Categories News & Life Updates

Cheers to Martin! Martin Garnar, dean, Kraemer Family Library, was recently elected 2016-17 president of the Freedom to Read Foundation. “The foundation does important work supporting the First Amendment in libraries and the larger society, and I’m humbled for this opportunity to advance its mission,” Garnar said. The Freedom to Read Foundation, based in Chicago and founded in 1969, is affiliated with the American Library Association. The foundation protects and defends the First Amendment and supports the right of libraries to collect information, according the foundation’s web site. This is Garnar’s second term on the foundation’s board, having previously served […]

Link to Event More about The Heart of Librarianship Saturday, June 25 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM ALA Store The Heart of Librarianship: Attentive, Positive, and Purposeful Change Adaptation to change that’s based on thoughtful planning and grounded in the mission of libraries: it’s a model that respected LIS thinker and educator Michael Stephens terms “hyperlinked librarianship.” And the result, for librarians in leadership positions as well as those working on the front lines, is flexible librarianship that’s able to stay closely aligned with the needs and wants of library users. In this collection of essays from his “Office Hours” […]

Tue, 05/31/2016 Contact: Rob Christopher Marketing Coordinator ALA Publishing American Library Association 312-280-5052 rchristopher@ala.org CHICAGO— Adaptation to change that’s based on thoughtful planning and grounded in the mission of libraries: it’s a model that respected LIS thinker and educator Michael Stephens terms “hyperlinked librarianship.” And the result, for librarians in leadership positions as well as those working on the front lines, is flexible librarianship that’s able to stay closely aligned with the needs and wants of library users. Stephens’ new book “The Heart of Librarianship: Attentive, Positive, and Purposeful Change,” published by ALA Editions, is a collection of essays from his “Office […]

For me, the heart of librarianship is learning. It’s a cyclical process of support, engagement, and discovery with deep roots in the concepts of service, access, and freedom to pursue interests of all kinds. No matter what type of institution, someone is gaining knowledge, finding information, or creating something new based on our facilitation. And in my opinion, the role of facilitator and guide is best delivered with humanity and heart. (Fom the Preface) ALA Editions has gathered and published five plus years of my “Office Hours” columns from Library Journal as a book entitled The Heart of Librarianship. The […]

As long as libraries have had reference desks to staff, public librarians and library personnel have pursued learning opportunities for professional development (PD). Library personnel access PD through various channels, such as in-service learning days, conferences, face-to-face and recorded workshops and lectures, and auditing LIS classes. Now, 21st Century library personnel– whether full-time librarians or part-time paraprofessionals– can access PD via online courses, webinars, blogs, and social networking tools. We are seeking public library professionals or paraprofessionals across the U.S. to participate in a survey regarding the availability, perceptions, and effectiveness of your professional development (PD) experiences. This study will contribute to a […]