Librarians Megan Donald (left) and

Emily Tichenor of Tulsa (Okla.) Com-

munity College sit in the meditation
room at the West Campus library.

“We had students who were

at the end of rows in the stacks,
seeking privacy for their prayers,”
says Kevin Smith, dean of libraries
at KU. “We’re trying to meet the
student need, and this is what they
tell us they need.”
Smith started noticing Muslim
students praying in secluded
public areas, then began receiving
requests from their student organi-
zations for a convenient location to
practice their faith. Most branches
of Islam require worshippers to stop
what they are doing and pray at set
points throughout the day; having
a close-by spot to do so prevents
young Muslims from having to run
back to their dorm rooms or duck
into the hinterlands of the stacks.
Providing for this interest was

A Space Apart
simple: In both cases, the deans
found little-used offices and retrofit
them with some soft new furniture
and calming paint colors. Decora-
College libraries contemplate meditation rooms tions are minimal, with no religious
symbols, since the room is open to
all faiths. Oberlander and Smith

M
BY Ronnie aybe the greatest thing directors who oversees what are both say it took little staff time and
Wachter about Humboldt State variously called “reflection rooms” a zero or minimal budget to revital-
University’s (HSU) new, or “meditation rooms.” Around the ize unused space.
meant-to-be-shared meditation US, students are using these spaces The rooms need to be quiet—no
room is that everyone who uses for prayer, yoga, scripture study, group study, no group singing.
it seems to be getting along. “I’m or simply for an escape between Electronic devices are discouraged,
actually surprised,” says Cyril tough classes. because that would probably defeat
Photo: Tulsa (Okla.) Community College

Oberlander, who directs the HSU It is a recent and growing trend the purpose. “A lot of people want
library in Arcata, California. “No for colleges, where a rising number to get away from the distractions,”
reported conflicts of use at all. of Muslim students have been Oberlander says, “and that’s hard to
Let’s keep that going.” He adds searching for places to pray. The do in the age of the smartphone.”
that the room’s success lies in its University of Kansas (KU) Libraries At HSU, the rooms have locked
accommodating a wide variety of in Lawrence opened their third doors and students check the keys
thoughtful practices. reflection room in August at the out daily, although the library has
Oberlander is one of an increas- request of the Muslim Student also opened a Meditation Corner
ing number of academic library Association. in an informal, experiential space

14 January/February 2018|americanlibrariesmagazine.org
 called the Brain Booth, which has
no doors and is designed to intro-
“We had students who Get to Know Denver
duce students to scientific research were at the end of rows
on the effects of mindfulness, atten-
tion, and contemplation. At KU,
in the stacks, seeking 5,280
Denver’s
the rooms have screens instead of privacy for their elevation (in
doors, because Smith worried that
having to check out a key would prayers. We’re trying feet) above
discourage use. sea level
to meet the student gives the city
The West Campus library at
Tulsa (Okla.) Community College need, and this is what its “Mile High” nickname. Over the years, three
(TCC) now has a meditation room different steps outside the gold-adorned Colo-
featuring strings of blue lights they tell us they need.” rado State Capitol building have been marked as
covering an otherwise dark blue, KEVIN SMITH, dean of libraries at the the official mile-high point.
minimally decorated wall. The soft University of Kansas Libraries in Lawrence

lights encourage a peaceful mood

that is conducive to reflection.
150
Number of archival collections of personal and
TCC Reference and Instruction repurposed storage closet in a far
professional items from African Americans in the
Librarian Megan Donald and the corner of the library—is a small
West available in the reading room at the Blair-
library staff came up with the idea table filled with books on med-
Caldwell African American Research Library, one
and presented it to college leader- itation, yoga mats, and several
of four such research libraries in the US.
ship for approval. Zenergy ball chairs. Student news-
West Campus Library Director paper editor Dylan Axsom profiled
the room in an August story for The 5
Photo: Tulsa (Okla.) Community College (books); James Reyes (mile marker); the estate of Lawrence Argent (bear)

Emily Tichenor says that TCC

has a “diverse student body that TCC Connection. Number of times Denver has hosted an ALA
includes many first-time and first- Smith, Oberlander, and Midwinter Meeting or Annual Conference. At
generation college students for Tichenor have had no noise ALA’s 17th Annual Conference in 1895, its first
whom meditation and mindfulness complaints, no “I was here first” in Denver, some of the 147 attendees noted that
practices can help reduce stress disputes, no “I can’t practice my both Colorado and ALA were established in the
and anxiety.” Inside the room—a Continued on page 16 same year (1876).

1859
Year that the Rocky Mountain News, the first
newspaper in Colorado, printed its inaugural
issue. The newspaper ran for nearly 150 years,
and its archives—including more than 300,000
digitized images—are now housed at Denver
Public Library.

1
Percentage of the construction
budget for new buildings that must
be dedicated to public art. I See
What You Mean, the 40-foot blue
bear peering into the Colorado
Convention Center, was funded
Library books housed in the Tulsa (Okla.) Community College meditation room, along
with a comment book for patrons.
through this requirement. •
americanlibrariesmagazine.org|January/February 2018 15
TRENDS

LIBRARY
Continued from page 15

religion in a room where you practice

DESIGN
yours” declarations.
Of course, as with any emerging
trend, resistance is bound to occur. In
early February 2017 at the University
of Michigan in Ann Arbor, someone
SHOWCASE urinated on a prayer rug in a reflec-
tion room in the basement of Shapiro
Undergraduate Library. In a press
release, school officials said it was “dis-
appointing and upsetting” and that
campus police were investigating the
damage as a “bias-motivated crime.”
At the public libraries in Los Ange-
les, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.,
officials say they have not heard of
meditation rooms outside of college
campuses. At D.C. Public Library,
Media Relations Manager George
Williams says they recently finished
a capital improvement project at
several branches that created study
Alfred R. Goldstein Library at Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida.
rooms for groups of two to four. The
mini-conference rooms have glass
Show Us Your walls, and patrons can use them as
they please, but none are intended

Beautiful New Library specifically for individual, drop-in

mind-easing.

A
merican Libraries is now accepting submissions for the 2018 “We can see what’s happening
Library Design Showcase, our annual feature celebrating new inside them, but we don’t know, in a
and newly renovated or expanded libraries of all types. The meaningful way, that we can say ‘Yes,
showcase will appear in the September/October 2018 issue. these rooms are being used for that
We are looking for libraries that are shining examples of innovative purpose,’ ” Williams says. “The library
architecture and that address patrons’ needs in unique, interesting, does not keep track of how patrons use
and effective ways. Previous submissions have ranged from stunning the study rooms.”
restorations of historic Carnegie buildings to vacant structures that In talking about reflection or med-
have been repurposed into libraries to high-tech facilities with audio itation rooms, Smith cited the ancient
and video production studios. Greek proverb that the key to learning
If your library is on the cutting edge, we want our readers to know is to “know thyself.” Oberlander doubts
about it. To be eligible, projects must have been completed between that any HSU students see the rooms as
May 1, 2017, and April 30, 2018. The submission deadline is May 31, 2018. inherently sacred; rather, they probably
To have your library considered, send a completed submission form view them as multipurpose facilities.
(bit.ly/2zbCZDI) along with at least five high-resolution digital images “In the library, we work so hard
with photographer credits, to American Libraries, Attn: Library Design on shared spaces,” he says. “If higher
Showcase, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. Submissions can also be education is going to be sustainable,
sent via Dropbox to pmorehart@ala.org. Unfortunately, not all submis- it has to be about shared spaces and
Photo: Ryan Gamma

sions can be featured. shared experiences.”

View last year’s showcase at bit.ly/2gJEJNj. For more information,
email pmorehart@ala.org.  • RONNIE WACHTER is a freelance journal-
ist in Chicago.

16 January/February 2018|americanlibrariesmagazine.org
TRANSFORM THE FUTURE
Leave a Legacy
ALA LEGACY SOCIETY
A LA has left an indelible mark on society and our world. Since
1876, ALA has supported and nurtured library leaders, while
advocating for literacy; access to information; intellectual freedom;
HONOR ROLL OF DONORS
u u u
Anonymous (3)
William G. Asp**
and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Susan D. & Roger Ballard**
Robert E. Banks** (Co-Chair)
Peggy Barber*
The ALA Legacy Society includes members who are committed to Anne K. Beaubien**
John W. & Alice M. Berry**
leaving a legacy of their values and visions by including ALA in their Katharina Blackstead**
will, retirement plan, life insurance policy, or other estate plan. The Irene L. Briggs**
Francis J. Buckley, Jr.
1876 Club is targeted to those under the age of 50 when they join Michele V. Cloonan & Sidney E. Berger**
Trevor A. Dawes**
who are planning to include ALA in their will, retirement plan, life Carol Pitts Diedrichs**
Lenore England
insurance policy, or other estate plan. Ellen Fader**
Janice Feye-Stukas**
Through the Legacy Society and 1876 Club, ALA members are Carole & Stan Fiore*
Shirley Fitzgibbons
helping to transform the future of libraries. The Development Barbara J. Ford* (Co-Chair)
Julia Gelfand & David Lang**
Office staff is happy to work with you to design the right planned Carolyn Giambra**
Lori Goetsch & Martin Courtois
gift for you. Whether you are interested in an estate gift or naming William R. Gordon*
Ellin Greene*
ALA as a beneficiary of your life insurance or retirement plan, the Dr. Ken Haycock**
Development Office can help you guide your planned gift. Nann Blaine Hilyard*
Pam Spencer Holley
Suellen Hoy
Alexia Hudson-Ward**
Richard L. Huffine**
Dr. Em Claire Knowles**
1876 CLUB Nancy Kranich
Charles E. Kratz, Jr. & William Varady, Jr.
CHARTER MEMBERS John A. Lerner
Sarah Ann Long**
u u u Shirley Loo*
Peter D. Coyl Geri Hansen Mann**
Mike Marlin
Ann Dutton Ewbank Carse McDaniel*
Edward Andrew Garcia Regina Minudri
John N. Mitchell*
Loida Garcia-Febo Virginia B. Moore**
John “Mack” Freeman David Mowery**

1876 CLUB
Jim & Fran Neal**
Peter Hepburn Robert Newlen
Andrew Medlar Sylvia K. Norton
Joyce L. Ogburn & Steven A. Eichner**
Sheila O’Donnell Kimberly Patton**
Grow the Future of ALA Andrew K. Pace Mary Jane Petrowski**
Molly & Ted Raphael**
Gina Persichini Larry Romans & Mike Morgan**
Courtney L. Young Frances R. Roscello
Robert Rose
April Roy
Patricia Glass Schuman

ALA
Helen H. Spalding & Karl F. Johnson**
David & Cindy Steinhoff
Roberta & George Stevens**

LEGACY
Peggy Sullivan*
Teri Switzer

SOCIETY Ann & John Symons*

Ruth & Jay Toor*
Betty Turock*
CONTACT THE DEVELOPMENT OFFICE TO LEARN MORE William L. Turner, Jr.**
Beatriz Pascual Wallace**
ABOUT WAYS YOU CAN MAKE A PLANNED GIFT TO ALA: Patricia A. Wand**
Marina Welmers**
Development Office, American Library Association J. Linda Williams**
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611-2795
(312) 280-3259 • development@ala.org • www.ala.org/plannedgiving *Charter Member
**ALA Legacy Member/15x15 planned giving campaign
TRENDS

At Pocahontas State Park in Chester-

field, Virginia, Mitchell Scheid uses
supplies from his library backpack to
examine local insect life.

(IMLS) Grants to States program.

IMLS senior public affairs specialist
Giuliana Solitario Bullard says the
agency didn’t create the backpack-
ing program—Grants to States
funding recipients can use their
gifts for a range of purposes, and
exploring nature simply became
one of them.
“We are unaware of any central
organization helping to coordi-
nate or drive these programs,” she
wrote in an email. “Instead we have
gathered anecdotally that programs
have spread when one state library
has heard of the success of anoth-
er’s program.”

Out of the Branches, For Nan Carmack, director of

networking and development
for the Library of Virginia, their
into the Woods program is what libraries have
been headed toward for years. “Oh
Libraries and state parks collaborate on heck, this isn’t anything different
than what we’ve always done,” she
hiking backpacks for patrons says. “Libraries have always been
where people go to learn. It’s really
an entire learning system for our

A
BY Ronnie t public library branches State library systems in Alaska, natural world.”
Wachter in seven states, staffers Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Mon- Carmack says Virginia’s program
are sending patrons to the tana, Virginia, and Wyoming are began in 2013, with the intent
trails instead of the stacks. using federal grants to provide of making libraries a way station
Libraries from the East Coast to would-be explorers with hiking as families learn about things
Hawaii are buying hiking backpacks, kits. The ideas are homegrown and librarians generally do not want
stuffing them with field guides backpacks’ contents vary in each inside their facilities: wild animals,
and park passes, and making them state, but most include guides to overgrowth, and dirt. Although
available for checkout. The intent, plant life, animal tracks, and wilder- it sends borrowers away from the
officials in several libraries agree, is ness first aid; binoculars for adults building, she says the program may
to give families a new reason to get or children; maps and compasses; help solidify the library’s position in
off the couch and into the world. bug magnification boxes; and other borrowers’ hearts and minds.
“It’s really becoming more and supplies. Most also include free Virginia State Parks held a “Think
more popular by the day,” says passes to state parks, giving families Outside the Photo” contest in
Chris Henning, marketing com- an opportunity to discover or return summer 2017 to solicit pictures in
munications manager for Denver to natural sites without admission seven categories, including “Library
Photo: Lisa Scheid

Public Library (DPL). “When the fees or equipment costs. Backpacks in Action.” Mechanics-
state came to us and said ‘Hey, The money that bought this ville Public Library (MPL) patron
we’re doing this program,’ [we gear often comes from the Institute Lisa Scheid, who took her sons
thought] what a great opportunity.” of Museum and Library Services’ J. T. and Mitchell to Pocahontas

18 January/February 2018|americanlibrariesmagazine.org
TRENDS

Flooding damage to a reading room

at the University of Puerto Rico at
Humacao.

historical documents, and books

are all in dire condition because of
the lack of electrical power.”
All of the University of Puerto
Rico’s (UPR) 11 campuses suffered
infrastructure damages, but the
hardest hit were those at Bayamón,
Cayey, Humacao, and Río Piedras.
Evelyn Milagros Rodríguez,
research, reference, and special
collections librarian at UPR Huma-
cao, wrote about her experience for
the nonprofit Conversation website

Hurricane Maria:
on October 26. The library was the
hardest hit of all the buildings on
that campus, she says. “It’s mold-

The Aftermath
infested and the roof is leaking, so
there’s a lot of work to be done in
both repairs and cleaning before
Caribbean libraries sustain catastrophic damage students can use it. The mold has
gotten into our collection—from
books and papers to magazines—

H
BY George M. urricane Maria, the 10th fragile recovery. More than 140,000 and most of the furniture and
Eberhart most intense Atlantic Puerto Ricans have left the island computers will have to be repaired.”
hurricane on record, made since the storm, United Nations Some repairs took place, and the
landfall in Puerto Rico on Septem- human rights experts are sounding campus reopened on October 30.
ber 20, causing widespread flooding alarms about food shortages during The library staff at the Bayamón
and damage to infrastructure. More the winter, and mold has become campus were able to reenter the
than 50 days later, some 2 million rampant throughout the island. library on October 5. Librarian
residents (59%) lacked power However, telecom services were Myrna Lee Torres-Pérez says the
and 750,000 (22%) had no tap improving, commercial flights were experience was “overwhelming,
water. Fatalities stood at 55 for the back to normal, and the majority of with everything full of mold,
island (Associated Press, Novem- supermarkets and gas stations were rotten carpets. We lost collec-
ber 8), with an expectation that back in business. tions.” Classes also resumed on
the number would rise as recov- October 30, and the library is at
ery continued. More than 2,000 Puerto Rican libraries least partially open. The main
Photos: Evelyn Milagros Rodríguez (UPR Humacao)

residents were still living in shelters Out of these tragic statistics, only library at Río Piedras incurred
at the beginning of November, and a few library stories have emerged. some damages, as well as the law
tens of thousands lacked roofs on American Library Association library, which had a lot of water
their homes, according to Natalie (ALA) President-Elect Loida Garcia- damage. Libraries at the Cayey
Jaresko, executive director of the Febo, who was born in Puerto and Mayagüez campuses were also
Financial Oversight and Manage- Rico, told American Libraries that affected. All UPR campuses have
ment Board for Puerto Rico. “all types of libraries are basically now reopened for classes.
About 40% of the electrical destroyed. The buildings are In San Juan, the conditions
grid has been rebuilt, but a mas- standing but infested with mold, at the Evangelical Seminary of
sive outage in the capital of San rotten carpets, and collections that Puerto Rico were perhaps typical
Juan on November 9 signaled a are irretrievably lost. Archives, of libraries that had less damage.

20 January/February 2018|americanlibrariesmagazine.org
 TRENDS

“Archives, historical
documents, and books
are all in dire condition
because of the lack
of electrical power.”
LOIDA GARCIA-FEBO, ALA president-
elect, who was born in Puerto Rico Main library
entrance, Univer-
sity of Puerto Rico
at Humacao.

Director Milka Vigo wrote on October to help relief agencies on library system had collapsed
October 13 that “water poured the ground by updating the open completely. Chief Education Officer
over the acoustic ceiling near the source maps that Federal Emer- Melina Fontaine urged parents to
service counter, soaking about 50 gency Management Agency and “find some time for your children to
books, of which 31 were discarded Red Cross workers use. During do some schoolwork.”
because they were filled with mold. mapathons, student and faculty
Another portion of the ceiling gave volunteers used satellite images Disaster relief
way above one of the aisles. With- from OpenStreetMap to locate ALA continues to support libraries
out electricity to turn on the air landmarks and verify the condition damaged by Hurricane Maria
conditioners, mold will proliferate.” of key bridges and buildings. through its Disaster Relief Fund
Classes here have also resumed. (ec.ala.org/donate/projects), and
Hurricane Maria damaged the Elsewhere in the it also offers a list of resources for
wooden roof of the San Juan Com- Caribbean dealing with disasters at Libraries
munity Library, which was about to Some public libraries in the US Respond (bit.ly/2z7YxCj).
celebrate its 30th anniversary, and Virgin Islands (USVI) have recovered Garcia-Febo sends this message
flooded into the main building. It from the hurricane. The Charles W. to her colleagues in Puerto Rico:
is operating without power and Turnbull Regional Library on St. “As a librarian and as a Puerto
currently seeking funding through Thomas and the Florence Williams Rican, my heart is with you. I want
the GoFundMe platform. The Library on St. Croix were open on a each one of you to know that we
public library in Guayanilla also limited basis on October 30. Others have not forgotten Puerto Rico.
took on water. still had unrepaired damages, and We are actively looking at ways to
As of the beginning of Novem- on November 6 USVI Senate Presi- help libraries there. Personally, I
ber, the Puerto Rico Department dent Myron Jackson urged cultural hope to visit you soon. ¡Te quiero,
of Education has not completed a agencies on the islands to apply for Puerto Rico!”
census of the number of schools public assistance, since the deadline
that were destroyed or damaged, had been extended through January. GEORGE M. EBERHART is senior
although the US Army Corps of Hurricane Maria hit the inde- editor of American Libraries.

Engineers was in the process of pendent island of Dominica very

visiting each one. Those that were hard, completely knocking out its
able to reopen did so on October 24. power and infrastructure, as well Lend Your
The library of the Marcelino Canino
middle school in Dorado was one
as eradicating much of its lush veg-
etation. The University of the West
Support
casualty. A layer of mud covered Indies campus library on Dominica You can help damaged Carib-
the floor, books were flung all was destroyed, although many of bean libraries by joining the
around, and the smell of mold its books had been secured in a safe Adopt a Library program,
permeated the building. area prior to the storm. Chandler sponsored by ALA and
Several US universities Hyacinth, an official in the Ministry Reforma, at bit.ly/2jcEqI6.  •
launched a nationwide effort in of Education, said that the public

americanlibrariesmagazine.org|January/February 2018 21
TRENDS

Presenters and attendees mark the

end of the 2016 Moving Trans History
Forward conference with Aaron Devor
(third row center, in blue shirt).

Seven years later, the archives

include donations from philanthro-
pist and trans man Reed Erickson
and University of Ulster (UK)
Trans-Gender Archive collection.
We’ve also focused our efforts on
outreach. We want to emphasize
the accessibility of the materials
and the fact that these histories
were being preserved for all—not
just academic researchers. Many
people have little experience
accessing archival and noncirculat-
ing library materials, and outreach
was our way to turn a potentially
intimidating experience into a
welcoming one.
The libraries continue to work

An Archive for All closely with Devor, who is now the

chair of transgender studies at the
university—a donation-funded
How the Transgender Archives work to position—and the academic direc-
create community connections tor of the Transgender Archives.
The role of the chair is to further
this outreach and knowledge

U
niversity of Victoria (B.C.) Libraries is home to the largest physical collection mobilization, whether through
of transgender-related material worldwide. Lara Wilson, university archivist teaching and mentoring in the area
and director of special collections, explains how the Transgender Archives has of transgender studies, hosting vis-
evolved from cataloged items to community outreach in its seven years. iting or local scholars, or providing

Photo: Courtesy of University of Victoria Office of the Chair in Transgender Studies

orientation tours of the Transgen-
der Archives’ holdings. Beyond

I
BY Lara Wilson n 2007, Aaron Devor, dean of leading American trans activ- appealing to the UVic population,
graduate studies and professor ists such as Virginia Prince and the chair is committed to creating
of sociology at the University Ariadne Kane, organizations, and a safe and positive space where all
of Victoria (UVic), asked if our such conferences as the annual transgender, gender nonbinary,
libraries were interested in accept- Fantasia Fair and the International and two-spirit people can meet and
ing a large donation of archival Foundation for Gender Educa- build community.
and rare print materials related to tion. The collection took some We have been working to bring
transgender history from the Rikki time to sort and catalog, and the education events and initiatives
Swin Institute (RSI) collection, and donation was the beginning of a to a more public audience. We
if we were open to expanding our new acquisition direction for us. recently hosted a performance and
holdings in this area. The answer to In 2011, we formally launched workshop by author and gender
both questions was yes. the Transgender Archives, which theorist Kate Bornstein as part of
RSI was established in Chicago would become the largest physical our ongoing speaker series. The
and open from 2001 to 2004. Its collection of transgender-related chair’s monthly drop-in gathering,
collection includes rare books, archival and rare print material in “Nachos and Drinks,” is not just
periodicals, and archives on the world. open to students but to anyone

22 January/February 2018|americanlibrariesmagazine.org
 TRENDS

who self-identifies as transgender,

gender nonbinary, or two-spirit and
is looking for a casual, friendly place
to make connections and share Invercargill Librarians
experiences. In the past, we’ve used
movie screenings, theater perfor-
Spoof the Kardashians
mances, and research presentations
open to all to act as a conduit to the NEW ZEALAND A
department and collection. Facebook post by the
The Transgender Archives and Invercargill City Libraries
the chair of transgender stud- and Archives went viral
ies have also undertaken major in October. To mark the
outreach initiatives in the form of 10th anniversary of the
a book and a conference. Now in TV show Keeping Up
its second edition, The Transgender with the Kardashians,
Archives: Foundations for the Future, the library’s social media
authored by Devor and published team decided to have an
by UVic Libraries, is an illustrated impromptu Kardashian-
nonfiction primer on trans activism inspired photo shoot,
and research that highlights items mimicking a cover of The
from the collection. The book was Hollywood Reporter that
a Lambda Literary Award finalist featured the family. The
in 2015 and has been downloaded post received more than
more than 16,000 times. 4,000 likes in less than a
Our biennial conference, Moving Invercargill day. Watch the coverage
Library's
Trans History Forward, started in in this video (bit.ly/2hz
Kardashian cover
2014 and has raised awareness of parody. R8QJ).—New Zealand Herald,
our collections, transgender history, Oct. 15; Dunedin TV, Oct. 15.
and current initiatives in trans,
nonbinary, and two-spirit commu- IRELAND A copy of the Book of Common Prayer, first bound
nities. This year the conference and published in 1666, has returned to Marsh’s Library in Dublin, the
will be held March 22–25 on the country’s oldest library, 177 years after it was stolen from the reading
UVic campus and will feature an art room in 1840. Library Director Jason McElligott said it is only the
exhibit and attendee-nominated eighth time any of the 1,200 books removed from the building over
keynote speaker Andrea Jenkins, the centuries has found its way back home. The book was discov-
a black transgender woman who ered in the Church of Ireland rectory in Monkstown by the Rev. Roy
made headlines when she was Byrne, who recognized the library’s stamp.—Irish Examiner (Cork), Nov. 7.
elected to Minneapolis City Council
in November. CHINA Netherlands-based architecture firm MVRDV’s spectacular
The response to our efforts has Tianjin Binhai Library opened to the public in October. Located within
been overwhelmingly positive. the new Binhai Cultural District in Tianjin, the library provides storage
Word has spread that our recurring for books on terraced bookshelves in the building’s central atrium. At
Photo: Invercargill City Libraries and Archives

and often free or by-donation activ- the center of the room, an enormous mirrored sphere houses an audi-
ities are great for knowledge mobi- torium and reflects the miles of bookshelves around it.—ArchDaily, Oct. 31.
lization and community building.
The more we engage, the greater QATAR The new national library opened on November 7 in Doha’s
the dialogue has become—and Education City area. In addition to having the capacity to house more
that’s extremely rewarding. than 1 million books, the library offers computer terminals, music
studios, 3D printers, and a stage for performances. It also proudly
LARA WILSON is university archivist boasts a noisy section for children where the old rule of silence in the
and director of special collections at stacks no longer applies. The new library is part of Qatar’s effort to
University of Victoria (B.C.) Libraries.
refocus its economy on knowledge and education.—Al Jazeera, Nov. 7.  •
americanlibrariesmagazine.org|January/February 2018 23
TRENDS

Dolly Parton How do you choose books for

the program? I don’t choose them
Music legend’s literacy charity prepares for major milestone myself—we’d never take that
on ourselves. There’s a whole
committee of people who are the

D
olly Parton wears many hats on her famous wigs—singer, songwriter, musi- intelligent ones, who know what is
cian, producer, actor, theme park owner, and philanthropist. But she says one child-friendly and age-appropriate.
of the titles that means the most to her is “book lady.” Parton’s Imagination I’m just happy to be the one to help
Library charity works with United Way, Rotary International, and library foundations generate money and excitement.
and Friends groups to deliver more than a million free books each month to kids from
birth through age 5—up to 60 books that they can keep. Imagination Library, launched You have 11 siblings, and your
in Sevier County, Tennessee, in 1995, will deliver its 100-millionth book in early 2018. father never learned to read. Did
American Libraries spoke to Parton, who released her first children’s album, I Believe in you have books in the home? What
You, in October; proceeds benefit Imagination Library. was your access to books like
when you were a kid? We couldn’t
have too many books in our house.
There are so many ways to pro- and it always just seemed to Daddy always said, “Don’t bring
mote reading and literacy. How cripple him, and he was embar- these books home from school
did you decide to set up Imag- rassed about it. So it inspired me because I can’t afford to pay for
ination Library this way so that to start the program. We started them.” We had so many little kids—
children get free books in the mail it in our home county—I was just they’d chew them up, tear them up,
that they can keep? It started out going to have this little program pee on them, or whatever. The main
with a simple dream, and a very where we gave books to children. book in our house was the Bible.
personal one, 22 years ago. My From the time they’re born, they My mama used to read it to us. And
father was a brilliant man, but he get a book once a month in the we would read at school. As soon
never had a chance to go mail with their little name on it. as I could get my hands on any-
to school. Daddy When they’re able to walk, they thing, I loved to read. I still do. We
couldn’t read love to go to the mail and get their didn’t have the Imagination Library
nor write, little books. It’s just something to growing up, but it would have been
inspire them to read. nice if we had—we had enough
My dad was very helpful in the kids, we would have had plenty of
early days with me. I tried to involve books in the house! We were in a
him as much as I could. He passed country school, so we didn’t have
away in 2000, but he got to live long a library there. Mostly we had the
enough to see it doing well. It did so books in the schoolroom. When we
well that it went all over Tennessee, went to high school, we had access
then all over the United States, then to a library.
into Canada and different parts of
the world. What books did you love as a kid?
One of the things I’m proudest I loved all the fairy tales, but one of
of is that we are getting books to the books I remember first and the
children in Alaska and places where one that made an impression on
kids only get supplies once a month me is The Little Engine That Could.
on boats or planes. We’re giving And now it makes an impression
books to kids who wouldn’t have on lots of kids because it’s the first
a chance to get them otherwise. A book that we give away. I based
lot of people think this is just for the song “I Believe in You” on that
poor children—it’s for all children. book. I’ve always related to that
It’s important to get books into the book because I think I’m the little
hands of any child that we can. engine that did!

24 January/February 2018|americanlibrariesmagazine.org
 TRENDS

“The rant that led me to my brief bout of Twitter

fame was likely popular because of my stereotype-
TheAngriestLibrarian
defying profanity and insults, but the fact that it @HalpernAlex
resonated so strongly with librarians was what
If you, like this jackalope, think libraries are
convinced me that we are on the right track as a just warehouses for books, you are sorely
profession. Those mousy, quiet librarians are a thing and embarrassingly mistaken. Sorely.
of the past, if in fact they ever existed at all outside 12:59 PM - 23 Oct 2017

of Hollywood. Today, depending on the community

they serve, a public librarian is part educator, part Andre Walker @andrejpwalker
social worker, and part Human Google. What they Nobody goes to libraries anymore. Close the
public ones and put the books in schools.
aren’t is a living anachronism, an out-of-touch 11:54 AM - 22 Oct 2017
holdout in a dying job who’s consigned to a desk,
scolding kids for returning books a few days late.”
ALEX HALPERN, “The Angriest Librarian Is Full of Hope,” CityLab, October 29.

“Libraries in our country have not always welcomed “A BIG SHOUT OUT TO A
everyone, and so it makes sense that people are still
LIBRARIAN.”
fighting for access. Sometimes, however, the solutions
are simple. Upon learning about the government ID MIKE BROWN, Salt Lake City police chief, quoted in “Alert
requirement at my hometown library [Cicero Public Librarian Credited with Spotting Suspect in Fatal Shooting of
University of Utah Student,” Salt Lake Tribune, October 31.
Library in Illinois], I was furious. I assumed it was a
conscious decision to keep people in the community
from accessing books—a belief not so far-fetched, “Librarians are risk takers. In the
considering the anti-immigrant fervor in our current
political climate.
same way that firefighters, the
police, and the social workers are.
“It was with this frustration that I called Jane Schoen,
the director of the library, and explained to her that
Because you look at risk, and you
their policy was discriminatory. To my surprise, she look at the difficult things, and you
said she never considered that this would create a say, that’s where I want to be. And
barrier for undocumented people. I asked Schoen to that is absolutely essential today
reconsider the policy, and when I followed up the
next month, I learned that the board had changed
because if there is any lesson to
the requirement to a photo ID that did not have to be learned from the last two years,
be government-issued. When I asked Schoen why it is that inclusion and diversity
the library had agreed to change their policy, she said
simply, ‘Because you brought it to our attention, and it
are hard.”
BRIAN BUTLER, professor and senior associate dean of Uni-
made sense.’”
versity of Maryland’s College of Information Studies, quoted in
ERIKA L. SÁNCHEZ, “How Libraries Discriminate against “UMD iSchool Hosted Conference about Diversity and Inclusion
Undocumented Children,” Time, October 17. to Promote Accessibility,” The Diamondback, November 6.

americanlibrariesmagazine.org|January/February 2018 25
OPINION

Leadership and Vision

Management lessons learned late

I
had a rare opportunity in November to to the all-too-familiar “toxic middle”
spend a morning in conversation with phenomenon; enabling staff members at
local library leaders about some of the
another all levels of the organization to suggest
issues, challenges, and opportunities
around contemporary public libraries story novel or even wacky ideas, with some
likelihood of implementation is powerful
and librarianship. These discussions were BY Joseph Janes stuff. By the same token, you can’t give
confidential, and thus I’m not in a position carte blanche; adding a social worker or
to name names, so to speak. I hope my career development expert to the staff
colleagues forgive my inability to make Political skills come with the territory could be valuable, but gently drawing
appropriate attributions. Suffice it to say too. As one person at this meeting said, the line between what falls within the
these were smart, experienced, and tal- “Even if I disagree with the mayor, I may core mission of a library and what more
ented people, and the day wound up, for go along—a little bit—so long as it doesn’t appropriately belongs to a social services
me at least, as a master class in a variety of cut into our ethical principles.” A dose of agency is important as well.
approaches to leadership and vision. Here pragmatism flavored with sensitivity can Perhaps the phrase that lingers with me
are a few impressions, lessons, and anec- go a long way, as can an understanding the most vividly is this: “What I fear most
dotes from the morning. that there are situations in which, try as is apathy.” I’ve said something similar for
We all know that the best libraries are you might, you’re simply not going to win. years; I’d rather be loved than hated, but
the ones that have the strongest connec- If the community or political support for I’d rather be hated than ignored. If people
tions with their constituents and make an initiative or idea just isn’t there, you don’t care enough about what you’re
all members of their community feel may have to go to Plan B. doing to even notice, you’re done.
that they belong and are welcome and An attitude of “let’s try it,” encour- For those of you who do this work every
represented. aging new ideas among staff without day, a lot of this probably seems obvious.
It isn’t all sunshine and roses, however. drowning them in bureaucracy, can Which isn’t to say that it’s not worth being
It’s not unusual to be screamed at during go a long way in libraries of all kinds. reminded of or sharing for those just start-
a community meeting, or to be pursued by In particular, that’s a partial remedy ing to make their way.
a small number of people with a specific Among the reasons I was particularly
(if not pernicious) agenda that they grateful for this opportunity is—true
doggedly pursue week after week, month A dose of confession time—I never took a manage-
after month—a challenge to materials, ment or administration course in library
opposition to a new program, or protest- pragmatism flavored school, which partially explains a number
ing the elimination of a familiar service, of my own stumbling experiences over
no matter how small the impact. with sensitivity can the years in leadership and administrative
Often the trick is not to take it person- go a long way, as can roles. (Hence why I took so many notes.)
ally, to understand that the beef is likely Don’t tell anybody, or they might take a
as much with the institution and the role an understanding long hard look at my degree … but that’s
of the leader as it is with you as the person another story.
at the top. Recognize that when someone that there are
complains, there’s often a good reason for
it, and it can be productive to loop back,
situations in which JOSEPH JANES is associate professor at the
Information School of the University of Wash-
follow up, and not ignore it. By the same you’re simply not ington in Seattle and author of Documents
token, hearing a delighted “I can’t believe That Changed the Way We Live (Rowman and
you all do that!” is immensely gratifying. going to win. Littlefield, May).

26 January/February 2018|americanlibrariesmagazine.org
 OPINION

Creating Space for Agency

Including LGBTQ and intersectional perspectives makes students future-ready

A
gency helps students navi- Sometimes no perfect resource is avail-
gate an increasingly digitized able, which is why we must continue to ask
world, but it does not spring
from a vacuum. It grows from
on my publishers for the materials we and our
students deserve. If a book or article that
a sense that one is real and mind covers what a student is looking for isn’t
present and valued. Our students will be BY Rachel Altobelli available, there might be an expert willing
the innovators and creators of the future, to speak to students in person or via Skype.
and the role of the library is to help them Use technology with care. A ques-
realize this potential—which means all A dearth of LGBTQ materials may be tioning student may be more comfort-
students need to see themselves in the because of the belief that elementary able checking out an ebook instead of
school library. school students are too young to have marching up to the circulation desk,
It’s easy to imagine no LGBTQ students any kind of sexual orientation. This belief rainbow-lettered book in hand. However,
are at a given school, and therefore no never seems to prevent many versions of technologies theoretically used to keep
need exists to court controversy by provid- Goldilocks, featuring heterosexual families students safe may cause harm.
ing LGBTQ materials, but LGBTQ students of bears, from finding a place on shelves, Even after the ACLU’s “Don’t Filter Me”
are everywhere. I loved to read as a kid, but it has caused problems for And Tango campaign, filters in many school districts
but when I looked inside the books on the Makes Three, a book about gay penguins are far from perfect. In my own district,
shelves, I wasn’t really there. who adopt a penguin chick. the Rainbow Wedding Network website is
LGBTQ students are not the only ones Move beyond representation. There is blocked—as “pornography” no less—but
to feel underrepresented and alone. When much to be done beyond buying books and The Knot is not. This filtering could lead
students look around their schools and placing them on the shelves—or behind LGBTQ students imagining their future
libraries, they need to see their diversity, the circulation desk, available only with wedding to feel that their love is dirty,
their intersectionality, and the richness of parent permission, which a frightened, shameful, and forbidden. Filtering can
their personal stories, in print and online. questioning child is unlikely to ask for. be a difficult subject, but it’s likely that
What are some of the ways we can do this? While it’s important to have coming-out no one except you, the librarian, has
Develop collections. The American stories, it’s equally important to have books the skills, experience, and professional
Library Association Code of Ethics calls for with LGBTQ characters doing other things. judgment to speak up in cases when filters
us to collect and curate materials in the After all, coming out is—we hope—not the create a biased information environment.
most wide-ranging fashion possible and to main or only event in an LGBTQ person’s I believe that we have a responsibility
fight for access to information for all. We life. Personally, I have spent more time to all students to consider lenses that are
buy science fiction even if we don’t read it playing soccer, pulling weeds, and reading not our own. Confronting privilege and
and crocheting books even if we only knit. books about teenage vampires. sharing our own stories can be hard. If we
When you consider that many LGBTQ are willing to do this work, we can help
students may not be out to their parents, students find strength in their diversity
the need for school support—for all All students need and perspectives. The future is theirs, and
students—becomes more important. All we can empower them to create it.
students need libraries with resources that libraries that
mirror who they are and who they might RACHEL ALTOBELLI is director of library
become. They need stories that reflect
mirror who they services and instructional materials at Albu-
querque (N.Mex.) Public Schools and was a
their passions, interests, and struggles, are and who they 2015–2016 Lilead Fellow. This is an excerpt
and those of their classmates and people from “Creating Space for Agency,” Knowledge
they have never met. might become. Quest, Sept./Oct. 2017.

americanlibrariesmagazine.org|January/February 2018 27
 YEAR IN REVIEW

SAVING FEDERAL FUNDING

Thanks to extensive grassroots efforts by ALA members, in September the he
Senate Appropriations Committee approved an increase of $4 million in fund-
ing for the Institute of Museum and Library Services, all of which would go to
eased
the formula-based Grants to States program. The bill also included increased
funding in FY2018 for a number of other library-related programs.

$4 million
ALA RETIREMENTS
Keith Michael Fiels, ALA’s executive direc-
tor for more than 15 years, retired in July.
The search for his successor continues.
Emily Sheketoff, executive director of ALA’s
Washington Office, retired in May after 17
years with the Association. Kathi Kromer was
appointed to replace her.

DEALING WITH HATE SPEECH

Photo: Fibonacci Blue (anti-hate speech rally)

Incidents of anti-Muslim, anti-Semitic, and anti-immigrant threats in

libraries are on the rise, especially in public and academic libraries.
ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) logged 40 hate crime
incidents between November 2016 and October 2017. A free
workshop informing immigrants of their rights was canceled at the
Arlington Heights (Ill.) Library in September because of threats,
while swastika graffiti was found in January 2017 at the Northbrook
(Ill.) Public Library and the Melrose (Mass.) Public Library.

28 January/February 2018|americanlibrariesmagazine.org
 DEADLY HURRICANE SEASON
DEVASTATES LIBRARIES
Hurricanes swept through the Southern US, Virgin
Islands, and Puerto Rico, severely damaging public,
school, special, and academic libraries. Hurricane
Harvey forced several public libraries in Texas to
close, Irma knocked out a branch in Daytona Beach,
Florida, and Maria’s barrage in Puerto Rico caused
widespread flooding, damaging library buildings like
the ones on the University of Puerto Rico campuses
at Humacao and Bayamón (see p. 20). ALA’s Disaster
Relief Fund is assisting (ec.ala.org/donate/projects).

FIGHTING FAKE NEWS

FIGHTIN
“Fake news” brought
br media literacy into the national conversation, and
libraries embra
embraced this teachable moment. ALA’s Public Programs Office
and the Center for News Literacy partnered to train public librarians to
teach adults news
ne literacy through Media Literacy @ Your Library, which
also aims to create
cre an online learning series in 2018.

HILLARY CLINTON AT ANNUAL

An estimated 3,200 people packed Chicago’s McCormick
Place to hear former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham
Clinton deliver the closing speech at the ALA Annual Con-

THE OPIOID CRISIS

ference and Exhibition. Clinton touched on topics from
Photo: Evelyn Milagros Rodríguez (University of Puerto Rico at Humacao); Cognotes (Clinton)

fake news to literacy to censorship. She told attendees,

A recent spike in drug overdoses has put public libraries
on the front lines of a national crisis. In just three years,
“Libraries and
deaths from fentanyl, a type of opioid, have risen 540% democracy go
in the United States, and the epidemic is expected to
worsen. As a result, library workers are contending with
hand in hand.”
discarded needles, drug
use within facilities, and
overdoses and fatali-
ties. Many are making
Narc
Narcan—a drug
that reverses the
effec
effects of opiate
over
overdose—
available
and are
training
staff in
its use.

americanlibrariesmagazine.org|January/February 2018 29
 THE TRIAL OF THE ALA OPPOSES TRUMP RULES
“LAUGHING LIBRARIAN” ALA stood in opposition to the Trump administra-
tion’s announcement that it will end the Deferred
Desirée Fairooz, a children’s librarian turned Code Pink
Action to Childhood Arrivals program, which protects
activist, faced jail time and fines after her arrest at the
nearly 800,000 undocumented youth from depor-
January confirmation hearing of Attorney General Jeff
tation. The Association also rebuked the Trump
Sessions. She was found guilty on May 3 of disorderly
administration’s decision to revoke important protec-
and disruptive conduct, and obstructing and impeding
tio
tions for transgender students, affirming that it will not
passage on US Capitolpitol grounds, but the judge declared a
ho
hold ALA meetings in states where “bathroom bills”
mistrial at sentencing ng in July. A new trial
ha
have been passed.
was expected to begin egin in mid-November,
utors dropped the case
but instead prosecutors
without explanation n November 6.

GUN VIOLENCE AND LIBRARIES

ALA Council passed the Resolution on Gun Violence
Affecting Libraries, Library Workers, and Library Patrons
at the 2017 Midwinter Meeting in Atlanta. The ALA
Library prepared a LibGuide called Gun Violence and
Libraries (libguides.ala.org/gunviolencelibraries) in June,
with links to resources, statistics, laws, and policies. But
gun violence hit the library community on August 28:
SEXUAL HARASSMENT
IN LIBRARIES

23
Clovis-Carver (N.Mex.) Public Library Youth Services
Librarian Krissie Carter and Circulation Assistant Wanda
Walters were killed and four others were injured by a teen-
aged assailant, who shot them in an apparently random
act of violence.

out
of
The number of respondents who said they have
experienced on-the-job sexual harassment, according
to a 2017 survey of 173 librarians, conducted by Katie
Photo: White House (Trump)

McLain and Amanda Civitello. McLain is reference

assistant at Waukegan (Ill.) Public Library and Civitello
is marketing and communications manager there. Most
of the respondents identified as female and as working
in public libraries.

30 January/February 2018|americanlibrariesmagazine.org
 OIF TURNS 500
December marked
50 years since ALA
established OIF to
help champion free
speech and combat
censorship.

BOOK CLUB CENTRAL DEBUTS

Honorary chair Sarah Jessica Parker kicked off Book Club
Central at the ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition in
Chicago in June. Created in partnership between ALA,
Booklist, and United for Libraries, Book Club Central pro-
vides reading resources—recommendations, expert book

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, lists, author interviews, and other content—to support

book clubs and their readers.
HARRY!
On June 26, libraries everywhere cel-
ebrated the 20th anniversary of Harry
Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone—
the first book in J. K. Rowling’s megahit
Photos: New Lenox (Ill.) Public Library District (Harry Potter fans); Krista Joy Johnson (eclipse)

series—with themed parties, exhibits,

and activities such as Quidditch games,
scavenger hunts, and potions classes.

DARK SKY
BRIGHTENS
LIBRARIES
August 21 marked the first
time since 1918 that a total
solar eclipse passed over
the US from coast to coast.
Libraries celebrated the
cosmic event by hosting
NASA-sponsored fairs
and outer-space-themed
educational programs.

americanlibrariesmagazine.org|January/February 2018 31
 the

question
little free
of

S libraries
Are they a boon or bane to communities?
BY Megan Cottrell

32 January/February 2018|americanlibrariesmagazine.org
 hey have been popping up in droves. On front lawns and street corners. In parks,

T community centers, and hospitals. You can even find them at beaches, malls, and
barbershops. What started in 2009 with a box on one man’s lawn has spawned
60,000 Little Free Libraries around the globe. The ubiquitous book-exchange boxes now
outnumber public libraries in the US about three to one.

But are these seemingly wholesome book boxes helping

or hurting staffed libraries? And how are librarians and
communities across the country leveraging the presence of
these outposts?

Little Free Library Capital of the World

When Pam Weinstein first noticed the school bus parked
outside her home in Detroit’s Rosedale Park neighborhood
and her lawn crowded with children, she thought there
was some mistake. “Did the bus stop get moved?” she
wondered.
But the kids were gathered around a wooden box
planted in Weinstein’s front yard—a Little Free Library—
while the bus driver helped each child pick out a title to Kathy Henderson stands next to a Little Free Library in Highland
take home. It was a ritual they repeated every Friday for Park, Michigan.
almost a year.
“They could clean it out in one visit, so I started putting neighborhood and how it created community connections
more children’s books in there,” says Weinstein, whose among residents there.
book-exchange box was installed as part of a project to “The city had just climbed out of bankruptcy, and
plant 313 of them around the city, effectively making there was this sense of hope and excitement. People were
Detroit the Little Free Library capital of the world. banding together to do what they could to raise the city up.
Despite numerous articles and I thought I would start raising money
press releases announcing its renais- There are about to buy these Little Free Libraries, and
sance and rebirth, Detroit is still a it grew from there,” says Kozlow-
city that struggles with poverty, with 500 Little Free Libraries ski, who would go on to head the
more than 35% of its residents living nonprofit Detroit Little Libraries
below the poverty line in 2016. A
in detroit, including campaign.
recent New York University Steinhardt 97 placed in front Three years later, Kozlowski esti-
School of Culture, Education, and mates there are about 500 Little Free
Human Development study showed
of the city's Public Libraries in the city, including 97 that
that in many parts of the Detroit area, Schools. every police have been placed in front of Detroit
books are scarce. In Hamtramck, public schools. Recently, Detroit Little
a small city bordering Detroit, for
precinct in detroit will Libraries and the national Little Free
Photos: Detroit Little Libraries; Little Free Libraries

example, there is as few as one book also soon have one. Library nonprofit announced a new
for every 42 children. initiative to put a Little Free Library in
As a reporter for the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press front of every police precinct in Detroit.
for 25 years, Kim Kozlowski has seen the city through Media coverage of Detroit Little Libraries has been
some difficult times, including when FBI homicide positive, with reports that they encourage literacy and
statistics prompted media outlets to crown it as the replenish “book deserts.” But a study released in 2017
“murder capital of the US” in 2014. That same year, she questions that assumption. Jane Schmidt, librarian at
noticed a Little Free Library pop up in her own suburban Ryerson University in Toronto, noticed these fawning
claims and was skeptical.
Opposite: Little Free Libraries in Detroit; Hamtramck, Michigan; and “They were using these warm and fuzzy words like
Salina, Kansas. ‘community building’ to describe these little boxes, while

S 0
bX8 5F^C ¥ V _! ck americanlibrariesmagazine.org|January/February 2018 33
 y
most of the media coverage about actual libraries is saying,
‘Who needs libraries anymore? Is the public library still Outposts
relevant?’” says Schmidt.
So Schmidt joined with human geographer and in Other Cities
librarian Jordan Hale of the University of Toronto to
study Little Free Libraries, including mapping Toronto’s Public libraries across the US are integrating Little
book boxes in relation to public library branch loca- Free Libraries in interesting ways. Here are a few
tions. The geographical analysis of Toronto’s Little Free examples.
Libraries confirmed their suspicions: the city’s book- Little Free Library treasure hunt. Northbrook
exchange boxes didn’t water so-called “book deserts” (Ill.) Public Library made its two Little Free Libraries
but instead existed in affluent areas with easy access to part of its summer reading challenge. Both child and
public library branches. adult patrons could visit a book-exchange box and
Schmidt says no one denies that these tiny book repos- find a token that would enter them into a drawing
itories are adorable, but what they actually do for literacy for prizes.
is unclear. Barbershop book exchanges. Houston Public
“It’s a lovely concept, it really is,” says Schmidt. “But Library installed 50 Little Free Libraries in front of
when we think about the people who are fawning over barbershops in low-income areas of the
them, are they people who are actually relying on the city as part of its Groomed for Literacy
public library for their information needs?” program. Adults enrolled in the coun-
She adds, “Public libraries are serious business and ty’s workforce development classes
lifelines for a lot of underserved communities.” decorated the book-exchange boxes,
with some even featuring tiny red-and-
Harnessing the phenomenon white barbershop poles.
Detroit’s Little Free Libraries are standalone entities run Beach reads. Long Beach (N.Y.) Public
by individual volunteers, but many public libraries across Library has installed four Little Free Libraries
the US have gotten into the Little Free Library business along the city’s beach boardwalk, encouraging
themselves. beachgoers to pick something to peruse while
Friends of the Bismarck (N.Dak.) Public Library (BPL) they enjoy the sand and surf. O
secured funding to purchase 13 Little Free Libraries to
spread throughout the city. Instead of waiting for residents
to install their own, the library took applications from BPL Director Christine Kujawa says community care-
patrons who wanted to be caretakers and chose them takers were allowed to personalize their libraries; some
based on location to ensure the book exchanges would simply stained the wood box, while others painted them
blanket the area. with intricate designs. Overall, she says, the project has
been incredibly successful.
“Citizens continually ask us if the Friends of the Bis-
marck Public Library will do this again, and if so, can they
put their name in now so they’re on the list of applicants,”
says Kujawa. “People are starting to create their own Little
Free Libraries from repurposed material, such as used
newspaper racks.”
Kujawa says she sees Little Free Libraries as a way to
complement and expand existing library offerings, such as
the library’s bookmobile, which services the largely rural
Burleigh County where Bismarck is located. Kujawa says
Photos: Detroit Little Libraries

the library has chosen six more spots to install Little Free
Libraries in the area.
“This will allow rural citizens to have free access to read-
ing material in between the bookmobile visits,” says Kujawa.
Salina (Kans.) Public Library embarked on a similar
Artist Wayne Pace poses next to a Little Free Library before painting endeavor, building nine Little Free Libraries for the city’s
it as a part of the Little Library Prize competition at the 2017 Michi- nearly 50,000 residents. The public library built the boxes
gan State Fair.

c
k !_0V ¥ C^F5S 8Xb
34 January/February 2018|americanlibrariesmagazine.org
 with money from a large donation bequeathed by a patron “You get a charter number. They put you on a map. You
who passed away suddenly and thought it was a great way get some pamphlets and a sticker. Why does that come at
to honor his memory. One box was even made to resemble such a substantial cost?” says Hale. “It could be very free
a rocket—cylindrical with a pointy top, the clear glass and very grassroots and lovely.”
hatch door providing access to a shelf full of books—was “Where is the money going? Is it going to literacy?” asks
placed in a park named after one of Salina’s most famous Hale. “The web-
residents, former NASA astronaut Steve Hawley. site says they
Lori Berezovsky, community engagement coordina- build hundreds
tor for Salina Public Library, says soon after the book of installations
exchanges were built, stocking and checking on them in underserved
became a lot of work. The library put out some ads asking communities,
for residents to adopt a Little Free Library and care for it but where are
for a year, and decided to give volunteers access to dona- those exactly,
tions and discarded library books to keep them stocked. and were they
“It’s increased the number of volunteers and given funded by dona-
them some ownership,” says Berezovsky. “I’ve realized tions or charter
the neighbors are paying attention and keeping an eye on fees?”
them, too.” Bol says he
For some folks, says Berezovsky, Little Free Libraries appreciates
have become a family bonding activity. She says a dad and the construc-
his daughter who has developmental disabilities ride their tive criticism
bikes to a certain Little Free Library once a week; they find from Hale and
a book to borrow and bring along one to contribute. There Schmidt and Artist Martha Thierry's honorable mention–
is also a mother–daughter duo who scours garage sales for hopes their winning entry at the 2017 Michigan State Fair.
books to donate. When they noticed that children’s books questions can
disappear particularly quickly, they began focusing on spur the nonprofit to refine its mission.
finding more. “We’re trying to do a better job of making transparent
“Kids who can’t drive, they don’t have a means to get to the work we do behind the scenes to fulfill that mission
the library unless an adult brings them,” says Berezovsky. and to increase book access,” says Bol, who points to its
“If they can get some books that are of interest to them, Impact Library Program, which aims to provide 50 book
that’s a great thing.” exchanges to underserved communities this year.
“We are sometimes perceived to be a big institution, but
Complement or competitor? we’re actually a small nonprofit—just 12 people in a Wis-
Back in 2009, Todd Bol built a little wooden schoolhouse, consin office. We’re not ‘big’ Little Free Library,” says Bol.
filled it with books, and installed it on his front lawn in And, he says, more than 600 public libraries around the
Hudson, Wisconsin, as a tribute to his country use Little Free Libraries as an
late mother. Today, Bol is the founder extension of their services.
and executive director of the nonprofit "[Little libraries] “Little libraries obviously cannot pro-
Little Free Library. He says there are can act as natural vide the depth and breadth of services
more than 60,000 Little Free Libraries that public libraries provide,” says Bol.
registered worldwide—up from 50,000 complements to the “They can, however, act as natural com-
last year—with 90% of them located in public library." —Todd bol plements to the public library, provid-
the United States. ing easy access to books to residents of
One criticism researchers Hale and neighborhoods or small towns that are
Schmidt, among others, have of Little far away from public library resources.”
Free Library is the nonprofit’s charge But Hale and Schmidt point to at
Photo: Detroit Little Libraries

to use the Little Free Library name. The least one place where Little Free Libraries
nonprofit charges $39 to register and use are seen as a substitute for true public
the name, and a few hundred bucks for the library services. When budget cuts caused
average prebuilt book-exchange box. Hale the El Paso (Tex.) Public Library to imple-
and Schmidt have questioned the need for a ment a $50 annual fee for nonresidents
registration fee and branded name. to use the library system, the tiny town

¢A 04 CX8æ† x:Z^ < B’° americanlibrariesmagazine.org|January/February 2018 35

 of nearby Vinton came up with a plan: five Little Free Harrison’s nonprofit also focuses on expanding access to
Libraries spread around the community. The town would print materials for Detroit kids, but in a different way. Rx for
build them, and keeping them stocked with books would Reading creates caches of children’s books inside Detroit’s
be up to the people of Vinton themselves. community centers and institutions, like WIC clinics, legal
When Detroit Public Library aid offices, soup kitchens, and
(DPL) closed its Gabriel Richard homeless shelters. When families
branch in 2011, 4th graders at a "Often with Little Free use these existing resources, kids
local elementary school installed a get to take a book to keep. Rx
colorful painted bookcase and a sign
Libraries, you get a lot of for Reading both fundraises to
reading “Outdoor Library” in front books people just want buy books and takes donations,
of the shuttered building. It was one although Harrison says they’re
of four libraries to close that year—
to get rid of. They're not thoughtful about which books they
two have since reopened, though books that are adding give away, and they refurbish books
only two to three days a week. to make sure they don’t look like
Despite budget shortfalls that led
value." —Mary-catherine harrison
somebody’s castoffs.
to reduced hours or staff cutbacks Harrison says she does support
at other branches, DPL was recently able to restore the Little Free Library effort and that public libraries have
Sunday hours at its main library, which hasn’t been possi- their own barriers when it comes to low-income residents
ble since 1981, and it has brought back Sunday hours to accessing resources. In the DPL system, she says, approx-
two of its branches. imately 56,000 patrons—about 14%—are blocked from
borrowing materials and using public computers because
they have incurred more than $10 in fines. Harrison says
she’d like to see more amnesty policies at public libraries
across the US to allow broader access to services.
At least a few DPL librarians are taking advantage of
Little Free Library locations to further their mission. Bar-
bara Parker-Hawkins, manager and children’s librarian at
DPL’s Chaney branch, keeps a box of books in her store-
room to give to kids to keep in situations where they can’t
borrow books.
“When I run into a situation where the child might not
be in a stable home environment, I tend to just give them a
book so they have something to read,” she says.
Parker-Hawkins sees Little Free Libraries as an exten-
sion of that box in her storeroom. When it came time to
weed through Chaney’s children’s collection and make
room for new books, she boxed up her favorite titles and
called Weinstein, the steward of the neighborhood’s Little
Free Library.
A Little Free Library at the Heidelberg Project outdoor art commu-
nity in Detroit. Despite budget cuts and branch closings in recent years,
Parker-Hawkins doesn’t feel any animosity toward these
Although Little Free Libraries can provide access to books ubiquitous book boxes, even though they don’t offer the
when hours are reduced or branches aren’t nearby, the multitude of services real libraries provide.
quality of the books inside is often poor, says Mary-Catherine “I think anything where you have a book is a library.
Harrison, professor of English at University of Detroit Mercy, The more we have out there, the better,” she says. “I don’t
who runs the nonprofit Rx for Reading Detroit. think we’re going to put the library out of business by any
Photo: Detroit Little Libraries

“Often with Little Free Libraries, you get a lot of books means. I see them as helping out the libraries. I’m very
people just want to get rid of. They’re not books that are glad they’ve come along.”
adding value,” says Harrison. “That’s a real difference from
libraries—you have children’s librarians who are acting as MEGAN COTTRELL is a writer, blogger, and
that resource, recommending books, making displays of reporter in Michigan.

books, choosing the best books.”

B
’ < ^
36
Z :xU æ8XC 40 A¢
January/February 2018|americanlibrariesmagazine.org
 Pioneering
African-American
librarians share
their stories
BY Greg Landgraf

38 January/February 2018|americanlibrariesmagazine.org
 hyper-contemporary-meets-
fun. The fare incorporates
plenty of local and organic
ingredients into inventive A Good City for
dishes like crawfish beignets Green Chile
($12), braised pork shank
($35), and avocado salad Green chile is a fiery-sweet stew made
($13). The small plates, of chile peppers and other ingredients,
cocktails, and desserts are often but not always including chunks
similarly superlative, worth a of pork, tomato, and onion. Denver’s
stop for happy hour or late at restaurants serve bowl after bowl of
night. The wine list is short but good green chile, stuff that ranges
excellent. Reservations recom- from merely spicy to flat-out nuclear.r. If
mended. Brunch (Sat, Sun), you have a serious weakness for a bowl wl of
D daily $$–$$$ green (as I do), here are five hot spots in
the Mile High City:
Cherry Creek 1. Brewery Bar II, 150 Kalamath St., 303-893-0971, brewerybars.com: om: Inconspicuously
nestled in a warehouse district, the Brewery Bar serves some of the hottest green een chile in
Elway’s Denver. It also happens to be some of the tastiest. There are also two Brewery Bars in the he
2500 E. 1st Ave. south suburbs.
303-399-5353 2. El Tejado, 2651 S. Broadway, 303-722-3987, eltejadodenver.com: This locals’ favorite
elways.com in the southern reaches of the city serves a unique thick green chile plate as well as some
of the best authentic Mexican dishes in the Rockies.
Former Denver Broncos quar- 3. Jack-N-Grill, 2524 N. Federal Blvd., 303-964-9544, jackngrill.com: Sweet and typical-
terback John Elway worked ly served in a bowl with beans, Jack Martinez’s green chile is excellent, as is his red.
wonders with a pigskin, but 4. Las Delicias, 439 E. 19th Ave., 303-839-5675, lasdelicias.us: A Denver tradition, Las
he also knows how to make Delicias serves some of the city’s best green chile from its downtown location among its
a restaurant score with his five metro-area eateries.
eponymous Cherry Creek 5. Little Anita’s, 1550 S. Colorado Blvd., 303-691-3337, littleanitas.com: This longtime
steakhouse. This is just the New Mexico–based spot offers wicked green and red chile from a strip mall in southeast
place to see and be seen, with Denver and three other metro-area locations.
a focus squarely on top-quality
beef and fresh seafood as well
as comfort foods like creamed
corn ($9.50), brussels sprout the best sushi joint in the Mile Morrison guides the menu today. Appe-
hash ($10), and broccoli and High City, if not the West. tizers venture into uncharted
cheese ($10.50). Beyond the The key is fresh fish, flown in The Fort territory of roast bison marrow
flagship location in Cherry daily from Fukuoka, Japan, 19192 Highway 8 bones ($18) and jalapeños
Creek, you’ll also find an complemented by fresh greens 303-697-4771 escabèche stuffed with peanut
Elway’s Downtown in the from the Den Farm north of thefort.com butter ($6), and the game is
Ritz-Carlton Denver, 1881 the city. With these ingredients matched by a number of beef,
Curtis St. (303-312-3107), as in hand, the chefs show off The grande dame of Colora- pork, and poultry dishes. Once
well as in Denver International their skills with sushi, sashimi, do’s wild game restaurants, dessert rolls around—if you
Airport’s Concourse B. tempura, and other Japanese this replica of Bent’s Fort near still have room—the triple-
L, D daily $$$ dishes. Fish-averse types need Red Rocks Amphitheatre in layer chocolate chile bourbon
not stay away, however: The Morrison opened its doors in cake ($7) is a spectacularly
Platt Park menu includes short ribs ($16) 1963 and has been on Denver’s decadent closer. Reservations
and beef carpaccio ($14) for shortlist ever since. Known recommended. D daily $$$
Sushi Den carnivores and vegetarian for elk, quail, and buffalo (the
1487 S. Pearl St. sushi for vegetarians. The kitchen plates some 80,000 ERIC
303-777-0826 Kizakis’ Izakaya Den (izakaya dishes of the latter annually), PETERSON is
Photo: Adobe Stock

a writer living
sushiden.net den.net) next door is a con- the Fort is a Colorado original,
in Denver. He
temporary spot that focuses on thanks in large part to the is author of
Brothers Toshi and Yasu Kizaki Asian-inspired small plates. legacy of late founder Sam Frommer’s
are the masterminds behind L (M–F), D daily $$–$$$ Arnold, whose vision still EasyGuide to Colorado.

americanlibrariesmagazine.org|January/February 2018 61
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Learning to Teach
Supporting new librarian training

W
hen I graduated with the only one I’ve found that requires teach-
my MLIS, I didn’t ing librarians to attend a program designed
know teaching would
in to help them teach effectively. Its Librarians
be such a big part of
library work. My library practice Active Learning Institute was formed in
2011 and has expanded to librarians out-
school’s one course on instruction was BY Meredith Farkas side of Dartmouth (bit.ly/aldartmouth).
designed for library media specialists, That demand outpaces supply for programs
so it didn’t seem a good fit for someone like this and the Association of College and
wanting to work at a college or university in-depth programs come into the profes- Research Libraries’ Information Literacy
library. Even now at my alma mater, the sion with little-to-no teaching experience Immersion Program (ala.org/acrl/
list of recommended classes for students because it is not positioned as fundamen- immersion) suggests that librarians are
wanting to concentrate in academic tal to our professional education. motivated to become better instructors.
librarianship does not include any courses Teaching isn’t just for academic All this makes me wonder why most
focused on teaching. So I, like many new librarians; it is a critical service in K–12, libraries overlook training new librarians
librarians, had no inkling of the shock that health science, and public libraries. And to teach. Surely administrators must see
was in store when I started working in an it’s not only something reference services this work as valuable. Librarians who
academic library. librarians do; archivists and technolo- teach and work at the reference desk often
In that first professional job, at a small gists often teach. Strong teaching skills have the most contact with students. For
library, all librarians—from the director to serve librarians who support the work of most faculty, instruction librarians are
the systems librarian to the head of tech- patrons or other library staff. For teaching the face of the library, and bad instruc-
nical services—taught classes. None of to be seen as something less than core to tion sessions can sour them on library
us had been prepared by our coursework the majority of libraries ignores the reality instruction—or even on the library itself.
to teach, and no on-the-job training was of what so many of us do. More and more libraries are being asked
provided. While my initial efforts to teach New librarians without teaching to show the impact of their services on
information literacy were cringeworthy at experience rarely find formal training on the communities they serve. In academic
best, I learned as much as I could on my the job. Libraries like those at DePaul and libraries, that can mean demonstrating
own about teaching and clawed my way Towson Universities support shadowing the impact of libraries on student learning.
toward proficiency. and coteaching for new librarians and offer Ensuring that the instruction patrons are
I wish my experiences were unique, but development opportunities focused on receiving is of the highest quality seems all
I’ve heard many stories from librarians improvement, but few explicitly require the more important. Yet the structures for
thrown into the deep end of teaching training. The Dartmouth College Library is training—from the LIS degree to work-
without support. All LIS programs now place training and professional develop-
offer at least one course focused on ment opportunities—lead haphazardly to
instruction, and students in LIS instruc- a profession of haves and have-nots that
tional fellowship programs at institutions I’ve heard many don’t serve either our patrons or ourselves
like University of Washington, University as well as they could.
of Maryland, and University of Wisconsin– stories from librarians
MEREDITH FARKAS is a faculty librarian at
Madison get to participate in a top-notch
apprenticeship program that scaffolds
thrown into the Portland (Oreg.) Community College and
a lecturer at San José (Calif.) State Uni-
their learning and experiences around deep end of teaching versity School of Information. She blogs
teaching. However, many online students at Information Wants to Be Free. Email:
and others who do not have access to without support. librarysuccess@gmail.com

62 January/February 2018|americanlibrariesmagazine.org
 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Free Reading Zones

Sponsoring ebook access for wider readership

F
ree Reading Zones (FREZ) is 24,000 people registered and 23,600
the name of a project that I have books were being read. The technology
been involved with as a library helped empower users to become savvy
and publishing consultant since consumers of literature. The October
2016. A FREZ turns public and dispatches 2017 issue of Library Technology Reports,
private spaces into open virtual libraries, BY Mirela Roncevic “Free Reading Zones: Transforming
providing people with free and uninter- Access to Books through Technology,”
rupted access to ebooks through sponsor- explores these two case studies and
ships. Readers in the zones can download engaged with the text, not just flipping examines how FREZes can empower the
a free reading app that identifies their through the pages, and calculates what ebook industry by equalizing access to
locations in several ways—GPS coordi- percentage of each book is read. FREZes knowledge and education in many loca-
nates, Wi-Fi network, or an app store— benefit publishers, authors, and soft- tions, not just thriving city communities.
and gives them free access to digital books ware companies because they are paid The power of the ebook is precisely its
while they are physically inside the zone. through a merit-based business model, ability to be available to nearly anyone,
A FREZ can be as small as a single building but it also benefits end users by exposing anywhere, at the same time. It closes the
and as large as a city or an entire country. them to more culture, information, and information and knowledge gap in ways
The basic idea is to open books for read- educational content. When users enter not possible for the printed word.
ing in areas where sponsors have a vested a FREZ, they are presented with many How can libraries get involved? They
interest in getting exposure. As we’ve titles, a wide range of categories, and an can sponsor a FREZ in their communities
learned from the music industry, the abundance of authors and publishers. on their own terms or in cooperation with
fastest way to get people to consume con- The reader gets to decide what content to local or regional organizations. By doing
tent in a new environment is by making consume and when. so, they will expand not only their ability
that content freely accessible through In September 2016, in collaboration to bring books to people but also their
sponsorships—think of enjoying music with Total Boox, the company that sup- mission to play more active roles in their
on YouTube or Spotify. Readers don’t pay, plied the reading app, I managed the first changing communities. Public libraries
but that does not mean publishers are not FREZ in a small café in Croatia, and later in particular have struggled with ebooks
getting their fair share. Others are picking turned the whole country into a FREZ for the past 20 years because many ebook
up the tab because they see the value in for one month. The open virtual library models don’t allow simultaneous access.
being part of the project. provided anyone in the country access to By engaging in a cutting-edge initiative
Although sponsoring organizations about 100,000 ebook titles by more than like FREZ—which does allow for instant,
are covering the cost of reading in return 250 publishers. Within the first week, simultaneous, and uninterrupted access
for some public recognition, the app is to a book—libraries can reaffirm their rel-
not inundated with ads the way YouTube
videos are. In fact, the sponsor is prohib-
The power of the evance in the highly mobile 21st century
and show true leadership, a willingness
ited from advertising inside the zone. It ebook is its ability to embrace change by stepping outside
gets to greet the reader through a flash their comfort zones, and an enthusiastic
screen only when the app is launched. to be available acceptance of new technology.
The business model relies on technol-
ogy that can measure each user’s reading
to nearly anyone, MIRELA RONCEVIC is director of No Shelf
Required, a portal on ebooks and digital con-
and pays publishers an amount based anywhere, at the tent. Adapted from “Free Reading Zones,”
on what participants actually read. The Library Technology Reports vol. 53, no. 7
app recognizes when a person is actively same time. (October 2017).

americanlibrariesmagazine.org|January/February 2018 63
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Self-Directed Programming
Cut costs with plan-ahead activities for youth and their caregivers

Y
outh programming at public Another wildly popular self-directed
libraries incurs more costs than program is the scavenger hunt. These
just the monetary expenses of youth hunts require some preparation, but once
hiring a performer or purchas-
ing supplies. We must manage matters they’re set up they mostly run themselves.
Caregivers and children can do them any
the expense of staff time and take into BY Abby Johnson time the library is open, and they don’t
account the commitment required to plan require a designated space.
and run a high-quality program. We must Kids like that we have aligned scav-
also consider the resource of physical space of take-home crafts helped alleviate stress enger hunt themes to pop culture
and decide how to accommodate growing and still gave families something creative phenomena such as Frozen, Minecraft,
crowds when our meeting rooms and build- and engaging. Some of these activities and Pokémon. Hunts are not only fun for
ings are not expanding. were purchased kits, and others incorpo- children and teens, but they allow us to
Hosting a large variety of library pro- rated low-cost materials such as pool noo- strategically introduce families to areas
grams may be easy when you have enough dles, clothespins, and recycled cardboard of the library they may not have used
money, staff members, and space, but what boxes. I strategically chose a mix so fami- before by situating checkpoints outside
do you do when that’s not the case? How lies could engage with formal, ready-made of youth departments. We can also use
can you stretch your offerings? sets they may not otherwise have access scavenger hunts to cross-market other
Self-directed programming is a great to, as well as inexpensive household items library services. In a hunt that we held this
way to provide value while mitigating they could likely furnish or replicate at fall, families had to ask staff members at
costs. We’ve all experienced that patron home. Find a list of our engineering table the children’s, teen, and circulation desks
who seems to expect an age-appropriate activities at bit.ly/2gM4pWc. questions in order to receive clues, giving
program for his or her child on whichever For this type of activity it was impossi- us a chance to promote our fall reading
day they drop by. Self-directed activities ble for us to capture usage statistics, but program and library cards in the process.
help us give those audiences something we recorded plenty of overheard conversa- Another latent benefit to self-guided
special whenever they visit. tions and anecdotal feedback to present to programming is worth mentioning: It
One self-directed program that has been our director. Our signage also encouraged has the capability to reach shy kids who
successful at my library is a make-and-take families to take photos of their creations might not enjoy a traditional program that
crafts table that we provide over school and post them on their social media puts them in a room with other children.
breaks. We put out supplies and instruc- accounts with our library’s hashtag, giving Anthony James Baltiero, youth services
tions for a craft that appeals to a wide us visuals to share with our board. library associate at Jacksonville (Fla.)
range of age groups. By planning ahead, we Public Library, describes this as passive
can mobilize teen volunteers to prep craft programming (bit.ly/2yerJXD) and
supplies, saving hours of staff time. All that explains how scavenger hunts and interac-
our staffers have to do is refill the supplies
Scavenger hunts tive displays work to include this group.
as needed. We keep track of how many can strategically If you’re seeking ways to extend your
pieces we have prepared so we can analyze resources and expand your offerings,
which projects are well received. introduce families explore self-directed programming and see
Last summer, I set up an engineering what might work for you.
table with a different building activity each
to areas of the
week. Because summer is a time when library they may not ABBY JOHNSON is collection development
even refilling craft supplies can be over- leader at New Albany–Floyd County (Ind.)
whelming, putting out activities instead have used before. Public Library. Blog: abbythelibrarian.com.

64 January/February 2018|americanlibrariesmagazine.org
 joblist.ala.org
Your #1 source for job
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The award-winning source for jobs in Library
Information Science and Information Science and Technology
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americanlibrariesmagazine.org|January/February 2018 65
 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Management: Case Studies. Written by of moving into a the authors dissect them into key phases
practitioners about specific problems new role, teamwork, and clarify why they are often necessary.
their institutions faced, these case studies organizing work, Soehner and Darling provide a road map
cover collaboration, strategic planning, budgets, meetings, to managing the conversations and stress
funding, and reorganization, with projects, and some the importance of after-conversation
detailed histories,, n
notes, and citations. practicalities on documentation. They also extend the
They also explore less space and safety. The discussion to two additional facets—
common issues such third part is leading change management and “managing up,”
as working through organizations, looking or having the difficult conversation with
the immediate crisis att the
th
h bigger
bi i t
picture, and the broader one’s boss. ALA Editions, 2017. 128 P. $38. PBK.
and aftermath of an concerns of communication, motivation, 978-0-8389-1495-3. (Also available as an ebook.)
attack in the library, ensuring inclusiveness, and meeting legal
succession planning and policy requirements. Throughout, N You’re a
Now
and rapid mentoring McNeil addresses the individual manager, M
Manager: Quick
after being installed suggesting ways to reach a goal or practice a
and Practical
d t
as a department t head
h and half the staff and reinforcing its value to improve man- S
Strategies for
has reached retirement age, and having agement skills. ALA Editions, 2017. 256 P. $59. N
New Mid-Level
to close a library. Some of these issues are PBK. 978-0-8389-1554-7. M
Managers in Aca-
faced regularly in a career, others once d
demic Libraries
or maybe never, but the outcomes may MacNeil offers tips on is a series of
provide insights needed to address other effective communi- b M
10 essays by L li Madden,
M. Leslie M Laura
situations. ALA Neal-Schuman, 2018. 224 P. $69. cation, but Catherine Carscaddon, Denita Hampton, and Brenna
PBK. 978-0-8389-1559-2 B. Soehner and Ann Helmstutler. Each has an overview with
Darling offer more citations, and in some cases examples,
The last three books move from anec- in-depth discussion followed by an exercise to reinforce the
dotes to practical advice and applications. in Effective Difficult learning. Topics covered include estab-
Beth McNeil updates Fundamentals of Conversations: A Step- lishing a respectful workplace, campus
Library Supervision for a third edition, by-Step Guide. The bureaucracy, and coaching a team. Associa-
which alone speaks for its value. The first i performance
negative f review, the unpop- tion of College and Research Libraries, 2017. 94 P. $28.
part focuses on supervising the individ- ular assignment, the need for budget 978-0-8389-8787-2. (Also available as an ebook.)
ual: hiring, interviewing, training, and slashing: We have all had to do them or
managing performance and rewards. The have tried not to. After defining these con- KAREN MULLER is librarian and knowledge
second is managing groups: the dynamics versations and what makes them difficult, management specialist for the ALA library.

The Top-Selling Books from ALA Publishing (Since November 1, 2017)

TOP 3 IN EBOOKS
1 | Start a Revolution: 2 | Becoming a 3 | The Readers’
Stop Acting Like a Reflective Librarian Advisory Guide to
Library by Ben Bizzle with and Teacher: Strategies Horror, 2nd edition
Maria Flora for Mindful Academic by Becky Siegel Spratford
The authors share tech- Practice by Michelle Reale As both an introductory
niques for success alongside This book illuminates reflec- guide for librarians just dip-
a provocative marketing philosophy that tive practice as a pedagogical tool that ping their toes into the brackish water
will spur libraries to move beyond their holds benefits both for ourselves as pro- of scary fiction, as well as a fount of new
comfort zone. fessionals and for our students. ideas for horror-aware reference staff,
Spratford’s book is infernally appropriate.

americanlibrariesmagazine.org|January/February 2018 67
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off the ground, whether it’s patent Users can create simple maps platform from Gridlogics, provides
research for prototypes or market of local businesses to determine full-text access to 43 patent author-
research and business plan creation the best place to locate their new ities, bibliographic records for more
for small businesses. venture, or create maps from than 100 others, and analytics and
multiple variables to explore visualization tools. The database
SimplyAnalytics consumer behavior, such as how includes full machine translations
After 10 years of providing much the average household in a of patents from 16 international
geographic analytics, SimplyMap census area spends on pet food, patent authorities.

68 January/February 2018|americanlibrariesmagazine.org
 SUBMISSIONS
To have a new product considered,
contact Carrie Smith at casmith@ala.org.

Six levels of access are available,

each of which provides full access Launching a Small
to the search database. PatSeer Lite
provides search and basic analysis Business in Naperville
functions, and more advanced
levels provide additional search and How do you use Gale Small
analysis capabilities, and collabora- USER: Kent Palmer, busi-
Business Builder (GSBB)?
tion and project management tools. ness librarian, Naperville
We use GSBB in three ways.
(Ill.) Public Library
All versions include powerful Walk-in library customers
search features, including search- who ask about any resources PRODUCT: Gale Small
term translation, related search for writing a business plan Business Builder
suggestions, and stem search are given a brief demonstra-
capabilities across six different tion on how to use GSBB. DETAILS: Gale Small Business Builder is
languages to help users locate Entrepreneurs who are writ- a software platform designed to help
information from a greater number ing a business plan can make libraries support business planning for
of international patents. Users one-on-one appointments entrepreneurs, start-ups, and other
can browse search results using a to receive a more in-depth small business ventures.
visualization feature that gener- demonstration, including
ates charts and graphs of variables creating an account in GSBB.
including date of patent, patent We also use the software as the foundation of a three-session class
assignee, and related patents. The entitled Write a Business Plan, taught in the NaperLaunch Academy,
data in these visualizations is inter- our series of programs designed to support entrepreneurs.
active, and clicking a data point
How does GSBB serve your library’s needs? Entrepreneurs in our
brings up a list of corresponding
area hear about NaperLaunch, our business coworking space, and
search results, making the patent
come to the library to work. Or they are directed by a SCORE Asso-
search process more intuitive.
ciation mentor to come here for assistance with developing market
Detailed views of records include
information, demographics, and writing a business plan. We provide
forward and backward citations
guidance on how to write a business plan through GSBB.
and analysis of the patent
content such as the key What are the main benefits? The software was designed by
concepts cloud, a word- a former investment banker with the intent of democratizing
frequency graphic gen- the process for business start-ups to access funding by giving
erated from the full text smaller enterprises the same top-quality, professional approach
of the patent. A built-in t business planning that larger enterprises develop through
to
drawing viewer allows for expensive advisors and consultants. The advice and consulting
quick browsing of patent services are built into the software. The software guidance is
drawings. New records c
comprehensive, and the step-by-step approach encourages them
are added to the data- to think of things they would not otherwise consider, allowing
base each week. the entrepreneur to understand their own business and financials
Pricing better after using GSBB. The entrepreneur using GSBB will create
starts at $900 a more thorough plan than without its guidance.
per quarter for a single PatSeer
concurrent user for PatSeer Lite, provides patent
What would you like to see improved or added to this resource?
with options for daily and monthly records and visual- We would like to see the return of two features that were available
access. Discounts on PatSeer are
ization tools. in Intercept, the previous version of the software: the ability to
available to subscribers of Pro- grant business plan access to a mentor, and the ability to access
Quest’s Dialog patents collection. other library resources, such as Gale databases (DemographicsNow,
Additional information is avail- Business Insights, Directory Library, and others) that support the
able at patseer.com. research process when creating a business plan.  •
americanlibrariesmagazine.org|January/February 2018 69
 Eric J. Robinson became director of
ON THE MOVE Dwight Foster Public Library in Fort
Atkinson, Wisconsin, in October.
Sonia Alcantara-Antoine became
director of Newport News (Va.) Public Patricia Swift Blalock, former Regina Rose became a librarian at Ste-
Library September 18. director of Selma–Dallas County venson University’s Owings Mills (Md.)
(Ala.) Public Library, was inducted School of Business Library in October.
The University of Central Florida in posthumously into the Alabama Fairfield County (Ohio) District Library
Orlando appointed Sandra Avila as sci- Social Work Hall of Fame Septem- selected Rebecca Schaade as director.
ence librarian in the research and infor- ber 22. She was as a social worker
mation services department in October. before her career as a librarian and UCLA appointed Alison M. Scott as
worked to integrate the library in associate university librarian for collec-
November 13 Ian Bogus was appointed tion management and scholarly com-
the early 1960s. She died in 2011.
executive director of the Research Col- munication October 2.
lections and Preservation Consortium Hartford (Conn.) Public Library
at Princeton (N.J.) University’s For- awarded the Caroline M. Hewins Deb Sica joined Alameda County (Calif.)
Scholarship to Danielle D. Valen- Library as deputy librarian in October.
restal Campus.
zano, a library assistant in the Jennifer Hodl Solomon
The Texas Library Association children’s department at Clermont became open access
appointed Dana Braccia as executive County (Conn.) Public Library’s librarian at the Univer-
director effective October 1. Milford–Miami Township branch. sity of North Carolina at
The $4,000 scholarship is given to Chapel Hill October 1.
Sommer Browning was appointed asso-
an individual who plans to special-
ciate director of technical and financial
services at University of Colorado Den-
ize in library work with children. • August 23 Ryan Whelpley became
manager of Ashtabula County (Ohio)
ver’s Auraria Library August 1. District Library’s Geneva branch.
Rebekah Kati was
Jeff D. Corrigan joined California State appointed institutional
University Monterey Bay in August as repository librarian at PROMOTIONS
science librarian. the University of North
Amanda Bowles became teen librarian
Carolina at Chapel Hill
Floyd Council became executive direc- at Monticello–Union Township (Ind.)
October 1.
tor of Birmingham (Ala.) Public Library Public Library in November.
November 13. October 10 Declan Kiely became direc- October 1 Jina DuVernay was promoted
tor of exhibitions at New York Public to special collections librarian at Ala-
August 1 Andrea Falcone became asso- Library. bama State University in Montgomery.
ciate director of education and public
services at University of Colorado Den- August 8 Judy Kuhns became UCF September 8 Lily Flick was promoted
ver’s Auraria Library. Connect librarian at the University to UCF Connect librarian at the Univer-
of Central Florida-Valencia Osceola sity of Central Florida–Valencia West
September 5 Nora Gabor joined DePaul Campus in Orlando. Campus in Orlando.
University Library in Chicago as rare
books librarian. In August Dan McClure became library The US Government Publishing Office
director at Clatsop Community College promoted Laurie Hall to superintendent
Kelli Getz became coordinator of col- in Astoria, Oregon. of documents October 16.
lections and scholarly resources at
Hannah Klusmeyer was promoted to
DePaul University Library in Chicago Kathleen Moeller-Peiffer
executive director at Wautoma (Wis.)
August 21. became deputy state
Public Library October 19.
librarian for library sup-
Dorrie Karlin joined Woburn (Mass.) port services at the New Sandy Raymond was promoted to
Public Library as youth services librarian Jersey State Library in director of Wayland (Mass.) Free Public
October 10. Trenton September 20. Library in October.

70 January/February 2018|americanlibrariesmagazine.org
 SUBMISSIONS
Send notices and photographs to
Amy Carlton, acarlton@ala.org.

MORE ONLINE
americanlibrariesmagazine.org/currents

Hope L. Baugh, 56, young adult services manager at Carmel College in Boston and Emporia (Kans.) State University, and
Clay (Ind.) Public Library, died September 20. Baugh joined was active in ALA, the Association of Research Libraries, the
the library as young adult librarian in 2001 and became man- Greater Western Library Alliance, the Nebraska Library Asso-
ager of the department in 2002. She was a longtime member ciation, and the Virginia Library Association.
of the Public Library Association and the Young Adult Library
Margaret Lippin, 72, who worked as a librarian at the Free
Services Association.
Library of Philadelphia until retiring in 2013, died October 21.
Richard K. Gardner, 88, founding editor of Choice, died
Carmela Marie Ruby, 84, died August 14. Ruby was presi-
June 9. He served as Choice editor from 1963–1966 and
dent of the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library
1972–1977. During his career, he was an academic librarian
Agencies (ASCLA) from 1980–1981. She earned her MLIS at
at Marietta (Ohio) College, Case Western Reserve Univer-
UCLA and taught at UC Berkeley, Catholic University of Amer-
sity in Cleveland, UCLA, and University of Montréal, where
ica in Washington, D.C., and Loyola University in Chicago.
he was director of the School of Library and Informational
Ruby worked at UC Davis’s library, California State Library,
Sciences. His publications include Library Collections: Their
and New Mexico State Library, and designed and launched
Origin, Selection, and Development, which received the Black-
the California Literacy Campaign. She was an advocate for
well Scholarship Award in 1982, and Education of Library
services to the disabled and institutionalized, and for distance
and Information Professionals: Present and Future Prospects.
education for rural areas and for libraries in Mexico and Nica-
In 2005, he received a Special Presidential Recognition
ragua. Ruby also coordinated the Sacramento Poetry Center’s
Award from the Association of College and Research Libraries
weekly poetry workshop and served on the board of California
(ACRL) in honor of his contributions to the association and
Friends of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
the profession.
Robert E. Saunter, 93, director of Clark County (Ohio) Public
Joan Ruth Giesecke, 65, emeritus dean of the University of
Library for 25 years, died October 28.
Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries, died October 9. She was with
the library for 25 years, including 16 as dean. During that Doris Isabell Brown Wright, 73, died
time, the library’s endowment tripled, she oversaw library October 9. Wright worked for Spartanburg
renovations, built relationships to advance teaching and County (S.C.) Public Libraries for 38 years as
research, and improved faculty diversity. She received the reference librarian, director of reference ser-
American Library Association (ALA) Equality Award in 2011. vices, assistant county librarian, and interim
Giesecke wrote seven management books, taught at Simmons county librarian. •
Candace Wells was promoted to adult Deputy Librarian of Congress Robert October 9 Jessica Hughes became
services manager at Monticello–Union R. Newlen retired September 29. executive director of ASCLA and RUSA.
Township (Ind.) Public Library in
November. Harriett Zipfel retired as director of Briana Jarnagin joined the Office for
Galesburg (Ill.) Public Library in October. Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Ser-
vices as member services assistant
RETIREMENTS October 10.
AT ALA
William Gargan retired as language Susan Maguire joined Booklist as senior
and literature bibliographer at Brooklyn September 19 Mariel Colbert joined editor, collection management and
(N.Y.) College Library in September. ACRL as program coordinator. library outreach, in the Adult Books sec-
tion October 16.
September 8 Christopher Hoeppner Jennifer Cross, web services manager
retired as associate university librarian for ASCLA and the Reference and User Jillian Wentworth was promoted to
for administrative services at DePaul Services Association (RUSA), left ALA manager of marketing and membership
University Library in Chicago. October 12. for United for Libraries in September. 

americanlibrariesmagazine.org|January/February 2018 71
 the Tribal
Heritage
BOOKEND

C
hecking books out over the
phone. Driving up to 40,000
miles a year. It’s all part of
the job for staff members of the
Woksape Tipi Library and Archives
on the Pine Ridge Indian Reserva-
tion in southwest South Dakota.
As both the academic library for
Oglala Lakota Tribal College and the
public library for the reservation,
the Woksape Tipi Library oversees
13 branch libraries scattered over
nearly 3,500 square miles. “We’re
all about local access,” says archi-
vist Tawa Ducheneaux (pictured),
one of six library employees.
If a staff member isn’t present
at a branch when patrons want to
check out a book, patrons simply
call the main library and read the
book’s barcode number to some-
one there. Books are returned via
branch drop boxes; to check them
back in, a library worker drives once
a week to the busiest sites, and
once every two weeks to the others.
In addition to books, the library
houses an extensive collection of
Oglala Lakota historical and cultural
objects, such as quilts made by
local families. One popular display:
an exhibit of books and other items
that belonged to Oglala Lakota
chief, author, philosopher, educator,
and actor Luther Standing Bear,
who died in 1939.
“The ways we tell our stories
here might differ from the way
someone might tell it in a typical
museum,” says Ducheneaux, who
often discusses the collection with
students. “We can talk about who
this item belonged to, where they
lived, who might have made it.
Those are the kinds of things we’re
Archivist Tawa Ducheneaux stands over a quilt that super excited about.” 
Photo: Willi White

dates to between 1913–1915. Each square was created

by quilting club members from the Wounded Knee THE BOOKEND showcases librarians,
District in South Dakota and notes the maker’s identity, their work, and their work spaces.
For consideration, please send press
the date, and sometimes the family’s cattle brand.
material to americanlibraries@ala.org.

72 January/February 2018
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
Stop by Oxford University Press booth #1538 at ALA
Midwinter for a chance to test your knowledge, talk
with our representatives, win prizes*, and attend
interactive events.

Cheers & Beers! Pub-themed trivia Opening Reception

Friday, February 9th, 5:30-7:00pm
Join us for an evening at the pub! We invite you to grab a beer, snack on pub-themed
refreshments, and partake in either of our two rounds of trivia, one at 6:00pm and another
at 6:30pm.

You, Me, and the OREs: How the Oxford Research Encyclopedias were
developed by Oxford, for you
Saturday, February 10th, 2:00-3:00pm
What are the Oxford Research Encyclopedias (OREs), why were they made, and more
importantly, what can they do for your library? Enjoy complimentary refreshments as we
give away prizes* and share everything you need to know about the new OREs.

Colorado in an Hour: Explore the great state of Colorado through

Oxford’s online products
Sunday, February 11th, 10:30-11:30am
Savor some “road trip” refreshments as you travel with us on a virtual journey of the
beautiful state of Colorado! We’ll construct an interesting fact roadmap of Colorado with
content from Oxford’s various online products.

Friday, 2/9 Cheers & Beers! Pub-themed trivia Opening Reception

5:30–7:00 Refreshments
Refreshments will
willbe be
providedw
providedA

Saturday, 2/10 Sunday, 2/11

10:00-10:30 An UPSO Update
Colorado in an Hour
10:30-11:00 Journals in a Jiffy Explore the great state of Colorado through
Oxford’s online products
11:00-11:30 Did you catch that Reference? Refreshments will be provided

11:30-12:00 An UPSO Update Time to be Social with Social Explorer

You, Me, and the OREs Journals in a Jiffy
2:00-2:30 How the Oxford Research Encyclopedias were
developed by Oxford, for you
2:30-3:00 Refreshments will be provided
Did you catch that Reference?

3:00-3:30 Time to be Social with Social Explorer You, Me, and the OREs

booth #1538

*while supplies last

1
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