The PLA Blog | Official Blog of the Public Library Association
More ALA conference video on Book TV
You can watch the video of Garrison Keillor’s (*overflowing*) session on the importance of public libraries on BookTV.com (requires RealPlayer installed to view). Just click on the Watch button above Garrison’s picture on the upper right to view the video, which is just under 1 hour. Unfortunately, I don’t see an online video of the [...]
Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails: Every BOY Ready to Read @ Your Library
On Sunday, June 24, I attended the program “Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails: Every BOY Ready to Read @ Your Library,” presented by Dr. Leonard Sax, M.D., Ph.D. He explained the gender differences between boys and girls and how we could use this in our storytimes. A few highlights from his Powerpoint presentation: [...]
Technical Services 2.0: Using social software for collaboration
ALA Session held Monday 1:30-3:30 OK, I’ll be honest and say that although I found the summary of this program enticing, I wasn’t sure if I’d spend the whole time at the session. It appeared to have an academic focus, and come on – it’s technical services and I am SO not a technical services [...]
Webjunction’s Spanish Language Outreach Program
This Sunday afternoon program was intended as a follow-up for individuals who had participated in Webjunction’s Spanish Language Outreach workshops. Although I was not one of those lucky few, I decided to attend the session to learn more about it, and I am very glad I did, as the information provided could be useful to [...]
Prime Time Family Reading Time
(I came into this program a little bit late, so I missed the introduction and the first few stories) I had read an article about this program from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities in my Literacy for Special Population course last Fall at Simmons College, so I was curious to hear more and decided [...]
Serving Spanish Speakers with Disabilities
This very informative program on Saturday morning was sponsored by Reforma, the National Association to Promote Library Services to the Spanish Speaking. Carrie Banks, director of the Brooklyn Public Library’s Child’s Place for Children with Special Needs discussed staff training for working with Spanish speakers with disabilities. Issues to be aware of when working with [...]
Friday Night @ ALA: Many Voices, One Nation
For the second year in a row I attended this great program organized by ALA ‘s Office for Diversity. – “a celebration of the written and spoken word, lyrics, and song.” The premise is basic: bring together authors, poets, musicians, and dancers to provide a sampler of local talent and a range of perspectives about [...]
Programming Not Just for Boomers: Programming and Services
I attended the Programming Not Just for Boomers: Programming and Services program on Saturday, June 23. The program was aimed at adult programs for patrons 70+ years old. A few highlights: •Take an “old” idea and put a new spin on it, such as… oBasic computer training (introduction to internet) oHow to buy tickets online [...]
“Grow Your Own @ Your Library” Winners
As promised! This year PLA awarded nine public libraries with grants of $8,000 each (originally announced in February 2007) – to be distributed to staff members working to obtain a Masters Degree in Library and Information Science: Dallas (Texas) Public Library Palm Beach County (Fla.)Library System Chesterfield County (Va.) Public Library Hall County (Ga.) Library [...]
Wiking the Blog and Walking the Dog: Social Software, Virtual Reality, and Authority Everywhere
Jed Moffitt of the King County LIbrary System began the PLA-sponsored Wiking the Blog and Walking the Dog with family stories that somehow led to a disclosure that the topic of social software in libraries is not so cutting-edge as it was eighteen months ago when the topic was chosen for the American Library Association [...]
