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Phil Morehart writes: “Welcome to the 2025 Library Design Showcase, American Libraries’ annual celebration of new and renovated libraries throughout North America.
Today’s libraries are places where people from diverse communities can connect, learn, and grow.
The institutions featured in this year’s showcase embody the library’s role as a true third space while honoring local histories and cultures and adhering to sustainable practices.
These constructions and remodels represent a range of budgets, geographies, and styles.
From showstopping tourist attractions to creatively repurposed buildings, these entries meet patron needs in delightful and surprising ways.”...
American Libraries feature, Sept./Oct.
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Sam Helmick writes: “Sustainability is a promise we make to future generations that libraries will continue to be cornerstones of community life and prosperity.
Recognized as a core value of our profession, sustainability is one of the five essential values guiding our work and decisions to balance environmental stewardship, societal well-being, and economic feasibility.
When we treat libraries as communities rather than commodities, we serve with love and respect, ensuring they remain strong, welcoming, and sustainable for all.”...
American Libraries column, Sept./Oct.
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The Public Library Association published the
2024 Public Library Staff Survey report on September 2. The survey gathered information nationally about staff roles and representation, hiring and retention practices, and goals and activities aimed at creating a welcoming environment for staff and community members of all backgrounds and abilities.
The findings highlight both the opportunities and challenges faced by libraries.
A
free webinar on September 25 will present the survey results....
Public Library Association, Aug.
27
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Marie Langevin writes: “Trust is the foundation of so many of our relationships, and yet, it’s not something we can demand.
Over time, and across a variety of schools, I’ve learned just how fragile that foundation can be.
Trust builds slowly but can be worn down quickly.
I’ve caught myself wondering: Will this parent challenge a book? Will this colleague roll their eyes the moment I walk away? Will my school stand behind me if someone sees my inclusive efforts as a threat? They’re the echoes of moments when trust cracked.
And yet, trust can be rebuilt.
Sometimes, it starts with a shift inside us.”...
Knowledge Quest, Aug.
26
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Sam Winemiller writes: “As
Peer Review Week (September 15–19) nears, I’ve been reflecting on this process that has become so ingrained in the contemporary production and communication of scholarship.
Academic libraries’ collection development responsibilities position us as arbiters of information legitimacy.
We rely on ‘reputable’ sources to facilitate this validation of credible scholarship, often via blind peer review.
But if the system we’ve relied on to legitimize scholarship isn’t working as well as it could, then as information professionals, we necessarily should be interested in potential solutions and alternative approaches.”...
ACRLog, Aug. 29
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Annaliese Melvin writes: “Schools across the country are preparing to return or have already begun. While many families and educators are completing school supply runs, lunch prep, and more, they may not be aware of the many ways that the library can help them prepare as well. Blogger Maria Trivisonno shared some amazing
back-to-school outreach tips in 2022, and I thought what better time to expand upon this list than the present.”...
ALSC Blog, Aug. 29; Aug. 10, 2022
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Reagan Wynn writes: “The Center for Internet Security and the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (CIS-ISD)
claims members of a swatting group called Purgatory ‘very likely’ triggered false emergency reports at
several universities [frequently at their libraries] between August 21 and August 25. According to CIS-ISD, Purgatory is affiliated with a broader network of online threat actors called The Com, which engages in swatting, sextortion, and distribution of child sexual abuse material. A Wired report says Purgatory offers followers a menu of services, charging $20 for fake threats at schools and up to $50 for hoaxes targeting hospitals, businesses and airports.”...
KNWA-TV (Fayetteville, Ark.), Aug. 28, Aug. 26; Center for Internet Security and Institute for Strategic Dialogue, Aug.
27; Wired, Aug. 27
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Margaret Kates writes: “A slate of council candidates endorsed by conservative political activists concerned about Fairhope, Alabama’s library was largely defeated during Tuesday night’s election. Only one of the candidates endorsed by conservative activist and former chapter president of Moms for Liberty Rebecca Watson won their race.
While the rest of the county’s elections have largely centered around steep population growth and managing the ensuing development, Fairhope’s election was primarily based on the
library controversy that has plagued the town for nearly a year.”...
AL.com, Aug. 26, Apr. 30
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Amanda Rogers et al. write: “In
part one of this post, we stated that open access alone is not enough to ensure genuine accessibility.
In this second part, let’s review more practical yet fundamental elements of scholarly communication: images and their descriptions.
For millions of readers, images remain inaccessible, hidden behind poor or absent descriptions and alt tags.
Image descriptions are essential for accessibility, providing textual descriptions of elements like images, charts, and figures.
Compelling image descriptions should be accurate and contextual, concise yet informative, purpose-oriented, and relevant and complementary.”...
The Scholarly Kitchen, Aug.
27, Aug. 19
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Mike Caulfield writes: “I’ve been thinking lately about what some of the deeper understandings are when it comes to using artificial intelligence (AI) for sensemaking. I think the simplest is probably this: Using AI is a process.
There is a lot of techno-utopianism from the providers that will convince you that almost any question you have in the future will be answered perfectly.
On the other side of the equation, many people argue that since AI responses are flawed the technology is worthless.
As a person who has studied search and sensemaking, neither position makes sense to me.”...
The End(s) of Argument, Sept. 1
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Melissa Blankstein and Sindy Lopez write: “Working together, academic and public libraries have the potential to meet community needs in powerful and often overlooked ways—providing technology access, digital and information literacy programs, and connections to social services that address basic needs like food, housing, and transportation.
Yet libraries have had little guidance on how to forge and sustain these types of partnerships.
In this blog post, we share key takeaways from the July 31 Library Partnership Development Institute.”...
Ithaka S+R, Aug. 27
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Donna Seaman writes: “Caring for loved ones struggling with disease, advanced age, or both takes a toll, as do so many aspects of life. These candid, informative, practical, and inspiring memoirs and guides address the demands on caregivers and the need for self-care for everyone.” This article was originally published in
Booklist Reader, the magazine for library patrons from ALA’s nationally distributed book review publication,
Booklist....
I Love Libraries, Aug. 28
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