ALA Councilor's Report from Midwinter I
Greetings from cloudy Boston! I am beginning my second term as your ALA Councilor. I am honored to have this opportunity to represent Vermont at our national organization.
Yesterday I attended a Chapter Relation Committee meeting where I was surprised and pleased to hear that the Washington Office of ALA has included the cost of databases for all libraries in a recent American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (stimulus funds). We will need to wait to see if the grant is funded.
Today I am at my first council meeting where we are hearing about budget issues, endowment reports, and introduction of the ALA 2015 strategic plan draft. After breaking into small groups we have had a chance to comment on and suggest changes to the strategic plan. You may view the draft plan here. Please let me know if you have any comments on the draft.
As might be expected income for the organization has fallen, but some cutbacks in activities have made the loss less than it may have been.
The Executive Director presented his report this morning. American Libraries magazine is now online.
Later today I will attend a council forum and hear Yohannes Grebregeorgis who founded Nigeria Reads speak at the President’s program.
I will write more tomorrow.
Nancy Wilson
U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services information
(post received from Ted Albers)
I am Ted Albers, a Community Relations officer with the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) in Burlington Vermont. USCIS is the immigration-benefit and service branch of the Federal Government.
You may be aware of some of the hard-copy and online resources that
USCIS produces for immigrants who are preparing for the citizenship test. These materials are helpful to ESL and Civics educators as well. These resources are detailed on the websites below.
For libraries, the “Citizenship Toolkit” is probably the most useful. It is free if a library or non-profit organization registers for it online ($73 if purchased through the Government Printing Office).
Even if a library does not serve many immigrants, the Toolkit is helpful
for social-service providers, students and others as it helps in understanding the legal immigration and citizenship process and requirements.
Read more→
U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services information
(post received from Ted Albers)
I am Ted Albers, a Community Relations officer with the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) in Burlington Vermont. USCIS is the immigration-benefit and service branch of the Federal Government.
You may be aware of some of the hard-copy and online resources that
USCIS produces for immigrants who are preparing for the citizenship test. These materials are helpful to ESL and Civics educators as well. These resources are detailed on the websites below.
For libraries, the “Citizenship Toolkit” is probably the most useful. It is free if a library or non-profit organization registers for it online ($73 if purchased through the Government Printing Office).
Even if a library does not serve many immigrants, the Toolkit is helpful
for social-service providers, students and others as it helps in understanding the legal immigration and citizenship process and requirements.
Read more→
ACRL/NEC Leadership Workshop
ACRL/NEC is happy to announce a unique professional development opportunity for our members.
On Friday, April 30th, we will present the workshop, “Learning to Lead: an introduction,” at Bryant University, Smithfield, Rhode Island. This workshop is limited to 24 participants and will be presented by leaders in the ACRL/New England Chapter at minimal cost.
http://www.acrlnec.org/leadership.php
We hope to see you there!
Barbara Kenney, President
ACRL/New England Chapter
Douglas Announces Gates Foundation Grant for Public Libraries
State of Vermont: OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
For Immediate Release:
December 29, 2009
Contact: Dennise R. Casey
(802) 828-3333
Montpelier, Vt. – Governor Jim Douglas today announced that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has established a critical grant partnership with the Vermont Department of Libraries and the Vermont Telecommunications Authority (VTA) to help public libraries compete for federal broadband stimulus funds made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. VTA, in collaboration with the Department of Libraries, plans to submit an application to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) in early 2010.
VLA Strategic Plan 2006 – 2009, VLA Board Meetings
July 2008 Update with Sept. additions
Funding flyer A flier that libraries can use to encourage patrons and board members to support the state aid initiative. You will need to add contact information for your lawmakers. This can be found at www.leg.state.vt.us/legdir/legdir2.htm
VLA Annual Meetings and Board Meetings – Schedule and Minutes
VLA Documents and Policies
Vermont Public Librarians’ Compensation: A Survey and a Toolkit(VLC presentation 2009 handout)
Increasing Public Library Compensation (updated!)
Increasing Public Library Compensation (older report)
Vermont Academic Librarians’ Salaries and Benefits Survey, 2008: Final Report
GoodSearch/GoodShop for Generating Funds
From a post by Teresa F. on the VLA Listserv:
Non-profits across the country are getting donations from web searches made through GoodSearch (a Yahoo search engine)and online purchases made through GoodShop (which connects to regular online retailers). The trick is getting your patrons to go through the GoodSearch/GoodShop sites to search or shop.
A number of Vermont organizations are already listed as beneficiaries. If your organization does not care to be listed, perhaps your own searches and purchases could benefit the charity of your choice. Go to http://www.goodsearch.com for more information, including coverage of the service by national media, lists of nonprofits currently enrolled, FAQs, etc. The donation check comes just once a year in December, for activity from the previous October through September.
If it were me, I’d change the library default browser to this browser and explain to patrons why to use it…it may even carry over into their home searching.
Helen