Picturing America Bookshelf Grant Deadline

Public and School Libraries:

This is a reminder that the ALA/NEH â€œPicturing Americaâ€ Bookshelf Grant application deadline is January 30, 2009.

The We the People Bookshelf, a collection of classic books for young readers (K-12), is a project of the National Endowment for the Humanitiesâ€™ (NEH) We the People program, conducted in cooperation with the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office.

The theme for the 2008-2009 Bookshelf is â€œPicturing America.â€

A total of 4,000 public and school (K-12) libraries will be selected to receive the â€œPicturing Americaâ€ Bookshelf. Awards will be announced in April 2009.

University of South Carolina Distance Library Degree Program

The University of South Carolina School of Library and Information Science plans to begin a Masterâ€™s program for a regional â€œcohortâ€ of students in the New England region. This is an expansion of a program that was previously conducted in Maine. The program is proposed to begin in the fall semester of 2009; beginning students may also be admitted to the program in spring 2010 and fall 2010.

Classes will be presented as an interactive online program utilizing a variety of technologies. Attendance on the home campus of the University is not a required part of the program. Students admitted to the program will have several on site experiences at a location(s) in New England, including (but not limited to): a beginning orientation, portfolio preparation and state association meetings.

For more information, contact: Tilda Reeder, Admissions Coordinator, Student Services Office: tildareeder@sc.edu

The University of South Carolina is located in Columbia; phone number for the School lo Library and Information Science: 803-777-3858.

NETSL 2009 Spring Conference

Mark your calendars and plan to join us for NETSL’s 2009 Spring Conference.

WHEN: April 17, 2009

WHERE: College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA

Watch for further announcements with program and registration details
coming after the first of the year.

Questions, suggestions, or other feedback? Contact Amy Benson at
netslpresident@nelib.org.

NETSL: New England Technical Services Librarians is a section of the New
England Library Association. For more information about NETSL see http://www.nelib.org/netsl/

VLA Seeks Nominations for its Annual Awards

There are so many fabulous librarians and trustees in Vermont that it is always hard to single out just one of each annually, but there are always ones who are extraordinary and deserved to be recognized statewide. Now is the time for you to think about who VLA should recognize this year at the Vermont Library Conference, and nominate those deserving colleagues.

VLA is now accepting nominations for two awards:

1) The 2009 Sarah C. Hagar Award which is for outstanding service in or significant contribution to the field of librarianship in Vermont. Nominees must be working in a Vermont library and a member of VLA.

2)The 2009 Trustee of the Year Award for achievement by a trustee on behalf of his or her library, either during the previous year or during his/her years of service.

The Vermont Consortium of Academic Libraries hereby resolves our support for the critical role of libraries and librarians in K-12 education in Vermont and strenuously opposes the proposal made by the Education Quality Standards Commission, appointed by the State Board of Education, to remove all instances of the words “library,” “librarian,” and “library-media specialist” from the Vermont Education Quality Standards.

2008 Library Automation Survey — closing soon

The 2008 Library Automation Survey will be closing soon.

If you have not yet responded, I hope that you will do so in the next few days. Please help me assess the current state of the library automation arena by responding to the survey and giving your library’s perceptions of its current automation software and the organizations involved in supporting it.

Original survey invitation message:

I am conducting another round of the library automation perceptions survey. Last year’s survey was the basis for “Perceptions 2007: an international survey of library automation:”

Important Gates Foundation Survey for Public Libraries

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Broadband Assessment Project Survey: Please return by January 16, 2009

I am writing to inform you about a new project sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, part of their effort to improve high-quality technology services in public libraries. Please read this letter about how you will provide important information regarding Internet connectivity in your library.

This is a new survey, and is different from other surveys and questionnaires you have received concerning Internet service in your library.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation recently launched the Broadband Assessment Project, a nationwide effort to collect detailed information about Internet connections in all public libraries in the United States. Information gathered in this effort will help the Foundation and its partners raise awareness of the need for high-quality Internet in public libraries and how to meet this need.

NEH Grant Opportunity

The National Endowment for the Humanities â€œSmall Grants to Librariesâ€ program brings humanities public programming to libraries across the country. This current grant program provides financial support to libraries for the planning, arranging, administering, and promoting of the traveling exhibition, “Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War.”

Deadline for grants: January 30, 2009.

Library Construction Projects?

As part of an information gathering exercise for the ALA Washington Office, I need to know if there are any â€œshovel readyâ€ library construction projects in our state. If your library is planning such a project (renovation or new construction) and you are far enough in the planning that you could start building in the near future, I want to hear from you. I am especially interested in public libraries, but want to hear about other library projects, too.

When the Obama administration begins to look for projects to â€œput people to workâ€ we want to be able to suggest the idea of library construction.

I need to know:

Name of library and contact person/info;
Kind of project (new building; addition; renovation, etc.);
Estimated cost of project;
Expected start date for construction.
Even if you have already contracted with an architect or builder, Iâ€™d like to know about your plans.

Please contact me immediately so I can compile a list.

Marty
_____________________________
Martha Reid
State Librarian
Vermont Department of Libraries
109 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05609-0601
Tel: (802) 828-3265
Fax: (802) 828-2199
martha.reid@mail.dol.state.vt.us

NETSL AWARD 2009: Call for Nominations

New England Technical Services Librarians (NETSL) Executive Board is seeking nominations for its annual NETSL Award for Excellence in Library Technical Services.

The NETSL Award recognizes and honors significant New England-based contributions to the field of library technical services. Contributions may have been made in New England by librarians from throughout the United States, or nationally by librarians residing in New England, through publications, service, or innovations in practice. The NETSL Executive Board members select a recipient at their February meeting based on nominations received. The Board reserves the right to suspend the Award for a year if no suitable candidate is nominated.

The next NETSL Award will be presented at the annual NETSL Spring Conference, April 17, 2009, at College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA.