ALA appoints Tracie D. Hall as Executive Director<http://bit.ly/3aaElhQ> The American Library Association is pleased to announce the appointment of Tracie D. Hall as its executive director, effective Feb. 24, 2020. Following a nationwide search, Hall was selected to succeed Mary W. Ghikas, who has worked for ALA since 1995 and served as executive director since January 2018. Hall is the first female African American executive director in ALA’s history. “We are thrilled to be welcoming Tracie back to the ALA family,” said ALA President Wanda K. Brown. “Her unique combination of philanthropy and library know-how position her to be the leader ALA needs today. She is optimistic, energizing, and innovative, qualities that will serve the association well as it continues its investments in advocacy, development, and information technology.” Hall is no stranger to libraries, or to ALA. Over the years she has worked at the Seattle Public Library, the New Haven Free Library, Queens Public Library and Hartford Free Public Library. In 1998, she was among the first cohort of ALA’s Spectrum Scholars, a grant program to diversify librarianship, and she served as the director of ALA’s Office for Diversity in the early 2000s. Most recently, Hall directed the culture portfolio at the Chicago-based Joyce Foundation, developing new grant programs designed to catalyze and scale neighborhood-based arts venues, cultural programming and creative entrepreneurship. A civic leader in Chicago, Hall was appointed to serve on the City of Chicago’s Cultural Advisory Council at the beginning of 2020. Hall has also served in multiple roles in academia, including as assistant dean of Dominican’s Graduate School of Library and Information Science in River Forest, Illinois. Read more<http://bit.ly/3aaElhQ> OIF responds to Missouri legislation that proposes policies and procedures that threaten access to information<http://bit.ly/2u5513a> Missouri House Bill 2044, introduced on Jan. 8, 2020, proposes the creation of five-member “parental library review boards” to identify “age-inappropriate” public library materials and restrict access to those materials. The bill proposes criminal prosecution for librarians who make those materials available to minors and would deny funding to libraries that do not employ parental library review boards to restrict access to their materials. The American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) has released the following statement concerning Missouri House Bill 2044. Read more<http://bit.ly/2u5513a> U.S. Senate confirms ALA Member Crosby Kemper III as new IMLS director<http://bit.ly/2FQRu1C> The U.S. Senate has confirmed the nomination of American Library Association (ALA) member and Kansas City Public Library CEO Crosby Kemper III as director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. “ALA congratulates Crosby Kemper on his new position as Director of IMLS,” said ALA President Wanda Brown. “We are excited to work with a proven library leader to head the federal agency charged with equipping our nation’s 120,000 libraries as centers of lifelong learning, research and innovation.” Read more<http://bit.ly/2FQRu1C> Libraries Ready to Code Opens Call for Applications: Mini-Grants for Digital Skills Programs<http://bit.ly/362lx0S> In advance of Digital Learning Day, ALA is opening a call for applications for $700 mini-grants to school, tribal, public, and academic libraries to design and implement programs using Google’s Applied Digital Skills resources. Applications are due Feb. 14, and up to 290 eligible libraries will be selected to deliver at least 4 sessions throughout the programming they develop (e.g., drop in, multiple sessions, a spring break camp, or weekend workshop) that prepares learners of all ages to use technology tools. Digital Learning Day, to be held Feb. 27, 2020, is an annual event that promotes the effective use of technology tools to enhance learning experiences for youth. Since 2012, Digital Learning Day has served as a platform for showcasing innovative and impactful approaches to incorporating technology to enhance learning and opportunity for all. Read more<http://bit.ly/362lx0S> Lucas and Warmack Seek 2021-2022 AASL Presidency<http://bit.ly/2sqOI07> Jennisen Lucas and Phoebe B. Warmack will seek the 2021-2022 AASL presidential term during the 2020 American Library Association (ALA) election. Read more<http://bit.ly/2sqOI07> PLA opens registration for 2020 Virtual Conference<http://bit.ly/36TJYz7> The Public Library Association (PLA) is offering an alternative opportunity for public library workers who are unable to attend the PLA 2020 Conference in Nashville, Tenn. PLA will present a condensed, live, online conference experience—the PLA 2020 Virtual Conference— Feb. 27-28. The PLA Virtual Conference will consist of live programming, including five 60-minute-long programs each day, plus author interviews and opportunities for networking. Programs are chosen from among the highest rated in PLA’s session preference survey. Read more<http://bit.ly/36TJYz7> YALSA names 2020 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults <http://bit.ly/36X0tdu>The list, aimed towards young adults aged 12-18, consists of 35 titles; with 30 fiction and 5 nonfiction audiobooks, selected from 63 official nominations. Read more<http://bit.ly/36X0tdu> YALSA announces 2020 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers <http://bit.ly/2t8irvd>The list of 64 titles, which identifies titles aimed at encouraging reading among teens who dislike to read, is drawn from 133 official nominations. Read more<http://bit.ly/2t8irvd> ACRL sponsors 2020 ALA Emerging Leaders<http://bit.ly/36UDiR5> The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) and its sections are sponsoring nine members to participate in 2020 class of American Library Association (ALA) Emerging Leaders. The program is designed to enable library staff and information workers to participate in project planning work groups, network with peers, gain an inside look into ALA structure, and have an opportunity to serve the profession in a leadership capacity early in their careers. Read more<http://bit.ly/36UDiR5> ALSC releases white paper on an Outreach Model Serving All Children and Families <http://bit.ly/2uRoiFr>The Association for Library Service to Children has released a white paper titled, Engage, Cultivate, Provide, and Assess: An Outreach Model for Serving All Children and Families. The white paper outlines a research-based model of outreach development for libraries to connect services with children and families, particularly for those in underserved communities. The model was based on research that examined how libraries are going outside of their walls and into the community to reach and serve children and families in underserved communities who are not currently using the library. Read more<http://bit.ly/2uRoiFr> ALSC releases the National Research Agenda for Library Service to Children (Ages 0-14) <http://bit.ly/2FWEHLd>ALSC has released the Association for Library Service to Children National Research Agenda for Library Service to Children (Ages 0-14), which outlines a prioritized list of six strategic research areas and potential research questions to be examined in each area. The research agenda draws attention to relevant topics in the field where research is limited and provides a catalyst for research that will inform youth librarianship and support advocacy for the field of library services to youth. Read more<http://bit.ly/2FWEHLd> New from ACRL - ‘The 360 Librarian’ <http://bit.ly/2TsJ4pj>The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) announces the publication of “The 360 Librarian: A Framework for Integrating Mindfulness, Emotional Intelligence, and Critical Reflection in the Workplace” by Tammi M. Owens and Carol A. Daul-Elhindi, outlining a five-step framework that can help you apply calm awareness, contemplativeness, and engaged communication to your work. Read more<http://bit.ly/2TsJ4pj> ALA GRAPHICS The ShibSibs debut on new Celebrity READ® poster in ALA Graphics’ spring catalog<http://bit.ly/30q6dKn> AWARDS AND GRANTS Gihan Mohamad wins a year of free AASL membership<http://bit.ly/2tYgGk7> Call for ASGCLA 2020 Achievement Award nominations<http://bit.ly/35OQ4iF> Call for RUSA 2020 Achievement Award nominations<http://bit.ly/2tZ4Xlv> EBSCO Information Services awards five scholarships for librarians to attend the 2020 ALA Midwinter Meeting<http://bit.ly/2TGwUtd> ALA PUBLISHING A cornucopia of products at the ALA Store at Midwinter Meeting<http://bit.ly/373KpqG> Practical ways to improve a dysfunctional library<http://bit.ly/2uOUxVM> Big ideas to enrich libraries and their communities<http://bit.ly/36UkeCF> Food literacy programs, resources, and ideas for libraries<http://bit.ly/36UlCoR> WEBINARS LLAMA webinar explores message dissemination during a crisis<http://bit.ly/2uXYF67> Jennifer L. Dean - PhD, MLIS MLA Board of Directors & ALA Councilor Dean of Libraries and Instructional Technology University of Detroit Mercy deanjl@udmercy.edu Get Outlook for Android<https://aka.ms/ghei36>