TxLA Large Print Book Signing with Author Adib Khorram

On Wednesday, April 27, during the Texas Library Association (TxLA) Conference in Fort Worth, Texas, Thorndike Press is excited to host indie bestselling and awarding-winning YA author Adib Khorram. TxLA attendees should plan to line up at the Thorndike Press booth, #1907, around 8:30 AM CT. The signing will begin promptly at 8:45 AM CT. … Read more

Free Online Learning Program Webinar

| By Sydney Fairman | As libraries seek to bring in programming that meets the diverse educational needs of their communities, factors such as staff time, breadth of expertise, classroom space, and even budgets play into the equation. Join fellow librarians across the country for the “Get Your Online Learning Program On Course” webinar on … Read more

Save the Date! Open Web Session at ER&L

| By Sydney Fairman | Raise your hand if you use Wikipedia! Everyone from librarians and professors to students and patrons use this free enclyclopedia—we might as well embrace the inevitable and contribute to its betterment, or at least familiarize ourselves with how others in the information ecosystem are participating. Learn how publishers, libraries, and … Read more

Register for “Libraries and Incubators,” a National Entrepreneurship Week 2019 Free Webinar

| By Sydney Fairman | Libraries and local business incubators, accelerators, co-working spaces, and other entrepreneurship support organizations are key to nurturing the unique startups in communities of every size. Join your fellow entrepreneurial-minded peers for EveryLibrary’s and the International Business Innovation Association’s (INBIA) webinar, “Libraries and Incubators” on February 19, 2019, at 2 p.m. ET, as a … Read more

Curated Collections for the 2019 Texas TEKS ELA-R for Grades K-8

| By Christine Schneider | Several months ago, just after I started in this position as a K-12 e Resources Specialist for Gale, I was exploring areas of the United States where Gale could provide customers solutions for their needs. Texas caught my eye. Back in 2017, the state adopted new TEKS ELA-R standards for … Read more

Register Today! 3D Tools in Human Anatomy Courses and Curriculum Webinar

| By Sydney Fairman | Subjects like human anatomy are difficult to teach and can be frustrating for undergraduates. To overcome, students are often led to downloading applications on their phones or laptops. However, these applications may not have the best approaches towards learning the complex and often tedious material. Join us and the American … Read more

Register Today! Driving Decisions with Data Webinar

Is Your Library Measuring Up? How can you ensure your library’s goals and initiatives support households in your community? It can be tricky, but with Analytics On Demand, you can add value to your library’s existing data and unlock key insights about your community. Join us, and American Libraries, July 24th for a free episode … Read more

Digitizing Early Arabic Printed Books: A Workshop

In partnership with Brown University Middle East Studies, Gale is excited to present Digitizing Early Arabic Books: A Workshop.  The event will feature presentations and talks with scholars of Middle East and Arabic Studies. Gale will also present a demonstration of  Early Arabic Printed Books from the British Library  , the new DH Sandbox, and text … Read more

Calling All Academic Librarians: Charleston Conference Scholarship

Our mission at Gale is to connect libraries to learning and learners to libraries – librarians are the essence of that mission. This fall librarians and industry partners will gather in Charleston, South Carolina at The Charleston Conference to collaborate on issues of mutual importance in an exciting and informal atmosphere. In line with our mission to connect libraries … Read more

Why Libraries Matter

By Frank Menchaca

Libraries, it seems, are under attack everywhere. Schools are eliminating librarians. College libraries receive less than three cents of every dollar spent on higher education. Marketing guru Seth Godin— and a chorus of others—has questioned the relevance of libraries in particularly stinging terms.

But there’s good news too. Ninety-five percent of Americans believe that public libraries play an important role in helping people live more successful lives. Students who visit their college libraries even once a semester are much more likely to return to school the following semester than those who do not. According to the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project, “the vast majority of readers aged 16-29 have read a print book in the last year.” And 60 percent of Americans under the age of 30 have used a library within the last 12 months.

The message is clear. Libraries—whether academic, municipal, or special purpose—are essential to the health, wealth, and education of the communities they serve. There’s no doubt libraries are challenged by funding cuts and bad press or that they need to beef up their marketing efforts, but the rumors of their death have been greatly exaggerated.

Read moreWhy Libraries Matter