Report from Keith Michael Fiels, Executive Director ALA
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May 22, 2007
Keith Michael Fiels
Executive Director
National Library Legislative Day
May 1 and 2, 2007, marked the 33rd Annual National Library Legislative Day events. This year, over 424 participants from 47 states came to Washington, DC, to speak with their Congressional Representatives about the needs of libraries in the areas of funding, telecommunications, copyright, privacy and government information. Friends of Libraries U.S.A. presented an award to Senator Susan Collins (ME) for her work in support of libraries. Also, several states and individuals participated in Virtual Library Legislative Day by calling, faxing letters and emailing Congress. Pictures of the event can be found on the ALA Washington Office’s Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alawash
ALA Hosts 2nd Public Meeting of the LC Working Group on the Future of Bibliographic Control
ALA hosted the second public meeting of the Library of Congress Working Group on the Future of Bibliographic Control at ALA Headquarters, May 9. The second meeting dealt with “Structures and Standards for Bibliographic Data.” The proceedings of the meeting will be posted to the Group’s web site. More information on the work of the Working Group can be found at: http://www.loc.gov/bibliographic-future/ALA Recruitment Wiki
The ALA Recruitment Assembly developed a wiki as a supplement to the website, LibraryCareers.org. It is intended to be an interactive, dynamic tool for recruiters, counselors, library workers and other professionals looking for library career resources—especially for participation in career fairs.
The wiki format was used in order to facilitate resource sharing and to make it easier to exchange ideas, successful strategies and career related information. The Recruitment Assembly invites ALA members to visit the wiki at http://wikis.ala.org/recruit/index.php/Main_Page to add information and links to resources that would be useful to those interested in library career recruitment.
”Libraries Build Communities” Volunteer Initiative at Annual
CRO staff are working with the DC Library Association on projects for the 'Libraries Build Communities' volunteer initiative at the Annual Conference. Project sites will include DC Public Library, DC Public Schools, Habitat for Humanity, and more.
Focus on Quality of Attendee Experience at Annual Conference
Membership Development is working with other ALA units to focus on the quality of attendee experience at the Annual Conference. Email and wiki-based welcome and orientation for first-timers and other attendees builds on the Seattle experience. At Annual in DC, ALA Ambassadors will be found at the first-timer welcome desk in Registration. The ALA Membership Pavilion will showcase every division, round table and office at the center of the exhibits. More than a dozen ALA 101 programs are planned which will connect people who are new to the Association with information and with other members. Last, special Membership 2.0 events have been organized through ALA’s social networking channels.
ALA OFFICES
ALA Editions
Online Guide to Reference
Work continues on the preparation and launch of the online Guide to Reference. ALA Editions staff will be on hand to give web demonstrations at the Guide to Reference booth at the Annual Conference in Washington, DC. For more information on the new Guide, visit www.guidetoreference.org Survey Results on Print RDA
Preliminary results of an online survey for participant feedback on the print version of RDA, the successor to AACRII, will be shared at a Town Hall Meeting at the Annual Conference. For more information on RDA, visit www.rdaonline.org New ALA Editions Titles in April
Managing Facilities for Results http://www.alastore.ala.org/SiteSolution.taf?_sn=catalog2&_pn=product_detail&_op=2248 Serving Teens through Readers’ Advisory http://www.alastore.ala.org/SiteSolution.taf?_sn=catalog2&_pn=product_detail&_op=2252
Designing a School Library Media Center for the Future http://www.alastore.ala.org/SiteSolution.taf?_sn=catalog2&_pn=product_detail&_op=2330
The Newbery and Caldecott Awards 2007 http://www.alastore.ala.org/SiteSolution.taf?_sn=catalog2&_pn=product_detail&_op=1985
With hundreds of pre-orders, two highly anticipated new Editions titles are scheduled for release in the coming weeks:
Analyzing Library Collection Use with Excel http://www.alastore.ala.org/SiteSolution.taf?_sn=catalog2&_pn=product_detail&_op=2251
Managing Your Library Construction Project
http://www.alastore.ala.org/SiteSolution.taf?_sn=catalog2&_pn=product_detail&_op=2254New Spring Catalog
The new ALA Editions spring/summer 2007 catalog was released in early May, featuring the usual mix of new titles, recent releases, and classic bestsellers. You can download the new catalog from the ALA Online Store: http://www.alastore.ala.org/SiteSolution.taf?_sn=catalog2&_pn=catreqform ALA Library
ALA Librarian Participates in "School Librarian for a Day"
ALA Librarian Karen Muller is part of an innovative program to increase communication between libraries in the Chicago area. The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Department of Libraries and the Metropolitan Library System (MLS) based in Burr Ridge, Illinois, joined forces to initiate the "School Librarian for a Day" program. Funded by an LSTA grant, the "School Librarian for a Day" program involved 24 Chicago Public Schools and 24 special librarians from the Chicago area. It is hoped that the initiative will enable the CPS Department of Libraries and MLS to cultivate lasting partnerships among all library types.
The Metropolitan Library System is a membership-based organization serving academic, public, school, and special libraries in Chicago and in the suburban communities of Cook, DuPage and Will counties. There are 623 Chicago Public Schools with about 421,000 students
ALA Membership Development
2010 Goals for Membership
With six months of the first year of the three year dues increase phase-in completed, membership figures have decreased by less than 2% on a month-to-month comparison with last year, which is better than projections based on the last dues increase ten years ago. Several new initiatives focused on member orientation, communication and satisfaction are helping to retain members. An improved process for renewals and reinstatement, coupled with more targeted member recruitment mailings, will continue. Divisional participation continues to grow, owing to the quality of divisional offerings and increased coordinated marketing between Membership Development and the divisions.ALA Publishing
American Libraries
Details of the Centennial celebrations at the Annual Conference will be published in American Libraries’ June/July commemorative issue, and are already shared on the ALA conference wiki: http://wikis.ala.org/annual2007/index.php/Celebrating_ALA_AnniversariesThe “Magnum, AL” video introducing AL editors has enjoyed success on YouTube (viewed more than 5000 times in the first two weeks); it heralds the upcoming American Libraries Focus, the video and podcasting component of American Libraries Online. Current plans call for this component and the new site to go live late in May; an early offering will be a short videocast from the recent ACRL conference in Baltimore. For details about the many new online and other ventures related to the American Libraries Centennial (including the CentenniAL Blog), visit http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/centennial/centennial.cfm
American Libraries continues to receive regular kudos on the redesign and new content from members.
ALA Graphics
The new ALA Graphics summer catalog was released in early May, featuring a wide range of new products, including children’s and young adult award posters and mini-posters. In partnership with YALSA, the official Teen Read Week 2007 products are unveiled, with the theme “LOL @ your library” (Laugh Out Loud). In partnership with OIF, Banned Books Week items also make their debut. The “Born to Read” line has two fresh new designs. New Celebrity READ posters include William H. Macy holding Curious George and “Dog Whisperer” Cesar Millan holding The Power of Intention. ALA Graphics is partnering again at Annual Conference with Polaris Library Systems to offer free mini-READ posters of attendees created with the READ CD—for which in-store demonstrations will also be offered at the ALA Store. The Polaris partnership will extend to Legislative Day on Capitol Hill, with opportunities for legislators to have READ posters of themselves created to use in promoting reading back in their home districts.
Julie Andrews’ (speaking as part of American Libraries’ programs at the conference) new “LISTEN @ your library” poster will be on sale at the store.
The new Graphics catalog can be downloaded from the ALA Online Store: http://www.alastore.ala.org/SiteSolution.taf?_sn=catalog2&_pn=catreqform
Booklist Publications
In addition to the regular publication schedule of Booklist and Book Links print magazines, Booklist Online www.booklistonline.com continues to add content and features at a rapid pace, and to attract readers and comments such as those of Shawna Thorup, Assistant Director, Fayetteville (AR) Public Library, who says, “Why go to one of those large compiled databases when Booklist Online has everything I need?” Planning for the Annual Conference includes the usual range of Booklist-sponsored programs—youth, adult, and reference. The Booklist Books for Youth Forum this year commemorates YALSA’s 50th anniversary by hosting a Printz reunion, including the winner of the first Michael L. Printz Award, and the Honor Books authors who shared the podium at the Booklist Printz forum in 2000. Readers’-advisory experts David Wright and Kaite Mediatore Stover bring their popular Booklist column “He Reads . . . She Reads” to life as they banter about gender-based reading tastes, while Reference Books Bulletin brings together a panel to address the question, “Is Print Reference Dead?”
ALA TechSource
ALA TechSource Blog
36,000 + unique visitors to the ALA TechSource blog (www.techsource.ala.org/blog) in April continues the upward trajectory. Tom Peters of TAP Information is currently managing the blog.Library Technology Reports
The March/April issue of Library Technology Reports is “Technology Competencies and Training for Libraries” by Sarah Houghton-Jan. Read more about it and about the current Smart Libraries Newsletter at www.techsource.ala.org. Topics still to come in LTR in 2007 include Open Source Software for Libraries (Casey Bisson); Next-Gen Online Catalogs (Marshall Breeding); Web 2.0 & Libraries, Part 2: Trends and Technologies (Michael Stephens); and Information Organization Future for Libraries (Bradford Lee Eden).First Annual Symposium
Planning is forging ahead for the first annual ALA TechSource Gaming, Learning, and Libraries Symposium, July 22-24, 2007 in Chicago—learn more at http://gaming.techsource.ala.org/Chapter Relations Office
(CRO)
Relief Funds for the Gulf Coast
International Relations Office
(IRO)
Participation in Mexican Association of Librarians (AMBAC) Conference.For the second year in a row ALA featured a booth at the Mexican Association of Librarians (AMBAC) Conference. President-elect Loriene Roy and a number of other ALA members attended the meeting to promote cross-border cooperation.
This Annual Conference featured a large number of programs highlighting opportunities for attendees to learn from international colleagues. Programs included “Library Education in Europe,” “Innovative Public Library Services around the Globe,” “Doing Business Abroad,” “Disasters! Libraries! Technologies,” and more.
Office for Government Relations
(OGR)
ALA Joins Anti-National ID Campaign
ALA has joined a large and diverse group of 43 organizations to launch a campaign against the first national identification system, REAL ID. ALA has expressed deep concern about national identification cards because of the potential privacy implications for library users, as well as the increased potential for identity theft for all individualsEPA Libraries
On Friday, May 4, at the request of Congress, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provided a briefing to members of several House Committees, as well as representatives from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The purpose of the meeting was to get information on what the EPA was doing in regard to its library system, especially in light of recently released internal procedure documents that seem to indicate the renewed dispersal of materials. ALA is planning to call on the EPA to meet with stakeholders, to get assurances that the EPA has not re-engaged the dismantling of its libraries and dispersing of materials prior to developing a plan that includes input from the stakeholders, as well to learn the status of their digitization plan and how they are meeting users needs in this interim period. Library Day on the Hill
The Washington Office has selected the proposals that will be displayed during Library Day on the Hill. The diverse group was chosen to represent examples of public, academic, school and federal libraries to let members of Congress know all about 21st century libraries. Library Day on the Hill is scheduled for Tuesday, June 26, during Annual, and the displays will be in the Gold Room of the Rayburn House Office Building.John Doe Testifies
George Christian, Executive Director of the Library Connection and former plaintiff in John Doe v. Gonzales, testified on April 12, 2007, before a Senate Subcommittee on the Constitution on the harmful effects of receiving a National Security Letter (NSL), a component of the USA PATRIOT Act, from the FBI. His testimony can be found at http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/woissues/civilliberties/theusapatriotact/usapatriotact.cfm#current.Office for Human Resource Development and Recruitment
(HRDR)
Empowerment Conference
“Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This (But I Didn't Believe Her),” the 2007 Empowerment Conference (the conference within a conference for Library Support Staff) will offer a variety of programs, addressing topics such as: Career Paths/Transitions, E-Learning, Wellness, Safety/ Security and Diversity. The speaker for the Welcome Breakfast and Conference Kickoff is Joe Contrerra. Joe Contrerra is the President and founder of Alive @ Work LLC, a firm that speaks, teaches, coaches, and consults with organizations to motivate and engage their people at work. For over 20 years, Joe has been training, managing, and coaching people. Joe is a professional member of the National Speakers Association. The conference includes an Author Breakfast featuring children's book author Cari Best. Cari is the author of several picture books for young children, including, Sally Jean, the Bicycle Queen, and a School Library Journal “Best Book of the Year,” What's so Bad About Being an Only Child? which will be published in Fall 2007.
(OITP)
State Statistics Module
OITP, in partnership with the Information Institute at Florida State University, has developed a new tool for library advocates: the State Statistics Module. This interactive website contains copious information about broadband connectivity in libraries and allows for the creation of customized reports, based upon 11 variables from the “2006 Public Libraries and the Internet Study.” Users have the opportunity to create tables and charts of data at the national and state levels and to create comparisons of the data. Users also have the ability to write descriptions of the graphs and tables, as well as an introduction and conclusion to their reports. The module is located at: http://www.libevaluation.com/edms_new/index.cfm.Improving Library E-rate Participation - Training Session 2
As the second activity of this nine-month project, sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, OITP hosted state library E-rate coordinators from 40 states, two territories and the District of Colombia. The training, which took place April 25 and 26 in Minneapolis, focused on the disbursement process of the E-rate program – the process of helping to ensure that applicants get the discounts for which they applied. The attendees also received a customized report of the reasons that applicants in their states had applications denied; this information can be used to address and correct specific problems through training or interventions.OITP Meets with the FCC on E-rate
In early April, Rick Weingarten, Carrie Lowe, and ALA E-rate consultant Linda Schatz met with members of the FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau to discuss the simplification proposal ALA submitted to the FCC 18 months ago. Although it is difficult to know exactly when the FCC is likely to issue a rulemaking on this proceeding, it is known that the FCC is taking a hard look at several parts of ALA’s proposal.Office for Intellectual Freedom
(OIF)Banned Books Week 2007 Read-Out!
OIF cordially invites all Council and Executive Board members to come and celebrate your freedom to read during the 26th annual celebration of Banned Books Week. Join the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom, McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum, and the Newberry Library in Pioneer Plaza—at Michigan Avenue and the Chicago River—on Saturday, September 29, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm, for the Banned Books Week Read-Out! Local Chicago celebrities join several acclaimed authors to read passages from their favorite banned and "challenged" books. Authors scheduled to appear include Judy Blume, Chris Crutcher, and Katherine Paterson.
Intellectual Freedom Programs at Annual
The Intellectual Freedom Committee is cosponsoring three programs at the 2007 Annual Conference you won’t want to miss:On Sunday, June 24, Theresa Chmara, Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) Counsel, Jenner & Block, Washington, DC, will update us on the status of litigation and non-litigation projects recently undertaken or monitored by the FTRF and provide practical information on how these court cases affect the daily operations of libraries. Cosponsored by the FTRF, the program—“Status of Recent Litigation Affecting Libraries"—is from 1:30 to 3:30 pm, in the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel, Chinese Room.
On Monday, June 25, Sibel Edmonds, President, National Security Whistleblowers Coalition, will speak about her experiences after Edmonds was fired by the FBI in March 2002 for reporting shoddy intelligence work and security breaches that could have prevented the 9/11 attacks. She will explain firsthand how government secrecy can be abusive and why defending whistleblowing is a free speech issue. Cosponsored by the Committee on Legislation, the program—“Paul Reveres or Benedict Arnolds?: Whistleblowing in the Post 9/11 Age"—is from 10:30 am to 12:00 noon, Washington Convention Center, Room 144A-C.
Also on Monday, June 25, IFC is sponsoring a conversation between the Hon. Richard Posner of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and author of "Not a Suicide Pact: The Constitution in a Time of National Emergency," and Geoffrey Stone, Harry Kalven, Jr., Distinguished Service Professor of Law, University of Chicago, and author of "Perilous Times: Free Speech in Wartime from The Sedition Act of 1798 to The War on Terrorism." The two scholars will discuss Posner's view that our Constitution can be "bent" in times of war or other crises and Stone's view that a state of war does not justify compromising our Constitutional rights. A question-and-answer session follows their discussion, and following that, the authors will sign their books. Cosponsored by the Association of American Publishers Freedom to Read Committee, and the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, this program—"Essential Liberty or National Security: Is It Really Necessary to Give Up the One for the Other?"—is from 1:30 to 3:30 pm, Washington Convention Center, Room 206.
National Conversation on Privacy
Progress continues on organizing "The Many Faces of Privacy: A Conversation," the national conversation on privacy requested by the resolution adopted by ALA Council at the 2006 Annual Conference, "Resolution on National Discussion on Privacy." The resolution asked the Intellectual Freedom Committee to collaborate with other ALA units to hold a national conversation about privacy as an American value.
A preliminary planning meeting is scheduled to take place by the end of the fiscal year that will bring together other parties with a demonstrated interest in promoting privacy to invite their participation in the conversation.
Lawyers for Libraries
On Thursday, May 17, 2007 the Office for Intellectual Freedom sponsored the tenth Lawyers for Libraries Regional Training Institute. This session was in Philadelphia and, like past institutes, featured instruction for attorneys who work with libraries on First Amendment and Privacy issues.
Among the instructors for this institute was ALA President Leslie Burger, discussing policies and current issues in libraries. With the Philadelphia training, OIF will have trained nearly 300 attorneys, trustees, and librarians via these institutes. The alumni continue to be involved in legal representation, policy development, and training in these areas.
Please mark your calendars for the next Lawyers for Libraries session, planned for November 8, 2007 in Denver, Colorado as a preconference to the Colorado Association of Libraries Annual Conference. Additional information on the event will be available soon.
Law for Librarians
In April, OIF staff was pleased to participate in the Tennessee Library Association (TLA) preconference "Don't Fly By the Seat of Your Pants," an all-day training stemming from the Law for Librarians train-the-trainers project in 2006. TLA made it possible for those interested to attend at no charge, and participants were instructed on issues ranging from privacy to public forum analysis to religious issues. Law for Librarians has spawned dozens of programs in nearly all 50 states and trained hundreds of librarians on key intellectual freedom legal issues. OIF continues to provide support for these programs and to the state chapters sponsoring these events.
Office for Research and Statistics
(ORS)
Member Demographic Survey
The American Library Association (ALA) started collecting member demographic information on May 3, 2005 in a voluntary online survey. As of May 4, 2007 more than 13,000 members had responded. An additional push to encourage member response will occur in summer 2007 through email alerts and a postage paid response card. The survey is located at http://www.ala.org/memberdemog and will remain online until the questions can be moved to the online membership renewal module.Library Networks, Cooperatives and Consortia Study
The project is in its final stages, and will be completed in October 2007. The searchable database is being showcased at the 2007 Annual Conference during the project advisory committee meeting (Friday, June 22nd from 2-5pm). The final study report will be completed by fall 2007 and will be available on the project website www.ala.org/lncc.Public Library Funding and Technology Access Studies
The survey, state site visits and focus groups are completed for the first year of the project and an informational card is being prepared. More information about the project is online at http://www.ala.org/ala/ors/publiclibraryfundingtechnologyaccessstudy.Public Library Service to the Nation's Linguistically Isolated
Funded by the World Book Goal Grant Award, ORS is working in partnership with the ALA Office for Literacy and Outreach Services (OLOS), the Office for Diversity (OFD), and the Public Programs Office (PPO) to collect information about public library services to non-English speakers. The information collected will inform ALA on how libraries have been successful and the challenges they have experienced in providing these unique services. The responses have been compiled and are being analyzed. A full report will be released in fall 2007.
Public Information Office(PIO)
Campaign for America's Libraries
The Step Up to the Plate @ your library launched in Peoria, IL, recently, with help from the Peoria Chiefs, a minor league team affiliated with the Chicago Cubs. Hall of Famers Ryne Sandberg and Ozzie Smith were on hand as program spokespersons, along with a representative from the program partner, the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, and ALA. Before a pre-game announcement on field, a press conference was held with representatives from the three local TV affiliates and the Peoria Star Journal in attendance.
National Library Week and The State of America's Libraries Report
The State of America's Libraries report was released in conjunction with National Library Week (NLW) in April. Coverage of the report and NLW activities was extensive. ALA messages were highlighted in the top twenty U. S. markets. ALA members and leadership were featured in more than 100 radio interviews. More than 220 NLW public service announcements ran on stations throughout the U.S. Approximately 500 newspaper articles mentioned the report and NLW.
Public Programs Office
(PPO)
PPO Announces Inaugural Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award
The Public Programs Office (PPO) is pleased to announce that the Central Elementary School Library in Wilmette,IL, is the inaugural winner of the Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award for Exemplary Humanities Programming. Barbara Ungar, Library Media Teacher at Central Elementary School, developed and submitted the winning program, entitled “Central School Third Grade Virtual Museum – A Day in the Neighborhood.” Participating students explored the American immigrant experience through primary source research, museum and ethnic neighborhood visits, local history discussions, literature, writing activities, art, music and dance. The program culminated with a “Virtual Museum” Web site, produced by students to demonstrate and share their learning.
Central Elementary School Library will receive a plaque recognizing the achievement, a cash award of $4,000, and inclusion of the winning program in a national training session for model humanities programs. The award will be presented at the ALA Annual Conference in Washington, DC, during the Opening General Session on Saturday June 23, 2007.
PPO Launches “Public Programs Post” Blog and “Let’s Talk About It” Wiki
The Public Programs Office is pleased to announce the creation of its first blog, the “Public Programs Post.” Available online at http://blogs.ala.org/ppp.php, the “Public Programs Post” was created to supplement the PPO web site, its Online Resource Center for Library Cultural Programming (ORC) and electronic discussion lists, and increase the library community's awareness of PPO sponsored grants, awards and other cultural programming resources. The blog will allow discussion of PPO grants and programs in greater detail, and encourage readers to easily share information about their own experiences hosting cultural programs.
PPO also launched its first project-based wiki, which will serve as a tool for libraries conducting “Let’s Talk About It: Jewish Literature” (LTAI) reading and discussion programs. PPO is using the wiki to help connect more than 250 past and present “Let’s Talk About It: Jewish Literature” project directors in order to share resources, ask questions, post information about local programs and share other information helpful to all LTAI participants. The wiki can be found online at http://wikis.ala.org/jl.
Overview of PPO Conference Programs
The Public Programs Office will conduct six programs during the ALA Annual Conference, focusing on arts and humanities programming for libraries. Programs include:
· Break on Through to the Other Side: Cultural Programming for New Librarians (co-sponsored by NMRT);
· Partnerships Produce Successful Cultural Programs;
· PRIME TIME FAMILY READING TIME®: A Model Outreach Program;
· Engaging the Community with Documentary Film Screenings in Your Library;
· the We the People Bookshelf Project; and
· Let's Talk About It: 25 Years of Reading and Discussion Programs.
For program descriptions and speakers, as well as the complete LIVE! @ your library Reading Stage Schedule and author biographies, visit www.ala.org/publicprograms.
ALA DIVISIONS
American Association of School Librarians(AASL)
National School Library Media Program of the Year
AASL has announced the recipients of its prestigious National School Library Media Program of the Year (NSLMPY) award: the Norman (OK) Public School District, Harpeth Hall School in Nashville, TN and North Elementary School in Noblesville, IN. Established in 1963, the National School Library Media Program of the Year (NSLMPY) Award recognizes exemplary school library media programs that are fully integrated into the school's curriculum. Each winning program receives a $10,000 prize ($30,000 total) donated by Follett Library Resources. For additional information, see http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2007/may2007/NSLMPYawardwinners.htm.
AASL 13th National Conference and Exhibition in Reno, Nevada
AASL 13th National Conference in Reno includes four school tours that are now open for registration. These tours offer a peek at some unique school libraries in Nevada. The Verdi Community Library and Nature Center is shared by Verdi Elementary School, Washoe County Public Library and the Nevada Department of Wildlife. Other school library tours include a middle school library focused on inquiry learning, two independent school libraries, and a school library serving the needs of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Reservation. For more information on these school tours, please visit http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/conferencesandevents/national/attendees/aaslconfprogram/renotours/schooltours/schools.htm
Association of College and Research Libraries
(ACRL)
ACRL 13th National Conference Draws Record-Breaking Attendance in Baltimore
More than 4,700 library staff, exhibitors, authors and guests packed the Baltimore Convention Center, March 29 - April 1, 2007 for the ACRL 13th National Conference. The conference brought more than $4.9 million to the city of Baltimore, making it the 11th largest association convention scheduled to take place in 2007.
The conference had 3,069 registrants (increase of 7% from 2005 Minneapolis paid registrants), 1,263 exhibitors and 452 guests/staff/other: 452, for a total conference attendance of 4,784 (increase of 20% from 2005 Minneapolis attendance totals).
The conference theme "Sailing into the Future - Charting our Destiny," offered more than 250 programs where library leaders discussed pressing issues affecting academic and research libraries. Programs included a full range of invited and contributed papers, panels, poster sessions, workshops, forums, Cyber Zed Shed presentations, and roundtable discussions. Key areas of discussion included interactive gaming; social networking technology; the future of reference and online searching; open access to research; collection management, federated searching; distance learning; teaching and learning; 'Amazoogle' and its influence on librarianship and recruitment to the profession.More than 2,500 conference goers attended the Keynote Luncheon headlined by filmmaker John Waters. ACRL once again partnered with the exhibits management company, Corcoran Expositions, Inc., for the Baltimore conference. A record-breaking 223 companies exhibited at 343 10x10 booths. The total number of booths sold for the Baltimore conference surpassed the 2005 Minneapolis conference by 22%. Corcoran conducted onsite booth renewals for the 2009 Seattle conference and renewed 80% of the booths for ‘09, which corresponds to 71% of the Seattle floor plan.
Those who were not able to attend the conference in Baltimore were able to participate via the Web. The ACRL Virtual Conference, held March 30 - 31, offered live, interactive Web casts of select speakers, as well as text-based discussion boards, blogs, speaker materials and more.
First-time Attendees Meeting Scheduled at ALA Annual Conference
For the first time, ACRL will offer special programs to welcome new members and first-time attendees to the ALA Annual Conference in Washington, DC. ACRL 101 is designed to help new members and first-time attendees discover how to fully utilize member benefits and make the most of their time at the Annual Conference. The interactive sessions will be offered on Saturday, June 23 and Sunday, June 24 from 10:30 am - 12:00 noon in the Washington Convention Center.
ACRL publishes Library Plagiarism Policies: CLIP Note 37
ACRL is proud to announce the publication of Library Plagiarism Policies: CLIP Note 37, compiled by Vera Stepchyshyn and Robert S. Nelson of Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY. It is part of the ACRL College Libraries Section’s College Library Information Packet Committee Series. CLIP Note 37 is a pragmatic resource for college libraries, their faculty, staff, and administrators to use to develop policies on the prevention and detection of plagiarism. The study gathered data and documents from small college libraries and presents them for the reader’s consideration when examining the issue of student plagiarism and its relationship to the college library. Survey questions covered general information, policy information, librarian responsibilities/activities, incidents and action, and personal/professional experiences. This study was conducted to determine what, if anything, is available that may serve as a model for institutions looking to create policies and documents that clearly define the issues for students, faculty, and librarians. Ordering information can be found on the ACRL Web site, www.ala.org/acrl (Click on Publications / Books & Monographs / CLIP Notes).
Joseph Branin appointed editor of College & Research Libraries
ACRL appointed Joseph Branin, Director of Libraries at The Ohio State University, to the post of editor for College & Research Libraries (C&RL) journal. Branin will serve a renewable three-year term beginning July 1, 2008. Craig Gibson appointed editor of the PIL
ACRL appointed Craig Gibson to the post of editor for ACRL Publications in Librarianship. Gibson’s term begins July 1, 2008. Gibson, Associate University Librarian for Research, Instructional and Outreach Services, George Mason University, succeeds Tony Schwartz as editor of this important series.
ACRL 48th Annual Rare Books and Manuscripts (RBMS) Preconference The 48th Annual RBMS Preconference, From Here to Ephemerality: Fugitive Sources in Libraries, Archives, and Museums, will be held from Tuesday, June 19 to Friday, June 22, 2007, in Baltimore, MD, a short distance away from Washington, DC, the site of the ALA Annual Conference. This will be the first time that an RBMS Preconference will explore the theme of ephemera in libraries, archives, and museums. The Preconference is currently sold out with over 350 participants, including 19 scholarship awardees.
Strong Turnout for National Library Legislative Day
Association for Library Collections & Technical Services
(ALCTS)
ALCTS Releases New Publication
The first in a series of short publications was released recently. Called the Sudden Selector’s Guides, these are intended to help new subject selectors with the resources needed to develop collections in specific subject areas. The first guide, Sudden Selector’s Guide to Business Resources, is available in the ALA online store.
ALCTS Continuing Education in Cataloging and Related Areas
ALCTS offered several sessions from the cataloging workshop series this spring:
- Principles of Controlled Vocabulary
- Metadata Applications and Standards
- Basic Creation of Name and Title Authority
- Rules and Tools for Cataloging Internet Resources
- Basic Subject Cataloging Using LCSH.
Final Non-English Access Report Available
The final report on Non-English Access to Library Materials is now available on the ALCTS web site as a pdf download: www.ala.org/alcts.
ALCTS 50th Anniversary Conference
"Interactive Futures: A National Conference on the Transformation of Library Collections & Technical Services," will be held June 20 and 21, 2007 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Washington, DC. The Conference promises to be a thought-provoking, open, and participatory exchange on the transformation of our work and the profession, exploring the challenges we face and developing a vision of the future roles of collections and technical services librarians. The keynote speaker will be Richard Lanham: "The Two Markets: Libraries in an Attention Economy." Lanham is Professor Emeritus, UCLA, and author of the Economics of Attention, U. of Chicago Press, 2006.
Plenary Sessions will include David Lankes: “Collecting Conversations in a Massive Scale World” and Susan Nutter: “Genetically Engineering Our Future.” End Notes: Stephen Abram, Vice President of Innovation, Sirsi/Dynix: "Social Libraries: The Librarian 2.0 Phenomenon"
ALCTS President’s Program Features Peter Morville
Peter Morville will speak at the 2007 ALCTS President’s Program, “Ambient Findability: Librarians, Libraries and the Internet of Things,” Monday, June 25, at 10:30 a.m. in the Grand Ballroom South at the Renaissance Hotel, during the ALA Annual Conference in Washington, DC. The President’s Program is the final event in the ALCTS 50th Anniversary Celebration. Peter Morville is author of “Ambient Findability” and President and Founder of Semantic Studios, a leading information architecture, user experience, and findability consultancy. He is widely recognized as a father of the information architecture field, and he serves as a passionate advocate for the critical role that findability plays in defining the user experience.
ALCTS Awards Ceremony Expanded for 50th Anniversary
The ALCTS Awards Ceremony on Sunday evening in the Hotel Washington has been expanded to pay tribute to ALCTS 50th Anniversary. Among the special awards to be presented are the inaugural Ross Atkinson Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by EBSCO, to Brian Schottlaender, and the inaugural ALCTS Outstanding Collaboration Citation to CLOCKSS. In addition, ALCTS will be presenting the Hugh Atkinson Award on behalf of ACRL, LITA and LAMA to Jim Neal of Columbia University.
ALCTS Releases Several Publications at Annual
- Salsa de Topicos/Subjects in SALSA: Spanish and Latin American Subject Access, edited by David Miller and Filberto Felipe Martinez Arellano; ALCTS first bilingual publication.
- Perspectives on Serials in the Hybrid Environment, edited by Harriet Lightman and John Blosser.
- Commemorating our Past, Celebrating our Present, Creating our Future: Papers in Observance of the 50th Anniversary of the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services, edited by Pamela Bluh.
Association for Library Service to Children
(ALSC)
El día de los niños/El día de los libros Honored at the U.S. Capitol.
Children's Day/Book Day, also known as El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Día), is a celebration of children, families, and reading held annually on April 30. This year, on Monday, April 30, 2007, Senators Robert Menedez (D-NJ) and Jack Reed (D-RI), joined by children from the Oyster Bilingual School, honored El día de los niños/El día de los libros at the U.S. Capitol. After delivering opening remarks, Senators Reed and Menendez discussed advocating for literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Both Senators then read to the enthusiastic group of children. All children were given free books, stickers, and bookmarks. Other event participants were Miriam Calderon, National Council of La Raza, Loudell Robb, Rosemount Center, and Kathleen T. Horning, ALSC President. For an account of the event with pictures, please see: http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/diadelosninos/diacelebrations/SenateCelebratesDia.htmThe celebration emphasizes the importance of literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Through a series of grants from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, the Association for Library Service for Children (ALSC) continues to increase public awareness of the event in libraries throughout the country. ALSC is collaborating on this effort with the Founding Partner of Día, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking (REFORMA). In 2007, ALSC welcomes Target as the first official national sponsor of Día.
Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies(ASCLA)
Library Services for People with Mental Illnesses
ASCLA has recently published the Guidelines for Library Services for People with Mental Illnesses. The Guidelines provide recommendations on providing successful library experiences for people with mental illnesses. Although public and school libraries are more likely to provide daily service to individuals who have mental illnesses, all librarians should be aware of the information needs of these patrons and be prepared to meet them. The Guidelines at available for $22 from the ALA Online Store.Library and Information Technology Association
(LITA)
LITA at the Annual Conference
In addition to the Sunday Afternoon with LITA programming reported last month, LITA will hold an Open House on Saturday from 4:00 to 5:30 in the Renaissance Washington Hotel, Rooms 12-14. The LITA leadership will be there to welcome new members and help all members recognize the many activities of and opportunities for involvement through committees and interest groups. LITA is offering 15 programs at the Annual Conference this year. These programs cover topics as wide ranging as automating metadata creation to building the next generation public library web site to debating innovation in libraries. Sixteen interest groups are gathering to share information. For a full list of interest groups and a complete LITA Annual Conference Schedule, please visit the LITA web site at www.lita.org.
LITA 2007 National Forum
The 2007 LITA National Forum, scheduled for October 4-7, 2007 at the Marriott City Center Hotel in Denver, will include the following keynote speakers:
- Jeffrey Kiehl, National Center for Atmospheric Research, CO., The Scientific and Social Challenges of Global Warming. Global warming is the greatest environmental crisis facing humanity. The magnitude of climate warming to occur in this century has not occurred for millions of years. Kiehl will review the science of global warming and its implications for society and explore the difficulties in communicating aspects of global warming to the public.
- David King, Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, KS, The Future is not out of Reach: Change, Library 2.0, and Emerging Trends. Emerging tech trends are good, but sometimes the changes needed to implement those trends feel like scaling a mountain. King will discuss the current social networking transformations and apply them to a library setting, addressing the changes a library needs to make to meet and participate in our new online world.
- Jeremy Frumkin, Gray Family Chair for Innovative Library Services, Oregon State University, OR, In Our Cages With Golden Bars. We are increasingly forced us to look beyond our traditions and extend our thinking about how we provide our services. How can we think outside of our cages with golden bars and move to pursuing better ways of providing information and information support services to our users?
Public Library Association
(PLA)Field Guide to Emergency Response
PLA released a new monograph, Field Guide to Emergency Response, available for purchase at the ALA Online Store. Originally produced by Heritage Preservation through a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Field Guide to Emergency Response also includes an instructional DVD that illustrates the typical problems after a disaster and demonstrates basic salvage techniques.PLA Service Responses Digital Download
PLA will release its first-ever digital download, The Public Library Service Responses, compiled by June Garcia and Sandra Nelson, in spring 2007. The digital download represents a revision of the original 13 service responses as defined in the 1997 publication Planning for Results: A Public Library Transformation Process. The process to revise the Service Responses began at the 2006 ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans and continued through the 2007 Midwinter Meeting in Seattle. Garcia and Nelson sought input from librarians around the country to compile the updated services responses. The publication is available for purchase at the ALA Online Store. Libraries Prosper with Passion, Purpose and Persuasion: A PLA Toolkit for Success
PLA will release the much-anticipated Libraries Prosper with Passion, Purpose and Persuasion: A PLA Toolkit for Success at the ALA Annual Conference in Washington, DC. The creation of the Toolkit was spearheaded by the @ Your Library® Campaign Task Force, led by Kathleen Reif, chair of the task force, with the assistance of the Metropolitan Group. Libraries Prosper with Passion, Purpose, Persuasion: A PLA Toolkit for Success, provides step-by-step instruction for the entire advocacy planning process, including goal setting, audience analysis and identification, message and strategy development, and tool and tactic evaluation and selection. Easy-to-use worksheets as well as sample documents make this interactive Toolkit a must-have publication for every library. The Toolkit will be available in the ALA Store at Annual Conference as well as at the ALA Online Store following Annual Conference. PLA @ ALA Annual Conference
This year, PLA is offering two preconferences, Extreme Makeover: Redesigning Your Library to Promote Usage and Circulation and The Fun and Facts of Early Literacy: Communicating with Parents and Caregivers Through Storytime, and more than 20 programs at the ALA Annual Conference in Washington DC In addition, this year’s PLA President’s Program and Awards Presentation will feature Elizabeth Edwards.CPLA Certification Courses Scheduled
The PLA-sponsored CPLA courses have been scheduled for 2007. The courses, developed by nationally known trainers, support both the learning outcomes defined in the CPLA standards and the principles and practices of the “Results” series. Each course will be presented at least twice in sites around the country, beginning in August 2007 through 2008. To satisfy CPLA requirements, candidates must complete seven of the nine courses offered, including four core courses (Budget and Finance, Management of Technology, Organization and Personnel Administration, and Planning and Management of Buildings) and three electives. The current course schedule and class descriptions are posted online at www.pla.org.Reference and User Services Association
(RUSA)
Guidelines for Multilingual Services
The Library Services to the Spanish-Speaking Committee has revised two guidelines:The “Guidelines for the Development and Promotion of Multilingual Collections and Services” assist libraries in establishing goals, objectives, and policies that integrate multilingual services into their overall work plan. The guidelines are available at http://www.ala.org/ala/rusa/rusaprotools/referenceguide/guidemultilingual.htm
The “Guidelines for Library Services to Spanish-Speaking Library Users” are available at http://www.ala.org/ala/rusa/rusaprotools/referenceguide/guidespanish.htm.
Library services to Spanish-speaking users can be complex. Nationality, regional differences, and culture provide myriad combinations within that community. As an example, there are significant linguistic and cultural differences reflected in the varieties of Spanish spoken by Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and other Spanish-speaking groups. To recognize and respond correctly to these differences is a major theme within these guidelines.
Young Adult Library Services Association(YALSA)
YALSA Launched 10th Annual Teen Read Week Campaign with Support Teen Literature Day
YALSA launched its 10th Annual Teen Read Week campaign in conjunction with Support Teen Literature Day. The theme “LOL @ your library” focuses on humorous, light and entertaining reading. Teen Read Week will be celebrated Oct. 14-20, 2007. Online registration is now open, and products go on sale May 7. The ‘07 National Corporate Sponsor is Mirrorstone Books, an imprint of Wizards of the Coast. Promotional Partners include: Listening Library, Little Brown & Company and WWE.
First Ever Support Teen Literature Day Celebrated April 19th, 2007This event was meant to generate positive press about the vibrant genre of young adult literature as well as to provide YALSA members with a way to celebrate National Library Week with their teens. A media event was held at the Juarez High School in Chicago featuring author Tiffany Trent and the band, The High Strung. Young adult librarians were asked to plan their own celebrations in their communities and to participate in a letter writing campaign to local newspapers. An article in the Chicago Tribune may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/25zapx
Upcoming Events and Activities
- Get Connected: 50 Tech Programs for Teens to be published in June 2007 by YALSA with Neal-Schuman. RoseMary Honnold is the editor.
- “The Sins of YA Literature” Pre-Conference, June 22, 2007.
- “A Beginner’s Guide for Teens in Libraries” Pre-Conference, June 22, 2007.
- Summer Session of e-courses, July 2 – August 3, 2007 (registration opens in May)
- Best Books for Young Adults, 3rd edition to be published in August 2007 by YALSA with ALA Editions.
- Fall Session of e-courses, October 1 – November 10, 2007.
- 10th Annual Teen Read Week, October 14-20, 2007.
ROUNDTABLES
Library Instruction(LIRT)
30th Anniversary Celebration
The Library Instruction Round Table (LIRT) will celebrate its 30th Anniversary. The celebration will include serving cake at the LIRT program during the Annual Conference in Washington, DC entitled, “It’s Showtime for Instruction Librarians: The Making of Short Films for Marketing and Instruction”. The program will be held Saturday, June 23, 2007, 8 am –12 noon.
Staff Organizations
(SORT)
70th Anniversary Celebration
The Staff Organizations Round Table (SORT) will celebrate its 70th Anniversary on Sunday, June 24, 2007, 6:00-9:00 pm during a dinner being held at the Annual Conference. The event will take place at the 701 Restaurant located next to the U.S. Navy Memorial, across the street from the National Archives and near the Shakespeare Theater. This is a ticketed event ($35) and will feature live music as guests are served a choice of an appetizer, an entree, and dessert from a special menu. There will also be a door prize drawing.
ALA-APA
ALA-APA Programs at AnnualLook for the ad called Programs for the People in the ALA Conference Guide, listing ALA-APA programs that were designed to improve work life for library employees:
Friday, 2 - 4 pm: Evelyn Murphy, former Lt. Governor of Massachusetts and author of Getting Even: Why Women Don't Get Paid Like Men and What To Do About It, suggesting how library employees can mobilize to get paid fairly.
Saturday, 10:30 am - noon: Justice You Can Bank On: ALA, ALA-APA and the National Committee on Pay Equity, for a brief history of the ALA and ALA-APA's relationship with the National Committee on Pay Equity, Equal Pay Day, and how two pieces of federal legislation, the Fair Pay Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act, will have an impact on you.
Saturday, 1:30-3:30 pm: Getting What You're Worth Salary Workshop, an Interactive session.
Sunday, 7:30-8:30 am: Networking Breakfast honoring the winners of the SirsiDynix-ALA-APA Award for Promoting Salaries - Alachua County Library District, Gainesville, Florida; Connie Vinita Dowell, San Diego State University; and Teresa McMahan, Sullivan County Library System, Blountville, TN.
Monday, 4:00-5:30 pm: Benefits You Can Afford, a full-coverage program by Jim Brown of Actors' Fund of America
Individual Donation Campaign
ALA-APA relies in part on the generous support of people who want to make a difference, and the individual donation campaign is happening right now. If you do not receive a letter, please do not let that deter you from giving to the organization that supports library employees: http://www.ala-apa.org/donate.html
Certification Review Committee (CRC) Approvals
The Certified Public Library Administrator Program (CPLA) Certification Review Committee (CRC) approved five candidates and one program course during the Spring 2007 review. The new course in Marketing will be offered online by the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. There are now 70 candidates in the program and 32 courses. For more information, see the CPLA Web site at http://www.ala-apa.org/certification/cpla.html. The next review deadline is May 25, 2007.
Library Salary Database
The Library Salary Database was advertised in Governing Magazine in April to attract city Human Resources (HR) managers. It is now available for subscriptions. Until June, a 30-day subscription is only $30. An annual subscription is also available for $150 for ALA members. http://cs.ala.org/websurvey/salarysurvey/salarysurveyform/form.cfm