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Photo: Dennis Scully/Visit Phoenix Welcome to the Valley of the Sun, the Big Saguaro, the Silicon Desert. Phoenix is known for its picturesque landscapes, hearty succulents, and scorching heat, but come January 24–27 the city will usher in a different kind of vibrancy and warmth: the community, creativity, and connections of the American Library Association’s […]
Illustration: © Rana Zeeshan/Adobe Stock New values for challenging times On January 21, ALA Council approved five new Core Values • access• equity• intellectual freedom and privacy• the public good• sustainability Council cochairs Erin Berman and Sara Dallas explained the reasons for the changes: “This is a crucial moment for our profession, as our library […]
Illustration: © Visual Generation/Adobe Stock Sociologist, author, and New York University professor Eric Klinenberg believes that libraries are the greatest social infrastructure our country has. “I don’t know of another institution that has the capability to make such a diverse set of people feel dignified and welcome when they walk in the door,” Klinenberg told […]
Over the past decade, librarians and archivists have become increasingly concerned with outdated and offensive language in metadata and collections. In 2022, the Schaumburg Township (Ill.) District Library (STDL) adopted a harmful-content statement—also called a “harmful-language statement” or a “statement on harmful content”—to recognize and reckon with problematic language in the library catalog. This is […]
Brown County (Wis.) Library, East branch American Libraries is accepting submissions for the 2025 Library Design Showcase, our annual feature celebrating new and newly renovated libraries of all types and sizes. The showcase will appear in the September/October issue. We are looking for examples of innovative library architecture that address patrons’ needs in unique and […]
Doreen Horstin, manager of San Francisco Public Library’s Park branch, adds a book to the Read to Recovery shelves, which provide free addiction recovery materials to patrons. Photo: Jaime Wong/San Francisco Public Library Every day in public libraries across San Francisco, patrons find their way to a discreet shelf and pick up titles including Alcoholics Anonymous’ […]
Teens arrange food at charcuterie classes held by Carroll County (Md.) Public Library’s Exploration Commons. At these classes, teens laser-cut wood to create serving boards and learn how to present edible items.Photo: Exploration Commons, Carroll County (Md.) Public Library It’s not every day you find a group of teens gathered around a table at a […]
Color-corrective glasses, like those sold by EnChroma (pictured), are available for checkout at a growing number of libraries for patrons who experience color blindness.Photo: Adam Rogers Libraries are often gateways to new experiences, and a growing number are now offering patrons the chance to see the world in full color—literally. In recent years, libraries of […]
Photo: Emily Shur Growing up in remote, rural areas, singer-songwriter Neko Case found that her love of reading provided an escape. In her forthcoming memoir, The Harder I Fight the More I Love You (Hachette, January), she recalls repeatedly flipping through the same October 1972 issue of Mad magazine, poring over her stepdad’s collection of […]
Photo: Arizona State University Library, Special Collections American Library Association’s LibLearnX Conference in Phoenix will take place Jan. 24–27. 28,000Number of Indigenous artists represented in the Billie Jane Baguley Library and Archives (BJBLA), located within the Heard Museum in Phoenix. Like the museum, BJBLA’s holdings include traditional and contemporary American Indian artists’ art, written works, […]
Giving gifts feels great, but shopping for them can be stressful. We’re here to help you reduce the anxiety and bring some of the fun back this holiday season. Our roundup of bookish gifts focuses on presents to entertain, delight, and inspire the family, friends, and colleagues on your list. And to help reduce the […]
With small businesses employing almost half the US workforce, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, public libraries’ support for those businesses, and the entrepreneurs who start them, makes a significant contribution to our country’s economy. 5.5 millionThe record-breaking number of new businesses started in 2023, according to the US Census Bureau. 50%Approximate number of […]
Illustration: Shane Tolentino For Susan Brown, December 17, 2004, was a perfectly normal day—until she saw the elevator doors open. Brown, director of Transylvania University’s J. Douglas Gay Jr./Frances Carrick Thomas Library in Lexington, Kentucky, was walking past the staff elevator on the library’s main level when the doors parted and she reflexively glanced inside. […]
Alexandra, the daughter of librarian Beth B. Demapan at Joeten-Kiyu Public Library in Susupe, Northern Mariana Islands, plays with kinetic sand in the library’s new Sensory Corner.Photo: Beth Demapan In 2023, the American Library Association’s Public Programs Office launched the largest grant initiative in the Association’s history—the Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC): Accessible Small and Rural […]
Photo: © Anna Stills/Adobe Stock How can librarians ensure their instruction materials are as accessible as possible? One way is through Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Guidelines, a set of best practices to improve teaching and learning and create inclusive and equitable educational experiences for all students. The guidelines include three principles that instructors must […]
Members of Totoket Valley Elementary School’s (TVES) intergenerational book club, comprising 4th-graders from TVES and residents from North Branford Senior Center in Northford, Connecticut, complete an activity based on the book Mr. Ferris and His Wheel in 2023. Photo: Shelly Thompson On a Wednesday in February 2023, anyone stopping by the North Branford Senior Center in […]
St. Louis (Mo.) County Library, in partnership with the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank, distributes diapers at its six library locations. Photo: St. Louis (Mo.) County Library What would you do to keep your child clean, dry, and healthy? Skip meals? Miss bill payments? Take on an extra job? For nearly half of US families […]
Vernon Area Public Library District in Lincolnshire, Illinois, worked with municipal leaders to create a self-guided exhibit titled Know Your Local Government. Photo: Vernon Area Public Library District in Lincolnshire, Illinois Noting the public’s eroding faith in the election process and its growing mistrust of many information sources, staffers at Vernon Area Public Library District […]
Author-illustrator Vashti Harrison made history this year as the first Black woman to win the Caldecott Medal, which has been awarded since 1938, for her picture book Big. It tells the story of a big girl in a world that celebrates small, tracing her journey to self-love and showing the power of words to both […]
Recognizing all of humanity in libraries requires a thoughtful approach and a humble spirit. I believe that we, as information professionals, have been called to this work because of our shared values. Every day, library workers provide a vital public function. We are entrusted to serve our communities, and we know that the best way […]
