Justin Dillon’s Punk Rock Approach To Solving The World’s Problems

Justin Dillon had a thriving career in music before moving into the field of global activism. For over ten years, he has been a key figure in the anti-slavery movement through his organizations Made In A Free World and Slavery Footprint. With his new book, A Selfish Plan to Change the World: Finding Big Purpose in Big Problems, Dillon imparts the lessons he’s learned along the way, shares his tactics for implementing change, and creating the change you want to see.

Retail Co-Location: Coffee at the Library

The Starbucks team worked with the library to create a unique space. This isn’t just another coffee shop stuck into a library, but the design honors the rich history and legacy of the library itself, so library patrons don’t just get a cup of coffee, they get an experience.

ALA’s Awards and Grants Can Give Your Library a Boost

If your library is like mine, your list of expenses is growing while funding is either stagnant or trending down. That’s why we are enthusiastic about any sources of nontraditional revenue, no matter how modest.

Oculus Rift Pilot Brings Virtual Reality To California Libraries

Today, Oculus Rift, the company that pioneered Virtual Reality (VR), launched a pilot program that provides 100 Virtual Reality kits to libraries in California. These kits include Oculus headsets, hand controls, and computers needed to run the software. The program includes several software titles as well, designed to aid in education. The program is a […]

Will There Be Another Summer of Pokémon GO?

While the number of Pokémon GO players has declined considerably, there are signs that your library may need to prepare for a summer flare up of Pokémon Fever!

Turning Public Transportation into Mobile Libraries

Bookcrossing is the practice of leaving books in public places to be picked up and read by others, who then do the same. Many communities already take part in this movement with Little Free Library community book-exchanges, however, the newest trend is leaving books on public transportation. This initiative has created mobile libraries for numerous communities to enjoy.

illustration of green paper currency with dollar sign in middle

Utilizing Old Space While Planning for New

Communities need to balance the needs of all their taxpayers, and often there are other buildings and capital needs which will jump the line ahead of a new public library. While we wait for the right time we must continue to make the current space workable and also utilize it to the best of our abilities. This often means shelling out money to make improvements.

hello in a variety of languages tacked to a bulletin board

Language Learning at the Library

As an immigrant myself, I know the loneliness of feeling like you’re different from everyone because you don’t speak English. I felt as a librarian, I was able to go full-circle and create a welcoming atmosphere for my patrons, and send them a message: You’re not alone, we’re here for you!

Library Lock-ins for Adults

It’s a Friday night and library staff are planning to be awake for the next twelve hours, plus the time it takes for them to drive home and fall exhausted into bed. It’s another lock-in, but this time the youngest attendees are 18. It’s an adult lock-in, and just like when they were in high school, there is no expectation of sleep. Squeezed in around jobs and school, new adults make time to gather with their friends at the library and be kids again.

Dana Schwartz On The Dangers of Twitter And Pigeonholing Yourself

While readers might be familiar with Dana Schwartz through her extremely popular twitter parody accounts, @guyinyourmfa and @dystopianya, they will be introduced to another side of her with her charming and insightful novel, And We’re Off. Nora Holmes is set to spend the summer before her senior high school at a prestigious art institute in Ireland, the perfect place to be with like-minded students, escape the gaze of her tightly wound mother, and shed the memories of a fizzled relationship. All of this is thrown away when her mother, nursing her own wounds after a painful divorce, decides at the last moment to accompany Nora on the trip. With a deft eye for character and plotting, Schwartz crafts a winning road trip while also exploring topics like identity, creativity, and of course, mother-daughter relationships.

Civic Engagement: Democracy Thrives at the Library

“Of the people, for the people, by the people,” Abraham Lincoln’s reference to representative government is still relevant today. In the library world we hear the phrase ‘civic engagement’ bandied about, but what exactly does civic engagement mean at the most local level—our towns and cities? And why is now such a critical time to become that civic place?

illustration of a pencil and shapes (triangle, circle, square, etc.)

Graphic Design on a Shoestring

These free and low-cost tools will help your marketing materials shine.

woman with book in front of book shelves

Secrets of Readers’ Advisory — Part Two

Readers’ Advisory Queen Becky Spratford gave us some great advice last month. The conversation continues here.

Connecticut Library Robotics Team Competes at Regional Competition

“Singularity Technology,” the robotics team of the Wilton (CT) Public Library, recently competed at (FTC) FIRST Tech Challenge’s East Super-Regional Championship in Scranton, PA. After winning 2nd place at the State Championship, the team placed 38th out of 72 teams in their first regional championship.

FYI 020– Brendan Dowling Talks with Author Michael Callahan

PL Assistant Editor Brendan Dowling talks with author Michael Callahan, author of 2015’s “Searching for Grace Kelly.” Michael is also a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and a former deputy editor at Town and Country and Marie Claire. His new book, “The Night She Became Miss America” was released in April, 2017.

« Previous Posts

Justin Dillon’s Punk Rock Approach To Solving The World’s Problems

Retail Co-Location: Coffee at the Library

ALA’s Awards and Grants Can Give Your Library a Boost

Oculus Rift Pilot Brings Virtual Reality To California Libraries

Will There Be Another Summer of Pokémon GO?

Turning Public Transportation into Mobile Libraries

Utilizing Old Space While Planning for New

Language Learning at the Library

Library Lock-ins for Adults

Dana Schwartz On The Dangers of Twitter And Pigeonholing Yourself

Civic Engagement: Democracy Thrives at the Library

Graphic Design on a Shoestring

Secrets of Readers’ Advisory — Part Two

Connecticut Library Robotics Team Competes at Regional Competition

FYI 020– Brendan Dowling Talks with Author Michael Callahan

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