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The Importance Of Libraries With Your Genealogical Search

January 25, 2021

Libraries are vital institutions in our society. Libraries can help with a variety of research queries. Libraries provide access to genealogical resources. If an individual did not have access to a computer to perform genealogical research, a library can provide a computer to assist in this endeavor. There are wonderful websites such as www.ancestry.com and www.familysearch.org which can assist with genealogy searches. In particular at the Monterey Public Library, with the use of your library card, provides access to the Ancestry.com Library Edition, Gale Primary Sources Archives Unbound, Heritage Quest Online, Gale In Context Us History and Gale In Context World History databases. To locate these resources, you can access them at https://www.monterey.org/library/Research/Articles-and-Databases (Monterey Public Library, 2021). At the King County Library System you have access to Ancestry.com Library Edition, Cyndi’s List, Family Search, Gale In Context Biography, National Archives, US Gen Web Project, and World Gen Web Project. These resources are accessible by visiting their website at https://kcls.org/resources/genealogy-biography/ (King County Library System, 2021). Libraries are available to help with a variety of genealogical queries.

Libraries, Immigrants, and New Americans

January 22, 2021

Immigrants and new Americans make up almost 14 percent of the nation’s population with around 44.6 million immigrants living in the United States in 2018. The population in the country is becoming more and more diverse and new residents need ways to adapt to life in the States. Libraries are central parts of communities and are always finding new ways to increase access to benefits for immigrants. Programming at libraries can consist of civic classes, legal clinics, and English as a Second Language (ESL) courses on top of a variety of other opportunities and aid for newcomers to take advantage of. Local libraries work to be welcoming spaces for as many people as possible.

The Wonderful World of Podcasts

January 22, 2021

Reading is a singular activity, just you and the words on the page or the voice of a talented actor in your ear. Yet, readers are a community like any other, with fans and opinions about books, authors, and even libraries. Members of that community want to share, and many have decided to take advantage of one of the newest methods of communicating, podcasts. No matter your reading preference; literary fiction to graphic novels, genre fiction to true crime and everything in between, someone out there created a podcast to give you the latest news and best books.

Libraries and the Justice System

January 20, 2021

Libraries serve an instrumental role in the justice system. They perform many responsibilities that aid in research and preservation, protect civil rights, increase access to vulnerable populations, and improve operations of the justice system. A library’s work is never done when it comes to the legal needs of Americans.

Libraries and Social Justice

January 14, 2021

Libraries have always been institutions of cultural heritage. They foster the preservation of diverse histories and the advancement of social justice. In fact, libraries have become key supporters of social justice movements. It was even the theme of the 2015 Association of Library and Information Science Education (ALISE) conference. These centers for learning, inclusion, and community cater to people of all backgrounds and have recognized the importance they play in furthering the rights of different groups. Libraries have taken on the responsibility of meeting changing community needs as leaders of cultural change in society.

Libraries and Cultural Preservation

January 08, 2021

More often than not, these victors do not come from low-income areas and instead they are members of the majority community. However, there are institutions in place that work to help support, document, archive, and restore historic and cultural histories of minority communities. Libraries play a significant role in preserving knowledge and cultural heritage in society. There are massive collections of records, history, and other valuable reference materials that libraries collect in order to ensure that the stories of their communities are saved. They help ensure that the voices of all communities are represented.

How Do Libraries Expand Access To the Arts?

January 06, 2021

Libraries play host to a variety of community needs. They provide access to information and technology, open up spaces for collaboration and escape, and implement programs and events that enrich the community. In times when STEM related subjects are emphasized, libraries make sure to cultivate and support art in their communities. Libraries work hard to support local artists, curate spaces that encourage art, and contribute to building an awareness and appreciation of the arts. Many libraries serve as incubators for creative minds. These important spaces have demonstrated their capabilities and innovation in supporting art in communities. Here a just a few of the ways libraries help expand access to the arts: Follow EveryLibrary On Twitter!

How Do School Libraries Prepare Students For Success In College And The Workforce

January 05, 2021

Public libraries are instrumental supporters of learning and development at all levels. This is no different for students entering college and going through fields of studies that will impact their futures and careers. There is an array of resources available and support provided by public libraries to high school students making important decisions about their next steps as well as those developing crucial habits and skill sets that they will carry with them throughout college and into their careers. Libraries are a beneficial resource and librarians can teach skills to help students gather and evaluate information needed to face decisions from step one. This ensures that students are prepared from the application and decision making process to their first day in a new workplace. Here are just a few ways libraries play pivotal roles in the college search and admissions process:

Do You Know What Librarians Know?

January 05, 2021

Librarians know things! This was brought home to me when I read The Oxford Guide to Library Research by Thomas Mann and the The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Private Investigating by Steven Kerry Brown. Like private investigators, librarians have a body of tangible knowledge that is unique to us. For a private investigator, tracking people down starts with knowing which resources to use; certain databases are better for certain queries, while for some it’s best to deal with other people. Part of a PIs trade is knowing which is which. In seeing libraries as community centers and librarians as generalists, we often forget that a degree in library science (an MLS, or MLIS) is meant not simply as a path to a professional job, but as a symbol that librarians have specific knowledge, and that knowledge is real.

Public Libraries Make People’s Lives Better

December 29, 2020

Despite the obvious missions of public libraries, the unmeasured and often unmentioned return-on-investment with regards to them is the affect they have on the quality-of-life of the population they serve. Individual and group happiness are only recently becoming viewed as valid economic indicators, though positive psychology, the study of happiness and the causes of positive life experiences, has been a growing movement within psychological research for over a decade (see the Positive Psychology Center’s list of readings). With all the news about depression and stress rates in the United States soaring, it makes sense that a counterbalance is offered. To that, and into the general fracas I am throwing my unscientific opinion that public libraries have an important role to play in both the physical and mental health of communities.
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