JaJanuary/Februarynuara y/Febbruaryy 20202020 THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION MIDWINTER PREVIEW + PHILADELPHIA DINING GUIDE p. 50 Archiving Home Movies p. 40 If ICE Shows Up p. 46 PLUS: 2019 Year in Review, Referenda Roundup, Longest Table Conversations MLA More than 1,000 full-text ΖQWHUQDWLRQDO journals ready to explore %LEOLRJUDSK\ ZLWK)XOO7H[W From the Modern Language Association (MLA) and EBSCO, this new database FRPELQHVWKHGHȴQLWLYHLQGH[IRUWKHVWXG\RIODQJXDJHOLWHUDWXUHOLQJXLVWLFV UKHWRULFDQGFRPSRVLWLRQIRONORUHDQGȴOPZLWKIXOOWH[WIRUPRUHWKDQ MRXUQDOVLQFOXGLQJPDQ\RIWKHPRVWXVHGMRXUQDOVLQWKH MLA International Bibliography([SHUWUHVXOWVDUHJXDUDQWHHG To set up a Free Trial, please contact Request a your EBSCO representative or visit: Free Trial exploremla.is/26 January/February 2020 American Libraries | Volume 51 #1/2 | ISSN 0002-9769 COVER STORY 50 2020 Midwinter Preview Prepare for a knockout meeting in the City of Brotherly Love EDITED BY Greg Landgraf 58 The Philly Food Scene Where to dine during Midwinter BY Reid Bramblett FEATURES 28 2019 Year in Review A look back at the stories that affected libraries 32 Referenda Roundup How states performed on library measures in 2019 BY Anne Ford 28 40 Uncovering the Past With digitization, libraries bring treasures to light BY Lauren Emily Whalen 46 Know Your Rights— and Theirs 40 How libraries prepare for possible ICE activity BY Claire Zulkey 32 46 ON THE COVER: Photo ©F11Photo/Adobe Stock 22 72 16 UP FRONT TRENDS PERSPECTIVES IN PRACTICE 3 From the 16 Tables of Content Editor Longest Table meals bring 64 Your Library’s Story Inspiring Resolve communities together BY Meredith Farkas BY Sanhita SinhaRoy for civil dialogue DISPATCHES BY Lara Ewen 8 From Our 65 Understanding Blockchain 20 Readers Free Speech—or Free-for-All? BY Michael Meth “First Amendment audits” YOUTH MATTERS ALA push privacy limits BY Taylor Hartz 66 Making Room for Inclusion 4 BY Tricia Bohanon From the 22 On the Zine Scene President Libraries partner with festivals for ON MY MIND Forward Together community expression 67 Get with the Programming BY Wanda Kay Brown BY Diana Panuncial BY Terrilyn Chun 5 From the 24 Ready to Binge-Watch? LIBRARIAN’S LIBRARY Treasurer Circulations soar as libraries add 68 Digital Strategies for Librarians Achieving Our Vision binge boxes to collections BY Anna Gooding-Call BY Maggie Farrell BY Timothy Inklebarger PEOPLE 6 From the NEWSMAKER Executive 26 Rainbow Rowell 70 Announcements Director Building worlds with Reflecting on Spotify and specificity THE BOOKEND Our Mission BY Alison Marcotte 72 MedicalMed Marvels BY Mary Ghikas PLUS 10 Update 17 By the Numbers What’s happening 25 Global Reach at ALA 27 Noted & Quoted 26 Connectrac Cover 3 | Crowley 21 | Ingram Cover 4 | Library of Congress Federal Credit Union 13 | Modern Language Association Cover 2 | University of Chicago Press 15 | US Census 14 | American Library Association American Libraries 13 | Association of Specialized, Government, and Cooperative Library Agencies 21 Development Office 38–39, 45 | Public Library Association 19 | Public Programs Office 7 THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION Address: 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611-2795 Website: americanlibrariesmagazine.org Inspiring Resolve Email: [email protected] Phone: 800-545-2433 plus extension Career Ads: JobLIST.ala.org appy new year—and happy Midwinter Preview EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Tina Fey Sanhita SinhaRoy issue (cover story, p. 50). If you’re attending What is [email protected] | x4219 the upcoming conference in Philadelphia, be your favorite MANAGING EDITOR Gritty sure to check out the session highlights and Philadelphia Terra Dankowski [email protected] | x5282 Hdining options (p. 58) found within these pages, and export? SENIOR EDITORS Joan Jett also to keep an eye out for our Daily Scoop e-newsletter, Amy Carlton [email protected] | x5105 which will bring four days of our team’s onsite reporting George M. Eberhart straight to your inbox. The first email arrives January 25. [email protected] | x4212 Other perennial favorites in this issue: Year in American The Roots Bandstand Phil Morehart Review (p. 28) and Referenda Roundup (p. 32), for [email protected] | x4218 Sanhita SinhaRoy American Libraries ASSOCIATE EDITOR which again partnered with the Cheesesteaks Sallyann Price Public Library Association to provide extensive cov- [email protected] | x4213 erage of how state ballot measures fared around the EDITOR-AT-LARGE Tastykakes Anne Ford country. Anne Ford tracked more than 100 elections to [email protected] bring you the results. EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING ASSOCIATE With a new political season under way, some libraries Carrie Smith will likely face a troubling trend of so-called First Amend- [email protected] | x4216 Fresh Air ART DIRECTOR with Terry ment auditors visiting their facilities to videotape and Rebecca Lomax Gross post alleged infractions or document perceived bias. In Bifocals [email protected] | x4217 “Free Speech—or Free-for-All?” (p. 20), Taylor Hartz ADVERTISING Michael Stack [email protected] | 847-367-7120 examines what libraries are doing to prepare. Acceptance of advertising does not constitute endorsement. Preparation is also the name of the game for libraries ALA reserves the right to refuse advertising. PUBLISHING DEPARTMENT hosting bystander trainings to tackle harassment, par- Mary Mackay ticularly that directed at immigrants. As Claire Zulkey Associate Executive Director reports in “Know Your Rights—and Theirs” (p. 46), Mary Jo Bolduc Rights, Permissions, Reprints | x5416 several libraries “hoping to empower and protect their MEMBERSHIP Library-led communities” have begun educating staffers on their Melissa Kay Walling, Director Longest rights and responsibilities should a raid by US Immigra- ADVISORY COMMITTEE tion and Customs Enforcement take place. Susan H. Polos (Chair), Helen Ruth Adams, Salvador Avila, Table meals Crystal Chen, Sonja Eyler, Janie L. Hermann, Jasmina Jusic, In stark contrast to the divisiveness is the civil dia- Sigrid Kelsey. Committee associate: Rachel Beth Wykle are fostering logue fostered at Longest Table meals throughout the Editorial policy: ALA Policy Manual, section A.8.2 country. Lara Ewen describes how library workers are INDEXED diversity, helping communities break down walls while breaking Available full text from ProQuest, EBSCO Publishing, H. W. Wilson, LexisNexis, Information Access, JSTOR. respect, bread in “Tables of Content” (p. 16). SUBSCRIBE And finally, you’ll notice we’ve made small design Libraries and other institutions: $74/year, 6 issues, US, Canada, and compassion, Mexico; foreign: $84. Subscription price for individuals included in changes in this issue, including a new look for our ALA membership dues. 800-545-2433 x5108, email membership@ columns (starting on p. 64). We’re also reintroducing ala.org, or visit ala.org. Claim missing issues: ALA Member and and empathy Customer Service. Allow six weeks. Single issues $7.50, with 30% our Librarian’s Library column (p. 68), with Reference discount for five or more; contact Carrie Smith, 800-545-2433 x4216 to help and Technology Librarian Anna Gooding-Call as the first or [email protected] of three new writers. Let us know what you think. As PUBLISHED unify their American Libraries (ISSN 0002-9769) is published 6 times yearly always, we welcome and appreciate your feedback. with occasional supplements by the American Library Association See you in Philly. (ALA). Printed in USA. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, Illinois, communities. and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Personal members: Send address changes to American Libraries, c/o Membership Records, ALA, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611-2795. ©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|January/February 2020 3 from the PRESIDENT Forward Together Charting a path to a more vibrant and effective organization eeting members and learning how and that the ALA described in Forward Together may where they found their place in ALA take away levers of power. These members have has given me the opportunity to reflect given much through their service to ALA within on my own path. I was lucky enough to the current structure and may be less receptive to Mbe guided and mentored early on by members of change. We do understand that. However, we feel the Black Caucus of the American Library Associ- strongly that this plan can and will work. While we ation, and through my involvement in that group, continue to review and refine our recommenda- I found a path for engagement and leadership tions, we are weaving in some of the strategies we that brought me to where I am today. are so excited about. But as we hear often, many members find the We currently have no exact correlation for Wanda Kay Brown path to engagement too confusing, too insular, the proposed leadership assemblies described and too expensive. How do we address these in Forward Together, but they seek to be direct, concerns while also modernizing the way our open lines of influence to the Board of Directors. Association functions? Leadership assemblies maintain the functions and This is where we start. For the past 18 months, strengths of existing groups such as ALA Council, as a member of the Steering Committee on Orga- the Chapter Leaders Forum, and the Round Table nizational Effectiveness (SCOE), I’ve been on the Coordinating Assembly. (In fact, this is already