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LibLearnX in New Orleans: Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Phil Morehart on January 10, 2023

The library world is converging in New Orleans at the end of January for a new breed of library conference. And if you work in the library profession, you should be there.

Rising from the ashes of the American Library Association’s (ALA) now-defunct Midwinter gatherings, LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience (held January 27-30, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans) has all of the amenities that people expect and love at ALA conferences-excellent speakers from the literary world and beyond; plentiful education sessions; an exhibit hall marketplace full of library tech vendors and book publishers; a top-notch host city for afterhours wining, dining, and sightseeing; and much more.

You may be asking yourself, “But I’m not a librarian. Can I go to LibLearnX?” The answer is a resounding, “YES.”

LibLearnX has a wealth of activities and amenities for everyone, and even offers a special registration rate for library professionals who aren’t ALA members. Here are 5 reasons why everyone should attend this year.

The speakers

ALA is known for the incredible speakers it attracts to its conferences-everyone from politicos like Michelle Obama, Cory Booker, and Hillary Rodham Clinton; actors and filmmakers such as Jamie Lee Curtis, Sally Field, and Ken Burns; authors like Margaret Atwood, Jason Reynolds, and R.L. Stine and more. LibLearnX is no exception.

Joining the 2023 festivities are author and professor Ibram X. Kendi and writer Nic Stone, who will discuss How to Be a (Young) Antiracist, a collaborative reimagining of Kendi’s international bestseller, How to Be an Antiracist; Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter, political activist, feminist icon, and bestselling author Ani Di Franco, who will talk about her debut children’s picture book, The Knowing; Brian Selznick, author and illustrator of Caldecott Medal-winning New York Times bestseller, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, which was adapted into Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-winning movie Hugo. Selznick will discuss his upcoming work, Big Tree; and Indigenous author Carole Lindstrom and Indigenous illustrator Steph Littlebird, who will share their children’s picture book, My Powerful Hair, an empowering story about family history, self-expression, and reclaiming your identity.

Also at LibLearnX this year: artist and author Willie Mae Brown, who will share her debut book, My Selma: True Stories of a Southern Childhood at the Height of the Civil Rights Movement; Clint Smith, author of the narrative nonfiction book, How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning With the History of Slavery Across America, which won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction, who is bringing his upcoming poetry book, Above Ground, to discuss; and science fiction novelist, journalist, and technology activist Cory Doctorow, who will talk about his new book about cryptocurrency shenanigans, Red Team Blues.

And in the panel discussion, Inclusivity in Entertainment: Uplifting Black Voices, photographer and author Carell Augustus; author, director, educator, and popular culture historian Caseen Gaines; actor and author Eriq LaSalle; attorney and author Jorge Redmond; and filmmaker and author Ali Biko Sulaiman Kamanda will discuss the creation of Black-centered content, the increasing availability of diverse stories, and what representation of identities means across genres in book publishing.

The programs

LibLearnX offers a plethora of educational programs for library professionals. Here are a few of our favorites, as described by American Libraries in their always-thorough LibLearnX 2023 conference preview (see preview for dates and times of each session):

Sensory Spaces and Creative Programming to Reach Your Diverse Community

The goal of a sensory space is to provide an environment where children and adults with autism spectrum disorders, developmental disabilities, post-traumatic stress disorder, cerebral palsy, memory loss, dementia, and sensory processing disorders can feel safe and welcome. Panelists from Ocean County (N.J.) Library will share the story of their sensory space, which opened in 2021.

The Reading Culture Podcast Live with Ellen Oh

The Reading Culture podcast will record a live session with We Need Diverse Books cofounder Ellen Oh. Podcast host and Beanstack cofounder Jordan Lloyd Bookey will interview Oh about her revolutionary work and her journey as an author.

Engaging with Native and Indigenous Heritage: Guide to Indigenous Maryland

Learn how Maryland’s public libraries collaborated to develop an educational mobile app and website to engage the public with local Native and Indigenous heritage and culture.

Beyond the Book: Using Archives to Enhance School and Library Education

Learn how to discover resources available in historic and contemporary children’s archives and how to use online archival materials with students from the curators of historic children’s literature collections, including the renowned Kerlan Collection at University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection at University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, and the Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Collection at University of Florida in Gainesville.

Embracing Teen Voices through Authentic Publication at the Library

New York Public Library’s (NYPL) young adult services department has leveraged print and digital media and the library’s own platform to show teens that their voices matter and their ideas deserve a broad audience. In this session, discover how NYPL has created innovative publication opportunities for teens and how attendees can do the same at their libraries.

Cooking by the Book: Tips for Using Video to Promote Food Literacy

Join the creators and hosts of the Cooking by the Book YouTube series, designed and recorded at Baltimore County (Md.) Public Library. Make the best use of your cookbook collection by creating short YouTube videos and adjacent programming to help patrons become more proficient in the kitchen.

Navigating Challenging Topics with Graphic Novels and Manga

Graphic novels and manga provide a nuanced visual narrative where readers can connect with characters and immerse themselves in their lives. Speakers will discuss some of their favorite graphic novels and manga and focus on the ways they help readers talk about important, and perhaps difficult, topics.

Beyond Fake News: Updated Strategies in Digital Literacy, Misinformation, and Bias Instruction

Attendees will hear a case study from University of Utah and Granite School District in South Salt Lake City, Utah, about their digital literacy collaboration, which has provided learning experiences for young people and adults to identify, find, evaluate, and apply information.

The awards

Books, literacy, and librarians will be celebrated in outstanding fashion at LibLearnX this year. Here are a few of the must-catch ceremonies that you can be a part of if you attend:

I Love My Librarian Awards, Friday, January 27

These awards recognize the impact and accomplishments of outstanding public, academic, and school librarians. Ten winners will share their inspiring stories, and the ceremony will be streamed on ALA’s YouTube channel. A celebration of the winners will follow.

Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Observance and Sunrise Celebration, Sunday, January 29

This conference tradition commemorates Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy and recognizes the connection between his life’s work and the library world.

RUSA Book and Media Awards, Sunday, January 29

The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) annually recognizes the year’s best in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, audiobook narration, and reference materials. At this prerecorded event, RUSA, in coordination with cosponsor Booklist, will announce the winners of the 2023 Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction.

Youth Media Awards, Monday, January 30

More than 20 awards recognizing outstanding books, videos, and other materials for children and teens will be announced, including the Newbery and Caldecott medals, the Coretta Scott King Book Awards, and the Michael L. Printz, Pura Belpré, Stonewall, and Schneider Family awards. The ceremony will be livestreamed on ALA’s Facebook page and on Unikron.

The LibLearnX marketplace. ALA conferences are legendary for their exhibit halls-a sprawling assemblage of book publishers large and small, library tech vendors, comic book artists, and more who attend to promote and educate about their wares. Some book publishers give out free copies of upcoming titles (called advance reader copies or ARCS) and other book swag, which is a major draw for conference attendees.

New Orleans!

New Orleans is one of our favorite cities in the world. The music, the history, the revelry, the sightseeing, the FOOD!

Whether you love crawfish etouffee and oyster po’ boy sandwiches or fresh, sugary beignets, New Orleans is a culinary paradise. In its new issue, American Libraries has a dining guide detailing some of the city’s best-and most affordable-restaurants and food trucks, compiled specially for LibLearnX attendees by the author of the popular travel guide, Frommer’s EasyGuide to New Orleans. Just reading it will make your mouth water.

LibLearnX 2023 promises to be an extraordinary time in an extraordinary city. Visit the YouTube channel to learn more about everything the event has to offer-and don’t forget to take advantage of special non-ALA member registration rates! And if you can’t attend in person, more than 40 specially curated live and on-demand LibLearnX sessions will be available through the LLX Digital Experience. Registration includes access to this exciting content through February 28, 2023.

We can’t wait to see each and every one of you in New Orleans, January 27-30-or virtually at the LLX Digital Experience. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

ICYMI: ALA Executive Director Tracie D. Hall’s Literarian Award Acceptance Speech

Phil Morehart on December 9, 2022

“Moments like these are not intended to shine a spotlight on one individual but rather to hold up a mirror that reflects all of the people and places that have contributed to what an individual has become. Tonight is a reflection of two groups of people that have lit a lifelong fire within me-people who read and people who fight for the right to read.”

American Library Association (ALA) Executive Director Tracie D. Hall was honored with the National Book Foundation’s 2022 Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community on November 16 at a ceremony in New York City, and her acceptance speech was spectacular.

Following an introduction by professor and author Ibram X. Kendi, Hall thanked family, colleagues, librarians, fellow readers, and more for inspiring her love of reading and setting her on the path of lifelong learning. She also recognized those whose work helps instill a love of reading and literacy in others, as well as those yearning to read.

“This award goes out to our grandmothers and grandfathers, our neighbors and our friends, and all adults who long to read and to discover the freedom that comes from navigating the world as a reader,” she said.

Significantly, Hall dedicated her award to the countless readers, teachers, librarians, and ALA staff who work daily to protect the freedom to read for everyone.

“Let history show of this period that librarians and the writers whose work they protect from being removed or erased were on the frontlines in upholding our democracy,” Hall said.

Watch Hall’s inspiring speech in its entirety:

Photo: National Book Foundation

National Book Foundation Honors ALA Executive Director with Literarian Award

Chase Ollis on November 16, 2022

Librarians across the country will be tuning in tonight as one of their own is honored at the 73rd National Book Awards in New York City.

The National Book Foundation, which presents the annual awards, will honor Tracie D. Hall, executive director of the American Library Association (ALA), with its 2022 Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community. The award is given each year to an individual for a lifetime of achievement in expanding the audience for books and reading. Author and professor Ibram X. Kendi will present the award.

Hall said her first thoughts on receiving the award were of her family.

“My first thought upon being notified about this honor was wishing my grandparents could share this moment,” she said. “They were the ones who, because of their own interrupted schooling, introduced me to libraries as places for self-education. Because they-especially my grandmother-saw libraries and librarians as advocates for the community, they fostered in me the belief that libraries can and should play a role in bolstering equity and access. It is that foundation that has informed my work in libraries and at ALA, and that provides daily a sense of urgency.”

Prior to joining ALA as the first Black woman to lead the Association since its founding, Hall served in a wide array of academic and public service roles, including at the Joyce Foundation, Dominican University’s Master of Library and Information Science program, and public libraries across the country.

“Libraries are essential for all readers-they are spaces of learning and community whose importance has only been amplified by the pandemic and the ever-increasing tensions of resource equity,” said David Steinberger, chair of the National Book Foundation’s board of directors. “The Foundation is honored to recognize Hall’s extensive contributions to the diversification of the library and information science fields and her commitment to digital literacy in an age of misinformation, which will have a lasting impact of readers and communities everywhere.”

Hall joins a glowing roster of Literarian Award honorees, including legendary poet Maya Angelou, author and founder of McSweeney’s Dave Eggers, and National Public Radio’s Terry Gross. This will also be the second consecutive year the Literarian Award has been given to a librarian, after author and librarian Nancy Pearl received the 2021 award.

The National Book Awards will be broadcast live on November 16 at 8:00 p.m. ET. Book lovers can stream the ceremony live here.

Why I Left: A Librarian Speaks Out After Quitting Her Job Due to Community Complaints Over LGBTQ+ Books

Phil Morehart on September 21, 2022

Renee Greenlee was one of 10 librarians honored in 2022 with an I Love My Librarian Award from the American Library Association. But just months after receiving the award, Greenlee resigned from her position as director of Vinton (Iowa) Public Library, citing complaints that she received from the community due to the library having LGBTQ+-themed books and LGBTQ+ staff. She had only been with the library for about seven months total.

Greenlee isn’t the only librarian in the United States to resign from their jobs in recent months after receiving pushback over books by or about Black, LGBTQ+, and other marginalized persons. Some have also experienced threats of violence and harassment-all for standing up for the freedom to read.

Greenlee spoke with I Love Libraries recently about her experiences; the toll it took on her, her family, and library staff; and what librarians can do if they find themselves in similar circumstances.

How long were you at Vinton Public Library? And when did the troubles begin?

I started November 8, 2021, and my last day was June 3, 2022.

The first thing that happened was when a community member addressed the library board during its March 2022 meeting. That was the first I had heard of anything. Nobody had come to me at all [before then].

The uproar was about LGBTQ+ books in the library. Were any books singled out in the complaints?

During my time there, no particular books were singled out-just general LGBTQ+ materials. They did highlight books that have transgender characters and themes. That was a point of contention for them, but they didn’t specify. It’s interesting because in the statement to the board in March, [the community member] specifically said, “I am not asking that any books be banned or even removed.” It was kind of like they were, in a way, protecting themselves. They were asking for a balance of materials on the shelves. If we had a book about a transgender person then we had to have a book about people or children who are created as male or female from birth for life. They were asking for a one-to-one balance. It was kind of an interesting ask how they put it. I would call it a blanket challenge, you know what I mean? And not only did they blanket challenge LGBTQ+ books, but they challenged LGBTQ+ staff; just them being on staff. It was really disheartening and shocking. I was very taken aback.

Had you experienced anything like this prior to coming to the library?

When I was at Marion (Iowa) Public Library, our programming team and others put on a Pride fest together with local teens. They wanted to do it for the community. We had a drag queen storytime and several Iowa-based organizations that are LGBTQ+ allies came and setup booths at the library. It was well attended, but we did have some pushback from people in the community, as well as from people outside the community who kind of trolled us. I believe it was handled by the director, so I don’t feel like it got to a bad place there.

How was it handled in Vinton? Did you have some support in the community?

I did. There was support from a lot of people. But the thing that was hard was.… Well, there were a few things.

A library board member gave me some trouble during this time. I felt that the rest of the board was supportive of me, but they just didn’t speak out or stand up for me or for library values. I’m not sure if it’s because they didn’t know how to go about doing it or being in a small community, they didn’t want to step on people’s toes. I had a lot of good connections with community members. When all of this came out publicly in April, people were getting concerned and came to that [month’s] board meeting to show support, so that was nice.

But I do think a lot of it has to do with the small community aspect. They’re such close neighbors with each other, and they know and see each other on a regular basis. They had to maintain decent respectful connections with each other, and they may have had a hard time rocking the boat. That’s how I perceived it.

Was there a breaking point for you?

There was. After the March board meeting, I tried to get a statement of ethics for board trustees in place because of that little bit of trouble with one of the board members. I wanted to make sure that the board members understood what their roles were and that they needed to be supportive of what the library stands for. I also wanted to get the bylaws changed to include language that states that public speakers can’t say things that are discriminatory or harassing. I wanted to get that in place before the next meeting.

At the April board meeting, I gave a response regarding the statement [given at the March meeting]. After that, I was like, “Okay, I think we can move on from here, because I answered what the concerns were and had it backed up with research and data and things like that.” I felt really good about that. Then at the May meeting, the same board member was still going against [the new statement of ethics]. At that point, I thought it was an uphill battle that I didn’t feel I could succeed in. That was pretty much the turning point for me. I was like, that’s it. I felt like the board understood what needed to happen, but they just were not acting on it in a way that made me feel supported.

How did the rest of the library staff react to this situation? What was the atmosphere like at the library during this time?

After the March board meeting, I talked to each of my staff members one-on-one, because I wanted them to hear from me about what had been said before hearing it from anyone else in the community. They were very disappointed. I mean, to be singled out for just being who they are; that’s who they are. There was a lot of stress. I was upset. I was angry. These were my colleagues. These are people I had grown to really like, and I think they felt the same way about each other. We were protective of each other. I think a lot of us were angry and upset and didn’t know what to do, I guess. How do you fight people just not wanting you because you’re you?

It must have taken a mental and emotional toll on you and your family, as well.

Yes, it did. I have immediate family members who are part of the LGBTQ+ community. I have a transgender child, and I have a gay child. Not only was this disheartening just because it is itself, but it is especially when you have that history in your own life. I was angry for my kids, too. It wasn’t right. I took this home with me every night, and it was a very high-stress situation. It didn’t take long for it wear on my mental health and to reach a point where I was like, “You know what? If this continues longer, I’m even willing to leave without having a backup to a next position.” I know I’m lucky to be able to say that and to have that support and privilege with my own family. I know some people don’t, but it was not a situation I wanted to stay in much longer at all.

Do you have any words of advice for any other librarians or library workers who might be experiencing similar challenges?

Again, I don’t want to make any judgments on anyone else’s lives or the privileges I have in life versus what other people have, but if they can, to the best of their ability, uphold those values. It’s so important that we have public libraries that are accessible to everyone with books that are accessible to everyone, because if we don’t, we’re in a world of trouble. I know that for some librarians it can be hard, because they don’t have those support systems and they don’t feel like they can stand up to challenges against staff or against books. But as public librarians, I feel like we signed up for this. And not to get into too much “vocational awe” or that we’re these heroes or anything, but we do have a purpose, and people rely on our purpose. People rely on us to help them access what they need.

You’re at Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Public Library now?

I am, yes. Cedar Rapids is my hometown, and while all of Iowa still needs work-there’s not one place that is free of things like this-I feel like Cedar Rapids is more welcoming. And the library: I feel like I’m definitely making a home there. It was a good move. I’m a programming librarian now, and I am really happy to meet the community and use my talents and passions to help them as much as possible. I’m grateful to be where I am now.

Learn more about how you can help protect the freedom to read at the Banned Books Week website.

Last Chance to Nominate Your Favorite Librarian for an I Love My Librarian Award!

Phil Morehart on September 16, 2022

There’s only two weeks left to nominate your favorite librarian for a 2023 I Love My Librarian Award!

Is your librarian a local hero? Do they go above and beyond to serve your community? Are they a champion for inclusivity or a defender of the freedom to read? Then tell the world how awesome they are by nominating them! Nominations will be accepted online through September 30, 2022.

Since the award’s inception in 2008, library users nationwide have submitted more than 22,000 nominations detailing how librarians transformed their communities, including efforts to improve inclusivity, digital access, and literacy. To date, 140 librarians have received this distinguished honor. And now the American Library Association (ALA) is looking to add another 10 to the list.

ALA member leaders will select 10 librarians from thousands of nominations, and each selected librarian will receive $5,000 in recognition of their outstanding public service. The Association will honor award recipients on stage at the I Love My Librarian Award ceremony at ALA’s LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience in January. Honorees also will receive complimentary LibLearnX registration and a travel stipend as part of their award package.

Check out last year’s inspiring honorees, then nominate your favorite librarian for the recognition of a lifetime. You can also help spread the word about the award in your community with our promotional tools.

Supporting Ukraine

Phil Morehart on August 24, 2022

Today is the Independence Day of Ukraine. But despite the celebration, Russia’s invasion of the country persists, entering its sixth month this week. The war has affected people globally, including American librarians and their work. The latest episode of the Call Number with American Libraries podcast looks at how the library profession is supporting Ukraine.

First, Call Number host Diana Panuncial speaks with Kristin Parker, lead curator and manager of the arts at Boston Public Library, who is part of a network of first responders working to preserve Ukraine’s cultural history and provide preservation advice to library workers on the ground.

Next, American Libraries Editor and Publisher Sanhita SinhaRoy speaks with Michael Dowling, director of the American Library Association’s (ALA) International and Chapter Relations Office, about ALA’s Ukraine Library Relief Fund and how donations are being used.

Finally, Panuncial talks to Millicent Mabi, director of community engagement and programming at Regina Public Library (RPL) in Saskatchewan, about how RPL is helping Ukrainian refugees-from teaching them English to improving their literacy to connecting them with community resources.

How to help

Library and book lovers who want to help the Ukrainian library community are encouraged to donate to the ALA Ukraine Library Relief Fund. Established by ALA in collaboration with the Ukrainian Library Association (ULA), the fund will gather donations for the Ukrainian library community as they face the challenges of war.

Funds raised by the ALA Ukraine Library Relief Fund will help purchase computers, software, and other resources. Donations will also help support immediate repair needs such as glazing windows and fixing roofs damaged by bombing to keep libraries open. ULA will provide small amounts of support for librarians and library workers who are in harm’s way, wounded, or displaced and need of financial assistance. Donations to the ALA Ukraine Library Relief Fund can be made directly via credit card or by check made out to the American Library Association with a notation that it is for Ukraine. ALA will send donations to ULA once a month.

Photo by Adam Śmigielski on Unsplash.

I Love My Librarian Award Winner Spotlight: Tammi Moe

Phil Morehart on August 9, 2022

Tammi Moe, director of Octavia Fellin Public Library (OFPL) in Gallup, New Mexico, has worked to broaden OFPL’s programming and service reach beyond the library’s walls to reach Gallup’s majority Indigenous American population. By forging strong partnerships with other city departments and community organizations, Moe has facilitated a library presence at festivals, health fairs, career days, and other local events, and as a result, OFPL program attendance increased. These efforts and more led Moe’s colleagues and OFPL patrons to nominate her for an I Love My Librarian (ILML) Award this year-which she won along with nine other librarians from across the U.S.

OFPL has focused its programming on socially relevant issues, generational experiences, and opportunities for open dialogue under Moe’s tutelage. Programs have addressed a range of historically sensitive topics for the community, notably the involuntary sterilization of Indigenous women and the incarceration and murder of indigenous activists. As one of Moe’s award nominators noted:

“Confronting our historical and current, very real issues is exactly what [she] has inaugurated, in an unbelievably effective series of instructive installations, displays, and programs. The public library has become a center for deeply probing our own history, our own conflicts, and our own individual and collective roles in those conflicts.”

Moe’s leadership at OFPL has had an impact both inside and outside of the library. “Tammi’s leadership is kind, supportive, engaged, and thoughtful,” an award nominator wrote. “She has dissolved the walls of the library, creating a community platform for healing and cultural understanding through shared experiences.”

Watch Moe’s remarks at the 2022 ILML Award ceremony at LibLearnX below:

Moe and the other ILML Award winners each receive a $5,000 cash prize, a $750 donation to their library, and complimentary registration to the American Library Association’s LibLearnX. Since the ILML Award’s inception in 2008, library users have shared more than 20,000 nominations detailing how librarians have gone above and beyond to promote literacy, expand access to technology, and support diversity and inclusion in their communities. Learn more about previous award winners.

Nominations for the 2023 ILML Awards are now open. Nominate your favorite librarian!

I Love My Librarian Award Winner Spotlight: William C. Gibbons

Phil Morehart on April 19, 2022

William C. Gibbons, associate professor and curator of archives and special collections at the City College of New York (CCNY) in New York City, is known in his community as a librarian, teacher, and mentor who inspires students to embrace and overcome obstacles-and it has led him to become an I Love My Librarian (ILML) Award winner this year.

Gibbons’s award nominators lauded his work with the Black Male Initiative, a program spanning the entire City University of New York system that is focused on increasing matriculation, retention, and graduation rates of underrepresented students, particularly men of color. His dedication to the initiative has helped forge paths for students to become future educators. As his ILML Award nominator noted: “[Gibbons] work with the Black Male Initiative made it possible for many male college students to find a voice in a world not equipped to embrace them.”

Gibbons seamlessly blends his personal interests with his professional scholarship, as well, with a particular focus on Harlem and local sports. From his involvement with Harlem Little League Baseball to advising on the development of a museum exhibit exploring New York’s basketball history, he weaves sports and scholarship into unique educational opportunities. He has developed partnerships between CCNY and organizations across Harlem-including New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and the Harlem Documentary Association-to immerse students in the neighborhood’s vibrant cultural identity. “The face of the everyday person is where William Gibbons does his best work,” his nominator wrote. “He gives his time, his expertise, and his skills to anyone who is lucky to encounter him at the library reference desk.”

Gibbons and nine other ILML Award winners each receive a $5,000 cash prize, a $750 donation to their library, and complimentary registration to the American Library Association’s LibLearnX. Since the ILML Award’s inception in 2008, library users have shared more than 20,000 nominations detailing how librarians have gone above and beyond to promote literacy, expand access to technology, and support diversity and inclusion in their communities. Learn more about previous award winners.

Celebrate National Library Week with Us

Phil Morehart on April 3, 2022

April 3-9 is National Library Week—a time for library lovers across the country to celebrate literacy, intellectual freedom, and equitable access to information.

As the COVID-19 pandemic moves into its third year, libraries are proving to be more essential than ever, providing services and programs that have kept communities strong even while socially distancing. The past year saw an unprecedented increase in book challenges and book banning in school and public libraries across the U.S. Librarians have been on the frontlines of these battles, ensuring that everyone has the freedom to read. National Library Week is an opportunity to remind the world that this work matters.

Actress and comedian Molly Shannon will serve as this year’s National Library Week Honorary Chair, helping promote the 2022 theme “Connect with Your Library.” Shannon says she has a deep connection to the library world.

“My mom was a librarian,” Shannon says. “She encouraged kids to read. So, the work of librarians and libraries has such a special place in my heart. Libraries are places where communities connect—to things like broadband, computers, programs and classes, books, movies, video games and more. But most importantly, libraries connect us to each other.”

There are countless ways to join the National Library Week celebration, from attending events at your local library to contacting legislators about library funding. Here are a few of our favorite ways to get involved:

Speak Out for Library Funding

Funding libraries is an investment in our communities: Libraries perform essential social services like promoting literacy, supporting job seekers, and providing access to information for all. National Library Week is the perfect time to contact your legislators to let them know why library funding is so important—and the American Library Association has made it easy to get involved with resources on local, state, and national policy positions; best practices for working with traditional and social media; simple methods to discover exactly who represents you in Washington and locally; advocacy assistance for everything from equity, diversity, and inclusion issues to disaster aid to book challenges; and more.

Read a Banned Book

ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 729 challenges to library, school and university materials and services in 2021, resulting in more than 1,597 individual book challenges or removals. Most targeted books were by or about Black or LGBTQIA+ people. Show your support for these books—and the librarians and library workers defending your freedom to read—by reading a banned book. The Top 10 Banned Books List for 2021 will be released on April 5 in ALA’s State of America’s Library Report or you can select a book from past lists, including titles like Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds, The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin, and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

Join the Conversation on Social Media

All week long, we’re asking library users to talk about the connections you’ve made because of their library. Did you find a great book? Get access to computers? Attend a great program or storytime? Did you make new friends at your library’s book club? Post to Instagram, Twitter, or on the I Love Libraries Facebook page using the hashtag #MyLibrary. We’ll gather all the entries, and one randomly selected winner will receive a $100 Visa gift card. The promotion starts Sunday, April 3 at noon CT and ends on Saturday, April 9 at noon CT.

Visit Your Library’s Website

One of the easiest ways to support your library is just to visit their website and use their resources! With countless free ebooks, audiobooks, movies, magazines, databases, and more, your library has something entertaining and informative for everyone. Don’t have a library card? Many libraries allow you to register online-visit your local library’s website or contact a librarian to find out more.

Treat Yourself to Library Merch

Show off your library love with t-shirts from our friends at Out of Print emblazoned with beloved ALA READ posters featuring actor, author, and literacy advocate LeVar Burton and 90s heartthrob Fabio! The best part? Proceeds from these products support the American Library Association’s efforts to promote digital access, combat censorship, and champion much-needed funding for libraries.

Visit the National Library Week website to learn more! And don’t forget to sign up for the I Love Libraries newsletter!

I Love My Librarian Award Winner Spotlight: Shamella Cromartie

I Love Libraries Admin on February 25, 2022

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are at the center of Shamella Cromartie’s work at Western Carolina University (WCU), in Cullowhee, North Carolina, where she serves as associate dean of library services. And it has led her to be chosen as a 2022 I Love My Librarian (ILML) Award winner. Awarded annually, the ILML honor recognizes exceptional academic, public, and school librarians.

At WCU, Cromartie developed and implemented a program that coaches faculty members in employing inclusive pedagogy in their courses and also rewards successful applicants with a stipend for their work and funding for inclusive classroom materials. As one of her nominators noted, “Prior to her arrival, I never thought of the library as a space that would lead in diversity and inclusion efforts. She is cultivating faculty pedagogical capacity while simultaneously ensuring our collection is inclusive.”

Cromartie’s dedication to supporting research and scholarship efforts received praise from colleagues who nominated her for the award. In one story from her nomination letter, a professor researching a Black administrator of African American schools in the 1920s to 1950s sought the educator’s master’s thesis, of which only one copy exists. After the professor hit repeated dead ends working with other librarians trying to access the thesis, Cromartie “went the extra mile” to work with the holding institution and contextualize the professor’s need and research focus. “A month or so later, she walk[ed] in my office with the bound thesis-as I read the pages, I cried,” the professor said.

At the ILML award ceremony-presented virtually during LibLearnX in January-Cromartie thanked the community of colleagues who have “taught me about equity, equality, and justice, and given me a set of tools” to make the library more inclusive, as well as her library’s interlibrary loan staff “who help me fulfill the missions that my colleagues are so often grateful for.”

Cromartie and nine other ILML Award winners each receive a $5,000 cash prize, a $750 donation to their library, and complimentary registration to the American Library Association’s LibLearnX. Since the ILML Award’s inception in 2008, library users have shared more than 20,000 nominations detailing how librarians have gone above and beyond to promote literacy, expand access to technology, and support diversity and inclusion in their communities. Learn more about previous award winners.