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Jamia Williams writes: “One of my favorite things about working in academic libraries is creating displays.
At first glance, they may seem like a simple way to highlight books, but library displays can be so much more.
They are opportunities to tell stories, spark curiosity, encourage dialogue, and help members of our communities see themselves reflected in the library.
When we intentionally incorporate diverse perspectives into our displays, we send a powerful message: Everyone belongs here, and every story has value.”...
Choice: Toward Inclusive Excellence, July 28
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Amy Brownlee writes: “I was fortunate to spend four days at River Bend Farm in Saco, Maine, at a teacher institute on watershed science and conservation.
The program is run through The Ecology School, an organization that provides outdoor, place-based learning experiences for both students and teachers.
The schedule includes 2.5 hours to spend researching your local watershed, identifying and contacting local community partners, and designing lessons and curriculum integration.
I left with ready-to-implement teaching strategies, lesson ideas, and bountiful resources.”...
Knowledge Quest, Aug.
3
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Elliott Bowen and Alexis Chanthachack write: “Autism acceptance efforts have come a long way in recent years, and libraries are one of the key reasons why.
But challenges remain.
One of the biggest is the idea that autism is something people ‘age out of.’ Autism doesn’t magically disappear as children get older, but people often behave like that’s the case. To create more age-inclusive, autism spectrum disorder–friendly spaces, resources, and programs, the best place to start is with a community conversation.”...
Public Libraries Online, Aug.
3
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Tess Vrbin writes: “The 8th US Circuit Court of Appeals
ruled July 30 that
Arkansas’ 2023 law restricting access to library materials can go into effect, three years after a
judge blocked two sections of the law on First Amendment grounds.
The two sections create criminal liability for librarians who distribute content that some consider ‘obscene’ or ‘harmful to minors,’ and give city and county governing bodies the final say over library content.
The plaintiffs’ lead attorney said in a statement that the legal team is ‘evaluating all available legal options, including further review by the courts,’ after the ruling.”...
Arkansas Advocate, July 30; Dec. 23, 2024
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R. David Lankes writes: “We are living in the early stages of an
information shock caused by generative artificial intelligence (AI). Information shocks are rare, but historically transformative.
We are currently living in the result of the last one at the end of World War II, when the sheer amount of information in the form of scientific and research data exploded, enabled by the introduction of the digital computer.
One key result of such disruptions is the redefinition in the identity of what we now call information science and the tools information scientists and professionals develop and study.”...
R. David Lankes, July 31; Information Matters, July 31
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Annelise Hanshaw writes: “Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins and State Sen.
Rick Brattin, a Harrisonville Republican running for US Congress in Missouri’s 5th congressional district, held a joint press conference July 28 to discuss their investigation into the Daniel Boone Regional Library.
The library’s Columbia branch hosted a Rainbow Storytime July 25 for toddlers and preschoolers.
The event featured two picture books: Rainbowsaurus and Big Wig. Hoskins told reporters he had looked up the books but not read them.”...
Missouri Independent, July 28
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Trevor A. Dawes writes: “One of the great achievements of academic libraries over the past two decades has been making access to information feel effortless.
The challenge with seamlessness, though, is that it can shade into invisibility.
Invisibility has consequences.
When budget conversations happen, the loudest voices in the room tend to belong to those who have most recently felt a loss, not those who have been benefiting all along without quite noticing.”...
Trevor A. Dawes, July 28
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Peter Derk writes: “If you haven’t already, I can just about guarantee you that you’ll get an offer to add an AI assistant to your website or catalog within the next couple years.
I’m begging you to not utilize one.
The person trying to sell you on the AI assistant is going to tell you that 90% of the calls, emails, and messages you get are very simple.
But while 90% of your questions might be simple, that doesn’t mean they will be adequately answered by the AI assistant.”...
Pete’s Librarian Thoughts, July 29
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Larissa Kennedy writes: “Closures? Canceled. Reduced opening hours? Backtracked. £500,000 in job cuts? Blocked. These are the concrete wins of the
Save Newham (England) Libraries campaign. Yes, there were petitions, banner-making workshops and town halls—hallmarks of countless campaigns.
But what I’m truly interested in lies beneath that.
The Newham community met the perfect storm of cuts and elections with their own cocktail of classic campaign techniques and novel ways to tap into shared memory, creativity, and duality.”...
Shado, July 22
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Slone Williams writes: “In April 2025, I presented a proposal to the Cobb (Ga.) Library Foundation to turn library brand loyalty into a sustainable funding mechanism.
The result was the Cobb Library Shop, a permanent, virtual storefront designed to move beyond traditional fundraising and into the realm of modern e-commerce. Today, the shop features over 100 products with price ranges designed for broad community accessibility, maintaining a profit margin of 20% to 60% depending on the item.
The shop achieved a full return on investment within the first 14 days. Every dollar earned in net revenue flows directly back into the community.”...
Georgia Library Quarterly, vol.
63, no. 3, Summer
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“Presenters at the July 9 town hall of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions Advisory Committee on Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression made it clear that access to information is under threat in many parts of the world at the moment, ranging from censorship of library activities and materials to the lack of open access publications and sanctions hindering research collaboration.” A
follow-up session will be held August 11 at the World Library and Information Congress in Busan, Korea....
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions Advisory Committee on Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression, July 30
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Comic-Con International announced the winners of the 38th annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards July 24. Topping this year’s winners is Absolute Martian Manhunter (DC) by Deniz Camp and Javier Rodriguez, which won Best Limited Series and Best Penciller/Inker and shared the prizes for Best Cover Artist (Rodriguez) and Best Lettering for Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. The only other title with multiple wins was This Place Kills Me (Abrams Fanfare), by Mariko Tamaki and Nicole Goux, which received awards for Best Publication for Teens and Best Writer....
San Diego Comic-Con International, July 24
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