Hello, all - I'm pleased to be serving our Michigan library community as your American Library Association Councilor and a member of the Michigan Library Association's Board of Directors. One of my duties in this role includes keeping our community up-to-date on the news from ALA. Speaking of...please see below for this week's ALA News. A couple of highlights - the deadline to nominate yourself or a colleague for several ALA positions has been extended to early August, and ALA is accepting applications for the 2019 class of Emerging Leaders. I also want to give a big shout out to Steven Bowers, MLA Past President and our previous ALA Councilor. He has done a yeoman's job in this role and been an incredible help to me in getting up and running. THANK YOU, Steve! Thanks, all - Jennifer Jennifer L. Dean, Associate Librarian Dean of University Libraries and Instructional Technology Distance Education Coordinator University of Detroit Mercy Libraries / Instructional Design Studio 4001 West McNichols Rd Detroit, MI 48221 313-993-1090 deanjl@udmercy.edu [1475757591153_logo_email_sig_brand.png] ********************************************************************* ALA News for July 10, 2018 NEWS FROM THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION ALA OIF responds to Library Bill of Rights Meeting Room Interpretation update The American Library Association (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) is charged with implementing ALA policies concerning the concept of intellectual freedom as embodied in the Library Bill of Rights, the Association’s basic policy on free access to libraries and library materials. OIF Director James LaRue released a statement regarding a recent update to Library Bill of Rights meeting rooms interpretation. http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2018/07/ala-oif-responds-library-bill... ALA President unveils enriched ALA-APA Workplace Wellness website American Library Association (ALA) President Loida Garcia-Febo and members of the ALA Workplace Wellness Advisory Committee announce the relaunch of ALA-Allied Professional Association’s (ALA-APA) Workplace Wellness website. The site now includes additional health resources that benefit library workers in all types of working environments. The website reboot is part of Garcia-Febo’s commitment to support staff wellness and is made possible by the ALA Workplace Wellness Advisory Committee. "I am happy to support ALA-APA and its Workplace Wellness website as part of my Presidential efforts,” said Garcia-Febo. “Wellness is of utmost importance to me and I hope that website resources will assist with library workers to engage in and celebrate workplace wellness." http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2018/07/ala-president-unveils-enriche... Council adopts three revisions to Library Bill of Rights interpretations At ALA’s Annual Conference in New Orleans, ALA Council adopted three Library Bill of Rights interpretation revisions — proposed by the Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) — that cover meeting rooms, library-initiated programs, and services to people with disabilities. IFC strengthened the 1991 “Meeting Rooms: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights” by adding legal citations; expanding the text on the purpose of meetings rooms; and clarifying the description of admission fees. The interpretation cites specific examples of groups that may choose to use meeting rooms. “If a library allows charities, non-profits, and sports organizations to discuss their activities in library meeting rooms,” states the interpretation, “then the library cannot exclude religious, social, civic, partisan political, or hate groups from discussing their activities in the same facilities.” http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2018/07/council-adopts-three-revisions-l... Arkansas public school system wins ALA school library award for cemetery-based research project Danville (Arkansas) Public Schools has been named the winner of the 2018 Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award for Exemplary Humanities Programming, an annual award from the American Library Association (ALA) that recognizes outstanding library programming in schools serving K-8 students. The winning program, Tales of the Crypt: Danville’s Living History, used a historic local cemetery as a basis for a multidisciplinary student project about historical persons and the history of the town of Danville. http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2018/07/arkansas-public-school-system... New intellectual freedom resources for libraries on social media and controversial programs In response to program cancellations and rising concerns about social media access and privacy, the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee published new guidelines and a Q&A for library workers. “Social Media Guidelines for Public and Academic Libraries” provides a policy framework for public and academic libraries that use social media. Topics range from staff responsibilities and acceptable behavior, to privacy and reconsideration forms. The IFC also published “Responding to and Preparing for Controversial Programs and Speakers Q&A,” which offers strategies and resources for libraries to address community concerns and prepare for potentially controversial library-initiated events. http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2018/07/new-intellectual-freedom-resourc... Nominating committee extends deadline The ALA 2019 Nominating Committee announces a deadline extension for completing the candidate biographical form for the positions of Councilor-at-Large, President-elect and Treasurer. Any ALA members interested in being considered for candidacy for any of these positions have until 9 a.m. Central time on Friday, Aug. 3, to complete the form. http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2018/07/nominating-committee-extends-dea... ALA accepting applications for 2019 Class of Emerging Leaders The ALA Emerging Leaders program is a leadership development program that enables newer library workers from across the country to participate in problem-solving work groups, network with peers, gain an inside look into ALA structure, and have an opportunity to serve the profession in a leadership capacity. It puts participants on the fast track to ALA committee volunteerism as well as other professional library-related organizations. http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2018/07/accepting-applications-2019-clas... PLA NEWS Publication focused on serving entrepreneurs added to ‘Quick Reads’ series http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2018/07/publication-focused-serving-entr... ALA PUBLISHING Detailed case studies of collaborative library design http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2018/07/detailed-case-studies-collaborat... LIBRARY ACCREDITATION NEWS COA announces accreditation decisions made at 2018 Annual Conference http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2018/07/coa-announces-accreditation-d...
