Historical Backgrounds for Your Next Zoom Meeting
By Lindsey Simon |
Conference calls getting stale? It might be time to mix things up with a new webcam backdrop. The Library of Congress digital collections contain countless options, offering a vast variety of historical images that are free to download and use. Just save your favorites and turn on Zoom’s Virtual Background feature to add some old-school flair to your meeting. …
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Why Libraries Are a Lifeline for Seniors During COVID
By Lindsey Simon |
The coronavirus pandemic has been particularly hard on seniors, who face an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and are often socially isolated as a result. Libraries, which have always played a crucial role in supporting older adults in their communities, have risen to the occasion: they’ve been providing information and human connection to …
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How Libraries Are Supporting Your Favorite Authors
By I Love Lib Admin |
Public libraries serve many roles in their communities, including the one they’re best known for: they ensure everyone can freely access books and other media, all without having to pay. An unfortunate misconception that some have about this model is that libraries undercut book sales by loaning out free copies-but library staff, readers, and publishers …
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Librarians’ Social Justice Reading Recommendations for Kids and Families
By Lindsey Simon |
Amid ongoing national conversations about anti-Blackness and racial violence, librarians from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) and the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) have put together a social justice reading list for youth. The list, titled Community, Connecting, Cultivating & Constructing Conversations Through Literacy, highlights books for kids in …
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Keep Calm and Read On With These Library-Themed Face Masks
By Lindsey Simon |
alamasks-thumbnail.png Bibliophiles can show off their love for libraries while keeping their communities safe with these amazing new face masks from ALA Graphics, the retail team from the American Library Association. These 100% cotton masks are breathable, washable, and reusable, and come in both youth and adult sizes. Proceeds from their sale support ALA’s work …
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Americans Visited Libraries More Than a Billion Times in One Year
By Lindsey Simon |
A new report from the Institute for Museum of Library Services shows more than 170 million Americans went to their public libraries in 2017 a total of 1.32 billion times. That means every American who lives within a public library’s service area—or about 312 million people—headed to their library four times over the course of …
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8 People Share Why They Became Librarians
By Lindsey Simon |
We asked the American Library Association’s social media followers and newsletter subscribers for their stories about deciding to become a librarian. Here are a few of our favorites: “My mother was a school librarian and I can remember the countless days we spent as kids in her school library after school and during the summer, …
Last Chance for Federal COVID-19 Funding—Here’s How You Can Help America’s Libraries
By Lindsey Simon |
The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the U.S. economy, and our nation’s libraries are no exception. Libraries across the country are reporting drastic budget cuts, making it harder to serve their communities when Americans need them most. That’s why library advocates are calling on legislators to sign the Library Stabilization Fund Act, which would provide crucial …
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