January/February 2019 THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION p. 54 NEWSMAKER: Sonia Sotomayor p. 24 Mission Creep p. 40 The State of Net Neutrality p. 48 PLUS: Research Sprints, 2018 Year in Review, Referenda Roundup TRANSFORM THE FUTURE Leave a Legacy 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** Larry Romans & Carole & Stan Fiore* Mike Morgan** 1876 CLUB Shirley Fitzgibbons Molly & Ted Raphael** CHARTER MEMBERS Barbara J. Ford* Jim & Monica Rettig u u u Julia Gelfand & Frances R. Roscello David Lang** Anonymous Loida Garcia-Febo Robert F. Rose Carolyn Giambra** Peter D. Coyl Peter Hepburn April Roy Dr. Joan R. Giesecke Ann Dutton Andrew Medlar Patricia Glass Schuman Lori Goetsch & Ewbank Sheila O’Donnell Martin Courtois Helen H. Spalding & Karl Maryanne Flynn F. Johnson** Andrew K. Pace Ruth I. Gordon* 1876 CLUB John “Mack” David & Cindy Steinhoff Gina Persichini William R. Gordon* Freeman Roberta & George Steven D. Yates Ellin Greene* Grow the Future of ALA Edward Andrew Stevens** Courtney L. Young Garcia 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.** ALA Suellen Hoy 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 January/February 2019 American Libraries | Volume 50 #1/2 | ISSN 0002-9769 COVER STORY 54 2019 Midwinter Preview Help build the future of libraries in Seattle EDITED BY Greg Landgraf 62 Emerald City Eats Where to dine during Midwinter BY Donald Steven Olson FEATURES 28 2018 Year in Review 32 A look back at the stories that affected libraries BY the Editors 32 Referenda Roundup How states performed on library measures LOADING BY Anne Ford 40 Other Duties LOADING 62 as Assigned Front-line librarians on LOADING the constant pressure to do more BY Anne Ford 48 The State of 48 Net Neutrality A coast-to-coast roundup of efforts to restore the open internet 28 BY Greg Landgraf ON THE COVER: Photo illustration by Rebecca Lomax/American Libraries; Luca Micheli/Unsplash (skyline); © Elena Clair/Adobe Stock (coffee) 80 24 22 UP FRONT TRENDS PERSPECTIVES 3 From the 16 Lawmaker Matchmaker IN PRACTICE Editor Libraries embrace “speed-repping” to 70 To Move Forward, Look Back New Year, connect patrons and elected officials BY Meredith Farkas New Possibilities BY Emily Udell DISPATCHES BY Sanhita SinhaRoy 18 Academic Speed Trials 71 Discovery Services 8 From Our Research sprints bring together BY Marshall Breeding Readers librarians and university faculty BY Timothy Inklebarger YOUTH MATTERS 72 Career Readiness for Teens ALA 20 California Libraries in BY Linda W. Braun Wildfires’ Wake 4 From the Paradise, other communities ON MY MIND President cope with disaster 73 Disability and Equity Immerse Yourself BY Timothy Inklebarger BY Joanne Oud in Wellness BY Loida Garcia-Febo SPOTLIGHT LIBRARIAN’S LIBRARY 22 The Making of a Microcredential 74 Copyright through the Ages 6 From the Penn State University Libraries BY Karen Muller Treasurer evaluates badge steps with help A Year of Progress from artificial intelligence SOLUTIONS BY Susan H. Hildreth BY Emily Rimland 76 Pod Help Us 10 Update NEWSMAKER Modular pieces to diversify What’s happening 24 Sonia Sotomayor your library’s spaces at ALA Supreme Court justice and author teaches kids to embrace their differences PEOPLE 78 Announcements PLUS 17 By the Numbers THE BOOKEND 23 Global Reach 26 Noted & Quoted 80 The Show Must Go On 17 Connectrac Cover 4 | Crowley 13 | E-magazine 47 | IndiCo Direct Cover Wrap, 9 | Lucia Mouat 15 | American Library Association American Libraries 21 | Development OfficeCover 2, 38–39 | Editions 7 | eLearning Solutions 27 | Graphics 5 | JobLIST 46 | Public Programs Office Cover 3 | Resource Description and Access 69 THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION Address: 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611 Website: americanlibrariesmagazine.org New Year, New Possibilities Email: [email protected] Phone: 800-545-2433 plus extension Career Ads: JobLIST.ala.org he beginning of a new year is a good oppor- EDITOR AND PUBLISHER tunity for reflection and for assessing what’s Sanhita SinhaRoy The What’s your [email protected] | x4219 Parallax ahead. As you’ll read in our annual Year in View favorite piece MANAGING EDITOR Review feature (p. 28), the past year has been a Terra Dankowski T of Seattle busy one in the profession and at the Association. From [email protected] | x5282 pop culture? D. B. Cooper celebrated conference speakers like former First Lady SENIOR EDITORS Amy Carlton Michelle Obama to the long-awaited passage of the [email protected] | x5105 Marrakesh Treaty into law, 2018 has been eventful. Archie George M. Eberhart McPhee [email protected] | x4212 We take a closer look at one of those events: the Phil Morehart repeal of net neutrality protections (p. 48). Greg Mudhoney Sanhita SinhaRoy [email protected] | x4218 Landgraf examines how states have been counter- EDITOR-AT-LARGE ing the Federal Communications Commission’s June Anne Ford [email protected] | x4213 Say Anything decision to roll back internet fairness rules. Some EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING ASSISTANT efforts have been successful, others have failed, while Carrie Smith some are still in progress. [email protected] | x4216 In Referenda Roundup (p. 32), we report on how ART DIRECTOR Museum of Rebecca Lomax library measures fared on the ballot in 2018. American Pop Culture’s [email protected] | x4217 The Stranger Libraries partnered with the Public Library Association guitar sculpture ADVERTISING to analyze more than 140 referenda from across the Michael Stack [email protected] | 847-367-7120 Acceptance of advertising does not constitute endorsement. country, highlighting many of them in this issue. ALA reserves the right to refuse advertising. It’s fitting that in this policy- and advocacy-rich PUBLISHING DEPARTMENT Riding the issue, US Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor is Mary Mackay ferry to our Newsmaker (p. 24). In the inspiring interview, Associate Executive Director Bainbridge Mary Jo Bolduc The gum wall Island Sotomayor—author of two new books for younger Rights, Permissions, Reprints | x5416 readers—urges us to question our assumptions. She MEMBERSHIP attributes her success to reading, education, public ser- Lorelle Swader, Associate Executive Director vice, and “the belief that participating in our communi- ADVISORY COMMITTEE Susan H. Polos (Chair), Salvador Avila, Joseph M. Eagan, Some library ties makes not just a better world but a better person.” Sonja Eyler, Mary L. Hastler, Ben Allen Hunter, Jasmina Jusic, But some library workers are struggling to find the Sigrid Kelsey. Intern: Lisa Anne Romano workers are Editorial policy: ALA Policy Manual, section A.8.2 right balance between doing their job and serving their communities, as they’re being asked to do more INDEXED struggling Available full text from ProQuest, EBSCO Publishing, and more, whether it’s administering Narcan or H. W. Wilson, LexisNexis, Information Access, JSTOR. to find the carrying a firearm in the library. Anne Ford talks with SUBSCRIBE seven librarians who discuss how this “mission creep” Libraries and other institutions: $74/year, 6 issues, US, Canada, right balance and Mexico; foreign: $84. Subscription price for individuals has affected their job satisfaction, mental health, and included in ALA membership dues. 800-545-2433 x5108, email between self-perception (p. 40). It’s a candid conversation [email protected], or visit ala.org. Claim missing issues: from multiple viewpoints that we hope will spark ALA Member and Customer Service. Allow six weeks. Single doing their issues $7.50, with 30% discount for five or more; contact Carrie further dialogue. Smith, 800-545-2433 x4216 or [email protected] job and Another great place for conversation, of course, is the PUBLISHED Midwinter Meeting.