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Aviva Bechky writes: “Every day in public libraries across San Francisco, patrons find their way to a discreet shelf and pick up titles including Alcoholics Anonymous’ Big Book, Narcotics Anonymous, and The Zen of Recovery by Mel Ash. Then, without checking out these titles, these patrons leave. They may mark up the books they take. They won’t return the materials. And, according to Doreen Horstin, manager of San Francisco Public Library’s Park branch, this is just fine.”...
American Libraries Trend, Jan./Feb.
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Megan Bennett writes: “ALA recently received the largest gift in its 150-year history:
a $25 million
bequest from Washington, D.C.–based financial advisor James W. Lewis. The donation from Lewis, whose love for libraries dates back to his childhood in North Carolina, will provide needs-based scholarships for those training to be librarians. The gift will help fund ALA’s Spectrum Scholarship Program, which provides money for students of color pursuing their master’s degrees in library and information science. American Libraries spoke with Lewis about his memories of libraries and how he hopes future scholarships will address the profession’s current sociopolitical challenges.”...
American Libraries Trend, Feb. 11; AL: The Scoop, Dec. 9
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Reanna Esmail writes: “Countless histories can be found on library shelves, including histories of libraries themselves. Reading library history can help us not only avoid repeating history but also better understand how libraries are shaped and how our profession has changed over time, helping us to create better stories for the future.”...
American Libraries column, Jan./Feb.
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Host an online Follett Book eFair this spring to set students up for summer reading success. Schedule your Book eFair today, and make sure the only summer slide your students experience is the one at their local playground.
Book your Spring 2025 dates today!
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ALA Council has elected K. C. Boyd, Tatanisha Love, Janice Moore Newsum, and Ziba Pérez to serve on the ALA Executive Board. Elected board members will begin a three-year term in July 2025 and conclude in June 2028. Boyd is a school librarian at Jefferson Middle School Academy in Washington, D.C.; Love is a school library media specialist at Southwest Academy in Baltimore; Newsum is a retired associate professor at University of Houston; and Pérez is a young adult librarian at Los Angeles Public Library. The ALA Executive Board manages the affairs of the Association....
ALA Governance Office, Feb. 7
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On February 10, ALA launched For Our Libraries, a new supporter program that invites the public to join the fight to protect libraries and library professionals at a pivotal moment in our country’s history. The “Become a Supporter” link on
Ilovelibraries.org allows supporters to make one-time or recurring donations to help advance key ALA initiatives, including advocating for library funding, providing grants to small and rural libraries, fighting censorship, and advocating for broadband funding. Supporters who make a $10 recurring monthly donation can receive perks including a tote bag, access to virtual author talks, and an online subscription to Booklist Reader....
ALA Communications, Marketing, and Media Relations Office, Feb. 10
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Tiara Allen writes: “As February arrives, so does Black History Month, a time to honor the rich history and contributions of Black and African Americans. How a library celebrates Black History Month will vary widely on the community it serves, what resources are at its disposal, and what bandwidth its staff members have available to plan events. However, no matter how many or few resources libraries have available, there is a wide variety of activities a library can do to celebrate, ranging from in-person programs to virtual programming. This article offers ideas to incorporate into your programming repertoire.”...
Public Libraries Online, Feb. 6
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Robin Camille Davis writes: “How well is your library website working for your users? Even if you don’t have time right now to conduct user research (like user interviews or a usability study), you can still run five tests to ascertain the health and user-friendliness of your website. Is it accessible? How does it look on Google? How does it look on a phone browser? Do all the links work? And is it down for everyone, or just me?”...
Choice LibTech Insights, Feb. 10
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Drew Dodson writes: “Donnelly (Idaho) Public Library, along with students, librarians, parents, and several of the world’s largest publishing companies, are suing the State of Idaho. A complaint filed February 4 in US District Court says
HB 710, adopted last year by the Idaho Legislature violates federally protected free speech rights by censoring books available in public libraries.” Similarly, the
American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas filed suit in US District Court on behalf of Patty Hector, former Saline County (Ark.) librarian, who was
fired in October 2023 over her opposition to censorship efforts, and LeEllen Condry, former dean of students at Elizabeth (Colo.) Middle School who was fired in October 2024 after protesting the removal of library books,
has filed complaints with the Colorado Civil Rights Division and the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission....
Boise (Idaho) Dev, Feb. 4; Arkansas Times, Feb. 3; ALA Governance Office, May 8, 2024; KMGH-TV (Denver), Jan. 31
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Ashley Mowreader writes: “As with many technological advancements, academic libraries have been spurred to respond to the evolution of generative artificial intelligence (AI). A September 2024 report found 7% of academic libraries are implementing AI tools, but 32% of the librarians and library-adjacent professionals surveyed said no AI training was available at their universities. A
recent
guide from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque offers a foundation for librarians to support student thriving in an AI-embedded world.”...
Inside Higher Ed, Feb. 10; University of New Mexico, Jan. 9
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Spencer Donovan writes: “In 2023, the government board that runs the Greenville (S.C.) County Library System
banned nearly all displays, a reaction to the political turmoil over Pride Month and Juneteenth. At some point after the ban, library branches removed posters from their bathrooms publicizing a local helpline for domestic abuse survivors. It’s unclear if the library will again allow the signs, which are created by Safe Harbor, a Greenville-based nonprofit that operates the domestic abuse helpline. Library leadership told The Post and Courier the signs don’t comply with the display policy.”...
Greenville Post and Courier, Feb. 5; Oct. 25, 2023
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“2025 has started off with a great deal of instability to federal programs, funding, and governance. During such times as the 2025 Federal Shift, it is the role of a governing board to assess factors that could risk the achievement of an institution’s mission and develop plans to address them. While confronting risk can be intimidating, it can also be empowering. And while not every risk can be avoided, risks can often be mitigated. Now is a good time to inventory newly emerging risks and develop a response plan.”...
Western New York Library Resources Council, Feb. 4
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“From dashing dukes to passionate pickleballers, sexy supernatural creatures to flirting frenemies, with spice levels across the spectrum, there’s something for everyone on our list of the best new romance titles—handpicked by our expert librarians and staff.” Find more romance recommendations from
Lake Bluff (Ill.) Public Library and
Miami Dade College, adventurous romances from
Chicago Public Library, romance comics from
Toledo Lucas County (Ohio) Public Library, and even
romances featuring librarians....
New York Public Library, Feb.; Lake Bluff (Ill.) Public Library, Feb. 6; Miami Dade College, Feb. 12; Chicago Public Library, Feb. 7; Toledo Lucas County Public Library, Feb. 10; Under The Covers Book Blog, Apr. 11, 2024
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American Libraries Direct is a free electronic newsletter emailed every Wednesday to personal members of ALA.
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