Also, if you eliminate the MLIS, library "leadership" will create a paraprofessional position that does all the work of a degreed librarian at two-thirds the rate of pay. ASK ME HOW I KNOW.

Suggesting that eliminating the MLS will improve diversity irks me. An externally validated credential improves diversity because w/o it, the tendancy is to hire people known to the hiring manager. Either you have an MLS or you don't. Open it to anyone and they will hire friends and relatives.

There aren't many spaces where library workers get to have these conversations. ThriveLib exists to be that space. thrivelib-2026.heysummit.com #ThriveLib #skybrarians #publibs #medlibs

working on a half day work shop I'm leading in August -> Rest, Resilience, and Regrounding. Evidence-based, framework that explore how sustainable work practices, restorative capacity, psychological safety, & values alignment contribute to engaged staff, strong leadership, & high-quality service.

every time you write overly defensively you should remember that you are pursuing a strategy of writing careful sentences specifically for people who demonstrably either won't or can't read them

Some additional thoughts on value of the MLS and efforts to erode the profession in the age of AI, increased attacks on intellectual freedom, privacy, and democracy.

Librarian here! The NYT Bestseller list calls it "the dagger" where they put a † next to conservative books to indicate "Yes,they actually sold enough copies to get on the list, but we know sales were entirely from groups buying bulk copies, not individual customers or businesses or booksellers etc"

Resilience means investing now in all the ways you can survive big and small crises. AI is not the answer. You are. Also, public libraries are an amazing resource. Maybe start there and chat to a librarian.

‘Cancer Doesn't Care What Party You Belong To” Iowa’s lakes and ponds are often murky and fetid from algae blooms fed by fertilizer runoff, a byproduct of the state’s vast agricultural industry’s reliance on farming chemicals. #iowa www.politico.com/news/magazin...

Staying in library work doesn't have to mean burning out. Cassandra Henwood is joining ThriveLib 2026 to talk about what it looks like to stay rooted in the profession without losing yourself. August 12, 11:00 AM CT thrivelib-2026.heysummit.com/talks/rooted... #ThriveLib

I get that people are excited about America's 250th, but come on people, it's also the 95th anniversary of Ranganathan's Five Laws of Library Science www.librarianshipstudies.com/2017/09/five... 📚

ICYMI Op/Ed: The Case for a Professional Foundation in #Librarianship by Bobbi L. Newman and Sam Helmick (via @insidehighered.com) www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view... #libraries #librarians

It was unseasonably hot when we arrived then the wildfire smoke moved in and it wasn’t safe to be outside. We ventured out yesterday for a bit and headed home today. #apostleislands #wisconsin

Whatever could be said about that claim when he made it in 1962, it soon became undeniable that government vaccine research, distribution, and mandates are objectively among the greatest achievements of civilization. Claiming otherwise is embarrassing, it's like saying you don't wash your hands.

Congrats we just made it impossible to come here for a PhD www.bostonglobe.com/2026/07/16/m...

I understand Michael is skeptical of this program to begin with but I want to be clear that "getting millions of young people to volunteer" is actually a terrible idea. Even teens who *want* to volunteer are usually pretty bad at it. Nobody wants this!

It’s worth noting that Taco Bell identified the source before the FDA did, and promptly pulled it from their stores. The FDA didn’t even name the source until Taylor Farms outed themselves, and hasn’t issued a recall. Basically, Taco Bell is now a more reliable authority than the FDA.

Its not safe to swim in the water in Iowa www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/h...

Iowa public universities report research funding declines tied to federal grant cuts & policy changes. UI was hit hard for research funding from NIH grants, which cut funds for vaccine messaging, cochlear implants, Alzheimer’s, and access to research careers. www.kcrg.com/2026/07/16/i...

1) These should be separate services 2) because we do not value public services the way we should. Everyone is so worried their taxes are going to books when they should be worried they're going to support war .

I love that my town’s brand new public library has to put this sign at its entrance!📚❤️

also, your public library probably has platforms on their website like overdrive, hoopla, libby, etc. where you can download ebooks, audiobooks, TV shows, movies, music, magazines for free!

To be fair to him, he was actually looking at propaganda & education, in his video. And he’s v pretty. Again I’d strongly recommend anyone who is interested in factual history to visit their local library & ask their librarian for some recommendations! You have an expert, just for you, use them!

I don't recall the names and faces of every teacher I ever had but I DO remember every name and face of every school librarian.

Pride Month Still Matters, Despite Disappearing From Libraries. Pride displays, programs, and events continue to disappear from libraries in the US, making them complicit in queer erasure. bookriot.com/pride-is-dis...

It's still not cool to poop in a cornfield RAGBRAI riders! #iowa Fear not, RAGBRAI riders, 'corn bears' are not a real threat in Iowa www.desmoinesregister.com/story/life/l...

Free webinar -> Public Library Services for Strong Communities: Results from PLA’s 2025 Survey ala-events.zoom.us/webinar/regi... #skybrarians #publibs

The terminal professional degree for a position titled “librarian” at an institution of higher ed is an MA from an ALA-accredited program or a program w/ formal accreditation process identified by ALA’s Office for HR Development & Recruitment. www.ala.org/acrl/standar... #skybrarians

North Liberty resident and construction worker Mario Bojorjes was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, on July 7 after being stopped by an Iowa State Trooper. dailyiowan.com/2026/07/09/n... #iowa #abolishice

Them: it’s time we remembered when girls were girls and boys were boys! It confuses them to wear the wrong clothes! Me, eyes darting around for an escape as I remember that both boys and girls wore dresses for the better part of “western” history: riiiiight

Bridge project to cause demolition, relocation of LNACC, Afro House to remain despite construction. Iowa City’s $30 million Burlington Street project will call for construction to Melrose Avenue, an area home to two university cultural houses. dailyiowan.com/2026/07/08/b... #iowacity

We're on vacation in Bayfield, WI. The smoke from the Boundary Waters moved in yesterday. The photo on the left is from Wednesday; the one on the right is Monday. Same spot. It's not really safe to be outside. #wisconsin #apostleislands

TODAY at 2pm Eastern: Join ALA and the Schools, Health and Libraries Broadband Coalition for a critical update on the #ERate program and the FCC proposal to dismantle it. Tune in to this free webinar for up-to-the-minute news and insights from library & advocacy pros: www.shlb.org/events/the-f...

Went through something similar at a previous job (academic library no less) They were ok with lgbtq+ books in the collection but not displaying them. Which means you want no one to know about it. just say the quiet part out loud and be transparent about your hate. It saves us all time.

Nope this is only the first step. They won’t stop. Tell them no.

Paraphrasing: "If we just give in and eliminate the Pride Month display, the library board leave the collection alone." www.reddit.com/r/Libraries/... No they won't.

I've been working on my talk this weekend and I'm excited to be part of this! All of the sessions look FANTASTIC. Grab a ticket and get your virtual learning on.

Any time you have the chance to learn from Annie, you should take it!

What if the antidote to burnout was belonging? Cindy Dancel, Jason Phillips, and Chereeka Garner are exploring how collaborative culture change can bring joy back to library work. August 11, 3:30 PM CT #ThriveLib thrivelib-2026.heysummit.com/talks/from-b...

USA citizens- residency not required- can submit comments. Link in the threaded post!

28 years of cyclosporiasis testing Screwworms eradicated in the US in 1966. Measles eradicated in the US in 2000. All are back because of this science denying administration.

...isn't this the gender affirming care they've called illegal?

Librarianship Should Resist Credential Erosion by Bobbi Newman and Sam Helmick 📜📚 www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...

One of the many values of public libraries. Anyone can use them for free. Invest in public libraries!

I wrote about Naomi Klein joining Substack and why writers of conscience shouldn't launch new media ventures on platforms that court white supremacy for clicks.

Opinion | The Case for a Professional Foundation in Librarianship We should resist calls for credential erosion. If anything, the need for a foundational M.L.S. has only grown in this era of information abundance. By Bobbi L. Newman and Sam Helmick: https://bit.ly/4wGOwEj #EDUSky #AcademicSky

Come get yo clock and yo parade,!! people.com/see-everythi...

"A student who owns a smartphone but has never used a university’s virtual learning environment, an online library database.....is not digitally “ready” for modern degree study, regardless of how fluent they might be on social media." theconversation.com/digital-pove...

put my master’s degree in library and information science to good use this evening by answering my own reference question for tomorrow’s blog post: “did Bob Dylan wear tight pants in the 1970s?”

“Geffert surveys administrators who engaged in non-M.L.S. hiring, finds they support non-M.L.S. hiring and presents this as evidence that non-M.L.S. hiring works.” 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥