Finally finished the thorough perusal of the last several issues of American Libraries Direct.
Thoughts and observations:
- The majority of K-12 libraries that are losing certified librarians are located in communities with high poverty levels and parents who “don’t know how to work the system,” i.e., those who likely need access to libraries the most.
- There are a disconcerting number of legislators across America who believe that anyone can run a library. Disappointingly, it seems that many (if not most) of these legislators are simply representing the attitudes of their constituents, as the tendency to discount the professional abilities of librarians goes well beyond the walls of state capital buildings. I, for one, have been asked several times “You have to have a Master’s degree to be a librarian!?!?!”
- Several libraries are being asked to move from historic buildings (in need of expensive restoration and repair) or from prime locations at the heart of town to make way for high-end hotels and malls. (It seems service in these areas will no longer be free.)
- While some communities are bemoaning the cost of accommodating newly immigrated Americans, libraries nationwide are encouraging the opportunity to teach and learn, e.g., Connecticut State Library translating library applications into fifteen different languages and making them available via open access. Here’s one of my favorite lines from the two-page Korean application:
선거에 참여하기 등록하시기를 원하십니까? 예 아니오
Would you like to register to vote? Yes No
Linda Summers
