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November/December 2020
THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
p. 26
Archiving the
Pandemic p. 30
Teen-Led
Activism p. 40
PLUS: Deaf StorySlam,
Magic Collection, BCALA at 50
A Fresh Take
on the Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits
More speakers … more education … and more celebrations and networking
opportunities than ever before!
Highlights include:
• Symposium on the Future of Libraries—offering sessions on future trends to inspire
innovation in libraries
• News You Can Use—with updates that highlight new research, innovations, and advances
in libraries
• Interactive Author Events & Live Chats
• Awards celebrations, including the Youth Media Awards and the I Love My Librarian Awards
• A Virtual Exhibit Hall with NEW! Presentation Stages
Featured Speakers with more to be announced:
Ibram X. Kendi and Joy Harjo Emmanuel Acho Cicely Tyson
Keisha N. Blain ALA President’s Program Featured Speaker Featured Speaker
Opening Session
Registration will open November 5, 2020, Noon Central
and close January 15, 2021, Noon Central.
www.alamidwinter.org
#alamw21
November/December 2020
American Libraries | Volume 51 #11/12 | ISSN 0002-9769
COVER STORY
26 Escape for
the Isolated
Dungeons &
Dragons offers
online realms
of fantasy,
adventure
BY Timothy Inklebarger
30 FEATURES
30 Collecting Coronavirus
Stories
Librarians and archivists around
the country ask patrons to
document history in the making
BY Claire Zulkey
34 Black Caucus of the ALA
Celebrates 50 Years
Members look at
what’s ahead for
Black librarianship
BY Alison Marcotte
34 40 Let Them Lead
In a new age of protest,
teen librarians support
youth interests and activism
BY Emily Udell
44 The Weight We Carry
Creating a trauma-informed
library workforce
44 BY Rebecca Tolley
ON THE COVER: Illustration by Katie Wheeler
40
16 20
19
UP FRONT TRENDS PERSPECTIVES
3 From the 14 The Great Outdoors IN PRACTICE
Editor Libraries turn to drone delivery, outdoor 48 Our Collective Power
A Welcome Escape browsing, and other alfresco services BY Meredith Farkas
BY Sanhita SinhaRoy BY Anne Ford
DISPATCHES
6 From Our 16 The Missing Piece 49 One Country, One Collection
Readers Libraries use board games to encourage BY Mirela Roncevic
critical thinking in young people
BY Diana Panuncial YOUTH MATTERS
ALA 50 Reset and Reconnect
18 Drawing the Line BYBecky Calzada, Anita Cellucci,
4 From the How libraries handle the and Courtney Lewis
President legacy of racist murals
We the People BY Cass Balzer ON MY MIND
BY Julius C. Jefferson Jr. 51 More Seats at the Table
SPOTLIGHT BY Joslyn Bowling Dixon
5 From the 20 Signing Stories
Executive New narrative series features LIBRARIAN’S LIBRARY
Director Deaf artists and their experiences 52 Empower, Provide, Engage
Ending Information BY Kristina Gómez BY Allison Escoto
Redlining
NEWSMAKERS
BY Tracie D. Hall PEOPLE
22 Marcus Samuelsson
8 Update 54 Announcements
and Osayi Endolyn
What’s happening
Their new volume showcases the
at ALA THE BOOKEND
diversity and wealth of Black cooking
BY Anne Ford 56 Conjuring a
Collection
PLUS
15 By the Numbers
19 Global Reach
24 Noted & Quoted
56
Digital Society Press 11 | University of Nebraska 21 | American Library Association Conference Services Cover 2 | Development Office 13 | Editions 25 | JobLIST 55
Public Library Association Cover 3, Cover 4
THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
Address:
225 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1300
Chicago, IL 60601
Website:americanlibraries.org
A Welcome Escape
F
Email: americanlibraries@ala.org
Phone: 800-545-2433 plus extension
Career Ads: JobLIST.ala.org antasy! Adventure! Peril!
That may sound like a description of every-
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER
Favorite Sanhita SinhaRoy Bananagrams day life in 2020—but, as you’ll read in our
board ssinharoy@ala.org | x4219
cover story (“Escape for the Isolated,” p. 26),
game? MANAGING EDITOR Hungry Hungry those elements are actually the big draw of virtual
Terra Dankowski Hippos
tdankowski@ala.org | x5282 Dungeons & Dragons games, which many library
Trivial SENIOR EDITORS workers are hosting to build community during the
Amy Carlton
Pursuit acarlton@ala.org | x5105 pandemic. Timothy Inklebarger reports that the ever-
Phil Morehart Clue popular role-playing game is providing entertainment
pmorehart@ala.org | x4218
for some ... and a lifeline to others.
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Sanhita SinhaRoy
Scattergories
This year we celebrate the semicentennial of ALA’s
Sallyann Price
sprice@ala.org | x4213 Black Caucus, which has done so much for so many. In
EDITOR-AT-LARGE “Black Caucus of the ALA Celebrates 50 Years” (p. 34),
Anne Ford Taboo Alison Marcotte speaks with 10 members of the affiliate
aford@ala.org
organization about the role of libraries in combating
EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING ASSOCIATE
systemic racism and fighting for social justice, espe-
Upwords Carrie Smith
casmith@ala.org | x4216 cially during this very turbulent anniversary year.
ART DIRECTOR Also making history—or rather, archiving it—
Rebecca Lomax Masterpiece
Backgammon rlomax@ala.org | x4217 are the library workers gathering local C OVID-19
ADVERTISING experiences for posterity. In “Collecting Coronavirus
Michael Stack mstack@ala.org | 847-367-7120 Stories” (p. 30), Claire Zulkey interviews librarians
Acceptance of advertising does not constitute endorsement.
ALA reserves the right to refuse advertising. and archivists about the snapshots they’re capturing of
PUBLISHING DEPARTMENT the pandemic’s effects on society.
Sorry! Mary Mackay
Pandemics pass, but the strength and passion of
Associate Executive Director
Mary Jo Bolduc Scrabble From young people don’t, as you’ll read in “Let Them Lead”
Rights, Permissions, Reprints | x5416 (p. 40). In the context of Black Lives Matter and
Ticket MEMBERSHIP archiving looming elections, among other issues, some library
to Ride Melissa Kay Walling, Director
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
pandemic workers are helping young activists “not only develop
and amplify their voices but also build awareness and
Susan H. Polos (Chair), Helen Ruth Adams, Jason K. Alston,
Crystal Chen, Janie L. Hermann, Jasmina Jusic, and Shelley
stories to change in their communities,” reports Emily Udell.
O’Rourke. Committee associates: Rachel Beth Wykle and
Lori Bryan. Editorial policy: ALA Policy Manual, section A.8.2 supporting You may know award-winning chef Marcus
Samuelsson from his many TV appearances, including
INDEXED
Available full text from ProQuest, EBSCO Publishing, H. W. Wilson,
young Chopped. His new cookbook, The Rise: Black Cooks
LexisNexis, Information Access, JSTOR.
activists in and the Soul of American Food, coauthored with Osayi
SUBSCRIBE Endolyn, celebrates the richness and range of Black
Libraries and other institutions: $74/year, 6 issues, US, Canada, and
Mexico; international: $84. Subscription price for individuals included this new age cooking. As our Newsmakers (p. 22), Samuelsson
in ALA membership dues. 800-545-2433 email membership@
and Endolyn talk with Anne Ford about the racial
ala.org, or visit ala.org. Claim missing issues: ALA Member and of protest,
Customer Service. Allow six weeks. Single issues $7.50, with
dynamics of the food publishing world. Find a couple
30% discount for five or more; contact Carrie Smith, 800-545-2433
x4216 or casmith@ala.org
library of recipes from The Rise on americanlibraries.org
after November 2.
PUBLISHED workers have
American Libraries (ISSN 0002-9769) is published 6 times It’ll be sure to inspire ideas for holiday meals—and
yearly with occasional supplements by the American Library
Association (ALA). Printed in USA. Periodicals postage paid at
been vital. provide an escape.
Chicago, Illinois, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER:
Personal members: Send address changes to American Libraries,
c/o Membership Records, ALA, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1300,
Chicago, IL 60601. ©2020 American Library Association. All rights
reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced or
republished without written permission from the publisher.
americanlibraries.org | November/December 2020 3
from the
PRESIDENT
We the People
Let’s carry the profession into the future by working together
A
s a career federal employee, I took ■ Library workers are committed and resource-
an oath of allegiance to the US Con- ful and have served as second responders in
stitution, which begins with three times of crisis.
words that are the bedrock upon ■ Too many communities remain under-
which our country stands: We the resourced, without basic access to information
People. To me, it means the government exists technologies in the digital age.
to serve all citizens of this experiment called ■ Libraries collaborate with local partners
the United States of America. And yet we know and find ways to remain essential, useful
that when the Constitution was penned in 1787, institutions.
ratified in 1788, and in effect after 1789, We the ■ Our best advocacy tools are the stories we hear
Julius C. Jefferson Jr.
People did not include all the people. from those who benefit from library services in
The primary focus of my ALA presidency is their communities.
to serve the people—all people—with particular ■ Change in national library policies begins with
attention to those who were not included or who stories of hardship and success, like those we
are underrepresented or forgotten. heard along the virtual road.
In my last column, I shared the idea behind Libraries need our help. If they lack resources
ALA’s “Holding Space” tour, which began in July to serve all people, this American experiment
and featured virtual visits to 11 libraries across fails. In 2020, this year of crisis, do we have
the country that serve the people, highlighting 20/20 vision for our future? With so much
communities that have too often been voiceless. division and turmoil in the world, we as a people
The goal was to listen and accept the truth, must move forward together.
reality, and experiences of library workers and The work of our Association is at a crossroads
the communities they serve. A major part of the as well. ALA staff and members have been
success of “Holding Space” was rooted in our considering the Association’s future governance
relationships with ALA chapters, state libraries, structure, constitution, and bylaws for the past
affiliate organizations, and the local people we few years, led initially by the Steering Committee
visited virtually in amazing communities across on Organizational Effectiveness (SCOE). We now
the country. We discussed each community’s have a new working group under the direction of
specific needs while connecting ALA’s strategic Council called Forward Together. The group will
priorities with community leaders and elected facilitate discussions regarding SCOE’s recom-
officials at all levels of government. Our online mendation to the ALA Executive Board. This
travels were led by our incredible ALA staff, nota- phase will lead Council to a constitutional con-
If libraries bly our virtual tour bus crew from ALA’s Public vention aimed at structuring ALA for long-term
lack resources Policy and Advocacy Office. success and sustainability.
Here are takeaways from the tour: Our role as ALA members is to advocate for
to serve all ■ Libraries across the country are doing con- library services and library workers, ensuring
crete, effective work, serving the needs of their access to information for all. Our mission can be
people, this
communities. successful only when everyone is included in
American ■ Libraries are critical infrastructure in their We the People.
communities, especially in workforce devel-
experiment
opment, innovation, connectivity, leadership, JULIUS C. JEFFERSON JR. is president of the Ameri-
fails. and community engagement. can Library Association.
4 November/December 2020 | americanlibraries.org
from the
EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR
Ending Information Redlining
The role of libraries in the next wave of the civil rights movement
T
his past June, in my first address before the nation’s Black residents and 62% of Latinx
ALA’s membership as executive director, residents are slated to be shut out of or under-
I outlined three urgencies facing the prepared for 86% of US jobs by 2045. They are
library and information science field: experiencing a “racial tech gap” that threatens
expanding digital and data access; their future economic mobility. The researchers
rapidly diversifying the racial composition of the observed that Black and Latinx households are a
LIS workforce; and preserving library services by decade behind white households in broadband
cultivating new stakeholders and partnerships. access. The study states: “If this digital racial gap
In my most recent column, I called out equi- is not addressed, in one generation alone, digiti-
table information access as a matter of social zation could render the country’s minorities into
Tracie D. Hall
justice and questioned how ALA and its collective an unemployment abyss.”
constituency might work even more intentionally ALA and the nation’s libraries have a primary
to eradicate information poverty. role to play in closing this gap. In fact, I believe
I want to pick up this discussion. Let’s look at countering information redlining is at the center
the pervasive and persistent inequities in infor- of the next wave of the civil rights movement
mation and digital access—and the degree to that’s already under way.
which they are profoundly raced and classed—as The Association’s recent release “Built by
an instance of what I call information redlining. E-Rate: A Case Study of Two Tribally-Owned Fiber
Redlining is “the practice of arbitrarily denying Networks and the Role of Libraries in Making It
or limiting financial services to specific neighbor- Happen” (bit.ly/ALAE-Rate) illustrates how tribal
hoods, generally because its residents are people libraries have used the federal E-Rate program
of color or are poor,” according to Encyclope- to bring high-speed internet to sovereign nations
dia of Chicago. in New Mexico. It’s just one of many examples
Information redlining, as I am asserting it, is of how we can bring awareness to an area that
the systematic denial of equitable access to infor- urgently demands investment and advocacy.
mation, information services, and information The persistence of the coronavirus pandemic
Information retrieval methods. continues to expose the degree to which societal
redlining is Though this definition is my own, in research- inequities are inextricably linked. Information
ing other occurrences of the term, I discovered disparities beget education and employment dis-
the denial references to scholarship in the mid-1990s by parities; education and employment disparities
of equitable researchers Marvin Anderson, Gary Bass, Patrice beget economic, health, and housing disparities;
McDermott, and Henry Perritt, who forecast economic, health, and housing disparities beget
access to the increasing dependence on digital access and justice system and incarceration disparities;
information, formats. Their writings argue that information and justice system and incarceration disparities
redlining consists of, but is not limited to, not only circle back to create information disparities.
information how low-income, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and The last link in this cycle—the relationship
people of color), and rural communities access between justice system and incarceration
services, and
information, but what information is most readily inequities and information disparity—will be the
information available and discoverable by these groups. focus of my next column. Until then.
In September, a study from Deutsche Bank
retrieval
called America’s Racial Gap and Big Tech’s Closing TRACIE D. HALL is executive director of the Ameri-
methods. Window (bit.ly/DBstudy) showed that 76% of can Library Association.
americanlibraries.org | November/December 2020 5
from our
READERS
Here’s when to
Policing the Library
call the cops at a I really appreciated “Rethinking
library: never. Police Presence” (Sept./Oct.,
@NORA_CHARLES p. 46). Since my library branch
in response to “When recently reopened, I have had a
Not to Call the Cops” recurring nightmare: A patron is
(Sept./Oct., p. 49) in the middle of the library, refus-
ing to wear a mask and shouting
Dear that the pandemic is a hoax. Our I don’t know if my library will that library and was told it would
staffers take turns asking [them] ever see a patron become so hos- cease employing uniformed
#librarytwitter, to wear a mask or leave the library tile that we’ll need to ask them to security and conducting routine
what’s the most until somebody calls the police. leave. I don’t know if the patron police walkthroughs.
library-esque The police come, and, as we have will leave, or if the police will be While I felt safer in that library
seen happen time and again, they called, or if the police will shoot with security and police present,
thing you’ve done
shoot first and ask questions later. someone. I do know we could one thing I realized was that
recently? Me, it In some versions of the invest in educating the public and within the confines of that library,
would have to be nightmare, the patron is killed for fighting against the economic I could briefly taste the privilege
cutting out a felt being ignorant of the true dan- disparities that lead to informa- that white people experience
gers of this pandemic, because tion deprivation in the first place. with police. Police and secu-
for a virtual they do not have the information It’s just a matter of what we rity saw me every day, knew I
storytime on top access needed to learn about it prioritize in our city budgets. worked there, and made no false
of my recent copy (whereas misinformation is easy Shelley Rosen assumptions on my motives.
to access). In other versions of Philadelphia But once I left work, I looked
of @amlibraries.
the nightmare, it is one of my The nation is grappling with what just as suspicious as any other
@COLLEGECUISINER
coworkers who takes the bullet. role law enforcement officers Black man to those police who
in response to the
What does it say that we cannot should hold in society. More didn’t know me.
Sept./Oct. issue
trust police not to kill the very people are realizing that Black Library patrons—even
workers we are trying to protect? and Brown people haven’t just regulars—may never realize such
So far, everyone coming into been blowing hot air for all these comfort. Regulars may still be
the library has been compliant decades when we’ve discussed eyed with suspicion by security
with safety precautions. There the abuse our communities suffer personnel who don’t know their
has been no need for action from at the hands of cops. We’re motives even if they know their
our guards, let alone the police. seeing some cities take steps faces. Should my comfort come
But I still worry. I worry that if it toward police reform. We’re also at the expense of the comfort of
doesn’t happen at my library, it seeing libraries rethink their rela- library visitors in this regard? If
will happen at a library in another tionship with law enforcement I’m committed to solidarity, no.
county, or another state. At any and security firms. Jason Alston
library whose plan for handling I once worked in a library that Kansas City, Missouri
Alston is a member of the American
a hostile patron is to call the I didn’t feel particularly safe in. I
Libraries Advisory Committee.
police. I worry, because we have admit that even as a Black man,
directed more funding to punish- someone who is most likely to The article was very interest-
ing poverty and ignorance than be assumed a threat by cops, ing, but it gave me a concern.
combating these issues. I’d be nervous if I still worked at Past American Libraries articles
WRITE US: The editors welcome comments about recent content, online stories, and matters FOLLOW US:
of professional interest. Submissions should be limited to 300 words and are subject to editing @amlibraries
for clarity, style, and length. Send to americanlibraries@ala.org or American Libraries, From Our facebook.com/
Readers, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1300, Chicago, IL 60601. amlibraries
6 November/December 2020 | americanlibraries.org
on our
WEBSITE
have attacked the stereotype
of the overeducated-old-maid
Luther King Jr., John Lewis, and
two Southern public libraries.
What You’re Reading
1
and milquetoast-male librarian. While researching Part of
Virus-Responsive Design In the age of
Yet this article seems to give Our Lives: A People’s History
COVID-19, architects merge future-facing
credence to the stereotype of of the American Public Library
innovations with present-day needs.
the police officer as a bully and (Oxford University Press, 2015),
bit.ly/AL-VirusDesign
brute. Why should one stereo- I found out that in the 1930s
2
type be opposed and another Black librarian Annie Watters
Conscientious Cataloging Librarians are
promoted, especially when both purchased works by Mohandas
working to advance equity in their catalogs’
are wrong? Gandhi for adult education dis-
subject headings. bit.ly/AL-ConsCat
Not everything that happens cussion groups at her segregated
3
in libraries is all sweetness and Auburn branch of Atlanta Public Ready for Action As cities undertake
light. We have all seen and expe- Library. The patron most attract- climate action plans, libraries emerge as
rienced bad things, from drug ed to them, however, was an partners. bit.ly/AL-ClimateAction
deals to brawls, and they are not adolescent Martin Luther King Jr.
what we are equipped to handle While researching The Deseg-
well. Police officers are trained to
deal with these things and have
regation of Public Libraries in the
Jim Crow South: Civil Rights and
In Case You Missed It
the legal authority to do things Local Activism (LSU Press, 2018) REALM Project Announces
we don’t. The question is not how with my wife Shirl, we came Test 4 Results Study shows how
do we keep cops out of libraries across David Halberstam’s The long COVID-19 virus lives on common
or hide them somewhere; the Children (Fawcett, 1999), a story library materials. bit.ly/AL-REALM4
question is how do we work with about eight young civil rights
the police so staffers can do their activists in Nashville in the early Teaming Up for Teaching Public
jobs and patrons can use libraries 1960s. Halberstam described how librarians, school librarians, and teach-
with peace and security? Jim Bevel, one of those activists, ers are working more closely than ever
Public service staffers need all “found a wealth of books on to help families navigate an unpredict-
the help they can get in dealing Gandhi” at the already deseg- able school year. bit.ly/AL-TeamingUp
with what we euphemize as regated Nashville Public Library
“problem patrons.” Administra- and circulated them among his Small and Rural Libraries
tors need to work with their own friends—including John Lewis, Episode 54 of our podcast looks at
staff and with the police to devise then a student at Nashville’s issues affecting remote communities,
ways and means of dealing with American Baptist College. including the digital divide. bit.ly/
AL-PodcastSRL
crisis situations without either Two civil rights leaders
locking down libraries or turning committed to nonviolent civil
them into free-for-alls.
Kathleen Stipek
disobedience to correct injustice,
I thought to myself, and two
Coming Soon
Gainesville, Florida public libraries whose collections
Our preview of ALA Midwinter Virtual, taking
influenced the course of Amer-
place January 22–26.
Honoring John Lewis ican history.
After reading ALA President Wayne A. Wiegand Referenda Roundup, our annual recap of library
Julius C. Jefferson Jr.’s “Stand Up, Walnut Creek, California
bills on the ballot around the country.
Speak Out” (Sept./Oct., p. 4) and
Executive Director Tracie D. Hall’s CORRECTION A look at how presidential libraries are rethink-
“Necessary Trouble” (Sept./Oct., In “Don’t Touch” (Sept./Oct., ing their subjects’ complicated histories after a
p. 5), both discussing the legacy p. 60), Princh’s transaction fees summer of racial justice protests.
of the late John Lewis, I was apply only to electronic payments.
reminded of a recent historical The stated amount of 7 cents is an
discovery that connects Martin average, not a flat fee. AMERICANLIBRARIES.ORG
americanlibraries.org | November/December 2020 7
ALA Supports ACCESS the Internet Act
U
S Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and John Cornyn key to addressing digital inequities the COVID-19 pandemic
(R-Tex.) introduced the bipartisan Accelerating Con- has laid bare.”
nected Care and Education Support Services on the Ensuring that libraries have affordable, high-capacity inter-
Internet Act (ACCESS the Internet Act), which includes fund- net access is a priority of ALA’s national advocacy agenda.
ing for libraries. The $2 billion legislation addresses imme- Throughout the pandemic, libraries have been working to
diate gaps in internet access necessary for distance learning ensure their communities remain connected by loaning Wi-Fi
and telehealth. The distance learning provision will fuel a hotspots, extending their Wi-Fi signals beyond their walls,
two-year, $200 million hotspot pilot program for libraries, to and delivering Wi-Fi access to the community with mobile
be administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Ser- vans and partnerships with community organizations.
vices (IMLS). A minimum allotment of $1.6 million per state “The ACCESS the Internet Act is a timely step in the right
will allow states, tribes, and territories to purchase internet- direction, and ALA commends the senators for recognizing
connected devices for libraries in low-income and rural areas. that investment in libraries is the most effective way to put
The bill includes funding for the Department of Education, the broadband provisions to work,” said Jefferson. “This bill
Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Federal Communica- will help millions of underconnected Americans during this
tions Commission. critical time.”
American Library Association (ALA) President Julius In addition to advocating for funding to expand internet
C. Jefferson Jr. praised the legislation in an August 7 state- access through libraries, ALA is urging Congress to support
ment: “[ALA] is pleased to see the introduction of Senator the Library Stabilization Fund Act (bit.ly/LibFunding), which
Manchin’s and Senator Cornyn’s solutions to keep their com- would address financial losses from COVID-19 and bolster
munities connected, and Wi-Fi hotspots are in high demand library services, allowing libraries to continue to provide
as people pivot to learning, working, seeking healthcare, essential community services including distance learning,
and [doing] many day-to-day tasks online. With so many telemedicine, government services, digital collections, and
households still without broadband at home, libraries are legal information.
ALA Scholarship in library and information science. Appli- contributions of librarians working in
Applications Open cants interested in school librarianship public, school, college, community col-
ALA has more than $300,000 available to must attend a program that meets ALA lege, or university libraries.
students who are studying library science curriculum guidelines for the Council for Ten librarians will each receive
or are enrolled in school library media the Accreditation of Educator Prepa- $5,000 in recognition of their out-
programs at the master’s degree level. ration (CAEP). standing achievements. Awardees will
Scholarships are open to students who The scholarship process runs annually be honored at the virtual I Love My
are interested in children’s librarianship, from September through March. For Librarian Award ceremony on January
youth librarianship, federal librarianship, more information, visit the ALA Scholar- 23, which will take place during ALA’s
new media, and library automation. ship page at ala.org/educationcareers/ 2021 Midwinter Meeting & Exhib-
Awards range from $2,500 to $8,000 per scholarships. The deadline to apply is its; winners will also receive free full
student per year. In addition, scholar- March 1, 2021. conference registration as part of their
ships are available for minorities, persons award packages.
with disabilities, and people who are Nominations Open for To be eligible for the award, nom-
already employed in libraries while work- I Love My Librarian Award inees must hold a master’s degree in
ing toward an MLS. ALA invites library users to nominate library and information studies from a
To be considered for one of these their favorite librarians for the I Love program accredited by ALA or a master’s
scholarships, applicants must attend an My Librarian Award. The award rec- degree with a specialty in school library
ALA-accredited master’s level program ognizes the outstanding public service media from an educational program
8 November/December 2020 | americanlibraries.orgNOV. 6–8
YALSA Young Adult
2021 Midwinter Meeting Services Symposium
ala.org/yalsa/yasymposium
Goes Virtual NOV. 8–14
A
International Games Week
LA’s Executive Board
games.ala.org
announced in an
August 6 statement NOV. 18 & 20
that the 2021 ALA Midwinter 2020 Core Virtual Forum
Meeting & Exhibits, originally forum.lita.org
scheduled for January 22–26 JAN. 22–26
in Indianapolis, will take place Ibram X. Kendi Joy Harjo Emmanuel Acho 2021 ALA Midwinter
on those dates virtually. Meeting & Exhibits
“It is clear that as we continue to coexist with [the] coronavirus, we need alamidwinter.org
to adjust our approach to meetings and events,” said ALA President Julius
APR.
C. Jefferson Jr. in the statement. “In the last few months, we have successfully
School Library Month
pivoted our delivery to present the Virtual Event in June and ALA’s ‘Holding
ala.org/aasl/advocacy/slm
Space’ tour series this summer. Though we very much hoped to be able to meet
in person in Indianapolis, the health and safety of conference attendees, ALA APR. 4–10
members and staff, exhibitors, and other stakeholders are the priority.” National Library Week
The preliminary roster of speakers includes author Ibram X. Kendi, US Poet ala.org/nlw
Laureate Joy Harjo, and NFL player Emmanuel Acho. Additional speakers will be APR. 6
announced this fall along with ongoing announcements of programs, sessions, National Library Workers Day
meetings, and exhibits. Registration opens in November. ala-apa.org/nlwd
“This Midwinter would have been ALA’s last before we introduce a totally
APR. 7
new convening that I think will truly excite members and the larger field,” ALA
National Bookmobile Day
Executive Director Tracie D. Hall said. “It would have been great to have a sense
bit.ly/BookmobileDay
of closure and to generate collective excitement in a face-to-face setting for
what’s to come. But I am inspired by the more than 10,000 attendees, authors, APR. 10–17
speakers, and stakeholders who came together for the June Virtual Event.” Money Smart Week
moneysmartweek.org
MID-APR.
ACRL 2021
accredited by CAEP. Nominees must and rural libraries in 2020 and 2021 to conference.acrl.org
be currently working as librarians, or help them address issues of concern in APR. 25–MAY 1
have been employed as librarians on their communities. Preservation Week
March 1, at a qualifying institution in Through Libraries Transforming ala.org/preservationweek
the United States: a public library, a Communities: Focus on Small and Rural
APR. 30
library at an accredited two- or four-year Libraries, up to 650 US libraries in small
Día: Children’s Day/Book Day
college or university, or a library at an and rural communities will receive dia.ala.org
accredited K–12 school. Nominations are $3,000 each to tackle issues ranging from
accepted online through November 9 at media literacy to COVID-19 safety to the JUNE
ilovelibraries.org/lovemylibrarian. unemployment crisis. Rainbow Book Month
Library workers may apply online ala.org/rt/rrt
New Grants for Small through December 2 at ala.org/ltc. Grants JUNE 24–29
and Rural Libraries will be distributed over two funding 2021 ALA Annual Conference
On September 21, ALA announced plans rounds—the first in December and the and Exhibition | Chicago
to distribute nearly $2 million to small second in spring 2021. Funding is open to bit.ly/ALAUpcomingConfs
americanlibraries.org | November/December 2020 9UPDATE
libraries serving small and/or rural com- Black celebrities and artists reading chil- practices in the school library field in cat-
munities in the US and US territories. dren’s books by Black authors. egories that include collaboration, lead-
Selected libraries will develop As part of the Bookmarks project, ership, and innovation. AASL members
their facilitation skills through online ALSC also shared its #LookToLibraries are encouraged to nominate a colleague
training, talk with community mem- resources to encourage families to or themselves in recognition of their
bers (virtually or in person) about local explore the power of connecting with talent and dedication to the profession.
needs, and undertake a project that children’s library professionals. The Awards and grants include, among
benefits their community. Grant funds materials were created to help families others, the National School Library of the
may cover expenses such as hotspot navigate life during the pandemic and Year Award, AASL Chapter of the Year
purchases, personal protective equip- include tip sheets for families on a range Award, Distinguished School Admin-
ment, and staff time used to undertake of topics (bit.ly/LooktoLibraries). istrator Award, AASL Research Grant,
engagement work. Visit netflixbookmarks.com to view and Roald Dahl’s Miss Honey Social
The initiative is offered in partnership the episodes and access links to addi- Justice Award.
with the Association for Rural and Small tional resources. The videos are also With one exception, applications
Libraries and supported by a private available for free without subscription and nominations are due February 1;
donor and IMLS. on the Netflix Jr. YouTube page at National School Library of the Year
youtube.com/c/NetflixJr. Award applications are due January 1.
ALSC, Netflix Celebrate Learn more and apply at ala.org/
Black Voices Apply Now for AASL Awards, aasl/awards.
The Association for Library Service to Recognize Achievement
Children (ALSC) partnered with Netflix Applications for AASL’s 2021 awards are AASL Partners with
in support of Bookmarks: Celebrating now available. AASL awards and grants Human Rights Campaign
Black Voices, a 12-episode series featuring recognize excellence and showcase best AASL has partnered with the Human
Rights Campaign Foundation on Project
THRIVE, a multiyear campaign to
America’s Libraries Receive
create more equitable, inclusive support
systems and help families and youth-
Inaugural FCC Honor serving professionals become better
equipped to affirm, support, and care for
F
LGBTQ youth.
ederal Communications Commissioner Geoffrey Starks has named “Amer-
In partnering with Project THRIVE,
ica’s libraries” as an honoree at the inaugural Digital Opportunity Equity
AASL joins more than 20 of the nation’s
Recognition (DOER) Program. Starks established the award this year to
largest health, education, child welfare,
recognize the efforts of Americans working to close the digital divide in commu-
legal, and juvenile justice organizations.
nities without access to affordable, reliable broadband.
Project THRIVE promotes well-being
In a September 14 press release, Starks stated, “Libraries across the nation
and lifts up populations of LGBTQ young
have consistently bridged the digital divide by providing essential access to
people, with a special focus on those of
the internet, devices, digital literacy training, rich content, and services to the
color, those disconnected from school
disconnected.
and work, those involved in the child
“In response to COVID-19, 93% of public libraries surveyed by the Public
welfare and/or juvenile justice systems,
Library Association said they provide or plan to provide free Wi-Fi access on
and those experiencing poverty. Project
their grounds even when their buildings are closed to the public; 44% of public
THRIVE’s goals include reducing signif-
libraries moved routers outdoors to improve public access; and 23% of libraries
icant disparities in mental and physical
surveyed also provide Wi-Fi hotspots for patrons to check out and use at home.
health outcomes and improving school
Additionally, at the time America’s libraries were nominated, PLA was in the
safety and inclusion.
process of providing 80 library systems with devices for over 160 branch and
community locations.”
IMLS Grant for PLA Research
Added Michelle Jeske, president of PLA, in a September 15 statement: “Even
on Latinx Parents
as library doors had to close and staff had to consider everyone’s health and
On July 23, IMLS announced that PLA
safety, libraries responded quickly and with creativity to keep their communities
and the National Center for Families
connected.”
Learning (NCFL) received a planning
grant under the National Leadership
10 November/December 2020 | americanlibraries.orgUPDATE
Connecticut State University in New
Haven (with follow-up reporting
ALA Awards $1.3 Million required), with the next comprehensive
for Entrepreneurship
review visit scheduled for spring 2028.
Precandidacy status was granted to
I
the master of library science program
n July ALA announced that 13 public libraries will receive a total of $1.3 mil- at Middle Tennessee State University in
lion to bolster their library entrepreneurship centers. Established as part of a Murfreesboro.
Google.org initiative, Libraries Build Business will enable libraries across the ALA accreditation indicates that the
country to increase the number of business creators they serve. program has undergone a comprehensive
The core objective of Libraries Build Business is to identify library-led external review and meets the stan-
entrepreneurship models that will best help low-income and underrepresented dards established by the committee and
entrepreneurs to start and grow small businesses. The initiative aims to provide adopted by ALA Council.
direct services to 15,000 people over the course of 18 months, during which COA evaluates each program for
the participating libraries will also develop a framework with common met- conformity to these standards, which
rics to evaluate the progress and success of entrepreneurship programs and address systematic planning, curricu-
a peer-learning network for librarians interested in developing or expanding lum, faculty, students, administration,
entrepreneurship programs of their own. finances, and resources.
Funding for Libraries Build Business was announced in fall 2019 as part of Review visit dates reflect a one-year
a $10 million pledge to help entrepreneurs from low-income and underrepre- extension afforded all programs due to
sented groups start new businesses via access to training and capital. The grant the disruptions caused by the pandemic.
builds on Google’s ongoing support of ALA and libraries, including the Libraries A complete list of programs and
Lead with Digital Skills collaboration funded by Grow with Google and the degrees accredited by ALA can be found
Libraries Ready to Code initiative with Google for Education.
Grants for Libraries category. The grant is a national scale. The project will work Digital Society Press
part of an ongoing $18.2 million invest- with the Dallas Public Library; Arapahoe
ment in US library initiatives by IMLS Libraries in Denver; Forest Grove City We publish books about how
meant to support projects that address (Ore.) Library; and Latinx families in
significant challenges and opportunities their communities.
science and technology are
facing the library field and have the transforming our planet
potential to advance theory and prac- Accreditation Decisions
tice with new tools, research findings, Announced Food
How is technology reshaping food?
models, services, practices, or alliances ALA’s Committee on Accreditation (COA)
ISBN: 9788412167436
that will be widely used. announced in an August 13 statement
As one of the 38 projects selected, accreditation actions taken at its meeting Money
PLA and NCFL will receive $99,949 to during the 2020 Virtual Event. How is money in the 21st century?
develop and document methods for how Continued Accreditation status was ISBN: 9788412167412
library staff can support authentic Latinx granted to the following programs, with
parent participation. Working in three the next comprehensive review visit Education
(urban, suburban, and rural) locations, scheduled to take place in spring 2028: How do we learn in our digital world?
PLA and NCFL will codesign a process master of library and information studies ISBN: 9788412167481
to involve Latinx parents in creating at University of Alberta in Edmonton;
services designed for them. master of science with majors in library Health
The project will undertake an environ- science and information science at How is health in the Digital Age?
mental scan and engage in community- University of North Texas in Denton; and ISBN: 9788412167450
based learning with library staff and master of library and information science
parents. The intent is to generate strat- at University of Maryland. Shop online:
egies and practices for authentic parent Initial Accreditation status was
participation and identify approaches granted to the master of library and
https://digitalsocietypress.com
and best practices that can be piloted on information science program at Southern
americanlibraries.org | November/December 2020 11UPDATE
in the directory of ALA-accredited MLIS Companions Journeying Together speak to each of the 17 goals and can
programs at bit.ly/ALA-accredited. offers a program called Aunt Mary’s Story- serve as a model for other libraries as
book in 16 county jails and state prisons. well as a recording of the task force’s
CSK Book Donation Through it, imprisoned parents record webinar, “Libraries Contributing to Meet
Grants Announced themselves reading kids’ books aloud; the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”
Three organizations have been selected the books and recordings are then sent Past ALA President Loida Garcia-Febo,
to receive books as part of the 2020 to those parents’ children. Through five who chairs the task force, will be sharing
Coretta Scott King Book Awards Dona- satellite residential centers, Impact Acad- ALA’s efforts with other nations at upcom-
tion Grant program: Companions emy promotes reading among children in ing events, including a forthcoming webi-
Journeying Together in Western Springs, grades 2–12 from diverse backgrounds. nar with the German Library Association.
Illinois; Impact Academy in Indianapolis;
and Marshallville (Ga.) Public Library. ALA Promotes UN Sustainable Disaster Relief Funds
Awarded each year by ALA’s Coretta Development Goals for Iowa Library
Scott King Book Awards Committee, the ALA’s Task Force on the United Nations A severe storm in August destroyed
grant program donates books origi- 2030 Sustainable Development Goals has much of Marion (Iowa) Public Library
nally submitted for consideration for updated its website with new resources and damaged its collection. A $10,000
the Coretta Scott King Book Awards to (bit.ly/ALA-SDGs) to help libraries high- grant from the ALA Disaster Relief Fund
organizations demonstrating need and light their efforts to help their communi- is helping the library purchase mobile
potential benefit from receiving the ties end hunger, ensure gender equality, technology to aid its recovery, including
collection. All winners will receive copies provide quality education, and encour- a printer with scan-and-send capabili-
of titles submitted to the 2020 awards, age sustainable practices. ties, laptop and desktop computers, and
including a full set of the year’s winner Resources include new visual charts mobile hotspot access.
and honor books. from Los Angeles Public Library that The goal of the grant is to benefit
underserved neighborhoods, daycare
centers, senior living centers, and indi-
viduals who have limited transportation
Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation options and access to technology; pro-
In compliance with the Extent and nature of circulation Average no. copies No. copies of single vide internet access via mobile hotspot
United States Postal each issue during issue published
preceding 12 months nearest to filing date locations to areas hardest hit by the
Service requirements,
the following statement Total number of copies (net press run) 53,342 53,502
storm; assist school-age virtual learners
is published as it Paid circulation with limited resources; and provide con-
was submitted to Mailed outside-county paid subscriptions 46,796 47,018 sistent library services during rebuilding.
the postmaster on
Mailed in-county paid subscriptions 0 0 To contribute to the ALA Disaster Relief
PS Form 3526.
Paid distribution outside the mails 1,763 1,744 Fund, visit ec.ala.org/donate.
Publication title Paid distribution by other classes of mail
American Libraries through the USPS 0 0
Publication number Total paid distribution 48,559 48,762
More Census Equity Fund
0002-9769 Grants Awarded
Free or nominal rate distribution
Filing date Outside-county copies 0 0
With support from Facebook, ALA
September 24, 2020 In-county copies 0 0 awarded Library Census Equity Fund
Issue frequency Copies mailed at other classes through $2,000 mini-grants to 100 more libraries
6 issues annually the USPS 43 47 to bolster their service to hard-to-count
Distribution outside the mail 1,021 755
Mailing address communities and help achieve a com-
225 N. Michigan Ave. Total free or nominal rate distribution 1,064 802
plete count in the 2020 Census. See the
Suite 1300 Total distribution 49,623 49,564
Chicago, IL 60601 Copies not distributed 3,719 3,938
full list at bit.ly/LCEFgrants.
Total 53,342 53,502 ALA has awarded 193 Library Census
Editor/Publisher
Sanhita SinhaRoy Percent paid 97.85% 98.38% Equity Fund mini-grants to libraries in
Managing Editor Electronic copy circulation 46 states and the District of Columbia
Terra Dankowski Paid electronic copies 0 0 since December 2019, providing more
Owner Total paid print copies 48,559 48,762 than $380,000 in support. Applications
American Library Total print distribution 49,623 49,564 were reviewed by a selection committee
Association Percent paid 97.85% 98.38%
established by ALA’s 2020 Census Library
Outreach and Education Task Force.
12 November/December 2020 | americanlibraries.orgBECAUSE SPEAKING
WITH ONE VOICE CAN
MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AL A .ORG/DONATE
MAKE A GIFT TO THE
ALA ANNUAL FUND.
W
e are living in extraordinary times. Help us Transform the Future by
There is a pressing need for supporting ALA today.
libraries, library workers, and the Your gift to the American Library
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and amplify our core values. Here’s how
Library Association helps us advocate for and
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rapidly respond to the needs of our nation’s
■ Write a check! You can send it in the
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Your gift will:
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development@ala.org
www.ala.org/aboutala/donateMontgomery County Public Schools
in Christiansburg, Virginia, uses drone
delivery service Wing to transport
library books to the town’s students.
takeout.” It’s unclear when the
library will open its building to the
public again.
While the library takeout pro-
gram has been popular, “we noticed
people weren’t placing holds on
new items,” says Library Director
Kip Roberson. “Most of the time, I
think, new books are discovered just
by browsing.” Library staff tried to
boost interest in new titles by post-
ing photos of them on social media,
“but that wasn’t really hitting the
audience we wanted to,” he says. In
the meantime, would-be browsers
The Great Outdoors were constantly knocking on the
library’s door and imploring, “I can’t
tell you what I want until I see it!”
Libraries turn to drone delivery, outdoor So in early August, CML intro-
browsing, and other alfresco services duced Library Take-Out(side).
Twice a week, for two hours at a
time, library staffers set up three
B
BY Anne Ford efore the COVID-19 As the pandemic continues to tables just outside the building’s
pandemic, students at make indoor library visits difficult main entrance and fill them with
Montgomery County Public for many (and impossible for some), items for checkout. “The first day,
Schools (MCPS) in Christiansburg, Passek is just one of many librarians we had something like 35 patrons,”
Virginia, got books from their across the country who have turned Roberson recalls; that number has
school library shelves. Now they’re to the outdoors as a means of put- risen to about 75 a week.
getting them from the sky. ting books in the hands of readers. Patrons who stop by the tables
Thanks to an idea from MCPS “We’re not concerned with must wear masks. In addition,
middle school librarian Kelly Passek getting the books back right now— anyone who touches library
and a partnership with Wing, the we just want [students] to read as materials must wear food-handler
first commercial drone delivery much as they can possibly read,” gloves, which CML supplies. “We
service in the US, any of the 600 or Passek says. don’t want to have to put items into
so households that have a student quarantine if people touch them,”
in the district and that fall within Outdoor browsing Roberson explains. To avoid han-
Wing’s delivery zone can request a In La Grande, Oregon, Cook Memo- dling library cards, staff check out
book through the school system’s rial Library (CML) responded to books by looking up patron names
library catalog. Passek locates the the pandemic first by closing to the in the ILS via a laptop that accesses
book, checks it out, and drives public entirely; then, after a few the building’s Wi-Fi.
Photo: Wing
it to the Wing facility, where it months, opening its book drop for How far into the fall will Library
is dispatched via drone to the returns; and now, since mid-June, Take-Out(side) last? “It depends
student’s home. offering curbside service, or “library on what the weather allows us,”
14 November/December 2020 | americanlibraries.org“We were able to Outreach Services Manager Nick
Cronin. “When things seemed to be Teens and Libraries
work to prevent at a standstill due to the pandemic,
not only the
it was a really great time to push
ahead with it, to meet with the
1957
Year the Young Adult Library Services Associa-
‘summer slide’ public in the open.” (LPLS closed its
six branches to the public in March
tion (YALSA) was founded.
but also the and reopened them with limited
6–8
hours in June.)
‘COVID slide.’” At the Little Library on the Lake, Dates in November that YALSA will host its
nearly 700 patrons checked out 10th symposium, “Biggest Little Spaces: How
KELLY PASSEK, middle school librarian at
Montgomery County (Va.) Public Schools soccer balls and goals, horseshoe Libraries Serve the Expanding Worlds of Teens.”
sets, obstacle-course kits, yoga Originally scheduled for Reno, Nevada, the sym-
mats, jump ropes, bicycles, and posium will be held virtually.
many other items for use outdoors.
Roberson says. Meanwhile, he
and his colleagues are enjoying it.
(After being returned, each item
was washed and disinfected.) Most
1994
Year that Teen’Scape, considered by many to be
“It’s really great just to be able to of the equipment was checked out
the first young-adult public library space with
connect with our patrons again,” by parents for their children’s use.
teen-specific design features, opened at Los
he says. “We get to talk about the In addition, 25 new library cards
Angeles Public Library.
library and the pandemic and were issued. Visitors could also
what’s going on in town, sort of take advantage of the little library’s
reestablishing some of the relation- free Wi-Fi, which covered the 550
ships that we had been missing.” As entire beach. Number of people who attended Comics Relief,
for the patrons themselves, he adds, “The feedback we got from a virtual event hosted by Macmillan imprint
they’re “wowed by what we’ve people was universal delight,” First Second in April. Sessions focused on YA
been doing.” Cronin says. “People were very, graphic novels and gave readers a chance to
very glad to see us.” learn about comics creation from novelists,
A lakeside library The Little Library on the Lake editors, and designers.
Even before the pandemic struck, closed for the year August 30 but
Lorain (Ohio) Public Library System
(LPLS) was hatching a scheme
will remain in the park—with
its Wi-Fi active—and reopen
15
Number of
to use the outdoors as a way of in June. “The hope is to
groups that
attracting more patrons. Now, continue to loan out
helped
during COVID-19 times, that plan is equipment but also do
create this
proving particularly apropos. programming,” such as
year’s Teens’
Photo illustration: © Wayhome Studio/Adobe Stock (teen)
In a partnership with Lorain storytimes, craft programs,
Top Ten, a book list
County Metro Parks, Lorain County bird-watching ses-
entirely by and for teens.
Public Health, and the State Library sions, and sports
Groups are from school and
of Ohio, LPLS purchased a shipping tournaments, he
public libraries around the
container, placed it across from a says. “The options
country and represent read-
beach in nearby Lakeview Park, for programming
ers ages 12–18.
equipped it with sports and exercise are really infinite
equipment, and operated it in July down there.
and August as the “Little Library Hopefully 1
on the Lake.” COVID will Rank of #MurderTrending,
“LPLS had been thinking about be behind us.” a dystopic novel by
how it could serve an area which Continued
Gretchen McNeil, on the
is very popular locally,” explains on page 17 2019 Teens’ Top Ten list.
americanlibraries.org | November/December 2020 15The Missing Piece
Libraries use board games to encourage
critical thinking in young people
I
BY Diana n summer 2019, teens at San Library Leader-
Panuncial Francisco Public Library (SFPL) ship program.
filed into a room and sat in SFPL’s program
chairs strategically marked with is one example of
dots. Depending on the color of how libraries across
their dot, they were categorized into the country are
one of three social classes—lower, using game creation
middle, or upper. as a way to cultivate Teens at San Francisco Public Library cre-
In turn, each player’s social class an understanding ated Life in SF: Luck, Loss, Gain, a board
determined their stakes in Life in SF: of social issues and promote self- game that explores inequity in their city.
Luck, Loss, Gain, a Monopoly-esque improvement among youth. Stanford
game that simulates poverty and University calls this approach game its potential for fostering problem-
inequity in San Francisco, complete design thinking (gdt.stanford.edu) solving skills in kids and teens. A
with properties and transit lines and describes it as a combination specific aim of the program was to
familiar to the group. Around the of game design, human behavior, get youth interested in STEM fields.
time the teens were developing the and neuroscience concepts that help Gee and her team instructed youth
board game last year, San Fran- participants navigate life decisions at PPL to create board games based
cisco reported a nearly 7% surge in and social structures. on any educational topic, as long as
its homeless population from two they followed these basic steps: con-
years prior—in total, more than Advance from start sider who will play the game, define
8,000 unsheltered individuals in Elisabeth Gee, professor at Arizona the problem to be addressed, brain-
the city. “[Teens] chose the topic State University in Tempe, part- storm the game, create a prototype,
because they’re aware of how big nered with Phoenix Public Library and test it with a first round.
Photos: Dorcas Wong/San Francisco Public Library (Life in SF); Luis Pérez Cortés (junk food game)
the issue is,” says Marla Bergman, (PPL) from 2016 to 2018 to run a About 150 games were developed,
young adult librarian at SFPL, who study and program called “Play in with subject matter that ranged from
facilitated the game’s creation the Making,” which explored the water pollution and endangered
through SFPL’s Youth Engaging in value of game design thinking and species to anxiety. Gee remembers a
middle school student who created
a game in which the player had to
defeat monsters in order to rescue a
child who couldn’t get to sleep.
“You pull a sheet up that only
allows you to see part of the game,
which imitates what it’d be like to
A board game be afraid of the dark, to not know
about junk what’s hiding until you get there,”
food was one Gee explains. “But you gain the
of 150 games skills to battle it, and it makes
created at “Play
in the Making,” you more confident to overcome
a study and pro- the monsters.”
gram conducted Students at University of Chica-
by Arizona State go’s Weston Game Lab collaborated
University pro-
fessor Elisabeth
with teens at Chicago Public Library
Gee and Phoenix in 2019 to develop and play games
Public Library. with health and safety themes, such
16 November/December 2020 | americanlibraries.orgYou can also read
