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In Defense of Free Choice in American Libraries

December 17, 2021

Recent campaigns by vocal minority groups are threatening the ability of library users in the United States to freely choose what they want to read. Brandishing books that they find objectionable and delivering impassioned speeches to school boards and elected officials, special interest groups have gained traction in recent months. Often targeting texts about race and sexuality, attacks on free choice are becoming increasingly aggressive and risk undermining the ability of libraries to provide their users with relevant and essential reading materials.

Libraries and Information Literacy: Now More than Ever

December 17, 2021

Have you heard of information literacy? Do you consider yourself an information-literate person? If so, ask yourself the following: Have you ever seen something posted on social media that just didn’t seem right? Maybe it even seemed manipulative? Have you wondered about journalistic bias and how to interpret it while still gaining new knowledge and understanding? Have you asked yourself, “Where and how can I develop the skills to distinguish fact from fiction in the news I read?” This article discusses information literacy, who’s involved with it, and how it benefits society.

Visit the Libraries of the World

December 17, 2021

There are many reasons to travel — to visit historic sites, museums, international sporting events, food tours, nature havens — but there’s another good reason to travel: Libraries. All over the world, there are libraries that attract visitors from across the globe, whether it’s for the beauty of the library’s architecture, its historical significance, or its special collections, among other reasons. Here are just a few libraries well worth traveling for, and know this is a short list. Note: Before making any travel plans, check with each library to see what pandemic restrictions are. Beyond the pandemic, some materials require appointments to view.

Libraries Are Resource Hubs During a Disaster

December 15, 2021

Libraries have always played a vital role in the lives of their community members. Providing access to knowledge becomes extremely important in a variety of situations. It’s not just mental stimulation and a haven of books that libraries can provide. They also take care of the well-being of their patrons by supporting them during disasters. This takes the form of physical safe spaces as well as somewhere to turn to when disaster victims need resources like technology or advice. As a result, those in the community can pull through tough times knowing they’ve got the library watching out for them.

Honoring Our Veterans and Remembering Our History

December 13, 2021

The recent Veterans Day and Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day holidays were for celebrating those who made one of the greatest sacrifices for our country, veterans. These aren’t just distant heroes, they are those who grew up in our hometowns, someone’s best friend, someone’s child, and someone who had a dedication to serving our country. Libraries recognize the important role that veterans have played in all our lives and cherish their sacrifices by honoring them in millions of ways.

Libraries Foster Community Conversations

December 10, 2021

How does change come about? Often, through conversations. Libraries facilitate immense change as centers where conversations take place. An essential aspect of libraries is that people see them as safe, neutral, and open meeting spaces. In other words, just the environment needed to foster healthy and successful conversations about community issues. Libraries are embracing this and are hosting and facilitating community conversations. The pandemic has been an especially stressful time for productive community conversations. Not only are people combating misinformation, confusion, and fear, meeting for in-person conversations has become a risky activity. This creates even more division among community members and prevents healthy discussion of community problems.

Social Workers at the Library

December 08, 2021

Libraries and social workers have a lot in common. Both are dedicated to serving every demographic in their community and are willing to develop innovative solutions to share resources. Recently, community social workers and libraries have overlapped in new ways through partnerships to address community needs.

They Couldn't Ban Books, So They Banned Words

December 08, 2021

Because the extremist right is having a hard time banning books, they've moved on to banning words. The Wisconsin Assembly passed legislation (Assembly Bill 411 & Senate Bill 411) on a party-line vote Tuesday that would bar public schools from teaching words that the State Government doesn't approve of. This bill seeks to ban any education that teaches Americans that racism or sexism is wrong.

Reading as Part of a Healthy Lifestyle

December 06, 2021

Reading plays an integral role in a healthy, well-rounded lifestyle. While other behaviors may have stronger effects⁠ on your mind and body — such as diet, exercise, and work-life balance⁠ — reading has the extra appeal of being free! When you acquire a library card, you gain access to an endless supply of books, each of which has the potential to enhance your life in a multitude of ways. As you indulge in a dedicated reading habit, you may experience better sleep, reduced stress, and other healthful benefits.

Iowa: Criminalizing Books and Arresting Teachers and Librarians

December 06, 2021

The GOP controlled legislature in Iowa is proposing legislation that would throw teachers in jail for the books in their classrooms. Senate President Jake Chapman believes that the books like “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas and “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie are inappropriate, so he is trying to create a new felony offense for educators. Sen. Brad Zaun, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, also supports such a move.
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