| South Dakota Governor Threatens To Slash State Library Funding in FY26 By Henrietta Thornton On December 3, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem released the state budget for FY26, which includes devastating news for the State Library in Pierre, the state capital. The institution will have its budget cut by 12.5 FTE in staff, $1,030,267 in general funds, and $1,399,443 in federal fund expenditure authority. The library currently has 21 staff members, but if the measure passes, seven remaining staff members will work in accessibility services for disabled users, leaving two employees to cover everything else. |
| Rx for Flourishing | Editorial By Hallie Rich Are libraries the key to living your best life? The new year presents a moment for reinvention, a renewed effort to be our best selves. Resolutions to eliminate sweets, adopt a new fitness program, or spend more time with family and friends abound. But could it be that one of the best, healthiest things we can do for ourselves is to visit our local library? New research from New York Public Library says that could be true. |
| Final Cut | LibLearnX 2025 Preview By LJ Staff The theme of the American Library Association’s (ALA) 2025 LibLearnX, “Reimagine, Refocus, Reset: Charting a Path for the Future,” has particular resonance, as this will be the final LibLearnX. The event, which replaced ALA’s Midwinter Meeting in 2022, had seen low attendance—just over 2,000 at last year’s conference in Baltimore—and ALA has opted to stop hosting the conference. Here are a selection of programs and events that caught the attention of LJ editors. |
| Academic Movers Q&A: Aisha Johnson on Working Toward Better Representation By Amy Rea Aisha Johnson, associate dean for academic affairs and outreach at the Georgia Institute of Technology Libraries, was named a 2024 Library Journal Mover & Shaker for her work on Sustainable Leadership as a Solution for Representation and Inclusion in LIS: A Bibliography and Toolkit. We recently spoke with Johnson for insights and updates on her work. |
| Carnegie Corporation Announces Grants for Library Literacy Services, College Readiness Programs By Matt Enis Philanthropic foundation Carnegie Corporation of New York on December 9 announced a new $5 million pool of grant funding available for public libraries nationwide. The new initiative—Libraries as Pillars of Education and Democracy—“will help public libraries deliver critical services that promote socioeconomic mobility, civic participation, and social belonging.” The first stage of the application process is a 10 to 12 minute online eligibility survey that is currently open and will close on January 10, 2025. |
| Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams Tops Holds Lists | Book Pulse By Kate Merlene Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams leads holds this week. Also in demand are titles by James Patterson and Brian Sitts, Fiona Davis, Danielle Steel and Alafair Burke. People’s book of the week is Eddie Winston Is Looking for Love by Marianne Cronin. Audiofile announces the January Earphones Award winners. Jenna Bush Hager selects The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus by Emma Knight for her January book club. The film and TV adaptations for Conclave, Wicked, Shōgun, I'm Still Here, and The Penguin win Golden Globes. Plus, what to read in 2025. |
From the Pages of infoDOCKET... |
WEB-FIRST REVIEWS OF BOOKS AND MEDIA |
Melissa Leapman's Essential Crochet Starter Stitches: Portable Stitch Companion; Solids, Shells & Fans, Openwork & Lace, and Simple Edgings is a starred how-to selection. "Adapted from the author’s Melissa Leapman’s Indispensable Stitch Collection for Crocheters, this pocket guide features 100 crochet stitch patterns taken from Leapman’s 30-year career in the fiber arts and includes some new patterns as well.... Leapman is a legend in the fiber arts world, and any new book by her is an essential purchase." Beyond Anxiety: Curiosity, Creativity, and Finding Your Life’s Purpose, by Martha Beck, is a starred self-help title. "In this straightforward yet sophisticated work, Beck once again demonstrates why Oprah Winfrey has called her 'one of the smartest women I know.'" And The Wire: A Cultural History, by Ben Lamb, is a starred performing arts selection. "British crime-series maven Lamb (You’re Nicked: Investigating British Television Police Series) suggests that the HBO series The Wire (2002–08) has themes from Greek mythology and, more credibly, Dickensian social realism and forms an evolutionary link in U.S. programs from Dragnet through NYPD Blue.... This timely retrospective on inner city reality as a cultural phenomenon will appeal to media scholars and crime show fans." See All Reviews››› |
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The San Jose Library is seeking a Deputy Director of Library Services. |
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