November/December 2019 THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION SPECIAL REPORT Democracy Fear-Free Public Speaking in p. 46 Action Videogame p. 24 Preservation p. 42 PLUS: Lindy West, Sound and Sight Screenings, Dropping (Off) Drawers Connectrac In-Carpet Wireway FREEDOM FROM TIME CONSTRAINTS The Connectrac® In-Carpet Wireway delivers power and data with an elegant and flexible, floor-based cable management solution unlike complicated and expensive methods such as core drilling, trenching or power poles. Our ultra-low profile wireway integrates with any furniture and can be moved or reconfigured as environments evolve. ® 1.877.357. 7183 PowerUpLibrary4U.com November/December 2019 American Libraries | Volume 50 #11/12 | ISSN 0002-9769 SPECIAL REPORT 34 Countdown to the Vote Democracy Libraries ramp up engagement and outreach efforts for 2020 in BY Emily Udell Action 36 Check Your Facts Prepping your library for the Libraries use tech tools 2020 elections | p. 24 to fight fake news BY Jessica Cilella 38 Media Literacy in an 26 Connecting with Congress Age of Fake News How libraries can build relationships Prepare your users with elected officials through for the pitfalls of year-round advocacy misinformation BY Lara Ewen BY George M. Eberhart 28 Civic Involvement By the numbers 30 Discourse for Democracy Promoting civic literacy with forums BY Greg Landgraf 52 FEATURES 42 Librarians, Start New Game How academic librarians support videogame scholars BY Diana Panuncial 46 Boost Your Public 42 Speaking Skills 46 Tips for librarians on speaking confidently and effectively in front of others BY Anne Ford 52 Knowledge IQ Fostering knowledge sharing among liaison librarians BY Diana Dill and Alice Kalinowski ON THE COVER: Illustration by Drew Bardana 18 22 16 UP FRONT TRENDS PERSPECTIVES 3 From the 16 From the Library IN PRACTICE Editor with Love 56 A Job Well Done Ready, Set, Engage! Information professionals help BY Meredith Farkas BY Sanhita SinhaRoy older adults parse the features and DISPATCHES culture of online dating apps 6 From Our 57 Personalization vs. Privacy BY Anne Ford Readers BY Marshall Breeding 18 Testing the Senses Libraries host hearing and YOUTH MATTERS ALA sight screenings for kids 58 Contract Concerns BY Linda W. Braun 4 From the BY Marty Stempniak President SPOTLIGHT ON MY MIND Welcoming New 20 Collections in Briefs 59 Beyond Fake News Americans Kentucky library encourages patrons to BY Laurie L. Putnam BY Wanda Kay Brown “Drop Your Drawers” for a good cause 5 From the BY J. C. Morgan SOLUTIONS Executive 60 Alternate Realities, Simplified NEWSMAKER Augmented and virtual Director 22 Lindy West Listening to Your reality made easy The author talks about structures of Community oppression and life after Twitter BY Mary Ghikas BY Anne Ford PEOPLE 8 Update 62 Announcements PLUS What’s happening at ALA 17 By the Numbers THE BOOKEND 21 Global Reach 23 Noted & Quoted 64 Gaming the (Library) System Connectrac Cover 2 | Modern Language Association Cover 4 | San José State University 41 | University of Chicago Press 19 | American Library Association American Libraries 12 | Conference Services 33 | Development Office 48 | JobLIST 40 | Public Library Association Cover 3 THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION Address: 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611-2795 Website: americanlibrariesmagazine.org Ready, Set, Engage! Email: [email protected] Phone: 800-545-2433 plus extension Career Ads: JobLIST.ala.org s election season swings into gear, libraries EDITOR AND PUBLISHER of all types are expanding their civic engage- Sanhita SinhaRoy Q*bert Favorite [email protected] | x4219 ment efforts. Our special report “Democracy vintage MANAGING EDITOR in Action” (cover story, p. 24) proffers creative videogame? Terra Dankowski Hugo’s House A [email protected] | x5282 of Horrors ways to reach and register potential voters—and keep SENIOR EDITORS civic discourse civil. The report features many libraries, Amy Carlton [email protected] | x5105 each unique, each with an outlook of optimism. We Ms. Pac-Man George M. Eberhart hope you’ll find ideas and inspiration—and in turn [email protected] | x4212 inspire the communities you serve. Phil Morehart Castlevania Lighting a fire during this electoral journey, essayist [email protected] | x4218 Sanhita SinhaRoy ASSOCIATE EDITOR and New York Times contributor Lindy West (Newsmaker, Tetris Sallyann Price p. 22) says the way librarians “manage and access infor- [email protected] | x4213 mation and filter information critically” is a skill “that’s EDITOR-AT-LARGE Super not just being lost, but deliberately suppressed.” Anne Ford Mario Bros. [email protected] Librarians know that information is key to bridging EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING ASSOCIATE apathy—and isolation. Valentine’s Day may be several Carrie Smith months away, but some librarians across the country SimCity [email protected] | x4216 2000 ART DIRECTOR Frogger have been busy playing Cupid. That is, they’re helping Rebecca Lomax older adults navigate the sometimes complicated cul- [email protected] | x4217 Galaga ture of online dating via programming and workshops. ADVERTISING Michael Stack [email protected] | 847-367-7120 In “From the Library with Love” (p. 16), Anne Ford Acceptance of advertising does not constitute endorsement. reveals the secrets of the librarians who are helping ALA reserves the right to refuse advertising. patrons become happily paired. PUBLISHING DEPARTMENT At a time Mary Mackay If literal game-playing is more your thing, flip to Pa c -Man Associate Executive Director “Librarians, Start New Game” (p. 42). Diana Panun- Mary Jo Bolduc when nearly cial reports that academic librarians and archivists are Rights, Permissions, Reprints | x5416 54 million MEMBERSHIP racing to preserve and archive student-made and com- Melissa Kay Walling, Director citizens of mercial video games before they become lost or obsolete. ADVISORY COMMITTEE A separate challenge: dealing with copyright protections Susan H. Polos (Chair), Helen Ruth Adams, Salvador Avila, voting age Crystal Chen, Sonja Eyler, Janie L. Hermann, Jasmina Jusic, as they pertain to digital rights management. Sigrid Kelsey. Committee associate: Rachel Beth Wykle did not vote In By the Numbers (p. 17), we highlight fun facts for Editorial policy: ALA Policy Manual, section A.8.2 International Games Week, which starts November 3 INDEXED in the last this year. (Sample: Candy Land was created by a retired Available full text from ProQuest, EBSCO Publishing, H. W. Wilson, LexisNexis, Information Access, JSTOR. presidential schoolteacher recovering from polio.) SUBSCRIBE And in our Bookend (p. 64) “Gaming the (Library) Libraries and other institutions: $74/year, 6 issues, US, Canada, and election, Mexico; foreign: $84. Subscription price for individuals included in System,” we profile Jenn Bartlett, head of reference and ALA membership dues. 800-545-2433 x5108, email membership@ adult services at Manchester (Conn.) Public Library, ala.org, or visit ala.org. Claim missing issues: ALA Member and librarians can Customer Service. Allow six weeks. Single issues $7.50, with 30% which has the largest library board game collection in discount for five or more; contact Carrie Smith, 800-545-2433 x4216 bridge that the state (275 and counting). As Bartlett says, “Board or [email protected] games put us together at a table with people we care PUBLISHED apathy with American Libraries (ISSN 0002-9769) is published 6 times yearly about. We’re having fun, and we’re learning.” with occasional supplements by the American Library Association information. It’s a form of engagement we can all get behind. (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. americanlibrariesmagazine.org | November/December 2019 3 from the PRESIDENT Welcoming New Americans Helping immigrants and refugees thrive with inclusive programs and services utumn brings with it many traditions. what’s needed to advance our field’s work and For some, the season is synonymous establish criteria for libraries looking to expand with holidays and hot chocolate. For services to this population. Aothers, it’s about civic engagement: Among other recommendations, researchers elections, politics, and democracy. Although the found that it’s essential for libraries to build next major general election is still a year away, partnerships with community organizations, candidates are campaigning, new voters are develop multilingual resources specific to a registering, and pollsters are busy taking the community’s needs, create intergenerational pro- temperature of a divided electorate. gramming, and forge connections between new Libraries have a role to play too. From hosting Americans and longtime community members. Wanda Kay Brown programs with local legislators and teaching That’s exactly what the Houston Public Library’s patrons media literacy to offering support for “Living Room at Your Library” program aims to online census questions and assistance with gov- achieve. It brings communities together to discuss ernment e-forms, today’s libraries are hot spots of issues and share food from different cultures. At civic engagement. one recent event, participants compared empana- Newcomers