I have recently been contacted by several reporters in reference to an article I wrote in 2017 in which I disagree with the elimination of fines and learned that I was quoted in other venues. As this topic has gained more interest and political attention the issue is no longer one limited to libraries. However, […]
The three main issues I see with librarians handling patrons’ personal property are how it makes the patron feel, how it makes the professional feel, and liability.
When Adrienne Brodeur was fourteen, her mother, Malabar, woke her up from a sound sleep to confide that she had just kissed Ben, the best friend of Adrienne’s stepfather. That small moment would ultimately send shockwaves through the lives of both families, as Malabar and Ben embarked on a secret relationship and enlisted Adrienne’s assistance in hiding it from their spouses. In Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me, Brodeur reflects on her complicated relationship with her mother with unflinching pose and bracing wit. What results is a compassionate examination of knotty family ties and an incisive portrayal of how one woman was able to end her family’s cycle of deception.
In Mamta Chaudhry’s stunning Haunting Paris, Sylvie, a musician mourning the recent death of her beloved Julien, listlessly prepares for Paris’ bicentennial as she opens her home to vacationing American academics. Yet Sylvie is hurled out of her routine when she chances upon a mysterious letter in Julien’s desk. This discovery sparks a thrilling investigation, as Sylvie plunges into Julien’s family’s heretofore unknown experiences during World War II. While Sylvie races through the streets of Paris, the ghost of Julien watches on, providing a panoramic view of the city’s tumultuous history and revealing the painful moments from his past he could not share during their life together.
The Votes For Women Project is an interactive exploration of the power of women and girls, the power of voting, and the power of power itself. It’s set to open at the Main Library in downtown Nashville March 8, 2020. (Don’t worry, we’re working on a sneak peek for PLA2020 conference attendees.)
In Jami Attenberg’s dynamic family saga All This Could Be Yours, amoral businessman Victor Tuchman lies dying in a hospital bed in New Orleans, leaving his family to reckon with how his monstrous behavior has shaped their lives. While his wife Barbra restlessly paces the halls of the hospital, alert to her Fitbit’s mounting stepcount, […]
The Board of Directors of the Kanawha County Public Library seeks an experienced, collaborative, innovative, dedicated leader to serve as Library
Director. The Kanawha County Public Library is more than a building. It is a topnotch library system with an exceptional reputation of vibrancy and
trust among the public, local and state government, schools and hospitals, and businesses and community organizations.
The 96-year-old’s face lit up when she saw Outreach Librarian Diane Hollendonner again. She relayed she was quite happy with the book she returned – Mary Jo Putney’s Dearly Beloved– and announced that she had shared it with several other ladies at the assisted living facility…. “and now they all knew how to be a […]
In recognition of Health Literacy Month in October, the Public Library Association (PLA) is offering public libraries, especially those in states that utilize the Federally-Facilitated Marketplace, healthcare.gov, a suite of free tools and resources.
Recent publisher embargoes make it more difficult for libraries to purchase e-content.
In the wake of FTC’s recent ruling fining Google and its subsidiary, YouTube, to pay a record $170
million, libraries are reminded of the huge responsibility they shoulder in protecting user’s privacy.
When our public libraries are asked to defend their relevance, we often rise to the bait, drowning our detractors in the myriad of services, programs, and events we offer. But what if we took a step back and considered whether we’re telling the right story?
Her Daughter’s Mother, a gripping psychological thriller, tells the story of two women and the connection between them – a connection that stems from their obsession with each other, their search for family, and need for redemption.
But even the most well-designed building or website can remain beyond reach of people in long-term care facilities, many of whom are unable to travel to library buildings and also lack access to private telephones, online services, or internet-enabled devices.
Paul Tough’s The Years That Matter Most: How College Makes or Breaks Us builds on the extraordinary journalism of his earlier work, How Children Succeed, and dissects the current state of higher education. Tough dives into the the various components of the college world, introducing the reader to high-priced SAT tutors, admissions directors striving to achieve the perfect balance with incoming freshman classes, and College Board officials facing uncomfortable truths about who the SAT actually benefits. Yet the heart of the book belongs to the students Tough profiles, intelligent and resilient teenagers who courageously navigate the ever-changing college landscape. By combining rigorous research with compelling personal narratives, Tough crafts a work that is not only a status report on the changing world of higher education, but also a revelatory look at how social mobility works in America.
Publiclibrariesonline.org is the companion website to the bi-monthly print publication “Public Libraries,” the official magazine of the Public Library Association. Learn more »
A division of the American Library Association
50 E Huron Chicago, IL 60611
Copyright © 2020
Copyright Statement | Privacy Policy
We are always seeking new contributors to add their voices to the site. We invite you to become a part of PL’s dynamic, high-profile team. Learn more »
PL and PLonline are the only industry publications focused entirely on public libraries and public librarians. Learn more »
