Why Aren’t More Public Librarians Eligible for the COVID-19 Vaccine?
Public librarians wear many hats — we’re de facto educators, social workers, emergency responders, and much more — but which role will keep us safe from COVID?
Michelle J. Fernandez Author Archive
Email: michferz@gmail.com Website: LinkedIn Twitter: @meeshuggeneh
Michelle J. Fernandez is Senior Librarian for The New York Public Library, where she drives the Bronx Bookmobile. She is currently reading "Smells: A Cultural History of Odours in Early Modern Times" by Robert Muchembled.
Bookmobile Conference Goes Virtual
For the first time in its history, the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services’ annual conference will be conducted virtually this year. Learn more about this organization and the benefits of outreach professionals swapping trade secrets.
Bookmobiles Navigate New Terrain
Amid a public health crisis and a host of new safety considerations, mobile libraries are finding creative solutions to continue bringing services to communities that need it most.
Libraries Contemplate Re-Opening
Months into the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic that has cost thousands of lives and brought the world to a halt, public libraries are doing what we do best: looking toward the future we hope to build together.
Combating Stress During Times of Crisis
The same vocational awe that leads us to a career of tirelessly connecting people with free and equal access to information, resources, and each other, can lead to inevitable burnout under normal circumstances. In times of crisis, when environmental stressors abound, we must be especially careful not to forget that in order to take care of others, we must first take care of ourselves.
The National Book Festival: Takeaways for Programming Librarians
Since 2001, the Library of Congress has hosted an annual author event of epic proportions. The 2019 National Book Festival, held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., drew hundreds of thousands of attendees and featured over 100 authors. Librarians who plan programs of all sizes – from a scantly-attended book club […]
Andrea Pitzer on Concentration Camps, Library Neutrality, and Combating Misinformation
The author of One Long Night: A Global History of Concentration Camps talks with Public Libraries Online about Concentration Camps and the Challenges of Combating Misinformation
Do’s & Don’ts of Supervising Library Volunteers
Volunteer workers make the library world go ‘round, and it is important for supervisors to cultivate good relationships with volunteers and to ensure that volunteers are adequately prepared to perform their job duties. Here are some tips for making the most of your volunteer workforce for the benefit of staff, volunteers, and patrons alike.
Rage Programming: Anger as Program Inspiration
One day, the sidewalks were empty. The next day, they were everywhere. The scooters. Dockless electric scooters, to be exact. They had suddenly appeared on the sidewalks of the DC metro area, where I live and work. They were scattered haphazardly: some on front lawns, some in driveways, some blocking wheelchair ramps. Some were standing upright, some lying on their sides like roadkill. And those were just the dormant ones. When in use, they were ridden in the streets, in and out of bike lanes, and on the sidewalk. Often, I saw children who were obviously below the minimum age for riders (18 years) riding two at a time. It was absolute chaos, and it made me livid.
