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Systemwide Training for Programming Librarians: Palm Beach County Library’s Approach
May 2012
If only there was a class in library school on how to select, plan, coordinate, and publicize a library program! Some schools may teach storytelling techniques to future children’s librarians, but not how to organize and prepare for the storytime. Still others may touch on library programming in classes dealing with services to seniors or special populations. Yet, these courses don’t teach the nuts and bolts of providing programs to their patrons, whether for adults or kids. Read more...

Bringing Writers to Readers: A Partnership That Works
April 2012
The future of bookselling often seems cloudy in this rapidly changing digital world, but the future of reading is clear. As publishers struggle to determine the best way to produce and market books in this new digital era, non-profit organizations whose mission is to encourage reading must continue to find ways to connect writers and readers. As resources shrink, creativity and partnerships become even more vital. Read more...

Engage Your Community
March 2012
About twelve years ago, the City of Virginia Beach began to investigate why its public hearings and other meetings with residents were so confrontational and what they could do differently. Read more...

Overcoming Challenges: Civil War Programming in a Rural Library
February 2012
While the Civil War was all about conflict, as programming librarians we’re all on the same side now—facing the challenge of getting more patrons into our libraries to enjoy the diverse, quality programming we offer. Rural libraries, though, may face a few additional challenges in programming. Read more...

Meeting Needs and Making a Difference
January 2012
We’ve all been there. You plan a great program, and only a handful of people show up—or no one does. Maybe something that has always done well in the past mysteriously fails to draw an audience. Maybe you start something new specifically because someone asked for it—and still it doesn’t get off the ground. Read more...

Copyright Tips for Programming Librarians: Storytimes
December 2011
Librarians generally don’t ask if storytelling is an infringement of copyright. Don’t worry—it isn’t, but have you ever considered why? Read more...

Libraries and Democratic Life: Promoting Civic Engagement
November 2011
I’m writing from outside the library world to talk about something powerful that can happen inside the library. I work with the Project on Civic Reflection, a national organization that helps get reflective discussion going in order to build community and deepen people’s understanding of their fellow community members and themselves. Read more...

Boost Survey Results with Carefully Crafted Questions
October 2011
The act of planning programs is a big job with a lot to consider. Where will you have your program? How big is the space? Do you need to limit guests; will you need to have them register ahead of time? Will weather or parking spaces be factors? Read more...

Film Programming That’s Off the Wall
September 2011
The first step in diversifying the audiences for your library’s cultural programs is deciding who (or is it whom?) you want to come. A “general” strategy is almost sure to fail—e.g., deciding to try to attract more young people, more Latinos, and more men with the same program is going to be tough. Read more...

All Together Now: One Book, One Community Programs
August 2011
This fall, the Chicago Public Library (CPL) celebrates the tenth anniversary of one of its most popular programs, One Book, One Chicago. I have been with CPL working on this program for just over four years, and have learned more than I could ever share in one article. Read more...

Navigating the World of Publishers for Author Programs
July 2011
Ah, author events at the library. Is there anything more fun? Author events can also be perplexing, frustrating, and sometimes hair-raising, but mostly when I think of author events I’m primed for a good time—both for myself and my patrons. Read more...

Getting the Word Out: A Crash Course in Program Marketing
June 2011
What a way to end your first day on a new job! Jamie Lattimer, Coordinator of Cataloging Services at Urbana University’s Swedenborg Memorial Library, cautiously pointed to a stack of three ring notebooks and said “those tell you about a Ben Franklin project that we are supposed to do in August.” August? That was only six months away. Read more...

Programming on a (Long, Colorful) Shoestring
May 2011
Planning interesting innovative programs on a limited budget is a daunting task, but with a dose of enthusiasm and a dab of ingenuity, it’s easier than you’d think. The following story about how our tiny library was able to host New York Times best-selling author Elizabeth Berg illustrates some of the major elements to keep in mind when planning programming on a shoestring budget. Read more...

The Language of Collaboration: Connecting Zoos, Libraries, and Poetry for Environmental Awareness
April 2011
Gone are the days when the library stood in splendid isolation. Libraries partner with all kinds of organizations to deliver programs and produce audiences ... more libraries than ever are reporting that successful collaborations are central to their planning and no longer an afterthought. Read more...

Programming with Grant Funds in the Academic Library: Lessons Learned
March 2011
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library in San Jose, California, is a unique facility shared by the San Jose Public Library and San Jose State University (SJSU). In late 2008, San Jose Public Library was awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities grant to present a series of public programs on the Federal Writers’ Project, one of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal agencies. Read more...

Talking About the Civil War and Emancipation
February 2011
February 1861. Abraham Lincoln has been elected as the sixteenth President of the United States. Seven states have seceded from the Union. Representatives from the seceding states gather in Montgomery, Alabama, where they frame and adopt a constitution for their new government. Jefferson Davis is elected President of the Confederacy. Within the next two months, Lincoln will be inaugurated. Read more...

Partnering to Serve Immigrants and ESL Learners
January 2011
King County in Washington State has a very diverse population, and the King County Library System (KCLS) has adapted and grown in ways that have made it a very accessible resource for all communities. Established in 1942, KCLS’ mission is to provide all community members with free, open, and equal access to ideas and information. Read more...

Making a Difference Together
December 2010
Partnerships are critical to what we do every day. Their value cannot be underestimated. By working together it allows us to go beyond simply doing “more with less,” to doing “more with more.” Public libraries are in a unique position to act as a catalyst for innovative community development initiatives. Proactively reaching out to our community stakeholders enables us to improve services and leverage limited resources to build better communities. Read more...

Getting the Most from Your Museum/Library Partnership
November 2010
Perhaps it’s a symptom of the economy and diminishing resources, but there is more talk than ever about partnerships and collaboration in all types of organizations, including libraries and other nonprofits. We are being urged to “maximize resources,” “leverage assets,” and “avoid duplication” in the work we do. Read more...

Author Events Made Easy
October 2010
Ah, author events at the library. Is there anything more fun? Author events can also be perplexing, frustrating, and sometimes hair-raising, but mostly when I think of author events I’m primed for a good time—both for myself and my patrons. Read more...

Libraries and Humanities Councils: A Perfect Partnership
September 2010
October’s National Arts and Humanities Month offers a great opportunity to celebrate and expand upon a partnership that has been thriving for more than three decades—the partnership between libraries and state humanities councils. Since the state humanities councils were created in the early 1970s, libraries have been their most consistent and rewarding partners, and councils in turn have been among the local library’s most committed supporters. Read more...

Early Literacy Parties in Spanish
August 2010
Fiestas de Alfabetización Temprana en Español, or Early Literacy Parties in Spanish, is a featured program hosted at the King County Library System (KCLS) branches and co-funded by the King County Library System Foundation. These eight-week series of free weekly workshops for Spanish-speaking parents and caregivers with children ages newborn to five designed to raise awareness of the importance of early literacy. Read more...

Collaboration @ Your School Library
July 2010
Though I work in an independent school that embraces its library, I did not think it would hurt to make a stronger case for the value of our library; therefore, I decided to host a wide variety of events throughout the year. From documentary film day to organic garden building, I wanted to go beyond the author visit and offer my students thought-provoking and interesting activities. Along the way I learned a few important lessons. Read more...

Hosting a Traveling Exhibition: Tricks and Tips
June 2010
Never be afraid to try; the following are some suggestions for hosting a successful exhibit. Read more...

It’s Academic: Using Programming Librarian in LIS Courses
May 2010
As a library science educator, and with concerns about saturated job markets as well as declining job opportunities, I’m always looking for ways to give my students a competitive edge. Read more...

Libraries and the First Amendment
April 2010
When five African American men entered the Audubon Regional Library in Clinton, Louisiana, they had already broken the law. The year was 1964 and their crime was entering a segregated, whites-only library. Read more...

A Journey through a Goldmine: PBS.org Resources for Programming Librarians
March 2010
Unless you’ve been living in a mine shaft, you know PBS creates excellent early literacy television shows. Between the Lions and Word World make reading fun for emergent and beginning readers. Read more...

Copyright Tips for Programming Librarians: Using Images in Programming Materials
February 2010
Everyone can be a novice graphic artist using computer technologies to capture appealing designs, images, and photos found on the Internet for use in presentations, Web sites, and promotional materials. Some may pause and wonder, “Is this a copyright problem?” Read more...

Copyright Tips for Programming Librarians: Public Performance Rights
February 2010
Many librarians like to include film or DVD screenings in their library programs. Can you do this without first obtaining permission from the copyright holder? Read more...

Get in the Loop!: How Library Students Can Use Programming Librarian
January 2010
As I round out my final semester in library school at Long Island University, the impending need to fill-up my library skills tool-box and fill-out job applications is in the forefront of my thoughts. Read more...

Grant Application Tips
November 2009
Tips for making your grant application stand out from the crowd. Read more...

Making the Case for Library Programming
October 2009
Even though library programming is widespread, programmers still find themselves faced with having to persuade the library administration, board members, colleagues, and even patrons and the public of its value. Read more...

Evaluation of Cultural Programs
August 2009
There’s a lot of buzz about evaluation these days. Are programs effective? Do they make the library, and by extension, the community, a better place? Do they accomplish what we intend and/or do they sometimes have other, maybe even better, unintended consequences? Read more...

Audience Building and Diversity
July 2009
The first step in diversifying the audiences for your library’s cultural programs is deciding who (or is it whom?) you want to come. A “general” strategy is almost sure to fail—e.g., deciding to try to attract more young people, more Latinos, and more men with the same program is going to be tough. Read more...

Professional Development Opportunities
June 2009
Several professional conferences and events—from the world’s largest library conference to local seminars—provide opportunities for librarians to learn more about cultural programming through workshops, seminars, model programs, and more. Read more...

Grant Funding Sources
June 2009
Following is a selected list of organizations and institutions that have funded library programs for adults or worked as partners with libraries for programs—have you approached similar groups in your community for funding or in-kind support? Read more...

No Library Is an Island: Community Collaborations
May 2009
Gone are the days when the library stood in splendid isolation. Libraries partner with all kinds of organizations to deliver programs and produce audiences ... more libraries than ever are reporting that successful collaborations are central to their planning and no longer an afterthought. Read more...

Marketing and PR for Cultural Programs
May 2009
Publicizing your program is just as important as planning the content. Ideally, you’ll want to make this part of your library’s overall marketing communications plan to maximize results. In the crowded media marketplace these days, both high-tech and high-touch are needed for success. Read more...

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