ENCE Annual CONFER

June 2019

THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. Annual CONFERENCE PREVIEW +Dining Guide p. 62

50 Years of the CSK Book Awards p. 28 Preparing for the 2020 Census p. 44

PLUS: Tomi Adeyemi, Voice Assistants, Community Courts F A T H O M E V E N T S B R IN G S L IT E R A T U R E T O L IF E O N T H E B IG S C R E E N H A M L E T : N T L IV E 10 TH ANNIVERSARY JU LY 8 M A R G A R E T A T W O O D : L IV E IN C IN E M A S F R O M T H E H A N D M A ID 'S T A L E T O T H E T E S T A M E N T S SEPTEM BER 10 TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS PRESENTS T H E S H A W S H A N K R E D E M P T IO N 2 5 TH ANNIVERSARY S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 4 & 2 5 TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS PRESENTS T H E G O D F A T H E R P A R T II N O V E M B E R 10 , 12 & 13

American Libraries | Volume 50 #6 | ISSN 0002-9769

COVER STORY 62 2019 Annual Conference Preview Washington, D.C. June 20–25 EDITED BY Greg Landgraf 70 A Culinary Capital Dining in D.C. during Annual Conference BY Meredith Pratt

FEATURES 48 28 50 Years of the Coretta Scott King Book Awards A conversation with nine winners and committee members who have been part of the influential children’s book awards AS TOLD TO Anne Ford

34 Your Library Needs to Speak to You Getting ahead of the voice assistant hype BY Carrie Smith 38 Give Them Shelter? Libraries face tough choices when homeless patrons set up permanent residence BY Claire Zulkey 44 Making It Count Librarians get ready for the 2020 Census BY Timothy Inklebarger

48 Target: Librarians What happens when our work 34 leads to harassment—or worse 28 BY Lara Ewen 54 Notable Dissertations For new practices, look to breaking research 44 BY Kathy Rosa ON THE COVER: Photo © Tono Balaguer/Adobe Stock 20 26

UP FRONT TRENDS PERSPECTIVES 4 From the 16 Courting Libraries IN PRACTICE Editor Partnerships bring social services and 78 Is “Fit” a Bad Fit? Coming to restorative justice to communities BY Meredith Farkas Our Census BY Kirsti MacPherson DISPATCHES BY Sanhita SinhaRoy 18 Everyone on the Same Page 79 Online Learning Is Here to Stay 7 From Our Adults with disabilities find engagement, BY Lucy Santos Green Readers community in book clubs BY Alison Marcotte YOUTH MATTERS 80 Building Inclusive Libraries ALA 20 Under Lock and Key for Safety’s Sake BY Julie Stivers Gun lock giveaways hope to 5 From the curb suicide, accidents LIBRARIAN’S LIBRARY President BY Timothy Inklebarger 82 A Librarian’s Good-Bye Moving the Needle BY Karen Muller BY Loida Garcia-Febo 22 Toward a Trauma-Informed Model Learn to ask “What happened?”—

6 From the not “What’s wrong?” SOLUTIONS Executive BY Anne Ford 84 All-Hours Access Director Automated 24-hour access solutions At the Core SPOTLIGHT 24 of Our Work A Sensory Wonderland PEOPLE BY Mary Ghikas A programming space for the special needs community 86 Announcements 10 Update BY Michael Damron What’s happening THE BOOKEND NEWSMAKER at ALA 88 Finding Flora 26 Tomi Adeyemi Author brings magic to YA fiction and Fauna

PLUS 17 By the Numbers 25 Global Reach 27 Noted & Quoted 88

LA has left an indelible mark on society and our world. Since ALA LEGACY SOCIETY 1876, ALA has supported and nurtured library leaders, while HONOR ROLL OF DONORS A u u u advocating for literacy; access to information; intellectual freedom; Anonymous (3) John A. Lehner and diversity, equity, and inclusion. William G. Asp** Sarah Ann Long** The ALA Legacy Society includes members who are committed to Susan D. & Shirley Loo* Roger Ballard** leaving a legacy of their values and visions by including ALA in their Geri Hansen Mann** Robert E. Banks** Mike Marlin will, retirement plan, life insurance policy, or other estate plan. The Peggy Barber* Stephen L. Matthews 1876 Club is targeted to those under the age of 50 when they join Anne K. Beaubien** Carse McDaniel* who are planning to include ALA in their will, retirement plan, life John W. & Regina Minudri Alice M. Berry** insurance policy, or other estate plan. John N. Mitchell* Katharina Blackstead** Virginia B. Moore** Through the Legacy Society and 1876 Club, ALA members are Irene L. Briggs** David Mowery** helping to transform the future of libraries. The Development Francis J. Buckley, Jr. Jim & Fran Neal** Office staff is happy to work with you to design the right planned Michele V. Cloonan & Sidney E. Berger** Robert Newlen gift for you. Whether you are interested in an estate gift or naming Trevor A. Dawes** Sylvia K. Norton ALA as a beneficiary of your life insurance or retirement plan, the Carol Pitts Diedrichs** Joyce L. Ogburn & Steven A. Eichner** Development Office can help you guide your planned gift. Lenore England Kimberly Patton** Ellen Fader** Mary Jane Petrowski** Janice Feye-Stukas** Molly & Ted Raphael** Carole & Stan Fiore* Jim & Monica Rettig Shirley Fitzgibbons 1876 CLUB Larry Romans & CHARTER MEMBERS Barbara J. Ford* Mike Morgan** u u u Julia Gelfand & Frances R. Roscello David Lang** Anonymous Peter Hepburn Robert F. Rose Carolyn Giambra** Peter D. Coyl Andrew Medlar April Roy Dr. Joan R. Giesecke Ann Dutton Ewbank Sheila O’Donnell Patricia Glass Schuman Lori Goetsch & Maryanne Flynn Andrew K. Pace Martin Courtois Helen H. Spalding & Karl F. Johnson** John “Mack” Lessa Pelayo-Lozada Ruth I. Gordon* Freeman David & Cindy Steinhoff 1876 CLUB Gina Persichini William R. Gordon* Edward Andrew Steven D. Yates Roberta & George Garcia Ellin Greene* Stevens** Grow the Future of ALA Courtney L. Young Loida Garcia-Febo Dr. Ken Haycock** Peggy Sullivan* Rodney M. & Susan C. Teri Switzer Hersberger Ann & John Symons* Nann Blaine Hilyard* Ruth & Jay Toor* Pam Spencer Holley William L. Turner, Jr.** Suellen Hoy ALA Betty Turock* Alexia Hudson-Ward** LEGACY Beatriz Pascual SOCIETY Richard L. Huffine** Wallace** Dr. Em Claire Knowles** Patricia A. Wand** CONTACT THE DEVELOPMENT OFFICE TO LEARN MORE Nancy Kranich Marina Welmers ABOUT WAYS YOU CAN MAKE A PLANNED GIFT TO ALA: Charles E. Kratz, Jr. & J. Linda Williams** William Varady, Jr. Development Office, American Library Association 50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611-2795 *Charter Member ( 312) 280-3259 • [email protected] • www.ala.org/plannedgiving **ALA Legacy Member/15x15 planned giving campaign THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

Address: 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611 Coming to Our Census Website: americanlibrariesmagazine.org Email: [email protected] Phone: 800-545-2433 plus extension Career Ads: JobLIST.ala.org ashington, D.C.—famous for its muse- EDITOR AND PUBLISHER National ums, monuments, and memorials—plays Sanhita SinhaRoy [email protected] | x4219 Portrait host to this year’s Annual Conference Gallery and Exhibition. We feature some of the First stop in MANAGING EDITOR W Washington, Terra Dankowski National highlights in our conference preview (p. 62), along with [email protected] | x5282 D.C.? Building tips on where to dine in the District (p. 70). SENIOR EDITORS Museum Amy Carlton While you’re at Annual, be sure to celebrate the [email protected] | x5105 Library of 50th anniversary of the Coretta Scott King Book Awards George M. Eberhart International [email protected] | x4212 Congress at one of many special events (p. 68). To commemorate Spy Museum Phil Morehart Smash! this milestone, Anne Ford spoke with nine authors, [email protected] | x4218 Sanhita SinhaRoy Records illustrators, and committee members about the impact ASSOCIATE EDITOR this influential book award has had on literature and Newseum Sallyann Price [email protected] | x4213 representation (p. 28). EDITOR-AT-LARGE Stories that reflect people of color and other mar- Anne Ford [email protected] | x2157 ginalized communities are critical, says YA author and EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING ASSISTANT conference speaker Tomi Adeyemi in our Newsmaker Carrie Smith interview (p. 26). The Children of Blood and Bone author [email protected] | x4216 Still Life shares the “devastating effects” that the lack of repre- ART DIRECTOR with Spirit Rebecca Lomax and Xitle sentation in books and media had on her as a child. Georgetown [email protected] | x4217 Three middle school students are trying to curb those ADVERTISING Michael Stack [email protected] | 847-367-7120 effects with the help of their school librarian, Julie Acceptance of advertising does not constitute endorsement. Stivers, who relays their tips for making libraries more ALA reserves the right to refuse advertising. inclusive (p. 80). PUBLISHING DEPARTMENT Mary Mackay Politics The 2020 Census kicks off next spring, and libraries Lincoln Associate Executive Director and Prose across the country are preparing for this crucial count— Memorial Mary Jo Bolduc Rights, Permissions, Reprints | x5416 which can determine billions in funding for such things MEMBERSHIP as school lunch programs and Medicaid. The data can Lorelle Swader, Associate Executive Director Come also determine the number of electoral college votes ADVISORY COMMITTEE each state will have. And for the first time, the census Susan H. Polos (Chair), Salvador Avila, Joseph M. Eagan, celebrate Sonja Eyler, Mary L. Hastler, Ben Allen Hunter, Jasmina Jusic, questionnaire can be completed online. Timothy Sigrid Kelsey. Committee associate: Lisa Anne Romano the 50th Inklebarger explains how librarians are gearing up for Editorial policy: ALA Policy Manual, section A.8.2 the tally (p. 44). INDEXED Available full text from ProQuest, EBSCO Publishing, anniversary Among those likely to be undercounted? People expe- H. W. Wilson, LexisNexis, Information Access, JSTOR. of the Coretta riencing homelessness. Claire Zulkey reports how some SUBSCRIBE libraries are addressing the spike in unsheltered people Libraries and other institutions: $74/year, 6 issues, US, Canada, and Mexico; foreign: $84. Subscription price for individuals Scott King camping on library grounds (p. 38). It’s a process that has included in ALA membership dues. 800-545-2433 x5108, email required “strategy, patience, and grace,” Zulkey writes. [email protected], or visit ala.org. Claim missing issues: Book Awards ALA Member and Customer Service. Allow six weeks. Single If you haven’t visited AmericanLibrariesMagazine.org issues $7.50, with 30% discount for five or more; contact Carrie at the Annual in a while, we have many online-exclusive articles worth Smith, 800-545-2433 x4216 or [email protected] a read, including a Q&A with Dav Pilkey, author of the PUBLISHED Conference American Libraries (ISSN 0002-9769) is published 6 times Captain Underpants series. (My 6-year-old is thrilled.) yearly with occasional supplements by the American Library in D.C. See you in D.C. Association (ALA). Printed in USA. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, Illinois, 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. ©2019 American Library Association. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced or republished without written permission from the publisher.

4 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org from the PRESIDENT

Moving the Needle Empowering our Association, profession, libraries, communities

s I complete my year as American Wellness in the Workplace (bit.ly/WellAward) Library Association (ALA) president, will recognize wellness efforts by libraries. I am honored to know that together International: Last fall we created the I Am Awe moved the needle in key areas that ALA International Spotlight to help acknowl- affect our Association, profession, libraries, and edge ALA’s 1,700 international members. At the communities we serve. conferences, we have exhibited the Interna- During this time, I treasured the opportunity tional Federation of Library Associations and of being the first Puerto Rican American and Institutions’ Library Map of the World to pro- second-youngest ALA president in the organiza- mote global exchanges. We presented webinars tion’s 143-year history. I have loved representing and partnered with the UN’s Dag Hammarskjöld Loida Garcia-Febo ALA nationally and internationally and collabo- Library for an event about sustainable develop- rating with a talented Executive Board. ment goals. Over the past year, ALA has helped secure Diversity: To support the work of ALA’s Office funding for libraries to keep them open, for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services, we equipped, and staffed. We have advocated for developed videos (bit.ly/EDIvideos) to deepen myriad public policies to benefit our commu- understanding of the principles of equity, diver- nities. We established strategies to review our sity, and inclusion (EDI) in our nation’s libraries. governance structure and search for the Associa- At conferences, my programs have reflected EDI tion’s next executive director. themes. A new EDI fellows program is forth- Thanks to my brilliant advisory board and the coming, as is a statement from ALA and other amazing ALA staff, we brought the following US library associations that will reaffirm our efforts to fruition: commitment to EDI. Advocacy: We created comprehensive Library Tour: Under the Libraries = Strong resources for advocacy (bit.ly/advocacylib) to Communities campaign, our advocacy efforts become a one-stop clearinghouse. We developed took us to academic, public, and school libraries videos (bit.ly/ALAvideos) to help libraries use in the nation’s capital as well as six states. the power of storytelling to impact advocacy, Elected officials, community organizations, state Over the past with additional resources on digital storytelling. librarians, and presidents of library associations And the #MyLibraryMyStory campaign success- spoke at these events. We created a toolkit year, ALA fully allowed advocates to share their libraries’ (bit.ly/LibStrong) that contains news coverage, has helped stories during National Library Week. checklists, social media, and graphics templates, Wellness: The ALA–Allied Professional Asso- along with new “Because” statements that high- secure ciation Wellness website (ala-apa.org/wellness) light the value of libraries and empower patrons funding for for library workers was revamped with new to advocate on their behalf. content. Its page on emotional wellness will soon My main takeaway from this past year? ALA is libraries contain a series of webinars that offer strategies its members. My call to each library worker is to to keep for people experiencing microaggressions and continue working with ALA leadership and staff workplace stress. A task force on safety and work- to better our Association, profession, and the them open, place well-being in libraries has been established. communities we serve. We are in this together! equipped, ALA-APA has partnered with the National Net- work of Libraries of Medicine to present courses. LOIDA GARCIA-FEBO is an international library and staffed. And the inaugural ALA Presidential Citation for consultant.

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 5 from the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

At the Core of Our Work Using the fundamentals of associations to reimagine our future

n my last column, I noted that we are engaged— serve is an ongoing necessity that will span gen- together—in the difficult but essential work erations. So it’s important to consider assets that of change. This requires that we collaborate in support this: legal structure and standing, gov- Igood faith, trusting one another’s commitment ernance and decision making, financial assets, to the important work we do at the American processes, procedures, and more. Library Association (ALA) and as a profession. Second, an association is about conversation It also requires introspection about why we have and context, difference and discovery. While ALA come together in an association so we retain those is made of individual people and organizations, fundamental attributes as we move forward. those individuals are part of the community, the In the most basic terms, an association is collective. Shared directions are discovered in the Mary Ghikas simply a voluntary organization of persons with push and pull of opposing concepts and differing common interests and ends, joining formally to perspectives. Like libraries, associations can take achieve things they could not achieve—or could you out of your comfort zone, within the relative not achieve as well—alone. It’s an observation safety of the community. made in the early 1800s in Democracy in America Third, associations are about active engage- by French historian Alexis de Tocqueville as he ment: about accepting, creating, and codesigning witnessed Americans organizing societies around participation. This is a process of collaboratively politics, faith, and economics. But Democracy in innovating within an association. Each of us must America was written more than 180 years ago. ask, “How do I affect my association in order to Times—and technology—have changed. contribute my own passion, my vision, my voice, What does this mean for ALA? and my skills?” ■■ We are mission-driven, providing “leadership As we work through the process of change, for the development, promotion, and improve- with its inherent risks, uncertainties, and dis- I am ment of library and information services and agreements, it will be helpful to keep in mind frequently the profession of librarianship in order to these fundamental “whys” of what we do. enhance learning and ensure access to infor- With changes to specific structures and pro- asked why mation for all.” cesses, we must remember that these are means we need ■■ We are our members—the essential force for to accomplish common aims. fulfilling our mission. With new models, we must remember to associations. ■■ We are the formal structure that organizes the ensure the Association’s ability to persist. In thinking work of 58,000 members, as well as staff and With new recommendations, we must remem- others in the “ALA community.” ber there are ways to craft shared direction from about the I am frequently asked why we need asso- differing opinions, perceptions, and experiences. question, ciations today. It’s an important question. In To me, associations, like libraries, are funda- thinking about it, we can clarify our assets and mentally optimistic. While they honor the past, we can our sources of power, and understand the core they look forward. They assume continuous clarify our functions we want to preserve. learning and improvement. First, an association is about persistence: Let’s acknowledge tradition and base new assets and persistence of memory, mission, and effort in solutions on our strengths. our sources the face of time, opposition, and—perhaps most dangerous—indifference. Fighting for libraries, MARY GHIKAS is executive director of the American of power. library employees, and the communities they Library Association.

6 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org from our READERS

was extreme anger that any these experiences over and over To my fellow Lessons from Tragedy librarian would have to make a in the hope that someone will teacher-librarians As senior librarian of the Will and professional plea for basic phys- eventually listen? Is an aggressive Ariel Durant branch of Los Ange- ical safety after the work-related patron’s right to harass staff more who are ready les Public Library, I have been at death of a loved one. important than my well-being? to dip their toes ground zero for the types of secu- I have long been a proponent The fact is, safety issues can into giving their rity issues Kelly Clark describes in of better library safety. I have happen at any library, and no his op-ed (“Keep Library Workers presented multiple times with a amount of PR or wishful thinking school library the Safe,” AL Online, Apr. 23). colleague about sexual harass- will protect us. I know many, long-overdue Frontline library workers are ment in libraries, and yet there many librarians who want to deep weeding facing a new and more chal- are still administrators who don’t work toward better safety, but it deserves, do lenging reality. In my six years at believe that safety is a problem. this letter isn’t aimed at them. this branch I have found that a I hear about managers who It’s aimed at the people in power yourself a favor proactive approach works better worry more about the potential who hear our pleas and still & listen to than a reactive one. The solution for negative PR than they do choose to do nothing. @ rebeccavnuk is better staff training and alloca- about employees’ safety, or who Katie Horner on this podcast. tion of security-related resources. keep safety information from Wheeling, Illinois Our greatest contribution as frontline staff because it “doesn’t My heart breaks for Kelly Clark, Now if you’ll information professionals may concern them.” Worse, I hear author of “Keep Library Workers excuse me, I’m be sharing knowledge with our about library employees who Safe,” and the pain of his loss. In off to create my colleagues. If we are to maintain come forward with safety con- his column he also mentions a a compassionate and sustainable cerns that aren’t taken seriously. recent tragedy at my workplace, own “cart of institution, we must pool our Do we have to wait until a Fort Myers Beach (Fla.) Public shame” from ideas and stand together. librarian’s life is lost before we Library, where our beloved direc- the weeded ! John Frank start talking about this? If I tor was murdered in January. #MUSTIE Los Angeles raise an issue at work, do I have The alleged killer—who was I had two reactions when I read to first convince the powers spotted, reported, and appre- @MRS_BOOK_NERD, “Keep Library Workers Safe.” that be that my safety merits hended immediately, thanks to a in response to the Dewey Decibel The first was extreme sadness consideration? Must I suppress group of passersby—was known podcast’s “Spring for the author’s loss and the loss all emotion and make sure to ask to all of us as one of the people Cleaning: Weeding of a fellow librarian. The second nicely? Do I have to keep reliving experiencing homelessness who Your Collections” spend their days at our library. episode (Mar. 29) Since the murder, we no longer Amber’s family will never forget her and feel safe. We look at everyone who enters our facility with a neither will we. Her husband, Kelly, has penned critical eye. an op-ed for @amlibraries that brings attention We’re working with local law enforcement to upgrade security to an issue increasingly concerning to those and increase awareness. Thank who work in libraries—keeping staff safe as you for this post, which will also increase awareness of the dan- they work in a community space we all love. gers we face in any public place. Esther Whatley @SACLIB, in response to “Keep Library Workers Safe” (AL Online, Apr. 23) Fort Myers Beach, Florida

WRITE US: The editors welcome comments about recent content, online stories, FOLLOW US: and matters of professional interest. Submissions should be limited to 300 words and @amlibraries are subject to editing for clarity, style, and length. Send to [email protected] facebook.com/amlibraries or American Libraries, From Our Readers, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611-2795.

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 7 @Fobettarh’s Recognize Civilians invited talk on Thank you for highlighting the bad librarians and American Library Association’s vocational awe (ALA) recent advocacy event was straight up (“Washington Fly-In Teaches Strategic Library Advocacy,” and has The Scoop, Feb. 26). As a par- inspired me. ticipant and a panelist for the Also her ability event, I came away with a great understanding of and confi- to handle Q&A is dence in my abilities as an advo- beyond excellent. cate. Your article did a good #ACRL2019 job of conveying participants’ @CATLADYLIB, in excitement and energy, which is important to share with all ALA response to “Why Sara Kamal (right), American Library Association (ALA) Public Policy and Advo- Being Bad Is Good” members and nonmembers. cacy associate, talks with Rowan Bost, legislative correspondent for Sen. Susan (The Scoop, Apr. 13) Particularly considering ALA’s Collins (R-Maine), at ALA’s Washington, D.C., fly-in. renewed focus on advocacy, these events empower all of us to remind you that civilian foundation members, Friends, concerned about the future of advocates are also important to and donors. American Libraries library funding. include and recognize. I see this inadvertently marginalized those The original article noted that as a missed opportunity to rec- of us advocates who are not “more than 90 librarians were ognize the community of library librarians, which is frustrating,

invited” to the event. I write supporters, including trustees, disappointing, and inaccurate. Photography Dana Rene Photo:

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8 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org I took time from my nonlibrary opioid overdose deeply flawed certainly, but how many libraries American job to come to D.C. to speak to (“Other Duties as Assigned,” stock nitroglycerin pills? Or insu- Libraries magazine my legislative representatives. Jan./Feb., p. 40). This is the lin, Benadryl, or even aspirin for I shared my experience with embodiment of mission creep. patrons? What recourse do we covered our very corporate–library partnerships Coming to the aid of six have aside from calling 911? own Amy Fyn! and the role of libraries in com- overdose victims, as Kowalski Reducing the discussion to a Read about munities’ economic health. I was did, is remarkable, and she has binary choice between helping or not the only nonlibrarian in atten- earned her platform. For many of watching a person die is a stun- the #ACRL2019 dance. I sat with a library trustee us, however, there are practical ningly narrow response to the presentation “Why and was joined on the panel by concerns to be considered. The problem of overdoses in libraries. We Leave: Exploring two other civilian advocates. first is the consistent availability There is no easy solution, it is Academic Librarian Reporting around topics of of volunteer responders, such as true, but criticizing colleagues advocacy should be inclusive of Kowalski. If we cannot compel because they are resistant to fol- Turnover” civilian advocates. Simply put: our staffers to act in unison, then lowing your vision of librarianship #CCUKLIB #CCU We want to be recognized as how do we offer aid in a sus- is certainly not the answer. #ChantsUp part of the library family at the tained manner? Libraries must Joseph Logue @KIMBELLIBRARY, advocacy table and not merely also have a system in place to Newport, Rhode Island in response to “Why serving those at the table. protect staff in the instance the Librarians Leave” Skip Dye revived person lashes out. These CORRECTION (The Scoop, Apr. 12) New York City instances are in the minority but In “Ebooks Made Easy” (Mar./ not rare—and they can be violent. Apr., p. 52), the number of digital To Aid or Not to Aid? The reflexive equating of over- rights management–free titles I found Chera Kowalski’s argu- dose events with heart attacks added to ProQuest’s Ebook Cen- ment in favor of library staff or seizures is disingenuous. They tral in 2018 was incorrectly identi- administering Narcan to combat are all medical emergencies, fied. The actual figure is 100,000.

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 9 Jefferson Wins 2020–2021 ALA Presidency ulius C. Jefferson Jr., section head Farrell elected ALA treasurer of Congressional Research Service Maggie Farrell, dean of university libraries at University Jat the Library of Congress in Wash- of Nevada, Las Vegas, has been elected ALA treasurer ington, D.C., has been elected president- for 2019–2022. Farrell received 5,221 votes, while her elect of the American Library Association opponent, Andrew K. Pace, executive director of technical (ALA). Jefferson received 5,108 votes, research at OCLC in Dublin, Ohio, received 2,735 votes. while his opponent, Lance Werner, exec- “I am honored to serve ALA utive director of Kent District Library in members as we consider the financial Comstock Park, Michigan, received 3,011. infrastructure required to advance our “It is an immense honor to be elected Julius C. Jefferson Jr. strategic initiatives,” Farrell said in an 2020–2021 president of the American Library Association,” April 10 statement. Jefferson said in an April 10 statement. “I am both humbled An ALA member for 30 years, and appreciative of the confidence you have demonstrated Farrell is currently chair of BARC. She in my ability to lead ALA in the service of libraries and library served on ALA Council as councilor- workers.” He said his goal is to collaborate with members at-large and as Association of College to strengthen core values and address challenges: “It is my Maggie Farrell and Research Libraries (ACRL) division vision that together we will transform ALA into a modern councilor. She is an active member of ACRL, LLAMA, and library association, ensuring that libraries remain at the center United for Libraries, as well as the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexu- of public engagement and enrich the lives of the communities al, and Transgender Round Table; Social Responsibilities we serve.” Round Table; Intellectual Freedom Round Table; and Jefferson has been an active ALA member for 15 years. He Reforma: The National Association to Promote Library and has served on ALA Council since 2011 and recently complet- Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking. ed a term on the ALA Executive Board. He has also been a Farrell was appointed by the Wyoming governor to the member of several committees, including the Budget Analysis Wyoming Commission on Judicial Conduct and Ethics, and Review Committee serving as its 2013–2014 chair. She participated in Leader- (BARC), the Intellectual ship Wyoming from 2006 to 2007. Freedom Committee, Farrell holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of JEFFERSON and the Chapter Rela- Missouri–Kansas City, an MLS from the University of Ari- 5,108 votes tions Committee. zona, and a master’s in public administration from Arizona Jefferson is a State University. member of the Library WERNER Leadership and Manage- Councilors elected 3,011 votes ment Association (LLAMA), Thirty-four ALA members have been elected councilors-at- the Black Caucus of the large on the ALA Council for a three-year term. The term ALA, and the Asian/ begins at the close of the 2019 Annual Conference and Pacific American Exhibition in Washington, D.C., and extends through the Librarians Association. end of the 2022 Annual Conference and Exhibition, also in VOTES CAST He holds a Washington, D.C. Four members were elected to finish two- 8,119 FOR PRESIDENT bachelor’s degree in year terms, which begin immediately and expire at the end history from Howard of the 2021 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago. BALLOTS University and an MLS For full election results, including those for divisions 48,080 SENT from the University of and round tables, visit ala.org/aboutala/governance/ BALLOTS Maryland. alaelection. • 8,905 RETURNED

10 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org JUNE GLBT Book Month ALA Joins in Census Amicus Brief ala.org/glbtbookmonth JUNE 20–25 n April 1, ALA joined an amicus brief to the US Supreme Court opposing ALA Annual Conference and the addition of a citizenship question to the 2020 Census. ALA joined Exhibition | Washington, D.C. Othe American Statistical Association, American Sociological Association, 2019.alaannual.org and Population Association of America in support of the plaintiffs in New York v. Department of Commerce. The case was appealed directly to the Supreme AUG. 24–30 IFLA World Library and Court after a federal court ruled for the plaintiffs and ordered the US Commerce Information Congress Department to remove the question. Athens, Greece “Accurate and reliable census information features in an astonishing array of 2019.ifla.org decisions, from where voters cast their ballots to where small businesses choose to invest to how the federal government allocates money to how emergency SEPT. Library Card Sign-Up Month responders prepare for natural disasters, among many others,” the brief states. ala.org/librarycardsignup It argues that the Commerce Department’s addition of the citizenship question is inconsistent with the department’s own standards and that requesting such SEPT. 22–28 information threatens the integrity of census data. Banned Books Week The Supreme Court heard arguments on April 23 and is expected to rule by ala.org/bbooks late June, when census forms are scheduled to go to press. SEPT. 25 The amicus brief represents ALA’s opposition to the citizenship question and Banned Websites is part of ALA’s broader advocacy regarding the role of libraries in the 2020 Awareness Day Census. Led by the 2020 Census Library Outreach and Education Task Force, ala.org/aasl/advocacy/bwad ALA members and staff are working in three areas: developing resources and OCT. 20–26 education to support the library field, coordinating with the Census Bureau and National Friends of other stakeholders to increase awareness of library roles, and advancing policy- Libraries Week making that will support libraries and the communities they serve. bit.ly/alafolweek For more information about ALA’s Census efforts, see our story on page 44. • OCT. 21–27 Open Access Week openaccessweek.org

NOV. 1–3 ALA Supports Net against blocking, throttling, and other YALSA Young Adult Services Neutrality Legislation interference. “That’s why we continue Symposium | Memphis, Tennessee On March 6, House and Senate Demo- to work on this important issue and ala.org/yalsa/yasymposium crats introduced the Save the Internet appreciate the efforts of lawmakers today NOV. 3–9 Act of 2019 to restore net neutrality. to restore net neutrality protections,” International Games Week That same day, ALA released a statement Garcia-Febo added. games.ala.org in support. The Save the Internet Act passed the NOV. 14–16 “A free and open internet is critical for House of Representatives on April 10 but AASL National Conference and equitable access to online information as of press time had not been heard in Exhibition | Louisville, Kentucky and resources for the nearly 120,000 the Senate. national.aasl.org libraries ALA represents and the commu- JAN. 24–28 nities we serve across America,” said ALA Nominating Committee ALA Midwinter Meeting & President Loida Garcia-Febo in the state- Seeks 2020 Candidates Exhibits | Philadelphia ment. According to a recent Program for The Nominating Committee for the bit.ly/ALAUpcomingConfs Public Consultation at the University of 2020 ALA election is soliciting nomi- FEB. 25–29 Maryland poll, 86% of respondents sup- nees to run on the next spring ballot for Public Library Association port strong, enforceable net neutrality the offices of ALA president-elect and Conference | Nashville, Tennessee rules that protect lawful internet traffic councilor-at-large. placonference.org

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 11 UPDATE

The Nominating Committee will select two candidates to run for president-elect and no fewer than 51 candidates for the Celebrate PLA’s 75th Anniversary 34 at-large Council seats to be filled in he Public Library Association (PLA) will turn 75 years old on October 13, the 2020 spring election. and the entire public library field is encouraged to participate in its anni- Members who wish to make nomina- versary celebration. tions should submit the nominee name, T PLA is gathering member stories for its 75th-anniversary website. The current position, institution, address, division is seeking stories about how it has made a difference in your profes- telephone number, and email address. sional life and supported your work in public libraries. To submit your story, Self-nominations are encouraged. All visit bit.ly/PLA75StorySubmit. potential nominees must complete the PLA will also commemorate the 75th anniversary at various events, includ- Potential Candidate Biographical Form ing at the 2019 ALA Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., and the PLA 2020 found at officers.directnominations.net. Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Nominations and forms must be For more information on ways to participate—including contests, articles, received no later than July 10. and stories in PLA’s e-newsletter—visit 75years.pla.org. • Garcia-Febo Voices Support for Youth in Puerto Rico On March 5, ALA President Loida Garcia- to provide library services to girls and to create and share videos and content Febo joined library leaders at the Puerto young women in Puerto Rico who have about their libraries. Rico Center for the Book in San Juan to experienced trauma. The Social Media Advocacy Toolkit participate in a discussion titled “Read to Garcia-Febo discussed the role libraries includes best practices and simple but Heal and Transform Lives,” a local effort play in strengthening communities and effective tips for enhancing the appeal her presidential effort to support health and impact of library stories, such as tag- and wellness within the profession of ging strategically to attract the attention librarianship. Other library professionals of decision makers. The kit also includes and staff from Hogar Escuela Sor María shareable graphics and sample posts Rafaela, a local government institution for for Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. girls and young women who have expe- Advocates can use the Live Stream and rienced trauma, discussed their work to Video Storytelling Checklist to create support healing efforts through reading. high-quality videos on social media. The Puerto Rico Center for the Book The checklist includes a list of necessary will offer events including author collo- equipment and step-by-step instructions quia, workshops, reading festivals, and for shooting video for Facebook Live and contests to explore the making and writ- Instagram Live. ing of books. A makerspace is currently These and other advocacy resources under development, as is a virtual space are available at ala.org/advocacy. to stimulate creativity and innovation in reading and writing. Critical Thinking Toolkit A new Libraries Transform toolkit with New Digital Storytelling free public awareness resources relating Advocacy Resources to critical thinking, created by ALA in Booth 1949 In April, ALA released two new tools collaboration with SAGE Publishing, is to help library advocates and libraries now available. Big Things Are across the country share their stories The toolkit contains messaging, Happening on digital platforms: a Live Stream and data, and print and digital graphics Video Storytelling Checklist and a Social for libraries to use in their marketing Exclusive ScanStudio Demo Media Advocacy Toolkit. The resources and advocacy efforts around critical Reserve a Space Today are rolling out in conjunction with the thinking. Libraries and supporters can (240) 215-0224 #MyLibraryMyStory initiative, a video download the free materials to help Scanners & Conversion Services and social media effort that aims to students and others find and evaluate www.thecrowleycompany.com encourage library advocates and users reliable information.

12 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org The toolkit is available on the Candidates must also have experience Libraries Transform website at bit.ly/ in the management or oversight of ALACritThinkingToolkit. investment funds in a business setting and must be able to contribute to the Candidates Sought for preparation of semiannual reports to Endowment Trustee Positions the ALA Executive Board and Council. Applications are being accepted for two Additionally, candidates must be able to three-year terms on the ALA Endow- participate in any scheduled conference ment Trustees committee. The ALA calls and attend two to four meetings per Endowment Trustees hold, invest, and year in person. disburse endowment and other long- The ALA Executive Board will select term investment funds as directed by the candidates during the 2019 ALA Annual ALA Executive Board. The deadline for Conference and Exhibition in Washington, applications is June 1. D.C. Trustees will begin serving immedi- Candidates must be or become mem- ately upon notification of their selection. bers of ALA and have working knowledge For additional information regarding of investment opportunities available qualifications and responsibilities, con- to the endowment and other long-term tact Keith D. Brown, ALA senior financial investment funds, as well as bench- analyst, at 800-545-2433, ext. 4255, or marks used to judge fund performance. [email protected].

Success for Dear Appropriator Letters he Dear Appropriator letters campaign for fiscal year 2020 ended April 11 on a positive note for library funding, thanks to the thousands Tof calls, emails, and visits made by ALA advocates across the country. With federal library funding sources under threat of elimination from the White House for the third straight year, library advocates responded forcefully. Advocates reached out to more than 100 new members of Congress, many of whom were unfamiliar with the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) programs. In the House, 37 fresh- men representatives signed the LSTA letter and 25 signed the IAL letter. House support for both letters increased: LSTA signatures increased from 136 last year to 150, and IAL support grew from 98 to 128 signatures. Bipar- tisan leadership on the FY2020 LSTA letter helped secure several additional Republicans. As a result, seven House Republicans signed LSTA and five signed IAL, while only four had supported each last year. Support for LSTA and IAL remained steady in the Senate. The FY2020 IAL letter retained a level 36 signatures. The LSTA letter dropped from 46 to 45. ALA’s Public Policy and Advocacy Office continues to provide resources for ALA members to cultivate relationships with their members of Congress and congressional staff at home in their districts. These resources include details for inviting a member of Congress to tour your library; tips on telling your library’s story to local media; tools for advocating on social media platforms, including steps for livestreaming events; one-page fact sheets for sharing IMLS funding information from your state; and worksheets to prepare for reaching out to your member of Congress. •

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 13 UPDATE

Toy Story 4 Cast Heads Library Card Sign-Up Month n September, Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 4 characters Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Bo Peep, and friends will act as Library Card ISign-Up Month Honorary Chairs. They will remind the public that signing up for a library card opens a world of possibilities and can help bring great stories to life. Themed Toy Story 4 posters, stickers, and bookmarks are available through the ALA Store at alastore.ala.org. Free library card artwork, as well as other print and digital graphics featuring Toy Story 4 characters, will be available for libraries to use. Sample tools including a proclamation, press release, radio PSA scripts, and social media posts will also be provided. Visit ala.org/librarycardsignup for more information. •

YALSA Summer Learning of Health’s All of Us Grant Recipients research program, an effort The Young Adult Library Services Asso- to gather data from more than 1 million neighborhood, played a major part in ciation (YALSA) has chosen 25 libraries people living in the US to accelerate his upbringing and was referenced in to receive a 2019 Summer Learning research and improve health. The two his works “Dandelion Wine,” Some- Resources Grant, sponsored by the Dollar groups will also support public libraries thing Wicked This Way Comes, and Fare- General Literacy Foundation. to increase health literacy, address health well Summer. The grants allow libraries to purchase research inequities, and strengthen Ray Bradbury Park is the first Literary literacy resources that will strengthen community partnerships with health Landmark established in Lake County, and expand the impact of summer learn- advocates and providers. Illinois, and the eighth in the state of ing programs for teens who are most Additional information about All of Illinois. More information about the vulnerable to summer learning loss. This Us can be found at joinallofus.org/nlm. dedication ceremony can be found at includes teens who speak English as a Information on PLA’s health initiatives raybradburyexperiencemuseum.org. second language, teens in socioeconomi- can be found at bit.ly/PLAHealthLiteracy. Any library or group may apply for a cally challenged communities, and teens Literary Landmark designation through who are at risk of failing out of school. Ray Bradbury Park Declared United for Libraries. For more informa- A full list of recipients is available Literary Landmark tion, visit bit.ly/LitLandmarks. online at bit.ly/YALSA-SLgrantees19. To United for Libraries, in partnership with learn more about the grant, visit bit.ly/ the Illinois State Library and Illinois Free “Write and Cite” Webinar YALSASummerLearningGrant. Center for the Book, designated Ray ALA Publishing eLearning Solutions, Bradbury Park a Literary Landmark on in partnership with the University of PLA and NNLM Partner March 16. Held in Bradbury’s hometown Chicago Press, has made the webinar for “All of Us” of Waukegan, Illinois, the unveiling “Write and Cite ‘Chicago Style’: Helping PLA has expanded its partnership with ceremony began at 4:51 p.m. in honor of Students and Patrons Understand The the National Network of Libraries of Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451. Chicago Manual of Style and Turabian” Medicine (NNLM), a program of the Bradbury, a prolific author best free to access at bit.ly/ALAWriteandCite. National Library of Medicine. known for his science fiction, was also Rebecca Gerber, electronic resources PLA and NNLM will work together to an outspoken library advocate. The librarian at ALA, interviews Chicago raise awareness of the National Institutes park, located in Bradbury’s childhood Manual of Style (CMOS) expert Carol

14 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org UPDATE

Saller, editor of the CMOS Online Q&A committees to evaluate for awards. To Organization, and has served on other and the CMOS Shop Talk blog. They make room for next year’s publications, boards and committees. discuss using CMOS for citation building ALSC created Bookapalooza to infuse As a recognized national expert on and more. three library collections with new materi- copyright and licensing issues in higher The webinar addresses how to help als for children up to age 14. education, Neal students and patrons use The Chi- has testified before cago Manual of Style Online and Kate Jim Neal Named Congress and was L. Turabian’s A Manual for Writers to Senior Policy Fellow an advisor to the US find answers to questions about citation, On March 27, ALA appointed Jim delegation at the grammar, punctuation, and other rules Neal senior policy fellow. Neal, who World Intellectual of writing. is immediate past president of ALA, Property Organi- will advise the ALA Public Policy and Jim Neal zation diplomatic ALSC Announces Bookapalooza Advocacy Office in Washington, D.C., conference on copyright. He was the Program Winners on copyright and licensing matters, and US representative on the Committee on The Association for Library Services provide leadership on selected priority Copyright and Other Legal Matters for to Children (ALSC) has awarded 2019 initiatives including the ALA Policy the International Federation of Library Bookapalooza materials to three libraries: Corps, established in 2017 as one of his Associations and Institutions and contin- McNary (Ariz.) Community Library; Jaf- presidential initiatives. ues as an external advisor. frey (N.H.) Public Library; and Lawrence Neal is university librarian emeritus Neal joins Sari Feldman, Jon Peha, County (Tenn.) Public Library. at Columbia University in New York. Robert Bocher, senior counsel Alan The winning libraries will be given Neal has chaired the boards of the Fishel, and senior advisor Roger Rosen books, DVDs, and audiobooks received Association of Research Libraries and as senior strategic advisors to the ALA from publishers for ALSC selection the National Information Standards Public Policy and Advocacy Office.

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americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 15 Spokane Community Court, held in the Spokane (Wash.) Public Library, connects about 1,000 participants per year with onsite social services.

to everyone, and there isn’t the stigma that a courthouse might have. It’s a welcoming place.”

Resources on tap Community courts typically consist of two rooms: one in which a judge holds court, and one that acts as a community resource center (CRC), in which social-service providers help defendants and members of the public with counseling, housing, and other needs. Those providers might include public health workers, technical schools Courting Libraries or community colleges, health care nonprofits, and temp agencies Partnerships bring social services and looking for workers. restorative justice to communities At King County (Wash.) Library System (KCLS)—which has hosted a community court in its Red- BY Kirsti rimes like murder or arson “When the judge asked, I just mond branch since April of last MacPherson require a traditional court of didn’t see it at first,” Chanse says. year—the CRC includes about 45 C justice. Crimes like graffiti But when he learned that onsite providers, all of which are avail- or shoplifting don’t have to. social-service providers were a able to the general public as well That’s the reasoning behind the key component of the community- as to defendants. “You don’t have community-court model, which has court model, he began to see what to have a criminal charge,” says been around since the early 1990s. libraries had to offer in this regard: Francis Adewale, a public defender Designed with restorative justice in “I said, ‘Well, that’s information— for the city of Spokane. In fact, he mind, community courts typically not in a book on a shelf, but it’s adds, “twice as many people are focus on nonviolent cases. The information, and people really accessing the library to get the legally binding sentences they issue need it.’” services than are charged.” usually include community service Spokane Public Library’s The Redmond library–court as well as a commitment on the downtown branch began hosting partnership appears to be a win part of the defendant to get help, a community court in December in other ways as well. The court such as drug treatment or other 2013, and it now sees about 1,000 has processed almost 100 cases; health care. participants annually. In Chanse’s only four of those defendants have Still, when Andrew Chanse, exec- view, information isn’t the only had to return to the traditional utive director of Spokane (Wash.) thing the library provides. “When court system, according to Ericka Public Library, got a phone call in you walk into a courthouse, there Cooley, the city’s community court 2013 requesting that his library isn’t necessarily a sense of hope or coordinator. And, she says, “com- host a community court, he wasn’t opportunity,” says Chanse. “The munity members are happy because

sure what to think. library helps provide that. It’s open they can get information—and security) (sign, Public Library (Wash.) ; Spokane Libraries American Lomax/ Rebecca composite: Photo

16 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org the service providers are happy 2015, Seattle Public Library (SPL) because they know there will be a has staffed a service point in the Literary full house.” Seattle Municipal Court’s Commu- nity Resource Center twice a week Washington, D.C. Where to start for two hours at a time, registering Which types of defendants appear people for library cards, waiving 9 in community court? That’s up or lowering fines, and providing Number of years since the American Library to each community to decide. reference assistance. Association last held its Annual Conference Spokane’s community court han- Malik Moore, SPL assistant in Washington, D.C. dles cases of theft, trespass, and manager for borrower malicious mischief, among others, services, says that in a according to Judge Mary Logan, typical week, 40 to 50 260,000 who hears cases at the court in people take advantage of Number of printed books housed at the Spokane Public Library’s down- the library’s presence at Folger Shakespeare Library. The collection town branch. the court’s CRC. Not only also contains 60,000 manuscripts; 90,000 Hosting a community court are more patrons able to drawings, prints, paintings, photographs, increases a library’s workload access library services and works of art; and 82 copies of the somewhat, says Dan Shaffer, this way, Moore explains, First Folio of 1623. adult services librarian at KCLS’s but library workers get to Redmond branch. While the library spread their wings a bit as is not responsible for additional well: “We wanted to get 12,000 Approximate number of items the Library security on court days (the city more from a talented and of Congress adds to its collections daily. provides that), library staff set up dedicated staff, to allow the rooms for the court and the them to utilize their skills CRC. The library also provides a in a nonlibrary environment.” $10 staff representative and a technol- Libraries that are unable to Cost of a mojito at Busboys and Poets, a commu- ogy volunteer, who helps patrons host a community court or staff nity gathering place for artists, writers, and activ- with their phones and other an external service point have ists with seven locations in the D.C. area, named devices, for the CRC. another option, Cooley points out: to honor poet Langston Hughes. (For more on Libraries that don’t have the establishing their own CRC. She Busboys and Poets, and other places to eat and space or the staff to host a court calls it “the first step to creating a drink in D.C., see our dining guide on p. 70.) on site can still participate in the community court—getting those community-court model. Since agencies together in one place to offer help.” 800 Whatever a particular library– Number of electronic “Twice as many court partnership looks like, it’s newspaper front pages the likely to have lasting positive effects Newseum receives each day people are on the community. from around the world. The “Sometimes people do more museum enlarges and prints accessing the community service than we ask 80 for display in its Today’s library to get the them to do,” comments Adewale. Front Pages gallery. Not only that, but some former [social] services offenders “come by just to say, ‘I’m still doing well,’” says Logan. “It is 21 than are charged.” truly extraordinary what happens Number of specialized research libraries that FRANCIS ADEWALE, public down at the library.” make up the Smithsonian Libraries network. defender, City of Spokane (To read about the Biodiversity Heritage Library, KIRSTI MACPHERSON is a freelance of which Smithsonian Libraries is a founding

Photos: Folger Shakespeare Library (drawing); Newseum (front page) (front Newseum (drawing); Library Shakespeare Folger Photos: writer based in Evanston, Illinois. member, see our Bookend on p. 88.) •

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 17 T ENDS

Members of Books for Dessert, Port Washington (N.Y.) Public Library’s book club for adults over 21 with intellectual disabilities, meet to discuss The Case of the Bicycle Bandit.

another day available, I’m sure he’d want to go to that one, too. He adores reading and talking about the books he’s read.” Like any other book club, part of the draw of Books for Dessert is the chance for participants to make connections between their own lives and the lives of the characters they read about. When his club recently read the Judy Blume middle-grade novel Blubber, for example, longtime participant Howie Bauer could easily relate to the theme of bullying. “My upstate school, they teased me because I was too slow,” he told the other group members. Everyone on the Same Page Books for Dessert is just one of many library-hosted book clubs Adults with disabilities find engagement, across the country meant specifi- community in book clubs cally for adults with intellectual and other disabilities. Many of those are affiliated with the Next Chapter BY Alison hen Jamie Comer during the day, basically.” That Book Club (bit.ly/ncbookclub), Marcotte turned 21, his mother didn’t sit well with her. a community-based program for W Nancy celebrated—but So with the help of PWPL, adolescents and adults with Down she also worried. Jamie has Down in 2003 she founded Books for syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, syndrome, and as Comer knew, Dessert, a program comprising two and other disabilities. it can be difficult for people with book clubs for adults with intellec- Founded in 2002, Next Chapter developmental disabilities to find tual disabilities. Each club meets aims to give people with those intellectual stimulation and a sup- weekly at the library, and each reads disabilities the chance to read, portive community once they age everything from novels and non- learn, and make friends in a out of school. fiction to poems, short stories, and relaxed, community setting such “When people with developmen- plays. Past favorites have included as a public library. “It’s not really tal disabilities become 21, that’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone about learning to read—it’s about the end of education for them, as and an adaptation of Romeo and reading to learn,” says Program if they don’t need to keep learning Juliet. Meetings end with dessert Manager Lyna Smith. That’s why, like other people keep learning and the chance to socialize. at Next Chapter clubs, each partic- as they get older,” says Comer, a And Jamie? “He’s been in the ipant has the chance to read aloud, trustee of the Port Washington program since day one,” Comer regardless of skill level. Each club (N.Y.) Public Library (PWPL). She says. “He’s always been in the meets weekly or biweekly for an enrolled her son in a local day Thursday night group, but now hour and typically draws four to program but found that “they con- goes to the Monday morning book eight participants and two volun-

centrated on just keeping him busy club group as well. If there were teer facilitators. Public Library (N.Y.) Washington Port Photo:

18 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org T ENDS

With more than 300 clubs in the Not all book clubs for people “It’s not really about United States, Australia, Canada, with disabilities focus on intellec- Germany, and Rwanda, Next Chap- tual disabilities. In Jefferson City, learning to read—it’s ter offers online and in-person train- Missouri, the Wolfner Talking Book ing for organizations and individuals and Braille Library (a free service about reading to learn.” who want to become affiliates. for state residents who are unable LYNA SMITH, Skokie (Ill.) Public Library’s to use standard print materials Next Chapter program manager (SPL) Let’s Get Together Book because of a visual or other disabil- Club (bit.ly/skokieclub) for adults ity) offers three book clubs (bit.ly/ with intellectual and develop- wolfnerclubs) via conference call mental disabilities started as for their patrons, many of whom participants call a toll-free a Next Chapter Book Club but are homebound. number for the group discussion. now runs independently. Dawn To participate, patrons call the “This is [many patrons’] only Wlezien, SPL accessible library library to register for the club of connection with the outside world, specialist, organizes the club and their choice—Novel Reads, the and we take that responsibility very has seen for herself how it helps fiction group; Big Ideas, which seriously,” says retired Wolfner participants gradually grow in reads nonfiction; or Good Reads, Library Director Donna Riegel. “I confidence. At first, she said, which focuses on fiction and don’t know that public libraries some attendees would just say nonfiction with little to no sex, realize how much of a social role “pass” when it was their turn to violence, or strong language. they play in people’s lives.” read aloud—but eventually they They are then mailed the books started participating. “They look in Braille, audio, or large-print ALISON MARCOTTE is a freelance forward to it,” she says. format. When the club meets, writer for American Libraries.

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 19 T ENDS

Stephanie Jewett, manager at Salt Lake County Library’s Columbus branch, displays a gun lock available at the library.

Resource Center, 51% of suicides in 2017 were committed with guns. The goal in giving away gun locks is to prevent the impulsive nature of some suicides—buying time for people to reconsider, she says. The locks can also help prevent children who find a firearm from using it as a toy, she adds. SLCL partnered with the Utah Department of Public Safety in November 2018 to offer locks at the system’s 18 branches, resulting in the distribution of about 1,000 gun locks in a 24-hour period. Such partnerships to make gun locks available have been pop- ping up across the country: Law enforcement and public safety organizations provide the locks, while libraries serve as distribution centers. In Kansas City, Missouri, two accidental shooting deaths in short succession in 2017 prompted Kansas City Public Library (KCPL) officials to team with the Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) for a gun Under Lock and Key lock giveaway program. Kim Gile, community reference manager for KCPL, says the giveaway launched for Safety’s Sake that fall. That’s when the library Gun lock giveaways hope to curb suicide, accidents hosted a program by Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a national gun-violence BY Timothy fter a string of teen suicides QPR (question, persuade, refer) prevention advocacy organiza- Inklebarger hit Salt Lake County, method of identifying and prevent- tion, to discuss such topics as how A Utah, in 2017 and 2018, ing suicidal ideation. As part of the to have a conversation with other Leslie Schow, manager of Salt Lake class, SLCL made gun locks avail- parents about gun safety and how County Library’s (SLCL) Herriman able to community members. to keep your own weapon secured. branch, decided to act. Working Although not all the suicides The event was broadcast on with Healthy Herriman, a commu- in Herriman were gun related, Facebook Live, and gun locks nity organization connected with Schow notes, statistically the use were handed out to attendees. the city of Herriman and the Salt of firearms is the most common The library has hosted four of the Lake County Health Department, method of suicide in the country. forums to date and distributed

SLCL started hosting classes on the According to the Suicide Prevention about 50 locks. Gile says library News Deseret Qiling Wang/ Photo:

20 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org T ENDS staffers have discussed setting “At first, we just put a box of The locks can prevent up a station at the library with rep- them out and discovered that resentatives from Moms Demand people were taking many, and children who find a firearm Action and KCPD to continue the then we heard that word on the conversation and make more locks street was that people were selling from using it as a toy. available to patrons. “Right now them,” she says. That prompted our library is focused a little bit library staffers to place the locks more on having a larger conversa- behind the front desk, with a tion about violence in Kansas City sign letting patrons know to ask find out more. She says that along as a whole; intentional violence is for them. Hans says she was not with other public health programs, a much greater issue for us than deterred by the possibility that such as their naloxone program to accidental,” she says. some people would take advantage prevent opioid overdoses, the gun The gun lock giveaway program of the program. “It’s more impor locks giveaway is just another way at Indianapolis Public Library (IPL) tant for us to get the gun locks out libraries are providing services for began in 2014 and was driven by there,” she says. the community. the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Schow says that although SLCL “As libraries change and morph according to Ruth Hans, manager of has distributed more than 1,000 over time and become community IPL’s Warren branch: “They offered locks, it’s still difficult to quantify centers, it’s important for us to take gun locks for the branches, and we success, since there’s no way to tell an active role in the health of our jumped on it.” The branches have if someone is profiting off them. But community,” Schow says. given out hundreds of the locks as the program has gained atten- over the last five years, but the pro- tion in the press, a few other library TIMOTHY INKLEBARGER is a writer gram has slowed down over time. systems have contacted SLCL to living in Chicago.

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americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 21 T ENDS

Students Olivia Ricketts (left), Simone Moonsammy (center), and Lydia Hall from the University of Georgia School of Social Work provide trauma-informed services and training at Athens–Clarke County (Ga.) Library.

health facilities, criminal justice institutions, and substance-abuse treatment centers. The basic idea, as Sharkey explains it: “Even though we don’t know everyone’s story, we can assume that people have had experiences that could be traumatizing—such as a history of abuse or mental health issues— and therefore we want to be very Toward a Trauma- thoughtful about how we navigate interactions with them.” That shift in perception is often characterized Informed Model as a movement away from thinking, Learn to ask “What happened?”—not “What’s wrong?” “What’s wrong with this person?” and instead asking, “What happened to this person?” BY Anne Ford ntent on finding a safe place Sharkey, who is program coor- Now, as more libraries bring to spend the day, the elderly dinator for Athens–Clarke County social workers on staff, these new I woman trudged into the public (Ga.) Library’s (ACCL) Trauma- trauma-informed approaches are library, burdened with several bags Informed Library Transformation changing not just policies and pro- of precious possessions. She was initiative, suggests that we imagine tocols that affect patrons, but those immediately greeted by the sight a different scenario. involving staff as well. of a library worker thrusting out a Ideally, the library could provide “We provide training on trauma- hand and snapping, “No, you can’t a place for patrons to store their informed services and approaches, bring those things in here.” things. Failing that, Sharkey says, and that includes how trauma often “She said she felt like she was “this would be an opportunity for underlies experiences of home- being struck,” explains Caroline staffers to smile, keep their hands lessness, mental health issues, and Sharkey. A licensed clinical social down, and speak in a tone of voice more,” explains Elissa Hardy, LCSW worker (LCSW) on the faculty that’s welcoming but firm: ‘Hey, I and community resource manager of the University of Georgia’s want to remind you that we don’t of Denver Public Library (DPL). School of Social Work in Athens, allow people to come in with extra “Within that, we offer specific Sharkey heard the story from bags. If you wouldn’t mind finding approaches on how to deescalate a librarian acquaintance who a place to store those, we’d love to a situation through a trauma- witnessed the incident. have you come back afterward.’” informed lens.” As it happened, the woman had The difference between these For example, DPL’s previous experienced domestic violence scenarios? In the latter, the protocol called for summoning that led to her becoming homeless. library worker is using a trauma- the police when a patron was According to the acquaintance, informed tactic. found injecting illegal drugs in the the stern words and gesture of a library’s bathroom. Because drug probably well-meaning worker had A new method abuse often indicates a history of reignited that trauma, leaving her Over the last 30 years, trauma- trauma, this procedure can shame feeling far less safe than before she informed approaches have and retraumatize someone. “And it

stepped inside. gradually been adopted by mental was also stressful for the staff to sit Caleb Guice Photo:

22 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org T ENDS

with that person and wait for the staffers, the team has its own office as we go along.” A former branch police to come,” Hardy points out. hours in the library so that patrons supervisor for Sacramento (Calif.) Today, if patrons are found in need can consult with social Public Library, Doktor is now a net- in that situation, a member of workers on request. work manager at ACEs Connection, the library’s social work team is Valerie Bell, executive director a social network for organizations dispatched to connect them with of Athens Regional Library System, implementing trauma-informed a harm-reduction program or a emphasizes that the trauma- and resilience-building practices. source for clean needles. Of course, informed approach applies not only She urges libraries that would “it’s still against our library-use to patrons but to library workers like to become trauma informed, policy” for patrons to use drugs as well. In fact, “for me, that’s one particularly those without a social onsite, Hardy says. “People still do of the biggest parts—the self-care worker on staff, to begin by asking get suspended from the library, but for staff,” she says. For example, themselves, “Who are the commu- at least they’ve first made a connec- librarians who have difficult nity partners we can use?” tion with a social worker.” encounters with patrons are now “It’s going to take a lot of perse- ACCL began incorporating its encouraged to take a five-minute verance for people to develop this trauma-informed approach in break in a private area to calm model, to bring social work into the January, thanks to an Institute themselves and regroup. library creatively,” Doktor says. “It of Museum and Library Services How can libraries begin to isn’t something we’re going to get grant that allowed it to bring in a work toward becoming trauma in a webinar. This is a challenge to team of students and staff from the informed? “It’s not like there’s our profession.” University of Georgia’s School of a Trauma-Informed Library: The Social Work. In addition to provid- Manual,” says Alicia Doktor. “There ANNE FORD is American Libraries ing training sessions on trauma for is no road map; we’re creating this editor-at-large.

LIVE PODCAST TAPING 50 Years of the CSK Book Awards Join American Libraries for a Saturday, conversation about the Coretta June 22 Scott King Book Awards with past at 9 a.m. winners and honorees, including: PopTop Stage in the Exhibit Hall

Jason Ekua Christopher Reynolds Holmes Myers Author Illustrator Illustrator The talk will be taped for a future episode of the Dewey Decibel podcast.

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 23 T ENDS

A Louisville (Ohio) Public Library patron uses an LED softie, a large beanbag cushion with an integrated light source and fiber optics, that produces a calming effect.

The space is divided into two sec- tions to help tailor the experience to specific needs. One section is filled with tactile objects providing physical interaction, delighting those who are understimulated in daily life and helping those with early onset dementia. These objects include an interactive balance beam, a musical vibration bench, and touch-sensitive walls. For example, the IRiS Musical Touch Wall from Experia helps users develop cause- and-effect skills, color and number recognition, and hand-eye coordina- A Sensory Wonderland tion through its use of vibrant LED lights and touch sensitivity. A programming space for the special needs community The second section is a relaxation area. Designed to limit stimuli for those who are overly stimu- ouisville (Ohio) Public Library opened its innovative Sensory Space in August 2018 lated, like children with attention- with the help of a $50,000 Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant. It deficit/hyperactivity disorder Loffers teen sensory relaxation sessions, adult sensory exploration, sensory story- (ADHD), the relaxation section is times, and other activities for patrons on the autism spectrum. Louisville is one of the full of soothing colors, dim lights, first public libraries to offer a free multisensory environment, which is housed in the and optical illusions. library’s Discovery Center. The Discovery Center hosts weekly programs including story- time, adult relaxation yoga, and BY Michael otor coordination, concen- The idea came from two staff playtime. The space can also be Damron tration, color recognition, members who have children on reserved for groups to ensure that M understanding cause and the autism spectrum. Through everyone has full access to all that effect—these are some of the skills an LSTA grant, the library built a the room has to offer. Louisville Public Library hopes to space whose visual and auditory amplify in the children and adults environment is controlled and with special needs who use its designed for children and adults “The Discovery new Sensory Space. It’s not a large on the spectrum. Those with room; it can hold only 24 individ- sensory integration issues find the Center is designed uals at a time, and it is often at Sensory Space particularly helpful, for the special needs capacity. But it is a unique space for but even those who don’t need sensory exploration and program- help with motor skills will enjoy community, but all ming. “It’s the only library in the the experience. “Although the Dis- state of Ohio offering something covery Center is designed for the our patrons benefit.” like this,” Library Director Jason special needs community,” Buydos JASON BUYDOS, director of the Buydos says. “It is potentially an says, “all of our patrons can benefit Louisville (Ohio) Public Library example of what libraries could or from the programming hosted in

should be offering nationally.” the sensory space.” Michael Damron Photo:

24 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org T ENDS

The center opened its doors in August 2018 and was met with over- whelming interest and support from the community and throughout Ohio. WWII Trove Returned Within its first week of operation, the Sensory Space saw more than 1,000 GERMANY In 2017, a Belgian visitors—quickly reaching a goal that woman named Tania Grégoire sent the library had hoped to achieve over a trove of 150 antique books to the first year. Sotheby’s auction house in London. Staffers give frequent tours of the Experts discovered that many of the space to other librarians in the hope books were missing title pages and that this programming model will be bindings, which is where a library duplicated at other libraries throughout stamp usually appears. Some library the country. At the conclusion of every marks, however, were still visible, tour, excited librarians leave the build- and the experts linked the books Book of Hours ing abuzz with numerous ideas that in Latin (south- to the University of Bonn. Michael they take back to their communities. ern Netherlands Herkenhoff, the university library’s Area schools and a local hospital [Bruges]), curator of manuscripts, said it’s pos- have contacted the library to develop ca. 1460–1470 sible that during World War II Belgian partnerships, and a nearby college soldiers plundered the book depots for valuable volumes. Grégoire teaches an education course in the led authorities to 450 more volumes stored in her garage in Brussels, Sensory Space as part of its curriculum beginning the process of repatriation for more than 600 books. for special needs educators. —Smithsonian SmartNews, Apr. 15; Sotheby’s, Apr. 12; The Art Newspaper, Apr. 11. Kristen Werstler, activities and events department assistant, has SPAIN The Taber School in Barcelona has withdrawn from its noticed firsthand the impact that the library some 200 classic children’s books, including Sleeping Beauty Sensory Space has had on the commu- and Little Red Riding Hood, because of their depiction of sexist nity. “A class of special needs students stereotypes. After analyzing the contents of its library for children up regularly attends our storytimes,” to age 6, school officials found that around a third of its stories were Werstler says. “We have four Noisy “toxic,” and that only 10% of the books were written with female- Sound Walls, each of which depicts positive characters. Anna Tutzó, who was on the commission that a different scene—a farm, a jungle, looked at the books, said gender bias pervades fairy tales and that the a city, and the galaxy. When I read a change of gender roles in society “is not being reflected in stories.” book about farm animals, I have the —Newsweek, Apr. 11; El País (Barcelona), Apr. 11. children take turns pressing the walls so we hear all the farm animals. This SOUTH AFRICA The South African Library for the Blind (the helps them associate real sounds with only library serving blind persons in southern Africa) celebrated the words on the page, further devel- 100 years in operation in Grahamstown on March 28. The day kicked oping their cognitive recognition.” off with a launch of its bookSouth African Library for the Blind: “I can mostly speak for my daugh- A Diary of the Library. The library was founded during the height ter, a teen with Asperger’s high- of the 1918 global influenza pandemic by a local nurse, Josephine functioning autism and ADHD,” says (Josie) Wood, who established a small library in a little room in her library patron Deborah Long. “The house in 1919.—Department of Arts and Culture, Pretoria, Mar. 29. Sensory Space is one of her favorite places on earth.” CANADA Two services that operate interlibrary loans across Ontario, deliver books, and provide support and training for library MICHAEL DAMRON is communications staff took a huge hit in April from the provincial government in order manager for Louisville (Ohio) Public to address a $11.7 billion budget deficit. The Southern Ontario Library Library, which encourages anyone Service and the Ontario Library Service–North will see their budgets who is interested in learning about sensory halved for the 2019–2020 fiscal year. A Change.org petition launched programming in a library setting to call 330-875-1696 or contact public.relations after the announcement called on the government to reverse its

Photo: University of Bonn University Photo: @louisvillelibrary.org. decision.—Toronto Star, Apr. 18; Toronto Sun, Apr. 19; HuffPost, Apr. 21. •

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 25 TRENDS

far we still have to go and how deep Tomi Adeyemi hatred still runs. Author brings magic to YA fiction Box office numbers for movies like Black Panther and The Hate U Give show audiences crave representa- omi Adeyemi’s debut YA novel Children of Blood and Bone (Henry Holt and Co., tion in media, and a recent Guardian 2018) follows Zélie, who fights to bring magic back to her people in Orïsha (named article (bit.ly/AL-DiverseBooks) Tfor Orisha, the Yoruba deities) under their ruthless monarchy. A film version is in refers to a “seismic shift” in the development; the second book, Children of Virtue and Vengeance, is due in December. diversity of US children’s books. Adeyemi will be an Auditorium Speaker at the 2019 ALA Annual Conference and Exhi- Do you think we’re on the cusp of a bition in Washington, D.C., on June 24. American Libraries spoke with her about writing, huge change regarding diversity in her inspirations, and the importance of representation in media. book publishing? I’m really militant about representation because I know the devastating effects [the lack of] From being a New York Times best- personality-wise, I’m still a huge it had on me. In my earliest stories, selling debut author to getting a nerd. I still just want to talk about I had no problem putting myself movie deal, what has been the most K-pop and watch The Last Airbender. in those adventures, but there was surprising part of your career so a 10-year period where I was still far? All of it is surprising. I still don’t Children of Blood and Bone is an writing the adventures and fantasies think of myself as a published author epic fantasy that combines West that I wanted to have, but I was writ- or the creator of Children of Blood African mythology and culture with ing them as a and Bone, because most of my life I police brutality and Black Lives MORE ONLINE white person was doing all of these things. I was Matter. Can you talk about how you For the extended or as a biracial just doing them alone in my room. weave these stories together and interview, visit person. I didn’t And in one sense, I still do these the inspiration behind your work? bit.ly/AL-Adeyemi show my sto- after June 3. things alone in my room. The inspiration came from a handful ries to anyone I’ve become aware of myself, I’ve of different sources. From a purely until I was 21 had to grow in myself and become creative standpoint, I was in a gift because I had internalized that black self-confident and go through all shop in Brazil just trying to avoid the people couldn’t be in stories and have these challenges. But just rain. But then I saw these postcards adventures, so I literally couldn’t as a human, with the Orisha on them, and I never put myself in my own imagination. I even imagined there could be black think we’re making great strides, but gods and goddesses. Seeing that we can’t get complacent. image exploded my imagination wide open, and the world of Orïsha What role have libraries played came to me pretty quickly, but I in your life? Libraries hold a really didn’t have the story— I could see special part of my childhood because the magic system, I could see they I was this literate child during the were riding magical lions, but I didn’t summer reading challenges, who was know what they were doing there. like, “I’m going to read 50 Magic Tree The not-so-fun part is, my fresh- House books, I’m going to get five man year of college [2012] was Airheads”—they really made reading when Trayvon Martin was shot, and currency. And I loved it. When I think it was also when The Hunger Games of libraries, I smile because so much movie came out, and there was this of my summer was wrapped up in it. bizarre backlash against the You know how you laminate books black characters because they for libraries? When I see that for Chil- were black. It was heart- dren of Blood and Bone, it’s so official. breaking to me, but both And it feels really special. And when- of those were the start ever someone’s like, “There’s 200 of my realization of how holds [on it],” that’s wild!

26 June 2019 TRENDS

“It’s not a true gown giveaway until Mom cries.” FUMIKO OSADA, youth services librarian, San Diego County Library El Cajon branch, in “33 San Diego County Library Branches Collecting Ball Gowns to Help Teens’ Dreams Come True,” KFMB-TV, San Diego, March 7.

“Westerners use their labels, “You can’t feed people the so it makes tribes invisible. truth, but you can give This is a way of reestablishing them the means to access it, identity and saying these are our archive it, and preserve it.” names and these our people.” ALISON BECHDEL, author and cartoonist, at the Association of College and Research Libraries ADOLFO TARANGO, acting head librarian at Xwi7xwa 2019 Conference Closing Session, April 13. Library, in “This Library Takes an Indigenous Approach to Categorizing Books,” YES! Magazine, March 22. “LIBRARIANS ARE “More than a trend, we believe this is a seismic TEACHERS.… I DIDN’T shift in children’s publishing and affirmation of the diverse experiences of all children REALIZE THAT WE AS and families in the United States. The data A STATE REQUIRE OUR tells us that there is an increased chance LIBRARIANS TO HAVE for a child to walk into a local bookstore or library and find titles that reflect the racial SPENT TWO YEARS IN and cultural diversity of this country.” THE CLASSROOM.”

NICOLE JOHNSON, executive director of We Need Diverse TEXAS REP. JANE NELSON (R-Flower Mound), in Books, in “Campaigners Hail ‘Seismic Shift’ in Diversity of “Texas Senate Unanimously Passes $5,000 Teacher Pay

Photo: Princess Project San Diego Project Princess Photo: US Children’s Books,” The Guardian (UK), March 22. Raises, Adding Librarians,” The Texas Tribune, March 4.

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 27 5 o Years

OF THE Coretta Scott King BOOK AWARDS

1969

A conversation with nine winners and committee members who have been part of the influential children’s book awards

AS TOLD TO Anne Ford

28 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. The Watsons Go to Birmingham–1963. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush. A Hero Ain’t Nothin’ but a Sandwich. This is just the smallest smattering of titles that have won Coretta Scott King (CSK) Book Awards in the last half-century. Founded in 1969, the awards have become the Imark of excellence for books that are authored or illustrated by African Americans and that demonstrate an appreciation of African-American culture and universal human values. ars In addition to awards and honors for authors and illustrators, the John Steptoe Award e for New Talent and the CSK–Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement are also Y presented annually. American Libraries celebrates this amazing half-century of excellence by sharing stories and thoughts from nine of the awards’ winners and committee members.

When you were a child, did you have Luther King Jr. and the Black Panther Party, but it access to many books that featured didn’t trickle down into the books I was given. As black characters? a little kid, I didn’t think, “Gee, why are there no portrayals?” It was more along the lines of: “Well, ASHLEY BRYAN: No, not when I was growing up. that’s just the way it is.” No one ever asked me ELOISE GREENFIELD: In the 1930s, I didn’t about it. It wasn’t till later that I realized there was encounter any books with African-American an absence. characters, but I didn’t know that the characters I used to read books about little girls a lot, and depicted were supposed to be white people. They one of my favorite series was [Sydney Taylor’s] All- Illustration on didn’t look like the white people I saw. Many books of-a-Kind Family, which features a Jewish family. OF THE facing page by used line drawings, black lines around white paper. That was as close as I got to feeling like, “Okay, Ekua Holmes, Later, I knew better. here’s a family that’s more like my family, not the winner of the typical white Christian family.” 2018 Coretta CLAIRE HARTFIELD: When I was a kid—I mostly Scott King had my childhood in the Sixties—I don’t remember BRYAN COLLIER: There were only a few that (CSK) Book black people being portrayed much in mainstream really have stuck with me over the years. One is The Award for Out of Wonder: Poems culture at all. The civil rights movement was going Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats [published in 1962]. Coretta Scott King Celebrating Poets. on at the same time, so I was well aware of Martin I remember opening it up, and I noticed that Peter BOOK AWARDS © 2017 by Ekua Holmes. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, Massachusetts Somerville, Press, Candlewick of the publisher, permission by Holmes. Reproduced Ekua by © 2017 Wonder Out of from Illustration 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1976 1977 1978 1979

Lillie Patterson was Actor the inaugural winner Ossie Davis of the CSK Book accepts the Award for Martin 1979 award Luther King Jr.: Man for Escape of Peace to Freedom

June 2019 29 ASHLEY BRYAN BRYAN COLLIER CAROLYN GARNES ELOISE GREENFIELD CLAIRE HARTFIELD Recipient of the 2012 Has won the CSK CSK Book Awards Recipient of the 2018 Won the 2019 CSK CSK–Virginia Hamilton Book Awards six times marketing chair and CSK–Virginia Hamilton author award for A Few Award for Lifetime for illustration, most former deputy director Award for Lifetime Red Drops: The Chicago Achievement and three- recently in 2016 for of the Atlanta–Fulton Achievement. In Race Riot of 1919 time winner of the CSK Trombone Shorty Public Library System. addition to six CSK award for illustration From 1993 to 1997, author honor books, she chaired the CSK she wrote Africa Task Force, now known Dream, winner of the as the CSK Book 1978 author award Awards Committee

and I looked just alike, and I remembered I had the same pajama print that Peter had in the book. I was 4 years old, In 1969, the Coretta Scott King Book Award was and it just hit me at a visceral level. It felt almost bigger founded by school librarians Mabel McKissick and than magic. Glyndon Greer, who met by chance at the ALA Annual Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey. DEBORAH TAYLOR: I was a young adult librarian in the They were in the exhibit hall, and early to mid-1970s, and I worked in a majority-African- CAROLYN GARNES: they were going to the booth of John Carroll, a book American community. If there were books about race, publisher, and he had posters of Martin Luther King Jr. [to they were about the “Negro problem,” so to speak, never give away]. They arrived at his booth at the same time, by anyone actually growing up and living through those and John had only one poster left. Anyway, they were experiences. You could find an occasional biography, but preparing to go to the Newbery-Caldecott banquet, and there was not a lot. And many of the books that were about they said, “No African American has ever won,” and were African-American life were not written by African Amer- lamenting that. And John Carroll said to them, “Why don’t icans. A little bit later, we started to get books by Walter you ladies start your own award?” They looked at him and Dean Myers, and things like [Mildred Taylor’s] decided to take him up on that idea. Roll of Thunder, Mrs. Greer was friends with Coretta Scott King. This Hear My Cry. was the year after Dr. King had died. Mrs. Greer said, SATIA ORANGE: “You know, so much is being named for Dr. King. We need I’m almost 77. I’ll to not name this award King,” so she thought of Coretta, tell you what I had: her friend and his widow. She called Mrs. King and asked I had Little Black would she mind if we named the award for her. Mrs. Sambo [by Helen King said yes, not knowing what the devil Mrs. Greer was Bannerman]. naming for her.

1980 19811980 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 young land- lords WDM

Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale by John Steptoe

30 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org CLAUDETTE MCLINN SATIA ORANGE JAVAKA STEPTOE DEBORAH TAYLOR Chair of the CSK Former director of ALA’s Two-time winner of Recipient of the 2015 CSK–Virginia Awards Committee and Office for Literacy and the CSK Book Award Hamilton Practitioner Award executive director of the Outreach Services (now for illustration and for Lifetime Achievement and Center for the Study of known as the Office the son of author and former coordinator of school and Multicultural Children’s for Diversity, Literacy, illustrator John Steptoe, student services for Baltimore’s Literature, a California- and Outreach Services) for whom the CSK–John Enoch Pratt Free Library. She based nonprofit and former staff liaison Steptoe Award for chaired the CSK Book Awards to ALA’s Ethnic and New Talent is named Committee from 2007 to 2009 Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table

The founders had to struggle for submissions in JAVAKA STEPTOE: Whenever Midwinter comes around, the beginning, because there were not many African- there’s always a thought in the back of your head: “Am I American books in publication. gonna get a phone call or not?” They always call you at the crack of dawn. [laughs] ORANGE: A couple of years later, Mrs. King came and spoke at the awards breakfast, and afterward she stayed GARNES: People have asked me, “Why is the Coretta for about an hour and shook hands and talked to individu- Scott King breakfast held so early in the morning?” Well, als. The best part was, she called it “my award.” ALA’s Annual Conference schedule was already established. We planned the breakfast for 7:30 in the morning Each year, ALA announces the winners of the top so it wouldn’t interfere with other activities. And you books for children and young adults, including the know, the committee doesn’t want to change. Coretta Scott King Book Awards, at its Midwinter COLLIER: I didn’t know anything about the Coretta Scott Meeting & Exhibits, while the Coretta Scott King King Book Awards, and I got this call at six in the morning

Photo: Oscar & Associates Inc. (King) Oscar & Associates Photo: Book Awards Breakfast is held at the ALA Annual the day of the award, librarians screaming on the phone. Conference and Exhibition. They told me I’d won, and I said, “Okay,” and then I hung What do you remember the phone up and went back to sleep. They [called about either winning back and] said, “No, no, no, this is your first Coretta Scott bigger than you think this is.” I was King Book Award, or pleased and excited in some regard, making the call to tell but I didn’t know exactly what I others that they’d won? was excited about until later. When GREENFIELD: “Oh my goodness, I fully understood what the award I received the call!” meant, it was a great feeling.

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997

Coretta Scott King speaking at the CSK Awards Breakfast at the 1993 ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 31 TAYLOR: I was jury Program books from past CSK chair in 2000, when Book Awards breakfasts. The event, held during the ALA Annual Bud, Not Buddy by Conference, recognizes award Christopher Paul Curtis winners and honorees. won both the Coretta Scott King Book Award and written about and that I felt the Newbery Medal. That was valuable for little kids to was really special. It must see. Through this award, I’m have been Dr. King’s birthday realizing that goal. I’m getting so when we were making the call, many more inquiries. I feel like it’s because [Curtis] kept saying, “And all getting out there to the public, and on Dr. King’s birthday! All on Dr. King’s that’s really what I wanted. birthday!” I’ll never forget it. CLAUDETTE MCLINN: The Coretta Scott HARTFIELD: I was at the gym on the King awards have launched the careers of elliptical, listening to music through many major authors and illustrators, and if it wasn’t my phone, and the phone rang, and I looked at the caller for the award, we wouldn’t have this great body of work ID, and it was something from Seattle. So I just clicked it that is a part of children’s literature now. off, and the music came back on. Then it rang again, same From 1992 to 2011, I had a multicultural children’s number. So I picked up, and there was this voice that said, bookstore in Los Angeles called Bright Lights. The major- “Hello, is this Claire Hartfield? We just want to tell you ity of the books were African American. I recall a lady in you’ve won the Coretta Scott King Book Award.” It felt her 90s coming in, and she started crying. She said, “I surreal. We talked for a few minutes, and then I went back have never seen any book that looked like me.” A lot of to chugging away on the elliptical, trying to process it. parents were overwhelmed. They said, “I just never knew there were so many books about us.” GARNES: They’re excited, and they know the CSK award is a stamp of approval for that book, it’s going to pretty STEPTOE: People like shiny things, so when they see a much stay in print, and libraries all over the country are book with a medal on it, they say, “Oh, this must be a good going to purchase it. book.” So where a book might be overlooked, someone might then take a second look. When they become familiar with the CSK awards, they come to expect excellence. What influence have the CSK awards had on They say history is written by the victors. I am very happy your career? and excited that I can have agency in how the story is COLLIER: It took me seven years to get my first book being told. deal. I went door to door to every publisher once a GARNES: When my branch [at Atlanta–Fulton Public week with a portfolio. Over and over again. But once Library System] came up on its 35th anniversary, I knew I got the award, I got 10 offers the next year. I wanted to do something special, so I wrote a grant to HARTFIELD: Of course, I’m happy for myself, but develop my African-American children’s collection. I what makes me happiest is that I’ve been trying actually got to order the [Coretta Scott King Book Award– to get people to know the history of what has winning] books. It was a rewarding experience. I had come before. I was driven by a desire to contrib- that collection in a special place, so when patrons walked ute not just any old story that I was interested in, they couldn’t miss it. Some of the parents just went in, but to fill a chunk of history that no one had straight there.

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Uptown by Bryan Collier

32 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org How has the landscape of children’s publishing changed in the last 50 years vis-à-vis African Americans? BRYAN: A librarian can help a family now by directing them to books about black children and black people. There’s much to refer to now.

MCLINN: It’s better than what it was. But it’s still not enough for me. It’s not enough at all.

HARTFIELD: There are strides being made, for sure, and I definitely applaud that. But if we did not have the CSK awards, I think that a lot of really important children’s literature by African Americans would fly under the radar. The reality is that getting an honor means something to Ashley Bryan autographs one of his books at the 2012 CSK Book the public, it just does. It’s hard enough to get literature Awards Breakfast in Anaheim, California, where he received the out into the world in any meaningful way, period, no Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. matter what your race is. By highlighting and spotlighting African-American liter- with children. It’s still not where we would like it in terms ature specifically, it fills a hole in people’s knowledge. You of the number of books published. want African-American kids to grow up with lots of stories African-American authors and illustrators still need that that represent them, the ones I didn’t have when I was a recognition of the CSK award to recognize their talent. kid. It gives you a different sense of self. I also think it’s Let’s take Walter Dean Myers, for instance. He has won important for kids who are not of color, to incorporate into more Coretta Scott King awards than any other author: six their world kids who are not like them in terms of how awards and six honors. Myers was one of the authors who they look and what their experiences are. got young black boys reading. I don’t think he would have achieved the level of literary success if he had not been STEPTOE: Whenever I go to ALA Annual, I see the same recognized by the Coretta Scott King Book Awards. people most of the time. I love them, but there’s enough of us to have a lot more fresh blood, you know? COLLIER: If you look at books published and written That has to do not just with having [black] about African Americans made by African Americans, it’s authors and illustrators but having people [still] astonishingly low, like 1%–2% of the business. If of color within the infrastructure of chil- the award disappeared, oftentimes writers and illustra- dren’s books—the sellers, the marketers, tors would never get recognized, even if they made the the editors. I haven’t really seen that much same book. The Coretta Scott King Book change in those aspects. It would be good Awards were designed to level the for younger generations to think about jobs in playing field. The world would the publishing industry and library science. be empty without it. Continue reading and supporting the books, GARNES: I am really proud of the African- please. All hands on deck. American children’s literature that exists today. There is a rich body of books available ANNE FORD is American Libraries for children to enjoy, for adults to share editor-at-large.

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Jacqueline Woodson accepts the CSK Book Radiant Child: The Award for brown girl Story of Young Artist dreaming in 2015 Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe

June 2019 33 Your Library Needs to Speak to You

Getting ahead of the voice assistant hype

BY Carrie Smith

aige can recommend a book and tell you about resources available at her school library. And she’s always ready with a joke if you need one. Included in her comic cache: “The past, present, and future walked into the library. It was tense!” Paige isn’t a librarian. She’s not even human. She’s a chatbot—a basic virtual assistant, Pprogrammed with a decision tree of potential questions, their answers, and code telling the bot how to respond. Cynthia Sandler, library media specialist at North Salem (N.Y.) Middle School and High School, created Paige in 2017 to help her students interact with the library through its website.

At the end of 2018, about 41% of US consumers owned platforms. Customized apps—which Alexa calls “skills” and a smart speaker—almost twice as many as in 2017—most Google Assistant calls “actions”—allow the virtual assistants of which were equipped with Amazon’s virtual assistant, to answer queries and find information in specialized ways. Alexa. Still more have access to voice assistants on their Libraries are using these voice assistant functions for event phones with Siri and Google Assistant. As the number of calendars, catalog searches, holds, and advocacy. people interacting with their devices by voice grows, some At North Salem, Sandler began experimenting with libraries are exploring ways to build their presence on voice chatbots and virtual assistants after Gary Green, the district’s

34 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org Students at North Salem (N.Y.) Middle School and High School interact with a Google Home smart speaker.

technology director, noticed his 3rd-grade daughter was It takes library skills using the family’s Amazon Echo to ask Alexa for answers to In many ways, the current landscape for voice technol- her math homework. ogy is similar to the advent of mobile apps, according “Gary and I are always looking for innovative things to to Nicole Hennig, e-learning developer at University of do,” Sandler says. “[Voice assistants are] something that the Arizona Libraries and author of Siri, Alexa, and Other students are so familiar with that we as adults might still be Digital Assistants: The Librarian’s Quick Guide (Libraries blown away by.” Unlimited, 2018). Voice search has “a lot of promise for The duo has since built chatbots for professional devel- people with disabilities, for elderly people, or opening up opment events and to collect feedback and reflections after our skills to more people,” Hennig says. With the ever- classes. And they’re now teaching students to build their own. growing popularity and use of these devices, she says Students have asked for virtual assistants that will give librarians should become familiar with this technology homework help, guide test prep, and even provide emotional and try it for themselves: “Now is a good time to experi- support. When Sandler and Green polled them, one of the top ment and gather data about what works and what doesn’t requests was for a voice assistant that could talk to them when work for your community.” they’re stressed. “A group of middle schoolers said they love For Paige’s next iteration, Sandler is migrating her talking [to Paige] because it’s nonjudgmental,” Green says. onto a new platform to give her a voice and allow her

Photo: North Salem (N.Y.) Middle School and High North Salem (N.Y.) Photo: “That’s why I added the jokes to Paige,” says Sandler. to respond to spoken commands with Google actions.

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 35 “If you’re looking to get into this, there are many, many develop an Alexa skill,” says Greg Davis, assistant director for tutorials out there on the web,” Sandler says. information technology at ISU. “It’s not the hardest thing in Sandler believes that this technology is here to stay. the world to do, but it also isn’t trivial.” People will “continue to seek immediate, personalized While there wasn’t much demand at the time for this skill, information in conversation,” she says. As a result, having Davis and his colleagues wanted to get ahead of the trend tailor-made information accessible on voice platforms is after reading reports on the growth of smart assistants. With important. “We can develop skills that our particular stu- incoming students, they thought, “It’s going to be a matter of dents need answers to,” Sandler says. “That will be the key: time before they wanted to have access to library information to find out what information is unique to a place that generic through their smart systems as well,” Davis says. Alexa won’t be able to address.” Last year, ISU Libraries expanded the skill. But in trying In 2018, Spokane (Wash.) Public Library (SPL) staffers to create all the various ways a user can ask a question and were brainstorming ways to get the word out about the city’s then convert that data so the software can find the requested upcoming bond election, which had the potential to fund information, Davis says they encountered a roadblock. three new library buildings and remodel four others. SPL’s “That’s where it got beyond us in terms of trying to anticipate IT team stepped up with an unusual suggestion: What about all those different ways someone may ask the question,” he an Alexa skill? says. So ISU Libraries turned to ThickStat (now known as A few days later, SPL users could install the “Imagine the ConverSight.ai), a company that specializes in voice search future of Spokane Public Library” skill and ask Alexa for skills. The new skill, Parks Libro, allows Alexa to answer information about the bond: proposed branch changes, how more complicated questions, including catalog searches by to comment, and where to get more information. “It wasn’t title, author, or genre, as well as event searches. an advocacy campaign,” says Amanda Donovan, com- When it comes to more complicated skills— munications director at SPL. “It was a campaign such as using voice assistants to conduct a to educate the public on what would happen if it database search or enter information, like failed and what would happen if it passed.” placing materials on hold—the research and Staffers placed Echo Dots—the small- development necessary can be beyond a est Alexa-enabled speakers—in each library’s means. branch with signs that prompted Davis predicts that library ven- patrons to ask “Alexa, imagine dors will eventually “provide these the library.” “It was a novelty, and types of capabilities out of the box.” it was a really fun thing to do,” Public libraries already have Donovan says. People interacted some voice options for digital offer- with Echo Dots in the libraries, “It’s up to us to ings through vendors. For instance, and others downloaded the skill to users of OverDrive’s Libby app can their own smart speakers. Patrons learn everything ask questions via Google Assistant; queried the skill 90 times. we can about these they can query the app for recom- “We did a lot of work to get mended titles, search the catalog, information out to the public,” technologies and or reserve materials. The company Donovan says. The bond passed is planning to expand the platform in November, “and I like to think try to find good in the near future to make voice that the Alexa skill was just a small uses for them, and search services more accessible for part of that.” libraries, according to Steve Potash, try to solve some CEO of OverDrive. Adding complexity He acknowledges that companies In 2017, Iowa State University of the privacy and like OverDrive have the resources (ISU) Libraries in Ames developed and scale to tackle these types of its own skill, IowaStateLibFacts, to security issues.” technological innovations more share information on collections, NICOLE HENNIG, easily than individual libraries can. art, library spaces, and library his- e-learning developer at “We have the opportunity to do tory. “It was a pretty simple skill, University of Arizona Libraries some [research and development] but it gave us some experience in with holdings outside the library,

terms of what it takes to actually such as major open educational Stock ©bht2000/Adobe Photo:

36 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org Engagement within the community has been strong. Fowles says the library initially promoted the skill through press releases, the library website, and staff members, but patrons are now recommending it to one another. Part of the appeal, too, is the ability to support a local entrepreneur. Sarang has gone on to develop Alexa skills for other libraries in the area as well.

Voices of concern As with any new technology, working with voice computing presents challenges. Most voice assistants run on third-party platforms, and many—including Alexa and Google Assistant— store recordings of requests until a user deletes them. In New York, the state’s board of regents is considering an amendment that could limit the use of voice assistants in schools because of the potential risk of exposing students’ personally identifiable information. Hennig says that understanding these possible risks is key. “It’s a good idea to keep up with all of those issues and educate yourself about it,” she Spokane (Wash.) Public Library installed Echo Dots around the building so users could ask about the library’s upcoming bond election. says, “rather than dismiss it out of hand.” For Sandler and Green, it comes down to conscious design. resource materials,” Potash says. “In some cases, these are “We’re not so concerned if Google knows that somebody things that libraries themselves would be doing if they had wants to know what’s for lunch every day,” says Green. “When the resources. In some cases, we become a willing agent.” we’re doing the design or predesign, we’re constantly thinking about ensuring that there’s no personal information.” Community skill set Another concern is that the systems sometimes stumble For libraries that lack time or expertise to build their own with proper names. SPL had trouble sharing information on skill or a budget to hire a developer, Hennig suggests they its Shadle branch. “Alexa was having a hard time with the turn to experts within their communities. “Get in touch with way [it’s] pronounced [SHAY-dole],” Donovan says. “You people who are making informal skills and chat with them,” had to know how to pronounce it the wrong way, I guess, to she advises. talk to her about it. So that was a little tricky.” For example, there are skills in the Alexa Skill Store for “There are a lot of mispronunciations,” agrees Potash. “All Houston Public Library and Los Angeles Public Library made of this natural language processing and AI is based on having by people who are unaffiliated with either library. giant data sets that keep correcting and improving.” And in 2017, a patron approached Delaware County (Ohio) Fowles says DCDL will “need to stay on our game” with District Library (DCDL) about creating a voice assistant skill. development. “It’s not something that can just sit there and Avneet Sarang, a local app developer, creates Alexa skills for run in the background.” While she acknowledges this could his family as a hobby. When Sarang asked Alexa what was be daunting for some libraries, she remains enthusiastic. “For going on at the library, “of course she had no idea because me it’s exciting.” nothing like that had been programmed,” says Nicole Fowles, “So many experts are saying that this is the next big communications manager at DCDL. wave of computing,” Hennig says. “It’s up to us to learn Sarang then brought the idea of creating a skill to the everything we can about these technologies and try to find library. DCDL staffers surveyed other patrons to gauge good uses for them, and try to solve some of the privacy and interest and soon agreed to partner with Sarang’s consulting security issues. We should try to be involved in making them company to build it. go in a good direction.” At first it started out small, providing branch hours and events information, but it has plans to evolve. “It would be CARRIE SMITH is editorial and advertising assis- very easy to say ‘Does the library have this book? Can you tant for American Libraries. reserve it for me?’ That’s our next step,” Fowles says. “We’re very excited about just how the overall scale continues to

Photo: Spokane (Wash.) Public Library (Wash.) Spokane Photo: grow and suit our patrons’ needs.”

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 37 GIVE THEM SHELTER? Libraries face tough choices when homeless patrons set up permanent residence

BY Claire Zulkey

38 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org ate last year, the city of Colorado Springs board voted to prohibit overnight parking and the use of tents, shut down the Quarry, its largest home- tarps, structures, and furniture on library grounds. They needed to be less encampment, forcing its residents to especially careful in instituting the disperse. As a result, says John Spears, exec- ban, as the Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals had recently issued an Lutive director of Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) in opinion stating that criminaliz- ing what the decision refers to as Colorado Springs, camping on library grounds reached “life-sustaining” activities—like its high point. About 90 people were sleeping on the sleeping or camping—on the street is cruel and unusual punishment grounds of PPLD’s Penrose branch on any given night, and violates the Constitution’s which Spears says fostered an unsafe environment for Eighth Amendment. As librarians across the coun- its regular unsheltered patrons as new people entered try serve and support all patrons regardless of housing status, it is their camps. “It became increasingly unsafe and unten- clear that no one-size-fits-all solu- able for us to allow it,” he says. However, Spears and tion exists for those who seek shelter after hours. In Seattle’s Ballard his colleagues wanted to consider solutions carefully: neighborhood, where the number “We did not want to be one more place that just tried of people experiencing homelessness has quadrupled in recent to play whack-a-mole and push the problem away.” years, Seattle Public Library (SPL) has attempted to dissuade loitering Ultimately, earlier this year the locations this has created safety by altering its architecture, first by library instituted a camping ban, issues for all patrons and distrac- removing tables and chairs in the wherein anyone found between tions for librarians. At one time, front plaza of its Ballard branch, 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. on the grounds says Julie Retherford, director of and then by installing metal bars of one of PPLD’s four branches Chetco Community Public Library on concrete blocks out front. This could be ticketed for trespassing if (CCPL) in Brookings, Oregon, more helped a little bit, says Regional they didn’t leave. “It was one of the than 20 people were living in the Manager Kip Roberson, but the hardest things we’ve ever done,” library’s parking lot. She estimates library still encountered issues with says Spears. that a quarter of the library staffers’ food debris, open alcohol con- Some libraries across the time was spent mediating disputes sumption, outdoor bathroom use, country—particularly on the between people living on the and drug needles dropped through West Coast, which has the high- grounds and other patrons. grates, all of which deterred other est rates of people experiencing “Along with homelessness often patrons from using the library. homelessness, according to a 2018 comes mental illness or addiction, “The open drug use, the harass- report from the US Department of and those [conditions] would bring ment of patrons just reached a tip- Housing and Urban Development their own conflicts that would ping point,” he says. This spring, a (bit.ly/AL-HUD)—are finding more involve the police and keep our team of outreach workers and police unsheltered people camping on regular patrons from the library,” asked the campers to move to a park

Photo: Alanna Ho Photo: their grounds after hours. At some she says. In late 2018, the library across the street. He knows it’s only

A tent sits outside of Seattle Public Library’s Ballard branch. The library installed exterior metal bars to discourage loitering.

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 39 a temporary fix. “We arrive in the PPLD’s Spears was glad to see Springs city attorney and police morning, and there are still often that through library efforts to force to ensure they were adhering campers who have spent the night,” relocate its campers, Colorado to the law and treating the campers he says. “We say, ‘Good morning. Springs shelters saw an increase of with compassion. If police found The library’s opening soon, so we’ll 30 unsheltered patrons. “While it someone who might be camping need you to pack up and move your was difficult, I feel good that we did on the grounds of the library, for stuff off library property.’” get people into a much safer and instance, “we didn’t want a citation more stable environment than what to be issued straight off the bat,” we could provide at the library,” Spears says. MAKING STRONGER he says. Another tactic the library Retherford says that prior to the CONNECTIONS took—in an attempt to curtail legal process of removing the CCPL No solution regarding camping the number of bedrolls, shopping encampment, the library wanted patrons comes without unease. carts, and luggage some patrons to give the campers plenty of time “Conflicted is the right word,” says were bringing to the library—was and information on alternate William O’Hearn, former director to cordon off eight spots in the places to go. “Most people cleared of Lincoln Library in Springfield, parking lot and designate bins for out before 48 hours were left,” she Illinois, of the city’s proposal to personal effects. “That is something says. Some campers even helped declare the library a closed campus that both the sheltered and unshel- others move out. in the evening. (The city council tered have appreciated,” he says. Christine Angeli, director of narrowly rejected the plan in July Relocating camping patrons Milford (Conn.) Public Library, has 2018 out of concerns that it would takes strategy, patience, and grace. had a smaller camping issue than not effectively address the issue.) Spears says that prior to the ban, her colleagues on the West Coast. The library property had turned the library put up signs, provided Accordingly, the library decided into what O’Hearn describes as an informational fliers, and made against a curfew or parking ban. “open-air bar” at night. He wants social service workers available Instead it created a community to make it clear that it wasn’t the to try to help campers find alter- group—including the mayor’s library’s unsheltered regulars nate locations. “We wanted, as office, local police, health offi- who were the issue—it was the much as possible, to make sure cials, the fire department, health 40–60 nighttime interlopers who that they were aware of what the care workers, and library staff came by to drink, sell or use drugs, other options were. Our goal was members—to handle the issue engage in sex work, and harass and to find as many of them shelter as effectively and with compassion. abuse the established campers. possible,” he says. Library staffers “We’re not evicting people just for “While we wanted [the property] to worked closely with the Colorado being here outside the building. It be a community gathering space,” has to be behavior based, whether O’Hearn says, “I can’t say that was it’s an altercation or substance positive when people would defe- “People will come in and say abuse,” she says. She has also cate and urinate on the facilities.” A recommended resources to her closed campus, he says, is different staff, such as newsletters from Ryan from a camping ban in that it does to me, ‘Thanks for getting rid J. Dowd, author of The Librarian’s not target its unsheltered patrons Guide to Homelessness (ALA Edi- specifically. “It was [proposed] of them. It’s such a better tions, 2018). very intentionally to not isolate just Spears says that as difficult as unsheltered individuals,” he says. place now that they’re gone.’ the decision was to break up the O’Hearn notes that the closed library camp, there wasn’t much campus proposal, though rejected, Well, we’re not getting rid of pushback, thanks to the relation- still helped the library establish ships library staffers had built with stronger connections with other city them. They’re still welcome.” their unsheltered users. “There had agencies that work with the unshel- been a tremendous amount of trust tered population, like its homeless JULIE RETHERFORD, director of Chetco Community built up between our library and shelter, police, and hospitals. Public Library in Brookings, Oregon our unsheltered users,” he says.

40 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org “When we made the decision, they had the trust that we were not just one more agency that was trying to shuffle them along.” Roberson says that even the campers outside SPL who need a little extra help waking up in the morning understand that librarians are allies. “Maybe they’re under the influence of something,” he says, “so you get a little pushback sometimes, but nobody’s really hostile. They understand where the library’s coming from, and they know that once the library is open, it’s a place they can come. They want to maintain that relationship with us.”

COMMUNITY PUSHBACK library’s decision and were heavily Campers prepare press coverage. “I worry whenever In contrast, it has been sheltered involved in the campers’ removal, to remove personal any of the local media calls,” he belongings from patrons who have often objected he says, “a lot of their self-appointed says. “The bias tends to be on the the parking lot of most vocally to bans and removals. guardians felt that it was unfair.” Chetco Community other side. I worry how this gets Retherford calls the run-up to the Also upsetting, Spears says, were Public Library in presented, no matter who is writing camping removal a “frenzy.” At the reactions from patrons who felt Brookings, Oregon, the story.” O’Hearn adds that news one board meeting, she says, 100 the ban was insufficient. “There’s after the library stories about removing encamp- board voted to people showed up, and staff had always that group, unfortunately, prohibit the use of ments do not focus on what’s to maintain the peace between who thinks that that no matter tents, tarps, struc- important: “Camping bans glaze shouting attendees. “I didn’t want what you do when it comes to tures, and furniture over the fact that we help people this to turn into the idea that the people experiencing homelessness, on library grounds. get employment, get help.” library is against people without it’s never enough—they want them In Milford, at least, the public homes,” she says. “I was trying to gone,” he says. reaction has been one of concern, take any opportunity I had to let Retherford deals with similar not outrage, with residents asking anyone know that homeless people feedback. “The only negative what they could do, and bringing are always welcome here. Please thing I face regarding this issue food and blankets to the campers. come, please get warm, please use on an ongoing basis [is that] “As far as those who are camping our facilities, please use our Wi-Fi.” there’s always a small portion of out—they were all Milford-born, Spears encountered a similar the community who don’t want Milford-raised,” says Angeli. reaction to PPLD’s ban. “That was [unsheltered people] around,” she “They’ve gone to school here and probably one of the more upsetting says. “There’s a lot of complaints came upon hardships. They’re parts of this—there was a part of about smell, about computers members of our community.” the public that sees the library as being used up. People will come in one of the last refuges for people and say to me, ‘Thanks for getting experiencing homelessness, and rid of them. It’s such a better place THE NEED FOR [they] felt we had betrayed that, now that they’re gone.’ Well, we’re REAL SOLUTIONS even though the people experi- not getting rid of them. They’re After the initial conflict, the ban encing homelessness did not,” he still welcome.” in Colorado seemed to help. “We says. While Colorado Springs social Roberson has seen a similar had built such a good relationship

Curry Coastal Pilot Coastal C. Allen/ Curry Boyd Photo: service providers supported the reaction, which makes him wary of with [the campers] that very little

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 41 “While it may be difficult to accept at first, I don’t disagree with the decision,” he says. “I think it’s going to force Seattle and other cities to actually step back and stop crimi- nalizing the activity, but it’ll force them to finally start talking about real solutions.” In the meantime, librarians still addressing their camping issues can learn from colleagues who feel they handled the removal of tents in a respectful way. Retherford says that CCPL and the city moved slowly and carefully, with many meetings and discussions, and she thinks that it was to their benefit. “It ultimately did shake out the right way,” she says. Afterward, Chetco was held up as a city model. “[Community members] turned their focus to Earlier this year enforcement was necessary the first O’Hearn (who has since moved other organizations and different Pikes Peak Library night. By that point, most of the on to Eugene [Oreg.] Public parks, saying, ‘Why aren’t you District in Colorado people who had been camping here Library), says an upside to the acting like the library did?’” Springs posted signs after institut- had already found other arrange- Springfield campus proposal was Angeli advises librarians in the ing a camping ban ments,” says Spears. working with other organizations to same situation to involve their com- between 10 p.m. Retherford found the same: address the issue holistically. “We munity partners. “As much as we and 8 a.m. on the “Everyone was really respectful were trying to focus on the whole deal with it as librarians, there are grounds of its four branches. about it. ‘This is not where we can situation rather than that particular trained professionals who are more be any more.’ They just kind of moment,” he says. “What would be up to date on services and ways to moved on.” Now, she says CCPL the long-term best thing that would handle anybody with mental health staffers dedicate more time to happen? To get people the help they or substance abuse [issues],” she patrons and spend less time medi- need to move forward with life.” says. When librarians have built ating conflicts. Thanks to the librarians’ engage- up relationships with homeless ment work in Pikes Peak, Spears patrons, they may be able to ease says, the attitudes of many shel- them into accepting social services. As librarians across the tered visitors seem to be softening. “This isn’t a library problem. It’s The library has been pulling meet- an issue that’s facing the whole country serve and support ings out of conference rooms and community,” she points out. “If an holding them in more central parts individual is camping outside your all patrons regardless of of the library. “As we’ve done more library, they’re surely camping out of these programs, we’re starting elsewhere in your city, and you to see some of those barriers break can’t just push people from one housing status, it is clear down and the sheltered feel more place to another. You have to find a comfortable around the unshel- solution together.” that no one-size-fits-all tered,” he says. Roberson believes more CLAIRE ZULKEY is a solution exists for those who librarians will need to face camping freelance writer and author in Evanston, issues, especially after the US Court Illinois. of Appeals decision in September. seek shelter after hours. District Library Peak Pikes Photo:

42 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org Houston and Queens Public Libraries present the results of this innovative financial well-being program.

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READY, SET, BANK @ YOUR PUBLIC LIBRARY is brought to communities nationwide by Capital One MAKING IT COUNT Librarians get ready for the 2020 Census

BY Timothy Inklebarger

illions of dollars in population-based federal funding—for that 99% of difficult-to-count areas— everything from Medicaid to school lunch programs to Library many of which are communities of color—are located within five miles of a Services and Technology Act grants—hinges on next year’s public library (censushardtocountmaps census. That data also affects how congressional districts are 2020.us). “Libraries are in inner-city determined and drawn, which in turn decides how many elec- schools, Hispanic-serving colleges, and remote tribal lands,” she said. Btoral college votes a state will have. The repercussions of next year’s count Garcia-Febo encouraged librarians to will echo for at least a decade, particularly for the country’s most vulnera- serve on Complete Count Committees ble communities. (bit.ly/AL-CCC), which bring together representatives from local, state, and The 2020 Census kicks off next April. GETTING A COMPLETE COUNT tribal government; faith-based orga- As always, some census takers will be The American Library Association nizations; business associations; K–12 out knocking on doors. But for the first (ALA) and its local, state, and federal schools and universities; health care time, people will also be able to complete partners have led the way to prepare organizations; and other community the questionnaires online. Librarians libraries for the count. On April 1, ALA groups to work to ensure accurate data. can help provide space, equipment, and President Loida Garcia-Febo joined US Assisting in the census can help libraries information to guide patrons through Census Bureau Director Steven Dill- strengthen representation in their the process. ingham and other officials at a press regions and provide an opportunity to Conducting a fair and accurate count conference to mark the one-year count- demonstrate their value as they build isn’t as easy as it may seem. Many areas down to the census. relationships with local leaders. of the country have populations that are “People from all walks of life come “We want to make sure libraries are difficult to count. And a controversial to libraries with questions, and we help prepared and city, county, and state new citizenship question proposed by them find answers,” Garcia-Febo said. leaders understand the role libraries the Trump administration could suppress She called the census a “tremendous have played past and present,” says Larra

the response rate (see sidebar on p. 46). opportunity to promote equity,” given Clark, deputy director of ALA’s Public Stock © Lisa Kolbasa/Adobe Illustration:

44 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org Policy and Advocacy Office and deputy director of the Public Library Associ- ARE YOU READY? ation. Clark says that in 2010, more than 6,000 libraries served as Census he census is fast approaching, and ALA and partner organizations questionnaire assistance centers. “Every T have developed resources to help libraries ensure an accurate count. time we see a new government program Here are some steps librarians can take to prepare. or service online, we see people turning Join a local Complete Count Follow the Twitter hashtag to the library to be connected,” she Committee. #CountOnLibraries for updates. explains. As she points out, ALA’s new Download the ALA Census Begin planning promotional census guide (ala.org/census) includes Guide: ala.org/census. events and reserving space timelines, resources, and frequently Consider hosting census job fairs for them. asked questions. and sharing information about Develop partnerships with city Some librarians already are joining census job opportunities. and county government officials. Complete Count Committees, and some have created their own guides and plans Check the 2020 Census Hard-to- Evaluate the number of comput- for assisting. Erik Berman, coordinator Count map (censushardtocount ers and other devices you have of services to young adults at Alameda maps2020.us) for hard-to-count available for residents to com- County (Calif.) Library, has been work- tracts near your library. plete the online questionnaire. ing with the California Library Asso- Stay informed with ALA’s 2020 ciation to release its census guide for Census e-newsletter: libraries (bit.ly/LibraryCensusToolkit). bit.ly/AL-CensusNews. “Our mandate is to position libraries Prepare library staffers to help as an essential resource for the 2020 residents navigate to the online Census,” he says. The guide includes questionnaire. • marketing material to help get the word out, information about hard-to-count

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 45 groups, and other tools, according to Berman. He added that some libraries CITIZENSHIP AND THE CENSUS are developing innovative ways to help facilitate the process. Los Angeles Public n March 2018, US Department of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross Library, for instance, is working with Iannounced that the 2020 Census would ask whether respondents Los Angeles County to host Census are US citizens. Ross, who argues that the question would help pro- Action Kiosks (designated computers tect minority voting rights, nonetheless has testified to the Senate where patrons can complete the census Appropriations Subcommittee that it could lead to a 1% undercount questionnaire, supervised by a trained (representing more than 3 million people). In August, the American volunteer or staff person). Library Association (ALA), along with more than 140 other organiza- Helen Poyer, director of the Cobb tions, signed a letter of opposition to the question. In addition, this County (Ga.) Public Library System past April ALA joined an amicus brief to the US Supreme Court (bit.ly/ (CCPLS), says she and two of her staff AL-CensusSuit) opposing the question. members recently attended a census Larra Clark, deputy director of ALA’s Public Policy and Advocacy training event hosted by the Georgia Office and deputy director of the Public Library Association, says that Municipal Association. The library also the proposed question raises new fears for achieving a complete count. is planning to hold a job fair for those “The Census Bureau is required by law to secure the data, which cannot seeking work as census takers; officials be used against [respondents] by any govern- from the local census office will visit the ment agency or court,” she says. But surveys library for job training and recruitment, have shown (bit.ly/AL-CensusSurvey) that Poyer says. immigrants and others do not have confidence that the information will DATA AND THE CENSUS remain private. CCPLS is taking a data-driven approach Oral arguments at the reviewing past census data from areas Supreme Court began April 23, that were undercounted in 2010. “So and a decision is expected in far, we’ve found that age is a big factor June, when the census question- in participation rates, as well as income naires are scheduled to be printed. and ethnicity,” says Corey Stegall, Check The Scoop blog for updates: CCPLS geographic information system bit.ly/AL-Scoop. • (GIS) analytics assistant. CCPLS will use the information to map branches in relation to those areas. “If people can’t get to libraries to use our computers, we can go out into the community with laptops and [mobile Wi-Fi] tax base large enough to fund major extension of what libraries already do hotspots,” he adds. projects. That makes a complete count to help less tech-savvy patrons with gov- Montana State Library is taking a even more important. ernment forms. Some assistance may similar approach by providing geo- Stapp recommends that libraries be as simple as showing patrons how to graphic data to the Montana Census across the country prepare for the use a mouse or navigate between data and Economic Information Center, online census by evaluating the broad- fields in the online form, she says. She which helps ensure the center has band and hardware requirements neces- adds that the best thing library officials up-to-date address information for sary for it. can do now is join Complete Count its own GIS. Montana State Librarian Committees: “It’s a double intention for Jennie Stapp, who serves on ALA’s 2020 RESOURCES FOR LIBRARIES advocacy for ourselves and advocacy for Census Library Outreach and Education ALA’s 2020 Census Library Outreach what we can do for others.” Task Force, says the census is critical and Education Task Force is supporting for low-population states like Montana, libraries as they plan for the count. Task TIMOTHY INKLEBARGER where residents number about 1 mil- Force Chair Tracy Strobel, deputy direc- is a writer living in Chicago. lion. Such states receive more federal tor of Cuyahoga County (Ohio) Public funding since they likely don’t have a Library, says working on the census is an

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LCFCU.org | 202.707.5852OR 800.325.2328 48 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org Librarians TARGET BY BY to harassment— or worse What happenswhenourwork leads Lara Ewen

Illustrations: David Michael Moore n 2017, Nicole A. Cooke, associate professor and MS/LIS program director at University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign’s (UIUC) School of Information Sciences, and Miriam Sweeney, assistant professor at the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Alabama, received a diversity research grant from the American Library Association’s I(ALA) Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services to examine microaggressions directed at racial and ethnic minority students who used library spaces and services on campus. The project received an unexpected reception—even before its results were made public.

“All hell broke loose when just the title of the was harassed in a way that made it clear that grant [‘Minority Student Experiences with Racial her race was a factor. Cooke was bombarded Microaggressions in the Academic Library’] was with hate mail and threatening voicemails. Both discovered,” Cooke said at “Defeating Bullies and researchers feared that Cooke’s photograph, Trolls in the Library: Developing Strategies to email address, and phone number had been Protect our Rights and Personhood,” a workshop copied from UIUC’s website and distributed held at Skokie (Ill.) Public Library on March 8. throughout racist communities online. A harassment campaign targeting Cooke and “Nicole was particularly made a target by these Sweeney began after Campus Reform, a con- sites,” Sweeney said on the panel. “She received servative news website known for its negative phone calls whereas I only received emails. coverage of professors and university faculty Emails directed to me were directed to the project whose viewpoints it deems liberal, ran a story on itself, not towards my person. Of course, race and the grant. While Sweeney received her share of identity shape how these attacks played out and harassing emails and phone calls, Cooke bore the who was targeted.” brunt of the abuse. When Cooke asked for her contact information Cooke and Sweeney detailed the experience at to be removed from the university’s website, the “Bullying, Trolling, and Doxxing, Oh My! Protect- request was not immediately met. William Bern- ing Our Advocacy and Public Discourse around hard, vice provost for academic affairs at UIUC, Diversity and Social Justice,” a panel discus- said in a statement that Cooke’s experience—and sion at the 2018 ALA Annual Conference. They those of other staffers—has led to change at UIUC. described how their personal information was “The personal and professional challenges circulated online after the Campus Reform story experienced by Professor Cooke and other was published. It’s what’s known as doxxing— faculty and staff led our university to develop short for dropping dox [documents]—and it new policies and resources to support victims of refers to the online practice of finding and dis- trolling attacks,” he said. “We are committed to seminating an individual’s personally identifiable protecting the academic freedom of our fac- information to the public. ulty members. We want to ensure that they are Sweeney, who is white, said she was chal- able to pursue their scholarship on important lenged mainly for the presumed content of the subjects, even if some might disagree with their research, while Cooke, who is African American, work or conclusions.”

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 49 In a separate statement, UIUC’s public affairs office elabo- Resources rated: “Faculty and staff have been able to request the removal For further study on this topic, or to get help, please of their information from public display previously. But consult the following resources: the challenge has been that the processes for making those requests and the correct points of contact to do so can some- Library Freedom Project’s times be unclear in a university of our size. And with many Library Freedom Institute (LFI) of our faculty and staff having appointments and affiliations LFI is a free, privacy-focused, six-month program in multiple units, it might mean having to work with several for librarians, funded by the Institute of Museum and different units to hide or remove information, and various Library Services. Librarians selected to participate units might have different procedures. These [new procedures spend five hours per week online on a combination of for handling trolling] now give our faculty and staff a single readings, webinars, exercises, class discussion, and point of initial contact with the knowledge of our institutional assignments, with one in-person requirement that processes to help facilitate the process.” takes place over one weekend in New York City. Visit libraryfreedomproject.org/lfi for more information.

AN ONGOING ISSUE University of Washington Library Guides to Privacy and Security Cooke is not alone in her experiences. Hostility geared toward An extensive online repository for websites that cover work on the topics of equity and oppression has been going safety and cybersecurity information, including how to on for decades. But Campus Reform, which was founded in change privacy settings across multiple websites. Visit 2009 and is owned by the conservative Leadership Institute, guides.lib.uw.edu/privacy. represents a concerted effort by well-funded individuals and organizations to target higher education. Meanwhile, the Anti-Oppression LibGuides internet—and social media in particular—has made it easier from Simmons University for groups to find and target people they disagree with. The This multipage guide created by research and instruc- main targets for this online abuse? Women and members of tion librarian Stacy Collins covers topics including marginalized communities. anti-oppression, antiracism, antitransmisia, anti- A 2016 study by the nonprofit groups Data and Society and Islamomisia, and antiqueermisia. Visit simmons the Center for Innovative Public Health Research found that .libguides.com/anti-oppression. “women and racial/ethnic minorities—particularly women who also identify with a racial/ethnic minority group—are HACK*BLOSSOM’s most frequently targeted for certain types of online harass- Cybersecurity Guide A DIY guide to feminist cybersecurity; also available in ment.” And a 2017 Pew Research Online Harassment report Spanish. Visit hackblossom.org/cybersecurity. concluded that women are twice as likely as men to say that they have been targeted for online harassment because of their Speak Up and Stay Safe(r) gender, and that one out of every four black people and one in This online guide to protecting yourself from online 10 Hispanic people report being targeted for their race. harassment was created by author Jaclyn Friedman, These findings are complemented by a December 2018 media critic and Feminist Frequency creator Anita Amnesty International study that examined the scale of online Sarkeesian, and author Renee Bracey Sherman. Visit abuse of women on Twitter. The project looked at tweets sent onlinesafety.feministfrequency.com. • to women politicians and journalists in the UK and US in 2017. It found that 7.1% of these tweets were problematic or abusive—that’s 1.1 million tweets in one year, or one every 30 seconds. Black women were 84% more likely than white 2018 ALA Annual Conference—where librarians could share women to be mentioned in these tweets. personal stories of being harassed, bullied, or doxxed, either at work or elsewhere. The forums also presented ways that DISCUSSING THE PROBLEM institutions and individuals can help. “I knew that other professionals were going through it. And Cooke’s experiences led her to help organize two events—the you feel very isolated,” Cooke says. “I knew there were people Skokie Public Library workshop as well as the panel at the who could possibly benefit from our experience. With that

50 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org said, it was not easy, but [gathering people] needs to be done.” Stacy Collins, research and instruction librarian at Simmons University in Boston, participated in both events. In 2016 she published LibGuides on Simmons’ website that provide information about anti-oppression, diversity, and inclusion as well as resources for social justice issues key to the academic community. The guides created a national uproar for, among other things, noting that “greeting someone with ‘Merry Christmas’ conveys one’s perception that everyone is Christian or similarly saying ‘God bless you’ after someone sneezes conveys one’s perception that everyone believes in God.” Conser- vative outlets like Campus Reform, National Review, and The O’Reilly Factor on Fox News published pieces and aired segments criticizing the guides, and the university library received scores of phone complaints, says Collins. “As a result of the media coverage of the posting of the LibGuides, the university received dozens of calls, emails, and letters from individuals around the nation,” said Jeremy of the potential sources contacted declined to be interviewed, Solomon, associate vice president of communications and and with good reason: The experience of being harassed, bul- public affairs at Simmons, in a statement. “Nearly all of these lied, doxxed, threatened, or otherwise made to feel unsafe at correspondences were vitriolic and threatening in nature. As work or at home is traumatic enough that many would rather such, our abiding concern was for the safety of our commu- not relive it through retelling. Then too, librarians have had nity, and we therefore offered communications advice to difficulty finding effective support to safeguard them from quell what was an inflammatory situation. Simmons, then this kind of threat, so many haven’t been able to find satisfying and now, strongly stands by the free-speech rights of our emotional or legal solutions. librarians and faculty.” “We have a problem with institutional denial and gaslight- Collins says that while her library colleagues were supporting,” says Alison Macrina, director and founder of Library Free- ive, the larger university administration focused on telling dom Project, an initiative to turn library ethics into procedural her and others to be cautious about not responding to certain and technical reality. “Which means we don’t even know how messages or asking them to be hypervigilant. That’s indicative often it happens, because people are unwilling to come forward of a larger problem, she says. when it does. And it feels like a very isolating experience.” “Within our professional space there’s a misunderstanding, The result is that librarians who go through the experience and sometimes an intentional misunderstanding, about why of harassment are then further alienated from institutions that this is—and has been—happening,” Collins says. are unable or unwilling to help them. Says Cooke: “One of the things that’s come up—and I think DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS people use this as an excuse—is that they don’t know what to do. People throw their hands up. I wound up doing legwork For every librarian willing to talk about their harassment for three days trying to get my information removed [from the experiences, there are more who are not. For this article, most university website].

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 51 “If our profession is asking us to do this work, we need to be protected.” NICOLE A. COOKE, associate professor and MS/LIS program director at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s (UIUC) School of Information Sciences

“I frequently have misunderstandings in the work I do in As part of the March 8 workshop at Skokie Public diversity and social justice. People say, ‘It doesn’t apply to Library, attendees broke into groups to discuss hypothetical us,’” Cooke continues. “I don’t know if people can under- scenarios of librarians experiencing inappropriate behavior stand the fear, and what comes along with being targeted and how they and their institutions should react. The situ- and harassed. I think they think that because it hasn’t ations ranged from what to do if they witnessed coworkers happened to them, it doesn’t matter to them.” being harassed by patrons on the library floor or by a col- Sometimes she encountered outright callousness, she league at an association function to how to handle online says: “Some people were being deliberately, willfully igno- bullying and doxxing and support a coworker experiencing rant, and saying, ‘If you hadn’t been doing this work, this microaggressions on the job. The interactive sessions were wouldn’t have happened.’” designed to create understanding and to provide tools that Cooke says recognizing and acknowledging privilege is librarians and institutions can use to better support their critical to the process of changing the conversation. colleagues before incidents happen. “We talk about privilege and marginalization, and some- “We need to be proactive, not reactive,” Cooke said at times people don’t understand they are experiencing great the Skokie event. “If our profession is asking us to do this levels of privilege,” she says. “They don’t want to acknowl- work, we need to be protected.” edge that, because it brings on guilt. I can’t tell you how Collins says she hopes these conversations will further many times I have been interrupted and been corrected and the discussion regarding diversity and inclusion, beginning have been told that my work is inflammatory. And there is with what she calls “a culture of care,” and resulting in a even a willfulness about that. And I think this kind of will- space where marginalized people are not responsible for fulness and a lack of empathy is about protecting their own creating the necessary change. She added that allyship privilege and comfort, instead of saying, ‘You have been needs to be active rather than passive. “Allyship isn’t an threatened and targeted, and I am willing to help you.’” identity,” Collins says. “It’s not something you are—it’s something you do. And racism is either something you’re HOW TO HELP doing or something you’re [actively] working against. There is no middle ground.” Macrina, who has been harassed online because of her Cooke says that supporting librarians who are working work on racial and gender justice, says that helping with issues of diversity and marginalization should go hand librarians who have been targeted begins with self- in hand with encouraging the work. reflection and ends with action. “We can’t crack that nut if we can’t get to the ethics of “We can change the culture if those of us in some kind of care. And we can’t get to the ethics of care until it’s natural- position of privilege are willing to stand up for other people,” ized, and until people do it without being told to, or being Macrina says. She notes that as a white woman, she has priv- guilted into it,” she says. “You have to do it even when it’s not ilege not available to her nonwhite colleagues. Furthermore, convenient for you. When it comes to rolling up your sleeves the organization she runs has allotted her an additional level and being uncomfortable, you have to do it then.” of social clout and influence. All of this protects her from harassment more than colleagues who lack that support, LARA EWEN is a freelance writer based in but it also compels her to use her position to create positive Brooklyn, New York. PHIL MOREHART, senior editor at American Libraries, provided additional change. “The thing about privilege isn’t just that it shields reporting. you,” Macrina says, “It also gives you a platform.”

52 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org Highlight award-winning books in your library with these resources from

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For new practices, look to breaking research

BY Kathy Rosa

ithin the research projects of doctoral students in library and information science lie ways to mitigate the challenges of an inequitable world. Too often, these valuable findings go underused. That’s why, each year, American Libraries highlights the top dissertations that can make a difference—for rural areas, indigenous communities, Wpeople experiencing homelessness, and many other populations. This year’s crop includes research on the power of reading, librarian–teacher collaborations, and school librarians as academic leaders. The nine dissertations selected from digital archives and online databases have practical implications for school, public, academic, and special libraries; feature quan- titative, qualitative, and mixed methodologies; and include measurable recommendations for change. The students and their topics are:

Reham Isa Alshaheen examined the role of school Jeanna Wersebe (University of (Simmons University in Boston) librarians as academic leaders. California, San Diego) examined analyzed the user experience Sandra Littletree (University of factors that contribute to success- and information architecture of Washington in Seattle) explored ful collaboration between school national library websites. the historical development of librarians and teachers. Carolina Barton (Concordia tribal libraries, with a view Deborah W. Yoho (University University Irvine in California) toward the design of current of South Carolina in Columbia) studied success factors in the and future library services. found that reading provides a transformation of academic Shelly Lynne McMullin powerful respite in the lives of libraries into learning commons. (University of North Texas in marginalized library patrons, Angel Krystina Washington Denton) considered similarities in such as people experiencing Durr (University of North Texas information literacy and critical homelessness. in Denton) researched the chal- thinking skills. KATHY ROSA lenge of identifying skill sets for Jessica M. Ross (University of data-science jobs. is director of Alabama in Tuscaloosa) studied ALA’s Library Melanie Ann Lewis (Liberty the challenges of information dis- and Research University in Lynchburg, Virginia) semination in rural communities. Center.

54 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org Notable

User Experience and Information Architecture of National Library Websites

SUMMARY: Using methods such as content inven- tory, web information architecture assessment, and participant usability evaluation, Alshaheen analyzes the user experience and information architecture of 28 national library websites. The study examines the websites’ structure, menus, colors, and information quality, as well as how deeply users trust the sites’ content and the entities generating that content. Users were satisfied with the overall quality of these websites, though users Photos: ©Billion Photos/Adobe Stock (laptop); Simmons University (Alshaheen) Simmons University (laptop); Stock ©Billion Photos/Adobe Photos: who differ in age, gender, and educational background vary in their ratings of the sites. This dissertation provides a Reham Isa list of content elements that Alshaheen commonly appear on national PhD, Simmons library websites as well as a University practical procedure to evaluate these sites.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Alshaheen recommends regular usability testing of national library websites with a view to understanding the needs of all users. For example, national library websites serve not only graduate students and researchers but also teachers, teenagers, professional workers, and older adults. Other factors to consider include readability for global users, standardizing date formats across countries, and the trustworthiness of content. Menu construction should be easily understood and not too complex. Designers should stick with one language per page and eschew jargon, excessive information, and animations. (The latter can be distracting and confusing.)

READ AT: bit.ly/ND19-Alshaheen

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 55 Transforming an Academic A Text Analysis of Data Library to a Learning Commons Science Career Opportunities Model: Strategies for Success and US iSchool Curriculum

SUMMARY: In an effort to cope with the speed of SUMMARY: The proliferation of data requires the technological change, some academic libraries are presence of data scientists—not only to manage transforming themselves into learning commons. and maintain it but also to make it available to Barton uses a mixed-methods approach to identify those who need it. Durr posits that because there successful strategies such as deploying surveys to is no universal path to a data-science career, understand student needs, gaining administra- getting the right training for such a career can be tive support, ensuring the presence of adequate challenging. Comparing iSchool course syllabi technology, encouraging with data-science job post- collaboration among library ings, Durr finds that many staff, introducing a café, and of the skills required in these changing policies around jobs are addressed in iSchool food and noise in the library. syllabi, with some topics Obstacles to success include receiving greater or lesser inadequate funding, resistance emphasis in each arena. The among stakeholders and staff, phrases ICT (information and difficulty in building partner- communications technology) ships with stakeholders, and and machine learning appear Carolina ineffective teams. Angel Krystina more often in iSchool syllabi Barton Washington than in data-science job ads, EdD, Concordia RECOMMENDATIONS: Barton Durr while the phrase program- University Irvine recommends a three-phase PhD, University ming languages appears more approach to developing a of North Texas often in data-science job learning commons. Phase one ads. Also appearing more is the time to research information, build a shared frequently in job ads than in vision and strategic plan, gain leadership’s support, iSchool syllabi is the word experience, suggesting and secure resources. In phase two: design a that it would be wise for iSchools to provide more welcoming, technology-rich, and flexible environ- opportunities for hands-on experience. ment, with moveable furniture, group learning spaces, service desks, a sufficient number of power RECOMMENDATIONS: One of the study’s outlets, and virtual learning resources that are recommendations is the development of a available 24/7. Phase three includes a technol- competency-based framework for the educa- ogy plan to keep computers, printers, and other tion of data-science professionals. A network of equipment up to date and in working condition. data-science employers and iSchool program Further research is recommended to determine the developers could, first, add needed job skills to effective development of staff members who work the iSchool curriculum, and second, help educate in a learning commons environment, as well as the employers about additional skills that iSchool best way to manage the sustainability of a learning students may possess. commons. READ AT: bit.ly/ND19-Durr READ AT: bit.ly/ND19-Barton

Editor’s note: Barton died October 7, 2018.

56 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org A Collective Case Study to Examine Administrators’ “Let Me Tell You about Instructional Leadership Indian Libraries”: Self- Perspective of the Role Determination, Leadership, of Instructional Coaches and Vision—The Basis of and Teacher-Librarians in Tribal Library Development California Public Schools in the United States

SUMMARY: California school administrators SUMMARY: Using qualitative methodologies assign leadership duties to both instructional informed by indigenous approaches to knowledge, coaches and teacher-librarians. This collective Littletree traces the history and development of case study compares those roles in the context of tribal libraries. As she explains, in the 1960s it implementing the California Common Core State was found, first, that library services for American Standards in English language arts. Lewis asks Indians were inadequate, and second, that federal why administrators select instructional coaches responsibility for Indian education included the and teacher-librarians for responsibility to improve these this task, and how these services. By the 1970s, the coaches and teacher-librarians country was in an era of self- collaborate to fulfill it. As determination, when people and Lewis shows, while admin- communities were empowered istrators may choose either to make their own choices, and instructional coaches or American Indian library leaders, teacher-librarians to fulfill this educators, community members, task, they prefer instructional and allies sought opportuni- coaches, viewing them as ties with the US president and Melanie Ann instructional leaders similar Sandra Congress to address the need for Lewis to themselves, while teacher- Littletree improved tribal libraries. Little- EdD, Liberty PhD, University librarians are considered tree notes that the 1978 White University of Washington instructional resources to be House Preconference on Indian called on only occasionally. Library and Information Services on or near Reservations may RECOMMENDATIONS: Lewis recommends that have been the most important step in the formation library media specialists actively promote school of tribal libraries. library research to district stakeholders. Students in teacher and administrator education programs RECOMMENDATIONS: All libraries face challenges— need to learn about the instructional role of the for example, the advent of ubiquitous technology. teacher-librarian. School districts should develop Tribal libraries face these same challenges, plus other and use appropriate job descriptions and eval- obstacles unique to their own communities. Littletree uations to define and assess teacher-librarians. recommends the development of a vision to provide Further research might examine barriers or limita- tribal leaders and librarians with paths toward excel- tions that coaches and teacher-librarians encoun- lence for tribal libraries; for instance, it may be time ter when providing instructional leadership. to consider a new National Indian Omnibus Library Bill. Tribal librarians could network with iSchools and READ AT: bit.ly/ND19-Lewis LIS programs to incorporate the information needs of indigenous people and leadership for tribal librarians into the curriculum. Further research could explore effective leadership qualities in tribal librarianship, as well as the role of tribal councils in supporting library and information services in the community.

READ AT: bit.ly/ND19-Littletree

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 57 The Correlation between Information Literacy and The Role of Public Libraries Critical Thinking of College in Rural Communication Students: An Exploratory Study Infostructure

SUMMARY: In college learning, information SUMMARY: In rural communities without literacy skills and critical-thinking skills are both an integrated information infrastructure, or important for success. Academics tend to believe infostructure, it can be challenging for institu- the two skill sets are inherently related; however, tions to communicate accurate, up-to-date news to date, little evidence has supported this belief. and information. This exploratory, qualitative McMullin uses an exploratory, mixed-methods study examines how members of these commu- approach to study the differences in information nities create and disseminate information, as literacy and critical-thinking well as how they prefer to skills, as well as gender differ- receive information. As the ences that might occur within study notes, in close-knit each skill set. In addition to communities there may surveys, scores from two stan- be an information access dardized tests—the California gap for newcomers. As a Critical Thinking Skills Test result, marginalized people, (CCTST) and the Standardized including children, may be Assessment of Information less informed about commu- Literacy Skills (SAILS)—are nity news and information. Shelly Lynne analyzed, along with student Jessica Traditionally, public libraries McMullin survey results. McMullin finds M. Ross are perceived as inclusive PhD, University that students perform better on PhD, University places; Ross’s study affirms of North Texas the CCTST than on the SAILS, of Alabama this perception. even though the CCTST is considered more difficult. Her RECOMMENDATIONS: Public results show a statistically significant correlation libraries are perceived as welcoming places between the tests, providing evidence that infor- and provide a variety of information resources. mation literacy skills and critical-thinking skills Libraries can leverage these assets to serve those may be inherently related in some categories. new to a community. Those assets may include programming that reflects the needs of minority RECOMMENDATIONS: While critical-thinking skills populations as well as language assistance such and information literacy skills are imperative, aca- as interpreters for programs and homework. Out- demic professionals may need to change how these reach programs can effectively welcome people skills are taught. As cognitively linked constructs, to the community and provide awareness of what the two skill sets could be taught in tandem. K–12 the library can offer them. teachers may also consider providing learning experiences that marry information literacy with READ AT: bit.ly/ND19-Ross critical thinking.

READ AT: bit.ly/ND19-McMullin

58 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org A Journey to Improve Collaboration Efforts Between Stakeholders Intersection: Reading and Teacher-Librarians: and Adult Homelessness A Mixed-Method Study and Public Libraries

SUMMARY: Wersebe seeks to understand how SUMMARY: Public librarians seek to provide high school teachers, administrators, and teacher- equitable access to all patrons, including those librarians define collaboration, as well as the factors experiencing homelessness. In this qualitative that contribute to successful collaboration. Results study, Yoho documents the power of reading for show that positive relationships among teachers, transitional and homeless populations. She finds leadership, support staff, and students boost the suc- that reading provides a distraction from negative cess of collaborations. Other positive factors include feelings of loneliness, melancholy, and boredom; a staff that values collaboration, temporarily allows the reader support from leadership, knowl- to mentally “transport” out of edge of the teacher-librarian’s negative experiences; helps role and skill set, and a positive manage the personal behav- school culture. One barrier to iors that may be necessary successful collaboration: the to obtain social services; and view of the school library as ameliorates stress by pro- merely a warehouse of books. viding calm and comfort in Other barriers include lack of uncertain circumstances. opportunities to collaborate, Jeanna negative past experiences, and Deborah RECOMMENDATIONS: Wersebe inflexible procedures. W. Yoho Yoho recommends training EdD, University PhD, University librarians to serve patrons of California, RECOMMENDATIONS: Teacher- of South Carolina from vulnerable populations, San Diego librarians are in leadership such as those experiencing roles and can be proactive in homelessness. There may providing opportunities for even be a role for social-service training in LIS collaboration. They have a responsibility to educate programs, though some may be more comfortable administrators, teachers, and students about the skill revisiting library policies to determine how to sets and proficiencies that define their role. Building handle the social-services expectations of public positive relationships has long been the purview of library patrons. She recommends reviewing the teacher-librarian, and this ability will enhance library policies and procedures around patron dis- collaborative ventures. Administrators can improve ruptions and complaints, as well as staff attitudes collaborative relationships by inviting teacher- toward inclusiveness and outreach. In addition, librarians to meetings about curriculum writing or she recommends creating programs that meet the new programs. Educational leadership programs in digital literacy needs of vulnerable populations colleges and universities should provide discussions such as the homeless. and readings of the teacher-librarian impact on student achievement. Teacher education programs READ AT: bit.ly/ND19-Yoho might offer preservice activities that include collaboration with teacher-librarians. Further research into high school collaborations should be conducted, using varying methodologies and samples.

READ AT: bit.ly/ND19-Wersebe

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ConferenceAnnual Preview Washington, D.C. | June 20–25 Edited by Greg Landgraf

ashington, D.C., is intrinsically connected to W libraries and information. It’s a city that not only holds our shared history and culture in the Library of Congress but is also home to Capitol Hill, a site synonymous with our advocacy for policy and funding. After nine years away, ALA’s Annual Confer- ence and Exhibition returns to our nation’s capital June 20–25. This year’s conference offers a host of professional development opportunities, new ideas to help shape the future of libraries, and a full slate of author programs, interesting speakers, and special events. This preview features a small sample of what to expect. For a complete listing of events, visit alaannual.org. Photo: ©Sherry V. Smith Photography/Adobe Stock Smith Photography/Adobe ©Sherry V. Photo:

62 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org Conference highlights

ALA President Loida Garcia-Febo will welcome award- winning novelist and comic book writer NNEDI OKORAFOR as her ALA President’s Program speaker 3–5:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 23. Okorafor is known for weaving elements of African culture into her science fiction and fantasy work, and has won Hugo and Nebula awards for the first book in her Binti trilogy. The program will include the ALA Awards Presentation. Nnedi The Association for Library Service to Children’s Okorafor (ALSC) Newbery-Caldecott-Legacy Awards Annual Banquet—a celebration to honor the authors and illustrators of the Newbery, Caldecott, and Children’s Literature Conference Preview Legacy medalists and honorees—takes place Sunday, June 23, 6–11 p.m. Advance registration is required and tickets are $96. A limited number of tickets will be available at onsite registration until noon Friday. MacArthur Fellow, Pulitzer Prize winner, and author of The Underground Railroad, Sag Harbor, and the upcoming The Nickel Boys COLSON WHITEHEAD will keynote the Freedom to Read Foundation’s 50th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, June 22, 6–8 p.m. Appetizers and a cash bar will be available. Tickets are $25. At “50 Years of the Coretta Scott King Book Awards: A Live Taping of the Dewey Decibel Podcast,” 9 a.m. on Saturday, Colson Whitehead June 22, American Libraries Senior Editor Phil Morehart will lead a panel discussion featuring past award and honor recipients EKUA HOLMES (illustrator of The Stuff of Stars), CHRISTOPHER MYERS (illustrator of Firebird), and JASON REYNOLDS (author of Long Way Down). For more on the Coretta Scott King Book Awards, see our feature on page 28 and our highlighted conference programs in the sidebar on page 68. CBS Sunday Morning correspondent MO ROCCA will speak at the Closing General Session on Tuesday, June 25, 10–11:30 a.m. Rocca spent four years as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. His forthcoming book Mobituaries, based on his podcast of the same name, is an irreverent but deeply researched appreciation of extraordinary people, historical epochs, sitcom characters, and even snack foods that are no more. Mo The Inaugural Luncheon immediately follows the Closing Rocca General Session 11:45 a.m.–2 p.m. and includes food and entertainment. Tickets are $50. Photos: Anyaugo Okorafor-Mbachu (Okorafor); Madeline Whitehead (Whitehead); John Paul Filo/CBS (Rocca) Filo/CBS John Paul (Whitehead); Madeline Whitehead (Okorafor); Okorafor-Mbachu Anyaugo Photos:

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 63 Monday, June 24 10:30–11:30 a.m. Featured speakers Actor GEORGE TAKEI is best known for his role as Hikaru Sulu, The publisher-sponsored Auditorium Speaker Series brings helmsman of the Starship accomplished authors, compelling celebrities, and exciting Enterprise, on Star Trek: The

experts to the conference. This year’s lineup includes: George Takei Original Series—but his story goes where few stories have gone Saturday, June 22 before. Takei, who has become a leading figure in the fight for 10:30–11:30 a.m. LGBTQ rights, will release a graphic memoir about his time in HODA KOTB, coanchor of NBC Japanese-American internment camps during World War II, News’ Today, has reported on the They Called Us Enemy (with cowriters Justin Eisinger and aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Steven Scott and artist Harmony Becker). the war in Iraq, the conflict in the West Bank and Gaza, the war in Hoda Kotb Monday, June 24 Afghanistan, and the Olympics. 3:30–4:30 p.m. Her latest children’s book, You Are My Happy, is about gratitude Author and creative writing coach for the things that bring happiness. TOMI ADEYEMI was a finalist for the Young Adult Library Services Saturday, June 22 Association’s (YALSA) 2019

3–4 p.m. Tomi Adeyemi William C. Morris YA Debut Award Librarian of Congress CARLA for her New York Times–bestselling HAYDEN will discuss the novel Children of Blood and Bone. For more on Adeyemi, see our important role libraries play in interview on page 26. their communities with ERIC Carla Eric Hayden Klinenberg KLINENBERG, New York University sociology professor and author of Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality. The session will address the changing Accessibility in-person and online needs of library users. LA works to make sure the conference experience is pleasant and accessible for all. For infor- Sunday, June 23 A mation on mobility assistance, interpreter services, 10:30–11:30 a.m. and other accommodations, visit alaannual.org/ Graphic novelist FRANK general-information/accessibility. MILLER, known for his Sin City series, and TOM WHEELER, storywriter for the upcoming film Frank Tom Miller Wheeler Dora and the Lost City of Gold, are ALA Store Hours creating and producing the Netflix ■■ Friday, June 21: 1:30–5:30 p.m. show Cursed. Based on their book of the same name, the show ■■ Saturday, June 22: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. follows a Druid named Nimue who teams up with a mysterious ■■ Sunday, June 23: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. man to seek vengeance against the Red Paladins, who ■■ Monday, June 24: 8:30 a.m.–2 p.m. destroyed her family and village. A special pop-up ministore will operate near the registra- Monday, June 24 tion area on Friday, June 21, 9:30 a.m–2:30 p.m. 8:30–9:30 a.m. A native of Venezuela, journalist MARIANA ATENCIO fled violence and oppression in her Curating the Capital country and made a career in both LA’s Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach

Mariana Atencio Spanish- and English-language AServices has put together a resource guide on the television in the US. Her new book, indigenous history of the D.C. area (ala.org/aboutala/ Perfectly You: Embracing the Power of Being Real, is grounded in indigenous-tribes-washington-dc), as well as a list the discovery of how every person can find their own voice and and map of businesses owned by people of color, purpose in a seemingly broken world. women, and members of the LGBTQ community (bit.ly/ dc19-diverse-businesses). •

64 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org Get Connected and Division presidents’ Stay Informed programs The ALA Annual Conference Scheduler (alaannual.org/ scheduler) and mobile app help you browse sessions, plan ALA’s division presidents host intriguing thought leaders at and organize your time, create a private or shareable calen- every Annual Conference. This year’s offerings include: dar, add and update events and personal appointments, and keep track of exhibitor meetings. Saturday, June 22 See what’s 9:30–11 a.m. Visit alaannual.org American Association of School happening at Librarians (AASL) President bit.ly/alaac19Pin Join the event at Kathryn Roots Lewis will host bit.ly/alaac19FB Follow #alaac19 and MATT DE LA PEÑA, author of americanlibrary the Newbery Medal–winning Matt de la Peña Track #alaac19 association Last Stop on Market Street, for and follow her program. De la Peña will speak about the journey that @alaannual has influenced his writing, with a message of inclusiveness and equity.

Saturday, June 22, 10:30 a.m.–noon Services,” Ann K. G. Brown will host a discussion of the impor- Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA) tance of reference and user services in a time when changing President Lynn Hoffman will present a panel discussion on service models create barriers and disadvantage some users, approaches and strategies for managers and administrators such as first-generation college students, English-language who are responding to incidents of harassment or bias, with learners, and others who may experience practical challenges a focus on trust-building and challenges to equity, diversity, to asking for information and help. and inclusion. Sunday, June 23, 1–2 p.m. Saturday, June 22 United for Libraries (UFL) President Skip Dye will host an 10:30 a.m.–noon advocacy-focused program. Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Sunday, June 23, 3–4 p.m. President Lauren Pressley Library and Information Technology Association (LITA) welcomes ANGELA SPRANGER, President Bohyun Kim’s program will feature MEREDITH

Angela Spranger author of Why People Stay: Helping BROUSSARD, assistant professor at the Arthur L. Carter Your Employees Feel Seen, Safe, and Journalism Institute of New York University. Broussard, Valued, to the program “Equity, Diversity, Inclusion ... and author of Artificial Unintelligence: How Computers Misunder- Leadership: Where Do We Go from Here?” Spranger will stand the World, will look at the inner workings and outer demonstrate how leaders can effectively influence and limits of technology as well as the eagerness that has led the motivate teams that struggle with poor communication, public to accept and implement digital systems, even those collaboration, culture, change, and conflict. that don’t work well.

Saturday, June 22, 1–2 p.m. Monday, June 24 The Marrakesh Treaty establishes rules for exchanging acces- 10:30 a.m.–noon sible formats across borders, a plan meant to increase the In Association for Library traditionally low number of foreign-language Braille books Collections and Technical available in the US. Learn more in Association of Specialized, Services (ALCTS) President Government, and Cooperative Library Agencies President Adam Kristin E. Martin’s program,

Szczepaniak Jr.’s program, “Understanding the Marrakesh Marcia Chatelain MARCIA CHATELAIN, associate Treaty: Implications and Implementation for Librarians.” professor of history and African- American studies at Georgetown University, will discuss how Saturday, June 22, 4–5:30 p.m. fast-food franchises became one of the primary generators of In the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) pro- wealth among black Americans, supplanting traditional gram “Inequity and the Disappearance of Reference and User black-owned businesses.

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 65 welcomes a panel that will examine activism and social change Business and through multiple lenses. Financial Meetings Friday, June 21 ■■ ALA Executive Board Meeting I, 8:30 a.m.–noon Books and authors ■■ ALA Finance and Audit/Budget Analysis and Review Joint Committee, 12:30–4 p.m. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from and meet dozens of bestselling authors and illustrators. Some of this Saturday, June 22 year’s highlights include: ■■ ALA Council/Executive Board/Membership Information Session, 3–4:30 p.m. Saturday, June 22, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. ■■ ALA Membership Meeting, 4:30–5:30 p.m. YALSA’s Margaret A. Edwards Brunch will feature author M. T. ANDERSON, winner of the 2019 Edwards Award recog- Sunday, June 23 nizing significant and lasting contribution to writing for teens. ■■ ALA Council I, 8–11 a.m. Tickets are $39. ■■ ALA Planning and Budget Assembly, 1–2 p.m. Saturday, June 22, 8–10 p.m. Monday, June 24 The Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction ■■ ALA Council II, 8:30–11:30 a.m. and Nonfiction Ceremony, cosponsored by RUSA and Book- ■■ ALA Executive Board II, 1–5 p.m. list, will celebrate winners KIESE LAYMON (for Heavy: An American Memoir) and REBECCA MAKKAI (for The Great Tuesday, June 25 Believers). LAURA LIPPMAN, bestselling author of the Tess ■■ ALA Council III, 7:45–9:45 a.m. Monaghan series, will be the featured speaker. Attendees are ■■ ALA Executive Board III, 2:30–5 p.m. invited to mingle with the authors during dessert and a cash- bar reception. Tickets are $40.

Sunday, June 23, 8–10 a.m. SCOE Sessions RUSA’s Literary Tastes: Celebrating the Best Reading of the Year will feature several authors of works that won RUSA LA invites members to provide input on creating the book awards or were included on its best-of lists for adults. Association of the 21st century at one of its Remodel A Breakfast is included, and book signings will immediately Recommendation Input Sessions with the Steering follow the event. Registration is required. Tickets are $15. Committee on Organizational Effectiveness (SCOE). Sessions will focus on the models recommended by SCOE Sunday, June 23, 9–10 a.m. and ask for participant feedback. Those who cannot make YALSA’s YA Author Coffee Klatch, a speed dating–style one of the following times will be invited to participate online. event, features authors who have appeared on one of ■■ Saturday, June 22: noon–1:30 p.m. and 2:30–4 p.m. YALSA’s selected book lists or received one of its literary ■■ Sunday, June 23: noon–1:30 p.m. and 2:30–4 p.m. awards. Attendees will sit at a table, and every few minutes ■■ Monday, June 24: noon–1:30 p.m. • a new author will arrive to talk about their upcoming books. Tickets are $25.

Sunday, June 23, 5:30–7:30 p.m. Monday, June 24, 10:30 a.m.–noon Comedian and UFL spokesperson PAULA POUNDSTONE will YALSA President Crystle Martin’s program “Supporting Equity, headline The Laugh’s on Us. The wine-and-cheese event will Diversity, and Inclusion through Outcomes and Assessment” feature bestselling humor authors BOBBIE BROWN, JUDY will highlight how data can inform program development, GOLD, JOSH GONDELMAN, and GARY JANETTI, and a implementation, and continuous learning in a way that book signing will follow. Tickets are $60 in advance, $55 for redresses institutional inequality and systemic power imbal- UFL members, and $65 onsite if available. ances in teen services and society.

Monday, June 25, 1–2:30 p.m. In the ALSC Charlemae Rollins President’s Program, “Subver- sive Activism: Creating Social Change through Libraries, Chil- Paula Bobbie Judy Josh Gary dren’s Literature, and Art,” President Jamie Campbell Naidoo Poundstone Brown Gold Gondelman Janetti

66 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org Monday, June 25, 8–10:30 a.m. Participation and Coordination for Disaster Response and The ALSC Awards Presentation will celebrate the Batchelder, Recovery of Cultural Heritage.” The workshop will be a mix Geisel, Sibert, and Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media of formal presentations, moderated panels, and a breakout awards. Continental breakfast and an opportunity to mingle session, and speakers will include preservation librarians, with authors and illustrators precede the awards presentation, responders, and representatives from the Federal Emergency which starts promptly at 8:30 a.m. Management Agency. Tickets are $219 for ALCTS members, $269 for ALA members, and $319 for nonmembers. Monday, June 24, 2–4 p.m. Enjoy beverages and light snacks at UFL’s Gala Author Tea. Friday, June 21, 8:30 a.m.–noon and 1 p.m.–4 p.m. Bestselling authors MEGAN ANGELO, GABRIEL BUMP, ALA’s Public Programs Office (PPO) and Office for Diversity, KARL MARLANTES, KILEY REID, and KATE ELIZABETH Literacy, and Outreach Services (ODLOS) will present “Beyond RUSSELL will discuss their writing lives and forthcoming the Racial Stalemate.” Using a racial healing approach, facilita- books, and signings will follow. UFL will also recognize the tors will lead participants through a process of storytelling, vul- winners of the Baker & Taylor Awards during this event. Tick- nerability, and deep listening and provide them with a tool used ets are $60 in advance, $55 for UFL members, and $65 onsite to help uproot the flawed belief in a racial hierarchy. The two if available. sessions of the program are identical; please register for only one. Tickets are $70 for ALA members, $75 for nonmembers.

Friday, June 21, 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. The ACRL preconference “Building Your Research Data Man- agement (RDM) Toolkit: Integrating RDM into Your Liaison Megan Gabriel Karl Kiley Kate Elizabeth Angelo Bump Marlantes Reid Russell Work” will help liaisons identify existing skills and mindsets they can transfer to RDM services and create a plan for learning RDM-specific knowledge needed to serve their subject dis- Monday, June 24, 8–10 p.m. ciplines. Tickets are $255 for ACRL members, $295 for ALA At the Michael L. Printz Program and Reception, cospon- members, and $335 for nonmembers. sored by YALSA and Booklist, 2019 Printz Award–winning author ELIZABETH ACEVEDO and honor book authors Friday, June 21, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. ELANA K. ARNOLD, DEB CALETTI, and MARY MCCOY The Center for News Literacy at Stony Brook (N.Y.) University will speak about their writing. Tickets are $39. Please note that has developed a media literacy curriculum to help adults recog- the program is on Monday and not (as in past years) Friday. nize fake news. The “Media Literacy at Your Library Training” preconference, presented by the Center and PPO, will train librarians in the curriculum, facilitate collaboration in brainstorming and developing program ideas, and help librarians Highlighted programs develop a media literacy program plan. Tickets in advance are $150 for ALA members, $175 for nonmembers; onsite tickets This is a small selection of the hundreds of programs that are $250 for ALA members, $275 for nonmembers. will take place at Annual. See the full list at alaannual.org/ scheduler, or find events related to program interests such as accessibility and universal design, intellectual freedom and ethics, and privacy at alaannual.org/whats-happening/ JobLIST Placement Center program-interests. LA’s JobLIST Placement and Career Develop- ment Center is open Saturday, June 22, and Friday, June 21, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. ASunday, June 23, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., with an ori- ALCTS will host “Change Management in Libraries and Tech- entation 8:30 a.m. Saturday. nical Services,” a preconference that will explore change man- Employers will be on hand to talk to conference agement both as a foundational concept and through specific attendees at the free Open House and Job Fair on examples and case studies such as ILS migrations, reorganizing Sunday, June 23, 10:30 a.m.–noon. technical services, or reallocating budgets. Tickets are $219 Career counseling with a professional career coach is for ALCTS members, $269 for ALA members, and $319 for available in free, confidential sessions when the center nonmembers. is open. Registration is recommended. For a complete list of workshops, including sessions Friday, June 21, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. on mentoring, staff wellness, and résumé review, visit The 2017 hurricane season in Puerto Rico will serve as a bit.ly/JobLIST-alaac19. •

Photo: Devon Marlantes (Marlantes) Marlantes Devon Photo: case study in “Better Networking for Disasters: Improving

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 67 be activated when needed—through strategic communications planning, the Libraries Transform campaign, and one-on-one meetings with stakeholders.

Saturday, June 22, 2–3 p.m. SATIA ORANGE, former director of ALA’s Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, will present the ODLOS-sponsored Jean E. Coleman Lecture, which aims to teach library professionals more about their roles in providing equity of access. Under Orange’s leadership, the office broadened the Associ- 50th Anniversary of ation’s support and celebration of traditionally underserved the Coretta Scott library staff and library communities. Saturday, June 22, 2:30–3:30 p.m. King Book Awards Libraries are increasingly scaling back subscriptions. The his year marks the 50th anniversary of the Coretta Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition–ACRL Scott King (CSK) Book Awards, which recognize out- Forum, “If I Had a Million Dollars: Collective Reinvestment Tstanding books for children and young adults that in Open Infrastructure,” will discuss how to reallocate these reflect the African-American experience. Celebrate a half- resources to achieve open research communication. century of exceptional literature at the following events: Saturday, June 22, 3:30–5 p.m. Saturday, June 22, 4–5 p.m. The ODLOS Diversity and Outreach Fair will highlight Led by a team of educators, the program Recognizing library services to underserved and underrepresented commu- Children’s and Young Adult Books and Demonstrating nities from all types of library institutions. an Appreciation of African-American Culture and Uni- versal Human Values for 50 Years will provide resources Saturday, June 22, 5–7 p.m. and ideas that libraries can use to create more inclusive The AASL Awards Ceremony will highlight best practices in environments for children. school librarianship through collaboration, leadership, innovative programming, national involvement, and upholding the Saturday, June 22, 6–7:30 p.m. principles of the profession. Awards for the best websites, apps, The CSK–Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime and social media superstars will also be announced. Achievement Reception will honor 2019 practitioner winner PAULETTA BROWN BRACY, professor of library Sunday, June 23, 9–10 a.m. science at North Carolina Central University in Durham, for In 2020, the US Census will be conducted primarily online her lifelong advocacy for high-quality African-American lit- for the first time. In the Public Policy and Advocacy Office’s erature for young people. “Ensuring Everyone Counts (and Is Counted) in the 2020 Census,” a panel of experts will discuss the implications of the Sunday, June 23, 7–10 a.m. 2020 Census and how libraries can help ensure a complete and The CSK Book Awards Breakfast honors award winners inclusive count. For more on the 2020 Census, see our feature and honor book recipients, including author winner CLAIRE on page 44. HARTFIELD (for A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919) and illustrator winner EKUA HOLMES (for The Stuff of Stars). Tickets are $65. Sunday, June 23, 10:30–11:30 a.m. While librarians are well versed in protecting the right to read See alaannual.org/scheduler for more CSK Book Awards books, other types of information can be censored as well. In programming. To read about the history of the awards, see “Censorship Beyond Books,” librarians will share their experi- our story on page 28. • ences with challenges to nonbook resources, including a Black Lives Matter display, drag queen story hours, a Banned Books Week display, and an LGBTQ readers’ advisory list.

Saturday, June 22, 1–2 p.m. Sunday, June 23, 1–2 p.m. How do you create advocates before a ballot initiative or budget Artists, entrepreneurs, and inventors are using library request is on the agenda? In UFL’s “How Everyday Relationships makerspaces to create new works. But how can libraries Build Support and Help Libraries Transform,” the advocacy help innovation evolve into new businesses? In “Make, team from Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Public Library will demonstrate Prototype, Patent, Manufacture: The Full Cycle of Invent- how it has built a community of library champions—ready to ing in Library Makerspaces,” a panel (that will include

68 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org Exhibits at the Conference ith more than 900 exhibiting organizations, multiple pavilions, and stages featuring popular authors and related events, the Wexhibit floor is integral to your learning, professional development, and networking. The official opening ceremony and ribbon cutting immediately follow the Opening General Session on Friday, June 21, at 5:30 p.m., and feature a brief welcome by ALA leadership and local dignitaries. The Opening Reception includes food, drink, and entertainment. Publishers will host author and illustrator events throughout the conference, including programs at the Book Buzz Theater, What’s Cooking @ ALA Demonstration Stage, PopTop Stage, and the Graphic Novel/Gaming Stage. New this year is the Chapter One Stage, featuring panels of new and emerging authors, with each presentation focusing on a single genre or issue affecting libraries and publishing. Specialty Pavilions will give attendees an in-depth look at the newest trends, products, and technologies in areas such as DVD and video, EXHIBIT HOURS international and multilingual publications, library schools and instruction, presses, and zines. The new Sound Garden pavilion highlights audiobooks Friday, June 21, 5:30–7 p.m. and publishing and book-related podcasts, and will include Live from Saturday, June 22, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. the 25, a booth where attendees can record a short podcast with an author Sunday, June 23, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. from the exhibits. • Monday, June 24, 9 a.m.–2 p.m.

representatives from the US Patent and Trademark Office) Monday, June 24, 2:30–3:30 p.m. will discuss how libraries can serve as centers of creation In the Public Library Association session “Advocating for Health and incubators for business. at Your Library: Equity Starts with Us,” attendees will be introduced to resources, partnership opportunities, communication Sunday, June 23, 1–2:30 p.m. assets, programming ideas, and training materials to assist In LITA’s “Top Technology Trends,” panelists will describe patrons with health inquiries and healthy habits. the technological changes and advancements that they see affecting the library world and suggest how libraries can take Monday, June 24, 2:30–3:30 p.m. advantage of these trends. Libraries worldwide share a commitment to the continued progress of humanity. In the International Relations Round Sunday, June 23, 2:30–3:30 p.m. Table’s “International Leaders Forum: Leading a Vision for LINNEA HEGARTY, director of strategic partnerships for a Global Community of Libraries,” library leaders will share D.C. Public Library, will share lessons she learned from man- their vision of a global community of libraries, the opportuni- aging the library’s online scavenger hunt during Banned Books ties and challenges we face, and how libraries can collaborate Week, in “PR Forum: Takeaways from D.C. Public Library’s to make it happen. #UncensoredDC Campaign.” ALA Communications and Marketing Office Director STEPHANIE HLYWAK will also Monday, June 24, 7–9 p.m. provide an overview of social media strategies libraries can use Open to all conference attendees, the International in marketing, advocacy, fundraising, and outreach. Libraries Reception at the Library of Congress welcomes librarians from more than 70 countries with an evening of Monday, June 24, 9–10 a.m. culture, ideas, and regional cuisine. Advance registration is In “Resources for Rural and Tribal Libraries: Advocacy and Lit- required. Tickets are $40. eracy,” ALA’s Committee on Rural, Native, and Tribal Libraries of All Kinds will examine literacy and advocacy, share its For an up-to-date list of dates and times, see the Annual Confer- updated toolkit, and look ahead to projects for 2019. ence Scheduler at alaannual.org/scheduler.

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 69 A CULINARY CAPITAL Dining in D.C. during Annual Conference

BY Meredith Pratt

70 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org ashington, D.C., is a city of many things: gov- W ernment, monuments, world-class museums, stunning architecture, history, and cherry trees. But until Price Guide recently, its gourmet scene was known more for stodgy Average price per person for steakhouses than standout dining. entrée without appetizers, Today, rock-star chefs have transformed neighborhoods drinks, tax, or tip. $ under $10 into epicurean destinations and turned what was once a $$ $11–$20 dining drought into a wave of new restaurants, vibrant $$$ $21–$30 $$$$ $31 and up tastes, and international cuisines. Dining in D.C. during Annual Conference Ready to dig in? Here is a guide to the best flavors in our culinary capital, excerpted from Frommer’s EasyGuide to Washington, D.C., 2020.

Chercher 1334 9th St., N.W. Near the 202-299-9703 Convention chercherrestaurant.com You won’t get much closer to an authen- Center tic Ethiopian homestyle meal than at this unassuming rowhouse restaurant in D.C.’s Little Ethiopia neighborhood. Expats Busboys and Poets proclaim the food—boldly flavored dishes 2021 14th St., N.W. from Ethiopia’s mountainous Chercher 202-387-7638 region—rivals their grandma’s cooking. busboysandpoets.com The menu features classic plates of kitfo, It’s a bookstore, coffee shop, restaurant, gored gored, tibs, and tire siga, all vari- theater, and community gathering place. eties of Ethiopian dishes made with beef, The name refers to Langston Hughes, as well as vegetarian salads and vegan who worked as a busboy at the Wardman entrees. L, D daily $ Park Hotel in the 1920s prior to gaining recognition as a poet. Go for the delecta- Convivial ble breakfast of omelets and french toast, 801 O St., N.W. then go again for dinner to eat burgers, 202-525-2870 hot paninis, and pasta. Gluten-free, veg- convivialdc.com Poulet rouge etarian, and vegan options are all avail- Convivial is just as warm, friendly, and at Convivial able. B, L, D daily $ jovial as its name suggests. Located in Photo: Convivial Photo:

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 71 72 toast at Kinship Maine lobster french June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org charcoal-grilled porkloinwithbacon. The to tunatartare withcrispy shallotsand find everything from red snapperbisque On thebalanced, refreshing menuyou’ll ously voted oneofthebest inthecity. is working: The restaurant iscontinu- French, Japanese, andAmerican tastes Chef-owner Tom Power’s combination of black-suited servers standing inwait. playing, crisplinensonthetables,and a delightful retreat, witheasy jazzmusic 9th St. NW, thisrowhouse restaurant is In thebustling neighborhoodaround corduroydc.com 202-589-0699 1122 9thSt.,N.W. Corduroy sive fishspeciesinhisdishes.L,Ddaily Chesapeake Bay ecosystem by usinginva- sourced. The chefalsosupports thelocal frequently, butallthefishissustainably saffron seafood broth. The menuchanges with seabass, rockfish, andmussels ina fricassee, aswell asbouillabaisse packed gnocchi withmushroom mousseline and a blanket.” Alsogreat: roasted Parisian food withatwist, includingescargot “in Maupillier presents traditional French is spirited butnotshowy. ChefCedric borhood, thisself-styled Americancafé the heartofhistoric Shaw neigh- $$ and dumplingsortheseafood stew with delicious Eastern Shore–style chicken farmhouse-style diningroom. Try the informed andattentive staff, andacozy, the Dabney offers asmall-plate menu, to earnMichelinstars intheD.C. area, food. Oneofonlyahandful ofrestaurants times aweek, for theexperience and Locals frequent thiseatery, often several thedabney.com 202-450-1015 122 BlagdenAlleyN.W. The Dabney town. Ddaily$$$ upstairs barisoneofthebest dealsin five-course tasting menufor $70inthe Tiger Fork Bubble waffle at (M–F), L,D, daily$$ recommended. Brunch(Sat, Sun),B lollis, andfisherman’s pasta. Reservations beer-can roasted chicken, glazed bacon represented onthemenu,whichincludes ican to ChineseandGermancuisine is Everything from French andSouthAmer- ethnic neighborhoodofMount Vernon. ing Farmer”)andthesurrounding multi- E. Washington Convention Center, Across thestreet from theWalter kinshipdc.com 202-737-7700 1015 7thSt.,N.W. Kinship George Washington (“the originalFound- to thefarmers whoown itaswell asto This restaurant represents anodeofsorts not hard to findsomething to like here. With more than100dishesavailable, it’s farmersanddistillers.com 202-464-3001 600 MassachusettsAve.,N.W. Farmers andDistillers your tableupstairs. D(Tue–Sun) $$ for inventive cocktails whileyou wait for bread pudding.Headto theDabney Cellar with Stayman applesorthesweet potato Don’t miss desserts suchasthe crumble a sideofmelt-in-your-mouthcorn bread.

Photos: Scott Suchman (Tiger Fork); Kinship Photo: Willard InterContinental Hotel (bar) worth it.Drawing from Hong Kong’s Alley canbe tough, butthewait iswell Kong–inspired restaurant inBlagden Finding atableat thistrendy Hong tigerforkdc.com 202-733-1152 922 BlagdenAlleyN.W. Tiger Fork with maduro miso. Ddaily$$ with apickledbeet mole, orsablefish Mexico. Think abeet andburrata tostada the Yucatán, Oaxaca, andotherpartsof Madre elevates traditional foods from City slangterm meaning“cool,” Poca Taking itsnamefrom apopularMexico locatedBamba, next door, in2018. companion to hispopularchainTaco opened thisupscale, Southwest-inspired Veteran restaurateur Victor Albisu pocamadredc.com 202-838-5300 777 ISt.,N.W.,TechWorldPlaza Poca Madre Brunch(Sat, Sun),L,Ddaily$$$ eye. branzino ssäm. Try thedry-aged beefrib plemented by spicy cucumber saladand to order seven different ways, iscom- Bing, aChineseflatbread that’s grilled on Chinesedishesfrom ChefTae Strain. dinners. The menuoffers exciting takes loud, andjust thespotfor fungroup star ever since. The diningroom isbig, to CityCenterDC in2015,andit’s beena Chang brought hisacclaimed Momofuku New York chefandrestaurateur David ccdc.momofuku.com 202-602-1832 1090 ISt.,N.W. Momofuku CCDC warm atmosphere won’t. Ddaily$$$ quently, butthe delectable tastes and crispy taro root. The menuchangesfre- Island squid,venison consommé, and ing alittle ofeverything: grilledRhode modern àlacarte Americanmenuoffer- dining room. Locals flockhere for the lounge, alively bar, andaminimalist are three spaces inall:abook-lined Ziebold andpartnerCélia Laurent. There restaurant from veteran D.C. chefEric Kinship isacomfortable, sophisticated O Libations andPolitics Shelly’s B Charlie Palmer S Round R The CapitalGrillL Off theRec town’s top politicaldogsfor stiff drinks andsteaks. .com: Just steps from theCapitol Building,thiselegant outpost attracts the round barbear theirlikenesses. Whitman—have imbibedhere since 1847.Now thewalls around thismahogany D.C.’s politicalandsocialelite—includingWoodrow Wilson, MarkTwain, andWalt 202-628-9100, washington.intercontinental.com/food-drink/round-robin-bar: scandals, andintrigue—pluspremium whiskeys andwines. thecapitalgrille.com: This clubby loungeiswitness to power brokering, political of somethecountry’s most powerful elites. with longtimebartenders whohave seen(andheard) itall,andenjoy caricatures 800 16thSt., N.W., 202-638-6600,hayadams.com/dining: Grab astool andchat movers andshakers. or at thevery least, rubelbows withD.C.’s overhear afew state secrets ofyour own— holes, andifyou’re lucky, you might just follows. Visit any oftheselocalwatering trail elected officials,andthegossip that for pure politics,thepress houndswho House, for agenerous selection ofrare whiskeys andsinglemalts. .com: Disappearinto thiscigar-friendlyestablishment, just ablockfrom theWhite Washington, D.C., istheplace the scandals.Like itornot, h, theintrigue, thedrama, obin Bar, Willard InterContinental Hotel, 1401Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., ack Room Tavern, 1331FSt., N.W., 202-737-3003,shellysbackroom ord Bar, Hay Adams Hotel, teak, 101Constitution Ave., N.W., 202-547-8100,charliepalmer ounge, 601Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., 202-737-6200, americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 73 InterContinental Hotel Round Robin at Bar Willard • fast-paced street food scene, this Shaw the other for breakfast and lunch—and Fiola neighborhood–based Chinese restaurant connected by a cocktail bar. Brunch (Sat, 601 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. features creative versions of dim sum, Sun), B, L (M–F), D daily $$ 202-525-1402 barbecue, and seafood. Favorites include fioladc.com the humble plate of chili wontons and Chef Fabio Trabocchi and wife-partner cold dan dan noodles. The bar menu is Maria know how to have fun with their impressive, with ingredients drawn from Downtown restaurants, which include Fiola Mare on Asian medicine. Reservations recom- Georgetown’s waterfront and Del Mar on mended. Brunch (Sat, Sun), D daily $$ Central Michel Richard the bustling Southwest waterfront. The 1001 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. restaurant has a head-turning, New York Unconventional Diner 202-626-0015 feel, with its wide swatch of bar at the 1207 9th St., N.W. centralmichelrichard.com front, white banquettes, and modern art. 202-847-0122 The late, great French chef Michel Trabocchi changes the menu daily, but unconventionaldiner.com Richard, who died in 2016, opened Cen- the seasonal Italian fare is always superb. A husband-and-wife duo are the master- tral more than a decade ago, and it has You might find lobster ravioli in cream minds behind this casual, eclectic restau- remained on the hot list ever since. sauce, olive-oil-poached Arctic char, or rant serving comfort food with a twist. Just five blocks from the White House, prosciutto-wrapped veal tenderloin. Chef David Deshaies shows off his skills Central offers unfussy French-American Reservations recommended. L (M–F), with a “not-your-grandma’s” meatloaf, fare in a fun, semicasual dining room. Of D daily $$$$ tempura-crisped kale nachos, and famed course, the classics are on the menu— short ribs braised for 72 hours. Pastry including french onion soup, scallops, and The Hamilton chef Ana Deshaies bakes fresh corn bread cassoulet—but so are burgers, shrimp 600 14th St., N.W. muffins and desserts including a Smith risotto, and Richard’s famed “faux gras,” 202-787-1000 Island carrot cake. Adjacent to the con- made with chicken instead of duck or thehamiltondc.com vention center, the diner is designed as goose liver. Reservations recommended. Craving sushi? How about a burger and two eateries—one open just for dinner, Brunch (Sun), L (M–F), D daily $$$ fries? Or a late-night snack? The Hamilton

Mini burgers topped with onion straws at Matchbox Photo: Deb Lindsey Photography Deb Lindsey Photo:

74 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org plating thin-crust pizzas cooked in 900° wood-fired brick ovens for more than 10 years. Try the prosciutto and fig pizza Pisto manchego con huevos at Jaleo with blue cheese and black pepper honey or the chicken pesto pizza. The appetizer of mini burgers topped with onion straws, the seared tuna and greens salad, and entrées like the shrimp and grits are all standouts. Reservations recommended. Brunch (Sat, Sun), L, D daily $$

Old Ebbitt Grill 675 15th St., N.W. 202-347-4800 ebbitt.com Open since 1856 (in this location since 1983), the Ebbitt is popular among tour- ists, but the elite of Washington show serves it all. A bustling, massive, two- Jaleo up too. Old Ebbitt is open very early to story restaurant, the Hamilton balances 480 7th St., N.W. very late and offers a comforting menu of a casual and often loud atmosphere with 202-628-7949 untrendy dishes like fried calamari, bur delectable fare upstairs and live music jaleo.com gers, crab cakes, and hearty pastas. The downstairs. A crispy shrimp tempura In the 26 years since José Andrés first oysters—among the freshest in town—are starter is complemented by poke bowls, opened this Spanish tapas restaurant, the standout here. Reservations recom- short-rib poutine, and delicious clam Andrés himself has grown into a culinary mended. B, L, D daily $$ chowder. Entrées include glazed meat- and humanitarian phenom. Jaleo stays Rasika loaf and sausage ragu. The bar menu true, serving some of the best tapas in 633 D St., N.W. is impressive, with at least 20 beers on the city, with 60 individual small plates on 202-637-1222 draft and nearly 50 wines by the glass or the menu. Look for fried dates wrapped rasikarestaurant.com bottle. Reservations recommended. in bacon, cured pork chorizo, or the “ultimate Spanish tapa”: potato salad with Dishing up the best in modern Indian L, D daily $$ food, Chef Vikram Sunderam frequently imported conserved tuna, carrots, peas, hosts power players from the capital and and mayonnaise. Adventurous items Hill Country beyond. The restaurant’s specialties are include sea urchin with diced peppers Barbecue Market the palak chaat (crispy spinach in yogurt and trout roe, or baby squid from Cádiz 410 7th St., N.W. sauce), duck vindaloo, and tandoori sautéed with Spanish white beans. Res- 202-556-2050 salmon, along with a full menu of other ervations recommended. Brunch (Sat, hillcountry.com/dc Indian delights. Reservations recom- Sun), L, D daily $$ Leave official Washington at the door mended. L (M–F), D (M–Sat) $$$ when you enter Hill Country. This restau- Matchbox rant honors Austin, the self-styled bar- Zaytinya 713 H St., N.W. 701 9th St., N.W. becue and live-music capital of Texas. 202-289-4441 202-638-0800 Known for its nightly live music down- matchboxrestaurants.com zaytinya.com stairs and its low-country fare upstairs, Named for the 15-feet-wide, three-story- Restaurants come and go in D.C., but Hill Country is true to its Texan roots. Dig tall, matchbox-like space, this Chinatown this Mediterranean tapas hotspot by into a mess of dry-rubbed Texas barbe- pizzeria is a local favorite. It’s been José Andrés is a mainstay. Diners go on a cue ribs, skillet corn bread, and sweet culinary adventure here with meze (Med- potato bourbon mash. Meats are priced iterranean small plates) featuring a wide by weight, from $5.50 per half a pound ONLINE MAP range of tastes from the Middle East, of barbecue chicken to $28 per pound of Greece, and Turkey. Signature dishes bone-in short ribs. There’s a late-night Finding these include baba ghanouj, crispy Brussels menu until 10 p.m. weekdays and 11 p.m. restaurants is easy at sprouts with coriander seed and barber- weekends, as well as a late happy hour ries, and scallops in dill yogurt sauce.

Photo: Jaleo Photo: 10 p.m.–1 a.m. L, D daily $$ bit.ly/ALDCDiningMap Reservations recommended. L, D daily $$

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 75 Ben’s Chili Bowl

Cork Wine Bar chorizos, grilled octopus, and seared scal- 14th Street/ and Market lops. The bar menu is impressive, with a 1805 14th St., N.W. variety of cocktails, beer, wine, and Span- U Street 202-265-2675 ish sherries to choose from. The “slushi- corkdc.com tos,” mixed frozen cocktails, vary with the This cozy wine bar features an extensive season and don’t disappoint. Brunch (Sat, Ben’s Chili Bowl menu of bottles, most from unusual, Sun), L (F), D daily $$ 1213 U St., N.W. small producers, as well as wines by the 202-667-0058 glass. The menu includes about 20 small Le Diplomate benschilibowl.com dishes nightly, all meant to be shared. Try 1601 14th St., N.W. No restaurant in D.C. has as much his- the cheese and charcuterie boards, but- 202-332-3333 toric cachet as Ben’s Chili Bowl. Ben’s ternut squash risotto, or french fries with lediplomatedc.com opened in 1958 and stayed open even house-made ketchup. Then head to the Evoking the look of a Parisian brasserie when riots broke out throughout the café and market downstairs to shop for with red banquettes, a zinc-topped bar, city following the April 1968 assassi- bottles of wine and gourmet food items. lace curtains, and sidewalk patio, this nation of Martin Luther King Jr. Ben’s Reservations accepted. Brunch (Sun), L, restaurant tastes French, too. All the history is noted on its walls, featuring D daily $$ Parisian favorites are here, including photographs that cover the city’s past escargot, onion soup, steak frites, and as well as Ben’s. That includes snapshots Estadio cheese. Tables are tight; it’s loud and fun, of the many celebrities who’ve dined 1520 14th St., N.W. and always packed. Reservations recom- here, from President Barack Obama to 202-319-1404 mended. Brunch (Sat, Sun), D daily $$$ musician Mary J. Blige. Its famous half estadio-dc.com smoke—a quarter-pound, half-beef, One of the best Spanish tapas spots in the Pearl Dive Oyster Palace half-pork smoked sausage served inside city, Estadio is a sound pick for a down- 1612 14th St., N.W. a warm bun and smothered with chili town dinner that balances traditional 202-319-1612 sauce—is a favorite. Ben’s has a few Spanish cuisine with creative flair. Diners pearldivedc.com vegetarian-friendly options, too. Cash can easily build a meal from the cheeses Freshly shucked oysters, while plentiful

only. B (M–Sat), L, D daily $ and cured meats alone, or try the roasted on the menu, aren’t the only draw at this washington.org Photo:

76 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org lively seafood restaurant. It’s also made up fast, so you might consider getting Maryland, and Virginia. The retro vibe is its name with gumbos, beignets, and po’ your burger to go, as many do. L, D entertaining, and diners enjoy a comfort- boy sandwiches. Cap the meal with a (Mon–Sat) $ food menu of grilled cheese, tomato slice of pecan or key lime pie. The small soup, fried chicken, chili, and all-day inside/outside bar is the perfect people- Rose’s Luxury breakfast. For dessert, try an “adult” watching spot on a warm evening. Wait- 717 8th St., S.E. milkshake like the Grasshopper, a blend ing for a table? Head upstairs to Black 202-580-8889 of Kahlúa and crème de menthe, or stick Jack for craft cocktails and bocce courts. rosesluxury.com to family-friendly favorites like the home- Brunch (F–Sun), D daily $$ This quirky little restaurant in Barracks made pop tarts. Reservations recom- Row was named America’s “best new mended. B, L, D daily $$ restaurant” by Bon Appetit in 2014, and it’s easy to see why. Chef-owner Capitol Hill Aaron Silverman’s success comes down to endearing service and a simple Georgetown Good Stuff Eatery menu of unexpected tastes. The menu 303 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E. changes frequently, but a pork sausage- Fiola Mare 202-543-8222 habanero-lychee salad is almost always 3050 K St., N.W. goodstuffeatery.com included, as well as one family-style dish 202-525-1402 Top Chef contestant Spike Mendelsohn intended to share. Desserts are delight- fiolamaredc.com opened this restaurant in 2008 to lines ful, including a coconut-milk ice cream Sister restaurant to Fiola in Penn Quarter, stretching around the block, and the and popcorn brulée. Arrive early for Fiola Mare offers fine waterfront seafood family-owned eatery is still regularly seating. D (Mon–Sat) $$ dining. Sit outside on the sprawling patio packed. The Prez Obama burger (with overlooking the Potomac River or inside applewood bacon, onion marmalade, Ted’s Bulletin its glass-enclosed modern interior. Menus Roquefort cheese, and horseradish 505 8th St., S.E. change daily and seasonally, but ahi tuna, mayo) is a fan favorite. Try the Nashville 202-544-8337 burrata, and ceviche often set the stage hot chicken (fried chicken breast and tedsbulletin.com for dishes like lobster ravioli, seafood bread-and-butter pickles on a brioche This contemporary American diner brodetto, and roasted Norwegian halibut. bun with spicy pepper oil). Vegetarian planted its flag in Capitol Hill in 2010 Reservations recommended. Brunch (Sat,

Photo: Cherry Ride Photo: options are also available. Tables fill and has since expanded to 14th Street, Sun), L (Tue–F), D daily $$$

Martin’s Tavern 1264 Wisconsin Ave., N.W. 202-333-7370 martinstavern.com Neighborhood institution Martin’s has Ted’s Bulletin served every president from Harry Truman to George W. Bush. JFK even proposed to Jackie here in 1953. Fourth- generation proprietor Billy Martin is usually behind the bar or greeting regulars. Get Grandma Martin’s meatloaf, shep- herd’s pie (Billy’s recipe), corned beef and cabbage, or Martin’s Delight (roasted turkey on toast, smothered in rarebit sauce). Then wash it down with a Guin- ness stout or one of their house cocktails. Brunch (Sat–Sun), L, D daily $–$$

MEREDITH PRATT is author of Frommer’s EasyGuide to Washington, D.C., 2020.

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 77 PERSPECTIVES

Is “Fit” a Bad Fit? How evaluating job candidates can stifle diversity

ultural fit is often difficult to (bit.ly/AL-Fit7). In another article the describe but refers to how well authors mentioned that they prejudged an employee matches the envi- candidates based on the article they ronment and values of their in chose to share: “If the article was … on organization. Despite its ineffa- practice a tenet with which [the unit members] Cbility, fit can play a significant role in hiring BY Meredith Farkas did not agree, the group was less likely to decisions. A survey of academic librarians respond favorably” (bit.ly/AL-Fit8). (bit.ly/AL-Fit1) found that cultural fit was The biggest challenge in combating valued more highly in hiring than previous (bit.ly/AL-Fit5) found that businesses these biases is that they are largely uncon- experience, job performance, skills, and that scored well on multidimensional scious. It would help, then, to remove or knowledge of professional trends. I once measures of diversity developed more reveal subjectivity in our decision making worked at an institution where I was a poor products in the same period of time, an as much as possible. This could include fit for the culture and can attest to how important metric of innovation. blinding résumés to remove indicators of demoralizing that situation can be. I’ve Some authors argue that hiring for race, class, and gender; using standardized also served on hiring committees where it cultural fit can ensure the applicant shares interview questions; using a scoring rubric was clear that our conceptions of cultural the values of the organization, which is to judge candidates; having antibias- fit held nearly as much weight in decision important (bit.ly/AL-Fit6). However, it’s trained outsiders who can uncover making as did the stated qualifications. often difficult to see when our consid- prejudices on your search committees; and A major issue with hiring for cultural erations around cultural fit are leading having search committee members explic- fit is the potential to stifle diversity. We us to discount diverse candidates. This itly discuss their biases (see bit.ly/AL-Fit9 are all influenced by cognitive biases, the is especially true when groups haven’t and bit.ly/AL-Fit10 for additional sug- shortcuts our brains are programmed to explicitly developed a shared definition of gestions). While we can’t entirely remove take to help us make decisions. Those what good fit looks like. biases from our decision making, we can biases often lead us to value and want to When you examine the library litera- reveal and question the things members of be around people who are more like us. ture for mentions of cultural fit, it’s easy the search committee value around fit. Whether that means we prefer people who to see how evaluating candidates this Instead of focusing on hiring people have similar interests or backgrounds, way can lead to a monoculture. In one who fit the dominant culture, libraries or who are graduates of our alma mater, article, a survey respondent wrote “we should explore why others are viewed affinity bias, among other biases, plays are a small academic library in a small as bad fits in the first place and how a huge role in keeping many industries city…. If a person seemed too ‘cosmo- the organization can better appreciate homogeneous (bit.ly/AL-Fit2) and politan’ we would not consider them” people who don’t conform. A critical part preventing people who do not match of diversity initiatives is inclusion, and the dominant culture from climbing the Having team organizations will have to look at how career ladder (bit.ly/AL-Fit3). welcome and valued everyone is made to While it’s natural to feel more com- members with feel if they want to improve diversity in fortable with people who are like us, we the long term. can generate significant benefits from unique backgrounds workplace diversity and our discomfort. MEREDITH FARKAS is a faculty librarian at and perspectives Portland (Oreg.) Community College and a Having team members with unique back- lecturer at San José (Calif.) State University grounds and perspectives can challenge can challenge School of Information. She blogs at Informa- entrenched beliefs and lead to better prob- tion Wants to Be Free. Email: librarysuccess@ lem solving (bit.ly/AL-Fit4). One study entrenched beliefs. gmail.com

78 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org PERSPECTIVES

Online Learning Is Here to Stay Librarians transform into digital instructors

y colleagues frequently concluded that while the preparation pro- debate the growth and gram coursework did not directly address application of online edu- fully online school librarians, graduate cation. Those of us who programs acknowledged their importance are passionate about high- dispatches by emphasizing technology-enabled Mquality online learning are often surprised BY Lucy Santos Green learning, web design, and the teaching of that anyone can be reluctant to consider— digital literacy. K–12 students who have or even opposed to developing—a fully access to online learning can develop skill online course. in instructional design, trying to keep up sets that will become helpful after gradua- Whether we laud its growth or fear its with an ever-changing list of tools, tech- tion from high school. presence, online learning is here to stay. nologies, and institutional regulations. Librarians are designing online classes, The Babson Survey Research Group, in its Researchers have also generated collaborating with professors, embedding 2018 report (bit.ly/BabsonRept), found a body of work that contextualizes themselves into online coursework, and that enrollment for distance education librarianship in the world of online learn- developing online resources. Brenda students has steadily increased for the ing, with a specific focus on the librarian’s Boyer, librarian at Kutztown (Pa.) Area past 14 years, with nearly 69% of all dis- role as instructional designer and instruc- School District, developed a robust vir- tance education students now enrolled in tor. Articles from 2005 to the present in tual school library (bit.ly/KutztownLib) public institutions. the Journal of Library and Information that plays a central role in her high Distance or online education in K–12 Services in Distance Learning indicate school’s online instruction. Geography settings is also common. Students consis- a shift in librarians’ focus from merely Librarian Amanda Hornby at University tently need advanced placement courses, providing resources to collaboration of Washington Libraries developed an elective college courses, credit recovery, and instruction. online tutorial and research guide (bit.ly/ homebound placements, and home A parallel evolution has taken place GeogTutor) for a geography course to schooling, and this has boosted online among school library researchers. In help students navigate resources relevant learning in K–12 school systems in all 50 2017, Stephanie A. Jones, Panne Andrea to their research projects. Librarians at states. In addition, the growing popu- Burke, and I surveyed 85 school library University of Texas at El Paso are collabo- larity of technologies such as Schoology, preparation programs in 38 states to rating with faculty (bit.ly/ElPasoCollab) Edmodo, and Google Classroom means find out how they trained candidates to to integrate information literacy into that even in face-to-face K–12 classrooms, deliver instruction in fully online settings. course content. students must develop a comfort level This national study (bit.ly/FullyOnline) We should examine the affordability of with online coursework in order to fully technology tools and the learning needs experience academic success. librarians are tasked with addressing. For library professionals, this trans- Even in face-to-face Ultimately, we need to meet our students lates into making sure we are involved in where they are—and many of them are multiple learning settings: face-to-face, K–12 classrooms, accessing content and enjoying rich learn- online, hybrid, blended, flipped, and any ing experiences online. number of other classroom combinations. students must Unfortunately, little evidence exists that LUCY SANTOS GREEN is associate professor of library and information science at the LIS coursework prepares candidates to develop a comfort University of South Carolina. Adapted from design and assess online learning. Many level with online “Librarians as Online Course Designers and librarians pursue additional degrees, Instructors,” Library Technology Reports certification, or professional development coursework. vol. 55, no. 4 (May/June 2019).

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 79 PERSPECTIVES

Building Inclusive Libraries Youth-driven frameworks and initiatives are key to welcoming all students

f we build our libraries on the assump- By sorting, we mean separating tion that youth matter, how then are students by perceived ability, grades, we tangibly realizing this idea in our youth compliance, or other factors. Our libraries programs and services? Not only do our should not sort students, but treat all vis- youth matter, but they also have valu- matters itors as readers and scholars. To illustrate Iable perspectives. We must meaningfully BY Julie Stivers the harm of sorting, my students use book integrate who they are into our libraries fairs as an example: Classes are broken and our work, consistently and joyously. into groups based on who has money to One way I’ve been fortunate enough that positive racial identity leads to acad- shop at the fair and who does not. to do this in my middle school library emic success for youth of color. From there, Using the #LibFive, we built a training has been through an initiative called we unpacked the state of representation session for librarians where Cesar, Jose, the #LibFive. With 8th graders Cesar in books today and discussed the themes and Jaida share their perspectives and Falcon, Jose Gomez, and Jaida Morris, of #OwnVoices, counterstories, and the research. The list might seem obvious the #LibFive has leveraged teen insights necessity of building reflective collections. or simple, but I would implore people and experiences to create a student-driven The students then did their own action- thinking along those lines to reflect and professional development program for based research. They conducted library reconsider. The principles are powerful youth librarians—initially in our district walks and considered the time they spent because of their simplicity. As Jose says and eventually across the US. at libraries at their base schools. We at the end of our session, “These reasons Our project was based on an initiative brainstormed what makes a library feel help explain why we love our library so from the Chapel Hill–Carrboro (N.C.) City welcoming and spoke to other students much. We want every library to also do Schools Blue Ribbon Mentor–Advocate about their experiences. After months these five things.” Program called the Student Six (bit.ly/ of work, we came up with the #LibFive— The #LibFive can be universally applied AL-student6). The “six” refers to six cul- the five biggest ways that libraries can to any library that serves youth—from turally sustaining strategies for educators build an inclusive environment. They are: school to special to public. I’ve pulled the to better connect with students of color. 1. See me. Listen to me. foundations into an infographic (bit.ly/ The power of the Student Six made me 2. Show me on the shelves and walls. libfivehandout) that can be printed and want to explore this idea with teens, Read those books yourself. shared. I also invite you to think about an viewed through the lens of libraries. 3. Graphic novels and manga are not extra. issue or opportunity in your library right The students at our alternative school 4. Show the joy in our stories. now that you can explore with youth. The have had experiences with multiple 5. Make the library a sorting-free zone. possibilities for teen input and design are schools; they come to us and rewrite infinite—from programming and lesson their school stories. Part of that rewriting planning to policies and physical layout. happens in the library. I chose to work The possibilities Authentically including teens in build- with three students who I saw often for an ing an inclusive library not only improves enrichment and remediation period. for teen input service for all but shows them that they To build a professional development matter—through supported expression, framework, I guided Cesar, Jose, and are infinite—from the creation of empowered spaces, and the Jaida through research. We looked at the amplification of their amazing voices. powerful Mary Stone Hanley and George programming and W. Noblit study “Cultural Responsiveness, lesson planning to JULIE STIVERS is librarian at Mount Vernon Racial Identity, and Academic Success: A Middle School in Raleigh, North Carolina. Find Review of Literature” (2009), which found policies and layout. her on Twitter at @BespokeLib.

80 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org CELEBRATE BANNED BOOKS WEEK September 22-28, 2019

Censorship leaves us in the dark by extinguishing information and silencing challenging discussions. But there are places that keep the light on, allowing everyone to access materials from an array of viewpoints. During Banned Books Week, inspire readers to spotlight censorship and explore the freedom to read with these illuminating materials.

Banned Books Week is an annual event that highlights the benefits of unrestricted reading and draws attention to censorship attempts. Find program and display ideas at ala.org/bbooks.

Censorship Leaves Us in the Dark Poster

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Shop for these items and more at alastore.ala.org Submit your order by September 9, 2019 to receive your materials in time for Banned Books Week using standard shipping. PERSPECTIVES

A Librarian’s Good-Bye Career-spanning professional development essentials

his column wraps eight years and how that record would inform the of writing about professional reader’s search for information. development books for American librarian’s Libraries. And having retired Dunkin’s book had a broad from the Association more than library impact on my thinking. Two Ta year ago, I have had time to contemplate BY Karen Muller out-of-print books stand books that shaped or informed my work— out because they intro- or were necessary guides to learning about duced me to two important new dimensions of librarianship—as my Paul S. Dunkin, published by the American library management tools: career evolved from library assistant to spe- Library Association (ALA) in 1969. Cur- standards and statistics. Walt Crawford, cial collections cataloger to book marketing rently out of print, it was the first profes- in Technical Standards: An Introduction for to association management and back to sional book in my personal library—and Librarians (Knowledge Industry Publi- special librarianship. I strongly believe it’s one of the few I have retained through cations, 1986), points out how our lives that professional education is ongoing multiple moves. I remain impressed by its depend on consistent application of stan- and that it is our responsibility to continue clarity. The first sentence says it all: “Cat- dards, starting with the electrical socket. building expertise through reading. These aloging USA is not a how-to-do-it book. It was definitely an aha moment for me, as books—some out of print, sadly—have It is a why-do-it book.” Dunkin goes back at the time of reading I was negotiating the been vital during my journey. to Charles Ammi Cutter and his rules for adoption of common standards for catalog descriptive cataloging, briefly reviewing sharing for three libraries that previously In 1970, I was working in book receipts at the various codes up to the first edition of adhered to local practices. Arthur W. Boston Public Library and just beginning to Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, which Hafner’s Descriptive Statistical Techniques consider library school when I expressed had recently been published in 1967. For for Librarians (ALA Books, 1989) helped an interest in cataloging during a coffee me, understanding the “why” of what I me understand how the hash marks I’d break with colleagues. Bill Crowe, who was doing was vital. Even for routine cat- made on statistics sheets day after day became dean of University of Kansas aloging, Dunkin made me think about the were useful in contexts, particularly when Libraries, suggested Cataloging USA, by user of the catalog record I was creating aggregated with other metrics.

THE BESTSELLERS LIST

TOP 3 IN PRINT 1 | National School 2 | Lessons Inspired 3 | Reference and Library Standards by Picture Books for Information Services: for Learners, School Primary Grades An Introduction, Librarians, and School by Maureen Schlosser and 4th edition by Kay Ann Libraries by American Rebecca Granatini Cassell and Uma Hiremath Association of School Librarians This toolkit of lessons, worksheets, charts, In this book, Cassell and Hiremath The Standards enables school librarians assessments, and rubrics is designed to provide tools to manage the ebb and to influence and lead in their schools, build learner competencies and examine flow of changing reference services in districts, and states, and to develop plans ideas inspired by picture books. today’s libraries. that meet today’s educational landscape.

82 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org PERSPECTIVES

When I went to library Script, and Books: The Book Arts from of Keyes Metcalf’s school in the 1970s, we Antiquity to the Renaissance (ALA Books, Planning Academic studied book selection. 1991) was the result of years of research and Research Library In the aftermath of the into the history of writing, papermaking, Buildings (ALA Edi- academic library growth of bookmaking, and printing up to the intro- tions, 1999). It may be the 1960s, bibliographers duction of movable type. Significantly, she intended for academic and acquisitions librarians includes Near Eastern and Asian sources libraries, but it has were developing guidelines for accom- as well as their influences on European sound planning advice, as well as charts plishing their work in ways that incorpo- developments. The more recent Rare Books for seating, shelving, and workstations rated evaluation. Initially, there was David and Special Collections, useful in any type of library. The authors L. Perkins’s now out-of-print Guidelines by Sidney E. Berger (ALA emphasize the planning process, consid- for Collection Development (ALA Books, Neal-Schuman, 2014), is ering how programming for the library 1979), which was followed by a series of a thorough guide to the affects the structure. As noted in my elaborations to individual guidelines for specialized area, with May 2018 column, this volume has been selection, training, allocation of resources, numerous glossary lists, updated in Fred Schlipf policy development, and other aspects of illustrations, and practical asides that and John A. Moorman’s the evolving specialty. Thankfully, Peggy provide experiential context to his points. The Practical Handbook Johnson, who was part of this effort in ALA Editions, 2010. 392 P. $61. PBK. 978-0-8389- of Library Architecture: the Association for Library 1038-2; ALA Neal-Schuman, 2014. 560 P. $129. PBK. Creating Building Spaces Collections and Technical 978-1-55570-964-8. That Work (ALA Editions, Services, has written four 2018), but spending time editions of Fundamentals of As an art history major, I studied build- with the earlier edition is still worthwhile Collection Development and ings. It provided useful background for if planning a new library. ALA Editions, 1999. Management (ALA Editions, the numerous questions on library build- 928 P. $170. PBK. 978-0-8389-0747-4; ALA Editions, 2018) that cover similar ground. ALA Edi- ings I fielded over the years. A new library 2018. 1,040 P. $149. PBK. 978-0-8389-1553-0. tions, 2018. 432 P. $85. PBK. 978-0-8389-1641-4. building or major renovation is a significant event in a community, one most My selection of influential books will I was an art history major, people manage only once. Over the years remain on this librarian’s bookshelf. What and I have long been inter- of responding to requests for assistance, titles are on yours? ested in the artistry of rare even on something as simple as what

books—a field in which I kind of shelving should be used in a KAREN MULLER was librarian and knowledge have worked only as a cata- day care center, I came to rely on Philip management specialist for the ALA Library loger. Leila Avrin’s Scribes, D. Leighton and David C. Weber’s update until her retirement in 2017.

The Top-Selling Books from ALA Publishing (Since April 1, 2019)

TOP 3 IN EBOOKS 1 | Reference and 2 | Fake News and 3 | The Readers’ Advi- Information Services: Alternative Facts: sory Guide to Genre An Introduction, Information Literacy Fiction, 3rd edition 4th edition by Kay Ann in a Post-Truth Era by Neal Wyatt and Joyce Cassell and Uma Hiremath by Nicole A. Cooke G. Saricks In this book, Cassell and Hiremath This ALA Editions Special Report shows This resource helps librarians and MLIS provide tools to manage the ebb and how librarians can help patrons of all students become familiar with different flow of changing reference services in ages think critically about information, fiction genres to help them connect read- today’s libraries. teaching them ways to separate fact ers to new books. from fiction.

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 83 Patrons can check out and return materials at D-Tech’s self-service LendIT kiosks at any time of day.

books are automatically checked back in and made immediately available for checkout, cutting down on circulation staff time. To add items to the machine, libraries can load up to 50 items at a time into the loading column to be placed by the onboard robot, or insert them one at a time via the item access door, similar to making a return. Kiosks are available in three capacities: 200, 500, or 1,000 items. LendIT will loan items of all types, up to 9.5 inches by 11.5 inches, provided they are RFID tagged. Basic models start at $65,000, with additional features including All-Hours Access custom colors and glass doors for Automated 24-hour access solutions an added cost. If located outdoors, LendIT also requires heating and cooling systems and a canopy for aking physical collections center. Users can browse available weather protection. accessible remotely can books on screen, with images For more information, visit Mgo a long way toward pro- and descriptions provided by bit.ly/SolLendIT. viding access for people who can’t the library’s discovery layer or make it to the library. Whether it’s generated by an onboard camera 24-Hour Library securely storing holds for 24-hour when books are loaded. Units with EnvisionWare’s 24-Hour Library access or making portions of a col- an optional clear front panel allow is designed to act as a standalone, lection available at offsite locations users to browse by looking directly fully automated branch. Users can through a vending machine or an into the machine, providing a access Wi-Fi, search the library automated small branch, improving more traditional experience. catalog, place holds, and check out access outside traditional library D-Tech recently added a new physical and digital materials at hours can help underserved patrons software feature that gives users any time of day. take advantage of their library. the ability to register for a library Up to three users can browse card at the machine. Information items at the same time at the LendIT is forwarded to the library for large 24-Hour Library, using two D-Tech’s self-service library approval. As soon as users are touchscreens mounted on the side vending machine, LendIT, can be approved, they can check out items. and the front window and checkout placed anywhere with a power Patrons can choose to pick up screen. The three carousels inside outlet and internet connection holds at a LendIT location just like the machine rotate independently with a fixed IP address. That at a standard branch, if the library and are usable concurrently. could be right outside the library enables the feature and reserves The large unit holds up to building or in a mall or community space in the machine. Returned 340 items, with 268 standard

84 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org SUBMISSIONS To have a new product considered, contact Carrie Smith at [email protected].

Toledo Knows When to Hold ’Em

How do you use remote- Jason Kucsma, Lockers? The lockers are USER: acting director/fiscal installed at several locations officer, Toledo–Lucas where we have a vestibule County (Ohio) Public that can be left open during Library off hours. Customers can PRODUCT: remoteLocker request hold materials to be placed in one of our DETAILS: Bibliotheca’s remoteLockers lockers spread throughout allow patrons to access their holds the county. by providing a secure locker they can open using their library card. How do remoteLockers 12.5-by-8.25-by-1.6-inch EnvisionWare’s serve your library’s needs? slots; 67 wider 2.4-inch slots; 24-Hour Library The remoteLockers give us and our customers more flexibility for functions like a accessing library books and media at times that work with busy and five hold drawers for larger remote branch. items. It can accept almost three schedules. We assumed that the lockers would be used most heavily times its lending capacity in in the evening and early morning, but we’ve learned most people returns, with space for 1,000 items are using the lockers just a few hours before we open, during a lunch in 14 return bins. The smaller unit break, or a few hours after we close. holds 235 items in 188 standard What are the main benefits? One key benefit is the ability to provide and 47 wide slots, with room for a certain level of customer service to the community outside our 600 returns. Both units allow for regular hours. Aside from the added hours of access, the lockers hold checkouts. Saving staff time, could be used to expand access to library resources at locations items on hold are automatically other than library branches. We moved to the return bin for repro- haven’t done this yet, but we cessing if they are not picked up in know other systems have used the time allotted by the library. these lockers at grocery stores The 24-Hour Library will broad- and other places that don’t typ- cast a Wi-Fi signal in its proximity ically have a library presence. when it has a hardwired internet Additionally, we’ve heard from connection. Units without a wired customers that the increased pri- connection can operate using 3G vacy of their holds is something or 4G service to interface with the they appreciate. library’s systems but will not provide customer Wi-Fi access. What would you like to see EnvisionWare provides project improved or added to the lock- management, installation, and ers? In our experience, it would training for its 24-Hour Library. be helpful if there was an easier Typical budgets for installation, Holds can be way to add additional items for including the opening collec- picked up from the same customer to a locker, and it would be helpful if we were tion, start around $150,000, remoteLockers alerted to the fact that a specific customer already has items in a and EnvisionWar e offers leasing even during locker. We also ran into some challenges combining first-generation hours libraries options. For more information, are closed. lockers with subsequent generations, so considering future inter- visit bit.ly/Sol24hrLib. operability will be important. •

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 85 San Francisco promoted Michael ON THE MOVE Lambert to city librarian March 25.

In January Dawn Behrend became In January Ron Stafford was promoted instruction and outreach librarian at Sandy Hester, director of Coastal to head librarian at Northeastern Tech- Lenoir–Rhyne University in Hickory, Plain Regional Library System in nical College in Cheraw, South Carolina. North Carolina. Tifton, Georgia, was named Public Librarian of the Year by Georgia Luke Bentley was named assistant Public Library Service. RETIREMENTS director at Guernsey County (Ohio) Public Library in February. Kim Howell, librarian at Stockwell Sharon Bostick, dean of libraries at Place Elementary School in Bossier the Illinois Institute of Technology in April 22 Brett Bonfield became chief City, Louisiana, was named School Chicago, retired March 29. operating officer for the Public Library Librarian of the Year at the Louisi- of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. Randall K. Burkett retired ana Library Association conference as curator of African- April 1 Jason Broughton was appointed March 14. American collections at Vermont state librarian. Sherry Noon, youth and family ser- Emory University’s Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, joined vices manager at Anderson Public Tiffani Carter Archives, and Rare Book Columbus (Ohio) Metro- Library in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, Library in Atlanta in September. politan Library as man- received the Kentucky Library Asso- ager of its Livingston ciation’s “Miss Pickle” Award for Sheryl Irwin retired April 17 as librarian branch March 25. excellence in developing and provid- at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt in ing children’s library services. British Columbia. Haley Hart joined Sawyer Free Library • in Gloucester, Massachusetts, as teen Karen Sigsworth, manager of the librarian assistant in April. April 8 John Schoppert started as North Ridgeville branch of Lorain university librarian at Oregon Institute (Ohio) Public Library System, retired Krista Kugler joined Fergus Falls (Minn.) of Technology in Klamath Falls. February 28. Public Library as early learning librarian in April. Amy Staples joined Celina (Tex.) Public Library as youth services librarian in AT ALA In April, Sawyer Free Library in Glouces- March. ter, Massachusetts, appointed Jacklyn Stan Kessler was promoted to database Linsky as local history librarian. Sawyer Free Library in Gloucester, administrator in Information Technology Massachusetts, named Gabriela Toth and Telecommunication Services (ITTS). Cari Lovins became technology librarian in April. assistant director of joined Booklist March 18 Dubuque County (Iowa) Library District Ronny Khuri digital product strategy as associate editor in the Books for appointed Amanda Vazquez assistant for Emory University Youth department. Libraries in Atlanta director in March. in January. Lara Vilahomat joined Sawyer Free Autumn Ni became development Library in Gloucester, Massachusetts, coordinator in the Development Office March 7 Sarah McFadden joined the in April as community librarian. in February. New York State Library’s division of library development as librarian. Bill Ott retired as editor and pub- PROMOTIONS lisher of Booklist April 26, after nearly Boaz Nadav-Manes became executive 40 years with the magazine. director of libraries at Lehigh University April 1 the Library of Congress promoted in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, March 1. Robin L. Dale to associate librarian for Steven Pate, eStore project manager library services. for ITTS, left ALA March 22. Kristine Palacios started as director of Dennis P. McHugh Piermont (N.Y.) Greenville (Ohio) Public Library pro- March 25 Grace Rosean joined Booklist Public Library March 25. moted Susi Halley to director in January. as marketing associate.

86 June 2019 | americanlibrariesmagazine.org SUBMISSIONS Send notices and photographs to Amy Carlton, [email protected].

MORE ONLINE americanlibrariesmagazine.org/currents

Delores Kaye Gapen, 75, an academic librarian for more his academic career at Louisiana State University in 1972. He than 35 years, died February 14. Gapen was director of joined UT in 1984 and earned the Texas Excellence in Teach- library and academic services at Trinity Washington (D.C.) ing Award in 1985, 1989, and 2001. University (2005–2007) and vice president and provost Charles V. Mutschler, 63, archivist at Eastern Washington (2007–2009); director of the library at Case Western University (EWU) in Cheney for 37 years, died March 10. Reserve University in Cleveland (1991–1996); dean of the Mutschler was serving as interim dean of EWU’s library system. general library system at University of Wisconsin–Madison (1984–1991); and dean of libraries at University of Alabama Leland Park, 77, director of Davidson (N.C.) (1981–1984). College’s E. H. Little Library until retiring in 2006, died February 13. He worked at the Mary Alice Hall, 88, chief of public services at Prince library for nearly 40 years, after a brief stint George’s County (Md.) Memorial Library System (1969– at the Charlotte Mecklenburg (N.C.) Public 1992), died January 1. She had previously worked for Library. Park received the G. Jackson Burney libraries in Independence, Missouri, and Manhattan, Kansas. Community Service Award in 2011. Leta Hamm, 85, a librarian at Illinois State University in Ronald F. Sigler, 86, retired professor at the University of Normal and Lee County (Fla.) Library System until her retire- Wisconsin–Milwaukee School of Information Studies, died ment in 2009, died February 26. March 25. Sigler created the “Freedom to View” statement for Belinda Hernandez, 52, longtime librarian at Shadycrest the Educational Film Library Association, which ALA adopted. Elementary School in Pearland, Texas, died March 23. In 1981, he became the first librarian appointed to the Motion Picture Association of America’s Classification and Rating John Leroy Hilbert, 55, young adult/teen services librarian Administration board. at Metropolitan Library System’s Southern Oaks Library in Oklahoma City for 18 years, died January 7. Norman D. Stevens, 86, director of University of Connecticut Libraries until his 1994 retirement, died December 15. He Anne J. Hofmann, 67, who worked at New York Public worked at Rutgers University Libraries in New Jersey (1955– Library for more than 40 years and was a professor of public 1968), interrupted by a stint as acting director of Howard Uni- policy at Baruch College in New York City for 25 years, died versity Libraries in Washington, D.C. (1961–1963). Stevens March 30. She was active in the American Library Association wrote seven books and hundreds of articles, and in the 1950s (ALA) and served as president of the New York Library Associ- he cofounded the Molesworth Institute, dedicated to promot- ation in 2000. ing library humor. Edythe “Edie” Huffman, 67, who worked for Indiana State Paul Underwood, 71, assistant city librarian for San Fran- Library’s Library Development Office for nearly two decades, cisco until retiring in 2006, died February 9. He had pre- died January 7. She previously worked for state library viously served as supervising librarian at San José (Calif.) systems in Illinois, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, and Public Library and director of library services for San Mateo Wisconsin and served on the Institute of Museum and Library (Calif.) Public Library. Services’ Library Statistics Working Group (2009–2012). Sidney Verba, 86, professor emeritus and director of the Janell Pearce Mattheus, 66, children’s librarian for 30 years Harvard University Library in Cambridge, Massachusetts, at Salt Lake County (Utah) Library’s Whitmore branch until from 1984 until his 2007 retirement, died March 4. As direc- her 2018 retirement, died January 11. tor, he contributed to the development of Harvard’s online Francis L. Miksa, 80, professor of cataloging at the University library catalog, and during his tenure the library became one of Texas (UT) Graduate School of Library and Information of the first participants in the Google Books library digitiza- Science until his 2008 retirement, died March 20. He began tion project. •

americanlibrariesmagazine.org | June 2019 87 the BOOKEND

Martin R. Kalfatovic is holding the digitized Finding Flora and Fauna version of Edward Donovan’s An Epit- ome of the Natural cientists who study specific types of animals or plants Kalfatovic says that BHL’s other users History of the Insects can be challenged by the fact that species information include historians, librarians, archivists, of New Holland, New Sis often limited to only one or two libraries in faraway museum curators, educators, students, Zealand, New Guinea, places. The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL), headquartered conservationists, and citizen scientists. Otaheite, and Other in the Smithsonian Libraries in Washington, D.C., was formed in Joshua Drew, a researcher at the Field Islands in the Indian, Southern, and Pacific 2007 as a consortium of institutions dedicated to making taxo- Museum of Natural History in Chicago, for Oceans (1805). nomic information openly available through its digital portal at example, finds the BHL collections vital biodiversitylibrary.org. for “characterizing what ecosystems used to look like and what Martin R. Kalfatovic, BHL’s program director, estimates that its species were present” so that he can help model conservation 20 member libraries and 22 affiliates have scanned upwards of strategies for marine ecosystems in the South Pacific. 147,000 titles, ranging from the 15th century to the present, with Perhaps the ultimate tribute was given by Hungarian zoologist information on more than 180 million species. “Though most of Barna Páll-Gergely, who in 2015 named a new species of tiny snail them are scientists,” he says, “about 72% of our users are also from southeast Asia after BHL, Vargapupa biheli, as a way of thank- interested in the artwork that these sources contain.” For exam- ing the library for the “multitude of rare literature” it provides. ple, artist Emily Williams found inspiration for her series of glass sculptures on ocean life in Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville’s THE BOOKEND showcases librarians, their work, and their work spaces.

manual on marine invertebrates from the 1830s. For consideration, please e-mail [email protected]. Clamage Aaron Photo:

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