May 2021 THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION MARSHALL BREEDING’S LIBRARY SYSTEMS REPORTp. 22 Library Jobs Landscape p. 34 NEWSMAKER: Isabel Allende p. 20 PLUS: Drive-In Storytimes, Rural Telehealth, Bike Tour Librarian This Summer! Join us online at the event created and curated for the library community. Event Highlights • Educational programming • COVID-19 information for libraries • News You Can Use sessions highlighting • Interactive Discussion Groups new research and advances in libraries • Presidents' Programs • Memorable and inspiring featured authors • Livestreamed and on-demand sessions and celebrity speakers • Networking opportunities to share and The Library Marketplace with more than • connect with peers 250 exhibitors, Presentation Stages, Swag-A-Palooza, and more • Event content access for a full year ALA Members who have been recently furloughed, REGISTER TODAY laid o, or are experiencing a reduction of paid alaannual.org work hours are invited to register at no cost. #alaac21 Thank you to our Sponsors May 2021 American Libraries | Volume 52 #5 | ISSN 0002-9769 COVER STORY 2021 LIBRARY SYSTEMS REPORT Advancing library technologies in challenging times | p. 22 BY Marshall Breeding FEATURES 38 JOBS REPORT 34 The Library Employment Landscape Job seekers navigate uncertain terrain BY Anne Ford 38 The Virtual Job Hunt Here’s how to stand out, both as an applicant and an employer BY Claire Zulkey 42 Serving the Community at All Times Cultural inclusivity programming during a pandemic BY Nicanor Diaz, Virginia Vassar 34 Aggrey, and Naghem Swade ON THE COVER: Illustration by Tom Deja 42 20 56 12 UP FRONT TRENDS PERSPECTIVES 3 From the 12 Park and Read ACADEMIC INSIGHTS Editor Drive-in storytimes provide families 46 What Does Diversity Mean? Adapting to with socially distanced programming BY Andrea Jamison Disruption BY Jessica Cilella DISPATCHES BY Sanhita SinhaRoy 14 Healthy Distance 47 Inclusive Media 6 From Our Telemedicine brings house BY Carli Spina Readers calls to local libraries BY Lara Ewen YOUTH MATTERS 48 Summer Reading Realities ALA 16 A Shot in the Arm BY Robbi Caldwell Libraries serve as COVID-19 4 From the vaccination sites ON MY MIND President BY Cass Balzer 49 Tools for the Job Making a Difference BY Fatma Ghailan BY Julius C. Jefferson Jr. SPOTLIGHT 18 Employment Help? It’s in the Bag LIBRARIAN’S LIBRARY 5 From the Transforming the traditional job fair 50 Pandemic Pivoting, Continued Executive BY T. J. Rankin BY Allison Escoto Director A Hurting Thing NEWSMAKER SOLUTIONS BY Tracie D. Hall 20 Isabel Allende Chilean-American author talks feminism, 52 Target Acquired 8 Update censorship, and representation Marketing and analytics for your library BY Carrie Smith What’s happening BY Sallyann Price at ALA PLUS PEOPLE 13 By the Numbers 54 Announcements 19 Global Reach Noted & Quoted 21 THE BOOKEND 56 History Rolls On DKT International 17 | Galecia Group 31 | Lucia Mouat 15 | Media Flex 33 | OCLC Cover 4 | Omnigraphics 15 | Quipu Group 45 | University of Chicago Press 11 American Library Association Conference Services Cover 2 | Public Library Association Cover 3 THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION Address: 225 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1300 Chicago, IL 60601 Adapting to Disruption Website: americanlibraries.org Email: [email protected] Phone: 800-545-2433 plus extension Career Ads: JobLIST.ala.org o much has changed in the year since Marshall Breeding wrote his last annual Library Sys- EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Childhood Sanhita SinhaRoy Architect tems Report (cover story, p. 22). As he notes, dream job? [email protected] | x4219 COVID-19 has brought “considerable disrup- MANAGING EDITOR Major League S tion to the library technology industry,” as budgets Terra Dankowski Baseball player [email protected] | x5282 contracted, investments shifted to digital content and SENIOR EDITORS workflows, and the market reached saturation for EGOT Amy Carlton some products. But Breeding is hopeful, stating that winner [email protected] | x5105 Phil Morehart Political the industry “remains strong and multifaceted.” [email protected] | x4218 cartoonist The pandemic has, of course, also changed how Sanhita SinhaRoy ASSOCIATE EDITOR libraries recruit and hire staff. To help you navigate Movie star Sallyann Price [email protected] | x4213 this uncertain terrain, our team put together a special EDITOR-AT-LARGE jobs report. In “The Library Employment Land- Anne Ford scape” (p. 34), Anne Ford looks at how the foundation [email protected] for employment opportunities has become rockier, EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING ASSOCIATE especially for entry-level candidates. And in “The Carrie Smith Astronaut [email protected] | x4216 Virtual Job Hunt” (p. 38), Claire Zulkey interviews Garbage man ART DIRECTOR HR professionals about practical tips for landing the Rebecca Lomax Doctor [email protected] | x4217 right job. Two other stories in this issue are tied to job ADVERTISING searches: “Employment Help? It’s in the Bag” (p. 18) Michael Stack [email protected] | 847-367-7120 and “Tools for the Job” (p. 49). Acceptance of advertising does not constitute endorsement. ALA reserves the right to refuse advertising. As we enter the second summer learning season PUBLISHING DEPARTMENT of a pandemic, what lessons can we glean from the Elementary Our special Mary Mackay first one? For one thing, libraries will need to bal- school teacher Associate Executive Director jobs report Mary Jo Bolduc Artist ance in-person and virtual options as communities Rights, Permissions, Reprints | x5416 looks at gradually reopen, writes Robbi Caldwell, information Ballerina MEMBERSHIP services manager at Brownsburg (Ind.) Public Library, Melissa Kay Walling, Director how the in this issue’s Youth Matters column (p. 48). ADVISORY COMMITTEE Susan H. Polos (Chair), Helen Ruth Adams, Jason K. Alston, pandemic has With the warming weather also comes a growing Crystal Chen, Janie L. Hermann, Jasmina Jusic, and Shelley changed the desire to gather outside in safe, socially distanced O’Rourke. Committee associates: Rachel Beth Wykle and ways. Enter drive-in storytimes, an outdoor program Lori Bryan. Editorial policy: ALA Policy Manual, section A.8.2 way libraries for families that is becoming popular among many INDEXED Available full text from ProQuest, EBSCO Publishing, H. W. Wilson, recruit and libraries, Jessica Cilella reports in “Park and Read” LexisNexis, Information Access, JSTOR. (p. 12). Or, if two wheels are more your speed, you SUBSCRIBE hire staff, and may enjoy our By the Numbers (p. 13) and Bookend Libraries and other institutions: $74/year, 6 issues, US, Canada, and Mexico; international: $84. Subscription price for individuals included how to get a (p. 56) in honor of National Bike Month. in ALA membership dues. 800-545-2433 email membership@ Finally, on a sad note, we mourn the death of long- ala.org, or visit ala.org. Claim missing issues: ALA Member and leg up when Customer Service. Allow six weeks. Single issues $7.50, with time American Libraries editor Leonard Kniffel, who 30% discount for five or more; contact Carrie Smith, 800-545-2433 died of pancreatic cancer in mid-March at age 73. Our x4216 or [email protected] looking for heart goes out to Carl, his partner of 43 years, and the PUBLISHED the right job American Libraries (ISSN 0002-9769) is published 6 times rest of his family and friends. Leonard was a pillar of yearly with occasional supplements by the American Library Association (ALA). Printed in USA. Periodicals postage paid at or candidate. ALA Publishing and will be missed dearly. 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. ©2021 American Library Association. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced or republished without written permission from the publisher. americanlibraries.org | May 2021 3 from the PRESIDENT Making a Difference Signs of hope after a year of rebuilding re library professionals making could be. As we anticipate our 2022 LibLearnX our communities stronger? Are we event in San Antonio, look for a new schedule of addressing inequities, disparities, interactive and topical programs that can make a and racism? Are we making a dif- difference in your life and library. ference? These are questions I ask More imminently, Annual Conference Virtual Amyself every day as your president amid a deadly takes place June 23–29, where I will have the crisis and heightened racial violence. privilege of presiding over ALA Council one last I am beginning to see the light at the end time as we deliberate resolutions from the For- of a dark COVID-19 tunnel. Many of us have ward Together Resolutions Group. The group will been vaccinated or will be soon—a critical step propose ways to improve our governing structure, Julius C. Jefferson Jr. toward healing all the communities hit by the making our Association more nimble, responsive, global pandemic. and modern. Council will discuss these resolu- Another ray of light came on March 11, when tions before they go to membership for a final vote the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 was signed in spring 2022. Join us in making a difference. into law. The legislation provides $200 million Over the past year, everything has changed. to the Institute of Library and Museum Services, And yet in some ways, nothing has changed. the largest single increase in its 25-year history. Social and economic disparities and inequality The package also contains billions for academic, continue. Libraries have demonstrated why they public, and school library–eligible programs, are trusted and valued institutions, and we now including the new $7.2 billion Emergency Con- have the funding we need to rebuild better. nectivity Fund. Administered through the Federal We must focus on staying connected and Communications Commission’s E-Rate program, advocating for policies that ensure we all have the fund will enable schools and libraries to pro- equitable access to knowledge and information, vide devices and broadband internet to students, as well as equal protection under the law.