Press Releases

Jul 29: Join travel enthusiasts and tour the French and Italian Rivieras this fall

CHICAGO — The itinerary is set for ASCLA’s biannual fundraising trip (PDF), which will head to...

Jul 28: Volunteer to serve on ALA or Council committees for 2015 - 2016

CHICAGO — Sari Feldman, American Library Association (ALA) president-elect, encourages members to volunteer to serve on ALA and Council committees for the 2015-2016 term (terms start on July 1, 2015). Committee appointments will be finalized at the 2015 ALA Midwinter Meeting, with...

Jul 25: Collaborating with teens to build better library programs

CHICAGO — ALA Editions announces a new iteration of its popular eCourse Collaborating with Teens to Build Better Library Programs. Jennifer Velásquez will serve as the instructor for a four-week...

Jul 25: RUSA calls for webinar and online course proposals

CHICAGO — E-books, library programming and outreach, marketing and leading a book group are just some of the topics sought by the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) for 2015 online continuing education webinars and online courses.

...

Jul 25: Storytime shenanigans: Building great programs for preschoolers

CHICAGO — ALA Editions announces a new iteration of its popular eCourse Storytime Shenanigans: Building Great Programs for Preschoolers. Rob Reid will serve as the instructor for a three-week facilitated eCourse starting on...

Jul 25: Demystifying copyright: How to educate your staff and community

Chicago—ALA Editions announces a new iteration of our popular eCourse Demystifying Copyright: How to Educate Your Staff and Community. Lesley Ellen Harris will serve as the instructor for a 4-week...

Jul 24: Instructional design essentials

CHICAGO — ALA Editions announces a new facilitated eCourse Instructional Design Essentials. Nicole Pagowsky and Erica DeFrain will serve as the instructors for this four-week facilitated eCourse, which starts on Sept. 15, 2014...

Jul 22: Customer-based collection development

CHICAGO — The traditional “top down” approach to collection development definitely has its drawbacks: even after spending a good deal of time, energy and resources, librarians are sometimes frustrated to find that their library’s collection is not being used as they...

Jul 22: ALA, Harwood Institute announce ‘Public Innovators Lab for Libraries’ community engagement training opportunity

CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA) and The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation have announced an intensive three-day training opportunity to help libraries strengthen their role as agents of positive change in their communities.

The Public Innovators Lab for...

Jul 22: Ames Public Library awarded 2014 Baker & Taylor Summer Reading Program Grant

CHICAGO — The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) has awarded the 2014 ALSC/Baker & Taylor Summer Reading Program Grant to the Ames (Iowa) Public Library.

This grant is designed to encourage outstanding summer reading programs by providing financial assistance,...

Jul 22: Libraries support digital readiness with tech training, STEM programs, more robust online collections

Leading Role Recognized in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

Nearly 100 percent of America’s public libraries offer workforce development training programs, online job resources, and technology skills training, according to a new study from the...

Jul 22: Popular technology trainer course with PLA returns this September

CHICAGO — The popular, interactive online course, “The Accidental Public Library Technology Trainer,” is coming live to a computer near you Sept. 8–Oct. 3, 2014. This four-week...

Jul 22: Apply to host Shakespeare’s 1623 ‘First Folio’ in traveling exhibition

CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office, in collaboration with the Folger Shakespeare Library and Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC), is accepting applications for the traveling exhibition Shakespeare and...

Jul 22: New public library data available online

CHICAGO — The Public Library Data Service (PLDS) FY2013 data is now available with a special section on outcome measures. This valuable data from more than 1,100 North American libraries can be exclusively...

Jul 22: Shawna Manchakowsky wins student stipend for YALSA’s Young Adult Literature Symposium

CHICAGO – Shawna Manchakowsky, a student at the University of Alberta, has won the 2014 Young Adult Literature Symposium student stipend from the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA).

“I want young adults to feel that the library is a safe place to be, where...

Jul 22: AASL releases position statement on the role of the school librarian in Senior/Capstone Projects

CHICAGO — The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) has published a new position statement on the role of the school librarian in Senior/Capstone Projects. Senior/Capstone Projects are research-oriented courses driven by student interest and not...

Jul 22: ALA applauds presidential signing of the workforce bill

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, President Barack Obama will sign the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, a bill that will open access to federal funding support to public libraries for effective job training and job search programs. President Obama will sign the bill into law from 12:00 to 1...

Jul 21: Information governance and security

CHICAGO — Written by Alan MacLennan, “Information Governance and Assurance: Reducing Risk, Promoting Policy,” published by Facet Publishing and available...

Jul 21: Letting go of legacy services

CHICAGO — The last few years have proven beyond any doubt that libraries cannot afford to coast along with the status quo. Just as important as proposing and adding new services is the sometimes unpleasant process of critically examining existing realities and letting go of obsolete or...

Jul 18: ALA brings library lens to network neutrality debate in FCC public comments

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today the American Library Association (ALA) urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to adopt the legally enforceable network neutrality rules necessary to fulfill library missions and serve communities nationwide. The ALA joined 10 other national higher...

Jul 15: New Jersey libraries team up to teach valuable language skills through American Dream Starts @ your library grant

CHICAGO — Three New Jersey libraries are teaming for results in the area of community engagement.

Through an American Dream Starts @ your library grant provided by the American Library Association and the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, three Essex (N.J...

Jul 15: AASL transforms learning with new mission statement and strategic plan

CHICAGO –The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) challenges leaders in all fields to bring about an evolution in student learning with its adoption of a new mission statement and strategic plan. During the 2014 ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas, the AASL Board of Directors...

Jul 15: COA announces accreditation decisions taken at 2014 Annual Conference

CHICAGO — The Committee on Accreditation (COA) of the American Library Association (ALA) announces accreditation decisions made at the 2014 ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas.

Continued accreditation status was granted to the following programs, with the next...

Jul 15: Preserving complex digital objects

CHICAGO — “Preserving Complex Digital Objects,” published by Facet Publishing and available through the ALA Store,...

Jul 15: The path to a carbon-neutral library

CHICAGO — The first book to seriously examine the future of libraries in a climate reality-based context, “Ecology, Economy, Equity: The Path to a Carbon-Neutral Library,” published by...

Jul 15: Three groups win United for Libraries’ Baker & Taylor Awards

PHILADELPHIA — Three groups have been recognized with United for Libraries’ Baker & Taylor Awards for outstanding efforts to support their library. This year’s winners are Friends of the Weber County Library (Ogden, Utah), Friends of the Peoria (Ariz.) Public Library and...

Jul 15: ALSC and LEGO Systems partner to create Junior Maker Spaces

CHICAGO – The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and LEGO Systems, Inc. are working together to bring Junior Maker Spaces to libraries across the country. This project will focus on giving children ages 4 to 6 areas to make and create in their local libraries.

...

Jul 14: Burhanna wins inaugural LIRT Librarian Recognition Award

CHICAGO — The American Library Association's (ALA) Library Instruction Round Table (LIRT) awarded its first ever Librarian Recognition Award at ALA Annual Conference on Sunday, June 29, 2014 to Kenneth Burhanna, associate professor and assistant dean for...

Jul 14: Empower patrons and improve nonfiction circulation with tips from new PLA webinar

CHICAGO – Looking for a way to improve customer service, access and "findability" for your patrons? Register for the live, hour-long webinar, "Dewey 2.0: Reinvigorating Your Nonfiction Collections," at 1 p.m....

Jul 14: United for Libraries honors Kendrick B. Melrose with Major Benefactor Citation

PHILADELPHIA — United for Libraries, in conjunction with the Orange County (Fla.) Library System, honored Kendrick B. Melrose with its Major Benefactor Citation for his significant contribution to the creation of the Dorothy Lumley Melrose Center for Technology,...