As a result of recent events and historical reflection, public libraries are increasing efforts to advance racial equality and provide resources for conversations and greater communication between diverse groups of people and more engagement with local libraries and their programs. These efforts are particularly important for children because childhood is the life stage when people first develop not only reading skills and emotional regulation but also respect, concern for other people, and awareness of diversity.

As year-round community organizations with free membership and access to resources, libraries serve crucial roles in community education and dialogue. Several public libraries have created Black Lives Matter programs, such as a Young Adult Reading List at the Hennepin County Public Library, crisis counseling services at the Dallas Public Library, and a LibGuide on Black Lives Matter teaching materials at the San Francisco Public Library.^[4]

In a recent article on diversity, equality, and equity in public libraries, Erin M. Schadt argues that while libraries are open to the public, not every public library is easily accessible to those reliant on public transportation.^[5] Car ownership has decreased over the past few years,^[6] and the national average unemployment rate is presently about 4.9 percent.^[7] These statistics are important because a job is usually necessary to purchase and maintain a car, and vice versa, suggesting that it is prudent for communities to focus on cost-effective ways to improve public transportation, increase library accessibility, and expand job-finding and -creation programs. Some libraries work to increase access with bookmobiles, car pools, ensured and extended evening and weekend hours, new satellite locations, book delivery programs for hospital patients and homebound individuals, collaborations with schools, recreation departments, and juvenile and senior citizen transportation programs to facilitate transportation to and from libraries.

Furthermore, librarians are encouraged to represent libraries by speaking and/or hosting tables at community institutions, such as schools, retirement communities, health clubs, farmer’s markets, fairs, and other events. Schadt’s article also quotes Sandra Hughes-Hassell (a school library media professor at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill), who makes the point that library boards (and other library-related organizations) should strive for diverse memberships (e.g. age, religion, race, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical ability, professional expertise) so that multiple points of view and community concerns are expressed and ultimately reflected in administrative decisions. Another strategy is for libraries to create more student diversity internship programs for library students from underrepresented groups to work in public libraries.

One example of these efforts is for libraries to consider hosting restorative justice discussions, during which a trained facilitator engages participants in a discussion of how conflict impacts stakeholders and what can be done in the future to prevent violence and resolve conflicts in nonviolent ways. Another idea is for libraries to host guest speakers from diverse equality-focused organizations such as the NAACP and the Human Rights Campaign, so that library patrons can learn more about diversity and respectful communication among different groups of people. In addition, education-related organizations such as Thrive Washington, provide worksheets and other freely available resources for teaching children about diversity, equality, and nonviolence. A further option is to host lectures by local university professors in fields such as sociology and other social sciences so that patron communities can explore historical and contemporary issues in group discussions.

Library directors and collection development librarians may also partake in activities such as organizing readings by authors from diverse backgrounds and compiling resource guides that focus on diverse authors and/or subject matter.

Libraries make a difference for children every day, and I look forward to continuing to work towards these efforts so that all children in a community can benefit from public library programs and resources as we deal with the aftermath of the recent summer events and focus on nonviolence and productive, healthful, safe, and educational futures for our children. For these reasons, I believe that equal opportunities begin and grow/thrive with public libraries.

Resources

WebJunction: Extended Racial Equity Resource Guide for Libraries

Library of Congress: Student Diversity Internship Program

Further Reading

• “Libraries Respond to Community Needs in Times of Crisis,” American Libraries.

References

[1] Associated Press, “The Latest: Hundreds Gather at School After Castile Funeral,” ABC News, July 14, 2016.

[2] Joel Achenbach et al., “Five Dallas police officers were killed by a lone attacker, authorities say,” Washington Post, July 8, 2016.

[3] Tyler Pager, “Justice Dept. to review police response to Orlando shooting,” Politico, July 15, 2016.

[4] Jody Gray and John Amundsen, “Libraries Respond to Recent Crises,” American Libraries, July 11, 2016.

[5] Erin M. Schadt, “Racial Equity in the Library, Part One: Where to Start?” WebJunction, February 10, 2016.

[6] “Hitchin’ a ride: Fewer Americans have their own vehicle,” Michigan News (University of Michigan), January 23, 2014.

[7] “National Unemployment Rate Rose to 4.9 Percent in June 2016,” National Conference of State Legislatures, July 8, 2016.

The post Encouraging Diversity and Equity in Public Libraries first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

National security letters do not need to be approved by judges, are distributed secretly, and forbid institutions from disclosing these activities,^[3] meaning that sensitive information, such as financial records, may be released to the FBI without the consent or knowledge of the people whose personal information is contained in these records, such as credit card holders or bank customers. Concerns have been raised in several court cases that national security letters might violate the First Amendment by imposing “prior restraint” and “content-based restrictions” upon speech.^[4]

The American Library Association and several other organizations have written a letter in opposition to the Intelligence Authorization Act. The authors of this letter are concerned that sensitive information (medical information, personal beliefs, or political opinions) could be disclosed without a court order. In some instances, national security letters may have collected information from people even when there was no ongoing FBI investigation, which raises concerns about possible invasions of privacy.^[5]

While there are obvious needs to protect national security, ensure public safety, and prevent terrorism, protocols to protect individual privacy also seem necessary, particularly in situations where an individual accesses information for personal reasons that have no correlation to acts of violence or other illegal activities. It appears that more distinctions and restrictions need to be made so that individuals do not fear undue surveillance when pursuing information as private citizens (e.g. reading an article about a health issue) because it is important to protect the right to read without fears of censorship. Libraries will continue to need to examine their policies in accordance with new developments to state, federal, and local information laws and to protect patron privacy and content censorship and seek legal counsel in the event that a national security letter or court order is issued.

Resources

House Intelligence Committee Passes Fiscal Year 2017 Intelligence Authorization Bill

Wyden Opposes 2017 Intelligence Authorization Act that Expands Government Surveillance and Undermines Independent Oversight Board

References

[1] “National Security Letters: FAQ,” Electronic Frontier Foundation, accessed July 19, 2016.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Access Now, et al., “ECTR Coalition Letter,” American Civil Liberties Union, June 6, 2016.

The post Patron Privacy, Internet Usage, and New Proposed Legislation first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Resources

About the ALA Election

About the Public Library Association Election

Flipbook: 2016 Guide to ALA Elections

ALA: Candidate information

The post Voting for 2016 ALA Elections Closes Tomorrow! first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

A local organization known as Save Our Libraries has been formed with help from supporters of the Douglas County Library Foundation for the purpose of finding ways for the libraries to stay open. The proposal also includes a leadership plan in the form of a five-person board to help the libraries as they plan for the future. Many Douglas County citizens are very supportive of the libraries and do not want them to close. The League of Women Voters of Umpqua Valley also supports the proposal.

Save Our Libraries has proposed an alternative plan that would likely help the Douglas County Library System generate the revenue it needs to operate at an optimal capacity. This plan involves using citizens’ property taxes to finance the library (rather than relying on the county budget). This proposal would include a “special district tax” of $0.44 per every $1,000.00 of property values.[4] Oregon has a property tax cap of $10 per $1,000 of assessed property value; as a result, “any sum of taxes greater than $10 would compress all the taxes to fit under the cap,”[5] an issue that seems to warrant additional research.

If a house has an assessed value of $150,000 and is taxed at a rate of $0.50 for every $1,000.00 of the assessed value, then the homeowner would pay about $75 a year in special district taxes.[6] That said, compression estimates are not set in stone because each tax lot’s value can change over time based upon factors such as property improvements, changes to market values, and mortgage foreclosure rates.[7] Another effect of a special district tax is that the tax caps could lead to a city losing money that would have otherwise gone to its operating budget.[8]

If the special district tax proposal gets enough public support, then voters will decide to approve or deny the proposal in November. The property tax revenue would allow the library to have a stable budget; however, citizens are also concerned that this measure may lead to possible tax increases.[9]

In this situation, it makes sense to do a cost-benefit analysis. If a library closes, then it means the people in the community will no longer have its resources, which is arguably a serious community deficit because libraries benefit people of all ages and serve a wide variety of purposes in people’s lives.[10] In addition, if someone cannot afford a book, a library makes it possible for them to read it. Through reading, a person learns new things and develops more ideas; in addition, public libraries and schools often have collaborative relationships to encourage young readers to use libraries to help them learn research skills and read more books.

If a library closes, so does access to these resources, which is a huge loss to a community; however, as long as the citizens and municipalities develop plans to fund the libraries and get enough public support to accomplish these objectives, the closings can be prevented so that the libraries’ futures can be secured.

References:

[1] Susan Morgan, “County safety net is not so safe anymore,” Umpqua Post, January 7, 2015.

[2] Troy Brynelson, “Future of public libraries could be in hands of voters,” NRToday, February 27, 2016.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Douglas County Assessor’s Office, “Assessment & Tax Information,” Douglas County Assessor’s Office [website], accessed March 24, 2016.

[8] Troy Brynelson, “Future of public libraries could be in hands of voters,” NRToday, February 27, 2016.

[9] Ibid.

[10] Ibid.

Resources:

Oregon Library Association

Oregon Community Foundation

Douglas County Libraries Face Uncertain Future

2015 Oregon Public Library Needs Assessment

Save Our Libraries

League of Women Voters of Umpqua Valley Save Our Libraries

Keep Our Libraries Open

The post Public Library Property Taxing Districts As a Strategy for Keeping Libraries Open first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

The confidentiality of patron records is a long-standing issue, particularly since the Patriot Act spurred concerns about patrons’ reading histories, who has access to these records, and under what circumstances the records might be disclosed to authorities. These questions are still being explored, as very few cases on the exact issue of library patron records and privacy have been brought before the courts (though it is also worth considering that other recent library litigation cases have addressed related issues in the broader sense, such as computer use in libraries and censorship; both are matters that could conceivably tie into the patron record).

Obviously, the ILL record is just one aspect of the patron’s information resource accessing experience; as librarians observe, many patrons check out books from their local branch and/or use library Internet connections, electronic research resources and library software programs. Each one of these activities arguably necessitates separate discussion in the portions of a library policy that cover topics such as data use and procedures for responding to requests from law enforcement authorities.

Another notable feature of the recent article is the librarian’s observation that no specific event precipitated the decision to purge user data from ILL records; instead, the general intention to protect patron privacy apparently motivated this action.[1] A library is also responsible for safeguarding patron information so it does not get disclosed to outside sources, both because the reading history is private and because a patron record has personal information that could make an individual susceptible to identity theft or other intrusions into their personal domains.

One reason for these protections is that a library is a place of free exploration, and if privacy is compromised, then it could have “chilling effects” on information-seeking behavior; for example, a patron might decide not to request controversial material due to fears for their privacy, which would be an unfortunate situation that a library is advised to take steps to avoid by making patrons aware of the library’s policies on data privacy and protection.

As I read this article, the conclusion I reached was this: it is a good idea to keep informed on the latest developments in library patron privacy laws and policies. Each state has its own laws on library environments, and state law libraries provide excellent resources on recent state-level legislation and court cases. In addition, it appears that patron privacy correlates with a library’s central mission of encouraging reading and library use. That said, while patron records are generally protected and confidential, there may be certain, very rare exceptions where a library does need to disclose information to authorities, but again, it is important to remember that these occasions are very much the exception and not a frequent occurrence.

Seeking Counsel

Library directors may wish to seek counsel from municipal attorneys or attorneys who serve on their boards in order to prepare for these situations, educate their staff, and update policies. Here are some suggestions:

• Contact your local bar association and request a free or low-cost consultation with an attorney who has experience in library policies and data privacy.
• Seek out a law professor who researches data privacy and might be interested in speaking to the library community.
• Request that a local judge address the library so that patrons and library staff are able to learn important information on the legal process.
• Contact federal and state representatives and request listening sessions for staff and/or patrons. This representative could educate staff and the public on the latest developments in data privacy laws as they relate to public libraries.

References:

[1] Sam Thielman. “You are not what you read: librarians purge user data to protect privacy,” Guardian, January 13, 2016.

Resources:

Library Freedom Project

Developing or Revising a Library Privacy Policy

Questions and Answers on Privacy and Confidentiality

The post Library Records, Patron Privacy, and Library Policies first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

The ALA JobLIST website recently added YourMembership to its features. YourMembership is likely to increase communications between prospective job applicants and potential employers by accounting for applicant interests and employer needs. In short, the newly-enhanced website provides instant, accessible, and essential support to those exploring new opportunities.

The Anonymous Résumé feature enables users to omit identifying contact features that could lead to spam and other unwanted communications, which helps to protect privacy online and gives users the ability to decide what information gets disclosed. An easy-to-use résumé template allows users to edit fonts and typefaces. A résumé can be public, incomplete prior to publication, or private, meaning no one can see it besides the individual user. A public resume can also be modified or unpublished almost instantly. A cover letter can also be added and saved so that a user can return to it later, which is a great feature when pulling together a job application.

The “My Job Alert” feature allows a prospective job applicant to select geographic preferences, industries, and job functions from drop-down menus. Once these criteria are selected, the user then decides whether they wish to receive daily or weekly email digests.

The Job Search database allows uses to sort by the date posted, job location, company, and position. Additionally, applicants can filter positions by industry and job function. The Resources page provides  résumé advice, interview strategies, social media coaching, and opportunities to schedule conversations with job search experts who have professional experience and training in helping people find jobs and make career decisions. Similarly, employers can write job advertisements, compile résumés, group candidates into pools, and create company profiles.

Visit JobLIST to take advantage of these capabilities and to get more information.

The post Job Searching Made Easier with New Features on ALA JobLIST first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Most dogs in these programs are therapy-certified, meaning they have passed an obedience and temperament test. Additionally, the dogs have previous volunteer experience and receive regular veterinary care.

To begin a program, it is a good idea to contact libraries who have run programs before and also local pet therapy organizations who may know individuals who are interested in volunteering with their pets. In addition to dogs, some programs have also worked with cats and/or rabbits, so it is definitely possible for other types of therapy animals to participate. Because the therapy teams are volunteers, it seems that the costs for these programs are relatively low, which is excellent. Several organizations, including Tails of Joy, Library Dogs, Paws for Healing, Reading with Rover, and All for Animals have additional suggestions for ways to begin and fund reading to dogs programs.

As Mary Margaret Callahan notes in an article about therapy dogs in American Libraries by Timothy Inklebarger it is very important to make sure the therapy teams have insurance, conduct background checks on volunteers, investigate whether a therapy dog program is covered by the library’s insurance policy and whether any additional insurance needs to be purchased.^[3] The article also states that it is also important to check local ordinances to ensure that therapy dogs are permitted in libraries. Additionally, it appears to be a good idea to designate a separate area for the reading to dogs program so that individuals with allergies and/or asthma, animal fears, or any other concerns can still browse the collection during the animal reading program.

The results of these programs have been very positive and their popularity is increasing. I believe similar programs could also be explored for ELL (English Language Learning) students and adults working to improve their literacy skills.

Sources:

[1] Ron Claiborne, and Wendy Brundige. “Study: Reading to Dogs Helps Children Learn to Read.” ABC News. August 18, 2010. Web. http://abcnews.go.com/WN/study-dogs-children-learn-read/story?id=11428770. Accessed January 7, 2016.

[2] Pat Bailey. “Reading to Rover: Does it Really Help Children? Veterinary school says ‘yes.’” UC Davis Dateline, April 16, 2010. Web. http://dateline.ucdavis.edu/dl_detail.php?id=12612. Accessed January 7, 2016.

[3] Timothy Inklebarger. “Dog Therapy 101.” American Libraries, December 22, 2014. Web. http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2014/12/22/dog-therapy-101/. Accessed January 7, 2016.

Resources:

Tails of Joy

Library Dogs

Paws for Healing

Reading with Rover

All for Animals

The post Kids Reading to Dogs in Libraries first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Because MOOCs are so adaptable and budget-friendly, they are an excellent consideration for librarians who wish to further their education. Some MOOCs are active and have specific enrollment periods, while others are archieved. The main difference between these formats is that an active course offers opportunities for student interaction and graded assessments, whereas an archived course is static, self-paced, and has no assessments. In addition, active MOOCs sometimes offer various types of formal recognition upon successful course completion, such as a Statement of Accomplishment or Badge (free of charge) or certificate (usually at a cost).

MOOCs are offered in a variety of subject areas, so a librarian wishing to gain additional knowledge about a subject has many options. Thus, MOOCS are an ideal way to gain additional training in a skillset and find new resources to help patrons, such as subject-specfic professional organizations and field experts. MOOCs offer a variety of class materials such as videos, articles, podcasts, and recorded lectures and message boards.

Because MOOCs are free classes, students do not receive credit, official grades, or feedback on projects or written work, and at this time, MOOCs do not count towards professional licenses. Furthermore, the lack of fixed deadlines means that it can be challenging to keep up with the course units. Despite these potential drawbacks, MOOCs can help a person develop ideas for future career plans and make contacts.

As is the case with any new resource, it is of course necessary to vet each individual MOOC offering to make sure it is appropriate for one’s learning goals and stems from credible sources. As previously stated, because a MOOC is usually free of charge (and thus has no financial transactions), there are fewer risks of online scams; however, it is of course still important to verify that the given website is legitimate, appropriate, and helpful.

Importantly, if a student elects to take a paid course, then it is a good idea to contact the institution directly both in writing and by phone to verify that the course is indeed legitimate, ensure that all details are taken care of, and inquire as to the possible benefits and drawbacks of the paid certificate. Secondly, it is probably a good idea to check and see if another university offers a similar or equivalent course of study at no charge before considering a paid option. By similar reasoning, if a course says it is free, it is of course a good idea to verify that it will never incur any cost before agreeing to sign up.

As with any online environment, it is important to use these resources with care to protect one’s safety and privacy. Another practical consideration is to make sure that you do not sign up for too many MOOCs at once because it will likely be very challenging to keep up with the work in relation to other demands on one’s schedule; that said, a person could also keep a running list of MOOCs they wish to take after they complete their current course(s).

If a person signs up for a MOOC, it is advisable that they set up their browser to take them directly to the class portal so they can access the course easily and quickly. Although MOOCs are not equivalent to for-credit courses, they are very helpful resources for librarians. They also help connect our field to other professions and give us new ideas. Secondly, as a group, we may wish to consider offering more continuing education courses specifically for libraries and librarians. Because they offer an array of advantages and very few disadvantages, I am convinced that MOOCs are an important and useful resource, particularly for our interdisciplinary, information-intensive profession.

Further reading

http://mooc.org/

https://www.edx.org/

http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/06/the-secret-power-of-moocs/396608/

Current Courses Specifically for Librarians, Library Students, and Technicians (free courses)

https://www.coursera.org/learn/copyright-for-education

Copyright for Educators and Librarians

http://librarysciencelist.com/free-online-courses-for-librarians/

The post How MOOCs Can Benefit Librarians first appeared on Public Libraries Online.