Library Advocates

May 9

New Executive Order will increase government transparency

The White House has issued a new Executive Order that will increase government transparency.

The White House has issued a new Executive Order, making open and machine readable the new default for government information and a memo, Open Data Policy – Managing information as an asset. These documents provide a new set of guidelines for government agencies that will help to ensure a more open and accessible government.

StoryCorps and Chicago Public Library want your migration stories

StoryCorps is teaming up with the Chicago Public Library to record migration stories, part of the library’s programing with “One Book, One Chicago” and the American Library Association’s “StoryCorps@YourLibrary” pilot program.

May 8

What Are the Best Ways that Libraries Can Help Immigrants?

How do library workers provide information services to immigrants and still stay within state laws that place limits on such activities? Next month, the American Library Association (ALA) will address immigration issues librarians face when they host free the webinar titled “Taking Action: Best Practices to Support Librarians and Library Workers Facing Laws Limiting Access to Information and Library Services to Immigrants.”

Register now.

The webinar—which will be hosted by REFORMA, the ALA Washington Office, the ALA Office for Diversity—will take place on May 14, 2013, from 3:00–4:00 p.m. EST. The event is cosponsored by the ALA Office for Library Advocacy.

May 7

You can always expect to see an interesting pair of specs or two at any given librarian gathering.

Curious about what's happening at the American Library Association's day of legislative action? Follow #nlld13 on twitter.

National Library Legislative Day: Where library advocates join on Capitol Hill to advocate for libraries

May 6

me: this book destroyed my life
me: *add to the favorite books list*

May 3

“To me, a library … is a necessity. They have lots of things to offer. It’s kind of like home room for your community. If you want to find something out then you just ask. And they have a lot of things that they offer that they don’t advertise.” Parents, Children, Libraries, and Reading: Select quotes from parents and library staff (via pewinternet)

(via librarianbyday)

Report: Libraries put BTOP funds to work, strengthening communities nationwide

The ALA’s “U.S. Public Libraries and Broadband Technology Opportunities Program” is the first to highlight state and local library BTOP projects nationwide and the improvements they have made to public access technology resources, digital literacy, and workforce development. Library projects in 29 states and the District of Columbia are featured in the report.

“Libraries have served as first responders in these tough economic times,” said ALA President Maureen Sullivan. “Millions of Americans have turned to us to gain new technology skills and access to specialized resources. BTOP has helped to enable expanded services and to develop the improved infrastructure to meet these community needs.”

Highlights:

Nearly all statewide library projects include digital literacy training. More than 367,000 Coloradans increased their digital literacy skills through that state’s BTOP project. Ninety-five percent of those who took formal classes in Colorado stated they learned a valuable skill and would recommend the classes to others.
Nearly 600 people who participated in New York State Library’s “Broadband Express @ your library” programs and used online job resources went on to secure employment.
The Nebraska Library Commission has more than doubled its grant goal, which was to upgrade broandband speeds for 45 libraries in this mostly rural state. Of the 101 libraries upgraded so far, the average speed moved from 2.9 Mbps to 21.4 Mbps.
Alaska, Delaware, Maine, Oklahoma and Rhode Island have established new videoconferencing capabilities in several, if not all, libraries in their states. The Maine State Library is deploying its statewide network to provide legal information clinics through the Volunteer Lawyers Project. The clinics are offered in real time, allowing patrons at multiple locations, and especially in rural locations, to attend and ask questions directly of the presenting attorney.

May 2

Forks?

21stgoddamncentury:

No, we don’t have any forks at the reference desk.

Young person, this is a library.

We eat with our hands.

(via ala-annual)

May 1

Yesterday I said that bookmobiles are an instant reblog. Today, I learned that rule also applies to book donkeys.

The American Library Association's Washington Office tumblr. Our reblogs do not necessarily mean endorsements of a position or opinion.