Author Archives

A former school librarian in Wisconsin, Helen Adams is an online senior lecturer for Antioch University-Seattle in the areas of intellectual freedom, privacy, library ethics, and copyright. A member of the AASL Knowledge Quest Advisory Board, the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee, and a KQ blogger, she is the author of Protecting Intellectual Freedom and Privacy in Your School Library (Libraries Unlimited, 2013) and contributor to The Many Faces of School Library Leadership (2nd edition, Libraries Unlimited, 2017). Email: hadams1@centurytel.net.

• Shopping for Ideas!

  By Helen Adams on 11/09/2017 • ( 0 )

  

  The Idea Lab held on Thursday, November 9, from 1:00-3:00 pm, was a true mall of ideas where AASL National Conference attendees shopped for innovative ideas and best practices. This shopping venue has history. Beginning as the Exploratorium in 2005, the… Read More ›

• Meet Kate Davis: Conable Scholar & International School Librarian

  By Helen Adams on 11/01/2017 • ( 1 )

  

  Kate Davis is the 2017 recipient of the Gordon M. Conable Conference Scholarship. The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) annually awards the scholarship to a library school graduate student or new library professional, and the scholarship financially supports the recipient’s American Library… Read More ›

• Intellectual Freedom Opportunities at the AASL National Conference

  By Helen Adams on 10/02/2017 • ( 0 )

  

  The 2017 AASL National Conference will be held in Phoenix, Arizona, from November 9-11, 2017. The conference theme is “Beyond the Horizon,” and the biggest buzz is around the introduction of AASL’s new learning standards and program guidelines. Attending an… Read More ›

• Words Have Power: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Banned Books Week

  By Helen Adams on 09/05/2017 • ( 0 )

  

  Have you planned activities for Banned Books Week (BBW)? In 2017, BBW occurs from September 24-30 with the theme “Words Have Power.” To learn what the American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) is planning for this year… Read More ›

• Net Neutrality: Why School Librarians Should Care

  By Helen Adams on 07/27/2017 • ( 0 )

  

  On July 12, 2017, the American Library Association (ALA) and nearly 200 other organizations participated in Day of Action, a protest to save Net Neutrality. What is Net Neutrality? It is “ [the] principle, or requirement that Internet service providers… Read More ›

• ALA’s Conference in Chicago: A Different Learning Experience

  By Helen Adams on 07/07/2017 • ( 1 )

  

  From June 22-27, I attended the American Library Association (ALA) Conference in Chicago along with over 22,700 other US and international librarians and vendors. My main purpose was to learn to become an effective chair of the ALA Intellectual Freedom… Read More ›

• June Is GLBT Book Month

  By Helen Adams on 06/01/2017 • ( 1 )

  

  School librarians enjoy highlighting special observances for their students, and here’s one more: June is GLBT Book Month. Originating in the 1990s as National Gay and Lesbian Book Month, the American Library Association began its recognition in 2015 as GLBT… Read More ›

• Being Practical about Privacy: Preparing for Choose Privacy Week

  By Helen Adams on 04/03/2017 • ( 0 )

  

  Every year libraries celebrate Choose Privacy Week from May 1-7, and this year’s theme is “Practical Privacy Practices.” Get an Early Start! On April 13, there will be a one-hour free webinar reviewing privacy practices librarians can take in three… Read More ›

• News You Can Use: Introducing a Timely Intellectual Freedom Resource

  By Helen Adams on 02/27/2017 • ( 0 )

  

  There are many resources about intellectual freedom to keep school librarians informed, but are you familiar with the “Intellectual Freedom News”? It’s a weekly electronic compilation of intellectual freedom news in a variety of areas produced by interns in the American Library… Read More ›

• Two ALA Committees That Worked for You and Your Students at ALA’s Midwinter Meeting

  By Helen Adams on 02/13/2017 • ( 0 )

  

  The American Library Association (ALA) holds its Midwinter Meeting annually in January, and this year it was in Atlanta, Georgia. The purpose of the Midwinter Meeting is to have a face-to-face time for committees, task forces, and other groups to… Read More ›