There’s power in understanding library performance at all levels - from collection to circulation and patron demographics and engagement. Looking beyond collection data to make decisions leads to better engagement with programs, outreach, services and more. Understanding data that’s already at your fingertips leads to big improvements in community service and engagement.
Since April, Brooklyn Public Library’s (BPL) Books Unbanned program has offered free library cards to teens and young adults across the United States who live in communities impacted by book bans, enabling them to access the library’s collection of more than 500,000 ebooks, e-audiobooks, digital magazines, and more. BPL Chief Librarian Nick Higgins recently talked to LJ about how the idea for the program originated and how it has grown during the past six months.
Kathy Zappitello, executive director of the Conneaut Public Library, OH, and past president of the Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL), announced her candidacy for state representative of Ohio’s 99th district in August. Her decision, she said, came about after former Democratic nominee Abby Kovacs, who won the August 2 primary to run against incumbent Sarah Fowler Arthur (R-Ashtabula), was forced to withdraw from the race after being narrowly disqualified by redistricting.
Are you happy in your job? LJ is fielding a survey about job satisfaction. We plan to report what U.S. library personnel love about their work, what drives them crazy, their challenges, advancement opportunities, and more. We invite you to participate by clicking on the headline or linked image. Results from this survey will be shared in an upcoming feature in LJ. The survey should take no more than 12 minutes to complete. If you cannot complete it in one session, please use the ‘save and complete later’ button at the top of the page to save your responses and finish later. The deadline to respond is October 24.
"One lasting impact of the pandemic on the U.S. workplace was proof that remote work or hybrid remote/in-person modalities could be successful. This had the potential to affect respondents during their coursework, job search, and subsequent employment."
Dr. N.S. ‘Ilaheva Tua’one, assistant professor of Native American and Indigenous studies in the Women’s and Ethnic Studies Program at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UCCS), has been named the inaugural Storytelling Professor at the Kraemer Family Library. The three-year rotating endowed professorship will give Tua’one the opportunity to celebrate and diffuse storytelling into the culture of Colorado Springs through an interdisciplinary lens.
The LJ editors are seeking nominations for the 34th annual Library Journal Librarian of the Year Award to honor a professional librarian for outstanding achievement and accomplishments reflecting the loftiest service goals of the library profession. Nominations for Librarian of the Year are sought and welcome from the entire profession as well as from trustees, administrators, officials, colleagues, and library users. Nomination postmark or email deadline is October 29, 2022.
For Rue Mapp, engaging in outdoor activities is a lifestyle. She’s the CEO/founder of Outdoor Afro, the nation’s top nonprofit inspiring Black people and leadership by connecting them with nature, and has won awards including the National Wildlife Federation Communication Award (received alongside Bill Clinton). She’s a pioneer who changes the narrative in her debut book, Nature Swagger: Stories and Visions of Black Joy in the Outdoors. She talks with LJ about her hopes, her mission, and being a first-time author.
Multi-award-winning Phil Rosenthal, the creator of TV’s Everybody Loves Raymond, has entertained millions with his humor and insight. His travel and food show Somebody Feed Phil is currently delighting viewers on Netflix. LJ spoke with Rosenthal about cities he loves, cookbooks he treasures, and what his show and the new accompanying cookbook offer to viewers and readers.
The multiple subjects in our inaugural Life+Style review section span essential topics that help readers build the life they want, find balance, create home, and fulfill creative aspirations. We invite you to read these 100+ reviews and find titles to enhance your collection, aid readers, and, we also very much hope, find joy yourself.
The editors of Library Journal need your help in identifying emerging talents in the library world—both great leaders and behind-the-scenes contributors who are providing inspiration and model programs for others. Our 21st annual round of Movers & Shakers will profile up-and-coming individuals from around the world who are innovative, creative, and making a difference fighting against censorship, and helping improve their workplace. From librarians and non-degreed library workers to publishers, vendors, coders, entrepreneurs, reviewers, and others who impact the library field—Movers & Shakers 2023 will celebrate those people who are moving all types of libraries ahead! Please let us know about anybody you think we should be aware of. Submissions will close on November 14, 2022.
It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover leads holds this week and becomes Simon & Schuster's most pre-ordered book of all time. Four LibraryReads and four Indie Next picks publish this week. People's book of the week is Down and Out in Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain by Charles Leerhsen. Paul Newman's posthumous memoir gets buzz.
Preti Taneja wins the 2022 Gordon Burn Prize for Aftermath. The 2022 T. S. Eliot Prize shortlist is out. Author interviews explore conversations with Fatimah Asghar, Billy-Ray Belcourt, Prince Shakur, Nada Alic, Joshua Prager, Ed Yong, and Constance Wu. There is adaptation news for Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu, Jeff Lemire’s graphic novel, Essex County, and Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club.
The Brilliance of Stars, by J’nell Ciesielski, is one of this week's starred romance titles. "This is an adrenaline-packed, globe-trotting read for anyone looking for a clean-cut adventure reminiscent of Captain America. It’s a great title to add to genre-bending Christian fiction shelves containing Michelle Griep’s 'Blackfriars' series and Ronie Kendig’s 'The Tox Files' series." The Brain Behind Pain: Exploring the Mind-Body Connection, by Akhtar Purvez, is a starred health and medicine selection. "Backed by research, which is cited in a comprehensive bibliography, Purvez’s book is highly recommended for clinicians seeking to better understand how to help their patients and for general readers whose own lives have been impacted by pain." Matt Bondurant's Oleander City is a starred fiction title. "Bondurant masterfully entwines haunting imagery, humanity at its best and worst, and factual historical events into an examination of racism, sexism, and white privilege that is just as relevant today as it was in 1900." And Hester, by Laurie Lico Albanese, is another starred fiction selection. "This generously researched and compelling novel will draw readers deep into Isobel’s refusal to be suppressed and her determination to live life on her own terms. It is a seductive, ambitious, and triumphant story of resilience and courage."
Job Zone utilizes unique job matching technology to help you find the perfect job (and employers find the perfect candidate), whether you’re actively seeking or just keeping an eye out for your possibilities. Log on today and check out our newest features, including automated job and candidate matches, and email alerts.
