Category Archives: information activist

January 17, 2010 · 12:41 am

A Social Worker in the Library

Yes, you are reading that correctly.  The San Francisco Public Library has added a social worker to their payroll.  A recent article describes the recent addition to the staff.  The main library branch has a lot of homeless patrons.  The library partnered with the local public help agency to add a social worker. 

The director of the library says the library is “the most democratic institute” and they want it to “be open to evevryone”. 

Wow!!!  How can libraries adapt and adopt such a bold move?  What else can we do?  How else can we partner and collaborate with? I am so proud to be a librarian.

Three cheers to you SFPL!  You all are true information activists!

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Filed under Homeless, information activist, leadership, libraries

January 15, 2010 · 3:55 pm

Florida

Dear Fair Readers,

As many of you know, I have been on vacation in Florida.  It was a great, and needed, time to relax and spend time with friends.  I will get back to posting soon.

For now, I leave you with this thought.  How can libraries help in Haiti?  I, for one, think over the coming months and years libraries will have a great opportunity to help the Haitian people.  Proper information may have helped decrease the toll taken on the people of this proud nation.

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Filed under information activist, leadership, libraries

January 9, 2010 · 3:26 am

Three Cheers for Joliet and Palos Park

A recent article in the NYTimes describes the actions of libraries to help patrons avoid costly overdue fines by donating food.  While this is nothing new for libraries, it is always great for major papers to provide us some much need publicity. 

Of course the Annoyed Librarian is opposed to this.  But lucky for us, she is just a constant nay-sayer with no real clout or input. 

The director of the Denver library system states, “The library philosophy is: We do not want to restrict access to information. The use of fines or harsh collection tactics — and we could potentially do that — could essentially restrict people’s access to the library.”  This is a great way to put it!!!

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