Public Libraries – OPEN SHELF

Public Library Leaders program: Making connections, creating future leaders

Now in its fourth year, the Public Library Leaders program is gaining a reputation for preparing library managers to successfully advance to higher levels of leadership within their institutions.

Democracies need libraries

The American Library Association’s democracy statement reads, in part: “Democracies need libraries. An informed public constitutes the very foundation of a democracy; after all, democracies are about discourse—discourse among the people. ... It must ensure that citizens have the resources to develop the information literacy skills necessary to participate in the democratic process.” This might seem like some pretty big shoes to fill, but there is truth to it. Public libraries help us stay informed and keep us kind.

Staffless libraries: Have they been hacked, or worse, are they alive?

You may have heard that some libraries have removed staff members from the equation so automatic doors and machines can greet patrons. Artificial intelligence allows libraries to provide this staffless branches option to patrons. However, they may be causing a larger problem. We've learned that the machines in one public library may have developed a mind of their own!

From pilot to perfect: Improving RA skills by investing in training

Practice makes perfect—or at least staff can benefit from targeted readers’ advisory training, particularly when they have time to practice and reflect on their…

Ben Shaw

Welcome to The Library IT Crowd – a new column brought to you by the Ontario Library and Information Technology Association (OLITA). We want…

Libraries in Society

Libraries in Society (Clive Bingley, 1978) was published in the year that my career in public libraries began. In this reader, edited by David…

Remembering What You Read: Reading Journals & Collection Knowledge

Has your mind ever drawn a blank when a customer asks your opinion about a book? You know you read it but can’t remember…

Helen McDonnell

Meet one of OLA’s 5,000 members. An interview with random OLA member #34: Helen McDonnell, CEO, Callander Public Library. Helen and I both have the prospect…

The Right ‘Man’ For The Job?

I am a big fan of titles which have question marks in them. The most important element of Open to All? The Public Library…

Investing in RA: Skill-Building Strategies

It’s one of the skills all library staff should know, but few are truly comfortable with: readers’ advisory. What do you do when a…

Kelli Van Buskirk

Meet one of OLA’s 5,000 members. An interview with random OLA member #33: Kelli Van Buskirk, Acquisitions, Adult Department, North Bay Public Library. Kelli and I…

Pokémon GO! 7 Ways a Library Took on a Phenomenon

Did you get caught up in Pokémon GO! fever? While the pace was frantic, Halifax Public Libraries was able to stay astride, and we…

Blue Ocean Strategy & Public Libraries

We like to think that public libraries are unique, and in many ways they are. The chances are that if they had never been…

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