American Libraries

Last updated
American Libraries
Categories Libraries
FrequencySix times a year, plus one digital-only issue and occasional supplements
Circulation Approx. 58,000 members and organizations
Publisher American Library Association
Founded1970;54 years ago (1970)
Country United States
Based in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
LanguageEnglish
Website American Libraries
ISSN 0002-9769
OCLC 854299

American Libraries is the flagship magazine of the American Library Association (ALA).

Contents

About

American Libraries was first published in 1970 as a continuation of the long-running ALA Bulletin, which had served as the Association’s official publication since 1907. It is published six times yearly in print, plus a digital-only July/August issue and occasional digital supplements, such as the annual State of America’s Libraries report. The magazine is sent to approximately 58,000 individuals and organizations worldwide. ALA members receive American Libraries as a benefit of membership. Content is available online to the public at americanlibrariesmagazine.org.

The magazine publishes several annual features, including the "Library Design Showcase,”"which highlights new and innovative library architecture and design projects; "Emerging Leaders," a spotlight on the ALA's professional development program for new librarians; and library technology expert Marshall Breeding's "Library Systems Report."

American Libraries' Newsmaker feature, which appears in each issue, has included interviews with Margaret Atwood, Judy Blume, Dolly Parton, Emilio Estevez, Al Gore, Stan Lee, George Takei, Alice Walker, Pharrell Williams, Jacqueline Woodson, Debbie Harry, and others.

Additional American Libraries media 

American Libraries' website and blog The Scoop [1] feature online versions of print edition stories, as well as breaking news and stories not in print, including onsite reporting from the ALA Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference and updates from the ALA's Public Policy and Advocacy Office in Washington, D.C.

Since 2006, American Libraries has published AL Direct, [2] an electronic newsletter sent twice weekly to ALA members that provides summaries and links to news, announcements, and other information of interest to library and information science professionals. The newsletter is supplemented daily by other news through American Libraries' website widget, Latest Library Links. [3]

Launched in 2019, the Daily Scoop [4] is American Libraries' conference e-newsletter, providing attendees with daily recaps of events at the ALA's Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference.

Dewey Decibel is a monthly podcast of conversations with librarians, authors, celebrities, and scholars about topics from the library world. Since its first episode in 2016, the podcast has covered subjects ranging from banned books and fake news to disaster response and artificial intelligence in libraries. The podcast’s annual Halloween episodes have investigated library hauntings and mysteries. Past guests have included Kwame Alexander, Ken Burns, Michael Eric Dyson, Sally Field, Brad Meltzer, Bill Nye, Marjane Satrapi, and Rick Steves. In November 2018, Book Riot named Dewey Decibel one of its recommended podcasts about libraries and librarians. The podcast is named for the widely used Dewey Decimal Classification system. American Libraries has acknowledged [5] that Melvil Dewey, for whom the classification is named, has a legacy tainted [6] by sexual harassment and racism.

American Libraries Live free webinars, established in 2012, give the library community a chance to learn about and discuss issues members deal with daily. Each program lasts 60 minutes.

American Libraries is active on Facebook and Twitter, where staffers share content from the magazine, breaking news, and coverage from ALA conferences and meetings. Its Twitter account broke the story that actor and writer Sonia Manzano was retiring from Sesame Street in 2015.

Awards

In 2018, American Libraries Art Director Rebecca Lomax was awarded a 2018 Peter Lisagor Award [7] for best design by a specialty or trade publication. Presented by the Chicago Headline Club, the largest chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, the awards recognize the best of Chicago journalism. Lomax was recognized for her design work on the March/April 2018 ("In a Virtual World" [8] ), September/October 2018 ("The 2018 Library Design Showcase" [9] ), and November/December 2018 ("Good Job Hunting" [10] ) issues.

Controversies

In 1992, American Libraries published a photo of members of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table (then known as the Gay and Lesbian Task Force) on the cover of its July/August issue, drawing both criticism and praise from the library world. Some commenters called the cover "in poor taste" and accused the magazine of "glorifying homosexuality," while others were supportive of the move.

In the 2016 “Special Report: Digital Humanities in Libraries” article, the contractors expressed concerns about the editors inserting quotes that were "grossly inappropriate" for the magazine after they believed a final version was approved. [11] A blog post from the publishers Gale Cengage clarified that they had not been responsible for the insertion of the quotes. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melvil Dewey</span> Inventor of the Dewey Decimal system

Melville Louis Kossuth "Melvil" Dewey was an influential American librarian and educator, inventor of the Dewey Decimal system of library classification, a founder of the Lake Placid Club, and a chief librarian at Columbia University. He was also a founding member of the American Library Association. Although Dewey's contributions to the modern library are widely recognized, his legacy is marred by his sexual harassment of female colleagues, as well as his racism and antisemitism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newbery Medal</span> American childrens literary award

The John Newbery Medal, frequently shortened to the Newbery, is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), to the author of "the most distinguished contributions to American literature for children". The Newbery and the Caldecott Medal are considered the two most prestigious awards for children's literature in the United States. Books selected are widely carried by bookstores and libraries, the authors are interviewed on television, and master's theses and doctoral dissertations are written on them. Named for John Newbery, an 18th-century English publisher of juvenile books, the winner of the Newbery is selected at the ALA's Midwinter Conference by a fifteen-person committee. The Newbery was proposed by Frederic G. Melcher in 1921, making it the first children's book award in the world. The physical bronze medal was designed by Rene Paul Chambellan and is given to the winning author at the next ALA annual conference. Since its founding there have been several changes to the composition of the selection committee, while the physical medal remains the same.

The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Association for Library Service to Children</span> American library association

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is a division of the American Library Association.

Michael Gorman is a British-born librarian, library scholar and editor/writer on library issues noted for his traditional views. During his tenure as president of the American Library Association (ALA), he was vocal in his opinions on a range of subjects, notably technology and education. He currently lives in the Chicago area with his wife, Anne Reuland, an academic administrator at Loyola University.

<i>School Library Journal</i> US monthly magazine

School Library Journal (SLJ) is an American monthly magazine containing reviews and other articles for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, with a focus on technology, multimedia, and other information resources that are likely to interest young learners. Reviews are classified by the target audience of the publications: preschool; schoolchildren to 4th grade, grades 5 and up, and teens; and professional librarians themselves. Fiction, non-fiction, and reference books books are reviewed, as are graphic novels, multimedia, and digital resources.

<i>Booklist</i> American book review magazine

Booklist is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. Booklist's primary audience consists of libraries, educators, and booksellers. The magazine is available to subscribers in print and online. It is published 22 times per year, and reviews over 7,500 titles annually. The Booklist brand also offers a blog, various newsletters, and monthly webinars. The Booklist offices are located in the American Library Association headquarters in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood.

The Library and Information Technology Association (LITA) was a division of the American Library Association (ALA), focusing on the intersections of libraries and information technology. Founded in 1966 and headquartered in Chicago, LITA was dissolved in 2020 amid declining membership and persistent budget deficits. LITA merged into a new ALA division, Core.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York Library Association</span> Professional association for New Yorks librarians

The New York Library Association (NYLA) is a group that promotes libraries in New York. It was founded in 1890 and was the first statewide organization of librarians in the United States. One of its founders was Melvil Dewey, who has had a lasting impact on libraries in the United States. The association was granted a provisional charter in 1929 and its Absolute Charter in 1946.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Progressive Librarians Guild</span>

The Progressive Librarians Guild(PLG) was founded in New York City in January 1990 by librarians concerned with the library profession's "rapid drift into dubious alliances with business and the information industry, and into complacent acceptance of service to an unquestioned political, economic and cultural status quo," according to the organization's statement of purpose. The initial three organizers were Elaine Harger, Mark Rosenzweig and Elliot Shore. The PLG addresses issues especially relating to librarianship and human rights.

The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) is a division of the American Library Association (ALA) that has more than 7,000 members and serves primary school and secondary school librarians in the U.S., Canada, and even internationally. Prior to being established in 1951, school librarians were served by the School Library Section of ALA founded in 1914, which emerged from the Roundtable of Normal and High School Librarians. The mission of the American Association of School Librarians is to empower leaders to transform teaching and learning.

The American Indian Library Association (AILA) is an affiliate of the American Library Association (ALA), and is a membership action group that focuses on the library-related needs of Native Americans and Alaska Natives. The organization's members consist of both individuals and institutions that are interested in improving library services to Native American people in any type of library in the United States.

Library Connect is a program offered by Elsevier that provides resources and information for librarians in the academic, medical, corporate, and government sectors. The program includes a newsletter, webinars, symposiums, and social media channels with a focus on library practices, issues, trends, and events. Additionally, it promotes Elsevier's products and services.

The United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) is a national section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) committed to bringing books and children together.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Klas August Linderfelt</span> American librarian

Klas August Linderfelt was an American librarian. A native of Sweden, he emigrated to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and became a teacher and a librarian. As the first librarian of the Milwaukee Public Library, he became a significant figure in the city and in the library profession, becoming the seventh President of the American Library Association. He left both the city and the profession permanently following his arrest for embezzlement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Dakota Library Association</span> Professional association for librarians in North Dakota

The North Dakota Library Association (NDLA) is a professional association for librarians, library staff, and library supporters that represent school, public, academic, and special libraries located in North Dakota, United States. "The purpose of this organization is to exercise professional leadership and to promote library services and librarianship." The North Dakota Library Association was formed on January 18, 1906. The association has humble beginnings – at the 1909 conference, there were only 18 members. There are currently over 300 NDLA members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Caucus of the American Library Association</span> Professional association for Black librarians in the American Library Association

The Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) is an affiliate of the American Library Association (ALA) that focuses on the needs of African-American library professionals by promoting careers in librarianship, funding literacy initiatives, and providing scholarships.

The Schneider Family Book Award is an award given by the American Library Association (ALA) recognizing authors and illustrators for the excellence of portrayal of the disability experience in literature for youth. There is a category for children's books, books appealing to middle grade readers and for young adult literature. The award has been given since 2004. The award was founded by Dr. Katherine Schneider, who was the first blind student to graduate from the Kalamazoo Public School system. Schneider had been helped through school as a child by a librarian at the Michigan Library for the Blind who provided books in Braille to her. The award is given out annually and the winners are announced at the ALA Midwinter Meeting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tracie D. Hall</span> Librarian, author, and advocate for the arts

Tracie D. Hall is an American librarian, author, curator, and advocate for the arts who served as the executive director of the American Library Association from 2020 to 2023. Hall is the first African American woman to lead the association since its founding in 1876.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guam Library Association</span> Professional association for librarians in Guam

The Guam Library Association (GLA) is a professional organization for Guam's librarians and library workers based in Hagatna. It was founded in 1965 and became an affiliate of the American Library Association in 1967, an affiliation which it lost in 1975 and regained sometime in the late 1980s. GLA is also a member of the Pacific Islands Association of Libraries, Archives, and Museums. Membership in the association is open to librarians and library workers, but also to the general public who are interested in improving the civilian and military libraries of Guam.

References

  1. The Scoop
  2. AL Direct
  3. Latest Library Links
  4. Daily Scoop
  5. "About".
  6. "Bringing Harassment Out of the History Books". June 2018.
  7. 2018 Peter Lisagor Award
  8. "In a Virtual World"
  9. "The 2018 Library Design Showcase"
  10. "Good Job Hunting"
  11. Varner S, Hswe P. "Um … about that American Libraries article we wrote" . Retrieved 2016-01-05.
  12. "In Response to the Recent American Libraries article on Digital Humanities". The Gale Blog. 5 January 2016. Retrieved 2016-01-06.