THE WIRED LIBRARY | Reaching Distance Education Students
The Wired Library explores tech topics relevant to public librarians.
May/June 2016Vol. 55, No. 3
PERSPECTIVES | Expanding Summer Reading Programs
Perspectives offers varied viewpoints on subjects of interest to the public library profession.
UNDER THE RADAR | Sand, Surf, Swamp, and Sunshine
Under the Radar is where you’ll find books, movies, and other media of note that might not be getting tons of publicity, but your patrons are sure to be interested in.
FROM THE PRESIDENT | It’s Complicated
PLA President Vailey Oehlke is Director of Libraries for Multnomah County (OR) Library in Portland. Contact Vailey at vaileyo@multcolib.org. Vailey is currently reading Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond. As I write this, I am reflecting on the fabulous PLA 2016 conference in Denver. I’m so proud of the exceptional […]
FEATURE | The 2015 Public Library Data Service Statistical Report: Characteristics & Trends
The Public Library Data Service (PLDS) annual survey is conducted by Counting Opinions (SQUIRE) Ltd. (CO) on behalf of PLA. This survey of public libraries from the United States and Canada was collected in 2015 for the fiscal year 2014 (FY2014). It includes data on finances, resources, service usage, and technology. Each year PLDS includes a special section. This year the supplemental questions focused on strategic planning.
FEATURE | Becoming a Passport Acceptance Facility: A Librarian’s Perspective
The number of public and academic libraries becoming passports acceptance facilities (PAFs) is increasing exponentially. Just a few years ago, there were only a handful of libraries accepting—or, as the Passport Agency calls it—executing passport applications. Now there are 203 libraries performing this much-needed service. The Regional Passport Agency (RPA) has realized the benefits of libraries becoming PAFs and is promoting this effort by attending and presenting at various library conferences across the nation.
FEATURE | The Imitation Game: Applying For-Profit Strategies in the Nonprofit World
When it comes to making changes in the workplace, most of us already know to look for inspiration from other libraries and librarians, and even other nonprofit groups, but there is much to be learned from the for-profit world. If you’re looking to improve your statistics and create a new, vibrant environment, check out some corporate strategies and adapt them for your library. Adaptation is crucial—what was popular and worked well before may be passé and ineffective now, and a service or medium of communication that seemed like a passing fancy may be here to stay.
