It's a sticky subject in the library world: is it appropriate for public libraries to charge a fee for patrons to participate in programs?
I'm not trying to take sides, but rather illuminate some of the reasons why libraries might charge fees and to start what I hope will be a productive dialogue about this emerging dilemma.
Last year, I wrote about how you can use conditional formatting in Excel to track important deadlines for promoting library programs. In order to ensure that I remember to send something out to the more than 14 communication channels that we routinely utilize at the William H. Hannon Library, these customized spreadsheets have been indispensable.
In 1827, the town of Lexington, Massachusetts, appointed a three-person committee to start a library. The committee suggested that âit is expedient to raise sixty dollars, by a tax, to purchase books for said library.â The precursor of the Cary Library, one of the nationâs oldest, was thus established.
The Madison Public Library Naturalist-in-Residence encouraged our community to explore, learn and reflect upon the natural world through accessible nature-based experiences guided by a local naturalist.
Tulsa City-County Library has had a seed library at some locations since 2014 but the pandemic hit just as Tulsaâs spring planting season began. We were completely closed until mid-May 2020. Meanwhile, everybody and their brother had taken up gardening. How could we get as many seeds as possible in Tulsa gardens while offering only curbside service?
Itâs fair to say that COVID made for a meaningful â and very steep â learning experience for librarians. We became adept at virtual programs, no-touch lending, adopting social distancing, health and safety rules and much, much more.
With a scarily accurate algorithm, TikTok will fill up your âFor You Pageâ with an endless scroll of videos tailor-made to your interests and humor. Chances are, if you keep scrolling, youâll come across a library TikTok.
In 1976, Alice Hagemeyer was a newly appointed staff person at the DC Public Library. As a deaf librarian, she quickly experienced culture shock and a rude awakening as she met and spoke with librarians.
Mackenzee Grzesiak, reference librarian at Alpha Park Public Library in Illinois, was watching HBOâs "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" when she connected her work on the libraryâs podcast to the episodeâs coverage of Americaâs current mental health crisis.
âASL (American Sign Language) is becoming hugely popular for hearing people to learn,â says Alicia Deal, public services librarian at Dallas (Texas) Public Library. âAs great as that is, I worry that itâll end up being a passing fad.â
As a librarian, you may face stressful or potentially harmful situations on the job. Maybe youâve recently had a run-in with a patron asking you uncomfortable questions or had a program that was met with protests. What are the best ways to de-escalate these situations? Luckily, they are techniques you probably already have in your librarian toolbox.
To celebrate National Library Week, tween, teen, and adult patrons can create their own mini-libraries at home and then add them to the full display.
History Unfolded: US Newspapers and the Holocaust is a citizen history project of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The project is inviting libraries to research local newspaper coverage on Holocaust-era events between 1933 and 1946 and submit relevant findings to the projectâs database.
While experiencing months of isolation due to COVID-19, conversations about the importance of mental health have come to the forefront.
When people think about programming in libraries, traditional programs â like story times for kids or a knitting club â may come to mind.
Inspired by a make your own ancient perfume station at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, Skincare of the Ancient World was a program in which I taught patrons how to create their own skincare using the oils and spices that Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans would have used.
This hands-on program combines self-care, sustainability and history to teach patrons how they can use everyday, natural ingredients to create inexpensive, yet effective, skincare products found in ancient times.
Libraries provide educational programming, a welcoming space, and access to computers and internet connection. This last point has become increasingly important during the pandemic, especially for libraries serving rural areas. In order to safely continue serving their communities, they have faced both the obstacles of switching to virtual programming and ensuring people can access it, on what is often a tiny budget.
Bridgerton High Tea is a program that combines a discussion of the "Bridgerton" novels and Netflix series with a classy afternoon tea and flower-arranging demonstration.Â
Some participants dressed to the nines in gowns, gloves and tiaras. Regardless of attire, participants were treated to a spread of scones and teapots filled to the brim with hot tea.
The Southern Adirondack Library System works with two regional food distribution networks â the Comfort Food Community and Capitol Rootsâ Squash Hunger Program â to reduce food waste by rescuing food. The food gleaned from local farms is shared through libraries located in rural food deserts to alleviate the challenges of food insecurity and food access.
The Chatham Area Public Library's Film Discussion Kits each focus on a topic of social justice:Â race, voting rights, gender and sexuality, and environmental justice.
The collection consists of five kits, each containing a DVD and discussion guide with questions, watch-alikes, ways to stream content with your library card, and paper for notes.
Supplies are contained in a plastic ArtBin with a label showcasing the enclosed film. Depending on interest and impact, the collection could adjust and grow in the future.
