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Aviva Bechky writes: “For more than a century, Canadians have used nothing but a narrow sidewalk to cross their national border into Vermont and enter the Haskell Free Library and Opera House. Now, however, the US Department of Homeland Security has announced plans to limit access to the library from the Canadian side of the border. After [October 1], anyone in Canada who wants to use the library’s main entrance must cross at an approved checkpoint or use an entrance on the Canadian side of the library that is about to undergo renovations.”...
American Libraries Trend, Apr. 14
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This timeline lists some of the significant sustainability milestones in the library world, starting with ALA’s creation of its Task Force on the Environment in 1989. Other notable events include the Lake View Terrace branch of Los Angeles Public Library becoming the first library to receive LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) platinum certification from the US Green Building Council in 2005, Anythink Brighton (Colo.) becoming the first carbon-negative library in the US in 2009, and ALA’s addition of sustainability to its Core Values of Librarianship in 2019....
American Libraries feature, Mar./Apr.
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American Libraries collects statistics that illustrate how libraries support their patron’s (and staff’s) health, fitness, and wellness. Learn the number of CPR training kits the Baltimore Ravens donated to Baltimore County (Md.) Public Library in 2023, the number of attendees at Vancouver (B.C.) Public Library’s first All-Staff Wellness Conference, the percentage of libraries that offer some form of workplace mental health resources, and the year Clemson (S.C.) University’s Cooper Library introduced desks attached to stationary bikes in one of its study rooms....
American Libraries Trend, Mar./Apr.
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Modern libraries are more than a collection of books. They serve as community centers, study areas, and public forums. To serve these needs, a library must remain versatile.
Spacesaver’s Flexible Shelving allows libraries to easily reconfigure their layouts. Available with exposed or concealed casters and in a range of sizes and design styles, Flexible Shelving units accommodate many functions without being permanently fixed in place. The units’ customizable configurations create a range of storage and display uses that give your library ultimate flexibility.
Learn more today.
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“Tabletop game collections are an increasingly popular addition to libraries. They can provide innovative new ways for patrons to interact with library collections, and can support hours of programming and events. But you know what makes game collections 20% cooler? When they’re discoverable in your library catalog! We at the ALA Games and Gaming Roundtable (GameRT) understand: if you’re not a cataloger, cataloging probably seems daunting. To that end, GameRT’s Metadata Committee has developed a
guide for cataloging tabletop games, created for both catalogers and non-catalogers alike.”...
ALA Games and Gaming Roundtable, Apr. 11
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Robin Camille Davis writes: “Are you the only person thinking about user experience (UX) at your library? Most libraries don’t have a whole team dedicated to UX, so you’re not alone, even if it feels like it! This post offers practical tips, moral support, and bite-sized UX wins for solo UX advocates trying to make change from within. When you’re flying solo, it’s all too easy to underestimate the amount of time, mental energy, and emotional labor that it may take to conduct just one study. So start small.”...
Choice 360 LibTech Insights, Apr. 14
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Willie Swett writes: In St. Tammany Parish (La.), the March 29 ballot measure to renew a 4.35 mill tax “that provides 96% of the revenue for the parish's 75-year-old library system received relatively little formal backing from some of the parish organizations that had endorsed [a simultaneous measure to rededicate sales tax revenue to the criminal justice system, possibly] due to the
controversy the library system has faced since 2022 over minors' access to items with sexual and LGBTQ+ themes. [Despite this,] 55% of voters approved the library millage.”...
Nola.com, Apr. 6; American Libraries feature, Sept./Oct. 2023
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Ella Creamer writes: “Requests to remove books from library shelves are on the rise in the UK, as the influence of pressure groups behind book bans in the US crosses the Atlantic, according to those working in the sector. Most of the UK challenges appear to come from individuals or small groups, unlike in the US, where 72% of demands to censor books last year were brought forward by organized groups, according to the ALA’s State of America’s Libraries report released April 7. However, evidence suggests that the work of US action groups is reaching UK libraries too.”...
The Guardian, Apr. 14
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“Due to continued challenges in accessing federal funding, the Maine State Library will temporarily close and reorganize its operations. This decision follows layoff notices issued this week to 13 employees whose positions are funded through a program grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) in Washington, DC. The library tentatively plans to reopen to the public on April 28. IMLS support accounts for approximately 30% of the library's annual budget, and the 13 affected employees represent about 30% of its staff. Should access to federal funding be reinstated, the layoffs may be reversed.”...
Maine State Library, Apr. 10
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Phil
Morehart writes: “The Secret Life of Librarians has been nominated for a Webby Award. Produced by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the online series explores the unexpected stories of librarians across the country. The 10 recipients of ALA’s
2024 I Love My Librarian Award are at the series’ heart, with each penning a short piece encapsulating their work, and more importantly, why they do it. These are the stories of the unsung heroes whose work impacts lives both inside the library and outside its walls.
Award voting is open until April 17.”...
I Love Libraries, Apr. 14
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“Elton John’s monumental album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, the original cast recording of Broadway’s Hamilton, and Microsoft’s reboot chime have been selected as some of the defining sounds of history and culture that will join the
National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress. On April 9, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden named 25 recordings as audio treasures worthy of preservation for all time based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage. The recordings selected for the National Recording Registry this year bring the number of titles on the registry to 675.”...
Library of Congress, Apr. 9
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Brittany Allen writes: “The American Academy of Poets launched National Poetry Month in 1996. Reviving a recent tradition, the fine minds at Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (FSG) are celebrating the sonnet in style this spring. Every weekday this entire month, you can call the FSG Poetry Hotline (385-DIAL-FSG) and hear an FSG author read a poem, right into your personal ear.” For recommendations of poetry books, see lists from
NCW Libraries in Washington;
Utah State University Libraries in Logan;
Canton (Mich.) Public Library;
Boston Public Library; or St. Joe County Public Library in South Bend, Indiana....
Literary Hub, Apr. 1; NCW Libraries, Apr. 9; Utah State University, Apr. 7; Canton (Mich.) Public Library, Jan. 8; Boston Public Library; St. Joe County (South Bend, Ind.) Public Library, Apr. 10
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Zach Knippen writes: “In honor of National Library Week, teachers and staff [at Ada (Ohio) Exempted Village Schools] cooperated on a fun event for their students. Teachers volunteered to be a ‘Masked Reader’ and picked a book to read in their mask, and just like the show The Masked Singer, their voices were modified so the students couldn't easily guess them. ‘I've heard kids of all ages, I'm saying kindergarten through 12th grade, who have just been chattering this week about the videos that they saw and guessing who they were,’ said District Librarian Chanda Smith.”...
WLIO-TV (Lima, Ohio), Apr. 10
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