SLJ wants to share the stories of how the loss of funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services—including Laura Bush Foundation grants —will impact your library and community.
Category: library-and-info-science
How New Hampshire libraries are bracing for potential funding cuts
“The state of New Hampshire gets funding from the federal government, which is administered through the State Library. The most impact that we will see with a lack of funding is the elimination of the Talking Books Program, which is the way that sight impaired people are able to take in materials. It would also eliminate the interlibrary loan service and also the platform of Libby, by which our patrons throughout the state of New Hampshire are able to download electronic and digital information.”
New Photography Exhibit at Central Library Highlights Mementos of Those Living on the Streets
“It is not the homeless person that needs to be humanized,” Lommasson said. “It is us. One thing I’ve learned from this project is that any of us, if one or two circumstances changed in our lives, we could be unhoused. There’s a whole list of factors why people are homeless.”
I Love My Librarian Award
“Librarians nationwide make positive impacts on their communities every day, and the inspiring stories from this year’s I Love My Librarian Award recipients prove how transformative their efforts can be to the lives of their patrons,” said ALA President Cindy Hohl. “From Alabama to Alaska, from the Bronx to Maui, the vital services these librarians provide reinforces what we all know: that libraries everywhere are an essential public good, and the people who power them serve to inform, connect, educate, and empower their communities.”
Indianapolis’ First Library for Black Residents Reopens Through School Librarian’s Leadership
Maurice Broaddus was a writer by trade and became a middle school librarian by accident.
The award-winning Afrofuturist and sci-fi author once filled in at The Oaks Academy middle school, where he was also a teacher, for the librarian going on maternity leave. The librarian never came back.
Hervey Family Rare Book Room Tour
Join HHPTF (for FREE) on Thursday, June 27 from 5-6pm (PDT), at the Hervey Family Rare Book Room, which houses the Wangenheim Rare Book Collection. With over 9000 items, the collection illustrates the development of the book through the ages, in all its aspects – the world of paper making, the art of book illustration, and the history of printing.
We will get refreshments after our special tour!
All are welcome. If interested, contact Lisa Gieskes, Librarian,
lisagieskes@yahoo.com
Dallas Public Library Introduces Homeless Community Through New Podcast
The library’s latest podcast is a 10-episode conversation with some of the city’s unhoused population. Their answers may not be what you expect.
Worcester Libraries Facing Inquiries
“We are proud that we are a safe space for so many and we are constantly working to make sure it is truly a safe space for all,” said Jason Homer, executive director of the Worcester Public Library. “We have to set clear expectations with those who may be in crisis to ensure everyone’s experience is one rooted in safety and equity.”
Brooklyn’s New Affordable Housing Development is Built on Top of a Public Library
“A rebuilt branch of the Brooklyn Public Library is opening with a new feature: on the seven floors right above the library, there will be 49 affordable housing units. Michelle de la Uz, executive director of Fifth Avenue Committee, a nonprofit that builds affordable housing and which partnered with the Brooklyn Public Library on the project, said she’s excited to see how those tenants engage with the library, and that the branch’s programming and resources could help people feel less isolated.
Linda Johnson, president and CEO of the Brooklyn Public Library, and de la Uz hope to see it replicated, throughout New York and beyond. “There’s an urgent need for affordable housing, and there are a lot of underutilized libraries that need modernization anyway,” de la Uz says. ‘Why not kill two birds with one stone?'”
What Happens When Libraries Stop Sharing Wi-Fi?
“For those who are trapped in poverty and have many other circumstances that make daily existence difficult, it is even more challenging if you’re not connected to the internet,” said Sunne Wright McPeak, CEO of the California Emerging Technology Fund. “This is as much a problem if not more so today if you’re trying to navigate any system or get assistance, find shelter, find food and help without having the internet.”