On July 23, 2012 Sally Ride, physicist and  first American woman to fly in space succumbed to pancreatic cancer.

She was a hero to generations of adventurous young girls and founded the company Sally Ride Science to inspire young people, especially girls, to stick with their interest in science, to become scientifically literate, and to consider pursuing careers in science and engineering.

She co-authored, with longtime life partner Tam O’Shaughnessy, many books on science for young people including Mission Planet Earth : Our World and its Climate – and How Humans are Changing Them (2009), Exploring Our Solar System (2003) and The Third Planet : Exploring the Earth from Space (2003).

We asked Sally Ride for her thoughts on libraries during the 2008 American Library Association Annual Conference in Anaheim, Calif.

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New print public service announcement available

CHICAGO — This September, Pittsburgh Steelers two-time Super Bowl champion Troy Polamalu will encourage children to get the most important school supply of all: a library card.

As the Honorary Chair of Library Card Sign-up Month, Troy Polamalu has donated his image to a print and digital public service announcement (PSA). ALA will place the PSA in magazines and on websites to remind parents and educators that a library card is a key tool in achieving academic success.

Librarians looking to promote Library Card Sign-up Month locally can download the PSA atwww.ala.org/librarycardsignup. Free customization is available.

In addition to the PSA, sample media tools are now available to remind the public of all the resources available for free with a library card. Tools include a sample newsletter article, proclamation and PSA scripts.

To download free promotional materials, visit www.ala.org/librarycardsignup.

Library Card Sign-up Month is a time when libraries across the country remind parents that a library card is the most important school supply of all. Thousands of public and school libraries join together each fall in a national effort to ensure every child signs up for their own library card.

The Campaign for America’s Libraries is the ALA’s public awareness campaign that promotes the value of libraries and librarians.  Thousands of libraries of all types – across the country and around the globe – use the Campaign’s @ your library® brand. The Campaign is made possible in part by ALA’s Library Champions.

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American Library Association President Maureen Sullivan and Public Library Association President Eva Poole distributed a joint letter to members of the Sunland Park (N.M.) City Council to urge that it take library service off the chopping block, as the council attempts to reduce the city’s debt.

Sullivan and Poole released the following letter:

According to national figures, currently Sunland Park is struggling with high unemployment and illiteracy rates. Shutting the Sunland Park Community Library is the equivalent to turning your back on the more than 58,000 people who depend on library service each year to better their lives through education and access to technology.

Public libraries are critical to community development. The services they provide are even more essential when communities are struggling economically. According to the American Library Association’s Public Library Funding and Technology Access Study, millions of job seekers across the country use the Internet to seek employment each year, in part because this is the only way to submit employment applications online for many job opportunities. More than 62 percent of libraries report that they are the only source of free public access to computers and the Internet in their communities.

Sunland Park’s unemployment rate is at more than 7 percent. How will job-seekers in your community find the resources they need to contribute to the local economy? The community needs the Sunland Park Community Library for free access to workshops in resume writing, interviewing skills, and job-search resources, as well as for identifying and connecting with outside agencies that offer job training and placement.

We recognize that the current fiscal environment continues to force you to make very difficult decisions. However, eliminating public library service is not the answer. This is a time when the Sunland Park Community Library serves as a lifeline for the thousands of community members who are dealing with job losses and who are struggling to make ends meet. The library can and needs to be part of the solution.

We respectfully urge you to reconsider placing library service on the chopping block, when so many of your residents depend on it.

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American Library Association President Maureen Sullivan has issued this statement in response to a  recent Forbes.com post about the value of a library and information science master’s degree:

“Recently, Forbes.com wrote: “…the low pay rank and estimated growth rank make library and information science the worst master’s degree for jobs right now.” It is true that many librarians are not paid for the full value of their work. The profit-centered, corporation-based measures valued by Forbes suggest that pay rates and growth are the only valid reasons for selecting a career or seeking an advanced degree.  While it is true that for some individuals these factors are the principal focus, for librarians the primary motivation is job satisfaction derived from the opportunity to make a significant difference in the lives of others.

Librarians find fulfillment in their work because they  provide essential services for patrons of public, school, college, university and other libraries. The range of services they offer matter greatly to their communities: assistance finding jobs; free, reliable and organized access to books, the Internet and other sources of information and entertainment; research and reference assistance; and, programs for children, immigrants and other groups with specific needs, plus much more.

In more than 16,000 public libraries across the U.S, librarians offer a lifeline  to people trying to adapt to challenging economic circumstances by providing technology training and online resources for employment, access to government resources, continuing education, retooling for new careers and starting a small business. More than 74 percent of libraries offer software and other resources to help patrons create resumes and employment materials, and 72 percent of libraries report that staffs help patrons complete online job applications.  Libraries have also  fueled renewed interest in and use of library services. Americans are capitalizing on free access to books, magazines, e-books, DVDs, the Internet and professional assistance. More than ever, libraries are community hubs, and it is the librarian who works to maintain a safe harbor for teens, a point of contact for the elderly and a place to nurture lifelong learning for all.

In schools across the country, librarians support teaching by providing students access to the tools and resources necessary to gain 21st century learning and  digital literacy skills to enable them to compete in a global economy. Librarians are teaching students how to navigate the Internet and how to conduct research. They foster a love of reading and prepare them for college, where specialized academic and research librarians then continue to support and guide their education.

You don’t have to look far to find a librarian. There are more than 135,000 librarians working in schools, public libraries and colleges and universities – plus thousands more in hospitals, law firms, government agencies, corporations and nonprofit organizations.  From the Chicago Symphony to Columbia University to Entertainment Weekly, there is a diverse range of career opportunities for these graduates. Librarianship  remains  a dynamic and rewarding career choice ranging from teaching information literacy skills to digitizing and archiving rare collections to selecting the winning Newbery Medal book for children.

Graduates of master’s of library and information science programs (now frequently known as “information schools” or “I-schools”) have training in a range of competencies that can be successfully applied not only in librarianship, but also to careers in other fields.

So, if you are looking for a rewarding career that will enable you to make a significant difference in the lives of others and contribute to the health and well-being of our communities (while providing a comfortable standard of living), a master’s degree in library and information science is an excellent choice.”

Maureen Sullivan

President
American Library Association

Readers who would like to post their own response to the article can visit Forbes.

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The Chicago media was buzzing with the news of the American Library Association’s agreement with the city to host the ALA’s annual conference in 2020, 2023 and 2026, in addition to the conference that will be held next summer and the one scheduled for 2017.

“This is great news for our convention industry and shows that Chicago is the place for large, national organizations to come and do business,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “The reforms at McCormick Place and Navy Pier have attracted more than $3.25 billion in committed shows and this number continues to grow.”

The ALA previously held its annual conference in Chicago in 2009.

According to the press release from the City of Chicago, “The ALA annual convention attracts 25,000 attendees and generates over 34,000 room nights and is expected to generate estimated direct expenditures of $50 Million.”

According to the release, which quotes ALA President Maureen Sullivan, the agreement benefited from legislative changes and labor reforms.

“We are delighted to host ALA’s Annual Conference in Chicago with greater frequency with our new, multi-year commitment covering 2020, 2023 and 2026. The recent legislative changes and cooperation from Chicago’s labor unions have made this agreement possible,” said Maureen Sullivan, President of the American Library Association. “Chicago is our hometown and such a fabulous city. We enjoy working with our partners at Choose Chicago and McCormick Place and are excited that our attendees and exhibitors will now have the opportunity to experience this city’s great amenities more often.”

“The Labor reforms enacted continue to generate positive results for our customers and resonate well with current and potential customers,” said Don Welsh, Choose Chicago President and CEO. “ALA’s decision to include Chicago in its annual convention rotation is a perfect example of a major customer returning to Chicago as a direct result of these reforms. We are pleased to see positive progress and our team will continue to aggressively pursue all potential customers, who will benefit from Chicago’s impressive convention platform, vibrant city and the significant cost savings resulting from the labor reforms.”

The announcement was picked up by such local news outlets as Crain’s Chicago Business.

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The American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference, held June 21-26 in Anaheim, Calif., was given extensive media coverage.

ALA Immediate Past-President Molly Raphael participated in a radio interview for the show “Which Way LA?” prior to the conference. She discussed library closures and budget cuts in a segment focusing on Pomona Public Library closures.

David Lopez with the Orange County Register also interviewed both Raphael and REFORMA’s Maria Kramer for Annual library conference takes over Anaheim (June 26, 2012), and REFORMA holds gala during American Library Association conference (June 26, 2012).

In addition, Bob Strauss interviewed Raphael for an article in the Los Angeles Daily News, Cloudy with a chance of e-books: Big upgrade for Glendale and Pasadena library patrons.

Bookmobiles were the focus of a piece in School Library Journal, Bookmobiles: Rolling Library Ambassadors: ALA Annual 2012 – June 23, 2012.

Other coverage of the conference  included the following:

American Library Association versus comic conventions
Comic Book Resources – Jun 30, 2012
Robot 6 @ Comic Book Resources – Covering Comic Book News and Entertainment. Derek Kirk Kim was at the American Library Association midsummer meeting last weekend, and…

ALA Hands Out First Adult Prizes to Massie, Enright ‎Publishers Weekly – Jun 25, 2012
At its annual convention being held in Anaheim, the American Library Association awarded its first-ever Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction to Irish …

First Ever Andrew Carnegie Medal Winners Announced
‎Huffington Post – Jun 25, 2012
The American Library Association announced the awards Monday at its annual conference in Anaheim, Calif. The Carnegie awards for fiction and nonfiction are …

Photo of the day: A ‘Thrones’ encounter
‎USA TODAY – Jun 25, 2012
“I was at the American Library Association’s annual conference this weekend in Anaheim, Calif., and I managed to attack George R.R. Martin on the exhibit floor,” …

Rural Libraries Gain New Advocacy Tools | ALA Annual 2012
Library Journal – Jun 24, 2012
… American Library Associationconference in Anaheim, CA. The Guide for tribal libraries is in the process of being similarly updated and will be released soon.

Susan Cooper, 2012 Margaret A. Edwards Award Winner: ALA …
‎School Library Journal – Jun 24, 2012
Speaking to a packed room during her awards luncheon at the American Library Association’s Annual Conference i susancooper(Original Import) n Anaheim …

Literary rock band Rock Bottom Remainders gives last public …
Examiner.com – Jun 23, 2012
… a surprise musical performance at the Association’s conference in Anaheim as a … Tonight’s performance will be benefiting the American Library Association’s …

AASL Unveils Top 25 Websites for Teaching and Learning: ALA …
‎School Library Journal – Jun 23, 2012
… Saturday by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) during the American Library Association’s (ALA) 2012 Annual Conference in Anaheim, CA.

Prestigious Pura Belpré Award Given to Latino Children’s Writers …
‎Hispanically Speaking News – Jun 23, 2012
To honor the 2012 medal and honor winners of the Pura Belpré Award during the annual conference of the American Library Association. The event will take …

Author Rebecca MacKinnon Kicks Off ALA With Talk On Digital Privacy
Publishers Weekly – Jun 23, 2012
Issues with e-book lending may loom large over the 2012 American Library Association Annual Conference in Anaheim, CA, but Rebecca Mackinnon’s opening …

Pew: Patrons Still Don’t Know Libraries Have Ebooks | ALA Annual 2012
The Digital Shift – June 22, 2012
Of Americans aged 16 and over, only 2 percent have borrowed an ebook from a library in the past year, The Pew Internet Project announced today at the American Library Association conference in Anaheim, CA. Although the numbers are higher for ebook readers, they’re still small: only 12 percent have borrowed an ebook from the [...]

Libraries, publishers skirmish over electronic books
Kansas City Star – Jun 22, 2012
It will be a hot topic — to the extent librarians get heated — at the American Library Association’s annual conference that begins this weekend in Anaheim, Calif.

O.C. chapter of REFORMA awards scholarships to future librarians
OCRegister – Jun 21, 2012
Rios-Alvarado has also been selected by the American Library Association to … which will meet during the American Library Association’s annual conference in …

News Bites: Enter to Win 100 Graphic Novels and More
School Library Journal – Jun 20, 2012
The prize will be awarded annually to three libraries at the American Library Association’s (ALA) annual conference beginning with this year’s event in Anaheim, …

County Library System Named ‘Library Of The Year’
KGTV San Diego – Jun 12, 2012
County officials will be honored June 24 at the American Library Association’s annual conference in Anaheim. A $10000 cash award will be put …

The Will Eisner Graphic Novel Prize For Libraries to Debut at ALA …
‎Publishers Weekly - Jun 11, 2012
The American Library Association and The Will and Ann Eisner … to be awarded to three libraries annually at the ALA Summer conference.

Will Eisner Graphic Novel Prize for Libraries to debut at ALA …
‎Comics Beat - Jun 8, 2012
The prize will be awarded annually to three libraries at the American Library Association’s summer conference commencing with this year’s…

ALA 2012: Check it Out with Nancy Pearl
Publishers Weekly (blog) - May 26, 2012
Librarian Nancy Pearl answers readers questions about the 2012American Library Association conference. … Going into last year’s ALA annual meeting in New Orleans, the library community was feeling the strain. There was …

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