2008 National Survey of Public Library Funding and Technology Access

Hello Friends,

As of this morning, only 16 sampled libraries have responded to the National Survey of Public Library Funding and Technology Access from Vermont, which is a 10.25% response rate. The survey will close November 7, which leaves 6 weeks left in the survey cycle this year.  It sounds like quite a while, but it can sure fly by pretty quickly!  Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1)      The URL to complete the survey for is http://plinternetsurvey.org

2)      They will not be able to analyze the state without at least a 60% response rate from libraries within the state.

To help Vermont libraries obtain grants from various national sources it’s important to have this participation.

 

Rob Geiszler

Regional Consultant

Vermont Department of Libraries

271 North Main Street

Rutland, VT 05701

(802) 786-3839

MaintainIT Project webinars: laptops, training, and gaming!

Three Fee-Free Library Webinars from MaintainIT: Laptops, Training and Gaming.

Join us for these free webinars. Attend these sessions from your library, no travel needed!

The MaintainIT Project, (www.maintainitproject.org), interviews hundreds of librarians about how they maintain, support, and sustain their public computers. We publish all of these experiences, successes, and challenges in guides called Cookbooks, so librarians can learn from the experiences of others who’ve done it before them. The best part? Everything we do is FREE, and everything is on www.maintainitproject.org. We also produce free webinars every month!

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NISO program being sponsored by ACRL New England

ACRL New England’s Continuing Education Committee and ITIG have purchased access to the NISO Webinar on SUSHI.

Title:  SUSHI: Beyond Trial into Real Use
Date:  October 2, 2008
Time: 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. (Eastern Time)/Food served at NOON.
Cost: FREE!

Sandwiches and Sushi will be served at Noon.

Location: College of Holy Cross, Dinand Library, Faculty Room, on the second floor of the library

To Reserve a seat please RSVP to Bob Scheier, (rscheier@holycross.edu)

Location: College of Holy Cross, Dinand Library, Faculty Room, on the second floor of the library

Contact: Bob Scheier, (rscheier@holycross.edu)

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2009 Vermont Library Association Conference Theme: Speaking Up! Advocacy for Libraries

“Isn’t the Internet going to put public libraries out of business?”
“Why do we need school libraries when everything is online?”
“Why do we need a campus library when students can do their research on the Internet?” (Library Advocate’s Handbook, ALA).

Library advocates must adapt to a changing and not always sympathetic political and social environment. We need to be able to explain the role of libraries in the 21st century in order to maintain funding, to be a voice for policy issues ranging from intellectual property to intellectual freedom and protection of privacy.

It is our hope that the 2009 Conference will offer programs that give us the tools and knowledge to explain the importance of libraries to our communities, legislators and funders. We would like to build our own strength as advocates, and also help others – boards, friends, principals, administrators, and community members – to become strong advocates for libraries.

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SLJ Webcast Event: CAPTURING STRUGGLING AND RELUCTANT READERS

Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Time:2–3 PM ET

Register for this FREE webcast today at www.slj.com/reading

This informative webcast will bring together a panel of experts in reading, media center services, and children’s literacy, including school librarians, educators, and a representative from Capstone Press and Stone Arch Books to cover a range of processes, programs, and ideas that can bolster reading skills, comprehension, and literacy in the K-6 library and classroom.

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MLA-Tech Services Section Program: Introduction to Library Digitization (open to anyone)

Massachusetts Library Association Technical Services Section proudly presents “Introduction to Library Digitization”, a one day program on Tuesday October 28th, 2008, at the Worcester Public Library (open to non-MLA members).  This program will cover what libraries need to consider before starting a digitization project.  The speakers will be Massachusetts librarians who have successfully implemented digitization projects at their libraries. 

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ALA President To discuss Creating Connections Online

Join ALA President Jim Rettig at the ALA Connections Salon, an online event scheduled for 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. EST Friday, Sept. 26.

Online Programming for All Libraries (OPAL) Coordinator Tom Peters will begin the hour with an interview with Rettig, whose presidential focus is “Creating Connections.” Rettig’s initiatives foster connections among libraries, library workers, the communities libraries serve and those who make library funding and policy decisions. Rettig is particularly interested in fostering connections among ALA members and exploring new ways for members to benefit from and contribute to our association. The ALA Connections Salon is one such exploration.

Like its 17th and 18th Century European counterparts, the ALA Connections Salon offers a place for ALA members to gather and discuss professional topics of interest. Following the interview, participants will be free to ask questions and engage with Rettig and one another about ways to make the most of their ALA experience.

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Vermont Historical Society Library Expands Hours

The Vermont Historical Society Library in Barre has expanded its hours to include Wednesday evenings until 8 pm between Labor Day and Memorial Day.  Our hours and fees, as posted on our web site, are as follows:

  • Tuesday – Friday, 9 am – 4:30 pm
  • Wednesdays until 8 pm, Labor Day through Memorial Day
  • Second Saturday of each month, 9 am – 4 pm
  • Closed state and federal holidays; check the VHS Calendar for specific dates. 

Research Fee: $5.00/person per day; VHS members and students free.

2008 Presidential Debates and Libraries

(From the ALA Listserv)

On Tuesday, October 7, one of the three 2008 Presidential debates between Senators Barack Obama and John McCain will be held at Belmont University in Nashville, TN. This debate will be a town hall format moderated by Tom Brokaw. The moderator will call on members of the audience as well as select questions submitted online.

During this election year, we are looking for librarians and library supporters from across the country to call attention to the value of today’s libraries in our communities, as well as the issues the library community is facing. We encourage all ALA members to submit questions. The Commission on Presidential Debates has partnered with MySpace to create a new Web site, www.MyDebates.org. This site will become available in the days leading up to the first Presidential debate on September 26.  The more questions submitted, the more likely a library question will be asked. This is an opportunity for the library voice to become an important part of the 2008 Presidential election.

Sincerely,

James Rettig
ALA President

To be clear, this is a message to ALA members, but it is not exclusive to ALA members. The materials and methods are freely available on the open web and any librarian can participate.