Monthly Archives: January 2009

Librarian Shortage? Not So Much.

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For years the American Library Association has touted the imminent shortage of librarians. This hasn’t really proven to be the case, but the hard economic times make it more unlikely. A recent post on ACRLog provides good context for this issue in the academic community. There’s a backlog of library graduates and a group of graying librarians that are loathe to retire.
“We are far more likely to see large applicant pools chasing a reduced number of openings.”

The Role of Libraries in Economic Hard Times

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The Diane Rehm show today, Wednesday, January 7, 2009,  is “The Role of Libraries in Economic Hard Times.” 

Libraries today have become multimedia centers, offering not only books but DVDs, e-books and Internet access. They can also be an especially important community resource during times of economic hardship. A look at the future of libraries in a slowing economy.

Diane’s guests today will be  Carla Hayden, executive director, Enoch Pratt Free Library and president of the American Library Association; Jim Rettig, President of the American Library Association and University Librarian at the Boatwright Memorial Library at the University of Richmond, Virginia; and Ginnie Cooper, Chief Librarian for the District of Columbia Public Library.

Listen it to it live at 9:00 a.m. on NPR radio stations such as:

Or one hour or later after the broadcast listen to the podcast:

New Utah Legal Research Resource

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Our State Law Librarian and vice-chair of the Utah State Library Board of Trustees, Jessica Van Buren, has launched a new blog titled “Utah State Law Library” available at http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/. 
She and her library staff will be posting on a variety of topics, including legal research tips, updates on new titles and new briefs, online self-help resources including forms. 
You can subscribe to the blog’s full feed or to feeds to particular topical categories including Court Briefs,  Federal Documents, Legal Forms, Legal Research, Library News, Legal Self-Help, New Books, and the weekly password to access the wireless network at Utah courthouses.

Are Face to Face Meetings Passe?

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With the economy in the toilet, and technology producing many options for getting together without getting together, are face to face meetings (a staple of the library world) doomed? Especially the long distance ones?

Are these meetings productive, with the networking, eating, drinking, touring, attending workshops, drinking, eating, touring, etc.
Do they provide an essential library perk?

A couple of folks from Palinet are debating the issue.

What do you think?