ALA takes FY 2021 budget cuts seriously, urges members of Congress to visit libraries
The American Library Association (ALA) issued the following statement by ALA President Wanda Brown in response to the White House’s fiscal year (FY) 2021 budget request.
“The White House proposal to eliminate the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) again dismisses the value of America’s 120,000 academic, public, school and special libraries. The administration’s new budget not only brushes aside IMLS, it decreases funding for other library-eligible education programs.” Read more
Booker, Neal and Rivera to serve on ALA Executive Board
The American Library Association (ALA) Council has elected Latrice Booker, Larry Neal and Alexandra Rivera to serve on the ALA Executive Board. The Executive Board election took place during the 2020 ALA Midwinter Meeting held Jan. 24-28, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Elected board members will begin a three-year term beginning in July 2020 and concluding in June 2023. Read more
New ALA program will help libraries address climate crisis
The American Library Association (ALA) announced the rollout of Resilient Communities: Libraries Respond to Climate Change, a pilot program that will help public and academic libraries engage their communities in programs and conversations that address the climate crisis. The program has been funded by a generous grant from Andrew and Carol Phelps, the parents of two library master’s students.
To expand the scope of the program, ALA invites additional contributions of any size. All donations made to ALA’s Cultural Communities Fund (CCF) through Earth Day (April 22) will be used to expand the program to additional libraries. Donate online.
“ALA extends our deepest appreciation to Carol and Andy Phelps for recognizing the potential in libraries to foster education, understanding and connection on even the most challenging topics,” said ALA President Wanda K. Brown. “Libraries are ready to step up their role in combating the misinformation and junk science that clouds public perception and hinders collective action in response to the climate crisis.” Read more
ALSC announces 2020 Notable Children’s Recordings
The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), has selected its 2020 list of Notable Children’s Recordings. The list includes recordings for children 14 years of age and younger of especially commendable quality that demonstrate respect for young people’s intelligence and imagination; exhibit venturesome creativity and reflect and encourage the interests of children and young adolescents in exemplary ways. Read more
ALA publishes free facilitation skills training materials for small and rural library
workers
The American Library Association (ALA) has released a set of free professional development materials to help library workers in small and rural communities develop the facilitation skills they need to thrive in the 21st-century library. Read more
YALSA names 2020 Best Fiction for Young Adults
The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), announced its 2020 Best Fiction for Young Adults list.
The full list consists of 71 titles selected from 104 official nominations, which were posted and discussed in blog posts on The Hub. From that list, and after receiving teen feedback during ALA Midwinter in Philadelphia, the team created a short list of the top ten titles. Read more
ALA 2020 MIDWINTER MEETING & EXHIBITS
2020 ALA Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits – offering visions of hope
AWARDS AND GRANTS
Katrina Belton awarded Jan Merrill-Oldham Professional Development Grant
Paromita Biswas receives 2020 CRS First Step Award
ALA PUBLISHING
Linked data for the perplexed librarian
Jennifer L. Dean - PhD, MLIS - she, her, hers
Dean of Libraries and Instructional Technology
University of Detroit Mercy
deanjl@udmercy.edu