Opinion

Gen A is plugged in and opinionated, as marketers attempt to keep pace. Librarians stay right with young users, knowing that's all a part of the job.

Jessie Storrs and Pia Alliende, both School Librarian of the Year finalists; "Jewish joy"; and Caldecott winner Big inspired comments.  

The U.S. ranks second in the world for the most ­Spanish speakers, after Mexico. With shortages of bilingual teachers reported nationwide, librarians and publishers consider meeting an acute need.

“Reasons to Love ­Libraries” is a yearlong editorial project and campaign to engage the public in reflecting on libraries to reveal their impact on people and communities.

They care deeply and can't be fired. Retired librarians are bringing experience and passion to the cause of intellectual freedom. With advocacy skills training and opportunities to mentor, retirees could become even more powerful assets.

Censorship is delaying the delivery of books to school library shelves. Cue the civics lesson.

If there’s one thing librarians can agree on it’s that library education could use some shaking up. Enter the Radical Librarianship Institute, which strives to “redefine the role of librarians, centering principles of inclusion and social justice.”

Whether educators broach controversial topics in a learning context or not, young people will encounter plenty of related content. Social media all too easily fills the void, fueling misinformation while suppressing critical reflection. NCSS, the National Council for the Social Studies, offers encouragement and materials to support important discussion.

School librarian Jean Darnell prompted ChatGPT to write a paper on Black history, and the result had glaring omissions. That's just one part of the problem, she says.