fines were previously considered a deterrent to late returns, damage, or loss of items. However, fines can also be a significant barrier which prevents users from accessing the resources of a public library and doesn’t necessarily act as the intended deterrent. The Ontario Library Association has created a customizable infographic template to calculate the hidden costs of fines—such as staff time, processing, and postage for overdue notices—to help libraries decide and persuade their boards....
Ontario Library Association
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Afghan American author Nadia Hashimi writes: “The fiction I write is inspired by truths and in Afghanistan, perhaps more so than anywhere else in the world, truth is stranger than fiction. In a previous reading list, I offered
a few books that centered the voices of Afghan women writing across genres. Here are a few nonfiction books that will make you squirm, protest, and ache. These are growing pains, dear readers, and we must endure them if we intend to be good neighbors and true allies.”...
Electric Lit, Sept. 9
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