Resources

American Library Association (https://www.ala.org/)

The American Library Association (ALA) is the oldest and largest library association in the world. Founded on October 6, 1876 during the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, the mission of ALA is “to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.”

Virginia Library Association (https://www.vla.org/)

The purpose of the Virginia Library Association is to “develop, promote, and improve library and information services, library staff, and the profession of librarianship in order to advance literacy and learning and to ensure access to information in the Commonwealth of Virginia.” The ALA offers support to its members in the forms of newsletters, scholarly journals, its website, library education, training, and outreach. The VLA has many forums – of particular interest to me are the Collections & Technological Services Forum, the Professional Associates Forum, and the Programming Forum. VLA also has a robust career resources page, found here: https://www.vla.org/career-resources.

Public Library Association (https://www.ala.org/pla/)

The Public Library Association was founded in 1944, and offers continuing education opportunities and unique public library initiatives to support the unique and evolving needs of public library professionals. Of particular interest to me is the Professional Development Theory of Change (https://www.ala.org/pla/education/theoryofchange). The PLA also offers in-person, online, and blended learning opportunities.

Reference and User Services Association (https://www.ala.org/rusa/)

The RUSA’s mission is to “educate, empower, and inspire its members to advance the evolution of the profession and better serve users in a continuously changing information society.” The RUSA has six specialty sections: BRASS (Business Reference and Services Section), CODES (Collection Development and Evaluation Section) HS (History Section), ETS (Emerging Technologies Section), RSS (Reference Services Section) and STARS (Sharing and Transforming Access to Resources Section). Of particular interest to me is the Emerging Technologies Section, which provides professional development opportunities for public-service librarians with the goal of improving user service.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (https://www.imls.gov/)

The Institute of Museum and Library Services offers numerous grants for museums, libraries, and other cultural heritage institutions.The grants support the IMLS's strategic goals of advancing "innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement." The IMLS's Office of Impact Assessment and Learning performs policy research, evaluations, and survey and data collection. The IMLS's Strategic Goals are to Champion Lifelong Learning, Strengthen Community Engagement, Advance Collections Stewardship and Access, and Demonstrate Excellence in Public Service. I discovered the IMLS while doing grant research and immediately saw it as a great resource.

Library Journal (https://www.libraryjournal.com/) Library Journal reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional practice. It includes book reviews, library equipment reviews, assessments of libraries, and articles about current topics affecting the library profession. Of particular interest to me are the book reviews – as a non-fiction reader, my Reader’s Advisory skills for readers of fiction are lacking – and articles about current events in librarianship.

Library Leadership & Management (https://llm.corejournals.org/llm)

Library Leadership & Management (LL&M) is a journal of ALA Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures. LL&M focuses on assisting library leaders, both formal and informal, at all levels as they deal with day-to-day challenges. Articles address a wide variety of management issues and highlight examples of successful management methods used in libraries, explore issues or concerns relevant to Core, offer practical perspectives related to leadership and management, highlight methodologies or techniques that have broad applications in libraries of all types and sizes, and include interviews with library administrators or others in related fields.

Public Libraries Online (https://publiclibrariesonline.org/magazine/)

An online complement to the printed journal, Public Libraries Online offers three full articles from each issue of the printed edition as well as expanded content exclusive to the Web. Public Libraries Online includes important industry news, PLA and ALA updates, and columns and feature articles that offer strategies and ideas.

In the Library with the Lead Pipe (https://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/)

In the Library with the Lead Pipe is an open access, open peer-reviewed journal founded and run by a team of librarians working in various types of libraries. In addition to publishing articles and editorials by Editorial Board members, Lead Pipe publishes articles by authors representing diverse perspectives including educators, administrators, library support staff, technologists, and community members.

The Librarians’ Guide to Homelessness (https://www.homelesstraining.com/newsletter/)

Ryan Dowd’s daily newsletter posts give librarians fresh perspectives and lots of practical tips for dealing with the myriad and complex issues of homeless persons in the library. I have enjoyed getting Dowd’s daily newsletters and have found them to always be applicable and extremely helpful. They draw on Dowd’s own experience and his realistic yet very empathetic attitude, and show how to give the best service while preventing empathy fatigue and burnout. Dowd has also created a vast collection of training videos that teach best practices – both mental and behavioral – on an incredibly wide variety of topics.

LIS News (https://lisnews.org/)

Created in 1999, LISNews is a collaborative weblog devoted to current events and news in the world of Library and Information Science. A dedicated team of international bloggers scour the World Wide Web to find stories they find interesting. There are links to news stories and Web sites, along with original writing, interviews and reviews. LISNews is updated frequently, usually 7 days a week. They are a non-commercial site, supported by users.

Webjuction (https://www.webjunction.org/home.html)

WebJunction builds the knowledge, skills, and confidence of library staff to power strong libraries that are the heart of vibrant communities. A program of OCLC Research, WebJunction is free and welcome to all libraries to use, regardless of size, type or location. WebJunction holds live webinars each month featuring experts in the library field, and provides hundreds of articles, resources, and self-paced courses on a wide variety of library-specific topics.

WebJunction gives time and space for library staff to listen to and learn from peers from across the U.S. and beyond. The training offers pragmatic ideas and examples that can be replicated, modified, and customized for individual libraries and communities.

Public Libraries Online Podcast (https://publiclibrariesonline.org/category/media/podcast/)

The podcast component of Public Libraries Online Magazine covers a wide range of topics, including emerging trends, innovative practices, community engagement, books and authors, technology advancements, and more.

Canva Librarians and Teachers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/canvalibrarians/)

This group is for all kinds of librarians including school, public, academic, and special areas. They also welcome teachers in higher education and public, private, and charter schools. It’s ideas and templates for signage and programming, as well as lessons and curriculum. I joined this group when I became the PR & Marketing Associate for the Handley Regional Library System, and have found it’s a great community.