The Association for Rural and Small Libraries currently offers three annual conference scholarships to promote the organization and the conference. They are the Dr. Bernard Vavrek Scholarship, the Founders Scholarship and the Ken Davenport Scholarship.
The Dr. Bernard Vavrek Scholarship will go to a current LIS student. It includes conference registration, hotel, $500 stipend and a free one-year membership in ARSL.
The Founders Scholarship and the Ken Davenport scholarship will go to a current library professional. They include conference registration, hotel, a $500 stipend and a free one-year membership in ARSL. The definition of a “Library Professional” is a library staff member working in a small and/or rural library. A degree or certification is not required.
Candidates do not need to be members of ARSL; however membership is encouraged.
The committee asks candidates for any scholarship to provide a briefly worded essay -”Why I Want To Go!” and a completed application form.
The winners should have not attended the ARSL conference before and will be required to write a short blog entry on the ARSL website to share their conference experience. Winners will also be invited to serve on the ARSL Scholarship Committee the following year.
The Conference Scholarship Committee selects winners based on a demonstration of need, demonstration of not only a desire to serve the small and rural community but an already established pattern of working within the community, willingness to network, share and aid in developing new networks to aid small and/or rural libraries and a willingness to share what they learn at the conference with those in their networking areas.
A special thank you to our ARSL Premier Members who have helped make these scholarships possible through a $10 contribution as part of their membership.
Please click the link below for an application and more information about the 2012 scholarships. Applications are due June 15.
http://arsl.info/annual-conference-awards-calendar/award-scholarship-info/
The following post details a tragic reminder about taking steps to ensure the safety and security of your most precious collections.
From Mindy Leisenring (Director, Cortland County Historical Society)
On May 9, 2012 three items were discovered stolen from the cases of the Cortland County Historical Society military exhibit.
The items include:
- a Civil War Jacket,
- Civil War Hat, and
- a Savage Percussion Revolver.
Items are pictured below.
We are working with the local police department, but currently have no leads as to who, when or how the items exited the museums property.
If you have any information or advice please do not hesitate to contact us or by phone (607)756-6071. We would appreciate any help, or alerts to other sites that can be offered.
This announcement was originally posted to the DHP-L listserv by Stephanie Lehner Rowe, Regional Archivist and Program Coordinator at Museumwise
The New York State Library is seeking, by June 30, recommendations for membership on the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries.
The Regents Advisory Council on Libraries advises the New York State Board of Regents on State policy regarding the New York State Library, library development programs, legislation and library aid programs. The Council works with the officers of the State Education Department in developing a comprehensive statewide library and information policy and makes recommendations to the Regents concerning the implementation of the program.
The Board of Regents will appoint three Regents Advisory Council members to serve five-year terms from October 1, 2012 to September 30, 2017. The Council meets a minimum of four times a year: January (conference call), April (Board of Regents meeting in Albany), September (conference call) and December (New York City). Members of the Regents Advisory Council are leaders in a wide variety of endeavors across the State, including business, human services, education, and libraries.
The State Library particularly encourages recommendations of representatives of New York State’s broadly diverse population, including but not limited to African Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic origin/ancestry and people with disabilities.
Please send nominations and a brief biography or resume for the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries by June 30 to: Paula Paolucci, Office of the State Librarian and Assistant Commissioner for Libraries, New York State Library, 10C34 Cultural Education Center, Albany, NY 12230.
The New York 3Rs Association, Inc. is pleased to announce a partnership arrangement with EBSCO Publishing on a consortia e-books purchasing agreement for academic libraries in the State (and other libraries that may be interested in academic collections in eBook format).
This offer includes two options, and libraries can make selections from both. EBSCO eBooks are accessed via the EBSCO host platform, and can be downloaded to most e-readers. Pricing reflects a one-time purchase with perpetual access.
Option 1: Subject Collections
EBSCO offers an extensive list of Subject Collections: pre-packaged collections of frontlist titles created by EBSCO’s Collection Development team, allowing for quick and easy purchases in particular high-interest subject areas. The Collections each include between 10-30 titles. There is no title overlap across the Collections, and no title overlap from year to year (so no duplication). The Collections will include a participation-based discount ranging from 10% to 35%.
Option 2: Pick and Choose
Libraries can pick and choose from a list of 70,000 eBook titles (and growing), available at discounts ranging from 10% to 35%.
The discount level for Subject Collections and the “Pick and Choose” option depends on the number of libraries that are ordering. The final discount from the list price will reflect the number of libraries participating in that ordering period.
The minimum order per library is $500.
The orders will be coordinated at least four times per year, with the first order deadline being June 10th, 2012. Interested libraries will order their titles (either at the Subject Collection level or individual title level) by selecting one or more from the extensive database of titles created by the NY3Rs for this offering. The “ordered” collections/titles will be sent via email directly with your EBSCO sales representative.
Pricing includes the list price for the one simultaneous user (1B1U) option and 3 simultaneous (1B3U) users option. The price associated with the title checkout is 1B1U. Contact the EBSCO sales rep for the 1B3U option or the unlimited access which is also available for some titles (if allowed by publisher) – pricing will be quoted directly by EBSCO for unlimited access.
The next order deadline after June 10 will be approximately late summer.
Click here for further information.
Longtime Director of the Cazenovia College Library and CLRC Board Member Stanley Kozaczka has just announced his retirement. Stan has been at Cazenovia College for 28 years. Before Cazenovia, he was the Head of Library Services at Alliance College in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania. Originally from the Boston area, Stan said he and his wife would often travel through Cazenovia on Route 20 and fell in love with the picturesque town. When the Cazenovia College position opened, he applied and was unanimously voted in as Director.
Stan’s colleagues are terribly sad to see him go. They celebrated his time and work at Cazenovia with a retirement party at the beautiful Lincklaen House on April 30th. The president and academic dean both spoke, and Stan was presented with a wooden armchair with the Cazenovia College crest engraved in the backrest. One colleague crafted a hand-made guest book that others wrote their farewells in. Other colleagues made a slideshow of pictures for the party, and still another made this photo illustration of Stan, a train enthusiast, with a locomotive in front of of the library:
Stan, we wish you all the best!
Do you have a collection you’d like to get digitized?
Do you already have digitized materials but need a place to host them?
This fall, CLRC will be embarking on an ambitious new project:
Showcasing Central NY’s History
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CLRC has hired five interns for the Fall of 2012 semester who will each take on the full digitization process of 2-3 starter collections from organizations around Herkimer, Oneida, Onondaga, and Madison counties. Your organization could be one of them!
The digitized starter collections will join hundreds of others on New York Heritage, |
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To participate, all you need is:- materials related to NY history to be digitized (app. 50 images or equivalent) - membership in CLRC (Membership rates start at $40 per year) - to attend the kickoff event at 5pm on August 29th - a time commitment of roughly 10 hours during the fall semester - a pledge to continue working on digitization efforts into the future |
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Please email us at CNYLRC@gmail.com to express interest. We will arrange a one-on-one site visit to your institution to talk with you about material suitability and any concerns you may have.
Feel free to contact us with any questions! The project coordinator for Showcasing Central NY’s History is Claire Enkosky, reachable at 315-446-5446 and CEnkosky@clrc.org. |
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This project is supported by Federal Library Services and Technology Act funds, awarded to the New York State Library by the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services.
From NYLINE:
The DUC Library Program is pleased to announce the 2012 Poulin Project: The Poulin Project is offering free box sets of literature to Literacy, GED/ESOL and Adult Education Programs, prison writing programs and other educational initiatives in New York State’s underserved communities.
The “Al Poulin Jr. Independent Publishers Development Project” is run by the DUC Library Program, in collaboration with The New York State Council on the Arts, in honor of the late poet, translator and founder of BOA Editions, Ltd.
The Poulin Project supports small and independent publishers in New York by introducing the work of hundreds of contemporary writers and poets to new audiences, and, in turn, helps reading centers to diversify their collections. Poulin Project books are distributed as an annual boxed set containing an average of 50 different titles. The DUC distributes these sets in June; *there is absolutely no charge to participate*.
BOA Editions, Ltd. is just one of the many publishers that donate new literature, poetry, plays, essays, and literary journals to the program each year. This year’s publishing partners include The Paris Review, Ugly Duckling Presse, Theatre Communications Group, Akashic Books The Hudson Review, Seven Stories Press and The Feminist Press, among many others.
The program’s goal is to reach the most overlooked readers in New York, particularly in the state’s outlying counties, and counties with the lowest per capita income levels. Under NYSCA’s direction, we are making literacy programs a priority this year. We also distribute these resources to correctional facility libraries and community reading centers.
Please note that we will be giving priority to first-time participants this year. Although we would love to send boxed sets to public libraries, NYSCA has asked us to distribute materials only to those libraries with literacy programs.
If you are interested in receiving a boxed set of books this June, please email Judith M. Smith, Program Manager, at info@ducprogram.org with your contact information. Our shipping carrier requires a street address (rather than a P.O. Box) and a telephone number.
Thank you!
Judith M. Smith
Program Manager
Distribution to Underserved Communities Library Program and The Poulin Project
ART RESOURCES TRANSFER, INC.
DUC LIBRARY PROGRAM
526 W 26th STREET, #614
NEW YORK NY 10001
TEL: 212 255 2919
FAX: 212 352 8448
INFO@DUCPROGRAM.ORG
http://ducprogram.org/
The Preservation Association of Central New York is hosting its 2012 Awards in Solvay on May 5th.
The Central New York Library Resources Council (CLRC) is seeking applications for five 150-hour unpaid internship positions for the Fall 2012 semester, at approximately 10 hours per week. Interns MUST attend a Digitization Bootcamp in Syracuse on August 22nd, 23rd, and 24th, as well as a kick-off event on the evening of Wednesday, August 29th.
This event is supported by Federal Library Services and Technology Act funds,
awarded to the New York State Library by the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services.
The New York State Regents Advisory Council on Libraries,
Friends of the New York State Library
The Joseph F. Shubert Library Excellence Award is given annually to recognize the achievements of small, medium and large libraries and library consortia in New York State. Named after the late Joseph F. Shubert, former State Librarian, the Award honors libraries or library consortia that have taken significant steps within the past two years to improve the quality of library service to users.
The New York State Regents Advisory Council is pleased to sponsor the Joseph F. Shubert Library Excellence Award. The award includes a gift of $1,000 supplied by the Friends of the New York State Library. Other notable projects may also be recognized and honored for their achievements.Applications are due June 15, 2012.
2011 Award
The 2011 Joseph F. Shubert Library Excellence Award has been awarded to The New York Public Library (NYPL) for their project entitled Homework NYC. This award-winning project provides homework help with an interactive Dial-A-Teacher App. The project was funded by a three-year federal National Leadership Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and was headed by Shauntee Burns, Outreach Specialist. Ms. Burns worked closely with youth services staff in NYPL, Brooklyn and Queens libraries, as well as the New York City Department of Education, to produce a high-quality web presence for students, teachers and parents.
Four nights a week, the online program connects students and teachers in real time through a secure digital whiteboard. A student types his/her question, uses a mouse or stylus to draw a math problem (for instance) on the screen or imports documents such as a scanned page of homework to the whiteboard. A teacher instantly sees the problem and provides feedback by typing a suggestion, adding to the drawing or pointing the student to other web sites.
Students played a role in the creation of the App, providing librarians with information about their homework needs and practices and made suggestions about how libraries could better support them. Focus groups of teens were held in all five boroughs and students were encouraged to complete online and paper surveys.
The Homework NYC web site provides information for librarians, teachers, parents and students. Information onHomework NYC is also available on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and TeacherTube. Ms. Burns has demonstrated the project at schools, libraries and community centers across New York City.
See their application: .PDF 
[634k]
Runner-up for the 2011 Shubert Award is the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (BOCES) School Library System. created a regional school library system union catalog – FiveSystems.org – for the five school library systems of the greater Rochester area. The 5 Systems site was developed by the School Library System of the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership in 2010 in collaboration with the other four school library systems and the Rochester Regional Library Council. Local development and open source software allowed the five systems to provide a regional catalog to support resource sharing while at the same time lowering costs.
This new regional school library union catalog holds about four million records from some 356 school libraries in the greater Rochester region, facilitating 16,763 point-to-point interlibrary loans annually. The new interface is user-friendly for students and teachers as well as librarians with easy navigation and simplified searching.
Members of the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries 2011 Shubert Award Committee are Sara Kelly Johns, Chair; Louise Sherby and Mary Muller. The Committee was uniformly enthusiastic in its decision to honor The New York Public Library’s submission as an excellent example of the “spirit of the Shubert award.”
The awards were officially presented in November at the 2011 New York Library Association Conference in Saratoga Springs. As the 2011 Shubert Award winner, The New York Public Library received $1,000, which is graciously donated by the Friends of the New York State Library. As the 2011 Shubert Award runner-up, The Genesee Valley Educational Partnership received a plaque.
Has your library done something innovative with resource sharing?
Consider applying for this award!
In 2012, one winning submission will be awarded a cash prize of $1,000. The recipient of this year’s award will be announced at the ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, CA, June 21-26, 2012.
Funding for the 2012 Innovation Awards is provided by Relais International.
To be considered for the award, please submit a description of the user-centric service change you have made that has improved resource sharing in your library, consortium, state or province. Full details for submission can be found at www.rethinkingresourcesharing.
The deadline for applications/nominations is May 1, 2012. (post-mark or date of e-mail).
Submissions are sent to the chair of the Rethinking Resource Sharing Innovation Awards Committee:
Mary Lehane
Manager
Resource Sharing Department
York University Libraries
4700 Keele Street
Toronto, ON, Canada
M3J 1P3
The Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL) Nominating Committee seeks current ARSL members willing to serve as board members for the Association. If you are interested and believe that you have both a commitment to rural and small libraries and a willingness to serve, please carefully review the job description and application for ARSL board members found here.
Sonja Plummer-Morgan, immediate past president and nominating chair shares:
“From personal experience, I found service on the ARSL Board rewarding for many reasons. I met dynamic, diverse library staff from all over the country at our annual conference and during the year, formed lasting professional networks, felt as though I made a positive difference in the lives of rural and small library staff, and built leadership skills that I used to improve my community.”
Interested members should send completed applications to Carla Lehn (clehn@library.ca.gov) by April 27, 2012.
Additionally, there are opportunities for you to volunteer for the Association that are not Board positions. To learn more about ARSL and its many committees or to discuss particular gifts or skills that you believe would benefit the Association, see Get Involved.
The NY 3Rs Association, Inc. has negotiated a deal with Boopsie for Libraries to offer a discount for member libraries. Boopsie for Libraries has created a smart phone application that they will create, customize and brand for the library to include a variety of features, allowing libraries to go mobile in an easy and affordable way, even if they lack the technical expertise in-house.
Using an application made by Boopsie for your library, patrons can search your library catalog, ask you a reference question by text, check out Overdrive books, browse your calendar of events, and much, much more. The application works with both Apple and Android products. The interface can be customized to keep with your library’s branding.
If interested in learning more about Boopsie for Libraries, please click here. You can fill out the interest form to receive a customized price quote from Boopsie. If interested in an informational webinar, please send us an email at CNYLRC@gmail.com.
The Division of Preservation and Access of the National Endowment for the Humanities will be accepting applications for grants in its Humanities Collections and Reference Resources program. These grants support projects to preserve and create intellectual access to such collections as books, journals, manuscript and archival materials, maps, still and moving images, sound recordings, art, and objects of material culture. Awards also support the creation of reference works, online resources, and research tools of major importance to the humanities. Maximum awards are $350,000 for up to three years.
Eligible activities include:
—arranging and describing archival and manuscript collections;
—cataloging collections of printed works, photographs, recorded sound, moving images, art, and material culture;
—providing conservation treatment (including deacidification) for collections, leading to enhanced access;
—digitizing collections;
—preserving and improving access to born-digital sources;
—developing databases, virtual collections, or other electronic resources to codify information on a subject or to provide integrated access to selected humanities materials;
—creating encyclopedias;
—preparing linguistic tools, such as historical and etymological dictionaries, corpora, and reference grammars;
—developing tools for spatial analysis and representation of humanities data, such as atlases and geographic information systems (GIS); and
—designing digital tools to facilitate use of humanities resources.
In response to recent studies noting the deeply hidden, often perilous condition of audio-visual sources in cultural heritage institutions, this program encourages applications that address the preservation and access needs of humanities collections of sound recordings and moving images. Applicants may request funds to establish intellectual and physical control of such materials as well as to digitize them.
HCRR Foundations
NEH is introducing a new funding opportunity this year within Humanities Collections and Reference Resources. To help in the formative stages of initiatives to preserve and create access to humanities collections or to produce reference resources, grants of up to $40,000 will support planning, assessment, and pilot activities that incorporate expertise from a mix of professional domains. Drawing upon the cooperation of humanities scholars and technical specialists, these projects might encompass efforts to prepare for establishing intellectual control of collections, to develop plans and priorities for digitizing collections, to solidify collaborative frameworks and strategic plans for complex digital reference resources, or to produce preliminary versions of online collections or resources.
The new guidelines, which include sample proposal narratives, can be found here. The application receipt deadline is July 19, 2012, with projects beginning May 2013. All applications to NEH must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov; see guidelines for details.
Prospective applicants seeking further information are encouraged to contact the Division at 202-606-8570 or preservation@neh.gov. Program staff will read draft proposals submitted six weeks before the deadline.
Please note that the Division is also accepting applications for three other grant categories, with upcoming deadlines: “Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions” (May 1), “Research and Development” (May 16) and “Education & Training” (June 28). Details on these programs, as well as on the full slate of funding opportunities in Preservation and Access, can be found here.
This announcement was originally posted to the NYLINE listserv on 4/13/2012 by the Division of Library Development, a division of the New York State Education Department.
Deputy Commissioner for Cultural Education and Acting State Librarian, Jeffrey W. Cannell, encourages New York’s library community to provide feedback on the draft New York State federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Five-Year Plan for October 1, 2012 – September 30, 2017. This plan identifies the major needs, goals and priorities for library services in New York State. The plan also describes potential statewide activities that will be implemented using the federal LSTA funds provided annually to the New York State Library by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
The draft plan is currently available at: http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/lsta/plan1217.htm.
–What do you think about the content of the plan?
–What role can your library, library system or organization play in the success of this plan?
–Please email all comments and suggestions to LSTACOMMENTS@MAIL.NYSED.GOV no later than Friday, April 27.
The LSTA Grants to States program is administered through IMLS. In order to receive these crucial funds, IMLS requires an eligible state to develop a plan every five years describing how LSTA Grants to the States will be used to support the state’s goals and priorities. These federal funds are allocated annually to state library administrative agencies. Due to budget reductions at the federal level, New York State currently receives $8.1 million annually in LSTA funding, a drop of $1.4 million from prior year allocations.
Although these federal funds represent a small part of library expenditures in New York State, they have a significant impact as they leverage state and local funds and fuel innovation. Highly-used and highly-valued statewide services such as NOVELNY and Summer Reading at New York Libraries are made possible through these federal funds. The State Library has also offered library systems LSTA Service Improvement Grants and LSTA Summer Reading Mini-grants in past years.
Read more about how LSTA funding benefits library users in New York and the current (2007-2012) Five-Year Plan.
Questions about New York State’s LSTA Program may be directed to Mary Linda Todd, LSTA Coordinator, Division of Library Development, New York State Library. Questions about the draft LSTA Five Year Plan may be directed to Maribeth Krupczak, Library Development Specialist, New York State Library.
This announcement was originally posted to the NYLINE listserv on 4/6/2012 by the Division of Library Development, a division of the New York State Education Department.
Syracuse University Libraries’ Conservation Librarian, David Stokoe, and Assistant Conservator, Marianne Hanley, will offer “Planning for Disaster & An Introduction to the Syracuse University Library Collections Salvage Manual” during Preservation Week.
This presentation will involve an overview of the SU Library disaster plan, supply lockers, and salvage techniques. Participants will have the opportunity to try some of these salvage techniques for themselves!
Date: Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Time: 1:30 – 3:30pm
Place: Peter Graham Scholarly Commons, Bird Library, Room 114
This is a free presentation and will be open to the general public. All who are interested in library disaster planning are welcome to attend!
This program is hosted by Syracuse University Libraries, a member of CLRC.
We really love all of our libraries! What are you doing for national library week?
Comment below, post to our Facebook page, or send us a Tweet @CLRC. We’ll post your answers here!
From April 22-28, libraries across America will celebrate Preservation Week @ your library. Themed “Pass it on,” participating libraries will help connect library users with preservation tools; promote the importance of preservation; and will strive to enhance knowledge of preservation issues among the general public.
Are you doing something special for Preservation Week? Tell us about it in the Comments section.
During the week, libraries will focus on preservation themes including:
–Monday, LP (vinyl) records;
–Tuesday, quilts;
–Wednesday, comic books;
–Thursday, slides;
–Friday, digital photos; and
–Saturday, family letters.
Two free webinars will be offered. On April 24, Taking Care: Family Textiles. On April 26, Preserving Personal Digital Photographs. Visit the ALCTS website for more information.
New York Times best-selling author Steve Berry has been named the first national spokesperson for Preservation Week. Berry is the author of nine novels, including his most recent book,“The Jefferson Key,” the seventh in the Cotton Malone series.
A devoted student of history, Berry and his wife, Elizabeth, founded History Matters, a nonprofit organization dedicated to aiding the preservation of the fragile reminders of our past. Since then, they have traveled the world raising much-needed funds for a wide range of historic preservation projects.
Mr. Berry has recorded public service announcements for ALA which can be downloaded here for your use.
This announcement was originally posted to the NYLINE listserv on 4/6/2012 by the Division of Library Development, a division of the New York State Education Department.
The New York State Library is partnering with the New York State Library Assistants’ Association (NYSLAA) and the American Library Association-Allied Professional Association (ALA/APA) to offer financial assistance to New York State library support staff applying for certification in ALA’s Library Support Staff Certification (LSSC) Program.The national LSSC Program offers library employees a new career path in the library profession and the opportunity to achieve recognition for their experience, enhance library service, and increase skills and knowledge in areas like the foundations of librarianship, technology, and communication.
The LSSC Program is funded by a grant to ALA from the federal Institute for Museum and Library Services, and is managed by the ALA-Allied Professional Association.
The New York State Library, in partnership with NYSLAA will be offering up to 10 Registration Assistance Awards this spring. Successful Award recipients will be credited $175 upon registration – one half of the LSSC registration/application fee.
Library Support Staff Certification (LSSC) provides a path to recognition and awareness of the critical role that library support staff play in the delivery of quality library service.To achieve certification, support staff must complete six of ten competency sets either through development of an online portfolio or taking approved courses.The competency sets are:Foundation of Library Service; Technology; Communication and Teamwork; Access Services, Adult Readers’ Advisory Services; Cataloging and Classification; Collection Management; Reference and Information Services; Supervision and Management; and Youth Services.
The Registration Assistance Awards application form is now available on the New York State Library’s website at: http://librarycareersny.org/. Applicationsare due *May 15, 2012*.Support staff with experience working or volunteering in any type of library in New York State are invited to apply.
The recipients of the Award will be chosen by a random drawing.
Nancy Bolt, Co-Project Director of LSSC commented “LSSC is really pleased that the New York State Library and the New York State Library Assistants’ Association are participating in the Registration Assistance Awards.We are confident that support staff will find certification to be helpful and are thankful for this grant from IMLS.”
To be eligible to participate in LSSC and thus receive a Registration Assistance Award, applicants must have a high school degree or its equivalent and have worked for the equivalent of one year (1820 hours) as a library staff member or volunteer within the last five years.
Detailed additional information on LSSC is available on the LSSC website:www.ala-apa.org/lssc
Please contact Ashleigh Whitfield, Graduate Student Assistant, Division of Library Development, New York State Library at awhitfie@mail.nysed.gov
Upstate Medical University has been selected as a finalist for a 2012 Second Nature Climate Leadership Award. The third annual national competition is open to member institutions that are signatories of the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC).
Vote for Upstate’s entry here
Upstate’s entry focused on the unique sustainability challenges and successes of an academic medical center with teaching hospitals, research laboratories and four colleges. Upstate’s hospital accounts for about 75 percent of the university’s energy resources and solid waste generation.
While some of our sustainability efforts are visible – recycling bins, filtered water fountains, energy-efficient construction – many initiatives are essentially invisible to most patients and visitors, as well as to Upstate’s 9,500 employees and 1,600 students.
OCPL will be hosting a kick-off media event for the 2012 New York State Summer Reading Program. Elected officials and Acting State Librarian Jeffrey W. Cannell will speak, as will OCPL’s Executive Director, Elizabeth Dailey.
The event will take place on Tuesday, June 12, at 10:30 a.m. in the Curtin Auditorium of the Robert P. Kinchen Central Library. Participants will be available to meet with the press at 10:00. The television news show “Bridge Street” has promised to be in attendance. The event will last about 30 minutes.
More information to come!
The Legislature and Governor agreed on a 2012-13 State Budget that will be printed and voted on in the next couple of days. The budget agreement includes $2.615 million in additional Library Aid as well as $1.3 million in funding to those libraries impacted by the MTA Payroll tax (in lieu of exempting those libraries from the payroll tax). In addition, the Legislature moved $200 million from competitive school grants to formula funding in School Aid, providing more direct aid to schools. Stay tuned for further updates.
-Michael Borges, NYLA Executive Director
This is about a 3.3% increase for libraries over current funding!
If you have one year of library clerical experience (or its equivalent through volunteer work or other) and you have been a US resident for at least 1 month, you are eligible to take the Onondaga County Library Clerk II exam. Read more here: http://www.ongov.net/employment/jobs/exams/ex07810.pdf
Monday, April 30, 2012
Oneida Room, Oneida BOCES
4747 Middle Settlement Rd. in NewHartford
Registration & Refreshments 6:00 pm – Program begins at 6:30 pm
This program is presented by Oneida–Madison–Herkimer SBI in Partnership with the School Library Systems.
Presenter: Barbara Stripling, Assistant Professor of Practice at the School of Information Studies, Syracuse University. Barbara has presented to many audiences across the country. She is also currently running for President of the American Library Association.
“Reaching the Common Core: The Value of School Libraries”
This presentation will demonstrate the overlap between information fluency skills and the Common Core.
- How do school libraries help students and teachers reach the CLS?
- What is the value of school libraries beyond test scores?
- What does it take to build an exemplary library program?
- What roles do School Board/Administrators/Parents/Teachers/Librarians/Studentsplay in developing and maintaining a quality library program?
To register please return form by:
FAX to Lois Arndt, Herkimer BOCES, School Boards Institute, at (315) 867-2053, or
E-Mail your registration to her at larndt@herkimer-boces.org (Phone: 315-867-2005)
Cost: $10.00
** REGISTER by Tuesday, April 24 **
SCHOOL DISTRICT: _____________________
Name_________________________ Title _________________Telephone________________
Name_________________________ Title _________________Telephone________________
Name_________________________ Title _________________Telephone________________
Name_________________________ Title _________________Telephone________________
Herkimer BOCES
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352 Gros Blvd.
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Herkimer, NY 13350
Tune in to your local PBS station at 8 p.m. Sunday, March 25, for Finding Your Roots, a new 10-part genealogy series airing Sundays through May 20. During the show, the Local History & Genealogy Division of the Rochester & Monroe County Library will be featured in a promotional video that showcases the resources available here for genealogists. The video will air each week during the show’s 10-week run, and a longer version will be posted at http://wxxi.org/roots after Sunday’s premier.
A television crew visited the Division earlier this month to film the video, which includes interviews with patron Marlene Capes-Bettin and Historical Services Consultant Christine Ridarsky discussing library resources and how they helped Capes-Bettin trace her husband’s ancestors.
Finding Your Roots, hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., explores U.S. history through the lives, family histories, and DNA of some of the country’s most celebrated citizens, including Harry Connick, Jr., Branford Marsalis, Angela Buchdal, Yasir Qadhi, Rick Warren, Geoffrey Canada, and Barbara Walters.
Please spread the word and encourage your friends and family to watch!
Here are some of the comments made by your CLRC-region colleagues on the 2nd draft of Creating the Future: a 2020 Vision Plan for Library Service in New York State.
Jill Hurst-Wahl
Assistant Professor of Practice
School of Information Studies, Syracuse University
Seven people – not all members of the SU community – came together to discuss the 2020 vision. Members of the group did not see this document as being a plan, but rather a “vision to plan” (cover page). A plan would have specific actions, rather than just recommendations.
Some thought that the recommendations should be reorganized by theme. I know that the current organization makes the most sense to the Regents. However, organizing by theme might make more sense to the library community. Perhaps a document could be done – after the Regents accept this – that is presented in theme order?
In order to understand the 2020 vision, you need to understand what is happening with libraries currently in NYS. So this document does not contain enough information for someone who is not conversant with the current state of libraries. Maybe pointers to additional information? (Which wouldn’t necessarily lengthen the document too much?)
The number of libraries in NYS is on page 2, but should also be incorporated into page 1.
Under “School Libraries (P-12)”, people noted that there was good specificity.
People felt that the section on “Special Libraries” was a weaker section. We had a long discussion about corporate libraries and whether they would want to share. (recommendation #30). For me (a former corporate librarian), this section makes sense, but it doesn’t to people who have not been corporate librarians. Perhaps some more text? Or take “corporate” in the title and move it to the end of the list? (People might focus less on the work then.)
We discussed whether this document needed examples, like a view of how people will interact with libraries in 2020. Or a scenario of how libraries will impact those things that touch a person’s life. We also recognized that might create a point of view that could be limited/limiting. Another option would be to create “personas” to represent NYS citizens in 2020 and how they interact with information. I don’t have a good resources about personas…but this gives you some idea of what I mean.
On page 9, the idea of “share and consolidate” (also recommendation #38) are topics that we cannot be flippant about.
Joanne A. Schneider
University Librarian and Professor in the Libraries
Colgate University Libraries
University Librarian and Professor in the Libraries
Colgate University Libraries
I would like to state my support for the proposed recommendations in the 2020 Vision and Plan for Library Service in New York State.
It is essential that the State Department of Education and State Library lead the advocacy on the continued importance and relevance of libraries. Libraries remain relevant in a digital world since all content is not currently available digitally. Moreover, as digital information increases, individuals increasingly need help making sense of the growing amount that is obtainable by them. It is not sufficient for librarians to simply guide people to information but to teach them how to become educated consumers and producers of information utilizing critical thinking skills. At Colgate University, the Libraries continue to experience high use of facilities, services, and physical collections as well as growing use of its unique and proprietary digital collections.
While the “development of a statewide/national digital library of shared use, freely accessible digitized books and research materials” is an essential goal, it is vital for the Regents and others to be fully aware of the significant financial, legal, and political challenges to establishing this objective. Additional resources needed for the development of this “digital library” should not displace current support provided to and needed by the state’s libraries.
New York State has an opportunity through its network of libraries to build a comprehensive information services system with librarians at the center who identify high quality information resources, negotiate collaboratively with corporations to secure favorable pricing, work with the archival and museum communities to ensure perpetual, open access to our cultural legacy, and design, develop and deliver high quality services with efficiency and economy. Librarians will be at the center of developing statewide digital platforms for sharing information as freely as possible.
Therefore, collaboration must be a key theme as we look forward over the next decade. Library collaboration and coordination through consortia will be able to make inroads with publishers involving economies of scale and enhanced resource sharing.
Universities sit at the crossroads of research, education and innovation with information needing to flow into society and business. However, they also operate in a local context by providing local community members, including businesses, access to relevant scholarship and by matriculating qualified students from within New York. A successful statewide research and innovation strategy as articulated in the 2020 Vision and Plan for Library Service will build on these strengths that depend on strong, continued support for libraries.
Beverly J. Marcoline, MLS
Assistant Vice President for Library and Information Technology Services
Utica College
Utica College endorses the recommendations outlined in the Advisory Council on Libraries’ draft 2020 Vision Plan for Library Service in New York State. The plan’s recommendations are in harmony with our collaborative efforts with NYSHEI (New York Higher Education Initiative) to propose legislation designed to leverage the buying power of New York’s academic and research libraries to expand collections, promote access, including open access, and lower costs.
The 2020 Vision Plan is encouraging for Utica College in that it recognizes both the value of and challenges facing academic and research libraries. It is a positive, supportive document.
Town Hall meeting with Barbara Stripling:
Academic Libraries
Barbara Stripling, candidate for ALA president, hosted a town hall meeting for academic librarians on February 28th, 2012, in the Peter Graham Scholarly room of Syracuse University’s Bird library. A group of local academic librarians gathered and chatted about the issues they face.
Barb is a long time librarian and administrator of librarians. She is now an Assistant Professor of Practice at Syracuse University’s iSchool after seven years as the Director of School Libraries in New York City. There, she oversaw 1700 schools and came to understand how to create change in enormous systems. She has many years of experience working in ALA, having served on the executive board and on council. She has served as the president of AASL and understands the power of niches in an organization as large as ALA.
Her vision for ALA is all about transformation. First, to transform ALA, she would prioritize inclusiveness, diversity, and collaboration. She feels that there is a silo-ization in ALA and that the communication is mostly one way, with ALA not always listening to its members’ ideas and opinions. Barb believes the organization needs more diversity, but not just in terms of ethnicity. ALA would benefit from an increased diversity of experience, library type, age, and more, to make everyone feel included and a part of ALA. As for collaboration, while ALAConnect was begun with the best intentions, it has fallen short of expectations. The silo-ization of the greater organization has simply been recreated in a virtual space because ALAConnect is not transparent enough. Barb would like to encourage more communication between ALA groups so that committees are not repeating each others’ work.
Besides ALA, Barb believes we should work to transform libraries and communities. Libraries need to focus on the priorities of the community, and by doing so, will help improve the lives of individuals in that community. Libraries need to transform into community forums, but this qualitative change is difficult to measure and report. ALA can help libraries by improving the way the value of libraries is measured.
Barb’s strengths include leadership by team-building, because she values the different perspectives contributed by a diverse team. She also feels strongly about intellectual freedom, and recently flew out to Missouri to testify against internet filtering in schools. Barb is very concerned about equity and its effects on libraries; as Director of School Libraries in New York City, she has witnessed the increased marginalization of students who lack internet connections at home. Libraries, she notes, help span this digital divide.
Five broad topics were introduced as the most important issues facing academic libraries: the measurement of value, e-resources, virtual library services, instructional services, and scholarly research.
Barb began with the measurement of value, and asked the attendees what ALA could do to help institutions prove their value to administrations. Nancy Turner, an expert in assessment at Syracuse University Library, remarked that this is an extremely difficult subject to tackle. Generally, the standard metrics are long-term in scope, and try to compare retention rates for the institution to the use of library resources. Lots of groups in the field discuss the metrics for measuring the value of libraries, but there remains no concrete answer. Scott Warren, Head of Collections at Syracuse University Library, noted that measure true value, libraries must align themselves with the priorities of the larger institution, because “being busy isn’t necessarily the same as being valuable.” He warns of metrics that reflect correlations rather than causations.
Kari Zhe-Heimerman, Librarian for the Sciences at Le Moyne College, discussed the challenge of measuring the value of her information literacy instruction. At her institution, every biology undergraduate must take the same four introductory courses, each of which include an information literacy session with Kari. There is a pre-test and a post-test, and the value of Kari’s instruction is measured by tracking the students’ grades on these two tests. In reality, however, her instruction is valuable based on whether the students can apply the concepts or not, and the test may not be the best measurement of that skill set.
Jill Hurst-Wahl, the new Program Director of Syracuse University’s LIS program, added that the value of libraries comes down to whether graduates look back and say “the library made a difference.” Barb replied that this qualitative and difficult to measure aspect is the most poignant and recounted a personal story. A few years ago, a former student from her days as a school librarian in Missouri contacted her to say that a single article about hang-gliding that she had found for him had inspired him to become an aeronautical engineer. She followed this story with a question: what can ALA do to help capture this kind of anecdotal evidence?
Scott Warren followed this up with a story from his experiences as the engineering librarian at the University of Wisconsin Madison, when London’s Millennium pedestrian bridge was constructed. The bridge was almost immediately closed because it suffered from extreme longitudinal sways and required millions of dollars of improvements. The technical faults could have been very easily avoided (and the millions of dollars saved) had anyone checked the library; many resources available in all engineering libraries would have explained and prevented this issue.
With only a short time remaining for the town hall session, Barb asked each attendee to bring up their greatest challenge as academic librarians. Jill Hurst-Wahl began and brought up her work with NYLA to study how public libraries teach digital literacy. Many students are digitally illiterate when they enter college, and while an ALA study about teaching digital literacy would not be especially helpful, a rally around shared courseware and methodologies would be.
Lydia Wasylenko, librarian at Syracuse University Library, discussed the need for additional support from ALA, especially for those librarians who cannot afford the expensive membership dues. Those librarians, she noted, are the ones who could use ALA’s resources the most. While conferences are very helpful, they are expensive to attend and institutions are decreasing their travel budget.
Kari Zhe-Heimerman addressed e-resources in conjunction with open access. As a science librarian with a limited budget, she would be in dire straits if open access fell through. She posed a probing question: why do the publishers have so much power, when ALA is such a large organization? She would like to see ALA put increasing pressure on publishers to make e-resources more readily available.
Bob Johnston, Director of the Le Moyne Library, expressed his concern that the field is not supportive enough of new librarians. He encourages more programs like the Emerging Leaders program, so that there is a sense of succession planning. Scott Warren followed this up, suggesting that ALA could enhance the shared professional experience of librarians and help to define the professional core values. Conferences are crucial for this.
Scott Warren also brought up the issue of rights and funding. He complained rights are unnecessarily complicated and that it is difficult to tell who owns what. Jill Hurst-Wahl agreed, and suggested that ALA take an active role in encouraging creative commons, especially for materials created by libraries and librarians.
Barb closed the town hall meeting and mentioned that in a few weeks she will be doing a virtual town hall meeting with the LIS students of San Jose University.
Green Brown Bag:
Academic Library Sustainability Initiatives
February 10, 2012
Peter Graham Scholarly Room, Bird Library, Syracuse University
Jump to comments by:
Cristina Pope – Darlene Ford – Steve Weiter
Sean Vormald – Steve Lloyd
the audience
| Syracuse University librarians Tasha Cooper and Uma Sharma organized a brown bag discussion and idea-exchange about sustainability initiatives in libraries. Representatives from regional campuses shared information about sustainability initiatives in libraries and at their institutions. |
Cristina Pope
Director
Health Science Library
SUNY Upstate Medical University
There’s been a long list of renovations in the last few years at the Health Sciences Library and will continue to be in the next few years. In 2014-2015, the first floor of the library will likely be gutted and redone. As a result, the administration there has learned a lot about sustainability decisions, particularly because they are seeking LEED certification.
The Health Sciences Library is looking at sustainability in terms of infrastructure, like sustainable carpeting, furniture fabrics, etc. Furniture is less based on polymer; bamboo is more popular now. The materials for LEED certification (e.g. bamboo) are more expensive.
Lighting is an opportunity to be more sustainable and save money. However, there have been mistakes. A few years ago, hanging lamps in the library’s atrium were replaced with LED lights and as a result, the it looked like dusk in the middle of the day.
Another area to save money is heating and cooling. The library is now 3 degrees cooler in the winter and 3 degrees warmer in the summer. There has not been a noticeable difference in customer satisfaction. This change in heating temperature, plus the unusually warm winter this year, has resulted in a $1,000,000 difference for the University’s bottom line.
The Health Sciences Library has also begun bringing “green things” into the library. Two years ago they added an indoor garden on the second floor, which was envisioned as a medicinal herb garden. Syracuse’s lack of sunlight has thwarted this “grandiose idea,” despite three grow lights. The garden has only been able to produce hasta and a single aloe plant.
New toilets will be installed during the 2014-2015 renovation. These toilets, produced by a company called Zurn, have a mini-generator working from the power of a flush so that it can power itself for auto-flushing. This is more hygienic and minimizes the costly toilet repair.
The entire Upstate campus has new all-filtered water fountains with an emphasis on refilling reusable containers in place of disposable cups. In tandem with this, the library has a complimentary coffee service, but does not provide cups. This is environmentally friendly and cost effective, and has proven to be more convenient for the staff to maintain.
Darlene Ford
Assistant Director for Customer Services
Health Science Library
SUNY Upstate Medical University
The Upstate Hospital and University is partnering with the Pioneer Project so that all food waste across the campus is converted to compost. The waste is taken to OCRRA (Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency). Since joining in September of 2011, 800-1,000 pounds of waste are diverted each week, totalling 7.1 tons.
Payroll Services across the entire Upstate organization have gone completely online now, which has saved 74,000 sheets of paper per year. Cristina Pope added that the library’s document delivery system is almost completely paperless. There was an issue with changing workflows, but she estimates that the change has saved 30% of a position by not printing paper, filing paper, replacing toner, and so on.
As an aside, Cristina remarked that ten years ago, a penny or two of every photocopy went to the library as a profit. Photocopying has become far less popular in recent years, and the library maintains fewer machines now. Laser printers are actually operating at a cost to the Health Science Library, although the cost of paper is about 0.0067 cents per page compared to 1.0 cent ten years ago.
Steve Weiter
Director
F. Franklin Moon Library
SUNY Environmental Sciences and Forestry College
Following up on Cristina’s discussion of photocopiers, Steve talked about Moon Library’s book scanners. Scanning at Moon Library is free for students, while photocopying is not. Students can plug in a USB flash drive and copy their materials without printing. It’s very popular, and while the machines are expensive ($5,600 a piece), Steve is strongly considering purchasing a second machine.
Steve’s experiences in regard to library sustainability are different than most director’s, because SUNY ESF is a very environmentally-friendly school. The students put on waste-free events and are a driving factor in many of the administration’s decisions.
A student group, the Green Campus Initiative, began a composting process, harvesting biofuel materials from nearby Syracuse University’s food services. Another student-led composting effort had to be shut down by Steve for a few months; compost bins set up in the library were not checked regularly and began attracting flies. The students reintroduced the program with more regular bin checks and it has since been going smoothly.
The campus also has a recycled broken electronics program. The library hosts one of these boxes, which only overflows around May. The broken electronics are brought to a private contractor in Syracuse who removes lead, cadmium, gold, and other metals from the waste system.
Thanks to a deal between SUNY ESF’s administration and a company called Solar Liberty, 2500 kW photosoltaic solar panels were installed on the library. They were installed for free with the caveat that Solar Liberty may use the library as a demo site. 35% of the library’s electricity use comes from these solar panels.
As for lighting in the library, skylights are installed in the ceiling to allow for natural light, but they leak when it rains. By request of the students, the library was partially delamped. Steve was skeptical of the delamping at first, but after borrowing a light meter from the school’s physical plant, they discovered that the library was running 60 foot candle in most areas of the library, which is on the high end of library engineering standards. Every other bulb in the library’s stacks and reading room was removed, and the library was still 30-40 foot candle range. Students clearly preferred the delamped areas of the library and commented that there was less glare on their laptops and books. This delamping removed over 700 T8 flourescent bulbs in the entire library, which, at 28 cents per kW hour, has added up to “bundles of money” saved by the library in lighting energy costs.
Finally, Steve recommends a book called How Green is My Library for simple ideas for library sustainability efforts.
Sean Vormwald
Director of Sustainability
Onondaga Community College
Sean gave a presentation on OCC’s sustainability efforts. SUNY schools have implemented a system wide sustainability efforts at the administrative level. In 2007, OCC signed the President’s Climate Commitment pledge to reduce greenhouse gases. OCC’s goal is to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 and earn LEED silver badges for all buildings.
OCC has a number of energy efficiency projects. There are solar panels installed on the Whitney building, carpool matching and bus subsidy programs, and electric vehicle charging stations. The campus also follows a master sustainability landscape plan, which replaces manicured lawns with natural meadows.
A particularly successful and cost-effective effort has been the reduction in the number of waste and recycling bins. Instead of each classroom having its own waste bins, there is a centralized area in each hallway with a trash can and recycling bin. This has led to a dramatic decrease in the number of plastic bags used for trash cans, and has saved the college money in custodial labor.
Coulter Library of OCC has its own sustainability resource center, which also functions as a spirituality resource center. The room is set apart from the rest of the library and holds a collection of educational materials about sustainability.
Sean suggests that organizations install occupancy sensors in every building. Small steps like turning off office equipment at the end of each day will also make a considerable difference in overall energy consumption.
Steve Lloyd
Sustainability Division
Syracuse University
Syracuse University has four committees working on sustainability across the campus. The first “green team” on campus was in the library! The University signed the ACUPCP Climate Action Plan in 2007 (like OCC), and have plans to be carbon neutral by 2040.
Four years ago, Syracuse University audited its recycling program by checking dumpsters and recycling bins and found that they had a recycling rate of 36%. Today, that rate is up to 52%. The University now participates in a waste management program to compost food waste from dining commons. So far, this has totaled over 300 tons of food waste. The University also recycles all materials and waste from construction projects.
In Bird Library, all lights are on a computerized system to turn off when not needed. Across campus, all of the vending machines were fitted with “misers,” which turn off the machine’s light until a motion-activated sensor turns it back on. University buildings are kept at 68 degrees for heating in the winter and 78 degrees for cooling in the summer. A significant amount of energy was saved when the servers around campus were consolidated so that instead of keeping multiple rooms around campus cool around the clock, there was only a single place to maintain.
An attendee asked about the preservation of collection materials with regards to energy-conscious climate control. Steve Weiter responded that Moon Library’s special collection’s department is located in the basement of the library, where they have minimal control over the climate. Cristina Pope responded that SUNY Upstate is seeing a long term shift from physical materials to digital materials, and implied that the preservation of the existing physical collection is not a priority. At Syracuse University, where the Special Collections department is actively collecting, they are limited in their green efforts and must maintain environmental standards to preserve the collection materials. On the 6th floor of Bird Library, there are several refrigerators for film and other sensitive materials. In the next few years, these materials will hopefully be moved to an off-site storage facility and therefore reduce the energy consumption of Bird Library.
Another attendee asked about the proliferation of the “carry in, carry out” message across the different campuses. Sean Vormald replied that OCC used the typical communication methods, worked to get the faculty involved, and used increased signage to encourage reusable containers
Canastota Public Library
On February 19th, the library will host an informational session about hydrofracking presented by attorney David Slottje.
Cazenovia Public Library
The library continues to host the exhibit, Keeping Up Appearances, the latest collection by local artist Elizabeth Cummings Monroe, which will be on display until March 31st.
The library is partnering with Cazenovia College to present an ongoing series, the Great Minds / Great Ideas Faculty Library Lecture Series. On February 21st at 7pm, John Livermore, assistant professor of mathematics at Cazenovia College, will present “Georg Cantor: Life and Infinity” at the library.
On February 23rd, illusionist Leon Etienne will visit the library for 45 minutes of magic tricks.
The library recently thanked the community for its support in the Cazenovia Republican. The editorial is available here.
DeWitt Community Library
In light of its upcoming 50th anniversary in April, the library was the subject of a recent supportive editorial in the Eagle News.
Hamilton Public Library
From February 10th to March 23rd, the library will feature a colorful exhibit of work by Central New York artists. The exhibit was celebrated on with an open reception on February 10th, followed by the library’s annual all-ages, non-juried Community Art Show.
Manlius Public Library
The Associated Artists will celebrate its 85th anniversary with an exhibit at the library, showing off 40 years of work.
Morrisville Public Library
The New York State Paranormal Research Group visited the library on February 10th to share the results of the night they spent here in the library.
Throughout the month of February, the library is accepting donated canned goods for the Morrisville Food Pantry to pay off old fines.
On February 24th, the library will host an all night event, the Annual Library Lock-In. From 8pm until 8am, the library will have snacks, stories, music, movies, games, karaoke and more.
Oneida Public Library
The library’s budget will be up for vote on March 6th and this editorial by local patrons calls for support of the library and its budget. So does this editorial, this editorial, this editorial, and this editorial. Perhaps this spate of editorials was prompted by this editorial, “Vote no on Oneida Public Library budget.”
Sherrill-Kenwood Free Library
On February 17th, the library will host a Zumba session from 4-4:45.
Utica Public Library
The library faces dire straits as its funding from the county will cease on July 1st. A federal grant will help keep the library open through September of 2012. Read more about the library’s budget situation here.
A few weeks ago, bizarre behavior at the Utica Public Library Wednesday resulted in two women facing charges, city police said. The women climbed on top of the library stack and threatened to jump, police said, and they also broke pencils and threw them at staff. Read more about it here.
Does your public library have news to share? Tell us!
The Southeastern/Atlantic Region National Network of Medical Libraries (SEA/NNLM) is offering a free webinar titled, ‘The Changing Hospital Library Environment: New Roles for Librarians’. It will be held on February 15 at 12:00 (noon) EST.
There is no need to pre-register.
Click here to read more and attend.
Rochester Regional Library Council (RRLC) offers their program materials online for free. Recent additions include handouts and slides for CONTENTdm for Beginners (February 3rd, 2012), as well as lesson plans from Energize your Teaching (January 9th, 2012).
Click here to view the full list and access the materials.
Members of the Upstate New York and Ontario Chapter of the Medical Library Association are eligible for an award of $500 towards professional development. Applications are due by April 2nd, 2012.
Continuing education opportunities can include: registration fees for courses, programs, workshops, and conferences sponsored by UNYOC, professional organizations, regional library councils, graduate schools of library/information science or colleges and universities. Hotel and travel expenses for a continuing education opportunity also qualify for the award, so attending the 2012 conference in Cornwall, Ontario, would be a great use of this award.
Each applicant must submit an application along with a copy of their current CV or resume, a published description of the continuing education/professional development opportunity, and a personal statement (not to exceed 250 words) indicating how this opportunity will further the applicant’s own professional goals and/or how it will help the applicant to realize institutional or organizational goals.
See the full announcement here: http://www.unyoc.mlanet.org/blog/professional-development/professional-development-award/
CLRC’s Executive Director Debby Emerson joined a small group of other library leaders from Onondaga County to discuss the importance of library system with the Post Standard’s Editorial Board.
Elizabeth Dailey of Onondaga County Public Library, Judi Dzikowski of OCM BOCES School Library System, Bob Manning of OCPL, and Mike Borges of NYLA were also at this informal meeting. They discussed the need for advocacy and continuing education for librarians, as well as the significance of libraries in general.
The Editorial Board of the Post Standard published this a few weeks later: Republic of Letters. It’s clear they were listening. The editorial mentions funding levels and legislative priorities for the new year.
Do you have ideas for advocacy activities? How can we spread the word about libraries and library systems? Tell us!
And don’t forget, March 6th is Library Advocacy Day. Please join us in Albany!
CLRC has updated our registration process for continuing education. Under “Events & Continuing Education,” click on “Upcoming Classes.” You will be directed here, where you can pick the class you want to register for, fill in a quick form, and be led directly to Paypal.
We hope that this new system will make registration easy and straightforward. Feel free to email us with any questions.
NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES
DIVISION OF PRESERVATION AND ACCESS
The National Endowment for the Humanities’ Division of Preservation and Access has offered Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions for more than a decade. These grants help small and mid-sized cultural heritage institutions such as libraries, museums, historical societies, archival repositories, town and county records offices, and colleges and universities improve their ability to preserve and care for their humanities collections. Awards of up to $6000 support preservation related collection assessments, consultations, training and workshops, and institutional and collaborative disaster and emergency planning. Preservation Assistance Grants also support education and training in best practices for sustaining digital collections, standards for digital preservation, and the care and handling of collections during digitization. Institutions may request funds for a preservation assessment of digital collections. NEH does not fund digitization or the development of digital programs in this grant category.
All applications to the NEH must be submitted through Grants.gov. See the application guidelines for details.
The 2012 guidelines for Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions are available at http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/pag.html. You will also find sample project descriptions, sample narratives, and a list of frequently asked questions. The deadline for applications is May 1, 2012.
Small and mid-sized institutions that have never received an NEH grant and those considering projects in digital preservation are especially encouraged to apply.
For more information, contact the staff of NEH’s Division of Preservation and Access at202-606-8570 and preservation@neh.gov
The Northeast Document Conservation Center is offering a free webinar in March to help with this grant writing process!
WRITING YOUR NEH PRESERVATION ASSISTANCE GRANT
March 22, 2012 from 2-4 PM Eastern time
CLRC will be broadcasting this from our offices. Register here!